Earthy and organic

[@?,*???&?]

Engineers-

From the 60's- Geoff Emerick, Eddie Kramer

From the 70's- Eddie Kramer, Glyn Johns

From the 80's- ?

From the 90's- Tchad Blake, Brendan O'Brien

Can you guys think of anybody whose work stands out from that dull, dark, void of the 80's?

[jajjguy]

Well, it was in under the wire in 1989, but the Pixies' Doolittle is a highlight in my bookl, recorded by Gil Norton.

Martin Bisi recorded classic Sonic Youth albums like EVOL in the 80s.

Tpom Waits did some great "warm & organic" (if twisted) stuff in the 80s: Rain Dogs was recorded in 1985 by Robert Musso

Nick Cave's Tender Prey is as warm & organic as such a jagged, punishing record could be, recorded 1987 by Tony Cohen and Flood.

And who could forget Phil Brown with those two amazing Talk Talk albums, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock?

Of these, only Doolittle was a chart-topper, so your point is taken.

[cgarges]

Don't forget that Tchad Blake recorded some of the Bangles' first album. No, I'm not kidding.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[Bear]

Tpom Waits did some great "warm & organic" (if twisted) stuff in the 80s: Rain Dogs was recorded in 1985 by Robert Musso

Amen.

[honkyjonk]

Yup,
Tom Waits is the first one that jumps in my mind. Rain Dogs. Scordfishtrombones.
Was Franks Wild Years in the 80's?
And of course, there's Springsteen recording himself on cassette 4-track. But maybe that's too obvious to mention
I like that description, earthy and organic. I'm always wanting to hear those sounds. How 'bout this side of the century mark? Calexico anyone? Those guys at the wavelab rock!!!

[Kyle]

80's void fillers

Martin Hanett
Mitch Easter
Rick Ruben

[cgarges]

Don Dixon deserves some pretty serious kudos. Particularly for the REM stuff, the Smithereens, and Marti Jones' albums, as well as his solo work. And still, don't forget Tchad Blake's work on the Bangles records.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[PT]

Not exactly engineers when they worked on these albums...

Todd Rundgren produced XTC's stunning Skylarking. I think he did a great job making the album sound "classic" yet fit into the general 80's sound. You can hear what I'm talking about if you contrast this with the equally brilliant full-retro sound of XTC's alter-ego band The Dukes of Stratosphere, produced by John Leckie around the same time as Skylarking.

John Leckie also produced the Stone Rose's debut, which most people forget was released in 1989. It seems so "90's".

People generally cite The Queen is Dead as the best Smiths album. But as far a production/recording, Stephen Street did a great job on Strangeways, Here We Come.

Jimmy Iovine's work with Tom Petty has always been killer. From the 80's, especially Hard Promises and Long After Dark.

[jajjguy]

PT- Right on with Tom Petty's Hard Promises, I was just going to mention that one! (For the rest of yall, that is the one with "The Waiting" on it.)

But hey, it occurred to me, listening to that album this morning, that even those 80s productions that i'd like to call earthy & organic have a kind of closed sound that (i think) comes from gating everything. The Nick Cave, the Petty, probably everything Bisi has recorded, it's all heavily gated, which gives it a certain unearthly sound. Despite its general earthy organicness... did that make sense?

[@?,*???&?]

Don't forget that Tchad Blake recorded some of the Bangles' first album. No, I'm not kidding.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

That was a Joe Chiccarelli record...

[A.L.]

Yeah, M. Bisi sure did a number on those early Sonic Youth records. I would call those "earthy". The last record I've heard recorded by him was the recent Angels of Light record... don't like the sound of it much. I have to say, again, the Birthday Party's Bad Seed EP sounds phenomenal... and the performances are ridiculous. A+. Sadly, the engineer is uncredited on the copy I have. I was never one for Martin Hannett's Joy Division production. My favorite JD disc would have to be the recent re-release of their (hannett-free) BBC sessions. Sounds great, great performances, too. The problem with the 80's is all that shitty reverb that everyone went nuts with. I mean, come on. I wouldn't say any of the Smiths stuff sounds earthy, myself. I am still listening to the Smiths albums on sun-toasted cassette, though. Maybe I should finally replace them with CDs. Oh! Butthole Surfer's Locust Abortion Technician! Who recorded that? The 80's, what a great decade.

edit: oops

[Meriphew]

Daniel Lanois!

[PT]

YI wouldn't say any of the Smiths stuff sounds earthy, myself. I am still listening to the Smiths albums on sun-toasted cassette, though.

Get an import of Strangeways on vinyl. It's got a much fatter sound than any previous Smiths albums. Listen with headphones and you can hear all kinds of analog goodness going on.

[I'm Painting Again]

Don't forget that Tchad Blake recorded some of the Bangles' first album. No, I'm not kidding.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

did he do the rain parade too? i love those recordings.

[cgarges]

Don't forget that Tchad Blake recorded some of the Bangles' first album. No, I'm not kidding.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

That was a Joe Chiccarelli record...

Read the engineering credits. Tchad is among them. According to a friend of mine who used to assist him and Mitchell, that was actually Tchad's FIRST PRODUCING GIG, but he quit not long into it.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC