Who Would You Say Was The Best Record Producer Ever

[smark21]

[QUOTE=soulster;26583]Nonsense! She only did one album with the team. The hit single was "This Time I Know It's For Real", and aside from DS fans, most people who were teens or in their twenties at the time will remember the song. If you recall, the album put her back on the charts and back in the press. Man, I know the music is generic, and nothing but the production team's trademarked sound, but Summer is the one voice that made whole difference. Go back and listen to the song. It's great!

This Time I Know It's for Real is one of SAW's best, thanks to Donna Summer's vocal. She more than rose to the occasion with that SAW album. SAW also got Banarama to really belt on the hits they produced for them. And they gave Kylie Minougue her start as a pop tart.

[stephanie]

I dont care much for the SAW either but they made some catchy tunes. Now best producers that list can read like a bible but the ones who do it for me are HDH, Quincy Jones, Frank Wilson, Mickie Most and all of his MGM productions, and Norman Whitfield. I have to say a special mention goes to Brian Wilson he took his love of Phil Spector and made things tolerable to listen to. I like a Spector production but when its overblown its waaaaaaaaaayyy overblown like River Deep Mountain High by Tina Turner I cannot listen to that record its too bombastic. Thank god the Supremes and the Four Tops brought real life to that arrangement.

Spector makes it sound like he is the god of the wall of sound and his instruments are more important and the wall should kill the singer. Tina sounds like she is tired and wants to get it over with.

[timmyfunk]

Nonsense! She only did one album with the team. The hit single was "This Time I Know It's For Real", and aside from DS fans, most people who were teens or in their twenties at the time will remember the song. If you recall, the album put her back on the charts and back in the press. Man, I know the music is generic, and nothing but the production team's trademarked sound, but Summer is the one voice that made whole difference. Go back and listen to the song. It's great!


I think you have a short memory. That was a huge album, and it was critically acclaimed. It really got her back into the limelight, and even brought her to a new audience because of MTV, and her videos constant rotation on it. I'm still sick of hearing "Unconditional Love", the single she did with Musical Youth.


Now, what I didn't like was her first album after she signed with Geffen "The Wanderer". That was crap. But, it worked because it was in line with the changing musical climate. I'll bet you don't even like her album with the Quincy Jones team.

Silly! Maybe it's just the sound of the 80s music that turns you off. I don't like a lot of it. A ,ot of it was pure garbage to me. But, Summer's vocal somehow almost always transcended the musical backing or production....except "The Wanderer".

My delicate sensibilities prevent from revisiting such unimpressive material. You might as well hit the agree to disagree button, because we ain't gonna see eye to eye on this one. Total disco drek.

On the contrary, I have a fantastic memory for meaningful music. That album bought her an extra 15 minutes at best. The wave created by that record certainly didn't extend to the next record.



There's tons of 80's music that I like, but DS's output during this time ain't one of them.

[jillfoster]

You couldn't find one person walking the earth now that remembers one song from the SAW period. Nothing but post-disco drek.

What a patently ridiculous statement. Anyone who is over 35 certainly remembers many of their songs, and certain ones have passed over into "dance classic" status:

[WaltB]

For me, I would go with Quincy Jones who's work has transcended so many years, genres, and artists [[from Leslie Gore to Michael Jackon).

[timmyfunk]

What a patently ridiculous statement. Anyone who is over 35 certainly remembers many of their songs, and certain ones have passed over into "dance classic" status:

No, it isn't a ridiculous statement. It's a factual one. If you disagree, fine. The cheesiness of the vast majority of their productions will keep them off any 'best record producer' list.

[timmyfunk]

Thanks to the phenomenon of being "Rick-roll", SAW's "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley lives on in the culture.

SAW produced some catchy pop songs back in the late 80's. They could be very cheesy, but they were entertaining. But they haven't aged well and the cheese factor prevents them, IMO, from putting them on a list of Greatest Producers. Perhaps they would fit on a list of 80's Producers who produced big hits, but the music they came out with doesn't stand the time all that well, except as cheesy camp best suited to play at high school reunions for those who graduated in the latter half of the 80's.

Exactly. Nicely explained without any antagonistic remarks.

[jillfoster]

One thing i've noticed, is that in some cases, the Arranger/Conductor for an artist can govern their "sound" as much as a producer.... such as Bill Shepherd with the early Bee Gees stuff, and Ivor Raymonde with Dusty.

[soulster]

Exactly. Nicely explained without any antagonistic remarks.

I wasn't being antagonistic, just having a friendly disagreement.

[timmyfunk]

I wasn't being antagonistic, just having a friendly disagreement.

Not you Soulster. Just look up a little.

[jillfoster]

Not you Soulster. Just look up a little.

what else would you call it when you say "you won't find one person walking on the earth" in regards to people remembering these songs. It was ridiculous. If you had said "You won't find a large amount of people who remember these songs" I was said you were wrong, but not ridiculous. But anyway.... What's your guys' opnions on Biddu? I like him.

[soulster]

Thanks to the phenomenon of being "Rick-roll", SAW's "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley lives on in the culture.

SAW produced some catchy pop songs back in the late 80's. They could be very cheesy, but they were entertaining. But they haven't aged well and the cheese factor prevents them, IMO, from putting them on a list of Greatest Producers. Perhaps they would fit on a list of 80's Producers who produced big hits, but the music they came out with doesn't stand the time all that well, except as cheesy camp best suited to play at high school reunions for those who graduated in the latter half of the 80's.

Whether something ages well really depends on the person.

[smark21]

One thing i've noticed, is that in some cases, the Arranger/Conductor for an artist can govern their "sound" as much as a producer.... such as Bill Shepherd with the early Bee Gees stuff, and Ivor Raymonde with Dusty.

Also very true for greats like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. The sound on their albums was due to their arranger--Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Gordon Jenkins, etc.--not the producer. The producer's role for their albums was more behind the scenes and taking care of business not imposing a studio sound on them.

[jillfoster]

I love many arranger/conductors every bit as much as some producers. Tony Hatch is another one that is incredibly talented. Ivor Raymonde walks on water for me, his work is so unnmistakeable, even on songs he did with other artists besides Dusty:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0U88...eature=related

[theboyfromxtown]

Jill foster

Ivor Raymonde worked extensively with producer Joe Meek too.....but was uncredited. I only found out myself when he passed.

I got to know of his work via Dusty and here is a wonderful picture of him with the Springfields from Spectropop. I hope it is Ok to post this link

http://www.spectropop.com/gallery/v/...1a3e57f895f7f4

[timmyfunk]

what else would you call it when you say "you won't find one person walking on the earth" in regards to people remembering these songs. It was ridiculous. If you had said "You won't find a large amount of people who remember these songs" I was said you were wrong, but not ridiculous. But anyway.... What's your guys' opnions on Biddu? I like him.

OK, then. Find somebody. So no, it wasn't a ridiculous statement. You could people of any generation that could swear by DS period with Casablanca. You couldn't find one person on the street that could name you any hits after 1980. Most people would have to be reminded of "She Works Hard For The Money".

[timmyfunk]

Whether something ages well really depends on the person.

Not necessarily. There have been many albums released in the past that didn't initially get a lot of recognition. But then over time, for whatever reason, that same album grew in influence and was eventually reevaluated. Being a P-Funkateer, I can tell you first hand that many P-Funk initially received negative reviews. Now those same albums are being recognized for their innovation and creativity.

[roger]

Hello all ..

SAW and their cheesy disco/pop seemed to dominate the UK charts in the late '80s but they were also responsible for a very clever JAMES BROWN/J.Bs/MACEO AND THE MACKS pastiche called "Roadblock" .. here is the tune ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF28Z_lr3t4

Roger

[144man]

S-A-W's "All the Way" for the England World Cup Team was a better record than their footballing performances deserved!

[marv2]

I've always thought of Richard Perry as one of the great producers.

[jillfoster]

OK, then. Find somebody. So no, it wasn't a ridiculous statement. You could people of any generation that could swear by DS period with Casablanca. You couldn't find one person on the street that could name you any hits after 1980. Most people would have to be reminded of "She Works Hard For The Money".

You know, every fag in this country over the age of 40 that went to a club knows "She Works Hard For the Money", and every other hit Donna Summer had. "This Time I Know It's for Real" is well remembered by all those who are into dance music, but the same people might not know any hits by that coked up freak George Clinton. it depends on who you associate with.

[Penny]

You know, every fag in this country over the age of 40 that went to a club knows "She Works Hard For the Money", and every other hit Donna Summer had. "This Time I Know It's for Real" is well remembered by all those who are into dance music, but the same people might not know any hits by that coked up freak George Clinton. it depends on who you associate with.

Fag?????????????

[jillfoster]

Fag?????????????

Yes, Penny... don't freak, I can use the word because I am one. I know your'e new... so you might not have realized.

[Penny]

Jill, thank you for the reply. I am new here and I was a bit startled by the use of the term "fag." I have a 21 year old daughter who is, like you, a lesbian. I also have a gay brother and my sales manager is a gay man. I don't like prejudice or bigotry in any of its forms or manifestations. I needed to question the use of the word just to find out what kind of place this is. I believe music can bring us all together and I have always believed that.

Penny

[jillfoster]

Jill, thank you for the reply. I am new here and I was a bit startled by the use of the term "fag." I have a 21 year old daughter who is, like you, a lesbian. I also have a gay brother and my sales manager is a gay man. I don't like prejudice or bigotry in any of its forms or manifestations. I needed to question the use of the word just to find out what kind of place this is. I believe music can bring us all together and I have always believed that.

Penny

No problem.

[nomis]

"This Time I Know its For Real" is considered a Gay classic but production wise her next single with them "loves about To change My heart" is a superiour production achievment..I play to guys in their early 20s and they know "This Time" and dance to it so the song has survived in culture..the other outstanding SAW tune that fills a dancefloor is Kylies "Better The Devil You Know" ...not the best producers of all time no but people certainly remember their songs

[nomis]

...The best produced SAW song is Princess "Say Im Your Number One" that is a masterpiece

[nomis]

I think the production on Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music is outstanding.."These Foolish things" has wonderful piano,clicks and handclaps..a slight reggea guitar against an utterly brilliant vocal from Ferry..and as for Roxy Music can i get any better than "Same Old Scene""Angel Eyes" or "Dance Away" all exellent production values.
Abba created masterpieces in their final years from the almost Opera ending of "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room" with its soft chiming clock and ghostly vocals..The spoken middle verse of "The Winner Takes it All"..supreme production from Benny and Bjorn to the etheral "The Visitors" with its crashing orchestra interludes..to the abstract "The Day Before You Came" which showed how cutting edge production wise Abba were at the end..
Blondies apocalyptic "Atomic" is a piece of genius..the rising vocal cresendo,,another atmospheric track is Bronski Beats "Smalltown Boy"..that sounded like nothing on the radio at the time,,haunting
Princes "When Doves Cry" is a masterpiece of studio work..
Bill Withers "Aint No Sunshine: and "Use Me: stand out..
Brilliant production on two of the biggest LPs of the 70s Meatloafs "bat out of Hell" is epic..Fleetwwod Macs
"Rumours" is superb..the doom of "The Chain" and "Gold Dust Woman"
Not my favourite but outstanding production is Bonnie Tylers "Total Eclipse of The Heart " tender and raucious at the same time..
Hall and Oates singles had impeccable production - Arthur Bakers work on "Out Of Touch"..brilliant
Miami Sound Machine never got the credit they deserved for Glorias tender ballards..everytime I play "Conga" the dancefloor goes wild..
recreating the Motown production sound with brilliance - Culture Clubs "Church Of The Poisened Mind" and ABC 'When Smokey Sings"
Billy joels tribute to the four Seasons "The Longest Time"- sublime 80s production
the list is endless I could go on and on...

[nomis]

..how could I forget Sly and Robbies work with Grace Jones..now thats production beyond par...

[jillfoster]

Gary Wright's two big hits, "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive" have a really excellent and at the time, very "futuristic" sounding production. It's what I imagined music of today might sound like, but alas... the optimism of my youth was dashed on the rocks. [[Btw... Norris, I'm getting messages your private mailbox is at it's limit.)

[timmyfunk]

You know, every fag in this country over the age of 40 that went to a club knows "She Works Hard For the Money", and every other hit Donna Summer had. "This Time I Know It's for Real" is well remembered by all those who are into dance music, but the same people might not know any hits by that coked up freak George Clinton. it depends on who you associate with.

That coked up freak that you refer to has revolutionized Black music more times than you can count, which judging by this childish, ignorant post probably isn't much. If you have to resort to these kinds of immature retorts [[how old are you anyway?) than your problems go deeper than any topic brought up on this board.

[Margie]

There are too many to narrow down to one. My list is gonna read like the who's who of the rock era, and I know I left a ton of great ones out, but here goes:

George Martin
Brian Holland-Lamond Dosier-Eddie Holland
Joe Wissert
Lou Adler
Phil Ramone
Jerry Fuller
Luther Dixon
Gary Katz
Burt Bachrach/Hal David
Dave Grusin
Norman Whitfield
Don Davis
Charles Stepney
Richard Carpenter
The Isley Brothers [[Chris Jasper)
Dennis Lambert/Brian Potter
Freddie Perren
Tommy LiPuma
Marvin Yancey/Chuck Jackson
Gus Dugeon
Felton Jarvis
Skip Scarborough
Hugh Padgham
Allen Jones
Bob Ezrin
Bernard Edwards
Nile Rodgers
Jimmy Miller
Quincy Jones
Eddie Kramer
Eddy Oxford
Thom Bell
Van McCoy
Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff
Peter Asher
Mickie Most
Roy Thomas Baker
Mick Jones
Leiber & Stoller
Arif Mardin
Jerry Wexler
Billy Davis
Maurice White
James Anthony Carmichael
Robert John "Mutt" Langue
The Bomb Squad
James William Guercio
Rick Rubin
Richard Perry
Narada Michael Walden
George Clinton
Ted Templeman
Bill Szymzick
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
George Harrison
Phil Spector
Brian Wilson
Curtis Mayfield
Butch Vig
Barry White
Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte
David Cavanaugh
Tony Visconti
Michael Masser
Nick Ashford & Valarie Simpson
Harry Wayne Casey & Richard Finch
James Brown
Roberta Flack/Rubina Flake
Prince/Christopher/Jamie Starr
Rick James
Marvin Gaye
Teena Marie
Andrew Loog Oldham
General Johnson
Eugene Record
Issac Hayes
Jim Stewart
Steve Cropper

Are your heads spinning yet?

When Chris Jasper left The Isley Brothers and formed Isley-Jasper-Isley, the Isley Brothers never again wrote or played their own music. That is because brother-in-law Chris Jasper was the composer behind all of those Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley hits. If you want to know where the "Isley Brothers" sound went, just visit Chris's website where you can hear his solo music following the IJI breakup to present... more than 12 solo albums with all great music, including 4 gospel albums! And his new CD will be released this September...it is spectacular! So if you are missing that classic Isley Brothers/Isley-Jasper-Isley sound, please follow Chris Jasper and please spread the word! Connect with Chris on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and on his website where you will find all the links: http://www.ChrisJasper.com

[soulster]

When Chris Jasper left The Isley Brothers and formed Isley-Jasper-Isley, the Isley Brothers never again wrote or played their own music. That is because brother-in-law Chris Jasper was the composer behind all of those Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley hits. If you want to know where the "Isley Brothers" sound went, just visit Chris's website where you can hear his solo music following the IJI breakup to present... more than 12 solo albums with all great music, including 4 gospel albums! And his new CD will be released this September...it is spectacular! So if you are missing that classic Isley Brothers/Isley-Jasper-Isley sound, please follow Chris Jasper and please spread the word! Connect with Chris on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and on his website where you will find all the links: http://www.ChrisJasper.com

That's correct, Margie! Thanks!

As far as the best producer is concerned everyone, is the best one a producer who applies their own signature sound, or one who gets out of the way of the artist?

[daddyacey]

Gentlemen and Ladies , this is good conversation.... But... "Best" in this subject is like beauty , only in the "EAR" of the beholder.

[theboyfromxtown]

As usual, no mention at all for my hero

HENRY COSBY

[StuBass1]

George Martin
Brian Wilson
Quincy Jones
Hon Mention...HDH & Phil Spector

[MIKEW-UK]

I've double checked but I don't see anyone mention Johnny Bristol..........so I'll push his name and his superb record of productions...

I mean, c'mon, take a look at the 347 production credits, Johnny Bristol produced authentic soul..amazed this site overlooked him..I'll let you come to your own conclusions after going through the 347 credits as a producer...

https://www.discogs.com/artist/85762...n&type=Credits

and whilst you're reading listen to this production by Johnny on an artist he persuaded he could sing and front a band......

[StuBass1]

Sir George Martin pays a visit to Brian WIlson and the result is unbelievable...
https://youtu.be/CnVyCuc9_P8

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Best Record Producer [[whose sound was also the most copied):

1962-1964: Phil Spector [[Philles era). All of the girl-group producers tried to duplicate his sound -- especially those on the Dimension and Red Bird labels, but few came close. Phil was the first to make the records that were cut so hot they jumped out at you. Soon after, he was succeeded by the following:

1965-1970: Motown's producers [[especially H-D-H, Smokey Robinson, and Norman Whitfield). Most soul-music producers in general tried their damndest at copying The Motown Sound, yet, again, few succeeded.

1973-1980: Phiily Soul/Sigma Sound producers [[Gamble & Huff, Thom Bell, Bunny Sigler, Norman Harris) ruled the day with their lush, symphonic soul sound.

I would love to squeeze Van McCoy in the latter era, esecially during the mid-1970's.

[woodward]

Richard Barrett of the Chantels fame.

[timmyfunk]

Wow. Five years later and topic still comes up? I can safely say that my perspective has budged one inch. Even after the passing of Donna Summer, her Casablanca era recordings still stand the test of time, whereas her post-1980 recordings still languish in background.