Music Production: The Hits!
Due to the parameters of the web host, the following audio files need be mp3 or mpeg4 files. I’m in the process of sourcing higher resolution sources for these songs.
Dave Dobbyn: ‘Language’ was tracked by yours truly and produced by Neil Finn at Revolver Studios in 1995. It’s one of Dave’s heartfelt classics, and observing how Neil worked with Dave was a quite an education for me. The final mix was Tchad Blake’s.
The Exponents: ‘Why Does Love Do This To Me?’ was engineered and co-produced by yours truly in early 1991 at Airforce Studios (now Native Audio, which [a wee brag here] I believe is staffed by ex students of mine?).
We knew this was a strong song, but I doubt any of us had a crystal ball powerful enough to predict just how quickly, and how deeply, it was going to embed itself in the New Zealand psyche. It surely deserved to be a number 1, but never made it higher than 3rd place on the charts.
DD Smash: ‘Outlook For Thursday’ was engineered by me at Harlequin Studios in 1982. It was I believe Dave Dobbyn’s first foray into producing, and the song illustrates his talent for taking the commonplace and making it part of popular culture.
This may be when I first succeeded in using dramatic variations of vocal effects to enhance the vocal delivery and lyrics (some might call this ‘prosody’). The superb backing vocals were sung by Josie Rika, a rare talent.
Blam Blam Blam: We produced ‘Dont Fight It Marsha’ at Harlequin Studios in 1981 as part of the ‘Luxury Length’ album. A Don McGlashan/Mark Bell/Tim Mahon gem.
I’ll let the music speak for itself. One curiosity though; if you listen closely, you should hear Don hitting the snare drum’s microphone with his drum stick; it’s at 3’53”/3’54”.
DD Smash: ‘Devil You Know’ was engineered by me and produced by the late, great, much missed, much beloved and quiet genius, Ian Morris; at Harlequin Studios in 1981.
This song only just made it onto the ‘Cool Bananas’ album: Ian and I were well into the mixing stage of the album when Dave Dobbyn rushed in one morning, fizzing with excitement, desperate to record this song, which he’d just finished writing.
Tracked in one day, its freshness and vitality still shine through.