Customer Reviews

Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music

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Imagine yourself facing the task of telling Tony Bennett during a recording session that, while he sounds fine, you believe he's hit a few bum notes. Not only should you have the credible acumen for identifying such flaws, but also the knowledge of how to correct them. Fortunately, Phil Ramone has an abundance of both. One of music's most prolific and distinguished producers, he candidly shares experiences from his career in his new book, Making Records: The Scenes Behind The Music.

While neither a strict memoir nor a technical manual, the book blends elements of the two, usually within the context of representative and applicable anecdotes.

Ramone writes an engaging account of his ascension in the music industry, from working as a studio apprentice to engineering recording sessions and ultimately producing albums and live events. As a result, the reader gains priceless insight on some landmark recordings as well perspective on the evolution of music production over the last 50 years.

What makes this book such an enjoyable read is the producer's unassuming way of relating his memories and knowledge. One would suspect that someone as proficient and experienced as Phil Ramone would have, by now, lost all sense of wonder in regard to how music is made. Quite the contrary, while he undoubtedly knows what he's doing in the studio, he seems just as amazed and inspired by the creative process as any typical fan would feel.

Fans of Billy Joel, in particular, will take pleasure in reading what Ramone recollects about producing many of the Piano Man's greatest albums. He recounts how certain iconic sound effects were achieved, like the shattering glass that opens "You May Be Right" and the reverberating helicopter propellers that bookend "Goodnight Saigon." He explains his view on what was lacking in Joel's first four albums -- which he didn't produce -- and why that deficiency resulted in releasing Songs From The Attic. He even divulges how he would humorously blackmail Joel and his band into working whenever they got hungry or distracted.

In sharing his experiences of working with Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and a plethora of others, the consistent factor is how Ramone approached (and still approaches) each project with the artist's intent foremost in his mind. He astutely notes that his name doesn't appear on the covers of the albums he produces. Thus, instead of attempting to conform an artist to a certain style or standard, he respects and caters to each artist's creative goal.

At the same time, Ramone justifiably points out the credentials that he brings to the making of an album. A classically trained musician in his own right, he understands music from both sides of the glass. Even when he has worked with artists who've had production experience, like Paul Simon or Paul McCartney, Ramone says that he contributed a sense of objectivity that the artists found helpful.

Accommodating in his profession as well as in his prose, Ramone has graciously written a book that music fans of any age or education can appreciate. Given his expertise, he could have easily filled these pages with professional terminology related to record production. While he certainly refers to technological aspects and specific equipment associated with his work, he does so without leaving the average reader overwhelmed or confused. Rather, he only mentions something of this sort within the context of recounting a pertinent (and understandable) experience.

Making Records: The Scenes Behind The Music offers an intriguing glimpse into the art of music production. Few careers in this field have rivaled that of Phil Ramone. Now, in addition to albums, concerts, and other live events, he has once again produced a quality work. And this time, finally, his name is on the cover.

I thought this would address how he started A&R Studios, what his technique was during those years and how it evolved. What were the reason for certain mixes, etc. Instead this book is a self righteous account of why Phil Ramone is so wonderful, without giving much details on the why. Also, before reading this book I thought he was a real leader in the industry. After reading, I found his only claim to fame was the founding of A&R Studios (which no longer exists) and his worked with Billy Joel. Most of the other productions he was involved with (with exception of Sinatra's "Duets") were not real blockbusters. If you want to know how wonderful Phil is, in his own words, this book is a must. If you want to know about the how's and why's of what makes a producer/engineer do what they do, this is not your book. To date, the best on how's and why's is the documentary on Tom Dowd (Atlantic's engineer), it answers all the questions and does not dwell on the individual.

If you are really into the history of Rock n Roll, this book is a must have. You can really feel the involvement of Phil Ramone with the artists and the eventual record. It's great to have documentation of the industry before it went full electronic.

I just loved this book from start to finish. I even read it twice. It has been a goal of mine since i was 14 to record the music of Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett in their prime
and in living color and transfer them to newer mediums, much like the great Martin Scorcese has worked with updating great movies for future generations to enjoy. Phil Ramone has worked in the trenches of the music business all of his life. His family put a violin in his precocious hands at age 3 and by the age of 10, this child prodigy played a command performance for the Queen. If we had you tube back then, he would have been featured like the young prodigy's of today on various You tube videos. Phil went on to study at Juillard, the premier music school in the US, and then he decided that he enjoyed being on the other side of the recording console. He Started A&R records I think in around 1959. He tells a great story of recording Ms. Marilyn Monroe's infamous breathy "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" to John F. Kennedy in1962. He was also on the console for my favorite song of all time, 'the Girl from Ipanema' with Stan Getz, and Joao and Astrud Gilberto. He has recorded 5 albums with Mr. Billy Joel, and at least 62 different gold or platinum records for various stars from Anne Murray, through big brassy Chicago Transit Authority, to Sinatra Duets I and II and he is currently recording mr. Tony Bennett's Duets II for Tony's 85th birthday. Phil tells his story in simple conversational tones. It doesn't even sound like name dropping when he speaks of many, if not most of the great recording artists of the past 50 years. Phil tells great little vignettes of how he and Quincy Jones were working with Mr. Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas in the early 1960's and Mr. Sinatra invited Phil and Quincy to a big party that was happening after their recording was done for the day. Phil and Quincy were young and upcoming producers and engineers at the time and they shared ONE tuxedo between them, since usually only one or the other would be wearing it on any given night. They flipped a coin and Quincy won, so Phil had to wear just a dark suit that night. This book is fun for any person who wants to follow the history of great popular music of the past 50 years. Mr. Phil Ramone, was NOT called "the Pope of Pop" for no reason!
If you dream of someday being an engineer, or a producer of great music, you could surely use this excellent book as a primer on how to treat people, how to LISTEN for what an artist wants, needs and feels, and how to use both skill, personality, intuition and drive to get the most out of the artist in the studio with you at the time. When people ask me if their is a Phil Ramone "sound", i say that each artist still sounds like themselves.......only better! Phil brings out the best in the records of the best artists of the past 50 years. And he has more than 60 gold or platinum records, dozens of Grammy Nominations and more than 15 Grammy's to show for it. This review doesn't even discuss his various movie productions, broadway plays, and concerts in Central Park for singers like Barbra Streisand and Simon and Garfunkel. he tells of venturing to Bahia in South America, and by mid afternoon, he has rigged up some recording gear to record Paul Simon with some great young Brazilian Drummers and coming up with another Classic Paul Simon hit. or other times, he will tape up a microphone to the exhaust pipe of a motorcycle to get the right sound for a Billy Joel song. Phil is also a technical wizard. he recorded the first commercial CD with Mr. Billy Joel. Other nights he had to deal with a backhoe accidentally slicing through a large group of speaker cable in Central Park that took a week to lay, just 30 minutes before a major concert was to start. Phil is always the calm one in the eye of the storm that every great album or movie entails. You can go to [...] for a list of the truly best recording artists of the past half century. Most of them will tell you that that some of their best work was done with Mr. Phil Ramone at the controls! So, for all who love Popular American music for the past 50 years, you just might enjoy this incredible little book. Ciao!

This was an " AMAZING JOURNEY ". When you listen to someone you love on the radio for years, you never know what they were thinking until you read this book! So much goes on behind the scenes and it was all uncovered when I read this! Phil Ramone will take you on a ride that will make you think about the music that you put into your soul on a daily base.

Some of the negative customer reviews fault this book for not being what the reader expected--a technical book about recording for example--instead of dealing with the book the author(s) actually wrote.

This book answers fans' questions about how records are made based on Phil Ramone's personal experience.

It's not an autobiography or a how-to be a record producer book--although there are elements of both.

This is a layman's terms explanation of how records are made directed toward music fans.

Phil Ramone's long career stretches back to the 1950's. He engineered David "Fathead" Newman's album "It's Mister Fathead" for Atlantic Records in 1958 and he was still active at the time this book was written in 2007.

Ramone's seen alot of changes during his career. It's interesting to read what has changed and what has remained the same.

Ramone uses examples to explain his points. Many are great. Phil Ramone describes the mixing process then uses Billy Joel's "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant," as an example of one of his favorite mixes. Then he lists specific sections of the song and characteristics of the mix to listen for in each:

"MAIN THEME: 'A BOTTLE OF WHITE, A BOTTLE OF RED...' (AT 0:14)...This section offers an example of complimentary equalization."

"With complimentary equalization, instruments that have frequencies in common are equalized to remove or enhance some of their shared frequencies. This helps each instrument stand out, and allows it to retain its own designated space in the mix."

"In the introduction, the acoustic guitar (which comes in on the second verse) was equalized with a fair amount of treble. If it hadn't been, the sound of the guitar would compete with that of the accordian. Heard on its own, the equalized guitar would sound thin and weak, blended into the mix, it sounds terrific..."

There are 3 other short examples.

Would it be interesting to listen to the song and try to hear what Ramone is explaining? If so, maybe you'd like this book.

That quote's about as technical as Ramone gets.

Another example is Phil Ramone's story of engineering Dionne Warwick records for songwriter/producers Hal David and Burt Bacharach on songs like "What The World Needs Now Is Love," "I Say A Little Prayer," "Alfie," and "Do You Know The Way To San Jose."

Phil Ramone goes on to explain what sets Burt Bacharach's music apart:

"First, the idiosyncratic way that he structures a melody. Burt is audacious in pushing beyond the traditional songwriting form; his compositions are replete with unusual chord progressions, bitonal harmonies, arresting rhythmic patterns, unexpected key changes, nonsymmetrical phrasing, and offbeat time signatures--most of which are rarely found in a standard pop tune. Burt also weaves fabulous contrasts and textures into his arrangements."

"A Bacharach arrangement typically features airy, sustained strings, expansive woodwinds, felicitous brass solos (flugelhorn has been one of his favorites), throbbing tympani, and drum parts that ascend to thundering crescendos."

Rhino Records has a Burt Bacharach compliation with all these songs and others on it available new for $8.98.

There are lots of photos of Phil Ramone with famous people and war story anecdotes--like Phil Ramone's story of running sound for President Kennedy's birthday party in May 1962, when Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President."

If you want to know how records are made--by a top guy in the business for 50 years--this is a well crafted book.

This book is written for people not connected with the industry. Mr. Ramone is a fantastically gifted individual. If you are looking for secrets or tricks of the trade, this is not the book. It is very tame. Take his explanation of "B Sides" from 45rpm singles as a place for throw away songs. "B Sides" were highly coveted spots because they paid the same mechanical royalty as the "A Side." Which means they where a valuable commodity and bargaining chip for artists and publishers. The politics involved in "B Sides" were monumental.
Mr. Ramone's joy is making records, and he does not cast any disparaging shadows on his sacred cow. I'm sure he's seen more than his share of record company and artist insanity, and it might have been more interesting to hear how one coped with being as creative as he is in one of the most crooked businesses known to man.

This book had me glued page after page. I loved it because it was entertaining, interesting and educational. I learned not only about music history, but also about recording and production techniques. Thank you Phil Ramone and Charles Granata!

I love to read all the books about producers and engineers and how records were made.
Phil Ramone is legendary. The title is misleading. True it covers the scenes behind the music. It should be retitled, "Phil Ramone, My Story".

Yes, their may be issues at times with the quotes figure out if it is Phil Ramone speaking or someone else. But it is a great look into how the mind of one amazing music producer works. This book though isn't for the average reader, it is expecting you to know a lot about the background of the recording process. But for those who work in the industry this book gives great insight into how to bring the best out of musicians in the recording studio.