Customer Reviews

Producers / You Make the Heat

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4 star:		(5)
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Sounding like a US version of the UK group "The Records", The Producers wrote and played some excellent instantly memorable pop tunes (complete with great harmonies and catchy guitar riffs) led by Van Temple's soaring tenor voice and guitar, Bryan Holmes' driving drums, Kyle Henderson's melodic bass lines, and of course, Wayne Famous--the resident looney on keyboards.

It is a shame that their only really major national success was "She-Sheila" because a large percentage of the tunes should've been hits. They were very popular with the college crowds circa 1982-85. I saw 'em three times and EVERYONE in the crowd knew all the words! In concert, they also did a killer cover of "A Hard Day's Night" (hmmm, maybe a live album is called for).

The first album (Producers) is the most fun of the two in this package. Innocent, light weight, hummable, and a killer soundtrack to your college beer party (well maybe not these days). "What's He Got", "I Love Lucy", "What She Does To Me", "Certain Kinda Girl",... ahhh greatness! The second (You Make The Heat) is a little more serious and probably an attempt to compete more with the arena supergroups at the time. The songs are still good. It is just a little less Hollies-sounding and a little more Journey-sounding. "You Make The Heat" and "Breakaway" are standouts.

These recordings have been criminally out of print for years. I myself have only had a cassette tape copied from the LP's back in the 80's. This release is greatly welcomed. I don't know how well it will go over with today's youth, but I know that a bunch of folks that were in college during the first half of the 80's are going to be tickled pink about it. I am now going to pop open a cold one, put this disc on and wax nostalgic. "Lucy....Luuuuuucy!"

Thanks Producers for some great memories.

This group is one of the most under-rated, lesser known bands of the 80s. The Producers' biggest hit was "She Sheila" which got some airplay and was on MTV for a while. Several other songs got some airplay in parts of the U.S. (I Love Lucy, Certain Kinda Girl, What's He Got, Merry Go Round, Back to Basics, Operation). I know this will sound like an overstatement, but I like every one of their songs.

The band did release a 3rd LP called "Run For Your Life" but the group had switched labels and it was not widely promoted. That is a hard find, but it is every bit as good as the first two releases. A fourth album was recorded but never released (rumor has it that it will be released in late Sept 2001).

The band has been touring again in 2001...

Unlike many of the reviewers here, I don't have nostalgic reasons for buying this CD. In Colorado, the Producers are virtually unheard of, although I can vaguely remember "What's He Got" getting some airplay when I was in High School. I had always been interested to hear more from Van Temple, the singer, after discovering his amazing vocals on another 80's recording, "Book of Dreams", from Steve Morse's album "Stand Up". Here it is fifteen years later, and thanks to Amazon I have had the opportunity to discover the Producers. After listening to the CD, with it's great combination of polish without compromising the fun and the energy of rock, and the great musical performances combined with the catchy tunes, I am convinced that this band should have been huge nationwide fifteen years ago, instead of huge only in Georgia. Somebody at some record company made a huge mistake back then by not marketing these albums better. I think that the fact that as of this review the re-released CD can become the #3 seller in Georgia really demonstrates that this band never got the exposure they deserved. Great 80's pop! Only a few of the songs sound really dated. Highly recommended for anyone who has a place in their heart for strong melodic 80s music that doesn't take itself too seriously. And what a singer Van Temple is!!!

It's a real treat to have the two Producers albums finally released on CD. After nearly 20 years, the songs on these two albums (especially those on "You Make the Heat") are still fresh and full of energy.

I first heard of the Producers when my brother's newly formed rock band (Option 30 - which at that time included a skinny punk named Trent Reznor) began playing Producers cover tunes like "I Love Lucy," "Dear John," and "She-Sheila." These covers became very popular in our little corner of Western PA, and band members were consitently asked by audience members who wrote the tunes.

Me and my brother have always been baffled as to why the Producers never found a wider audience. Poor marketing? Lack of airplay? I dunno, but they deserved a hell of a lot more attention than they got. So, if you missed them back in the 80s, here's your chance to get to know and love the Producers.

During the time this band was popular, one could go to the Agora Ballroom in Atlanta and see a host of hot bands who were signed to major labels. Fortnox, Riggs, Swingin Richards, and so many more. The Producers were the best of the lot.Even today the question remains as to why these guys{ Producers} did not make it all the way. The vocals were unbelievable,and the musicianship was as good as it gets. I think this album is a little high, but quite frankly I don't care. I owe it to these guys for some of the best shows I have ever seen. Thanks for the memories, fellows. Buying this is the least I can do...

Having had the honour & privilege to open for this Atlanta-based quartet on two occasions are among the highlights of my 18+ year musical career, so I'm glad to see their first two LPs have finally been transferred to digital era.

Back in the early era of MTV (when they used to actually play music videos!), The Producers had three videos in heavy rotation ("What's He Got?", "Certain Kinda Girl" & the inimitable "She Shelia") & things looked very good for them. Unfortunately, a rather petty falling out between the band & a spiteful rep (who shall remain Al Teller) at Portrait Records cost them the brass ring after their sophomore -- & superior even to their excellent debut -- effort, which they've been paying for ever since.

The Producers, fortunately, are still very much a viable entity, although they generally don't travel very far outside their stompimg grounds unless they're performing for a private or special function. If you're ever in the Atlanta area, LOOK FOR THESE GUYS!!! It's a Power Pop feast you won't be sorry you saw. If you're not lucky enough to catch them live, get this compilation of their first two LPs, "The Producers" & "You Make the Heat". It won't replace the live energy of their shows, but it'll give the listener an extremely close approximation of how good these guys are, as there's not too terribly much lost in the translation.

(Then, go buy their finally-released "lost" album, "Coelacanth" -- but that's for another review!)

The Producers' first two albums on CD! Hot damn! I have all three albums on vinyl, but I don't have a turntable any more, and I think the albums got warped anyway. I saw these guys two or three times myself, in Denver, back in the early 80s. (The Producers did well out here, and yeah, they do a really good version of "A Hard Day's Night"--one of the best Beatles covers I've ever heard.) They were one of the first groups to have a music video on MTV, which is what sold me on them. I think of them as sounding like the Police but better and much less pretentious. They improved noticeably from album to album, and I was really looking forward to more discs when they up and vanished. I can't wait for this disc to arrive!

I applaude ONE WAY RECORDS on a fantastic job..This CD has all the impact of the original lp's and much more..Clean and powerful...The inner pics are an exact repro of both albums..

How would I describe these guys ....for anybody not all that familiar with their sound? How about this??.... "The Beatles meet The Police" (matching suits and shoes...but in different colors...check out the hair) ..The powerful vocals and harmonies are reminiscent of the EARLY Beatles..and the music has the energy and drive of The Police....with that Reggae spice....Every song is a keeper!!!!

I grabbed this 2fer when it first came out...for an amazing price of $12.99 new....

I have always been impressed with ONE WAYS consistency and this is just one more example of another great effort.....if you find one at a good price...definitely grab it!!

What can I say about (possibly) my favorite two albums from the 80's being combined into a single release. I suppose the place to start is by thanking One Way Records for making this available. An old buddy of mine turned me on to the Producers during my freshman year of college. He had a killer Alpine stereo in his car and "What's He Got" instantly blew me away with it's sheer energy, hypnotic melody, and hooks. "I Love Lucy" was an immediate favorite and was the first in a line of treasures Van Temple offered on his most popular subject: unrequited love (see "She Sheila", "Operation", "Table for One", "Can't Cry Anymore").

While the songs on their debut had great pop sensibilities ("What She Does To Me", "Sensations", "Here's To You", etc.) the band really cooked too. Van's guitar playing was powerful and very engaging. "Who Do You Think You Are" rocks out, "You Go Your Way" is based on a great riff, and oh the vocal arrangements. These guys can really sing and their harmonies are fantastic.

"You Make The Heat" is a very solid album and I expected it to place The Producers at the top of the heap with the likes of the Police and U2, but we all know that didn't happen. No matter, these songs are all excellent. "Back to Basics" was a cool, longer piece with Kyle singing the lead vocal. "She Sheila" still ranks as one of my favorite songs of all-time. Wayne Famous laid down a very memorable keyboard line and the song builds into an all-out pop jam. Everyone in the band cuts loose in this one and the lyrics and vocals are top-notch. Other great moments on the 2nd set include "Breakaway", "You Make The Heat", "Merry Go Round", and of course, the closer "Domino". Bryan Holmes had a unique delivery on the kit and kept things interesting.

For those who yearn for the days of 80's power pop, the Producers cannot be topped.

Let me just echo every other review of this CD - Pure Pop Ecstasy! Finally, a reissue to end all reissues. These guys made some of the best, most infectiously hummable, danceable hook-laden pop of the 80's (or any other decade, for that matter). The songs on both of these albums are perfect illustrations of what good pop music is all about: powerful vocals, tight-and-right guitar and bass lines, and HOOKS HOOKS HOOKS. Sweet Sally, but this was one tight little band! Kudos to the archivists at Sony / One Way for giving us old popsters this long-overdue collection. Two classic albums on one unbelievably-priced disc - seventy-six minutes and thirty seconds of Heavenly Pop Bliss. If you like The Police, Squeeze, The Records, Pezband, Men At Work, etc. do yourself a favor and pick up this gem. The smartest 10 bucks you're likely to spend on entertainment. Wayne, Van, Kyle, Bryan - Here's To You!