Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings [Paperback]

David N. Howard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2004

You may not have heard of them, but you have certainly heard their songs! From the lo-fidelity origins of early pioneers to today's dazzling technocrats, the role of the music producer is as murkily undefined as it is wholly essential. Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings is an exploration of the influence of the often colorful, idiosyncratic and visionary music producers through popular music and the fascinatingly crucial role they have played in shaping the way we hear pop music today. Sonic Alchemy is nothing short of the secret history of the music producer.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Music journalist Howard's first book is an excellent general overview of the most important pop music producers since the 1960s, capturing the various methods of the "Oz-like men who pulled the levers from behind the curtain and created a legacy of sound." Their results range from the "teenaged symphonies" of Phil Spector and the visions of Beach Boy Brian Wilson to the professionalism of Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller and the "furtive ambience" of post-punk Brit Martin Hannett. Howard also covers a range of nonrock styles, including Willie Mitchell and his legendary soul/r&b recordings of Al Green, the groundbreaking reggae "dub" of King Tubby and Lee Perry, and the innovative rap/hip-hop of Arthur Baker and Dr. Dre. The strengths of Howard's concise essays are twofold: first, he fully represents the whole career of well-known producers, such as Glyn Johns, whose innovative work on Steve Miller's 1968 Children of the Future is a forgotten masterpiece. Second, the essays sometimes move beyond their generalist style to reveal the significant detail, such as in a chapter on "The Pioneers," a great look at how the careers and styles of George Martin and Phil Spector were closely intertwined even before their paths actually crossed during final production of the Beatles ill-fated Let It Be album.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0634055607
• ISBN-13: 978-0634055607
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,224,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book!, October 5, 2004

By 

Great Lakes Music Head (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings (Paperback)

David N. Howard does a wonderful job showing how the folks behind the scenes created not only unique songs, but entire genres of music. From Rock and Roll to Dub, to Avant-Garde, and even Hip Hop, this book explains the birth of some of the most influential facets of contemporary music. Mr. Howard's enthusiasm for the music caused me to listen to familiar music in a new light and gave me a new found appreciation for music I had previously not enjoyed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legendary Music From a Fresh Perspective, August 4, 2004

By 

J. Rifkin "Gatefold Records" (LA, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings (Paperback)

Precious little writing has been devoted to the people behind the sounds of classic albums, but this book greatly serves to right that wrong with concise yet detailed chapters on the well-known greats (Phil Spector, George Martin...) and the cult favorites (best piece on David Axelrod to date, includes contemporary interview). Sonic Alchemy rises to the top of the music book glut with ease...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great read, July 21, 2004

By 

Solid State (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings (Paperback)

Combining solid research, impeccable taste and a fluid writing style, David Howard lays open what had previously been, for me, a mysterious component in the creation of some music I can't live without. It's a great read, reliably told and entertaining, by someone who clearly must be a diehard music fan himself.