Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music (Hardcover)

by Phil Ramone (Author), Charles L. Granata (Author)
Key Phrases: ton nom, vocal booth, mixing engineer, Billy Joel, New York, Paul Simon (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Ramone, with 14 Grammys to his name, is the consummate Establishment producer. His clean professionalism has brought a touch of class to a wealth of baby boomer landmarks, from Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years to Billy Joel's The Stranger and Ray Charles's Genius Loves Company. Over the course of his memoir, Ramone constantly drops these names and more, often veering into a string of anecdotes to illustrate a point. One page about artists' working methods, for example, includes mention of Frank Sinatra; Bob Dylan; Peter, Paul, and Mary; and Barbara Streisand, with little distinction made as to quality or genre. This makes for a readable but repetitive book. The conversational style means that certain artists are brought up again and again, and sometimes the book relies upon long block quotes from musicians that would have benefited from being pared down to their relevant lines (such as one in which Liberty DeVitto of Billy Joel's band talks about changing the rhythm of Always a Woman to Me). Amid all of this, there are genuinely interesting stories, and fans of Sinatra, Simon and Dylan should find pleasure in the long in-studio narratives. (Oct.)
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Product Description
Sinatra. Streisand. Dylan. Pavarotti. McCartney. Sting. Madonna. What do these musicians have in common besides their super-stardom? They have all worked with legendary music producer Phil Ramone.

For almost five decades, Phil Ramone has been a force in the music industry. He has produced records and collaborated with almost every major talent in the business. There is a craft to making records, and Phil has spent his life mastering it. For the first time ever, he shares the secrets of his trade.

Making Records is a fascinating look "behind the glass" of a recording studio. From Phil’s exhilarating early days recording jazz and commercial jingles at A&R, to his first studio, and eventual legendary producer status, Phil allows you to sit in on the sessions that created some of the most memorable music of the 20th century -- including Frank Sinatra’s Duets album, Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks, Ray Charles’s Genius Loves Company and Paul Simon’s Still Crazy After All These Years.

In addition to being a ringside seat for contemporary popular music history, Making Records is an unprecedented tutorial on the magic behind what music producers and engineers do. In these pages, Phil offers a rare peek inside the way music is made . . . illuminating the creative thought processes behind some of the most influential sessions in music history.

This is a book about the art that is making records -- the way it began, the way it is now, and everything in between.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (October 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786868597
• ISBN-13: 978-0786868599
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #325,325 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling Glimpse Behind the Glass, October 26, 2007

By	Donald Gibson "boogie_street" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An insiders view, December 11, 2007

By	M. Temkin "proffesional musician, yiddishist" (New York City) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Phil Ramone, October 22, 2007

By	Lee Costley "Lee" (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Not too thrilling..... Heavy emphasis on Phil's people skills, which are important. Author's political agenda adds nothing of any importance. I bought the book hoping to read more about Phil's studio technique....obviously writen by an untechnical who found such information unimportant. This book mellows into the story of a kindly old guy, not the technical whiz & agressive risk taker that Phil had to be in order to get to the absolute top of his game.
Phil Ramone's breif interview in Behind The Glass is much more informative & passionate & I suspect, much more the REAL Phil Ramone.