Record Producer Richie Podolor

You almost never hear about Richie Podolor when the top record
producers are mentioned I always hear about

George Martin,Tom Dowd,Phil Spector,Richard Perry etc etc But nutty RIchie may be behind as many or more hits than all of them.
Here's a partial list

Three Dog Night-almost entire catalogue
Steppenwolf---ditto
Iron BUtterfly -BAll,Metamorphisis
DIllards
Monkees---contributed various pieces
Alice Cooper-Special FOrces
Phil Seymour -both albums
Dwight Twilley-The LUck
Black Oak Arkansas-xrated-aint life grand
SOuther hillman FUray-ist album
20/20--two or three albums
Sandy Nelson--teen Beat--LEt there be drums
Preston Epps
THe Frogmen-underwater
Barry MAnn
Hoyt Axton
Smith--hit version of the weight
Billy Burnette-numerous projects
Blues Image-Ride Captain Ride
Alcatraz-steve vai
Rubicon--Jack Blades-BRad Gillis
The Hondells-GO little honda-guitar player
Fountain of youth
Chuck Negron-first solo album
SS Fools---Bobby Kimball with three members of the dogs
The Rowan Brothers--first album with Thunder on mountain
Grateful dead-enigineer on ammoxxmoxa (whatever it is!)
Richie Allen Pacific Surfer slide and stranger in Durango
As himsef under the name RIchie Allen
Poco-unreleased I think
Head East-Gettin Lucky


SO thats a pretty good resume ? no ?

he according to himself ( he told me four or five times!) was the first person to ever put a mic in a kick drum

So what gives worthy ?

I think he is so nutty thats why he isin't mentioned more.

HE also played the signature guitar riffs on such classics as SHAMBALA-LIAR-Gettin Lucky-TEEN BEAT-SNOWBLIND FRIEND and many many more

He's finally semi-retired and still weird as ever

So what about it one of the great producers if so why if not why not
he also played the guitar riffs on Shambala-Liar-

 

Don't forget about his work with The Chocolate Watchband.

Anthony

 

Is that true ?

Is that true ?

WHat was that

 

You can say that again!

 

Here's a little biography:

RICHARD PODOLOR
Born Richard Allen Podolor, 1940, California
A.k.a. Dickie Podolor, Richie Podolor and Richie Allen

Richard Podolor has had a long and successful career in the music industry, most notably as a guitarist and producer. Podolor was schooled in classical piano, but later switched to classical guitar, becoming a protégé of Vicente Gomez. In 1956 he was signed by Fabor Robinson (owner of the Abbott, Fabor and Radio labels), initially as a session guitarist, and in that same year, he played on his first hit record, Bonnie Guitar's "Dark Moon". In 1958, Radio released one of the few vocal records by Podolor, the self-penned ballad "She's My Baby", which was coupled with the rocker "I Love You Girl" (Radio 116, credited to Dickie Podolor).

Singing was not his forte, though. Richie preferred to play guitar and welcomed the opportunity to become a member of the touring version of the Pets, a group of L.A. session men that included Plas Johnson and Earl Palmer, who had an instrumental Top 40 hit with "Cha-Hua-Hua" on the Arwin label.

The Podolor family was impressed by young Richard's foray into the music business and they sold their used car business to open a studio they called American Recording Company, which was at first operated by Richie's brother Don Podolor. It was in this studio that a demo of "Teen Beat" was recorded, featuring only the drums of Sandy Nelson and Richie's guitar. The demo was offered to DJ Art Laboe, who also owned the Original Sound label in Hollywood. Laboe was intrigued by the instrumental, but he knew it needed a lot of work to become a hit. Podolor's guitar contributions were becoming less prominent with every new take, while Guybo Smith's bass guitar (tuned down to the same pitch as the drums) and Barney Kessel's overdubbed guitar riffs gave the final version of "Teen Beat" its "bottom". The record was an instant hit, peaking at # 4 in Billboard in October 1959. In the end, writing credit on the label did not go to Nelson - Podolor, but to "A. Egnoian - S. Nelson" (Arthur Egnoian was Laboe's songwriting pseudonym), to Richie's great disappointment. Sandy Nelson tried to make it up by making Richie co-writer on a lot of later things they worked on. Nelson made a spectacular comeback in late 1961 with the Nelson-Podolor composition "Let There Be Drums", recorded at Richie's Hollywood studio and featuring powerful guitar work by Podolor.

Not content to be just a sideman, Richie released ten instrumental singles and three albums on Imperial in the early 1960s under the nom de plume "Richie Allen" (and one vocal single as "Dickie Allen"). The first of these singles, "Stranger From Durango" (Imperial 5683), went to # 90 on the Billboard charts. When surf music became popular, Richie started to concentrate on that genre. The LP's that came out under the name "Richie Allen and the Pacific Surfers" featured L.A.'s top session men : Rene Hall, Tommy Tedesco, Plas and Ray Johnson, Lincoln Mayorga, Ray Pohlman and Sandy Nelson among them. Two of these Imperial albums, "The Rising Surf" and "Surfer's Slide" were reissued on CD by Sundazed in 2006.

Further solo recordings came out on Era (1961) and Tower (1966, as Ritchie Allen). As a session man, Podolor played on many other surf sides, including those by the Hondells and most of them produced by Gary Usher. Throughout the 1960s Richie found himself in the studio either as an engineer or as a musician with such acts as the Monkees, the Turtles, the Electric Prunes, the Grateful Dead and Donovan. He got his first official producer's job at the dawn of the 1970s with Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night. This last group had already scored five big hits when Podolor took over production duties from Gabriel Mekler. The first Three Dog Night single that Richie produced, Randy Newman's "Mama Told Me Not To Come", went to # 1in mid-1970. This was followed by 13 further Top 20 singles and two more number ones for Three Dog Night, all produced by Podolor.

In 1970, he was ranked by Billboard as the # 4 producer in the country. Other acts that he worked with include Blues Image, Iron Butterfly, the Dillards, John Kay, 20/20, Black Oak Arkansas, Phil Seymour and Billy Burnette ("Try Me" album, 1985). Along with his lifelong friend and engineer Bill Cooper, Podolor has kept American Recording Company (in Woodland Hills, California) and his production career humming along until his recent retirement.

Acknowledgements: - Eric Olsen, Paul Verna & Carlo Wolff, The Encyclopedia of Record Producers (Billboard Books, 1999), page 634-636.
- Wayne Russell, Liner notes for "That'll Flat Git It, Vol. 8 : Rockabilly>From the Vaults Of Abbott / Fabor / Radio Records" (Bear Family BCD 15936). This CD includes "I Love You Girl".

Discography of the Richie Allen releases: http://www.instromania.net/ART/ART_R/RICHIE ALLEN & The PACIFIC SURFERS.php

 

Picky, picky, picky, but it's Fabor Robison.

 

There was some very good stuff there

But there were quite a few errors! Still good though

For example he was born in 36 not 40!

He doesn't work in the Woodland hills studio he leased it to a younger producer I think the guy who does matchbox 20 though I could be wrong about who he leased it to

He says he;s retired but he;s producing the new Three Dog come back album at Dannys house so how retired can he be ?

I think he produced those Electric prunes tracks

Donovan I think he did Atlantis--he got mad when I asked him about that. I had forgotten about that he either played the guitar or produced it or did something where he felt he had been
slighted on that Donovan album

The Turtles I dont remember that at all maybe its true

 

Their first album No Way Out has two instrumentals, "Expo 2000" and "Dark Side of the Mushroom" recorded by a group of studio musicians put together by engineer Richie Podolor. Some people call this CWB filler, but I like it as well as the other non CWB contributions to their albums.

Anthony

 

Gabriel Mekler's the producer of record, though as I recall it (like Mekler's other main act, Steppenwolf) was recorded at American. The one in the east valley, that is; not the one in the Palladium building or Woodland Hills.

 

And yet, Mickie Most was credited as producer of "Atlantis," as he was likewise credited on all Donovan's works at the time.

 

He also produced an album for punk band Fear, although it wasn't released.

Where's that studio in Woodland Hills? I went to high school in WH and never saw any studios...

 

Never produced anything for the Monkees. May have played on 1 or two tracks, but that's it.

Expo 2000 by the Chocolate Watchband could very well be Richie Podolor's best piece!

 

Richard Podolor also produced the fabulous solo Debut by Phil Seymour, late original partner to Dwight Twilley.

He also produced Dwight Twilley's THE LUCK, which I believe was scheduled for major label release, but got shelved - and then Dwight bought it back from Richard and put it out himself.

I had forgotten about his work with 3 Dog Night...

 

The two Black Oak albums he produced (from 1975) are that groups tightest, punchiest, and most professional sounding of their entire catalog. X-Rated in particular had the sound of mid-70's hard rock nailed perfectly. Ain't Life Grand was on Atco, then later that year, X-Rated for MCA.

Between them and 3 Dog Night I remember seeing his name on the album covers.

 

We would need an eyewitness

I think Gabriel Mekler was a staff producer at abc dunhill--so his name went on the early three dog and Steppenwolf records but I think maybe richie actually co produced or produced them I am not sure Mekler really did very much except say--gee thats great

 

This posted yesterday over at the Goldy McJohn forum: Goldy said that it was not Larry Byrom who played that beautifully whacked out, screaming, overloaded lead guitar part near the end of "Hippo Stomp" on Steppenwolf 7. It was actually Richie Podolor.

Too cool.

.

 

... and, before this thread fades back into oblivion, Goldy also posted that Podolor played the sitar on "Snowblind Friend."

.

 

I just know Richie from the Alice Cooper album ('Special Forces') that he produced. It's a damn good sounding album!

 

I thought American Recording Studios was in Studio City. Here's a past thread:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-146923.html

There's a ton of guys who just shut down one studio, then start a new one in their big, sprawling houses up in the hill. This wouldn't be the first. I know of one in Pasadena that does extremely fine work, and I'm guessing there's at least a couple of million bucks in his main mixing room.

 

American recording was first in downtown hollywood, around 60-61 it moved to Studio City. Right on Ventura & Tujunga about a mile east of Laurel Canyon. It was a converted chinese restaurant, a shack almost. Very small, they used that studio for almost all the hits from about 61-81 something like that. They owned the property and the studio. it was all torn down, a strip mall took its place in the early eighties. There was a piece of pavement, with everybodys signature dated 61 by the front door, that was all that remained behind a new bus bench that was installed on the sidewalk, The new studio
was in Woodland Hills off Topanga and Mulholland Highway. That operated under Richie Podolor and longtime engineer Bill Cooper, from about 81-2003 something like that. I think they may still own the property, but Podolor is around 76 years old. When he was around 70, he gave up the studio on a long lease to a younger producer. The Woodland Hills studio, was insane, large, comfortable, quiet residential neighborhood. Large waiting rooms, large beautiful tracking room, they brought the original reverb chamber and installed it in the back of the spacious booth. The new studio was just so great, but Ironically most of the hits were done in Studio City. Podolor while still able to get work, faded on gold records by around 1980, he had a chance to co produce Fleetwood Mac when Billy Burnette replace Lindsey Buckingham, that would have gone gold for sure, But Podolor turned him down, no co=producers for Podolor.! LOL

Podolor began to rent the facility part time in the eighties to big acts, like Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Belinda Carlisle, Garth Hudson, Brian Wilson, people who lived in the area. Podolor would still produce a few albums like Dwight Twilleys the Luck, but he began renting it out and living on the proceeds half the time, by that time, he was in his mid fifties, and didint want to hustle up a producing job every day. Finally as I say he sold out around age 70. Bill Cooper is considerably younger, perhaps 10-15 years younger. He could have stayed on, but probably chose to retire also. I think
they still produce the occasional track, with mobile equipment. Jimmy Greenspoon told me, Podolor and Cooper were producing the Danny Hutton contributions, to the new TDN album at Huttons home studio. I think Bill
Cooper does most of the session now, and Richie, makes a few comments,
don't hit the F# there, rest two beats there, that guitar amp should be miked with this mic over here, fifteen minutes of comments, then he leaves comes
back the next day. He is 76 years old. The Topanga studio is awesome, two private offices, two large rec rooms, one with cable and a full kitchen, the tracking room is live with wood floors a few iso rooms, nice angles, the booth is beautiful, they bought Randy Bachmans old Trident Board and gutted it, and spent 30 grand upgrading it, and then finally they added protools a few years before they quit, but they still had the tracking room, mics, and nice custom board. The Studio CIty location was like a hell hole, the waiting room was 200 sq feet, the office was 50 sq feet, and the rest was the booth and tracking room, no lounge, no modern equipment, one bathroom behind the control booth, it was horrible. next to a hamburger stand

 

One bathroom & lots of musicians spending hours together == er, unpleasant.

 

Have to admit, I never 'noticed' his name before 2 nights ago.

I just got Steppenwolf Monster and 7, seeing that Gabriel was producer for Monster and Podolor was producer for 7 !

Great albums ! I like them quite a bit better than the earliest Steppenwolf with Magic Carpet Ride and Born to be Wild. I guess for me, I'd have to say these albums had been 'under my radar'. But not anymore !

 

The first post in this thread lists "Fountain of Youth" as one of the bands Mr. Podolor produced.

FOY was made up of four guys from Fredericksburg, Texas:

Jimmy Panza (lead vocals & drums)
Gary Itri (bass & vocals)
Gary Jenschke (lead guitar & vocals)
Ken Molberg (rhythm guitar & vocals)

The band released released five singles in the mid-to-late 60's.

They were originally known as "The Crossfires" and had one record on Capitol Record's Tower label. (This record was produced by Podolor using his "Richie Allen" pseudonym.)

They then went to Colgems where they changed their name to "Fountain of Youth".

The picture below is of a fantasy LP I made for the group about four years ago.

 

God that is hard to tell, I didint know them at that age photo on left, I think that is Itri
third from right, the big teeth. and Panza I think is far right. I had some Fountain Of Youth singles, I used to throw stuff like that away. The artwork is a little disturbing to me, but I appreciate your diligence.

They were supposed to be a Monkees knock off, even going so far as getting a deal involving Lester Sill, this would be circa 67. Richie Podolors mother Ethel, liked Gary Itri, and they made him a staff songwriter, studio gopher around 1970, They paid him not much fifty bucks for writing a song a week and fifty bucks for gofering the studio, I think, although by 1970 prices thats not bad. Itri went on to write "Midnight Runaway" for Three Dog Night for the Seven Seperate Fools album, In his Book Chuck said he wrote half that song, Itri went ballastic. Itri also wrote a tune for the SS Fools in 76 called Sunnyridge, SS fools, were band with Bobby Kimball of Toto singing lead, and three back up musicians for three Dog Night, Joe Floyd and Mike, it sounded very very three dog, and of Course old Richie Podolor was the producer. It was right after he did two back to back albums with Black Oak Arkansas in 75 and one long album with the Souther Hillman Furay Band in 74, I think he also did an album by BArry Mann and Cynthia Weil at that time which was canned. And another group Spring Canyon, the guitarist went to work with Ringo later. Also in 75 Podolor did a fantastic album with Geffen, a band called "The Rowans" or Rowan Brothers, this was the album with Thunder on the Mountain, Russ Kunkel on drums, Lee Sklar on Bass, and probably Danny Kortchmar on lead, with Podolor adding some guitars, that album was hall of fame, a lot like the Eagles but fifty times better than the Eagles could ever be, great tunes, band, production, Thats an album worth buying, simply titled the Rowans 1975, featuring Beggar in Blue Jeans, and Thunder On The Mountain. Podolor did some great records, He must have had an issue with Geffen , because they let that Rowan album die, and it was a masterpiece.

 

Steppenwolf 7 is one of my favorite American rock albums ever. It will always be in my 'Top 5'.

Back to Goldy McJohn's posts at his own forum, and paraphrasing a little but here is the essence of it: after Steppenwolf's first album, as Gabriel Mekler became more and more involved with Three Dog Night, the hands-on production duties for Steppenwolf were left in the capable hands of Richard Podolor and Bill Cooper... to the point that with each successive Steppenwolf release "Produced By Gabriel Mekler" was more or less just a perfunctory credit on the album jacket.

.