Questions For Tony Visconti

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by rhavers, Feb 13, 2007.

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  1. Dr. Weber

    Dr. Weber New Member

    Location:
    USA
    Did you attend that concert, the last by Ziggy and the Spiders? Of all the people involved, even remotely, you are the only one to address why Jeff Beck did not appear in the film. Can you reveal your sources or shed additional light on the story? If Jeff Beck wouldn't allow himself to be seen in the film because of his "trousers," why couldn't his performance be included on the album?

    Thanks, Dr. Weber
     
  2. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    Hi Tony. Thanks for taking the time to do this. It's much appreciated. In fact, after time spent 'lurking' I've finally registered in order to ask you this question:

    Your work on the recent re-issue of 'David Live' is fantastic but did you stick to the original performances (as originally released) or substitute some of the performances from the other nights recorded as original source material?

    This has been bugging me for ages. The opening track and, particularly, the (wonderful) Sweet Thing / Candidate / Sweet Thing medley sound like different performances to these ears. Were they 'simply' re-mastered / re-mixed from the originally used performances or did you take the opportunity to swap them?

    Many thanks and keep up the good work!
     
  3. Ken Scott

    Ken Scott Recording Legend

     
  4. deadbirdie

    deadbirdie Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    I know this is the Tony Visconti thread, but i didn't realize that you were that Ken Scott. You worked with Harry Nilsson!

    "SOOOONNNNN OOOFFFF SCHHHHMILLLLLSSSSSONNNNNNNN."

    I'm in awe. :)


    Sorry, didn't mean to get off topic :D
     
  5. purepopper

    purepopper New Member

    Location:
    Cypress, Texas
    Gentle Giant

    Wow!

    Thanks for the kind indulgence, sir!

    I was wondering if you had any thoughts or memories of working with Gentle Giant on their first two wonderful albums?

    Dirk in Texas
     
  6. Fortune

    Fortune Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    This forum amazes me!

    We have Mr. Ken Scott, Mr. Tony Visconti...will it be long before Mr. David Jones himself signs up? :laugh: :righton:
     
  7. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    I thought so, and I concur. I have a white label promo on Reprise, and the music and sound is just fantastic...thank you very much for answering my question here. Much appreciated.

    Another question, what was the secret of Marc's guitar tone? On all of the T.Rex albums, the guitar tone is amazing.

    Take care and thanks again...
     
  8. Studio_Two

    Studio_Two Forum Resident

    Wow!

    I only picked up Tony Visconti's Autobiography yesterday.

    How fantastic to see that he has now joined this forum.


    Stephen
     
  9. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    Hi Tony,

    big fan of your production and arranging work - really enjoyed that BBC radio program about you in the "Producer" series. Love the story of adding that chorus/flanging effect to the guitar break in "Young Americans" to mask the tuning problems :D

    I'd also like to hear more about Marc Bolan's guitar sound. It cuts through so well but it doesn't just sound like EQ - what's the secret?!

    Cheers,

    Mal
     
  10. deadbirdie

    deadbirdie Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Hi Tony:

    I noticed recently that you produced some tracks on Projected Passion Revue by Dexy's Midnight Runners. I had a couple questions about that:

    Kevin Rowland says this was the best lineup the band ever had, do you agree?

    Were there any particular challenges producing that lot?

    How did you come to produce them in the first place?

    Finally, which is your favorite of their studio albums?


    Thanks! Cheers. :righton:
     
  11. serge

    serge Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    hello mr. visconti.

    first of all i really have enjoyed checking out your web site and all the questions/answers you have on it

    but i wanted to say THANK YOU for your great work in music... its just great to read your comments on this thread..your work just means and has meant a lot to me... from bowie to t rex and dean and britta (i got a promo of the new album and i just love it!)... i think you are a real solid professional and when i see your name attached to something it means a lot....

    i do have to say that my two favorite albums with your name on them have to be t rex's electric warrior and bowie's low..just masterpieces and certainly on anybody's short list for greatest rock and roll albums ever...

    i guess if i had a question it would be:

    whats YOUR feeling about downloading of music?.. as someone who works to put out these great albums how do you feel when people download the albums on the internet.... there seems to be a trend where people are now saying that downloading is ok and that artists need to live off of live touring... there's also this pervasive idea that the labels are bad and abuse the artists so it serves them right... that the artists hardly make money off the albums anyways etc... perhaps these are all rationalizations.. its not hard to envision a day where you will be able to have the 1000 greatest albums (your choice) on a pendrive which you will be able to give copies of to your friends for $5.....does this debase the value of the art itself? or is making it easier for more people to appreciate it more democratic and better?

    i would love your thoughts on these scattered ramblings..if you have the time or desire..

    otherwise no worries! my main aim was just to get out a THANK YOU your way!

    best,

    music freak serge
    washington dc

    ps ALMOST FORGOT: love your work on the NO COMPRENDO by les rita mitsouko too! wonderful stuff
     
  12. mark f.

    mark f. Senior Member

  13. mark f.

    mark f. Senior Member

    Meant to say that my friend said that Tony did 4 hours of Q&A after signing books. That's amazing. Can't think of any signing I've been to where the person spent 4 hours with the fans.
     
  14. Runt

    Runt Senior Member

    Location:
    Motor City
    Great work, Tony. Their finest hour, IMHO. A light-year leap in improvement sound-wise over their debut album. Any recollections from those sessions? Did you work on putting together the In Held T'was In I song suite that took up side 2 of the original vinyl? Were Gary Brooker and Matthew Fisher quibbling over the songwriting credits to AWSOP back then? :D
     
  15. Javi Barcelona

    Javi Barcelona New Member

    Location:
    Barcelona, Spain
    Nice words about John Lennon, Tony. What do you think about his albums with Phil Spector, and also the (great, imo) remixed versions of his catalogue? Do you think that any Bowie albums need to be remixed also in Stereo to improve the experience only, and being faithful to the original mixes?

    Do you know if your book will be translated to other languages (Spanish?) yet?


    javi
     
  16. Paul_Nyman

    Paul_Nyman New Member

    Location:
    Illinois
    Hi Tony,

    Welcome to the Forum and so glad to get your book anyday now!

    You were very kind enough to exchange messages with me on AOL IM in the early 90's. Can you revisit the story about working with The Iveys and how you and Tom Evans ended up swapping guitars. What type of guitars were swapped? What did you think of Ron Griffiths on Bass? Tom later took over that role, but not much is said about Ron's contribution on Bass guitar.
    Was Pete Ham playing a Strat during the sessions or did he use a Gibson SG which Harrison gave him?
     
  17. tspit74

    tspit74 Senior Member

    Location:
    Woodridge, IL, USA
    Tony, great to have such a legend here sharing your stories.

    A great album that nobody talks about is Sparks' Indiscreet. Are they as bizzare in person as they seem on record? I loved your production and string arrangements on that rather unique album. Any stories you can relate about the Mael brothers?

    Thanks!
     
  18. mfp

    mfp Senior Member

    Location:
    Paris, France
    :agree: One of the greatest snare sound my ears have ever heard.
     
  19. vonwegen

    vonwegen Forum Resident

    Another question, Tony--in one interview you mentioned being disappointed in some surround mixes, in particular The Eagles' Hotel California. What about the mix did you not like?
     
  20. Tony Visconti

    Tony Visconti New Member

    Location:
    New York
    Hi Ken,

    You are "illustrious", now you know how I feel. :righton:

    I see that you are no longer a junior but a legend something-or-others.

    --Tony V.





     
  21. Tony Visconti

    Tony Visconti New Member

    Location:
    New York

    Don't hold yer breath. :cool:

    --Tony
     
  22. DjBryan

    DjBryan New Member

    Location:
    USA
    Tony great job on the transition Band on the Run (uncredited)
     
  23. Tony Visconti

    Tony Visconti New Member

    Location:
    New York
    Gentle Giant were a treat to work with. First of all it's so much more fun to work with musicians who practice and can really play. The two albums were hard to record because we constantly pushed the barriers of technology. I don't know what song it was, but I had to do a punch-in (Brit.: drop-in) at the end of a 15/8 bar. My music lessons paid off on that day. It was a very quick one and I had to anticpate the lag of the multi-track relay going into record. Ah, those were the days, seat-of-your-pants stuff!
     
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  24. Tony Visconti

    Tony Visconti New Member

    Location:
    New York
    "I'd also like to hear more about Marc Bolan's guitar sound. It cuts through so well but it doesn't just sound like EQ - what's the secret?!"

    Guitar sounds are TOTALLY dependent on who's playing the guitar! Let's get that one straight. There was eq and compression involved, but Marc had a couple of favourite amps, an HH solid state and a HiWatt. He had a treble-booster/distort pedal called the Screaming Bird, or Screaming Tree, which was almost always on. He also had a Fuzz Face and a Wah-Wah pedal. Sometimes I plug him directly into a channel of the console and turn the mic pre up very high and keep the fader down low. That was an interesting distorted sound with a lot of high end.
     
  25. Tony Visconti

    Tony Visconti New Member

    Location:
    New York
    I saw Kevin recently at Radio 6. Those sessions took only a few days. They recorded live and were a very tight and brotherly band. I don't really remember much about it and I don't have answers to your other questions because I don't have their records in my collection. Sorry.
     
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