The Record Producers Extended(Misterclaudel mccd-148)
(79:08): 01. Opening Jingle 02. Goerge Martin talks 03. Comedy Sketches 04. Besame Mucho 05. Love Me Do 06. Please Please Me 07. It Won’t Be Wrong 08. Taxman #1 09. Taxman #2 10. Yesterday 11. Rain 12. Paperback Writer 13. Tomorrow Never Knows 14. Penny Lane 15. Strawberry Fields Forever #1 16. Strawberry Fields Forever #2 17. Strawberry Fields Forever #3 18. Strawberry Fields Forever #4 19. Strawberry Fields Forever #5 20. SGT. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 21. Being For The Benefit Of Mr.Kite 22. She’s Leaving Home 23. A Day In The Life #1 24. A Day In The Life #2 25. Cry Baby Cry 26. Hey Jude 27. Get Back 28. Come Together 29. Because 30. Golden Slumbers – Carry That Weight 31. Something 32. Chorus Segment 33. I Want You 34. Good Night
The Record Producers Extended on Misterclaudel is another show from the BBC’s Beatles Bank Holiday. This one focuses upon the fifth Beatle, producer Sir George Martin. The BBC website advertised this show saying:
“The Record Producers profiles the man often labelled ‘the Fifth Beatle’: Sir George Martin. Richard Allinson and Steve Levine examine his work as a producer, arranger and, through his experiments with sound, technical innovator. Highlights include the first chance to hear newly restored versions of the original master tapes for Please Please Me, Day Tripper and Let It Be. This programme also gives Radio 2 listeners the opportunity to hear some of the Beatles most famous songs in a new way.
“Because of the limitations of tape machines during the 1960s, it was necessary to either record or mix various instruments and voices onto the same track. Once they’d been committed to tape there was no way of separating them. But now, through the use of revolutionary software, listeners can hear some of these parts in isolation for the first time. In this exclusive interview, Sir George talks about various aspects of the studio and recording process, the albums Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road, along with a number of songs, including Strawberry Fields Forever, Tomorrow Never Knows and Rain.”
The show covers his career, beginning with him discussing his work with the London Baroque Ensemble in the late fifties through his work on Abbey Road with the Beatles. Martin has been extensively interviewed over the years so there is very little in this show that can be considered to be revelatory. He covers the stories of the Beatles’ charisma in their first recording session, his guiding Lennon through “Rain” and “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and the orchestral work on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The sound quality is excellent and this is a nice companion to the Beatles’ BBC title on Misterclaudel. There is also some discussion about the recording techniques at Abbey Road with reference to the newly released Beatles albums in stereo and mono and as such serves as a nice commercial for the new release.
2 Comments
Yes, the original guide vocal for “Come Together” is new and is intersting to hear. It’s a much more raw vocal performance that might have fit the song better than what was actually used on Abbey Road.
This show also premiered a new count in & alternate vocal to “Come Together” a small but revelatory find.