Features
The names behind the board: how the great producers actually made the records we cover — one pivotal session at a time.
From Lesley Gore to Back on the Block: four decades of sessions, one method (1963–1989)
He raced Phil Spector to No. 1 in 1963, rebuilt Thriller in a week in 1982, and put Miles Davis on a record with Ice-T in 1989. Four decades, one method.
A Navy sonar man with a razor blade: the ears behind the Eagles, B.B. King, and Joe Walsh (1969–1981)
He phoned B.B. King at 2 a.m. to add strings to 'The Thrill Is Gone,' cut 33 splices into 'Hotel California,' and turned the Eagles into a rock band — on ears trained by Navy sonar.
The classically trained ear that turned the Beatles' wildest ideas into tape (1962–1997)
A comedy-label boss signed the band Decca refused, scored a string quartet for a rock ballad, and told 40 players to climb from their lowest note to their highest in 24 bars.
Wearing the tape transparent: the excess merchant behind Queen, the Cars, and Journey (1972–2007)
He stacked vocals on 'Bohemian Rhapsody' until the tape turned see-through, then cut the Cars' debut with single-take efficiency — excess and discipline from the same pair of hands.
Every credit on our album reviews links back to the producer who earned it.
More features are in the works.