Geoff Emerick Talks About Abbey Road

[mervap]

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/beatles-engineer-geoff-emerick-on-abbey-road-219542

I must put this site on my favourites!

[Kylenz]

Thanks, good interview - and a good website. But I read the lengthy comparison review between the mono and stereo remasters and there seems to be a prejudice against vocals that are hard-panned. If they are in the centre, he has no problem, but if they are on the left or right, he has a tantrum! The Beatles weren't the only act in the 1960s to have their vocals hard-panned on one channel.. it's simply the way things were done. By his own admittance, it gives his 'ipod generation' an earache.

But going back to the Geoff Emerick interview, very interesting. I never knew Ringo put tea-towels on his drums for Come Together and Something!

[mervap]

I think the reason most of those guys have such an aversion to the stereo mixes is that the mono versions were the 'proper' ones, the ones originally released and approved by the Lads. Working with four (or even two!) tracks forced a limitation upon them that made stereo kind of unnatural sounding even with the best mixes...personally, I think it's a matter of horses for courses. Whatever your ears prefer is the best mix! :)

[Greg]

omg that was incredible.  Incredible.  The "walking away" fr Abbey Road studios...never knew that.  Great interview.
His book was great.  I forgot who was really angry at his book, bit someone was really critical of Geoff's book.  I just wondered if that guy ever ended up writing his own book.

mervap...thank you.

[mervap]

Most welcome....I learned a bunch, too! Emerick's book, despite some innaccuracies, should be near the top of every Beatle fan's 'must-read' list!

[2 of 3]

despite some innaccuracies

Do tell Merv...I'm all ears! :)

[Greg]

It was Ken Scott who was critical.  This is a letter from Ken that is a reply to Geoff E's letter where Geoff talked about Ken's initial criticisms.


Many thanks for allowing me to respond to Geoff's letter.

First and foremost I wish to sincerely apologize to Geoff for my comment about his employment being only by Paul. I was wrong and I openly admit it. I would very much like to now see Geoff admit, and apologize for, his errors.

On February 10th, 2006, I sent 3 letters to Gotham Publishing. I wrote to the president of the company, the editor of the book and also to the editorial department notifying them of substantive factual mistakes in the book. To this date I have still had no response. I also have in my possession copies of letters sent to the publishers by other people mentioned in the book, each one complaining of errors. All parties to this publication had plenty of warning and if any one connected with this book were at all interested in the truth they could have made changes before it hit the book shelves not "in future editions".

With regard to Geoff's assertion that my complaints are based on an uncorrected proof, he is totally incorrect. Yes, my first reading was that version, but prior to writing my first letter I obtained a corrected copy to check for changes. They were negligible. If anyone connected with Geoff had bothered to look properly at what I wrote they would have noticed that all the page numbers given were for the final copy, not the proof copy. This is exactly the kind of sloppiness and lack of attention to detail that pervades this book.

My next admission. I am biased. I was and still am very fond of George. To see him described the way he is on numerous pages makes me mad. To quote a very good friend of his, " He was always called the quiet one, but anyone who knew him knew that once he started there was no way you could shut him up". "Dour" ? This is the man that made the Rutles and Monty Python movies possible. "Sarcastic" ? Well I can't argue that, except to say it was always with humor. And everyone dreading when he had to record a solo? In all the time I worked with the band I saw absolutely no evidence of this. Geoff in fact states, in an interview from Good Day Sunshine, issues 79 & 80, that George ".....was very meticulous. It didn't matter how long that sort of thing took, he'd just do it". Sounds just the same as Paul to me, but that's just my opinion.

Now to the facts. I would be most interested to hear how the errors I point out can be called "differences of opinion". There is no opinion contained in any of them. Opinion is that Rubber Soul is "not especially noteworthy" (I have to assume this is Geoff's opinion because he incorrectly states it was the feeling of those working the sessions; I was on all but 3 of those sessions and certainly didn't feel, or hear that anyone else felt, that way) or that the "White Album" is "virtually unlistenable", as the book so eloquently states. As for Geoff's other statement, I gave page numbers for every error, I therefore invite him to show me where I misquoted, mischaracterized or I'm "flat out wrong".

Let's try a couple more and see if these contain opinions, misquotes, mischaracterizations or are flat out wrong.

The book tells how a hurriedly done mix of "Penny Lane" was rushed to Capitol Records, inadvertently missing the end David Mason piccolo trumpet flourish. A new mix with the flourish, destined to be the released version, was later done and sent out to Capitol. If someone had even bothered to listen to the record they would have discovered it was the other way round. Paul decided he didn't like the ending and so the second mix was done without the flourish and it was this version that became the single. If the book is correct, I, and a lot of other people, have "quite a collector's item" in our record collections.

And though I did find the description of the novel use of a condom during the recording of "Yellow Submarine" amusing, I have to ask why it is that in previous interviews Geoff had stated it was a plastic bag, as do other people present at the time.

Last but not least. Geoff did incredible work and has an incredible story to tell. But, because there will always be differences of opinion, fact checking is essential and it shouldn't need the use of artistic licence and pure fiction in an attempt to turn his book into a big seller.

Cheers,
Ken Scott

[mervap]

I'd never seen Ken Scott's letter...I agree with it mostly, except that there are some differences that can be described as 'opinions'. My quibbles are usually limited to musical lineups on certain songs. The first one off the top of my head was Emerick saying it was Paul that played piano (and that George Harrison played bass) on "Rock & Roll Music"...Mark Lewisohn, who had the benefit of reading the session sheets,  stated in "The Beatles Recording Sessions" that the Beatles all played their familiar instruments while George Martin, an altogether more accomplished piano man, played piano...listening to the track, I am quite sure that Lewisohn is right. I'll see if any more come to mind....thanks, Greg, for that enlightening post!

[2 of 3]

Yeah, that was very cool...thanks for posting that.

[Paperback Writer]

Great article!

But I gotta say, I'm glad the chaos resulted in The White Album!

[acebackwords]

Geoff''s book "HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles" is a must read for anyone interested in the nuts-and-bolts of how the Beatles recorded their masterpieces.  Geoff is the guy who came up with the inovative technique for recording the Lennon vocals on "Tomorrow Never Knows."  That was one of his first assignments with the Beatles  -- talk about starting out with a bang.  Of particular interest is his work on McCartney's bass lines.  The two of them would stay at the studio after everyone else left while Mac meticulously worked out his bass part.  McCartney has to be one of the great under-rated bass players of all time.  Those bass lines on the bottom of all those Beatles songs, when you really listen to them they're like the best guitar solos.  Geoff has great lines, like how McCartney considered Beatles music to be "sacred."  And described the White Album sessions as the "tension sessions."  The vibes got so nasty that he quit half way through the album, even as the Beatles begged him to come back.  He just couldn't stand it.  Figured no album was worth losing his mind over.  Helter Skelter, baby.  (Great inside look at the making of that song, too !)