Tony Visconti - My top 6 productions - Team Rock

Tony Visconti: My Top 6 productions - Team Rock

Includes Ringleader Of The Tormentors

Nice words from Tony, even after the Kristeen fallout and what was said back then.

Excerpt:

MorrisseyRingleader Of The Tormentors (2006)

“The one and only Morrissey album that I produced. The title alone is fantastic, and I assume that Morrissey is the ringleader who is tormenting us. That album, like "Heroes", was done in a very special place. It was recorded in Rome, and like David, Morrissey brought Rome into the studio. The songs were written about Rome, all of us were doing things in Rome, we'd go out to have dinner together at Italian restaurants, I don't drink, so I wouldn't join Morrissey and the band when they would go to nightclubs, but everyone was completely immersing themselves in the city.

The atmosphere in the studio while making the album was such that what ever you were doing you were constantly reminded that you were in Rome, and a lot of references to Rome got into the lyrics. We even got the great Ennio Morricone to do the strings on Dear God, Please Help Me which was just fantastic. So that was quite an amazing album and I'm also proud that I made it sound retro, which was on purpose, I think Morrissey wanted it to sound like a Tony Visconti production rather than a modern production where everything is loud and in your face, so I recorded that album with sensitivity in mind.

He would just be in ecstasy every day. Every day that he showed up in the studio he would listen to what I had been doing earlier in the day with Boz (Boorer), Jesse (Tobias) and Alain (Whyte), the three guitarists on the album, and he just approved of everything, and I'd heard that he could be a cruel taskmaster. If he didn't like you, you'd be sacked in five seconds. I endured the length of the album, and it's an album that I'm very proud of. Unfortunately, two of the best tracks were released as B-sides. One was Ganglord, I wish Ganglord was on that album, there was also a song called Sweetie-Pie, I got Kristeen Young to sing backing vocals on that, they were two controversial titles that, if they had been included, would have made it a better album. But in all, the whole experience with Ringleader was something that I shall never forget.”
 
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Isn't it the case that Visconti came late in the game anyway, or did I hear wrong?

You are correct. The plan was to have Jeff Saltzman at the helm, who was fresh off his success with the Killers the previous year. Visconti was thrown in at the last minute.
 
Yea I think tony Visconti is a great music producer 2, hes one of the best in the world, this man knows whats hes doing!
He produces kristeens work, shes wonderfully talented and writes all her own music and stuff!:)

And her vocals? what can one say? I cant do her justice, just absolutely beautifull !

But its just a shame your not really taken with her music ect , but dont worry, u will get you there in the end!!!
:thumb:

Well said !

Maybe. Who knows?
 
You are correct. The plan was to have Jeff Saltzman at the helm, who was fresh off his success with the Killers the previous year. Visconti was thrown in at the last minute.
So did he have less to do that he usually would had he come in at the beginning of the process?
 
Well if that's the case, his choice of word 'controversial' is a bit strong. But makes sense that there may have been some in band dispute as to what is and not on the record as far as authorship goes. Though I'm sure M's decision is the the only word on that matter.

Wouldn't call it 'muddy', would call it dark. Think it was a mastering fault killing it's dynamics and adding distortion in the low end to my ears. Though someone okayed it for release.

Though I like f***ed up productions... Iggy Pop 'the Idiot' and
Sly and the Family Stone's 'There's a riot goin' on' , are both wonderfully dark masterpieces. Highly recommended.:)

'The Idiot' is great, but 'There's A Riot Goin' On' is one of my all time tops. I always imagined it as the answer to Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin' On'.
Marvin: "What's Goin' On?"
Sly: "There's A Riot Goin' On."
One of the great musical conversations of all-time.
 
actually, Ive read that was his intention in choosing that title as an answer to Marvin Gaye. :):):)

That's awesome. I've read that one of the reasons that Riot sounds so dark and muddy (besides the drugs) is because Sly kept recording over the same tape. It kind of sucks though, because I think he recorded over all the demo versions of the songs.
 

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