Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings

By David N. Howard

Book Overview

You may not have heard of them, but you have certainly heard their songs From the lo-fidelity origins of early pioneers to today's dazzling technocrats, the role of the music producer is as murkily undefined as it is wholly essential. Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings is an exploration of the influence of the often colorful, idiosyncratic and visionary music producers through popular music and the fascinatingly crucial role they have played in shaping the way we hear pop music today. Sonic Alchemy is nothing short of the secret history of the music producer.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0634055607
• ISBN13: 9780634055607
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Rlpg/Galleys
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Well-researched, Insightful and Entertaining

As a longtime music junkie I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It not only managed to shed valuable insight into the creative process involved with the recording of many of my favorite albums (The Stones' "Exile On Main Street", The Who's Who's Next, The Taking Heads' "Remain In Light", Patti Smith "Horses", Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures"), it exposed me to several fascinating artist/producers I wasn't that familiar with like David Axelrod, reggae dub dude King Tubby and sunshine-pop wacko Curt Boettcher. As this book shows, many of the producers were more outrageous than the band's they were producing! Unlike other books about music production I've read, this one managed to clearly illuminate what the producer's roles and hallmarks were in shaping these albums without getting overly bogged down in technical minutia. I found the writing engaging, well-researched and entertaining. Highly recommended!

A Wonderful Book!

David N. Howard does a wonderful job showing how the folks behind the scenes created not only unique songs, but entire genres of music. From Rock and Roll to Dub, to Avant-Garde, and even Hip Hop, this book explains the birth of some of the most influential facets of contemporary music. Mr. Howard's enthusiasm for the music caused me to listen to familiar music in a new light and gave me a new found appreciation for music I had previously not enjoyed.

The true stories of some of the most influential producers

Sonic Alchemy: Visonary Music Producers And Their Maverick Recordings by professional music journalist David N. Howard presents the true stories of some of the most influential producers in the history of music, from pioneers like Phil Spector and George Martin to the technocrats of today. The roles that producers have had in crafting nuances of popular music is thoroughly explored, in this eminently readible and enjoyable anthology. Black-and-white photographs and meticulous research and listings complement the engaging tales.

Legendary Music From a Fresh Perspective

Precious little writing has been devoted to the people behind the sounds of classic albums, but this book greatly serves to right that wrong with concise yet detailed chapters on the well-known greats (Phil Spector, George Martin...) and the cult favorites (best piece on David Axelrod to date, includes contemporary interview). Sonic Alchemy rises to the top of the music book glut with ease...

great read

Combining solid research, impeccable taste and a fluid writing style, David Howard lays open what had previously been, for me, a mysterious component in the creation of some music I can't live without. It's a great read, reliably told and entertaining, by someone who clearly must be a diehard music fan himself.