The best producers in rock history

[Fabio]

Phil Spector...then he went bonkers. Jack Douglas for his work on the early Aerosmith albums. Brian Wilson... Soul and R&B...there's Quincy Jones and Nile Rodgers.

Excellent choices

 

[Fabio]

Roy Halee - produced classic Simon and Garfunkel albums like "Bookends" and "Bridge Over Troubled Waters".

Chip Douglas - arranged The Turtles classic "Happy Together" and produced The Monkees albums "Headquarters" and "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd".

Lou Adler - produced lots of hits for Sam Cooke, Johnny Rivers, The Mamas and The Papas, The Grassroots, Spirit, Barry Maguire and others. He won two Grammys for his production work on Carole King's classic "Tapestry" album.

Paul Rothchild - produced hits for Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, The Lovin' Spoonful, Neil Young, Tim Buckley, Love and others. He's best known for producing The Doors' first five albums.

Lots of incredibles stories when he recorded with the Doors: I did know how to capture positively Morrisonn's madness

 

[Fabio]

Quite a few come to mind, but I'll throw Alan Parsons out there. He had one of the best indoctrinations to rock music being involved with The Beatles (Abbey Road I think it was) and Pink Floyd. (Dark Side Of The Moon).

I love how he incorporates classical and different instruments into his concept albums with Eric Woolfson, known as the Alan Parsons Project collectively.

When Al Stewart signed with Janus Records a small outfit trying to establish themselves as a player, they hired Alan Parsons to produce his first album with them, "The Year Of The Cat", for $100,000 which blew their budget almost completely. But what a fantastic album that was and still is.

He will always be in my top 10 producers/engineers of all time.

Alan Parson job on the Dark Side of the Moon was essential for modeling the masterpiece.

 

[Fabio]

Let me add Roy Thomas Baker to the list. He's worked with everyone from Dusty Springfield to Ozzy Osborne. He's probably best known for producing Queen's first five albums and the first four by The Cars.

real good one

 

[Fabio]

Let's also add Martin Birch.

yes !

 

[Fabio]

Yep he was going to be the next one I posted Bob D.

Another of my all time favorites, Ted Templeman who worked with the Doobie Brothers and produced Van Halen's best albums as well.

He was the one that protected Eddie from Diamond Dave jealousy ....

 

[LG]

He was the one that protected Eddie from Diamond Dave jealousy ....

Every album I've ever listened to that had Ted Templeman listed as the producer was very well done, from a technical standpoint which to me no matter who you are producing/engineering is of paramount importance along with the artists having a solid set of songs and performing at the top of their game.

 

[Fabio]

I only know his work with VH and I agree with you.
I think that a good producer is like a good football/basketball/baseball coach: he not only has to know the technics but, most important thing, has to know how to the take out the best from the musicians/human beings he produces.

 

[Fabio]

And we shouldn't forget the german guy, if we like classic hard & heavy ....


Dieter Dierks | Biography | AllMusic

 

[luderei]

My favourites (think most were alread named) are mostly producers with a very own "sound". I.e. you recognize its the just from how the guitar sounds for instance. Come to think of it, that makes them sound like glorified engineers.

- Bob Ezrin (who often co-writes music on the albums he produces)
- Jeff Lynne (it gets a bit samey after a while but it works for me)
- Daniel Lanois (atmospherics, even the average songs get more interesting as long as he doesn't overcook it)
- Bob Rock / Bruce Fairbairn (made that 80's pop metal sound truly crunchy)
- Ted Templeman (great drum sound)
- more of an arranger, but David Briggs
- Chris Thomas & Mark Opitz (both producer who managed to add production sheen yet retain a high level of energy)