Looking for 'epic' 60s producers.

[Mr. Cohen]

I want to make a compilation 'epic' 60s sounding music in the style of Phil Spector, Brian Wilson (Pet Sounds era), & Lee Hazelwood... the problem is, I don't really know of any other producers/songwriters in that vein! Surely there must be some more. I found Sagittarious' "My World Fell Down", and there's Song Cycle (it doesn't really have the drive of Spector's or Wilson's music, but maybe I'd use "Laurel Canyon Blvd. 2" for fun). Burt Bacharach is talented but a little schmaltzy for me, and his music is too clean to fit in IMO. Really, I want music that is more closely in line with the first 3 artists I mentioned. It's as if they all were tapped into the same musical source, some well that went dry around 1967. I just want to know if someone else was tapping it too, or has tapped it since.

Thank you very much.

[8o8o]

How about the first four Scott Walker albums? Or any Walker Brothers stuff from those days? The Left Banke? The Zombies' masterpiece "Odessey and Oracle"?

[The Heartical Don]

You can't do it without Joe Meek. 'I Hear A New World'; there's also a great box set (inexpensive) of his work. Meek fits in there with Wilson, Spector, and Lee Perry. Dense layers of sound. And all four were a bit wonky in their heyday (and later too).

[Mr. Cohen]

Great suggestions, especially Joe Meek! I had heard some of his work with The Tornadoes, but I didn't think to look into it more. Wow, he was definitely ahead of his time. It's interesting how Brian Wilson, Lee Hazelwood, Phil Spector, and now Joe Meeks, who were all pursuing that reverb-drenched Wall of Sound, also had so many lyrical similarities, in that they're childlike (or, should I say, teenaged?) and sometimes disturbing. How natural it seems, to go from "River Deep Mountain High" (with lyrics about a girl caring for her lover like she did her rag doll as a child) to "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (relating childhood games between a boy and girl to mature adult love) to a Pet Sounds song like "You Still Believe in Me" (with a simple, naive view of love, and the sound of a bicycle). I don't know where Meek fits in with this lyrically, I'm just now listening to him for the first time, but I can say that I Hear a New World is mighty strange and childish, although it doesn't have anything to do with love as far as I can tell. Of course, he has other, more poppy songs, so I'll see. There was just something in the air in the 60s, I guess. Actually, Meek reminds me of a new artist, Wavves, although Meek seems to be a much more accomplished composer, so maybe there's still hope for us youngsters if we can stop being so lazy.

The Walker Brothers were interesting, too. Kind of like Bacharach, but the lyrics are edgier. It'll make a nice contrast.

edit - It's funny that you called Hazelwood Lee Perry (I'm guessing that was unintentional). As you obviously know, he was yet another eccentric producer, except he made reggae music. I remember reading some ridiculous story that a whole month went by where he would only walk backwards, apparently for some bizarre metaphysical reason (apparently, Jamaica has some very potent marijuana). It seems like to be a great producer, you have to be eccentric. Any weird stories about George Martin? Or does he kill my hypothesis? He always seems very together.

[hypehat]

Nilsson! Aerial Ballet, or Pandemonium Shadow Show fit the bill. Really great, well written, wall-of-sound-ish, harmony laced pop. And.... he also sings River Deep Mountain High 

[Sheriff John Stone]

Maybe Paul Rothchild? He produced The Doors, Love, Janis Joplin, Neil Young, The Lovin' Spoonful, and Joni Mitchell.

[the captain]

Based on the guys you mention--Spector, Wilson, etc.--you NEED to look into Bob Crewe.

[Daniel S.]

Based on the guys you mention--Spector, Wilson, etc.--you NEED to look into Bob Crewe.

He produced the Four Seasons?

[Daniel S.]

Who produced the Shirelles? "Baby Its You" sounds like a Spector type of production.

[dogear]

Jack Nietzsche didn't only arrange a lot of stuff for Spector and Melcher, he was also a hell of a producer as you can hear on these two CD anthologies:
1.  Hearing is Believing - The J.N. Story Vol. 1 ; Ace Records (UK) 1030
2. Hard Workin' Man - The J.N. Story Vol. 2; Ace Records (UK) 1130

[Alex]

Can't forget Curt Boechtter!!

[Music Machine]

Yeah Curt Boechtter was the first name I thought of too. The Magic Time three cd set of his work is worth tracking down.

[The Heartical Don]

Jack Nietzsche didn't only arrange a lot of stuff for Spector and Melcher, he was also a hell of a producer as you can hear on these two CD anthologies:
1.  Hearing is Believing - The J.N. Story Vol. 1 ; Ace Records (UK) 1030
2. Hard Workin' Man - The J.N. Story Vol. 2; Ace Records (UK) 1130

For lovers of classical: try to find Nitzsche's 'St. Giles' Cripplegate'. Lovely and Wagneresque.

[dogear]

Yeah Curt Boechtter was the first name I thought of too. The Magic Time three cd set of his work is worth tracking down.

Right and a nightmare for collectors as well since the pre Columbia stuff he did for "Our Productions" (mostly 45s) hasn't been released  on CD yet.
If you're interested in his works, check www.curtboettcher.com

 

[jimmyboy]

Mickie Most..Bob Johnston..Burt Bacarach.

[roll plymouth rock]

Ted Templeman, Lenny Waronker, Jan Berry, Lou Adler, even Andrew Loog Oldham was getting in on that style of production

[grillo]

Shadow Morton (sp?), Nino Tempo, Bob Crewe, Jan Berry,

[The Heartical Don]

Shadow Morton (sp?), Nino Tempo, Bob Crewe, Jan Berry,

Good call. George 'Shadow' Morton belongs in the list. 'Leader Of The Pack', 'Walking In The Sand', brilliant.

[roll plymouth rock]

Gary Zekley, the first Gene Clark album produced by Gary Usher, Tandyn Almer, Jerry Lieber / Mike Stoller, Kim Fowley, Michael Lloyd, PF Sloan - all to one degree or another

[Mr. Cohen]

I was thinking about this topic again and I have one thing to say: shame on all of you, SHAME, ETERNAL SHAME, for not mentioning John Cale.

[roll plymouth rock]

I was thinking about this topic again and I have one thing to say: shame on all of you, SHAME, ETERNAL SHAME, for not mentioning John Cale.

  we obviously were thinking you had good enough taste to assume you knew of him