Tony Visconti On Wild Honey

[guitarfool2002]

Mr. Desper would be the person to really ask about this, but I have to wonder whether, if only in a kind of subconscious way (keep in mind that a year separates Revolver and WH and back in those days that was practically a century in pop years), WH was Brian's putting into practice concepts of production that arose in his head from listening to Rubber Soul and Revolver.

I was unaware that SWD had anything at all to do with the recording of Wild Honey - care to enlighten me ?

He was assisting Jim Lockhart for Smiley and Wild Honey. He goes into it in my book.

Right, the story is that Steve filled in discreetly when Jimmy was out sick, which apparently was often--he was battling some major health issues.

I'm surprised this is being debated, there is no doubt he was involved in both WH and Smiley Smile. To be fair, is it a case of semantics here, in what his role would be labeled that is the sticking point? The point about Jim being ill at times during the 1967 sessions is correct.

And the proof of SWD's involvement with Smiley - beyond the overreaching history of it which is archived here on this board - can be found in the story of how the BB's got the ELTRO machine on the tune She's Goin Bald. And who got it for them to use.

I think I'm remembering my history right. He was there for Smiley and beyond, in varying capacities until he became the primary engineer.

[Mikie]

I'm surprised this is being debated, there is no doubt he was involved in both WH and Smiley Smile. To be fair, is it a case of semantics here, in what his role would be labeled that is the sticking point? The point about Jim being ill at times during the 1967 sessions is correct.

And the proof of SWD's involvement with Smiley - beyond the overreaching history of it which is archived here on this board - can be found in the story of how the BB's got the ELTRO machine on the tune She's Goin Bald. And who got it for them to use.

I think I'm remembering my history right. He was there for Smiley and beyond, in varying capacities until he became the primary engineer.

I'm not sure it's being "debated" whether Desper was there or even contributed ideas. Maybe the question is if he had anything to do with the recording of the Wild Honey album.....

[guitarfool2002]

I'm surprised this is being debated, there is no doubt he was involved in both WH and Smiley Smile. To be fair, is it a case of semantics here, in what his role would be labeled that is the sticking point? The point about Jim being ill at times during the 1967 sessions is correct.

And the proof of SWD's involvement with Smiley - beyond the overreaching history of it which is archived here on this board - can be found in the story of how the BB's got the ELTRO machine on the tune She's Goin Bald. And who got it for them to use.

I think I'm remembering my history right. He was there for Smiley and beyond, in varying capacities until he became the primary engineer.

I'm not sure it's being "debated" whether Desper was there or even contributed ideas. Maybe the question is if he had anything to do with the recording of the Wild Honey album.....

That could be the case, sure. I'm sure I remember something about him through 1967 actually helping to get the whole studio up and running, as the one at the house used for/during WH was another one in "flux" I guess you could say between the Frankenstein (Frankenstudio?) setup with the Dualux broadcast board and rental gear used for Smiley going to the more permanent setup used on Friends. Either way he was involved.

[Runaways]

this was robert christgau's review on the album for the curious

Wild Honey [Capitol, 1967]
It feels weird to call this a great record--it's so slight. But it's perfect and full of pleasure; it does what it sets out to do almost without a bad second (except for "Let the Wind Blow," each of the 11 tunes--total time: 23:54--ends before you wish it would). And what does it set out to do? To convey the troubled innocence of the Beach Boys through a time of attractive but perilous psychedelic sturm und drang. Its method is whimsy, candor, and carefully modulated amateurishness, all of which comes through as humor. Tell me, what other pop seer was inspired enough to cover a Stevie Wonder song in 1967? A+

[Andrew G. Doe]

I don't mean to be a jerk, but sometimes I wish AGD would discuss the music more rather than correct small facts. Vosconit's piece was about the actual music and the meaning it has to him, which could include some factual inaccuracies. He's not writing a biography, man.

Suppose I posted a trenchant musing on the modular character of "Good Vibrations" and its influence on Smile but prefaced it with a comment indicating I was in awe of what Mike Love did when composing and recording this song, which was a standout track on Pet Sounds ?

[The Heartical Don]

http://thequietus.com/articles/10534-tony-visconti-favourite-albums?page=1

This site just put up a piece where famed producer Tony Visconti discusses, at considerable length, his 13 favorite albums.

http://thequietus.com/articles/10534-tony-visconti-favourite-albums?page=3

concerns WH, and he has, in my view, some highly perceptive things to say about it.  And what he says about the other dozen records (Revolver, Joni Mitchell's Blue, Blonde On Blonde, Robert Johnson's Complete, Sunshine Superman, Dr John's In The Right Place, Philip Glass's Songs From Liquid Days, Best Of Spike Jones, Les Paul & Mary Ford, Incredible String Band's 5000 Spirits, Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares, and....XTC's Mummer!) is well worth reading too, not least since he mentions the BB's a couple times more.

Cheers for sharing - great stuff!

[Jukka]

Visconti has some fine points and it's always nice to see WH praised, but AGD is right. If you want to wax about historical causalities, get your facts straight. I wasn't around in 66-67, but I know that year's time made a huge difference back then.

[Ted]

I don't mean to be a jerk, but sometimes I wish AGD would discuss the music more rather than correct small facts. Vosconit's piece was about the actual music and the meaning it has to him, which could include some factual inaccuracies. He's not writing a biography, man.

Suppose I posted a trenchant musing on the modular character of "Good Vibrations" and its influence on Smile but prefaced it with a comment indicating I was in awe of what Mike Love did when composing and recording this song, which was a standout track on Pet Sounds ?

Your view on the modular character of the song and its influence on Smile would be no less valid.

[Roger Ryan]

...As for other artists, I liked how Visconti divided Dylan's music into 2 camps & that he never dug his folky material. It's news to me, because I was very certain that most people are more into acoustic side of Dylan's music, not electric....

The difference is not just acoustic vs. electric; Visconti is commenting on the style of songwriting and performance Dylan started out with in '62 and '63 compared to what he was doing in '65 and '66. The early years consisted of more earnest songs in a traditional folk vein with some wry humor thrown in. Starting in '65, Dylan not only plugs in an electric guitar but starts writing surreal caustic epistles that anticipate punk, songs that look inward more than addressing social issues. Even the acoustic songs from this period ("It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding" and "Desolation Row") sound completely different than what Dylan was doing in '63. It's really the sound of a young man who was eager to please and be liked, but who became wary of those willing to exploit him. As his contempt grew, so did his form of expression. He really invented a whole new vocabulary for a singer-songwriter to indulge in.

[KittyKat]

I'm surprised so many people haven't heard of Tony Visconti. Surely you know the work he did with David Bowie whether you knew he produced them or not. He actually is a more accomplished producer than Stephen Desper in terms of scope and variety of his credits, length of career, and surely amount of records sold.  I'm sure Stephen has to consider it a large honor to be name-checked by someone of Tony's caliber, whether it's warranted or not.

I just checked Tony's Wikipedia entry and found out was once married to Mary Hopkin and May Pang. I did not know that.

[bgas]

I'm surprised so many people haven't heard of Tony Visconti. Surely you know the work he did with David Bowie whether you knew he produced them or not. He actually is a more accomplished producer than Stephen Desper in terms of scope and variety of his credits, length of career, and surely amount of records sold.  I'm sure Stephen has to consider it a large honor to be name-checked by someone of Tony's caliber, whether it's warranted or not.

I'm not surprised, I don't remember ever hearing of him; but then I didnt follow Bowie's stuff in depth. I listened to the stuff I liked

I just checked Tony's Wikipedia entry and found out was once married to Mary Hopkin and May Pang. I did not know that.

To both at the same time?

[rn57]

Nope...but they was two foxes in their day. Since there are a couple of Sparks fans around here, worth mentioning that when he was married to Mary H, Tony got her to record "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth." Ron Mael has mentioned this in an interview or too. It has never been officially released or surfaced otherwise.

[Tilt Araiza]

Nope...but they was two foxes in their day. Since there are a couple of Sparks fans around here, worth mentioning that when he was married to Mary H, Tony got her to record "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth." Ron Mael has mentioned this in an interview or too. It has never been officially released or surfaced otherwise.

It's on the 2007 album Valentine.  If Spotify's got it right, it's just titled "Mother Earth" which does obfuscate it a bit.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Nope...but they was two foxes in their day. Since there are a couple of Sparks fans around here, worth mentioning that when he was married to Mary H, Tony got her to record "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth." Ron Mael has mentioned this in an interview or too. It has never been officially released or surfaced otherwise.

I did not know that. That's some weird, wild stuff!

[DonnyL]

I'm surprised so many people haven't heard of Tony Visconti. Surely you know the work he did with David Bowie whether you knew he produced them or not. He actually is a more accomplished producer than Stephen Desper in terms of scope and variety of his credits, length of career, and surely amount of records sold.  I'm sure Stephen has to consider it a large honor to be name-checked by someone of Tony's caliber, whether it's warranted or not.

I just checked Tony's Wikipedia entry and found out was once married to Mary Hopkin and May Pang. I did not know that.

Visconti is more famous, but Desper is a better engineer in my opinion ... just to balance out that statement.