Glyn Johns autobiography

[Scarlet Sun]

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/glyn-johns-autobiography-sound-man-coming-out-11-13-2014.385975/

[sodascouts]

Thanks for the heads up! I'm only interested in his work with the Eagles, but I may buy it just for that part alone. I have a feeling he won't have too many kind words for them with the exception of Bernie, though. lol

[Tiffanny Twisted]

Thanks
I will put it on the list
I love to rwad and he's been with a lot of people

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Yep - thanks for the heads up, ss. He should have a pretty interesting story to tell, for sure!

[UndertheWire]

From amazon

US: released 13th November for hardcover and kindle
UK: kindle release on 13th November, hardcover on 4th December

Here's a new interview with Glyn Johns
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/glyn-johns-interview-my-50-years-of-producing-rock-classics-9830884.html

Unfortunately, it seems that the book may be disappointing for those of us who'd like some gossip.

“Part of my job has always been to respect the privacy of the artists. It’s like the doctor’s surgery or the confessional – unless you don’t like them, of course…”

And another:
http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/glyn-johns-on-rocks-golden-era-and-his-new-book-sound-man-609483


"Often the drummer in the band I'm working with wants me to make him sound like Bonham. I can't do that because he’s not Bonham.

[Brooke]

Interesting! I would bet he has some stories to tell, but it sounds like we may only get things we've heard before.

[GlennLover]

Quote:
"Often the drummer in the band I'm working with wants me to make him sound like Bonham. I can't do that because he’s not Bonham.


This reminded me of Don H saying in HotE that he wanted more microphones on the drums & Glyn Johns told him if he wanted them louder to hit them harder. Don said he hit them harder, but he still couldn't hit them as hard as Bonham.

[Freypower]

To me that story relates specifically to Don Henley who has told it himself. For Johns to generalise in that way & say 'often' the drummer wants to sound like John Bonham' doesn't seem right. I find it hard to believe that applied as 'often' as he claims.

[UndertheWire]

Another Glyn Johns interview:

It's the same with The Eagles. When The Eagles moved on, there was a disagreement with the direction that I wanted to continue with them on and what Glenn Frey wanted. As I say in the book, I don't blame him at all. He did what he felt was necessary. He felt I was holding him back in some way, so they went on and had tremendous success and they didn't need me at all. They needed me like a bloody hole in the head. Again, I'm terribly proud of the records I made with them and I think hopefully I was instrumental in some degree to the success they had later because they had a sort of springboard to jump off of, if you know what I mean.
The first Eagles album, the first Joan Armatrading album we just talked about, I got really excited about both of those because we were on to something really amazing. Particularly not just because the artists were so extraordinary but because I felt that something had clicked with the sound I was getting. I was really happy with it sonically and I felt what I was doing was doing the music justice in a way that was very satisfying.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/a-day-drinking-exclusive_b_6143126.html

And more:


He said some acts stopped working with him because he wouldn't allow them to get high during recording sessions.
"I wouldn't let The Eagles have any drugs in the studio and in the end that was part of my reason for being fired" after producing their first two albums, he said.
Still, he noted that their next album, "Hotel California," was a smash hit — and "Sound Man" is full of such even-handed assessments.
http://news.yahoo.com/rock-soundman-glyn-johns-talks-beatles-stones-123628055.html

[sodascouts]

Thanks UTW! I might not be buying the book if there's no new info in it, though.

[UndertheWire]

The book arrived on my Kindle overnight and I've read the Eagles chapters. There's little that you don't already know and his writing style doesn't bring it life. I prefer his interviews when promoting the book.

What I learned:

- he was won over when they sang "Most of Us Are Sad". He says they continued to work together through the afternoon and he realised they were better musically than he'd originally thought. He felt incompetent for not spotting their potential earlier.

- there was an unpleasant situation about the recording of Nightingale. Part of this was Johns being stubborn and not liking Geffen telling him what to do. I thought Johns came across badly in this and the band were stuck in the middle.

- he thinks Desperado suffered because Geffen didn't give it as much attention as the first album.

- he saw cracks in the band with Desperado and these were much bigger for On the Border. He tried to heal these by encouraging greater equality. Glenn didn't like being told to give the others more of a chance.

- they didn't have many songs ready for On the Border. When the recording sessions were halted, Johns thought it was just to give them time to write some songs.

- Johns thinks they were right to go with a different producer, although he likes the work they did with him better.

[Brooke]

Thanks for the info, UtW!

A couple little tidbits there anyway! Interesting!

[Scarlet Sun]

- he was won over when they sang "Most of Us Are Sad". He says they continued to work together through the afternoon and he realised they were better musically than he'd originally thought. He felt incompetent for not spotting their potential earlier.
A-ha, I had always suspected it was Most Of Us Are Sad. The earlier account had identified it as "a ballad Randy had written"




- they didn't have many songs ready for On the Border. When the recording sessions were halted, Johns thought it was just to give them time to write some songs.

They recorded almost an entire an album with him, but most of the songs were very medicore. It may have killed their career if they had finished and released that version of the album


he likes the work they did with him better.
Me too

[sodascouts]

- he was won over when they sang "Most of Us Are Sad".

Wow, mystery solved! You know, that song is really underrated.


there was an unpleasant situation about the recording of Nightingale. Part of this was Johns being stubborn and not liking Geffen telling him what to do. I thought Johns came across badly in this and the band were stuck in the middle.

What, they were arguing about his production of it?

[UndertheWire]

What, they were arguing about his production of it?
They tried to record Nightingale it in London but it didn't work. Geffen asked Johns to have another go but Johns refused so Geffen sent the band into an LA studio with a different producer. That didn't work either so Bernie phoned Johns to beg him to try again. Johns was furious at the band's betrayal and flew to LA to give Geffen a piece of his mind. Geffen refused to release the album without Nightingale so Johns agreed to have another go. It still didn't work but was included anyway.

Johns says that he'd been thinking of Geffen as the manager - who shouldn't interfere with the record production - but realised that as the record label, Geffen did have that right.

[sodascouts]

Oh, I remember reading about this from the other producer's perspective (Bill Halverson). Halverson put up his recording of Nightingale along with Get Up Kate on his website. It's linked from the below thread, if anyone would like to hear it. It's interesting to compare it to what was released.

https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4348

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Thanks for linking to that Soda. As soon as I read UTW's post this morning, I remembered that we had heard an alternate version of Nightingale, but I didn't have time to search for it at the time. :thumbsup:

[UndertheWire]

I've finished the book and it's readable without being that exciting. It's amazing how many people Glyn Johns has worked with over the years but too often it's more like a list of artists and session players. His "voice" is very similar to what you see in HotE. He's a forceful character and often makes his mind up quickly and is reluctant to change it but he'll admit to being wrong afterwards.

One story fits in the Glenn's "school marm" comment. Johns is quite particular about time-keeping. He was working with Eric Clapton and Eric turned up with a note from Patti Boyd to explain it was her fault that Eric was late, just like a mother sending a note to teacher.

Bernie worked as a session music on many recordings that Glyn Johns produced or engineered and seems to be one of Johns' go-to guys.

The impression he gives is that recording the first two Eagles were very good experiences and he was quite close to the band at that time.

I've read some of Ethan Russell's e-book and there are overlaps because Johns and Russell worked with the same bands at the same time. For a good read covering much of the same period and bands, you can't beat Tom Wright's Roadwork.

It's a short book and a quarter is discography, index and acknowledgements so not great value.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

UTW - Thanks again for your diligence in recapping Glyn's book. I appreciate you helping me make an informed decision about whether or not to purchase it. :thumbsup:

[sodascouts]

Yes, thanks, UTW. Right now I'm leaning towards skipping it.

[UndertheWire]

Here's another review, but the best part is the video of a Q&A session with Glyn Johns. There's nothing on the Eagles, other than a namecheck at the beginning, but it's interesting stuff.

http://www.popmatters.com/review/188438-sound-man-a-life-recording-hits-by-glyn-johns/

[Ive always been a dreamer]

UTW - I'm not seeing a link for this.

[UndertheWire]

I've added the link.

[sodascouts]

I love all the interesting stuff you find, UTW. Thanks!

[Funk 50]

Thanks for the link underthewire.

It's been great to see Bernie back playing with the Eagles. Who knows he may even record with them. Maybe he inspired Christine McVie to return to Fleetwood Mac.

Some say the real HFO 2 will be if the Eagles ever hook up with outcast, Don Felder again.

I think a far more interesting and productive proposal would be a fortnight or two in London working with Glyn Johns again.

Now they've got Joe in the ranks and tonnes of digital technology to summon, maybe The Eagles will be finally able to rock on a par with The Who, The Faces, Led Zeppellin, The Rolling Stones and all the other UK rockers who got The Eagles to fly to London to record over 40 years ago.

Surely, recording an album with Johns over a couple of weeks would be the ultimate Eagles redemption.

[Freypower]

I admire your optimism but I suppose I don't see why they should attempt to work with someone they left behind 40 years ago, whose relationship with them was frosty at best. You could tell by the way Glenn talked in HOTE that he has no desire to work with Johns again (any more than he wants to work with Felder again).

To me you shouldn't just attempt to recreate something you have done before just because you did it before. Do something different.

The question of whether they will ever record another album is one I'm not prepared to go into. I will say this though; 'a couple of WEEKS'?:fear:

Times have changed, people have changed.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Thanks for the link, UTW. That was very interesting.

And my guess is that the Eagles aren't interested in working with Glyn Johns again, any more than he is interested in working with them. It seems like a big dichotomy that a reunion between these parties would produce a rockier sound for the Eagles considering that a big reason they parted ways was because Johns didn't think the band could rock. Besides on the chance that there is ever another Eagles album, I suspect they would produce it themselves.

[Funk 50]

I'm not sure if they'd match up to The Who, Led Zep or the Stones but when the Eagles performed; You Belong To The City, Boys Of Summer, Funk 49, Dirty Laundry, The Heat Is On, Life's Been Good, Heartache Tonight and Life In The Fast Lane, one after the other during the HFO shows, I can assure you they were rockin' :rockguitar:

The original quartet were awesome but I have to agree with Glyn Johns, they couldn't rock. The early bootlegs I've heard feature rock numbers that are a bit messy to sat the least but the acoustic tracks are always glorious.

[Freypower]

I'm not sure if they'd match up to The Who, Led Zep or the Stones but when the Eagles performed; You Belong To The City, Boys Of Summer, Funk 49, Dirty Laundry, The Heat Is On, Life's Been Good, Heartache Tonight and Life In The Fast Lane, one after the other during the HFO shows, I can assure you they were rockin' :rockguitar:

The original quartet were awesome but I have to agree with Glyn Johns, they couldn't rock. The early bootlegs I've heard feature rock numbers that are a bit messy to sat the least but the acoustic tracks are always glorious.

They weren't & still are not a heavy rock band. Leaving bootlegs aside however, tracks like Take The Devil & Out Of Control are legitimate rock songs.

[sodascouts]

Yeah, "Out of Control" rocks my socks off! ;)

[Eagles Rule]

Surely, recording an album with Johns over a couple of weeks would be the ultimate Eagles redemption.

The ultimate redemption would be for them to work with Geffen again. I think Geffen and Henley would rather drink poison than get back together.

[sodascouts]

Yeah, Geffen has been sued not once but twice by Henley! They did agree to appear in each other's documentaries, though: Henley in Inventing David Geffen and Geffen, of course, in History of the Eagles.

[Eagles Rule]

Was Geffen's doc worth watching?
How much of it was related to the Eagles & Henley?

[UndertheWire]

The Geffen doc is worth watching as he has had an interesting career. There's not a lot actually on the Eagles or Henley but it's good for context.

[Funk 50]

I'm not sure what relationship Geffen had with the Eagles. They were business associates rather than work colleagues weren't they?

I remember the "malcontent" line though. He owes Henley a positive or two for that.

[UndertheWire]

I'm not sure what relationship Geffen had with the Eagles. They were business associates rather than work colleagues weren't they?

The kind of relationship where you have five naked young men in a sauna?* In the early days, Geffen was very nurturing with the people that he managed. There's a thread on the Geffen documentary: https://eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3813

*Geffen, Jackson Brown, JD Souther, Glenn Frey and Ned Doheney.

[Eagles Rule]

I am going to watch the whole HOE documentary this time instead of just bits and pieces like I did last time. The parts I saw with Geffen, he seemed to feel betrayed by the Eagles and really pissed off at Henley in particular.

[Brooke]

I enjoyed watching the Geffen doc a lot. Pretty much about how he came from nothing and made it big and bits about the people he worked with.

[NightMistBlue]

The parts I saw with Geffen, he seemed to feel betrayed by the Eagles and really pissed off at Henley in particular.

Geffen is quite evil though, so you can't believe what he says. :) He makes Irving Azoff seem like a sweetie pie by comparison.

Back to the Glyn Johns book: many reviews say it's boring and not at all detailed about the actual studio work. What a pity, because the guy really is an amazing producer with a legendary body of work. Still, with two chapters on Los Eagles, one on Zeppelin, and quite a few on the Stones, I'm tempted to check it out.