Interviews

Porter, not really blindfolded, was kept in the dark about what he was listening to, then asked to comment before it was revealed. (The subsequent identifications have been edited out of the transcript).

1)Dionne Warwick: “People Got To Be Free” Soulful (Produced by Chips Moman and Dionne Warwick, no engineering credit) Scepter (German) SHA-S 401

BP: It's not bad. It's been electronically gimmicked slightly. You can hear it on the horns and voices. It sounds like, to me, a second-or third generation tape that's been equalized to compensate for whatever deficiencies they heard.

MF: That's interesting, because this is a German pressing so they probably got a tape that's a generation or two down from the master. The original American issue does sound much better, so it is exactly as you say. You hit the nail on the head.

BP: A trained ear can hear that, because if you work with enough equipment you hear what EQ does. Also, it sounds like whatever equalizer they used had a very narrow band. I'm going to do a little soap-box speech here. You know, most people think they want an equalizer that has a very narrow bandwidth or what they call high “Q.” Well, if anyone makes a normal analysis, when you are equalizing musical instruments you normally work in octaves, unless you want an exaggerated effect where you want to emphasize the impact of a stick on a cymbal; then you prefer a narrow band.

But if you want to equalize music, per se, then you want a broad-band equalizer. You want to change the overall color of the sound. You don't want to pick out one particular frequency.

2)David and David: “Welcome to the Boomtown” Boomtown (Produced by Davitt Sigerson, engineered by John Beverly Jones) A&M SP-5134 (reissued on 200g Quiex SV-P vinyl by Classic Record).

BP: Well, obviously, there's a lot of electronics in it. That's quite evident throughout. The overall sound, though, is good. Some of the sounds I personally don't like. But that's not the point. If you are an engineer, you do your job and do what they tell you to. And I think whoever did it, did a pretty good job. It sounds electronic, but it doesn't sound overly processed. They are using many effects, but they're subtly put in there.

3)XTC: “Yacht Dance” English Settlement (produced and engineered by Hugh Padgham) Virgin UK 2223

BP: I like that! I think it's pretty good. I like that drum. It's kind of unusual. Sounds like a steel drum. I'm sure it isn't. Artisically speaking, that's a little too much for me. I know they say monotony sells, but to me it's too leaden in the mix. I would have preferred to hear more guitar in the mix. But technically speaking I think it's well done. It doesn't sound overly processed.

4)4) XTC: “Senses Working Overtime” English Settlement (produced and engineered by Hugh Padgham) Virgin UK 2223

BP: They treat the vocals very similarly to what The Beatles did with theirs. There is no low end on the vocals, and they're mixed down quite a bit. Overall, I think it's pretty well done, though. It's not overly processed from a frequency standpoint. But it's definitely processed from a musical standpoint, which is the current trend.

5)Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks: “Where's The Money?” Where's The Money? (produced by Tommy LiPuma, engineered by Ray Thompson) Blue Thumb BTS 29

MF: That was recorded live at The Troubador.

BP: In LA?

MF: Yes. Ever been in that room?

BP: No.

MF: It's a wide, shallow room. Very tough.

BP: How about the PA sound? I don't hear any PA sound on the microphone vocals at all, coming back. That tells me, normally, they overdubbed that. I don't hear any PA bleed on the vocal. Play another cut.

6)Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks: “I Feel Like Singing” Where's The Money? (produced by Tommy LiPuma, engineered by Ray Thompson) Blue Thumb BTS 29

BP: Hear the reverb behind the vocal? That's PA sound. The other one you played-that ain't on there. They didn't like their performance and overdubbed it. I don't think that's necessarily wrong, but it's somewhat misleading to the public to buy a recording that says “live” and you find it's been overdubbed in the studio.