Norman Smith - R.I.P.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/07/arts/music/07smith.html?_r=1&oref=slogin By DOUGLAS SCHORZMAN
Published: March 7, 2008 in the New York Times

it was Mr. Smith’s role to choose the equipment and techniques used to capture individual sounds in the studio and then to weave them into a finished recording. In the Beatles’ case, he favored sounds that were more stark than those typically heard in the ornamented and reverberation-drenched songs on popular radio.

TS: Norman Smith vs. Geoff Emerick vs. George Martin

HURRICANE SMITH

Classic for his own hit singles alone. I never knew he'd have been nearly 50 even then.

After seeing his name pop up for the 1,000,000th time in Beatles lore, I realized I knew so little about the man, and it's been one surprise after another. For example, didn't know he was much older than everyone (even George Martin), already 40-years-old by the time the Beatles' debut LP hit stores, had no idea of his LATER recording career as Hurricane Smith. He was pushing 50 by the time he had his big hit single. (I knew about the Pink Floyd records though.)

(yes, that last point is stated in the previous post, albeit 17 years prior.)

Must be strange in 1972, in the wake of the Beatles having their first solo hit singles post-breakup, turning on the TV and thinking ffs, even their ex-ENGINEER has a hit single.

OK I didn't realize "Oh Babe" was such a big hit in the US. "Don't Let It Die", which is a much better song, was the bigger hit in the UK.

I only knew about Hurricane Smith from the Denim song about the 70's.

OK I didn't realize "Oh Babe" was such a big hit in the US. "Don't Let It Die", which is a much better song, was the bigger hit in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haVQC0KffPk

Seems the time to mention that he played the drums on "Remember a Day" and the drum roll that ushers in the return of the main theme on "Interstellar Overdrive".

Seems amazing that he was born in 1923 and fought in the war and yet also did a drum roll on Interstellar Overdrive. A real generational crossover there.

Apparently he tried to make it as a jazz musician back when it was virtually synonymous with pop music, which didn't pan out. Then he saw EMI was looking for applicants "under 28" for their apprenticeship program for engineers, so he lied about his age (he was long past 28) and got his start that way, hence the age difference between him and the others. (Started off making tea and mopping floors and worked his way up, eventually engineering for the Beatles, then promoted to staff producer.)