Since its inception in 1985, SOUND ON SOUND magazine has always included insightful interviews with the artists and technicians involved in the recording process of many top albums, across all manner of musical genres.
We don't ask them the colour of their underwear or who they're dating — SOS concentrates on "tech talk". And we regularly feature interviews with our very own readers, in Studio SOS and Readerzone, to discover how the gear we test is being creatively used and abused in the real world.
Below is a monthly-updated list of articles from various sections to whet your appetite! To find more, please use the SEARCH page and select options from the dropdown menus.
CLASSIC TRACKS: The Zombies ‘Time Of The Season’
Producer: The Zombies • Engineers: Peter Vince, Geoff Emerick
Now considered one of the classic tracks of the 1960s, the Zombies’ ‘Time Of The Season’ almost disappeared without trace...
CLASSIC TRACKS: Buzzcocks Spiral Scratch
Producer: Martin Hannett • Engineer: Phil Thompson
Engineer Phil Hampson didn’t even like punk rock — yet, with an inexperienced Martin Hannett, he recorded one of the defining records of the era.
Classic Tracks
In 1987, swimming against the tide of MIDI–powered pop records, Cowboy Junkies went into a church to record an album into a single microphone in a single day.
Classic Tracks
In their 39–year career the Fall have always embraced chaos, but perhaps nowhere more so than in the studio.
Pink Floyd 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'
Classic Tracks
Engineer Brian Humphries tells the story of recording Pink Floyd’s nine-part lamentation to their lost colleague, Syd Barrett.
Classic Tracks: AC/DC 'Back In Black'
Producer: Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange • Engineer: Tony Platt
In 1980 AC/DC were on a roll and nothing — not even the death of their lead singer — was going to stop them.
Classic Tracks: Peter Gabriel 'Sledgehammer'
Producer: Daniel Lanois • Engineers: Kevin Killen, David Bascombe
When Peter Gabriel made the transition from prog to pop with 'Sledgehammer' he did it on his own exacting terms...
Classic Tracks: James Brown 'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag'
Producer: James Brown • Engineer: Ron Lenhoff
'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag' was James Brown's statement of intent as he abandoned soulful ballads in favour of a raw and frenetic new sound.
Classic Tracks: The Blues Brothers 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Love'
Producer & Engineer: Bob Tischler
His role as producer of The Blues Brothers soundtrack left Bob Tischler in charge of recording some of the best musicians of the 20th century, while managing conflicting shooting schedules and coping with the day-to-day effects of John Belushi's prodigious cocaine habit.
Classic Tracks: 808 State 'Pacific State'
Producer: 808 State • Engineer: Graham Massey
Born of the fertile late‑'80s Manchester music scene, 808 State's 'Pacific State' was a landmark in British house music.
Classic Tracks: Tomorrow 'My White Bicycle'
Producer: Mark Wirtz • Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Tomorrow's pioneering paean to the joys of communal public transport has proved to be a classic of the British psychedelic underground.
Classic Tracks: Tom Petty 'Learning To Fly'
Producers: Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne • Engineer: Richard Dodd
While Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne’s writing partnership was certainly successful, it was the partnership between Jeff Lynne and engineer Richard Dodd that gave the records their distinctive sparkle.
Classic Tracks: Shirley Bassey 'Goldfinger'
Producers: John Barry, George Martin. Engineer: Eric Tomlinson.
Engineer Eric Tomlinson recorded a host of classic soundtracks during his 40-year career, not to mention what's...
Classic Tracks: The Velvet Underground 'Heroin'
Producers: Andy Warhol, Norman Dolph, Tom Wilson • Engineers: John Licata, Ami Hadani
Its status as one of pop's most influential albums is clear, but the circumstances surrounding the creation of The Velvet Underground & Nico have always been clouded. We asked Andy Warhol's co-producer to set the record straight.
CLASSIC TRACKS: The Clash 'White Riot'
Engineer: Simon Humphrey
When the Clash entered the studio for the first time they were determined not to sacrifice their punk principles, and the fates — not to mention a sympathetic engineer and a negligent record company — were on their side...
Classic Tracks: Electric Light Orchestra 'Don't Bring Me Down'
Producer: Jeff Lynne • Engineer: Mack
Melding Beatlesque pop melodies with symphonic strings, multi-layered vocals and leader Jeff Lynne's generally overblown production of his own compositions
Classic Tracks : Beastie Boys 'Sabotage'
Producers: Beastie Boys & Mario Caldato Jr (Mario C) • Engineer: Mario Caldato Jr
The standout track from the Beastie Boys' smash hit Ill Communication album nearly didn't make it onto the record at all — and when it did, it was the eight-track ADAT mix that made the final cut.
Classic Tracks
Originally intended for another group, ‘Kiss’ was quickly reclaimed by Prince when he heard David Z’s arrangement. Despite record company scepticism, the track became his third number one single and rejuvenated his career.
Classic Tracks: Pulp ‘Common People’
Producer: Chris Thomas • Engineer: David Nicholas
Pulp’s infectiously catchy commentary on the joys of class tourism helped propel the group to fame after nearly two decades of obscurity. Engineer David Nicholas tells us how ‘Common People’ was recorded.
Classic Tracks: Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells
Producers: Tom Newman, Simon Heyworth • Engineers: Tom Newman, Simon Heyworth
Forty years after its original release, Mike Oldfield tells us the story of recording his hugely successful debut album, Tubular Bells.
Classic Tracks: George Michael ‘Faith’
Producer: George Michael • Engineer: Chris Porter
Wham! went their separate ways in 1986, but the triumph of George Michael’s debut album Faith in 1987 meant that the success of his solo career was never really in doubt.
Classic Tracks: Adam & The Ants ‘Stand & Deliver’
Producer: Chris Hughes • Engineer: Alan Douglas
To say that producer Chris Hughes was closely involved with Recording Adam & The Ants’ biggest records would be a bit of an understatement — he got so involved he joined the band...
Classic Tracks: Frank Sinatra ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’
Producer: Voyle Gilmore • Engineer: John Palladino
In 1956, Frank Sinatra revived his flagging career with an album that would define the swing sound and go on to become one of the most highly regarded in history. John Palladino, now in his 92nd year, was at the controls...
Classic Tracks
For many, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? is Oasis’s masterpiece. Producer and engineer Owen Morris tells us the story of its creation.
CLASSIC TRACKS: Nine Inch Nails ‘Closer’
Producers: Trent Reznor, Mark 'Flood' Ellis • Engineer: Sean Beavan
Although the shock value of its lyrics and ensuing censorship earned it notoriety, ‘Closer’ perfectly exemplifies Trent Reznor’s radical use of sampling and singularly focused musical vision.
Classic Tracks
The unlikely result of a collaboration between two 4AD bands, the release of ‘Pump Up The Volume’ by MARRS was a great day for house music and copyright lawyers alike.
Gary Moore 'Parisienne Walkways'
Classic Tracks
'Parisienne Walkways' showcased Gary Moore's virtuoso guitar work and quickly became his signature song. Its recording also provided a young engineer at Morgan Studios with his first, unexpected production credit.
The Beatles 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'
Classic Tracks
Recording the White Album was a major project by any standards, not least for Ken Scott, who, at the age of just 21, found himself engineering the biggest band in the world...
Whitney Houston 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'
Classic Tracks
'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' was a huge global hit, but it also represented a tour de force in coaxing the perfect vocal from a singer, as explained by producer Narada Michael Walden.
Classic Tracks
Soft Cell's cover of 'Tainted Love' not only catapulted the duo to stardom in the UK, but also went on to spend a record-breaking 43 weeks on the American Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Classic Tracks
The story of Don McLean's 'American Pie' goes from cryptic beginnings to massive chart success, and an eventual position as a perennial US radio favourite.
Sinéad O’Connor ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’
Classic Tracks
Recording Sinéad O’Connor’s breakthrough hit was easy in some ways, but difficult in others — for example, all compression was forbidden...
Classic Tracks
The single ‘Downtown’ gave Petula Clark a worldwide hit and rejuvenated her career. Presiding over the session was engineer Ray Prickett, who tells us how it happened...
The Buggles 'Video Killed The Radio Star'
Classic Tracks
The Buggles' JG Ballard-inspired 'Video Killed The Radio Star' hit the number one spot in no fewer than 16 different countries, and confirmed Trevor Horn in his career as a producer in the process.
Classic Tracks
The haunting dub of ‘Ghost Town’ perfectly captured the mood of its time, and spent three weeks at the top of the British charts during the turbulent summer of 1981.
Elton John: 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'
Classic Tracks
Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has proved to be one of his most popular and enduring works. The man at the controls, David Hentschel, tells us how it came to be.
Classic Tracks
But for the timely intervention of Mick Ronson, John Cougar’s celebrated portrait of small-town American life might never have existed at all, let alone topped the Billboard Hot 100.
The Orb: 'Little Fluffy Clouds'
Classic Tracks
Dr Alex Paterson tells us how the Orb’s cavalier sampling and devil‑may‑care attitude towards copyright took ambient house from the chill‑out room to the top of the charts.
Marvin Gaye 'What's Going On?'
Classic Tracks
As the ’60s came to a close, Marvin Gaye was forced to ask some serious questions about the world as he found it; the result was the sublimely soulful piece of social commentary, ‘What’s Going On’.
Jerry Lee Lewis: 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On'
Classic Tracks
Jerry Lee Lewis’s raucous piano playing is the stuff of rock & roll legend, but his discovery and signing to Sun Records was the result of a series of lucky chances. Engineer Jack Clement tells us the story...