Geoff Emerick Interview

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:30 am

I liked the book and his views of the fabs have been voiced by others before him.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:05 am

"1.-He paints Macca as nearly God almighty divine."

Spoken like someone from the "Lennon Worshipper" camp, perhaps?

davclr · Post by **davclr** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:59 am

I stand corrected on the author's name(s)

I just watched a movie last night with Kevin Bacon in the cast, hence my mistaken juxta-positioning

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:20 am

Kevin Bacon, author of "Filming Footloose".

winston · Post by **winston** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:45 am

"Spoken like someone from the "Lennon Worshipper" camp, perhaps? "

You called? How can I help?

Well to be perfectly honest, I liked John because he was mostly himself in public. A man who chose to reveal exactly what he was, humorous, unpretentious, a somewhat irritable and caustic man at times; really in fact a flawed person, with warts and all the things and feelings most people considered normal are afflicted with. Paul seemed to live in bit of a different reality. A nice one mind you.

The jury is out on Mr. Emerick. At least for me it is. You see I have not read his book yet. Even after I have read it I am not sure that I would be qualified to say if he was right or wrong, because I was not there at the time in history that he writes about.

It's an interesting dilemma trying to fit our heros into a mould other than the one that was previously built for them.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:57 am

I have no problem sticking with your story David, just don't expect me to buy it if you make it into a book.

I think some of you guys have a problem with his personal feelings. Whatever! They are his feelings. His opinion of John, George and Ringo doesn't change my opinion of them. It just means that they mean something different to him than they do to me. Just like Rickenbacker's! some people don't like them. Ok, but I do. Does that make them bad?

I just look at Geoff and give him the benefit of the doubt because he was there. And that is more than any of us can say.

westtexasrickenbacker · Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:04 am

Hi Brian,

I think you'll like the book. Very informative, and interesting in describing the various song sessions and how they achieved the sounds they did. However, the book is not without criticism. I googled it and found a criticism editorial by Ken Scott, who was another person in the control room with Martin, and Emerick.

He didn't log the same amount of hours with the Beatles as Emerick and Martin did, yet his opinions have to be given credence, too! Anyway, he states that some of Emerick's recollections are incorrect, plus I think he defends George Harrison somewhat, which I don't blame him, as he and George were good friends.

It is a perspective book. Geoff is also critical of George Martin in a few anecdotes that he tells. Again, maybe I would not phrase a few things quite how he did, but Emerick was there during hundreds of hours of Beatle sessions. That is a tremendous source. The only non-Beatle who could possibly give more information would be George Martin. He was there from the beginning.

winston · Post by **winston** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:13 am

Thanks for the information Alex. Buying the book is on my to do list, which happens to be a very long list right at the moment.

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:24 am

"The only non-Beatle who could possibly give more information would be George Martin. He was there from the beginning."

And has already written at least 2 books on the subject.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:06 am

I've two books by George Martin, 'All You Need Is Ears' and 'With A Little Help From My Friends'. It's been a while, so it's probably time to reread them both.

westtexasrickenbacker · Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:18 am

I want to read those two books as well. I had forgotten about them.

lennonon · Post by **lennonon** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 3:10 pm

Finished the book a while ago.

Geoff Emerick is a ******.

winston · Post by **winston** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 7:49 pm

Words that are full of emotion Michael. So I should forget about buying the book, since it would simply be a waste of money then?

leesh · Post by **leesh** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 8:15 pm

I thought it was an interesting read and had good and bad points.... I've read pretty much all of the biographies on the Beatles but this was the first one that was entirely devoted to studio action (that I know - besides George Martin's) and I found it interesting. There were personality descriptions that can set people off....but as far as the techniques he used and how they stumbled on certain sounds for songs...I thought it was good.

I'd recommend getting it on half.com...or I could even send you my copy to hear what you thought about it.

winston · Post by **winston** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:10 pm

Thanks for the offer Alisha that is very kind of you and I very much appreciate it. I am sure I can find a copy in my little town though.