blackhawkpat Posted November 10, 2003 Share Posted November 10, 2003 After reading the post about favorite albums, I popped mine into the car CD player (the first EC) and just cranked it for a trip I had to make today. It got me wondering......Why did Eric and Jimmy Ienner part ways after that record? Obviously, if there was bad blood, it was fixed when they reunited for "Hungry Eyes", but I'm curious if anyone knows the "Inside Story" (sorry, couldn't resist!)It seems odd to me that EC had some hits with the Raspberries, his early solo success, and a huge hit ten years later while working with Ienner....so, what caused the split in the middle and why wasn't Jimmy in on Winter Dreams? Every time they work together, it's a smash!I've asked before here if anyone knows JI's wherabouts and nobody seems to know. Has that changed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted November 10, 2003 Share Posted November 10, 2003 In an interview with Jimmy Ienner (sorry, don't remember with who) Jimmy talked about the fact that every big hit Eric had was with him (don't forget about "Make Me Lose Control", also). I have also read that after his first very successful release Eric was ready to spread his wings and try something new. That 'something new' was Gus Dudgeon, Elton John's producer. When that didn't work out Eric went on to produce "Boats" on his own. I have never read anything about "bad blood" between Ricky and the Tooth. However, after seeing Jimmy produce the 'berries on the "Go" show and realizing the amout of creative control the producer has over the final sound I can see why Eric wanted to produce his records. Someone with the vision and talent of Eric SHOULD be producing his own records. Pass the lemonade, please. Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cartmill Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Jimmy got better with every album he produced. But the first couple 'Berries albums were unforgivably void of bass frequencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAM Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Ya got that right! Wonder what the reasoning behind that was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuke Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Back in those days, didn't they mix stuff for AM radio? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAM Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Yeah, but there was no practical reason that I can think of, for the lack of low end on the first two albums. The third and fourth are only slightly better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I think that if you dig up most albums from that period, you'll find a weakness in production. I don't believe the 'berries were alone here. Possibly another question for "Ask Eric."Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cartmill Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Yes Marvin, I remember some of the older Yes albums were missing some bottom end as well.Alan Parsons did wonders with Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" around that time. Was he ahead of his time as a producer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 No doubt that Alan was way ahead of his time as a producer, but maybe working in Abbey Road had something to do with it. That's a question for "Ask Alan."Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew C. Clark Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I just asked "Rolling Stone" magazine experts (at www.rollingstone.com) & I wonder if they will answer my question. You never know if the article will appear in the December or January 2004 issues or not. One question is about the Raspberries. The other question is about Jimmy Ienner. If you have a music question, e-mail: rsknows@rollingstone.com Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 For the mid 70's I thought Tom Scholz (sp?) of Boston had great sound on his productions. Maybe a little too perfect; he really went through everything with a fine-toothed comb! Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Kirk no denying that Boston's albums were well-produced. By the mid-70's there was huge difference in production qualities as compared to the early 1970's. Also, Scholz was an engineer (I believe he worked at MIT), so right away he probably had a head start on a lot of producers.Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Marvin--As I recall his 'basement tapes' were better than some stuff that made it to vinyl back then--Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Yes it's 1976 all over again, and I can hear "More Than A Feeling" blaring from my speakers. What a sound, what a song!Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy K. Posted November 15, 2003 Share Posted November 15, 2003 Tom Scholz was indeed a MIT person.....As for the Raspberries albums, I think "Side 3" is the best engineered. Granted, there was nothing but guitars for the most part---making it easier to do without the strings/piano/etc.---but still, it's really crisp and in your face.If only "Get it Moving" would have gotten that treatment---I could only imagine what it would sound like.As for the solo albums, I still think "Boats" is much better sonically, although I like the song selection better on the first album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy K. Posted November 15, 2003 Share Posted November 15, 2003 Yes, some more bottom would have been in order for the albums. But I also think that some tweaking in the upper-middle would have helped in certain spots. And maybe a little less compression and echo....granted, you would use more on an AM radio/jukebox 45 mix...but still....it was a bit overdone....especially on the first album.Alan Parsons, before Pink Floyd, was a Beatles engineer. So being around guys like Martin, Geoff Emmerick, etc. really rubbed off on him..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted November 15, 2003 Share Posted November 15, 2003 I think Bernie could clear this up for everyone (about Ienner and Eric), but I never remember Eric saying anything except that he really cared about Jimmy and Jimmy about him. I think it was more like what happened with the Raspberries. Yeah, they were going in different creative directions, but I think a lot of it was born of utter and complete frustration because the music was great and it wasn't getting them where they wanted. When your vision for your group/career (and Eric had the strongest vision I think) isn't materializing, and everyone is frustrated, the nastiness between group members starts happening. No matter what they did, it didn't work. I think frustration and making no $ came first, then personal problems. With Ienner, I think it was that they both saw they were getting nowhere as a team. Eric probably had different ideas than jimmy, and they both sadly realized it was time to part ways, or at least mostly Eric did. I know he felt terrible about it, was terribly depressed. Maybe Jimmy was partly responsible for Eric not getting anywhere, (I remember Eric having a parade of managers who had no idea how to promote him or just didn't care or try).I remember after a Raspberries conert at St. Johns University in Queens, I told Eric they weren't getting the publicity in my area and asked who I needed to talk to to help the situation. He gave me Stan Poses' name at CAM-USA in New York. I tried calling the guy and he never called me back, so I just went one day and walked in unannounced. The secretary, Mrs. Lefker, said he wasn't in,, so I gave her a long note to give him about what he should be doing and asked if I could help. He never called me back or wrote me at all. Poses was booking Raspberries in dark, out-of-the way and isolated clubs. It was very depressing. One concert my girlfriend and I attended was virtually unattended except for the two of us and the people who worked at the club. It would have been a groupie's dream--but I was very disappointed to see that. Poses must have been either a moron or the most unsavvy manager on earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkpat Posted November 18, 2003 Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 Well, I finally got my answer, at least to Jimmy Ienner's wherabouts! Anybody notice that the producer of the Bryson Group-Dry is none other than Jimmy Ienner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAM Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 Hey, I'm thinking Wally produced it. I think they gave Ienner a copy of Dry & he was commenting on their vocals, if I'm not mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bahoodore Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 I know of a few other Jimmy Ienner productions, and I think one of the things that Jimmy liked was a raw-live sound. He also had a habit of accepting imperfections that added a certain charm to the records. Harry Maslin, on the other hand was a "slick" producer and loved to layer orchestaral sections. In my opinion, Jimmy didn't have great ear for sound, but he had a wonderful ear for arrangement and performance. Considering e had such a low voice, it's kind of funny that the "bottom end" of his productions was dismal!... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Andy--The frequency of a bass guitar and the frequency of the human voice (even a deep one) are miles apart. I think there was an over emphasis on mid-range tones to make sure the vocals sounded right on AM radio. That being the case, you would think there would be a considerable difference between the singles mix and the album mix. I don't really hear it, though. Maybe it was just a matter of money--Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.