Steve Lillywhite, a discussion amongst ourselves

[audioez]

I just want to give my respects to one of the best guitar sounds ever!!!

Big Country's "The Crossing"... It's just very creative and I'll leave it at that.

I'm interested in purchasing some more albums with Steve Lillywhite as part of the puzzle. Can anyone suggest something to pick up?

[Winey]

I love the Pogues "if I should fall from grace" album.

[Jamz]

XTC's album "Black Sea".
Peter Gabriel's 3rd solo album "Melt"
Various U2 albums, Vertigo (but predominately their early recordings).

FWIW strange pairing with the Rolling Stones on their 1986 album "Dirty Work".
Not a career highlight for either IMO.

[Bob Ross]

Peter Gabriel III

[De chromium cob]

Guster- 'Lost and gone forever'
Talking Heads 'Naked'
Peter Gabriel '3' (the one with the melting face)

I'm sure this will be a long thread!

[Jamz]

Almost forgot Joan Armatrading's "Walk Under Ladders".
Might be my favorite of hers.

[Saucyjack]

Black sea is the godhead.
Early U2
Marshall Crenshaw-Field day I think.
He was everywhere in the 80's...seems to keep a much lower profile nowadays.

[largeunit]

Originally Posted by Saucyjack

Black sea is the godhead.
Early U2
Marshall Crenshaw-Field day I think.
He was everywhere in the 80's...seems to keep a much lower profile nowadays.

Latest U2 record is pretty popular. Hard Candy by Counting Crows.

[max cooper]

I ran across a copy of Black Sea a few weeks ago. The first thing that struck me was how the production didn't have that 'recorded twenty years ago' sound. Remarkably 'current' in many ways, (although not mashed into oblivion.)

When I go back and listen to stuff he did, sometimes the gated drum sounds absolutely kill me and I have to take it off, which I take as a cautionary thing about really distinctive sounds. 'The Crossing' is kind of like that, to me. I just can't get through a listening anymore.

The Stones' 'Dirty Work' comes to mind as one that sounds very '80's now (especially the 'dub' stylings of 'Too Rude' and Ronnie Wood's day-glo Reeboks!)

The Pogues 'If I Should Fall From Grace With God' is one of those where it sounds like he tried to stay out of the way, since it doesn't seem to have his 'sonic stamp' on it. Sounds to me like he was just trying to get them on tape as objectively as possible. They get a lot of stuff going on, sometimes at pretty fast tempos, and I guess maintaining some clarity was an issue. They were one of those bands who threw an amazing party.. er, I mean live show. Getting that on tape wasn't always the most successful venture.

I should add that he was one of the first producers I was 'aware of' since he did some pretty 'un-transparent' stuff.

[zboy2854]

"Distorted Lullabys" by Ours. Produced and mixed by Steve. If you're at all a fan of Jeff Buckley, this album will not disappoint. Think Jeff Buckley with a harder edge.

[Ruairi]

The Las one and only album so far, simply amazing. I was lucky enough to catch them doing their first live show in 10 years just a couple of weeks ago and it was the best gig I've seen in years. The album is one of my all time favourites, apparently they are in the studio again, not sure who is at the helm (another epic no doubt, the last one was tracked many times before Lee was happy),

cheers,
Ruairi

[Meriphew]

"The Blurred Crusade" by The Church was done by Lillywhite. Sounds kinda like a mix of The Byrds and Pink Floyd. Great songs.

[rmx16]

Don't forget XTC's "Drums and Wires".

Peace
Rob

[audioez]

Thanks a lot...now I have a great list to buy some compact discs!!!

whooo hooo, then I'm gonna steal all SL's tricks and put my spin on things!!! I'm really looking foward to the XTC stuff as I already own "oranges and lemmons"

Thanks again Slutz!!! thumbsup

[mcsnare]

The La's I think it was self titled. Amazing, hard to define British pop. Very strange anti produced kind of sonics. Incredibly mesmerizing. Not really lo fi, just totally weird balances, that perfectly compliment the music. When this record came out, I played it non stop for about 6 weeks.

[monobeat]

pschedelic furs first and second records if i'm not mistaking! raw raw raw but very cool
and a few simple minds records too.

but his best has to be the xtc sessions.

[RichT]

The now defunct Dark Star's debut album recorded by Steve is a great album and well worth checking out if you can find it!

Cheers,
Rich

[C/G]

[QUOTE=Jamz]XTC's album "Black Sea".QUOTE
Yeah. We did not name our band Generals and Majors for nothing! Great album. Didn't he do Drums and Wires too?

[Jules]

I think the early U2 records were totally odd sounding myself..

He's been working as an A&R dude last time I checked...

[cominginsecond]

He's done some good stuff for the Smiths and Morrissey.

[Jamz]

[QUOTE=Colin Gaucher]

Originally Posted by Jamz

XTC's album "Black Sea".QUOTE
Yeah. We did not name our band Generals and Majors for nothing! Great album. Didn't he do Drums and Wires too?

PG's Games Without Frontiers and XTC's Generals and Majors....Do the British just like to whistle or was Steve Lillywhite behind that? LOL!

Agreed!! Generals and Majors...great song.
XTC=The Demented Beatles
Actually had the pleasure of seeing XTC, The Pschedelic Furs and Talking Heads back then. Not all the same night but the same time period. Pleasant relief after the Disco era believe me.

[C/G]

Originally Posted by mcsnare

The La's I think it was self titled. Amazing, hard to define British pop. Very strange anti produced kind of sonics. Incredibly mesmerizing. Not really lo fi, just totally weird balances, that perfectly compliment the music. When this record came out, I played it non stop for about 6 weeks.

A great forgotten band. Too bad the music industry bummed out the singer and made the band break up.

[Ruairi]

Colin,

not sure if you saw my post or not but they are back together gigging and tracking a new album. Saw them a few weeks ago, best gig I've seen in years (mixed on a D-Show!).

I can't wait for the new album,

cheers,
Ruairi

[gitgrinder69]

I second the vote for Talking Heads: Naked. Amazing album.

Gabriel Horn

[84K]

Originally Posted by Colin Gaucher

A great forgotten band. Too bad the music industry bummed out the singer and made the band break up.

I am a big La's fan too. I hope they make another album. I have heard stories of how anal the singer was and how he spent a very long time making that first album. recutting and recutting. Over and over. Great result at the end. Hey, I am sure he is doing great after "There She Goes"" was remade into a huge hit.

[Messiah]

Originally Posted by Colin Gaucher

A great forgotten band. Too bad the music industry bummed out the singer and made the band break up.

That is actually quite untrue Colin... As much as it has happened many times, that didn't happen to The La's (Lee Mavers). In fact, he had, in Andy MacDonald, one of the most committed A&R guys I have ever witnessed with a band.

The problems have always been more in Lee's court (re: head)... (I know him and most of the numerous La's members over the years, and was very briefly one myself...)

[Duardo]

He also did the Dave Matthews Band's "Crash" and "Before these Crowded Streets", and perhaps others...

-Duardo

[Sender]

Before These Crowded Streets is a great Lillywhite album. His stuff is wonderful, I've always enjoyed his work. I heard a nod from Guster up there too. All great stuff.

[audioez]

Under The Table and Dreaming...DMB's first RCA release produced by Steve Lillywhite, mixed by TLA @the power station

[David Herbert]

Steve Lillywhite is awesome. Didn't he do some of the Simple minds stuff? David