Sound engineer Geoff Emerick remembers recording The Beatles Sgt Pepper’s album | 7.30
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 พ.ค. 2017
- Geoff Emerick talks to the ABC’s 7.30 program about working with The Beatles and the 50th anniversary of the landmark Sgt Pepper’s album.
Read more here: www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-25...
Paul McCartney commented on social media: "He was smart, fun-loving, and the genius behind many of the great sounds on our records. I'm shocked and saddened to have lost such a special friend.
Geoff spoke quite admiringly of Paul in his bio. l even admire Paul more because of it, as if that were even possible.
i agree
Oh my...has he died? I’ve only just found out about him. 😟
Paul is full of shit. I recommend you read GE’s book.
@@manolokonosko2868 What do you mean?
We often forget the brilliant people who helped the Beatles achieve greatness, Geoff & George being two of them
George was the classically trained one and Geoff was the one who made the music sound pretty
Well I don't but yes they had genius help! Guys in those days who risked their jobs for recogntion of the Beatles genius
Simply astounding what he was able to do with a four track tape machine.
My thoughts exactly, and the fact he wouldn't do much mixing, it all got done on that. Amazing.
@@user-pm8zn5up5r To be fair they actually had more than 4 tracks after all the bouncing but only 4 to mix with at the end..
They used 2 4 sync synced togeather
Not nearly as a amazing as what Les Paul did with two direct to disc recorders he made out of two Cadillac flywheel’s, before he invented multitrack recording.
@@scottbaxendale323 is everything in life a competition?
The Beatles owed a lot to these guys.
no these guys would not exist without the Beatles' output
@@eljohndoe6109 Bro... it goes both way... They needed each other... nothing can change that fact
These guys owed a lot to the Beatles. You have it reversed bub.
It sure goes both ways. What you owe to a good recording engineer or producer you know if you stand in a studio with someone who has no imagination. And off course a pop-alb is a collaboration beetween many people and all of them contribute to the result
@@chadrew6 It helped that these gearheads were open minded enough to take chances. Be creative.
R.I.P. Sir Emerick, thank you for your work, you will be missed by countless people
Sorry to hear he died. Watching the interview I was thinking he looks and sounds like he's in good shape for however old he must've been in 2017. Such fascinating insight into the whole Beatles phenomenon. Those who were there should be sat down and talked to for weeks, with someone reviewing the days interview and coming up with additional areas to explore the next day.
Boring twat good riddance useless liar
Josh Thomson I'm sorry to hear that.
@@Tarsus790 you are so sad, but always remember that jesus loves you.
Really? I don't think so. Most Beatles ordinary fans won't know about him apart from the nerds & obsessives that now minutely dismember everything Beatles.
There was 6 beatles... Martin and Emerick have their fingerprints all over these recordings just as much as the boys do... It was these 6 ppl that came together to create some of the greatest music of all time... I'm so thankful to be alive to hear it ! 🤩
Ryan DeFrees Wrong; the Beatles actually wrote the music, sang the vocals, and played the instruments. Emerick and others had their supportive roles, and George Martin contributed a relative few great instrumental parts, but next time you get to thinking how he’s their creative equal, I invite you to go listen to his solo music... The Beatles would’ve been great with any producer and engineer; Martin and Emerick, wonderful as they were, wouldn’t have been great with just any band. There were 4 Beatles.
@@vampyros1 Maybe... But it happened the conjunction of all those guys: The Four Fab, Epstein, George Martin and Geoff Emmerick. All of them contribuited for the Band Success. They made many people happy with their songs, the music and all those innovation noises. 👍👏👏
It's funny that Emmerick told that John was getting lazy jajaja he told the same of Pete Best, that he was not improving. John was lazy and crazy because of Yoko, she was a terrible woman, but he was in love with her.
Emmerick underestimated George Harrison. He thought that just Paul and John were very good songwriters. He mentioned Ringo, a great baterist, but didn't mentioned George Harrison. In their last album, George' songs were very succesful.
@@ladyy9085 Likewise, George Martin in his book ’All You Need Is Ears’ praised John and Paul and doesn’t seem to appreciate George so much.
Man, its just all came together. Paul and John were geniuses, George Martin was genius, and so was Geoeffry Emerick. We should all be grateful.
Pun intended?
U forget George Harrison and Ringo
@@juancarlos23alva yeah but Lennon-McCartney did most of the writing to be fair...
Really smart observation! I think they won the music lottery! And I for one am grateful
@@juancarlos23alva Not geniuses.
Who could have predicted that people would listen to a 39 minute interview of a regular fellow and hang on his every word 50 years after an album was recorded.
Oh, Lowell ... if you haven’t listened to Emerick’s audiobook, you’re depriving yourself of one great gift. ✌️
@@ajconstantine3593 I will check it out!
@@ajconstantine3593 Off to get a copy now, thanx for the tip.
just like we watch older films of ourselves 50 years later,,we want to go back in time
What idiots give over 200 dislikes 👎???
This man was 20 years old when he recorded probably the best album in the history of rock music. Revolver. The Beatles didn't have a clue of how to record sounds, actually. They wrote great, sang great, played great...But this man captured it all. And he has 20 YEARS OLD. Amazing. RIP.
So you never heard of George Martin?
@@floatsting20 George Martin was a great producer but a) was part of the old guard at EMI and b) had no technical ability. It took the Beatle's imagination and Geoff's ability with the available technology to get the new sounds.
@@andyhowlett2231 Nahh the Beatles did all this with no help of Martin. Get a clue
@@floatsting20 Read my post again, /mac - I didn't say Martin was the genius, did I? I said it was the Beatles and Geoff Emerick who did the work.
@@andyhowlett2231 George Martin had a massive role with the Beatles. He was the only classically trained musician there. Not only did he have an orchestra at his disposal which was a huge help but he would help with arranging, producing, publishing, engineering.
If it weren’t for George Martin the Beatles might not’ve ever been signed.
They were all equally helpful in the process. The Beatles wrote the tunes, George made the tunes better, and Geoff made the tunes sound pretty in your ear holes.
I love Geoff's honesty. He doesn't pretend to know things when he doesn't. George Martin was fortunate to have him.
He played his part...the close micing, that sort of thing......he picked up the vibe of the Beatles and good on him.
Are you kidding?? He's made up lots of "facts" through the years that have been proven incorrect. Sad that he's dead, but he's spread his share of misinformation through the years.
dave idmarx agree with you, not to mention he’s butt hurt from Lennon. He’s reluctant to find good things to say about John.
@@daveidmarx8296 Yep, autobiographies bug me, june 23rd 1964 I was sat there eating a cheese and pickle sandwich staring at a dartboard and as I mopped my mouth with a kleenex... no-one recalls these mundanities, think of the most memorable moments in your life, at most it's mere flashes, ok the sessions and processes involved are well documented but all the specific detail in between is just insulting
@@oldskoolfool141 Well, there are documented cases of people with vivid abilities to recall the weather on any given day, so there are obviously differences in what certain people are able to recall. However, Geoff has been known to present anecdotes as fact which were able to be proven otherwise. As such, he isn't the most reliable of sources when it comes to trying to separate fact from fiction in Beatles lore.
Geoff Emerick has done several excellent interviews about engineering the Beatles' sound. This is the best of them.
They're all misleading, because he doesn't remember the actual sessions, he only remembers what Howard Massey wrote in Emerick's book. Here's what he "remembered" himself in 1979, almost 30 years BEFORE he magically "remembered" all those little details and conversations:
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particulary. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
such a marvelous interview
the interviewer is actually listens to what geoff says😁
One of the finest people to sit behind a mixing desk. His fine efforts and work will live forever ✌🏽
A few years ago, my wife posted a picture she’d drawn of George Harrison. Geoff Emerick not only liked it, but commented on it, calling George his “friend”. Seems like a lovely man.
Too bad he doesn't mention George Harrison in the interview. It's all about Lennon and McCartney.
He didn't rate George. There was no love lost there, so much so that George vetoed Emmerick from inclusion on the Anthology. Emmerick was scathing about George's ability as a guitarist and used to roll his eyes while George endeavoured to get solos nailed.
@@gardenmom6180 George only did Anthology because he needed money. The problem with Emerick is that he was honest about the Beatles. Maybe Saint George didn’t appreciate honesty;)
Sgt Pepper perfectly illustrates a point in time when music and art meshed to accurately represent an era.
Beginning to end, The Beatles were a perfect storm of brilliant people working together.
Music historians will be referring to this interview for centuries. Well done.
The way all these incredibly talented and ingenious people all worked on those records explains their genius. It's as though all the stars aligned. I bet even the tea lady made a unique brew.
Emerick died from a heart attack on 2 October 2018, aged 72. He had been hospitalised two weeks beforehand after experiencing trouble walking, but was ruled to have been dehydrated.[27] His manager, William Zabaleta, recalled talking to Emerick for the last time: "While on the phone, he had complications and dropped the phone. I called 911, but by the time they got there, it was too late. Geoff suffered from heart problems for a long time and had a pacemaker. When it's your time, it's your time. We lost a legend and a best friend to me and a mentor."[28]
Paul McCartney commented on social media: "He was smart, fun-loving, and the genius behind many of the great sounds on our records. I'm shocked and saddened to have lost such a special friend.
Why not just post the link instead of messy, unsourced pasting?
@@NxDoyle what's it to you, tough guy?
sucks to hear. A lot of people who were connected to the Beatles and have these amazing rare stories, we're losing so many of them
Geoff deserved a share of composers copyright also George Martin who composed plenty bits that required a classical touch like Eleanor Rigby. Paul got millions, Geoff his pension.
@@NxDoyle what? It's here. Enjoy.
I've loved the Beatles since I was four and saw them on Ed Sullivan. After all these years I still love learning about them. There seems to be no end to interesting stories and anecdotes about them. By far the most amazing band of all time with no close second. This interview adds to the brilliance of the Beatles and the amazing people that worked with them. It was the perfect alignment of time, place, and people.
Sadly Emerick told a LOT of crap and made-up stories in his book, which was written mostly by Howard Massey, and almost entirely consists of made-up stories. So what he tells here is not his actual memory, it's what he remembers from the BOOK!
Amazing interview. He took us right into Abbey Road while they were making musical history
"Or EMI as it was then" :o)
"Painting a picture in tonalities......." And there you have it. A HUGE part of how successful those recordings were.
Charles, I wish I could take the pointing concept into my music room. Blanc canvas, pencil sketch, color, recolor.
Most plug-ins do the stuff we used to do. Over 50 years later and performers still using the Beatles as a benchmark.
CAN YOU GIVE A SEARCH WORD FOR THE "PLUG INS " or are your referencing standard plug in features on Pro Tools ? Thanks for a reply .....
Bruce Ross Morgan I’m sorry, I should have used quotation marks. I was just referring to what he said in the interview. I’m no technician.
Just dropping gems of history off the top of his head. Priceless stuff. Thanks for posting.
I love hearing this stuff. So many things I thought were incredible as I listened to Sgt Pepper's are explained. I was such a fan, still am.
I never get tired of watching this over and over. Love these stories.
Amazing interview . . Listening to Geoff I felt as if I was in the studio at the time they were making these incredible ground braking recordings..Thank you✌😎
This is just fantastic !! Full of fabulous facts about The Beatles in the studio from the great and much missed Geoff Emerick. Love the strobe story !! And the Fairchild 660 contribution to Revolver. Really interesting hearing how hard Ringo worked. People still think he was the ‘average talent’ in the group cos ‘he was only the drummer’ but his drumming was hugely innovative - without him they just would not have been The Beatles - fact !! Being a musician myself who’s always been massively fascinated by the workings of a studio - I’m in seventh heaven listening to this. To say I’m engrossed - is an understatement. Thanx so much for getting this on TH-cam !! Rxx
I think it was Mark Lewisohn who commented that Ringo made twelve or so mistakes in the seven years the Beatles were in recording sessions. That's phenomenal. 'Please do it again Ringo' George M to Ringo every six months.
Honest and affirmative. Highly intereseting glimps into the time machine on how and why it came about. Ringo as the great innovator - suggesting to use a 45 piece orchestra and record it twice, saving Martin's budget and forcing the engineers to link two 4-track machines. If anything, that's history in the making.
Great great clarity Geoff Emerick - thank you, enthralling to hear the the veil pulled back RIP sir
I never grow tired of learning new things about this amazing band.
As far as Beatles lore goes, this is the most interesting and informative interview I've seen in years. I can't help but wonder what Sgt Pepper's would have sounded like with someone else recording and mixing.
Thank you sir!! For everything. Most folks don't understand the importance of a savvy engineer. I have had the honor of working with a few of them. It was a great learning session each time for this musician/writer/producer.
Great man highly innovative and just did his job in a very special way. R.I.P.
Dang it now I have to listen to Sgt Pepper's and it's already midnight!
yeah a lot of it sounds like a demo recording compared to today's music....if you want to get technical, still cool songs and sounds....just a time capsule of that era
brovold72 brooooo that’s me rn b
Brad Parker bro wtf are u on mate omg. that shit sounds amazing for those times.
brovold72 - definitely buy the later re-release, from 2017 I believe, with the remixed extra #2 CD, with the out-take versions, and at the end it has several bonus tracks as out-take versions of Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.
I listened to the deluxe version the other night, it has outtakes and other goodies; my favorite Beatles album.
What a team. Everyone with their own character for their role.
I read his book years ago & felt I was right there with The Beatles - not only around the instruments or their vocals, but in the control room engineering every song. Great, great interview. Rest in Peace amigo, & thank you for your treasured contributions !
It's a fairy tale book which contains made-up and false claims, made up dialogue and lies. Sorry!
@@gutgolf74 Yes. You have made your point very clear.
Had the extreme pleasure of meeting Geoff in Vegas Cheap Trick were there doing the Sgt. Peppers album. He was the producer for the show. I introduced myself figured I would just say hi thanx for everything you’ve done for music. He seemed very appreciative & came out from behind the sound board to talk with me & take a picture. Very humble I was very sad when he passed. So pissed I can’t find the picture. R.I.P Geoff
AMY Cheap Truck SUCKS!!!!!
AMY cheap Trick SUCKS!!!!!!!!
An absolute legend and a hero and inspiration to engineers (and amateur engineers) like me. RIP Geoff Emerick.
Thanks for posting this! Inspiring stuff.
All RISE..you are listening to passion. PURE passion and the man responsable to bringing unbelievable music to this world. Brilliant and humble.
This is the type of interview I can appreciate from a man who is genuine, honest, skilled and a part of a treasured history. Wonderful!
Yeah, he's so honest that he allowed Howard Massey to write up a fairy tale book that contains not a single word of authentic dialogue and lot's of false, made-up stories.
And since he doesn't have any ACTUAL memories, as he admitted himself back in 1979, he's shamelessly citing from that BOOK!
@@gutgolf74 ?????!!!! What the?
@@giri.goyo_yt Yeah, I know, it's shocking and sad that this true Beatles-hero spent his last years spreading false information.
@@giri.goyo_yt Here are parts of that interview from 1979 - do you believe the SAME man suddenly could remember all these conversations and situations 30 years LATER??
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particularly. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
@@gutgolf74 Fascinating. I bet this would make John disgusted then laugh.
How can such incredible songwriters and musical geniuses such as the Beatles all come together and then make their way to such innovators such as George Martin and Geoff Emerick. This will probably never happen again
Parents gave me a small tv size 8track player with a carry handle, and One 8 track tape of this Beatles album, and it had a switch to hear 4 TRACKS which you could listen to these different tracks. I could never find the same sound, anywhere! It gave almost a decade of wonder for me. Thanks to my wonderful parents - Rest In Peace ! 😭
That "Beatles piano" sound is unlike anything else. A hauntingly beautiful, almost harpsichord like sound that when you hear it, you know it's a Beatles track (and I think John liked it so much he continued using it on the early Plastic Ono band records). Thank you, Mr. Emerick.
Instant coffee’s gonna get you!
He is soooo right: digital music has no warmth, no texture. I want the old ones back!
Okay, okay, I’ll get off your lawn!
@@BluesImprov Hey man, do me a favor, and shut the fucking fuck up.
Also, we all know McFartney got replaced with a robot in the mid 70's.
Go get ‘em then, they’re still out there!
Respect individual preference but not class
What a treat- Thank you for the great interview !
Just so interesting to listen to this interview. The Beatles had some really great people around them in the studio.
Peter Strachan Music ...the very best...
However those great people wouldn’t have been there had The Beatles not been the The Beatles. They attracted the best because they were the best.
The engineers made the sounds we all are still amazed at for the first time; it was all brand new. That's the really cool part. They invented stuff that some take for granted now. We never will. They were the real pioneers. Thanks Geoff!
Best interview I've heard in a long time. History is constructed creatively - in spite of the plans people had.
Love this interview . Rip geoff
33:15 . The mono recording is amazing! You can almost see the musicans. The interviewer was great , with the right questions, also à good interactive listener.
Simply emrick was a crucial part of Beatles sound as well as Martin,,the whole thing was just magical
"You can get those sounds now with a plug-in... ´cause most plug-ins now are based on things
we used to do".. so true, they were really trailblazers.
Plug ins are pale facsimiles of the real sounds from back then.
A honest interview full of great content what a lovely man you are Geoff thanks for thefootage 🙏
God is smiling as he has Geoff Emerick doing all the sounds for him now...
... and what are you smoking?
He is so wonderful with lovely stories sorry to know he sadly passed away now...we have his memories of the Beatles...he was there first hand experiences of George Martin, Geoff, John , Paul George and Ringo...make sounds Geoff and what fabulous songs with the sounds...
The Drum sound on A Day In The Life is very innovative. Ringo was perfect for them.
That’s my fav Ringo drum track.
These stories are priceless to me. So much time has passed since.
This is wonderful! Thank you!
This was a phenomenal interview
Fantastic interview - genuine bloke - he know his stuff - I am having a Beatles day after listening to this :)
Nope, he does NOT know his stuff, he quotes from the book, not from actual memories.
Here's what this "knowledgeable" man remembered in 1979:
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particulary. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
He made a great difference in their records as soon as he came on board. Revolver is a great sound ahead of the competition at the time.
sips everytime he mentioned "best drum sounds", hats off to Mr. Emerick
you were a genius Geoff! R.I.P.
This is so insightful, especially after reading his book. The amazing combination of talent and pure serendipity along with the later '60s zeitgeist, was just a revelation. Geoff paved the way to the future of recording, period! -- inventing as he and all the rest went along. We are lucky to live at this time in musical history. This will never come again.
Magic..well said, This is an Amazing IV👍
A really fascinating and enjoyable interview - thank you.
What a fabulous, insightful interview. Thank you.
Yeah, too bad most of it is not his actual memory but made-up cr@p!
Here's his ACTUAL memories 30 years EARLIER, he admitted himself he didn't remember ANYTHING!
"But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particularly. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
Fascinating stuff & I understand that Geoff & the engineers so crucial to the Beatles' story, would like some recognition - eg. where Geoff talks about John not having a clue about the technical aspects of recording - but the point is - John was the artist who *wanted* to sound like the Dalai Lama on a mountain-top.
*That* is where the 'art' for want of a better word, comes into it?
Most people don't possess the imagination Lennon did.
R.I.P Geoff Emerick, a crucial bit of the jigsaw-puzzle that gave us the greatest band ever.
Exactly my thoughts. Clear a case of an engineer not understanding the true artist of the Beatles (John) because he explained his ideas in more artistic and abstract ways than say... Paul who was probably much more straightforward and less abstract. John’s imagination was flying, and translating that into sound was not a simple task but took music to other dimensions it hasn’t been before like in Strawberry Fields, I am the Walrus, Tomorrow Never Knows and A Day in the Life
@@hw343434 Very eloquently put. :)
Paula Fay is that Kate Bush on your profile pic?!
@@hw343434 No it's me, Andres. Some people have said I look a little like her. I think it's because we both have Irish heritage. :)
I can imagine the incredible experience it must have been….I was mind boggled when I heard that record 45 years ago as a wee lad…. Still am, as a music producer still I must profess my undying love of this record, which first recording day was on my date of birth….25.November 1966…..for me a mythical coincidence. BEATLES FOREVER!!!!
Brilliant brilliant brilliant interview. On every level.
Yeah, only too bad he's not quoting his actual memories, because they don't exist.
He's only quoting the fairy-tale book that Howard Massey wrote for him.
Fascinating interview. Best Ive seen this year
Fascinating. And I recommend his book to any Beatle fan.
It's a fairy tale book which contains made-up and false claims, made up dialogue and lies. Sorry!
It's an excellent book, I agree!
@@gutgolf74 Care to share some "examples" with the rest of the class? I don't agree with you at all.
@@Mandrake591 Ken Scott, legendary Beatles engineer in his own right, called Emerick out. You can google it. He witnessed himself how Emerick ran around at EMI and desperatly asked other people about THEIR memories. Scott says there's a story in the book that is completely identical to one he told about Keith Moon - only in the book it was about John Lennon! One other blatant example is how Emerick escribes in detail how they recorded "Blackbird" outside of the studio - Scott himself MIXED Blackbird and says there were absolutely NO outside-noises. Another especially annoying example is how Emerick describes in detail, how Richard Lush had to go some length to record "John's aaaah" on "A day in the life" - only that's Paul on the record and there is absolutely no cut before the "aaah"! The list goes on. Emerick HIMSELF stated in an interview from 1979 that he didn't remember many details AT ALL about his time with the Beatles. NO WAY he suddenly remembered all those details almost 30 years LATER!
@Kate LOL, this is a textbook example of how someone feels to comment and judge without being in posession of ANY facts.
You haven't read Ken's statement, where he points out specific examples (like how Emerick tells a fascinating story about how Paul recorded "Blackbird" outside - when it was CLEARLY not!!)
And you haven't read Emerick's OWN statement from 1979 (!), where he admits HIMSELF he doesn't have ANY specific memories, especially about ADITL.
So don't take my word or Ken Scott's word, take Emerick's OWN word:
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particularly. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
I hope you feel embarrassed now for making the claim that Ken Scott only spoke up against Emerick because of some "grudge" you just made up!!
Shame on you!!
he used to follow me on twitter. it’s so little but it meant a lot to me that someone that was so close to the beatles first hand wished to see what i was posting about them
Thanks for sharing this with us. Geoff is quite amazing and very interesting. Great interview.
Oh... it's so fantastic having this "first hand delivery" of events that made the world's music history. Some special point of view at things we all treasure. This interview is immense in its significance. We are just to thank the Lord for giving us the Fab... and folks around them.
this is amazing
Amazing interview. Geoff is so knowledgeable and entertaining the way he speaks. And his attention to detail is fantastic. He has a great memory of these wonderful moments.
Yeah, like hell he has ANY memories of ANYTHING!
He's just quoting from the fairy-tale book that Howard Massey wrote for him.
Here are his TRUE "memories", from 1979!!
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particularly. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
Fascinating. Such creative where-with-all. To think of those Beatles albums without his creative ingenuity..
Thank you Sir Geoff. R.I.P
Great conversation!
This guy's memory was great. What I wouldn't give just to have had a conversation with him. It's one thing to hear Paul talking about his Beatles stories for the 100th time, but this guy giving his neutral perspective on these stories is something else
Too bad this guy had no memory of ANYTHING back in 1979! So where did all these details and conversations in a book from 2006 come from?! Easy enough, Howard Massey made them up. Want some quotes from that interview?
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particulary. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
What an amazing glimpse of history. Thank you Mr. Emerick!
Fascinating interview - thanks!
Great interview. I like the part of A Day in a Life where he talks about John playing the song in front of the other Beatles and crew with just a guitar and everyone's jaw dropped. After listening to John play some solo performances and how good he sounds solo playing other songs, it must have been a total revelation to everyone in the room when he played that song. Wish i was there. It's such an incredible song every time I listen to it. John is without a doubt a genius.
Looks like there were several "5th" Beatles
Excellent Comment , and so true.
about 12-44 of them.
Yea, and I see why no one is called 6th.
The producers surrounding the Beatles into the late 60s were smarter and more innovative than the band, no wonder they couldn't tour Sgt Pepper album.
There were. Some were christened so by the media, a few were media people who self-christened, like Murray the K. There's no real doubt about it. In terms of their musical output, the fifth Beatle was George Martin.
This is totally awesome stuff! I'll always be thankful to Geoff
Geoff , you and Richard are fantastic all you did with The Beatles just to be able to see them work with them, wish I could have, but you are the luckiest man in the world, I think Johns voice was great , I understand what he was going through, but to me he is Fantastic, I like every song he wrote, and what he and Paul wrote.
Nice insight. Cheers. Rest in peace mate.
I love these nuts and bolts discussions of the mundane aspects of recording. These guys could never have predicted the impact of their curiosities.
Very underrated part of the piece of the puzzle. Total recording genius. RIP and we all love you Geoff Emerick. He broke rules to make the Fab Four sound like they did.
Amazing what they did with two, four track machines. If you've ever worked in a old studio with 4 track machines, what they did was not only unheard of at the time, it was brilliantly conceived! God bless em!
Fascinating recollections, but ironic that the Beatles’ sound engineer was so poorly miked
i was thinking the same thing! horrible room sound
Mic could’ve been closer to his mouth
It’s obviously the camera mic.
In a situation like this, Geoff wouldn't be the sound engineer. He would have no control over it. Remember, this is an interview, not a musical production.
@@ActionMediaProductions The mic isn't on - it's the mic from the camera.
Jesus.. this is one of the best interviews of all time
...'An amazing interview.... We are all fortunate to have lived in the time of The Beatles... and equally fortunate that wonderfully talented individuals like Geoff Emerick were in the sphere of The Beatles and lent their considerable genius and ability to the end products... the MUSIC !! ~ which has -- and without any doubt will continue to -- stand the test of time with freshness and quality unlike any other...
The Beatles and all those wonderful people in the background are genuinely unique... and wonderfully timeless.... BEATLES FOREVER! Rest In Peace, Geoff Emerick.
I appreciate what he says about the reissues cleaning up the sound and using the more sophisticated technical approach on it in such a way that it wipes out the artistic textures and complexity of the original recordings. He's so right to make that kind of point.
I don’t dig on remixes. They sound great but they’re different and I don’t like that. New Mastering I can live with If it’s done right and not too bright and too tight on the low end.
Geoff wrote a great book. Highly recommended!
Nope, Howard Massey wrote most of that book, because Geoff didn't remember ANYTHING! Google how Ken Scott called him out on making up stories and twisting facts.
And Emerick HIMSELF admitted he didn't have any memories AT ALL - back in 1979!!
This is from an interview in 1979:
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particulary. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
Thank you Geoff and Richard for being there! So good to know about their massive input, I think a lot of people it all down to George Martin...
Excellent interview. Cheers
Best book about the Beatles recording life as told by Emerick in the studios of EMI from the first days Emerick started there at age 15 is Emerick ’ fantastically enjoyable anecdotal gem, “ Here, There and Everywhere “ .
It is,is by far , the most revealing and honest representation of what life was sometimes like with the Beatles in those inner chambers during the era of the worlds most iconic musical creations. More than a must read. It sheds light on some low-tech recording methods and effects literally invented on the spot by Emerick and his co-workers as well as very clearly related insight into group and individual observations of the Fab Four themselves. RIP Geoff.
That book is a fairy-tale book, packed with lies and made up stories, mostly by Howard Massey, and it may contain not a single word of authentic dialogue.
THIS interview from 1979 shows why - because these are his ACTUAL memories.
“But no, I don’t recall actually meeting them. I just have sort of images in my mind of certain sessions, like “She loves you”. Just images, really.” (…)
(What do you recall about the session for “Tomorrow never knows”?)
“Hm, again, that’s really going back quite a few years. It’s a bit difficult to recall, actually. (…)
“As I say, it’s hard to recall anything specific. The only thing I can recall is that we used tape loops. (…) And that’s about it! It’s been many years!” (…)
“It’s difficult to recall details of specific sessions so many years on. They kind of blur together.” (…)
(Any memories of Eleanor Rigby?) “Not particularly. I mean, it was just Paul with his acoustic guitar. Well no, that’s not quite right, is it? Eleanor Rigby was with the string quartet, right?”
(Any memories of Taxman or For no one?) “No, sorry.”
(Yellow submarine?) “I don’t really remember much about the actual recording of the track.” (…)
“I remember one session - I can’t remember which song it was, but it was something from Pepper.” (…)
(What instrument is that in the intro of Lucy in the sky?) “Hm, it’s been a while since I actually listened to it. How does it start? Oh yeah, I don’t really know, to be quite honest. It might have been guitar that we treated in some way.” [It’s a Lowry ORGAN]
“Two-track was used at least through Help!” [FALSE, they already used 4-track on “A hard day’s night”]
(A day in the life - what do you recall recording that?) “Mainly the orchestral crescendo.” (…)
(Was John playing the piano or Paul, do you remember?) “Sorry, no. Haven’t a clue. It was basically John’s song, so it might have been him. [it was PAUL]. I don’t remember.” (…)
(Do you remember those sessions [for Magical Mystery Tour]? ) “All I recall is that I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
(Do you remember the sessions for I am the walrus?) “Not particulary, no.”
Ken Scott called him out on his BS book, you can google it.
Shame of Emerick for spreading lies and misinformation just because he needed the money.
Very good interview and interesting answers and descriptions about how this album came to be. Very well done by the interviewer as well. The technology of the time resulted in techniques we take for granted today and in some cases we flip a switch and get the effect we want without understanding what is really happening to the sound or the genesis of the effect. This man and his crew contributed very much to what this album is. Thank you sir.