Graham Reid | | 2 min read
He might have name-dropped
because in the international arena he has produced for artists as diverse as Manic
Street Preachers and Mel C, Bullet for My Valentine and Super Furry Animals. And
many more.
In New Zealand he has been
behind releases by Opshop, the Checks, Nathan King, the Feelers, Carly Binding,
Six60 . . .
Haver is a go-to producer
for many of this country’s biggest and best-selling . . . and he has 32 years
of stories to tell.
Haver will be sharing his
enthusiasms at the forthcoming Music Month Summit alongside the likes of DJ
Aroha Harawira, Kings, Moana Maniapoto, manager Scott Maclachlan and others.
Billed as “For the Love of
Music; Industry Professionals Talk About Their Passion”, the event takes place
on Saturday May 20 (10am-5pm) in the auditorium of the Auckland War Memorial
Museum . . . not so coincidentally the final day of the long-running Volume:
Making Music in Aotearoa exhibition.
Tickets and information
about the summit are available here, but meantime let’s hear from Greg Haver . .
.
The song where you really first heard the production
was . .. .
“Tom Sawyer” by Rush. The
drums, the arrangement, it had power and space and was a revelation.
Ever bought an album for the producer rather than the
artist? If so which?
Often, any work by Trevor
Horn, Rupert Hine, Brian Eno, Peter Collins, Rich Costey, Rick Rubin.
The one producer you will always listen to, even if
they disappointed you previously, is?
Tony Visconti.
As producers: George Martin or Joe Meek; Phil Spector
or Rick Rubin; Quincy Jones or Dr Dre; Brian Eno or Nigel Godrich?
They’re all amazing, but if I
had to choose: Martin, Rubin, Dre, Eno.
The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love
everyone to hear because they so well produced are . . .
Grace Jones “Slave to the
Rhythm”
Super Furry Animals “Run
Christian Run”
Kraftwerk “The Model”
The recording studio you'd most like to visit just to
get the vibe would be . . .?
I’ve been lucky to have
visited many, but I would love to work at Rancho De La Luna.
The best book on music or musicians you have read is .
. .
Behind the Glass by Howard
Massey, for its insights into the strange world we inhabit.
If you could co-produce with anyone it would be . .
.
Brian Eno. I tend to be quite
methodical when producing, I think he would inspire me to take the
unconventional approach.
The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And
your most recent downloads include . . .)
Ryan Adams “Prisoner” (Downloaded:
British Sea Power, Baynk, Elbow and October)
One song, royalties for life, never have to work
again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you
would be . . .
‘When the Levee Breaks” Led
Zeppelin.
Analogue or digital; vinyl, CD or streaming?
Analogue. Streaming for
convenience, vinyl for nostalgia and sonics.
Production on a daily basis: What's the ratio of
inspiration/perspiration?
75/25
Ever woken up hearing the sound of a song fully-formed
in your head? If so which one?
Close, but never fully formed
as the artist’s contribution will always educate your thinking.
And finally, what do you as a producer bring to an
artist which you believe can be your unique contribution?
32 years of studio experience
with amazing artists and musicians, some cool bits of gear and lots of good
stories!
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