Productionwise

In our series finale, we close the door on the great Tony Visconti's 1980s discography. He manages to sneak in one more classic Bowie album, as well as some fascinating releases from the worlds of new wave, rock, and even a bit of prog. In this episode we talk David Bowie, The Moody Blues, Difford & Tillbrook and more.

After the genre-diversity, sound pioneering, and commercial success, of his 1970s collaborations, Tony Visconti entered a drastically different music decade in the 1980s. The influence of punk is being felt, even in Tony's chart-dominating mainstream, and the sounds become harsher, noisier and, somehow, poppier. In this episode we talk Adam Ant, The Boomtown Rats, Elaine Paige and more. Yeah, it's a strange one.

In part 2 of our deep dive into his discography, we see just how far the sound of post-punk pioneer Martin Hannett could go. It goes without saying that we get a generous helping of some more iconic Factory Records releases, but we also venture into the worlds of performance poetry, novelty, dance punk, and even the emerging Baggy sound. In a career cut tragically short, it's thrilling to see Martin innovating to the very end. In this episode we discuss John Cooper Clarke, Magazine, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, Happy Mondays and much more.

Trevor Horn is often called the man who invented the 80s, but the same could be said of Martin Hannett. Martin's bleak, austere and (somehow) maximalist vision of rock music resulted in a highly evocative sound that his immediately recognisable. His association with the iconic Factory records nurtured an enduring post-punk scene which remains influential to this day. In this episode we discuss Buzzcocks, Joy Division, New Order, and much much more.

In part 2 of our special on the production Discography of the great Nellee Hooper, the collaborations get bigger, as does his gallery of smash pop hits. Along with a fruitful stint soundtracking Hollywood movies, Nellee also branched out by setting up his own Label, Meanwhile... , as a Virgin imprint. We also get to talk remixes, disgraceful millennials, the greatest aphrodisiac and James Bond. In this episode, we discuss Madonna, U2, Tina Turner, Radiohead, No Doubt, Gwen Stefani and much more

In the late 1980s, London club collective Soul II Soul were chipping away at the stifling assembly-line atmosphere dominating the UK pop charts with their combination of soul, dance, hip-hop and R&B. Helping them ease the transition from dance flood to living room hifi with their debut album Club Classics Vol. One was production and remix team Jazzie B and Nellee Hooper. Nellee served as emissary from the blooming Bristol trip-hop scene, bringing a fresh flavour to top 40 radio. Throughout the 1990s he produced some of the most definitive, iconic and enduring pop. In this episode we discuss Soul II Soul, Sinead O'Connor, Bjork, Massive Attack and more.

The fourth and final installment of our deep dive into the production discography of Kurt Ballou is a heavy one. This week we talk gourmet doom, death metal, dissonance and noise terror, some lizard-brain hardcore, agile punk and, of course we're back to Converge. Artists discussed include Full of Hell, Russian Circles, Code Orange and much much more.

With his sound fully established and widely sought after, Kurt Ballou's production discography begins to massively diversify, and the influence of the albums can be felt all across the underground and beyond. It's now clear that Kurt is about more than HM-2 pedals and compression (though we do get some prime cuts of crust and filth), as his works starts to encompass indie, emo, pop punk, thrash, and metal that looks to make a mark on the mainstream. In this episode, James and Graham discuss Nails, Genghis Tron, Joyce Manor, High on Fire, Kvelertak and much more

In the final (yes, final) part of our epic coverage of the production discography of the one and only John Congleton, our hero breathes life into pop nobility, anoints indie royalty, and achieves a new-found sheen in his sound. In this episode, James and Graham discuss, Blondie, Nelly Furtado, Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten, Future Islands, Bombay Bicycle Club, and much much much much (much) much (much much much) much much more.

A Grammy win for his work with St Vincent saw demand for the work of John Congleton skyrocket. While we are yet to see his most commercial work, these albums reach new heights of confidence and grandeur. In part 3 of our special on the production discography of John Congleton, we discuss albums by Chelsea Wolfe, Franz Ferdinand and Sparks, Wild Beasts, The Decemberists, and much more

In this final part of our special on the inimitable BJ Burton, we see him working with higher-profile collaborators and delivering his finest work yet. The range of styles and genres grows more diverse, the sounds get deeper, and the connection to the music feels ever more personal. Here we discuss Low, Charli XCX, Twin Shadow, Lizzo and much more.

Brandon 'BJ' Burton has made short work of doing it all. While perhaps best known as a prolific songwriter, his work as a producer defies genre and balances pop appeal with challenging artistry. In this first part, we see where folk, indie and futurism intersect, and explore albums by Bon Iver, The Tallest Man On Earth, The Japanese House and more.

As we soldier on through the harrowing gauntlet of Kurt Ballou's production discography, the albums only get bigger and better. The mayor of God City is now in full swing, seeing a deluge diverse releases blessed with inimitable power, intensity and beauty. This week, as well as the to-be-expected-and-ongoing Converge discussion, we explore the work of Trap Them, Black Breath, All Pigs Must Die and MUCH more.

Beyond redefining hardcore with his band Converge, upon establishing God City Studios in 1998, Kurt Ballou gave legitimacy to a teeming American underground by helping countless bands record albums worth releasing. In part 1 of our exploration of his sprawling production discography, we keep it nasty with plenty of diamonds in the rough, and plenty of rough in the rough. James and Graham discuss Converge, Cave in, American Nightmare, The Hope Conspiracy and more.

The diversity of John Congleton's production discography is in full display here, as we take in loose, low fi indie and hard rock, but we also see his first true glimpse of mainstream recognition. His hugely influential work with St Vincent earns him a grammy and much admiration. Here we discuss, The Polyphonic Spree, Baroness, The Black Angels, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and lots more. So much more. Help. Please. More and more and more and more...

We embark on a truly epic journey this week with part 1 of our exploration of the work OF...John Congleton. King Congleton is unquestionably the most prolific producer we have covered yet, and even at this early stage he pairs a flair for the theatrical with a beautiful sense of space and texture. Here we cover the Paper Chase, Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You, Shearwater and loads and loads and loads more. Like, loads more. So much more it's absurd. Tons.

The triumphant return of Productionwise sees us scrutinise and celebrate the work of Dean Josiah Cover, AKA Inflo. Despite his pop success and rapidly growing discography, Inflo remains a true enigma. More or less anything known about him can be gleaned purely from his musical output, which has seen him collaborate with The Kooks, Adele, Jungle, Tom Odell and Michael Kiwanuka. Just as celebrated is his vast and eclectic output with underground collective SAULT. In this first of two parts, we discuss his early work and emergence as an undeniable and prodigious talent. 

In the second part of our special on Inflo, we see a consummate pop producer's aesthetic truly blossom. Here, Dean Josiah Cover reaches new heights of beauty and grandeur, without losing his impeccable taste. James and Graham discuss Little Simz, Cleo Sol, Sault, Belle & Sebastian and more.

If Tony Visconti’s earlier recordings had more than a whiff of 60s psychedelia hanging around them, as the 1970s wore on, the music became sleeker, stranger and, frankly, less childish. Nowhere is this more evident than in the radically different sound and aesthetic of Marc Bolan’s revamped T. Rex; but he wasn’t alone. After a brief, and seminal, flirtation with genre pastiche, David Bowie collaborated with Tony to realise his vision of what pop music might be decades into the future with the now legendary Berlin trilogy. Sparks made a mockery of prog and stadium rock with the high camp and pre-punk of Indiscreet. Even Thin Lizzy used their tough-guy, no-bullshit rock to predict what might pass for pop in the 1980s. In the Productionwise series finale, James and Graham discuss some of the best albums ever made, Top of the Pops, and fucking with the fabric of time.

Tony Visconti is a brand name in record production. As a young engineer working in New York, he crossed the Atlantic to make his name in London, where he met two dream collaborators: David Bowie and Marc Bolan. While he immersed himself in the thriving psychedelic rock, prog and folk scenes – and produced some stellar albums in the process – his work with these two glam rock visionaries would set his legend in stone. Tony’s discography is beyond vast, so, in the first part of our series finale, we tackle just the first decade or so of his career. James and Graham talk wizards, ladies of the lake, Vietnam vibes, and acquiring the taste.