George Martin RIP (1926 - 2016)

[Portland Road]

I am very sorry to relate that record producer George Martin has died in the early hours of this morning.

He is most associated with The Beatles, but had a wider body of work.

[Deleted]

A great producer who helped make The Beatles what they became. Also made some great singles with Mod faves The Action in the mid 60s.


RIP Sir George.

[Portland Road]

I didn't know he had produced The Action.

Though this stresses the point - there was certainly much more to him than The Beatles association.

[plasticpenguin]

Very sad. Wonderful producer and a decent person by all accounts.

RIP

[gustav]

Yes very sad indeed. Just listening to him on Desert Island Discs

[jno]

RIP

[ace5150]

Produced All Shook Up by Cheap Trick.
He hated punk as well.

[daz]

Whilst it is sad the great man has gone, he lived a very, very good life and lived until the ripe old age of 90.

I think music has a lot to thank the man for, as he and The Beatles changed music forever with their songs and ideas.

RIP

[Portland Road]

Mar 9, 2016 20:45:12 GMT ace5150 said:

He hated punk as well.

I suppose you wouldn't expect him to like it! As a perfectionist always looking at recording techniques.

[vicboy]

Back in the late 1980's, my wife and I went to see the London Symphony Orchestra play a 'Beatles Night' at the Barbican in London. The two conductors, who did half the show each, were Johnny Dankworth and George Martin.

I didn't realise Dankworth was a conductor alongside being a jazz musician and husband of Cleo Laine but he obviously was. Anyway, Dankworth did the first half of the show and Martin the second.

Sadly, we later learned that Dankworth had been suffering from a very heavy cold and had come close to pulling out. That probably explained why the first half of the show was a bit lack-lustre. However, the second half was absolutely brilliant with Martin putting enormous zest into the proceedings.

What I so admired about his performance, though, was how he took the time to frequently look at the audience, always with a huge smile on his face.

He was clearly loving it but at one point he looked at the audience and happened to catch me full in the eye - we were in the second front row of the stalls. I was thoroughly enjoying it and I have never forgotten how Martin, when we caught each other eye to eye, mouthed the words 'enjoying it?' I nodded, smiled and mouthed back 'Brilliant stuff'. In reply he mouthed back 'Good, really pleased' before nodding, smiling even more broadly, and turning back to his orchestra.

It was such a class thing to do and perfectly illustrated why he was so successful as a producer. He knew naturally how to please an audience but still made sure he did anyway. Add to that his wonderful ear for music, superb social skills, and his calm manner, and you could see why he was the top man for so long.

I have said before on here that I like and admire a lot of people but, nonetheless, have very few heroes. George Martin was definitely in the hero category, though. A class, class act and I am very sad he has gone.

[jno]

Great story there vic - love it!

[vicboy]

Thank you for the likes, guys and jno for your comment.

I have just reread my story, though, and there is something in there I really dislike - a split infinitive!

I know today, nobody cares about things like that nowadays but if the small standards slip the big ones are not far behind. Hence, forgive me. Line 7 - 'to frequently look at the audience'. Should read 'to look frequently at the audience'!!!!

[jno]

www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/split-infinitives

Nice that you are trying to actively keep the standard up around here Vic.

Oops, dropped an actively in there.

to keep up the standard actively though?   or is it ok after present continuous/progressive? 

Only asking as this is the sort of Q I get asked by English learners which I don't know.

[Deleted]

Is this Dictionary Corner?

[thewoodster]

Great music producer rip george.