Production Advice

So, do you see what I’ve done here ? This video is:

1. About a classic piece of music
2. A little Christmassy (Although “Do They Know It’s Christmas Time” has to be one of the least Christmassy tunes ever)
3. About recording and production (At least, it includes some footage of people in SARM studios)
4. Thought-provoking (I think), and
5. Includes loads of footage of eighties pop stars with ridiculous haircuts !

I’m feeling quite smug

More seriously though, I was really pleased to find this. Band Aid and Live Aid had huge impact on me when I was growing up – I believe the idea of pop music being used selflessly for the good of others is an inspirational one, regardless of how effective they were at achieving their goals with hindsight. There are many people who are cynical about this kind of thing – I’m not one of them.

(In the same way, although the recent global climate summit in Copenhagen was almost a complete failure , I choose to see the fact that campaigning leading up to it has resulted in the world’s largest ever petition, with almost 15 million signatures, as a hugely hopeful sign for the future. Without public campaigns and awareness like this, big business and selfish national interests would run riot.)

There are some fantastic moments in this video for music and audio enthusiasts/trainspotters: Seeing Sting, Bono and Simon LeBon singing on the same mic – I love how nervous Bono looks, constantly checking his headphones and shirt before belting out probably the best line in the song (and let’s just not mention his hat, shall we ?); hearing the guide instrument and rhythm tracks that never made the final mix; Neil from the Young Ones’ stunning alternative acoustic version; Holly from Frankie Goes To Hollywood “not getting the laugh right”; the look on Phil Collins’ face while he’s drumming; the fact that Status Quo’s solo section didn’t make it into the final version at all – and last but not least, the step-ladder that manages to be in shot for most of the time.

And of course, then there are the haircuts…

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, and I hope you have a fantastic Christmas, however you choose to celebrate it. See you in the New Year !

PS – Unfortunately the last section of the video is only available in lower quality, with some very dodgy sync – there’s also a short chunk missing. It’s mainly Bono waffling but if you want to see it, click here

Related posts:

1. Pink Floyd – ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ in the recording studio
2. David Vorhaus and The White Noise – Electronic music pioneers