For many years I have been a fan and a student of the Beatles and all who sailed their ship. But, there was one person on the team I knew little about – Norman Smith, the musician, engineer, producer, recording artist and the 6th Beatle!
Norman Smith
Norman recorded the Beatles from the very beginning through the Rubber Soul album. At the end of 1965 George Martin founded A.I.R. with his EMI producing partners and Norman was promoted to producer and took over the Parlophone label from George.
Norman signed Pink Floyd in 1967 and produced and engineered three of their first four albums, including Ummagumma, and then in 1971 went on to have a #1 hit in America as recording artist Hurricane Smith!
When I was in London a few years ago recording Joey Niceforo and the Steve Sidwell orchestra in Studio One at Abbey Road with Steve Price, I met Richard Hale, longtime engineer at E.M.I. Studios. I’ll save Richard’s story for another day, but suffice to say that he regaled me with tales of Norman Smith, and lent me a copy of Norman’s “auto biography” – John Lennon Called Me Normal.
Norman was in the glider division of the Royal Air Force in the last year of World War II. Fortunately for him he was never deployed and ended up spending a couple of years in a jazz band playing on the roof top of a hotel in Venice, Italy.
But, the best part for me is finally seeing the man himself, and he is fantastic, and definitely the missing link in all the stories of the greatest band of the 1960’s!
An interview with Beatles engineer and Pink Floyd producer/engineer Norman Smith
February 3rd, 2021 § Comments Off on Hello 2021! § permalink
This site has been mostly offline since 2019. I started posting news in 1995. This is my first News page from more than 25 years ago! The old News Index
Today I am going to head back to a “write your own” website that was always so much fun to play with!
I’ll be updating the Music Production and Singer Songwriter pages with all of the projects I have been working on and with news of friends that have helped us along the way!
Strangely, I’ve neglected to share my Soundcloud page – which is so much fun uploading song demos and other unreleased ditties. Songs are added and removed almost daily.
Another new place for me is over there on IGTV. This is a live version of Eleanor Rigby recorded summer 2020. Click the icon to turn the audio on.
John Jones Music Links to FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Spotify, Apple, Soundcloud…
What are you going to do about tomorrow
When will it all ever change
We’re finding out about the victims
They’ve been down and out and we’re all insane
When I wish upon a star
Do I believe in all the lying games that come my way
And is it not my right to know (all our right to know)
What’s a Nation, when the Sun is in the clouds
What we’re facing
It’s only a dream
And I guess all the screams I can hear ‘never meant to be seen
Can you hide from what you see
Or you just a case of hard to get
What are you going to tell all the sisters
And the brothers of the heart
Did I miss a devolution (devolution) Have we really lost our way again And did we fall apart (fall apart) It’s back into the sea again (back into the sea)
What’s a Nation, when the Sun is in the clouds
What we’re facing
It’s only a dream
And I guess all the screams I can hear ‘never meant to be seen
What’s a Nation? What’s a Nation?
What’s a Nation? What’s a Nation?
Give it back to me I wanna see all people free
(set me free, set me free from your games)
Why don’t you give it back to us and make us free from your curse
(set me free, set me free from your chains)
Solo
Who will it find the right solution (time is a danger)
Will it all be just in vein (will it all be just the same)
Will we walk among the ruins (will we walk among the ruins)
Will we lose it again (lose it all again)
What’s a Nation, when the Sun is in the clouds
What we’re facing
It’s only a dream
And I guess all the screams I can hear ‘never meant to be seen
(what’s a nation) When all we got are tears in our eyes
(what’s a nation) There won’t be no more time for goodbyes
(what’s a nation) There’s nothing left for you in the night
(what’s a nation) Set these people free from your chains
(what’s a nation) Oh let them get away from your games
What’s a Nation (what’s a nation)
What’s a Nation (what’s a nation)
August 26th, 2019 § Comments Off on An Especial Pint With jj frazz II § permalink
A few weeks back I decided to put together a 15 minute “podcast” of various demo recordings that I have produced over the years. I have had the luxury of recording everyday since my parents bought me a Sony Sound-On-Sound real-to-reel tape recorder in the 1970’s, so I have recorded hundreds of songs in my life. Quantity over quality!
This week’s A Pint With jjfrazz II is a flock of covers, special to me, but not ready for prime time. Here are they in all their one take demo goodness.
June 7th, 2019 § Comments Off on You’re Too Bloody Much § permalink
A song about dissatisfaction, circa 1982-83.
This is the original demo of my song Too Bloody Much that I recorded with our Fairlight CMI (Computer Music instrument) at ESP Studios, Buttonville, Ontario, Canada in the 1980’s. The vocals and guitars were recorded though an MCI console onto an MCI 24-track two-inch. The other instruments were programmed in Page R and the Fairlight CMI was running live, in sync, when mixed down to 2-track. This one and only mix was discovered and recovered by Frank Watt, who is owed a wee dram (or two)!
Because I did not have the original tape for Too Bloody Muchwhen I was putting together my One Moment in Time album, I recorded a new version of it in Hollywood. By then I was California-ized, and I recorded it in a soft-rock sort of way. Here it is from 1998 – Too Bloody Much
May 7th, 2019 § Comments Off on Davinci Birthday Celebration Day! § permalink
daVinci
All the best Birthday wishes to one of my awesome musical partners, Davinci (Robbie Bernstein)!
Here are some flattering spinal tap clips that Bobbie made of our sessions for the Long Time Sun; our biggest Davinci & Jones hit!
The first clip is filmed inside my Porsche 914, which makes a miserable set for a music video! Hey, my stereo worked! (I have since had to unplug it because it was running my battery down when it was turned off!) “I paid $50 bucks for it, and installed it myself.”
And… some recording-studio clips from Drumroll and Orange.
