PWL: From The Factory Floor

PWLのエンジニアでありミキサーのフィル・ハーディングによるヒット・ファクトリーの裏側を描くファン必読本。意外にも凄く分厚い本であり、白黒ではあるがアーティスト写真やジャケ写もあり、楽しい。そして膨大な未発表楽曲リスト付き。Kakkoこと唯一の日本人アーティスト鈴木杏樹のアルバムが完成していた(お蔵入り)とか意外な事実も分かり、また当時のレコーディング風景や、各アーティストの素顔まで、結構なボリュームですが、楽しめる。たぶん和訳は出ないと思うので無くならないうちに原書を。

After having read the first part of Pete Hammond's book recently, I decided I wanted to read this one too. I had heard about at time of publishing and added it to my wish list. Finally, six years later, I have read it and enjoyed it from cover to cover. I am of an age to be part of music learning in those days and even though, at the time, I found the "PWL Sound" a bit too prescriptive at times, I now have a better understanding of the work that went in to creating the sound, the internal politics and pitfalls of working in the music production business. This book is will be enjoyed by anyone with a passing interest in music. From a simple autobiography reader right through to the most avid PWL fan. The technological sections are clubbed together at the end to make it easy for those wishing to not get bogged down to leave the book at the right time so as not to miss anything of the meat and bones. The discography is very informative and on more than one occasion I have found myself thinking (and saying aloud) "I never knew he did that one."Overall, it is a cracking good read and I recommend it. Pete Waterman wished he was Pete Waterman for his autobiography. Forget that, I wish I was Phil Harding.

Really enjoyed reading Phil Hardings PWL book. I have read both Pete Waterman's and Mike Stock's books, and enjoyed them too! Phil has a much more technical view of his day to day workings with Pete Waterman at PWL in the 80's. I think that kind of says it all really. Phil was a technician (and a very good one at that) but he is certainly not Pete Waterman or Mike Stock. (Matt Aitken...maybe)At times Phil's ego shows too much in this book. He is very quick to dismiss the work of other legendary PWL Mastermixers (like the amazing PETE HAMMOND). PETE HAMMOND did some of the very best mixing work at PWL (and is still producing PWL sounding remixes today)A great book! Hats off to Phil for producing it.A 2CD Set of PHIL HARDINGS best remixes "Phil Harding Club Mixes of the 80s" is soon to be released by Cherry Pop records which i have already ordered via Amazon. It's released November 14th 2011 so check it out!

Amazing book. I became a record producer 29 years ago because of stock aitken Waterman and their crew! I went on to have numerous hits myself afterwards and owe it all to them. This was a great insight into what went on all those years back in the famous studios with those who made the biggest hits of the 80s/90s

Being a big fan of the PWL stable of artists back in my early years and being in awesome of Messrs. Harding/Curnow/Hammond more so than SAW, this was a brilliant account of the music, philosophy and politics of a label that soundtracked my informative years prior to becoming a DJ myself. Not for everyone but even if your interested in the story itself rather than the technical side the book is still a must have. Highly recommended. 😊