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• This month sees the great Gary Usher become the latest maestro to be honoured in our series of collections devoted to record producers. • Usher grew up as an avid radio listener and record collector, and soon realised that he wanted to forge a career in music. After a handful of stabs as a recording artist, he settled into writing and arranging for various West Coast companies. Early in the 60s, as he was given more responsibility in recording studios, he built up a crack team of talented musical buddies who he used on many of his sessions. This culminated in the string of singles and albums that rode the surf, drag and hot rod craze. As well as producing, he wrote, arranged and sang on many of these releases. • However, as this collection proves, there were a growing number of other strings to Usher’s bow. Working as a staff producer for US Decca and later Columbia Records, his keen ear for new musical genres meant that he was always in the forefront of popular music, often venturing into the world of folk rock, sunshine pop, psychedelia and country rock. He worked with luminaries such as the Byrds, Gene Clark, Glen Campbell, Curt Boettcher and Brian Wilson, as well as releasing “phantom” group records cut by his regular behind-the-scenes colleagues. • This compilation, the first to cover the real width and variety of Usher’s career, takes us from the mid-60s through to the 80s and quite rightly places him alongside better-known West Coast record producers such as Lou Adler, Phil Spector, Brian Wilson and Jack Nitzsche.
Tracklist
1 Lady Friend - the Byrds
2 My World Fell Down - Sagittarius
3 So You Say You Lost Your Baby - Gene Clark
4 Just One More Chance - the Hondells
5 A Go-Go Getter - Keith Green
6 Louise - Keith Allison
7 School Is A/Gas - the Wheel Men
8 Baby What I Mean - the Spiral Starecase
9 Sunstroke - Chad Stuart & Jeremy Clyde
10 I Wish You Didn't Treat Me So Well - Chuck & Joe
11 Shame Girl - the Neptunes
12 I Don't Wanna Say Goodnight - the Forte Four
13 An Angel Cried - the Castells
14 Catch a Little Ride with Me - the Surfaris
15 Cod'ine - Sean & the Brandywines
16 You Ain't Going Nowhere - the Byrds
17 Body Go Round - the Wackers
18 Take My Hand - the Sons of Adam
19 Show Me, Girl - the Hondells
20 What Am I Gonna Do - the Guild
21 Let's Go to Heaven in My Car - Brian Wilson
22 Shame, Shame - Keith Colley
23 It's a Happening Thing -
24 The Peanut Butter Conspiracy
25 Happy in Hollywood - California