Production CV

HOWARD TURNER

Producer/Engineer.
MPG full member ‘91-present.

D.O.B. 24/02/59 – Languages:  English/French.

BIOG.After a childhood spent in war torn Indo-China, and a BA (in third world development of course!) the music business seemed like a nice quiet life (you know, early nights, regular pay etc. etc.) so I started Raven Recording as a studio in the early 80’s and quickly developed a reputation in the indy and rock sectors as a producer/engineer, working in the early days with such luminaries as the now late Peter DeFreitas (Echo and the Bunnymen), Steve Johnson (Teardrops) etc…

With the development of my old studio Raven as a residential facility in the late 80s, I started to concentrate more on guitar bands and “live feel” projects, this fitting in well with my long standing interest in manipulating ambient sounds and “less than dead” recording environments.

After selling the studios in ’91, I was free to spread my wings and pursue much more varied freelance production/engineering and performance interests, and also my studio and equipment design projects with my company, StudioWizard.

 

STYLES

Primarily guitar orientated material. (Being a fanatical devotee of “live” type recording – starting with a full performance to catch the feel of the thing…)

The whole approach hinges on making the most of the live feel of the band, and over the years I have developed a not inconsiderable reputation working with successful major rock and indy bands in this manner.

I have kept the “frustrated muso” in me at bay with my own old band – THE NIVENS – Knocking out jangle/psychedelia and making sure I never ever forget what its’ like in the recording booth when the red light goes on…..

  • HONEYBUZZARDS (ep) (Sheer Joy).

  • TOSS THE FEATHERS – Awakening (a) (Fat Cat).

  • RED HARVEST – Strange (a), Heaven (s), World won’t Listen (s&a) (Aftermath).

  • THE DENTISTS – You and your Bloody Oranges (a) (Spruck).

  • THE SEX GODS (THE BALCONY DOGS – ex Teardrops & Bunnymen)* – (a).

  • THE AVONS (ex Farmers’ Boys) – Three Rivers Reach (a) & (s) (Letharge).

  • GEE MR. TRACY – Shoot the Sherbet, Herbert, Straight from the Fridge Pops (a&s’s), Lava Man (s) & many other (s’s) (Backs).

  • TESTCARD F – various singles etc*

  • CHUNK (ep).

  • DR. MILLAR (ep)(Treasure Island).

  • THE CHAIRS-Honey I Need A Girl Of A Different Stripe (s), Size 10 Girlfriend (s) (Pink Halo).

  • ROBINSON-Toasted (ep)* (Gem/BMG).

  • PURPLE ORANGE (a).

  • THE BARDOTS (s&demos) (Cheree).

  • GIRLSCHOOL – Girlschoolive (a)* (GWR/Legacy).

  • TOUS LES CACTUS – (a) (Sony France).SCHEIN – Little Girl Blue (a) (Process France).

  • ODE ROSE – (a) (Process France).

  • LES RATS – Bienvenue au Club!(a) (Danceteria France).

  • GREEN ON RED – Keith can`t Read (ep)* (China).

  • LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES (a)(Peek-a-boo – France).
    *=engineering only, otherwise production and engineering too………

INSTRUMENTS

Where it may help, I’m passable on guitar, slide guitar, blues harp, some odd (very odd) keyboards, additional vocals and programming….all if and where required – never imposed…..

 

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

  • CROME YELLOW – Dorian Gray (ep) (Cipher).

  • JACOB`S MOUSE – No Fish Shop Parking (a) (Blithering Idiot), Good (s), Group of 7 (s),
    Fandango Widewheels (ep),Rubber Room (a), (Wiiija).

  • TRIPP – Demos, California Screaming (s) (PMW).

  • SHERWOOD new album (a)(Bee Side – France)

  • JAZZ BUTCHER – Cult of the Basement* (a), Girl Go* (s), Condition Blue* (a), Shirley Maclaine* (s) (Creation).

  • 14 ICED BEARS – Mother Sleep (ep), Wonder (a) (Borderline).

  • PERFECT DISASTER – Time to kill (ep), Up (a), Mood Elevator (ep) (Fire).

  • CLOSE LOBSTERS – Nature Thing* (s&a) (Fire).

  • THE POLLEN – Contrasts (a&s’s), Nurturing Desire (a&s’s), Factory Hours (ep) (Danceteria).

  • THE PARK – If all the Seas (a&s’s)* (Danceteria).

  • BAD MANNERS – Eat the Beat (a) (Blue Note)*.

  • SHREDDED ERMINES – Aldila (a&s’s) (Danceteria)*.

  • LIBERTY CAGE (ex The Men They Couldn’t Hang) (ep) (EMI).

  • CAPTAIN SENSIBLE – Revolution Now (part a), Riot on Eastbourne Pier* (s) (Deltic).

  • DAMNED – Riot on Eastbourne Pier* (s) (Deltic).

  • VENUS FLY TRAP – (a&s) (Danceteria).

  • LIZA WOLFE – eponymous (a)(self).

  • WORLD EXIT – (a&s)* (EDW-Roadrunner).

  • THE NIVENS A Taste of Money (a), Alright Now (s), Sex, Lies and Gaffatape (a), Play Blue (s), House Come Tumbling Down (s), Shake (a), Recycle (mini-a), Shake it from the Top (s)(Danceteria – France) Giving it Away (a) Sarah-Jane (s) (Trumpet).

  • SUNDIVER – Cautionary Tales (a)*(J.Nuttall mgt).