6 Great Shel Talmy Productions
The iconic British Invasion hitmaker died on Nov. 13
In the early to mid ‘60s, the late Shel Talmy easily rivaled George Martin and Andrew Loog Oldham as one of the key hitmakers in the early days of the British Invasion.
The songs that he produced by The Who, the Kinks, Davy Jones (nee David Bowie), the Small Faces, Chad and Jeremy, Goldie & The Gingerbreads, the Damned, Roy Harper, Manfred Mann, Pentangle and Ralph McTell helped bring British rock to the top of the pops, both at home and abroad.
Here, then, are five significant songs that will forever ensure Talmy’s place in the highest pantheon of classic rock ‘n’ roll.
The Kinks
“You Really Got Me” (Pye Records)
Talmy once told this writer that this particular song made a special impact on him personally because people kept telling him that they had never heard anything like it before. Indeed, given its powerhouse refrain, it helped pave the way for the hard rock and heavy metal that would come a decade later. “I’d never really taken myself too seriously,” he said. I do what I do, because I finally realized I’m good at it. But it’s not something I ever dwelt on. I was fortunate to get to work with great songwriters. I call that luck, but also partially due to my tastes and the fact that I found bands who could naturally provide that essential talent.”
For the record, Talmy denied the widely held rumor that it was Jimmy Page working that riff. It was actually Dave Davies as Davies himself insists.
AUDIO: The Kinks “You Really Got Me”
The Who
“My Generation” (Brunswick Records)
A veritable anthem for those that came of age at a most significant time, “My Generation” reflected the angst, agitation and all the reasons for rebellion that a new generation felt after the sedate post-war period of the 1950s while making a transition into the lifestyle revolution of the early ‘60s. That tell-tale refrain, “Hope I die before I get old” echoed a desire for eternal youth, but also sadly foretold the untimely demise of too many artists that fell victim to youthful excess.
“When I was a recording engineer, I was experimenting with how to make things sound better,” Talmy recalled. “I put twelve mics on Keith Moon’s drums. Mooney was a wild man. He was all over the place. So I said to him, ‘Do me a favor. I really don’t care how close you get to these mics, but just don’t fucking hit them.’ He came close, but he never hit them.”
AUDIO: The Who “My Generation”
The Easybeats
“Friday On My Mind” (United Artists)
A song that put Australia on the map, though far from London, L.A. and New York, “Friday On My Mind” echoed the universal feeling of every blue-collar individual who struggled through the work week to reach that relief that the weekend brings and the feeling of euphoria that begins with “Monday I’ve got Friday on my mind.”
AUDIO: The Easybeats “Friday On My Mind”
David Bowie
“I Pity the Fool” (by the Manish Boys) (Parlophone)
“You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving” (by Davy Jones & the Lower Third) (Parlophone)
Granted, when David Bowie made his debut in the early ‘60s, he offered little indication that by the end of the decade he would be one of the most revolutionary artists in all of rock realms. Ziggy Stardust and The Thin White Duke were still years away, and the budding teen singer named Davy Jones was little more than simply another would-be music idol looking to get his name on the charts. These two Talmy-produced tracks predated Bowie’s solo debut but did in fact lay the groundwork for a career that never faltered from that point on.
“I thought at the time that he was going to be a star immediately,” Talmy told me in retrospect. “However the buying public did not catch on to what he did or what he was for another five or six years. Most people never caught on as to what we were doing, which really pissed us off. Sometimes the timing just isn’t right.”
AUDIO: The Manish Boys “I Pity The Fool”
AUDIO: Davy Jones and the Lower Third “You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving”
The Kinks
“Waterloo Sunset” (Reprise Records)
The tale of young lovers Terry and Julie who planned their romantic rendezvous near the iconic Waterloo Station every Friday night ranks as one of the most beautiful ballads of any era. The heavenly ‘fa la las” that punctuate the chorus add an ethereal essence that tips this song towards heavenly heights. One of many highlights from the band’s Something Else album, it captures vivid imagery that literally sets the scene:
“Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
Flowing into the night?
People so busy, make me feel dizzy
Taxi light shines so bright…”
Ironically, brothers Ray and Dave Davies’ relationship was never nearly as idyllic. Talmy witnessed it all. “During some sessions, they would start getting into it with actual blows, at which point I would grab them and say, we’re taking a half-hour break. See you later.”
AUDIO: The Kinks “Waterloo Sunset”
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