Bowie, Bolan and me

Producer extraordinaire TONY VISCONTI talks to Kingsley Abbott

Reading Tony Visconti’s CV is like reading the history of Britain’s rock and pop since the late 60s. As well as his extensive work with Marc Bolan, David Bowie and Sparks, his wide-ranging journey has also taken in recordings with Procol Harum, Joe Cocker, The Move, Roy Harper, The Strawbs, Gentle Giant, Mary Hopkin, Wings, Osibisa, Argent, Thin Lizzy, Steve Gibbons, The Boomtown Rats, Hazel O’ Connor, The Moody Blues, OMD, Elaine Paige and others too numerous to mention. A multitalented musician, at home with all the technical aspects of studio work, he has recently turned his hand to his autobiography. It has been a task as daunting as the breadth of his work, but his newly issued book Bowie, Bolan & The Brooklyn Boy serves as a fascinating read for anyone interested in the music of the second half of the last century. Tony returned to the London he knows so well recently, so Record Collector caught up with him before he dutifully began the task of signing 800 copies of the book.

As you ask at the start of your book, ‘What is a record producer?’
The first time I became aware of the term was when Phil Spector was on television and claimed he was a record producer. He went on The Johnny Carson Show, and Carson asked him what a …

by Kingsley Abbott
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