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Chris Thomas (record producer)
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Chris Thomas (born January 13, 1947), is a British record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.
as was born in Perivale, Middlesex, and now lives in London. Thomas trained in violin and piano as a child, began playing bass in London pop bands, turning down at one point the opportunity to play with Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell before Hendrix had struck fame.
Preferring studio work to playing live, he wrote to Beatles producer George Martin seeking work and in 1967 was employed on a six-month trial by AIR, an independent production company which had been founded by Martin and three other EMI producers.
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Chris Thomas (born January 13, 1947), is a British record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.
Early career
Thomas was born in Perivale, Middlesex, and now lives in London. Thomas trained in violin and piano as a child, began playing bass in London pop bands, turning down at one point the opportunity to play with Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell before Hendrix had struck fame.
Preferring studio work to playing live, he wrote to Beatles producer George Martin seeking work and in 1967 was employed on a six-month trial by AIR, an independent production company which had been founded by Martin and three other EMI producers. Although hired as a messenger and tea boy, he was also able to sit in on sessions at EMI with the Hollies and, in 1968, The Beatles during their sessions for the White Album.
Thomas later recalled:
Thomas continued with the sessions, playing on "Happiness Is a Warm Gun", mellotron on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill," piano on "Long, Long, Long" and harpsichord on "Piggies".
By the end of 1968 he had produced his first album – The Climax Chicago Blues Band by the Climax Blues Band; two years later he was working on Home, the fourth album by Procol Harum. He was subsequently invited by John Cale to produce his Paris 1919 album at the AIR Studios, where he met Bryan Ferry, who in turn asked Thomas to produce Roxy Music.
Thomas explained how most of his production roles have arisen:
Pink Floyd
In 1973, as Thomas’ work continued to attract interest, he took on mixing duties with Pink Floyd for their Dark Side of the Moon album, frequently finishing work at midnight and driving to AIR Studios to do more work on Procol Harum's Grand Hotel album until 5am.
Floyd guitarist David Gilmour claims Thomas’ role on The Dark Side of the Moon was as much umpire as mixer.
He later helped mix Pink Floyd's 1994 album The Division Bell with Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and also co-produced Gilmour's 2006 solo album On An Island.
Badfinger
Thomas produced a trio of albums for power pop group Badfinger on the tail end of their career, beginning with 1973's Ass, and 1974's Badfinger and Wish You Were Here albums. Ass was originally recorded with Badfinger producing, but the group later admitted they were incapable of producing themselves. Members Peter Ham and Tom Evans solicted Thomas' help in cleaning up existing recordings and laying down new tracks. Although the succeeding album Badfinger retained Thomas from the outset and was considered by critics to be an improvement in production, neither album was successful in the marketplace. For their third project together, Thomas held a meeting with the group and pleaded that they all concentrate on making the best record they could muster. It turned out that Wish You Were Here garnered the most positive critical response from periodicals (including Rolling Stone magazine. Thomas later said:
Thomas said he was sorely disappointed when he learned that Wish You Were Here, after only four months in release, was pulled off the market due to legal troubles between Badfinger and Warner Brothers Records.
Sex Pistols
In 1976 he was asked by Malcolm McLaren to produce the debut single by the Sex Pistols. He recalled:
Thomas’ colleagues in the recording industry were horrified by his involvement with the Sex Pistols, particularly when he found himself producing the band at the same time as he was working with Paul McCartney. His work with the band also led to one of his most curious album credits. Co-producer Bill Price explained:
In 2007, Chris Thomas produced a brand new studio recording of Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols for use in the new video game Skate. John Lydon, Steve Jones and Paul Cook all play on this new version, which was recorded in Los Angeles in July 2007, with only Glen Matlock absent.
INXS
In 1985 Thomas played a critical part in achieving a worldwide breakthrough for Australian band INXS.
INXS keyboardist and main songwriter Andrew Farriss explained:
Thomas recalls he was worried that the standard of songs the band had laid down was not as strong as he wished.
Other
Thomas helped guide Chrissie Hynde into a recording career, producing The Pretenders’ first (self-titled) album; his work on 1984's Learning to Crawl earned him the sobriquet on the liner notes as the "fifth Pretender".
Thomas opts for Pulp's Different Class as one of the best records he has made, and admits: "I love working with writers. That's the person I always respond to most in a band.’’
Philosophy
Thomas says his role as a producer has changed little since the 1970s.
Production credits
Albums produced or mixed by Thomas include:
1988 Live Nude Guitars by ex Stray Cat Brian Setzer
- 1968: The Climax Chicago Blues Band by Climax Blues Band, White Album by The Beatles
- 1969: Climax Blues Band Plays On by Climax Blues Band
- 1970: A Lot of Bottle by Climax Blues Band, Home by Procol Harum
- 1971: Tightly Knit by Climax Blues Band, Mick Abrahams by Mick Abrahams
- 1972: At Last by Mick Abrahams Band, Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (mixing)
- 1973: For Your Pleasure by Roxy Music, Stranded by Roxy Music, Grand Hotel by Procol Harum, Paris 1919 by John Cale, Ass by Badfinger
- 1974: Badfinger by Badfinger, Wish You Were Here by Badfinger, Kurofune (aka Black Ship) by Sadistic Mika Band.
- 1975: Siren by Roxy Music
- 1976: Viva! by Roxy Music, Let's Stick Together by Bryan Ferry
- 1977: Hurt by Chris Spedding
- 1977: Never Mind the Bollocks by the Sex Pistols
- 1978: Power in the Darkness by Tom Robinson Band
- 1979: Back to the Egg by Wings
- 1980: Pretenders by The Pretenders, Empty Glass by Pete Townshend
- 1981: Pretenders II by The Pretenders
- 1982: All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes by Pete Townshend, Jump Up! by Elton John
- 1983: Too Low for Zero by Elton John
- 1984: Learning to Crawl by The Pretenders; Breaking Hearts by Elton John
- 1985: Listen Like Thieves by INXS, White City by Pete Townshend
- 1987: Kick by INXS
- 1988: Reg Strikes Back by Elton John
- 1989: Sleeping With the Past by Elton John
- 1990: X by INXS
- 1992: The One by Elton John
- 1994: Last of the Independents by The Pretenders, The Lion King soundtrack, Jewel by Marcella Detroit, The Division Bell by Pink Floyd (mixing)
- 1995: Different Class by Pulp
- 1996: Filthy Lucre Live by Sex Pistols
- 1997: The Big Picture by Elton John
- 1998: This Is Hardcore by Pulp
- 1999: Run Devil Run by Paul McCartney
- 2001: Or8? by Hoggboy
- 2004: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2
- 2006: On An Island by David Gilmour, Razorlight by Razorlight
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