John McLaughlin

[withahip]

I would take their word for it that it will be released soon but there is such a lack of activity (streaming samples, press, etc) that I am hesistant to accept we'll see it any time soon.

At first this reads as a total contriction. I had to read it three times.

Is it good to have a long time "fan" producing? Best albums I've listened to lately by established were produced by producers that not only didn't know the band, they disliked them.

[black francis]

I absolutely believe a fan or friend should not be producing the album. It should be some strong willed asshole who believes he knows better than the band and will contradict them on every decision. Someone who might be in awe or too respectful will probably not get the results I am looking for when I purchase music*.

*That being said I have no musical talent or knowledge whatsoever so I could also just be talking out of my ass which has been known to happen from time to time.

[Kounelaki]

7 days in the life of John McLaughlin

The Sunday Herald, 2 November 2003

Monday

WAKE up back in ex-homeland that is the Milton, at my parents' house after a great weekend in Glasgow. Celtic won and I did some disco dancing at the Maggie's Ball, hosted by my old mate Chris Gorman. Some of the Fame Academy kids were performing at it (I was the song coach at the academy). I met Jack McConnell there and congratulated him for getting the MTV awards to Scotland. We should have some kind of pop industry in Scotland, but we don't. It's a joke. We have more raw talent than anywhere else and we've got some good gigs and a bunch of people like myself, who get to a certain level and then it's a mass exodus on the (pounds) 19.50 bus down to London.

Kiss my ma and da goodbye and head for a lunch meeting in the Metropolitan Bar with ex-Bros bloke Matt Goss about his new album which I'm working on. We're hoping to record a big chunk of it in Scotland. My mate owns Cottage Studios in Glasgow's west end, where I recorded a lot of the Mark Owen album. Any chance I get to bring work to Scotland then we do it.

I also bump into the Fame Academy kids in the Metropolitan Bar. They'd met a bunch of people last night in a club, went to a party, and are now the best of mates. I had about 20 phone calls from their management companies looking for them, but denied all knowledge of where they were.

Head back down the road to London with my wife, Sharon, and baby daughter Cara Jay. Totally knackered.

Tuesday

WAKE up with a head like a bust ba'. Not a hangover but the Australian/Japanese/Belgian flu. Still got to go to a meeting about my new ska-punk band, Hypo Psycho, who have all shaved their heads after spending a wad of record company money on a new photo shoot. Boys will be boys.

Wednesday

GET to spend all day in bed. A rare occurrence though still feel rough as a badger.

Thursday

FEELING a bit better, which is just as well as I have to go to the studio where we're working on the next single for our electro-pop band, Phixx, with those heroes from the past, Duran Duran. Don't finish until 3am, but get a great result.

Friday

EARLY morning and I'm woken from deep sleep by baby. The joys of fatherhood. But when the screaming stops and the smiles start it's all worth it. Finally Cara is wrenched away from me and I'm thrown out to work.

We get good news from the midweek chart on the Phixx single, Hold On Me: it's definitely in the top 10. We wrote and produced it. I'm over the moon. When we started that project it was one nobody wanted to do - five guys who were the losers of Popstars: The Rivals. To take that negative and turn it into a top 10 gives me great satisfaction.

We should be doing that now with Scottish kids. I've made enough English kids millionaires. It's time we made some Scottish kids a few quid.

Saturday

DAY off at last. Banned from all talk of work, which is difficult as I am obsessed. Get to spend the day on the Chiswick High Road with the family. Bliss.

Saturday night and we are preparing for a trip to sunny Spain.

I'm going to there to work with Tony Santanos, who won the Spanish Pop Idol. I did his single last year which was the biggest selling single in Spanish history. So now we are working on his album.

Sunday

ADIOS. We are off to the airport. It will be good to get a break from my phone ringing with people wanting MTV tickets. But the only person who could get one if they needed one is Celtic manager Martin O'Neill.

[withahip]

Let's hope the new album isn't as boring as he is.

[Voodoo Billy]

Can't wait to see Mac on Spanish Pop Idol.

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Is that serious or were you being facetious? If the former, are these folks whose opinions you put stock in?

One of these folks is a guy whose opinions I rate higher than anybody else I know........

[black francis]

I don't recall giving you my opinion on the Fountain but I appreciate your confidence in me Jimbo.

[guitarplayer on here too]

Grumpy_Jimbo. I thought you got to hear nearly all of it via that Glaswegian radio show about a year ago.

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Grumpy_Jimbo. I thought you got to hear nearly all of it via that Glaswegian radio show about a year ago.

Yes Billy Sloan played a few tracks from it last Summer on Radio Clyde, Mac gave him a copy at T in the Park...........

[tonywojo]

Yes Billy Sloan played a few tracks from it last Summer on Radio Clyde, Mac gave him a copy at T in the Park...........

aand u didnt get too carried away

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

aand u didnt get too carried away

As I don't listen to his show I can't comment on what he played...........

But what I have heard is allegedly very good..............

[tonywojo]

As I don't listen to his show I can't comment on what he played...........

But what I have heard is allegedly very good..............

u didnt hear it?

allegdely yer hona

[shadows on the trees]

As I don't listen to his show I can't comment on what he played...........

But what I have heard is allegedly very good..............

???

[fat cherry]

if they are still tweaking and a-fiddling in the studio....... is this bloke still producing as such?

One of the major toubles with the internet, and the music business, hand in hand like, is that people in the latter start to think, what with their egos and everything, we are really interested that they have a little cold or that their sprog woke up at 3, 4 and 5am or they went for a pint. That happens to me all the time (or did do in the sprog stakes, now its more likely to be a call saying dad can you come and pick us up cos we're trashed and cant afford a proper taxi) and i can tell you, as pleasant as it is its not that interesting.

[fat cherry]

oh....now i've actually read it (as opposed to not read it) i see I'm wrong there. its in the paper. thought it was one of those bloggy things. still not that fascinating though. just an ordinary geezer eh.

bunnymen.com just posted over there that peters taking time out from forum duties to work on the new website!!!!!!! or was it A new website. no, i think it was THE. still with my record of taking notice i'd look for yourself (if your allowed that is).