Explore the albums produced by Steve Lillywhite, the pioneer of the '80s sound. Familiarize yourself with essential albums, and learn which one to steer clear of.
Steve Lillywhite's Innovative Use of Gated Reverb Shapes the 80s Music Landscape
Steve Lillywhite, a British record producer, is renowned for his groundbreaking use of gated reverb, a technique that significantly influenced the sound of the 1980s. This innovation, perfected alongside engineer Hugh Padgham, revolutionised the way drum tracks were produced, creating a distinctive "thud" instead of the traditional "boom."
The roots of this technique can be traced back to Lillywhite's work on Peter Gabriel's third album, where the approach was developed and refined. This marked the beginning of a trend that would soon become synonymous with the energetic, synthetic, and highly produced aesthetic iconic to the 1980s.
The application of gated reverb to drum tracks involves cutting off the reverberation of the drum hit abruptly, rather than allowing it to fade naturally. This produced a sharp, punchy, and expansive drum sound that became a hallmark of '80s production. The technique was notably demonstrated on Phil Collins’s 1981 hit In The Air Tonight, but its roots trace back to Lillywhite’s work on Gabriel's album.
Lillywhite's innovative use of gated reverb extended widely, shaping the drum sound across genres, from rock to pop and synth-driven music. This technique contributed to the decade’s characteristic sonic identity, making an impact on various artists and productions throughout the 1980s.
Lillywhite's career spans various genres, including trad rock, post-punk new wave/art-rock, blues, and prog. His work with Peter Gabriel, The Pogues, Talking Heads, Phish, Counting Crows, The Killers, Dave Matthews Band, The La's, Morrissey, and many more, showcases his versatility and adaptability as a producer.
In the realm of post-punk, Lillywhite's work on XTC's Drums & Wires album and Siouxsie & The Banshees' The Scream album are noteworthy. Drums & Wires represents a high-water mark of post-punk’s new-wave sonic Dadaism, while The Scream is one of the albums that effectively launched post-punk, with Lillywhite's work being described as "cold and machine-like, but passionate."
The influence of Lillywhite's innovative use of gated reverb can also be heard in Big Country's debut album, The Crossing. The album features a huge sound with a spacious quality, capable of conveying anthemic Celtic rock despite the absence of traditional instruments. Stuart Adamson, the band's lead guitarist and vocalist, wrote their signature hit In A Big Country after being inspired by the sounds being created during the album sessions.
Simple Minds' album Sparkle In The Rain aimed to capture the huge stadium sound that the band had recently been afforded thanks to their increasingly mammoth live shows. Meanwhile, The Pogues' album If I Should Fall From Grace With God was a commercial breakthrough, with deep cuts like Thousands Are Sailing and The Broad Majestic Shannon being the real gems.
In conclusion, Lillywhite’s inventive gating of drum reverbs on Peter Gabriel’s third album was instrumental in creating the punchy, spacious drum sound that became a defining feature of the 1980s music landscape, influencing countless artists and productions throughout the decade.
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