Sound Man

A Life Recording Hits With the Rolling Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, Eric Clapton, the Faces…

By: Glyn Johns

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Born just outside London in 1942, Glyn Johns was 16 years old at the dawn of rock and roll. His big break as a producer came on the Steve Miller Band's debut album, Children of the Future. He went on to engineer or produce iconic albums for the best in the business, including Abbey Road with the Beatles. Even more impressive, Johns was perhaps the only person on a given day in the studio who was entirely sober, and so he is one of the most reliable and clear-eyed insiders to tell these stories today.

In this entertaining and observant memoir, Johns takes us on a tour of his world during the heady years of the '60s. He remembers helping to get the Steve Miller Band released from jail shortly after their arrival in London; he recalls his impressions of John and Yoko during the Let It Be sessions; and he recounts running into Bob Dylan at JFK and being asked to work on a collaborative album with him, the Stones, and the Beatles, which never came to pass. Johns was there during some of the most iconic moments in rock history, including the Stones' first European tour and the Beatles' final performance on the roof of their Savile Row recording studio.

©2014 Glyn Johns (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Fans of the era will enjoy both the anecdotes and the technical descriptions of life behind the recording console." ( Publishers Weekly)

60s, 70s music lovers

Brilliant book written by Glyn John’s, the sound wizard behind the curtain. Didn’t particularly care for the orator…his dramatic cadence detracted from a very well written book.

Inner circle snapshots.

If you happen to be a music history buff curious about the behind the scenes stories of some truly great music and its creators, this book is for you.

"Wish I Were There"

Glyn Johns worked with the Giants of popular music starting in the 60s. This book has something for everyone, the music lover, the person interested in the technical aspect of recording, and the historian. Johns provides many heartfelt and amusing anecdotes about figures such as Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend, Steve Miller, Keith Richards, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Ronnie Lane, Joe Strummer of the Clash, and more. What comes through is how musicians, producers, and promoters, even the most famous, are regular people, real people with their talents and their flaws. Johns readily admits when he's made a mistake in not immediately recognizing talent, or had an unfavorable first impression that was later corrected, as with his initial the counters with the Eagles and with Joan Armatrading, or with Bill Graham, and Mick Jones. I strongly recommend this book to any lover of music, but especially a lover of rock 'n' roll.

An outstanding story!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Anyone that loves music & the unfolding of Rock & Roll ... should read with their eyes and/or their ears ... I did both. It's really compelling!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Well ... Glyn obviously!

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

Simon proved to be a great narrator!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, too long ... if one would care to digest ...

Any additional comments?

Love it!

Amazing Stories, But Boredom and Ego Intrude

What made the experience of listening to Sound Man the most enjoyable?

The sheer fact of John's spectacular career and the who's who of rock royalty he's worked with--mostly quite successfully.

What did you like best about this story?

It's the greatest hits that really shine--the big events and the intimate moments with the 20th Century's great rock talents.

What three words best describe Simon Vance’s voice?

British, High-Brow, Articulate

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Rarely, though I remain in awe of his body of work.

Any additional comments?

Several sections (especially the first 3rd of the tome) can be rather boring. Too often, I found myself skimming page after page in search of the the 'good bits" (the memoir can go for pages focusing on parts of Johns' life that, frankly, just aren't all that interesting).

Also, too often and too transparently, Johns' practices the art of the left-handed compliment (praising someone to the heights whist simultaneously bitching about them--all in an ego-driven attempt to ensure he comes off as well as possible). Didn't he have an editor? Was there no one who could tell the master what he should just leave out?!

Even when Johns' is admitting to a misstep, he typically makes sure to praise himself for having learned from the experience. These elements of the memoir--coupled with all the not-so-subtle moralizing about the evils of drugs and alcohol--can make Johns' come off as unlikeable and smarmy. Or, maybe just well-heeled and British.

We get it, Glyn--you're the consummate pro (but a more secure man of his age and reputation would have just let the work speak for itself).

Detailed account of an era

A highly personal detailed look at the transition of music from ‘50s-present, Glyn Johns takes the reader through memory lane with some of the greatest bands around.

It had so many great antidotes🎶🎸

I listened to it once and so enjoyed it that a few months later, listened again!

A History of Those Times

Few people worked with more of the finest musicians over two decades, and even knowing that I was shocked at the number of great albums Johns engineered and/or produced. The book is filled with historical accounts of places and dates and recordings, but the real treasure is the author's relationships with so many of music's finest performers from those three decades. Johns was hired to record and produce the Beatles during the making of "Let It Be," and he left them with a wonderful mix of songs and song versions that best captured the band's original intent to make an album where the Beatles get back to just being a band. This was before the tapes were turned over and virtually destroyed by Phil Spector. Make a playlist of the Johns cuts and you'll have the most interesting, most entertaining version of the Beatles last album to be released.

fascinating journey

A wonderful insight into the early days of the music industry from the recording engineering and producing point of view. filled with lots of small stories without too much technical jargon anybody could enjoy this. enjoy this

Amazing life lived'

Filled with amazing musical adventures and insights into the biggest artist the world has known in the music industry. Loved it, never wanted it to end..