Producer worked magic on Wilson song
With news of the loss of the Beatles’ longtime collaborator George Martin, who died Tuesday at age 90, there have been ample opportunities to revisit the greatness of his musical mind through video clips online. One rich moment comes from the 1997 BBC documentary on Martin, “The Rhythm of Life.”
There sits Martin, behind the wheel of a vintage Cadillac convertible, cruising through Los Angeles and talking about the city’s import as a studio town. Martin’s got a destination in mind as he rolls down Sunset Boulevard and into the Hollywood Hills: Brian Wilson’s house.
As he drives, Martin, whose work producing the Beatles changed the course of popular music, discusses the city.
“Los Angeles then, as well as now, was the center of the entertainment business,” he says. “Not just the film business, but music too. And everybody gravitated here. If you wanted to make records, generally speaking, Los Angeles was the place to come to.”
The next four minutes are a lesson on artistic inspiration and technical agility. At Wilson’s house, Martin quizzes him on Beach Boys melodies while Wilson dots out the notes on a piano. Soon Wilson is pouring forth the chords to “God Only Knows.” The scene cuts to the two in their natural habi- tat, a recording studio. They sit in front of a mixing board, the “God Only Knows” unmixed master playing in the background, and discuss the ways in which Wilson worked his magic.
Martin says, “What Brian had done was to write a beautiful song full of unusual changes, and then devise a tapestry of sounds to enhance it. To me it was fascinating, being a musical detective looking at the song structure back in the sort of studio in which I’d spent most of my working life.”
As the song plays, Wilson looks up at the ceiling, lost inside his brilliant creation while Martin plays with the mix, exploring the arrangements, techniques and tricks of Wilson’s trade. Martin adds a compliment — “It’s a lovely song and a beautiful record” — while making his own mix of “God Only Knows.” He slides vocal tracks up and down, mixes in percussion, explores the odd rhythmic accents.
As Wilson listens to what Martin has just done to his song, the Beach Boy comes to a startled conclusion: “You know what? That’s a better mix than I had on the master. You’re making a better mix of this than I did on the master!”
“Never,” says Martin with typical humility.
Wilson, his face filled with joyful wonder, heaps praise on Martin’s casual accomplishment. “George, I can’t believe this is happening.”