Meet The Talent – Geoff Pesche

Meet The Talent – Geoff Pesche

28th July 2017

In the second of our series of insights into their work, we meet the highly entertaining, Mr Geoff Pesche – another of our award winning mastering engineers.  Here he tells us about some of the highlights in a 30+ year career.

 

Loose Ends - So Where Are You?

The single Hanging On A String topped the R&B charts in the US & UK long before Soul II Soul did it.

A brilliant British soul album.

 

Enya - Watermark

The last album I mastered before leaving Tape One to go to Utopia. I remember banging through it as I wanted to have a few leaving drinks, thinking ‘who’s Enya?’ as I was on my own. Anyway 70 million albums later…

 

New Order - Blue Monday

You don’t have a clue how many units will sell for any record you work on. If you did you’d be the highest paid A & R man in the world. I cut two sets of this 12” one afternoon. It’s still played in nightclubs 30 years later. People still ask me about it.

 

Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms

Since we’re talking records... This album was mastered by Bob Ludwig in NYC. But lacquers don’t travel too well so the UK & Europe parts needed to be done in London.

This album showed me the sheer scale of manufacturing for million sellers. Originally booked for John Dent to do at The Exchange, we got the call as he had the flu.

Fifteen sets of album lacquers cut in one weekend, to service every pressing plant in the UK & Europe. Not sure if I did eight or seven sets. It has sold over 30 million vinyl albums.

Money for nothing, your chicks for free!

 

William Orbit - Strange Cargo 3

A long association with one of the UK’s best music producers. He revitalised Madonna.

Lots of work has come my way from this. The British muso’s coffee table album.

 

Leftfield - Open Up and Release The Pressure

London’s kings of progressive house. Before signing to Sony the boys were on an indie label called Hard Hands. I did the whole catalogue.

These two releases put them on the map. Especially Open Up with John Lydon’s vocals. Brilliant.

 

Jimmy Page & Robert Plant - No Quarter

For a Led Zeppelin fan, to work with these two was great. The row they had in the mastering room has yet to be bettered. Great rock album.

 

Pulp - Different Class

A Britpop anthem, this album has generated loads of work for me.

Another million seller in everyone’s front room in 1995.

 

Kylie Minogue - Fever

Has the Grammy winning Come Into My World plus I Can’t Get You Out Of My Head - the most played single on radio ever. This album’s a heavy hitter. I always forget about the Grammy win too.

I’ve mastered all of the Kylie albums since 1999. The longest relationship I’ve had with a woman!

 

LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver

Another one that gets the phone ringing. A great EDM record from 2007.

Lost out on a Grammy to the Chemical Brothers. One of Christian Wright’s favourite albums - now there’s praise from Caesar!

 

Read more about Geoff here.