Steven Klein's Sound Control Room, Inc.

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Criteria Quotes Continued ___________________________________ “The pipple, Stiv, you just woodn’t belive the pipple.” RCA Italy producer Giacomo Tosti frustratingly describing recording in Rome

“If it is adjustable, it will never be right.” George Terry

“The f**kin’ music biz.” Chuck Kirkpatrick

“Find out what the client wants and give it to him.” Jerry Masters after the staff was asked to write their own job descriptions

“Remember what an expert is. Ex is a has been and spurt is a drip under pressure.” Steve Kimball

“It all goes on the record. The pizza, the agreement, the arguments, the fun, the tears, the girl friends’ phone call. It all goes on the record. What ever is happening when that red light is on, is on the record. Keep the sanctity of the control room.” Felix Pappelardi talking to me about control room etiquite.

“Felder and Henly are at it again.” Ed Mashal

“We have created the blown speaker award and the first recipient is Andy Johns.” Ross Alexander, the first thing Andy did was turn the volume control full up and then hit play.

“It takes a little time for the before 6 vibe to go away”. Harper Dance talking about the magical transformation of Criteria after all the business people left at 6pm.

On the bathroom wall…”Here I sit broken hearted, paid $150 an hour and only farted.”
Bobby Caldwell

“Their down there making records for the hard of hearing. They would be better off recording in Sign Language and Braille.” John Latta talking about someone who just gave him a difficult time.

And some of my own…

“One day there will be consoles that remember everything, and digital boxes that can produce any effect or duplicate sounds. Tracks won’t be a consideration and we will change songs at the push of a button. Besides the fact that there won’t be rewind”. Talking about the future of recording sometime around 1978.

“Every person in the room can sing a part that won’t fit on the record”.

“Three things you need to know to be a record producer. 1. I don’t know, what do you think? 2. The third one. 3. I don’t know, what do you think? The third one?

“Up is louder” discussing with Tom Dowd. The faders in Atlantic New York were opposite.

Criteria Quotes

These are quotes that still resonant today. They may not be exact but I think you will get it. Hopefully, everybody is correctly credited.

“Louder is better” Ron Albert said to me during my first week at Criteria when he was comparing albums with Howard in Studio B.

“I am just not doing it. I just got over going 16 track. How many tracks could you need?
Mack Emmerman said frustrated and angry in an inpromtu staff meeting in the lobby when we were discussing the dawn of 24 track.

“Four echo devices in every studio ! Are you nuts?” Mack Emmerman discussing equipment needs with me.

“The guy is working on a one car funeral” Larry Janus about an irate client.

“I had this guy in last night, what a bass player.” Alex Sadkin after recording the unkown Jaco Pastorius in one of the ever popular Moonlight Records sessions. Most of us were sneaking recording time in the wee hours and we referred to these sessions as Moonlight Records.

“It’s gotta weigh enough to sound good.” Don Gehman talking about the rise in popularity of vintage gear.

“I just played the coolest guitar part”. Albhy Galuten after recording the guitar riff on Staying Alive.

“Some People Are Really Stupid” Albhy Galuten after one of the first SPARS meetings.

“Move that thing up a gooney unit” Karl Richardson giving me mixing instructions.

“Everybody that comes through the door and everyone we know is 80 or better on an intelligence scale of 100. You realize that there is a world of fifty and below. And there out there, listening to their radios and waiting for us behind counters and cash registers and drive thrus and telephones” Karl Richardson explaining the Yabo factor.

“I like producers that work in food terms. I want it a little sweeter, Maybe a little fatter, That was tasty, Sweet, Meaty, Get some meat on that, A little crunchier.” Steve Gursky