Hashmoder Blog » Trevor Horn

Installed By The Machine :: Propaganda :: P-Machinery

Hashmoder — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:25:49 +0000

While the norm for most tracks go anywhere between 3:30 to 6:00 minutes in length … I prefer 15:00 minutes or longer … like the four seasons. Give me 4 long tracks to fill the hour, and I’ll be one very happy Iraqi. I love tracks that take me on long journeys through various movements.

One of my all-time favorite synth-pop groups is PROPAGANDA from germany … who sound like twisted ABBA + Industrial + TechnoPop + Darkness.

12-inch vinyl cover of P:Machinery

My favorite Proganda track is P:Machinery.

I’ve taken two 12-inch vinyl versions of that track and conjoined them together as one … the way I want to listen to P:Machinery by:

digitizing them into Protools;
spending two long months cleaning them up;
getting rid of every single scratch/pop/click;
restoring deteriorated sounds through various RE-SYNTHESIS processes and techniques;
splicing the tracks to separate clips;
re-arranging and layering clips to my taste;
throwing in my own synth-stabs, chops and other minor subtleties;
adding & automating series of chained top-notch effects throughout the mix, utilizing parameters some of you could not even pronounce … thus resulting with more dynamic and reverberated DEPTH to the mix;
fattening the bottom-end;
widening overall stereo perception; and
mixing, engineering and mastering my version of P:Machinery the way I think it’s supposed to be heard.

To my taste, P:Machinery sounds better than ‘sick’ … more like master piece of shit which blasts sonically across the stereo-field … not one element standing still but constantly moving all over the place.

Listen Hashmoderized P:Machinery track…

Propaganda – “P:Machinery” (Hashmoderized) (mp3)

Lyrics…

On joyless lanes we walk in lines
a calm but steady flow
Accompanied by loud commands
our strength is running low.

Another hope feeds another dream
another truth installed by the machine
a secret wish the marrying of lies
today comes true what common sense denies.

Rotating wheels are destiny
in flame the city lies
Machines call out for followers far out into the night

The calls of the machines drowning in the steam.

Another hope feeds another dream
another truth installed by the machine
a secret wish the marrying of lies
today comes true what common sense denies.

The calls of the machines drowning in the steam.

On joyless lanes we walk in lines
a calm but steady flow
our strength is running low.

Another hope – another dream – another truth -
installed by the machine – installed by the machine.

Gear Used By Propaganda…

New England Digital, Synclavier 9600 System

New england Digital, Synclavier II

PPG Wave and Waveterm 2

External Links About Propaganda…

Live Performance…

I Love You Miss Robot :: Trevor Horn – Part 2

Hashmoder — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:21:17 +0000

Before reading this blog ………. I strongly recommend that you read (if you haven’t done so) or re-read (if you don’t remember) my last post about producer extraordinaire Trevor Horn’s dynamic 12-inch ………. and then come back here for more Horn’ful penetration.

Quick Recap…

This is Trevor Horn…
He’s the guy who produced and performed “Video Killed The Radio Star” world-wide smash-hit track. And he’s collecting millions of dollars of royalties from it.

I did some major digging and discovered some fascinating, forgotten facts and hidden gem tracks from The Buggles.

In 1980, the Buggles’ duo Geoffrey Downes (keyboards) and Trevor Horn (vocals) — who were coming off an international success with their New Wave album The Age of Plastic and the acclaimed single “Video Killed the Radio Star” – to help out on a new YES album. Downes suddenly left Buggles when Trevor learned that YES’ keyboardist Rick Wakeman was leaving the band, and therefore snatched him as well as lead-vocalist Jon Anderson to work on the next Buggles album Adventures In Modern Recording. The Buggle’s second album was completed in 1981 but was never released or charted. The album was a gem masterpiece.

A Little Bit of YES…

This is Rick Wakeman.
This is Jon Anderson.
Vangelis … in his studio setup in hotel room in Paris … working on his 1987 Direct album.
During 1981-1983, Jon Anderson worked with Vangelis who’s famous for Blade Runner soundtrack and Oscar-winning theme for Chariots Of Fire.
YES’ biggest hit single was 1983′s Owner Of The Lonely Heart (youtube video link). YES – “Owner Of The Lonely Heart” (mp3)

Buggle’s 2nd Album – Age In Modern Recording…

Since this album was never charted, there was only one single released as a 12-inch ……… an absolutely incredible track I Am A Camera with Wakeman on the keys and Anderson on the mic, which can be heard below, among few bonus tracks.

The Buggles – I Am A Camera (12 Inch)

Listen to the all the instrument layers, arrangements and chord progressions.

The Buggles – I Am A Camera (12 Inch) (mp3)

The Buggles – On TV

The Buggles – On TV (mp3)

The Buggles – Blue Nylon

The Buggles – Blue Nylon (mp3)

Buggle’s 1st Album - The Age Of Plastic…

Dynamic 12-Inch :: Trevor Horn – Part 1

Hashmoder — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:11:26 +0000

Image above provided by http://www.recordproduction.com/

Who is Trevor Horn?…

This is Trevor Horn…
He’s the guy who produced and performed “Video Killed The Radio Star” world-wide smash-hit track. And he’s collecting millions of dollars of royalties from it.
Who else is seen in that video (Killed The Radio Star) is no other than Hanz Zimmer.
Hans is Academy Award winner and one of Hollywood’s best soundtrack composers for movies such as: Rain Main, Lion King, Bee Movie, Black Rain, Da Vinci Code, and the list goes on an on IMDB.com credentials. The fucker has an amazing personal studio.

Let’s forget about Hans! I just wanted to show you the connection between him and Trevor Horn. Why is Trevor more special?

After The Buggles, Trevor Horn became to be one of the world’s best and most successful music producers of all time:

Dollar
ABC
Malcolm McLaren (Duch Rock album, “Two Buffalo Girls”, etc)
YES (Owner Of The Lonely Heart)
Africa Bambaataa
Grace Jones
Pet Shop Boys
Simple Minds
Paul McCartney
Seal
Lomax
Mike Oldfield
Tom Jones
Art Of Noise
Genesis
Lisa Stansfield
and more

What made Trevor Horn’s productions stand out was his unique and genius production techniques and the heavy use of state-of-the-art pro-audio gear, which made him become the torch-bearer for the kind of technology-led pop music which was hip and incredibly disciplined. Horn was influenced by Giorgio Moroder (for his distinctive sound) and Kraftwerk (The Man Machine album, for its non-use of traditional instruments). Horn rented the same modular synth which Giorgio used on all his records but found it very difficult to use.

Around 1980, along with Peter Gabriel, Trevor bought the very first digital sampler/workstation which was revolutionary at the time: Fairlight CMi. The Fairlight machine took over Horn’s life and rewarded him with the creation of a sound that had never been heard before. “There were landmark moments – like making the otherworldly backing vocals on Give Me Back My Heart by the Art of Noise out of a sample – that were mind-blowing. It was the birth of digital recording.”

Sampling laws had not yet been invented, and Horn stuck a skull and crossbones flag over the Fairlight to promote the image of being a pirate, stealing existing recordings and turning them into something new. He also pioneered the use of the Linn drum machine, which sounded the death knell for live drummers.

Fairlight III CMi sampler, music workstation.

However, Trevor was one of the originators of the dynamic 12-inch remixes which were the best at the time … and still are the best. Most 12-inch remixes back then were either just extended verions of original songs and/or default disco/DJ arrangments which were too boring to listen to in and of themselves.

Trevor Horn’s 12-inch remixes were uniquely long (anywhere from 8 to 13 minutes in duration) and told stories which took the listeners through long instrumental journeys at the begenning of tracks until the climax is reached (around the 5/6 or 7 minute mark). After the climax, the original or alternate full vocal version of the track takes over from that point on to the end, lasting additional 3.5 to 5 minutes in length. Like a novel, each of Horn’s remixes starts off with the long RISE to hit the CLIMAX at the top. Once climax is reached, the track would SUSTAIN the music with the original/alternate vocal version until it DECAYS and fades out in the end. Mostly importantly, it was the rolling basslines which DRIVE the listener (in the passenger seat) from begenning to end.

trevor horn's 12-inch remix graph

Most 12-inch or “remixed” tracks today are nothing more than extended DJ-friendly versions based on or bootlegged from the original sources. They are nowhere nearly produced as good and heavy as Trevor Horn’s past remixes, because they do not tell stories or go through carefully-arranged story-like journeys. They’re just dispensable and expendable pieces of garbage to my ears.

Read this Sound-On-Sound 2005 article on Trevor Horn

Homework:
Listen to Frankie Goes To Hollywood dynamic 12-inch remixes…

I want you to listen to these tracks carefully all the way through … in front of big, beefy stereo speakers:

Rage Hard (12 Inch)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Rage Hard (12 Inch) (mp3)

Two Tribes (Annihilation Mix)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes (Annihilation Mix) (mp3)

Two Tribes (Surrender Mix)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes (Surrender Mix) (mp3)

Relax (12 Inch Sex Mix)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax (12 Inch Sex Mix) (mp3)

Welcome To The Pleasure Dome (Original 12 Inch Pleasure Fix Mix)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasure Dome (Original 12 Inch Pleasure Fix Mix) (mp3)

Read Part-2 of this article …
I Love You Miss Robot :: Trevor Horn – Part 2