HUGH PADGHAM
What sounds define a decade? Think of those big 80s records from Phil Collins, Genesis, Duran Duran or The Police; they all glow with a distinctive pop energy, embossed with the gold stamp of production quality courtesy of one man: Hugh Padgham.
With millions of album sales and several mantelpieces buckling under the weight of accolades, the studio legend has continually raised the bar of music production. From Peter Gabriel and XTC to Kate Bush and The Police, Hugh has always been the right man at the right place at the right time, helping many of the world’s most revered musicians find their own musical magic.
Alongside his chart triumphs, Hugh simultaneously pioneered the legendary gated-reverb studio technique, a piece of sonic wizardry that added serious weight to inescapable hits such as Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight.
What’s the secret to Hugh’s sustained success? “Producing hit records is half skill and half diplomacy. It’s how well you get on with a client and how you manage egos,” Hugh says. Amid the excess and arrogance of the 80s, some of our greatest pop stars created their finest sounds. So understandably, relationship management played a part in keeping a handle on recording and studio shenanigans.
“There are countless diplomatic aspects to producing,” agrees Hugh. “I always maintained a cheery disposition and tried to be easy to get on with. That really helps. But you need to balance it with being great at your gig, too… and make the most of the opportunities when they come.”
