Great Reads on Recording and Music

Here is a list of some of the books on recording and music that we have added to the reading (or re-reading!) queue recently.

Are We Still Rolling? by Phill Brown Great studio session stories about The Rolling Stones, Talk Talk, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and more! Excerpts Here

The Great British Recording Studios by Howard Massey A look inside legendary British recording studios like Olympic, Abbey Road, Trident and a slew of others. Layouts, gear, and technical innovations make this a comprehensive read. Tape Op Review

Recording The Beatles by Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew Over 500 pics (many life size!) and detailed descriptions of every microphone, console, and processing that the Beatles used over their entire career make this hefty book a must have for any Beatles fan or producer/engineer that wants to understand recording history. Interview with the Authors Tape Op Review

Sound Man by Glyn Johns First hand accounts of working with legends like Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Eagles and Rolling Stones. Glyn Johns Interview

What To Listen For In Music by Aaron Copland Aaron Copland’s guide on how to listen to and analyze music.

Recording Unhinged by Sylvia Massy Wildly illustrated book on recording ideas and techniques. Fun, nice to look at and full of good information. Tape Op Review Sylvia Massy Interview

Ocean of Sound by David Toop Sun Ra, Brian Eno, Lee Perry, Brian Wilson, Kate Bush, Kraftwerk and Ryuichi Sakamoto are all interviewed in this thought provoking work of sonic history.

Joe Meek’s Bold Techniques by Barry Cleveland A thorough examination of this pioneering recording genius. Tape Op Article

Musician’s Survival Guide to a Killer Record by Mixerman Musicians! Learn how to focus on what really matters. Well written, concise, and could change your life. Tape Op Review Mixerman Interview

Temples of Sound by Jim Cogan & William Clark Subtitled, "Inside the Great Recording Studios,” this is a lighter read but amazing photos and history.

Mixing with Your Mind by Michael Paul Stavrou This book will twist your mind around about recoding technique, IF you are ready for it.

Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science by Bob Katz This book totally changed the way I looked at and understood recording and digital audio. -LC Tape Op Review

The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn A detailed history of The Beatles' recording sessions.

Words and Music: A History of Pop in the Shape of a City by Paul Morley One of the most intriguing books I’ve ever read about music- JB Tape Op Review

Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc. by Jeff Tweedy Jeff Tweedy Interview

Beatles '66: The Revolutionary Year by Steve Turner

The Story of The Beatles Last Song - I Want You (She’s So Heavy) by James Woodall Self Expanatory!

Ways of Hearing by Damon Krukowski An examination of listening in the digital age.

The New Analog by Damon Krukowski Krukowski uses the sound engineer’s distinction of signal and noise to reexamine what we have lost as a technological culture, looking carefully at what was valuable in the analog realm so we can hold on to it.

Perfecting Sound Forever by Greg Milner Greg Milner takes us through the major breakthroughs and glorious failures in the art and science of recording.

There Will Be No Quiet by Stanley Donwood Technically not music, but really interesting from Radiohead’s resident visual artist:

Absolutely On Music by Haruki Murakami and Seiji Ozawa The two authors conversations on their passion for music via a broad range of topics.

Children of the Canyon by David Kukoff This is fiction, but one of the more insightful books on the self absorbtion of what we do. Told from the perspective of a teenager who’s father is a record producer in Laurel Canyon in the 60s working with thinly veiled fictionalized versions of Brian Wilson and Gram Parsons.

The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma by Ben Sidran Leo Sidran’s [#135] dad writes an amazing life study of Tommy LiPuma, his friend and mentor. Learn about George Benson’s Breezin’ and more!

This is Your Brain on Music by Dr. Daniel Levitin A great insight to what is happening in your dome when you listen to music. Daniel Levitin Interview