80s album gearlists and more

(date updated: 17/05/24) Musical equipment Drums and percussion: Linn Electronics LinnDrum drum machine – used for guide tracks, some of which were possibly kept Ludwig kit /w Paiste cymbals (Terry Williams) (specs unknown) – e.g. “Money For Nothing” opening drums & tom fills Yamaha Recording series kit (Omar Hakim, likely used): o    14x22” bass drum o    7” chrome snare o    10”, 12”, 13” & 14” rack toms o    14”, 16”, 18” floor toms o     Zildjian cymbals Guitars (Mark Knopfler, except where noted): Fender: Stratocaster (cream) – possibly Hal Lindes guitar? Gibson: Chet Atkins CE – e.g. “So Far Away” Les Paul Standard ’59 Reissue (“Money For Nothing”) Les Paul Junior – tentative ES-175D ES-5 natural (1951) Schecter: Stratocaster (red) – e.g. “Walk Of Life” Stratocaster (sunburst) Stratocaster (white) Stratocaster (Seafoam green) – Jack Sonni’s, played by MK on “One World” solo Telecaster (red) Les Pau...

(last updated: 01/05/24) Brian Eno Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks (1983) gear Instruments: Sho Bud Professional lap steel guitar – Daniel Lanois’, played on “Deep Blue Day” Fernandes Stratocaster copy – Brian's, possibly used someplace Suzuki OM-27 Omnichord : basis of “Deep Blue Day” (slowed down) Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer Yamaha DX7 (?) – see below Unknown acoustic piano (possibly Yamaha C7?) Note:   it’s often claimed that the Apollo soundtrack makes extensive use of the Yamaha DX7 (Roger Eno even said so in one interview as well), but the authenticity of this claim is dubious. As always, the source sound has been heavily treated to the point it significantly changes the character of the sound. The timelines don’t add up either: the DX7 was introduced in May 1983, whereas the soundtrack was released in July 1983. Also, Eno didn’t have his own DX7 until 1985, so until then he’d used one belonging to Grant Avenue studios. In a report from the ‘International Musician ...

(last updated: 01/05/24 ) Brian Eno/Harold Budd The Pearl (1984) equipment Instruments: Casio Casiotone 202 – e.g. “Silver Blue Ball” Fender Rhodes electric piano unknown acoustic grand piano (Yamaha?) Sequential Circuits Pro One synthesizer Yamaha CP-70/CP-80 electric grand piano Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer Yamaha DX7 ? Outboard & processing (partial list): Processing & treatments: AMS DMX 15-80S digital delay/harmonizer Eventide H910 Harmonizer EMT 250 digital reverb Lexicon Prime Time Model 93 digital delay Compressors & miscellaneous:   Drawmer 1960 Valley People 610 Neve 1066 mic preamps Sundry studio equipment: MCI JH-500C series desk MCI JH-24 24-track MCI 2-track Sources Musicclob blog Daniel Lanois interview (archived) Points Of Sonic Identity: Daniel Lanois Interviewed (Quietus) Electronic Soundmaker & Computer Music , October 1984 Sound On Sound , December 1986 Photo of Daniel Lanois at Grant Avenue (early 1980s) Grant Avenue webs...

(last updated: ) Drum machines: Ace Tone Rhythm Ace (model unknown) Roland CR-78 CompuRhythm Drums & percussion: Ludwig kit /w Zildjian cymbals: Mickey Curry's Pearl : Jerry Marotta's Keyboards: Arp 2600 Korg CX3 organ (No Can Do bass) Moog Minimoog Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 Steinway acoustic grand piano - Electric Lady Studio's, used for sessions Wurlitzer MLM student keyboard - John Oates' Guitars: 1958 Fender Stratocaster - John Oates Mandar tenor 4-string – Daryl Hall's Mandola – Daryl Hall's Mandocello – Daryl Hall's Navigator guitar? - John Oates Amplifiers: Mesa/Boogie 1x12 combo (No Can Do drums) Ampeg Portaflex (No Can Do bass) Music Man Recording & studio equipment Microphones: AKG:  C414 EB : John Oates lead vocals, background vocals, possibly  overheads & drum ambience C451 : possibly hi-hats D-12 : bass drum Neumann:  KM84 : possibly snare & hi-hats U67 : Daryl Hall lead vocals,  possibly tom-toms, overheads &...

 (last updated: 29/12/24) Jean Michel Jarre Zoolook equipment Recorded at JMJ’s Croissy Studio and Clinton Studios, NY Instruments: Electronic instruments Synthesizers: ARP 2600 E-mu Emulator EMS vocoder EMS Synthi AKS Fairlight CMI Series II – main instrument on the album, for assortment of vocal samples & sequencing Moog Modular System 55 Oberheim OB-Xa Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 Yamaha DX7 Yamaha DX9 – not listed in credits, but used for a tubular bell sound someplace as per interviews Drums & percussion Linn LM-1 drum machine – “Diva”, “Zoolook” etc. Linn LinnDrum drum machine – “Ethnicolor” Simmons SDS-V electronic drum system Other: Dr. Click synchroniser Geiss Matrisequencer 250 – custom built for Jean by Michel Geiss Recording & Studio equipment Microphones: Crown PZM's – fitted on glass baffles for experimental recording, used for Laurie Anderson vocals & Yogi Horton drums On guitar amps: AKG C414 – ...

(last updated: dd/mm/yy Howard Jones Human’s Lib gear (1983-84) Recorded October-December at Farmyard Studios, produced by Rupert Hine and engineered by Stephen W. Tyler. “New Song” was recorded (produced by Colin Thurston) and released before sessions began.   Instruments ·       Drum machines & electronic percussion: o    E-mu Drumulator drum machine o    Roland TR-808 o    Linn LinnDrum (certain sounds) – Rupert Hine’s o    Simmons SDS-6 drum sequencer o    Simmons SDS-V Drum Brain module ·       Synths: o    Roland Jupiter-8 o    Roland Juno-60 – strings, thru Roland Dimension D o    Yamaha DX7 – e.g. bass line on “What Is Love” o    Prophet T8 – linked in the studio to 2 DX7s o    Sequential Circuits Pro One o    Moog Prodigy   Studio equipment at Farmyard Studios O...

(last updated: 26/01/25) Michael Jackson Thriller recording equipment info on Wikipedia Recorded April and July-November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios (New York), with additional recording at Ocean Way Studios (drums, strings & horns) and Sunset Sound Recorders Musical equipment Drum machines: Linn LM-1  (x2 - one Rev. 1 model and one Rev 2/3) – “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, “Baby Be Mine” (Rev. 1), “Thriller” etc. Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer – “Beat It” intro, various claps Dr. Click  synchroniser prototype – for syncing drum machines Synthesizers & sequencers: ARP 2600  – (supposedly) used by Greg Phillinganes for bassline on “Thriller” Bode Vocoder Model 7702  – used by Michael Boddicker on “P.Y.T.” Casio MT-60  - 'Froggie' bass sound on  “Thriller” E-mu Emulator  – used by Michael Boddicker for voice sounds on “Billie Jean”, “Human Nature”, “P.Y.T.” and “The Lady In My Life” Moog Minimoog  – synth bass via DI box New Eng...