Alan Parsons music catalogue

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Alan Parsons is a British composer, musician and producer. He is known as a producer of "Pink Floyd" (Dark Side Of The Moon) and worked at the "Abbey Road Studios". More

Alan Parsons is a British composer, musician and producer. He is known as a producer of "Pink Floyd" (Dark Side Of The Moon) and worked at the "Abbey Road Studios".

He later formed the band "The Alan Parsons Project" in the 1970s. With many well-known studio musicians, this band made polished concept albums. Best known are the single "The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (sung by Chris Rainbow) and "Old and Wise" sung by ex-Zombies singer Colin Blunstone. The biggest hit of "The Alan Parsons Project" was the "Don't answer me" sung by his companion and co-producer Eric Woolfson.

It was clear early on that his interest lay in music. He learned to play the piano and flute as a child, picked up the guitar as a teenager and played both solo and in various bands at school.

Parsons worked as an assistant technician on "Abbey Road" by "The Beatles", on several "Wings" records, on "The Hollies" records ("He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" and "The Air That I Breathe") and from "Pink Floyd" ("Atom Heart Mother" and "Dark Side of the Moon", for which he received a Grammy Award). He produced albums by John Miles, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, "Pilot" (Magic) and Al Stewart (Year of the cat).

In 1976 Alan Parsons decided to start his own business. As a producer he brought projects for which he first came up with the basic idea himself. He then developed his ideas further with his regular composer Eric Woolfson (who wrote most of the songs) and contracted suitable (studio) musicians. With this he recorded the albums, so-called concept albums, in which all songs form part of a basic subject. It was all made up, a little pretentious at times, but Parson's fame reached all-time highs. He received a Grammy Award for his first project "Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe" (1976). Two more albums followed: "I Robot" (1977) and "Pyramid" (1978).

In 1978 Parsons moved to Switzerland, where he built his own record studio. Many more albums followed under his own management, during which he collaborated with various artists, such as Colin Blunstone and John Miles. Albums like "The turn of a friendly card", "Eye in the sky" and "Ammonia avenue" emerged.

In 1990, Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson split. The latter wanted to continue writing and arranging musicals. Parsons wanted to continue with the concept albums. Several albums were released after Woolfson's departure. None of them had much success. In recent years Parsons has been touring with his "Alan Parsons Live Project".

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Alan Parsons is een Britse componist, musicus en producer. Hij is bekend als producer van "Pink Floyd" (Dark Side Of The Moon) en werkte bij de "Abbey Road Studios".

Later richtte hij in de jaren '70 de band "The Alan Parsons Project" op. Met veel bekende studiomuzikanten maakte deze band gepolijste conceptalbums. Het bekendst zijn het op single uitgebrachte "The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (gezongen door Chris Rainbow) en het door ex-Zombies zanger Colin Blunstone gezongen "Old and Wise". De grootste hit van "The Alan Parsons Project" was het door zijn kompaan en co-producer Eric Woolfson gezongen "Don't answer me".

Al vroeg was duidelijk dat zijn interesse bij de muziek lag. Hij leerde als kind piano en fluit spelen, pikte als tiener de gitaar op en speelde op school zowel solo als in diverse bandjes.

Parsons werkte als (assistent)-technicus mee aan "Abbey Road" van "The Beatles", aan verschillende platen van "Wings", aan platen van de "The Hollies" ("He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" en "The Air That I Breathe") en van "Pink Floyd" ("Atom Heart Mother" en "Dark Side of the Moon", waarvoor hij een Grammy Award kreeg). Hij produceerde albums van John Miles, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, "Pilot" (Magic) en Al Stewart (Year of the cat).

In 1976 besloot Alan Parsons voor zichzelf te beginnen. Als producent bracht hij projecten, waarvoor hij eerst zelf het basisidee verzon. Vervolgens werkte hij zijn ideeën verder uit met zijn vaste componist Eric Woolfson (die de meeste nummers schreef) en contracteerde hij geschikte (studio)musici. Daarmee nam hij de albums op, zogeheten conceptelpees, waarbij alle nummers een onderdeel vormen van een basisonderwerp. Het was allemaal bedacht, soms wat pretentieus, maar Parsons roem bereikte hoge toppen. Voor zijn eerste project "Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe" (1976) kreeg hij een Grammy Award. Er volgden nog twee elpees: "I Robot" (1977) en "Pyramid" (1978).

In 1978 verhuisde Parsons naar Zwitserland, waar hij zijn eigen platenstudio liet bouwen. In eigen beheer volgden nog veel platen, waarbij hij met verschillende artiesten samenwerkte, zoals met Colin Blunstone en John Miles. Er ontstonden platen als "The turn of a friendly card", "Eye in the sky" en "Ammonia avenue".

In 1990 ontstond er een breuk tussen Alan Parsons en Eric Woolfson. De laatstgenoemde wilde verder met het schrijven en arrangeren van musicals. Parsons wilde verder met de conceptalbums. Na het vertrek van Woolfson verschenen nog verschillende albums. Geen van alle had veel succes. De laatste jaren is Parsons aan het toeren met zijn "Alan Parsons Live Project".

Full name

Alan Parsons

Born

London, 20 december 1948

Number of vinyl records and cds

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Oldest item

Tales of Mystery and Imagination Edgar Allan Poe (1976)