Music producer David Bendeth is known for being extraordinarily BUSY. The kind of Busy that pumps out numerous records every year without pause. It just so happens that many of those records have a habit of turning into PLATINUM selling Grammy nominated Chart Topping style albums. Having started his career as a songwriter & performer, his 1980 UK Dance hit “Feel The Real” began a journey of music that would take him many miles across the biz & land him in his most well known seat; The Producer’s Chair. Read on to find out why he’s a master of disguises & why Plargyle may just be the biggest fashion statement for Fall 2010.
Electric Slide or The Lombada?
WELL I DO LIKE THE WATUSI…BUT WHO CAN RESIST THE SLIDE A LA JAMES BROWN?
Best Makeout Song ever written?
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN. ITS A LONG ONE.
Jukebox or The DJ?
DJ…TAKES SOME CREATIVITY.
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
THE STONES LOST ME AFTER EXILE ON MAIN STREET.
THE BEATLES, NO ONE CAN TOUCH LENNON AND MACCA.
Plaid or Argyle??
I PERSONALLY LIKE PLARGYLE.IF YOU ARE SCOTTISH AND YOU DRINK, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
You have produced more than eighty albums. Totaling over 60 million records sold. As a boy, growing up between London & Toronto, did you ever imagine becoming one of the most successful music producers in U.S. History?
I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THOSE STATS, BUT I DO KNOW IT WAS IN MY BLOOD TO MAKE RECORDS. I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO DO AND THAT WAS MUSIC. MY HEROES AND MENTORS WERE SO INSPIRATIONAL, THEY MADE THE BLUEPRINT, I FOLLOWED THEIR LEAD.
It seems your career has been one of every aspect of the music business. Having began as a performer & songwriter with your own hit “Feel The Real” in 1980 to A&R Exec to world renowned producer. Do you feel your experience at all levels of the biz aided in making you the Hitmaker of today?
I HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE MUSIC MY WHOLE LIFE. I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE “WELL ROUNDED” I WAS ALWAYS JUST A MUSICIAN DISGUISED AS EVERYTHING ELSE.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT MY CAREER HAS TAKEN MANY TURNS, AND I HAVE TRIED TO LEARN FROM EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD. AS LONG AS THERE WAS MUSIC INVOLVED AND SOMEONE I COULD LEARN FROM, THEN I VOLUNTEERED.
What was it like to be involved with the legendary ELVIS 30 #1 Hits collection as producer & mixer? And were you always an Elvis fan ?
I WAS NEVER AN ELVIS FAN, WELL UNTIL I MADE THAT RECORD. IT WAS A THRILL OF A LIFETIME AND SOMETHING I NEVER EXPECTED WOULD HAPPEN TO ME. I WAS REALLY SCARED FOR THE WHOLE PROCESS, BUT IT ENDED UP TO BE ELVIS’S BIGGEST RECORD. I WAS PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT, BUT SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW HE WAS THE GREATEST ARTIST OF ALL TIME, LONG BEFORE I WAS MAKING RECORDS.
There are great years & then there are EPIC years. 2007 was a year that brought you 3 Platinum Records with Paramore’s RIOT, Breaking Benjamin’s PHOBIA & The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. How does it feel when the stars align at such epic proportions?
2007 WAS A CONTINUAL HIGH. I THINK THE BIGGEST SHOCK WAS THREE DIFFERENT BANDS WITH REALLY DIFFERENT STYLES. I HAD BEEN WORKING HARD TO REACH A LEVEL WHERE I WAS AT THE TOP OF MY GAME. I THINK IN RETROSPECT THAT MY A&R ABILITIES PICKED THOSE ARTISTS BY INSTINCT. I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH SUCH TALENT. FACE DOWN WAS AN IMPORTANT SONG ABOUT ABUSE TOWARD WOMEN. A LOT NEEDED TO BE SAID ON THE SUBJECT AND THE SONG FACE DOWN REALLY HIT HOME, ESPECIALLY AT RADIO.
PHOBIA WAS MY SECOND BREAKING BENJAMIN RECORD, THERE WAS ALREADY A COMFORT LEVEL AND BEN HAD WRITTEN AMAZING SONGS, THEY WERE RIPE AND READY TO HIT AGAIN, I AM ALSO VERY PROUD OF THE NEW RECORD DEAR AGONY, BEN IS A FANTASTIC WRITER.
PARAMORE WAS SOMETHING I HAD WANTED TO DO FOR TWO YEARS. HAYLEY WILLIAMS WAS A POWERHOUSE AND THE BAND WERE SENSATIONAL. NO ONE PREDICTED THEY WOULD HIT, IT WAS SO GREAT TO SEE A FEMALE ARTIST ON TOP OF THE ALTERNATIVE CHARTS AGAIN WITH A SONG LIKE MISERY BUSINESS. I LOVED MAKING THAT RECORD, THERE WASN’T A DUD SONG ON THERE. THEY WERE A PRODUCERS “DREAM BAND”
2010 has you busy with Taking Back Sunday, It’s Alive, Papa Roach, Forever The Sickest Kids & more….what can we expect to BLOW up our Platinum Meters this year?
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO A BUNCH OF RECORDS. I JUST PRODUCED KAILE GOH WHO IS A 14 YEAR OLD SINGER/SONGWRITER AND SHE HAS A BIG FUTURE. I AM ALSO WORKING WITH CRYSTAL BOWERSOX WHO WAS RUNNER UP ON AMERICAN IDOL AND SHE HAS AN AMAZING VOICE. HEDLEY A BAND FROM CANADA IS REALLY COOL, AS IS ATOM SMASH FROM FLORIDA.
I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING TO “BLOW UP” , I DO KNOW I AM STILL EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHATEVER I AM WORKING ON, AND THAT THRILLS ME TO WAKE UP EVERYDAY AND STILL LOVE WHAT I DO.
Guess what David, We’re thrilled about what you do too.
Thanks for Great Records.
Birdee
