Gary James' Interview With Record Producer
Michael Lloyd



What do Maureen McGovern, Lou Rawls, Al Martino, The Osmonds, Leif Garrett, Shaun Cassidy, The Bellamy Brothers and Steve Lawrence and Edy Gorme all have in common? They had records produced by Michael Lloyd.

Michael Lloyd was only 30 years old when this interview was done, but he had already produced some sixty Platinum and Gold Records.

Q - Michael, would you say we're not seeing as many quality artists today as we have in the past?

A - Quality is a relative thing. The real huge artists are not oriented towards trends. Donna Summer has become bigger than the Disco trend. The good artists will rise to the surface.

Q - Why do record companies release so many albums each year?

A - There's a number of reasons. The companies feel it's better to have several irons in the fire. You never know what's going to be a monster. You can't always be sure. With albums, you're trying to get that hit single to validate the album. Bob Seger has been releasing records for a long time. Just recently he had his first number one record. Someone believes.

Q - Do you feel that video discs will have a big impact in the 1980s?

A - I don't have a very good feel for them. The market isn't good. They're too expensive. The discs run $30 to $40. The machines to run them on, $400 to $500 apiece. Once you've seen someone in concert on a video disc, you've seen it.

Q - In talking with a famous Rock star who just happens to be a record producer himself, he told me that producing isn't hard at all. You need good ears and you can learn the board in half an hour. If that's true, could I be another Michael Lloyd?

A - I don't know. I don't know to what degree you are creative. When you're directing creative energies you have to be very sensitive to people's needs. You have to have a knack for directing other people. You have to know what makes a particular song sound good and why. Maybe the person you mention knows everything already. For me, everything is different. It's a continual learning process.

Q - What's the difference between a staff producer and an independent producer?

A - More freedom. If you're a staff producer you work only with the acts on that label. Most producers today are independent.

Q - We're seeing more and more artists co-produce themselves these days. Will the role of a producer become extinct in the future?

A - I doubt it. You're speaking of the most experienced artists, the ones who have the greatest grip on themselves. You're not going to replace the producer entirely.

Q - Rate a couple of producers for me. Terry Knight. George Martin.

A - I don't have a grip on Terry Knight. I know he worked with Grand Funk. George Martin is extremely talented. He can do many things, which he has done for a long time. Some other producers I think have a good contemporary feel are Freddie Perron, Geogrie Moroder and Mike Chapman. I only know these gentlemen from their records.

Q - Is there anything you hate about your job?

A - No, nothing. I've been in music since I was four years old. To me it's not a job. It's more of a lifestyle.

Q - Do you ever offer your services as a record producer to artists you may want to produce?

A - I never call anybody. I never think to intrude. I never go around to different people like that. I know that artists, many of them, already have someone as a producer.

Q - You are working with The Bellamy Brothers and you've charted two hit records for them? How did that come about?

A - They were on Warner Bros./Curb Records prior to my involvement. "Let Your Love Flow" was a hit for them, but there was no follow-up. Mike Curb put us together. It's a simple as that. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Q - How did you, at the age of 19, get to work as the head of A&R for Mike Curb and MGM Records?

A - I'd been working with Mike since I was 14, 15, writing, producing songs. We think alike and have a good rapport. I can go ahead and do something if I think it's right without having to ask him every minute if it's okay. He's very creative and probably thought I might have some ability for the job.

Q - Did you ever want to be a musician out on the road?

A - Maybe when I was little, but not today. I did do some weekend dates with Shaun's band. It's fine for somebody else, but not me. I like to have a lot of things going on at once.

Q - How long can you see yourself as a record producer?

A - I don't know. I never set out to be a record producer. I set out to be Roger Williams.

© Gary James. All rights reserved.

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