Justin Hayward Talks About Legendary Producer Tony Visconti

After the Strawberry Studio South recording studio in Dorking closed in 1983 I was very fortunate to meet Tony Visconti. What a lucky day! I loved recording with Tony at Good Earth studio in Dean Street, Soho, and from the moment I first visited the studio I could feel the vibe of quality and enthusiasm that Tony inspired in all the artists he had produced. The studio was built around Tony's needs and style, and for me that worked perfectly. I also found that Soho was an exiting place to come to everyday - a 24 hour environment - Soho was never closed. There was always something exciting and unique going on around us. Tony is a man at the forefront of recording technology and the recordings we made together were among the first to use sampling and programming, always done by Tony himself. He mastered the technology very early on and brought a new sound to all our recordings - a sound that was to give us hit singles again that had a feel that jumped out of the radio. The Other Side Of Life was an album that brought the Moodies up to date, as well as brining new fans to the band. It was a real turning point no doubt. Almost every day at Good Earth there was a visit from a young disciple of Tony's - he would always give of himself, and most mornings would find him teaching a young pupil or devotee before I arrived. Fans of Hazel O'Connor, Mark Bolan or David Bowie would regularly make the pilgrimage to Good Earth to meet their legendary producer hero. Those times at Good Earth were fantastic and exciting, and all the tracks I worked on there, solo or Moodies, are very special to me.