Harry Maslin is an American record producer, recording/mixing engineer, and studio owner/designer. In the mid-1970s, he engineered No. 1 hits for

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow ( ; born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer with a career that spans over sixty years. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Brandy (Scott ...

(" Mandy"), and

Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick ( ; born Marie Dionne Warrick; December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. During her career, Warwick has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. She has been inducted into the Hollywood Wa ...

& The Spinners (" Then Came You"). As a producer, his chart hits include

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

's " Fame" (US No. 1) in 1975 and " Golden Years" (US No. 10) in 1976, as well as seven singles in the Top 5 for

Air Supply Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1975, consisting of Englishman Graham Russell (vocals, guitar) and Australian Russell Hitchcock (vocals). With record sales of 100 million worldwide, they had a suc ...

from 1980–82, including "

The One That You Love "The One That You Love" is a song by British-Australian soft rock duo Air Supply, released as a single from their sixth studio album of the same name. It was written by member Graham Russell. The song reached No. 1 in the United States, toppin ...

" (US No. 1).

Career

Philadelphia and New York

Harry Maslin was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, and began his career in the 1960s by mixing live sound at the

Electric Factory Franklin Music Hall is a concert venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is in a converted building once part of the General Electric Switchgear Plant and opened in 1995. It has a capacity between 2,500 and 3,000 people. It is owned and operate ...

. There he mixed for various artists, including Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Moby Grape, Ten Years After, BB King, Moody Blues, Buddy Guy, Grateful Dead, Hot Tuna, Procol Harum, The Chambers Brothers, Frank Zappa, and Janis Joplin. He began his recording career at Regent Sound Studios in Philadelphia, and later joined Regent's New York facility. There he expanded his knowledge, learning studio and console design, disc cutting, studio recording, mixing, and management. After two years at Regent, he moved to

the Hit Factory The Hit Factory is a recording studio in New York City owned and operated by Troy Germano. History In 1969, songwriter Jerry Ragavoy opened a recording studio in New York City and named it ''The Hit Factory.'' On March 6, 1975, Edward Germano, ...

Recording Studios as a chief recording engineer, where he engineered recordings by

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In 1971, Raitt released her Bonnie Raitt (album), self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed Americana (mu ...

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Billboard Hot 100, top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation (song), Anticipatio ...

, and Dionne Warwick & The Spinners, among others. He contributed to projects such as ''

Barry Manilow II ''Barry Manilow II'' is the second studio album by Barry Manilow released in 1974. Propelled by the major success of its lead single " Mandy" and featuring a further international hit in " It's a Miracle", the album was a commercial breakthrough ...

'' (US No. 9), and its US No. 1 single "Mandy"; Warwick & The Spinners' 1974 single "Then Came You" (US No. 1) (produced by

Thom Bell Thomas Randolph Bell (January 26, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American record producer, arranger, and songwriter known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. Hailed as one of the most prolific R&B songwriters and prod ...

), plus Carly Simon's '' Hotcakes'' album (US No. 3), and her single "

Mockingbird Mockingbirds are a group of New World passerine birds from the family (biology), family Mimidae. They are best known for the habit of some species Mimicry, mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly ...

" (US No. 5).

Bowie, Rollers, and Air Supply

Moving to the

Record Plant The Record Plant was a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and last operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it produced highly influential albums, including the New York ...

, Maslin would record for David Bowie, before producing a collaboration album between Bowie and

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

. In January 1975, at Electric Lady studios, Maslin oversaw the recording of "Fame" with Lennon on guest vocals, as well as a cover of Lennon's own song "

Across the Universe "Across the Universe" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the 1969 various artists' charity compilation album ''No One's Gonna Change Our W ...

". These sessions completed the hit album ''

Young Americans ''Young Americans'' is the ninth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released on 7March 1975 through RCA Records. A departure from the glam rock style of previous albums, the record showcased Bowie's interest in soul and R&B. ...

''. This album reached UK No. 2, US No. 9, and the single "Fame" was US No. 1. Maslin also produced Bowie's next album, ''

Station to Station ''Station to Station'' is the tenth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released on 23 January 1976 through RCA Records. Regarded as one of his most significant works, the album was the vehicle for Bowie's performance perso ...

'', in Los Angeles in 1975. The album, released in 1976, charted at US No. 3 and UK No. 5, and included the singles “Golden Years” and “TVC15”. Rejoining the Hit Factory, Maslin produced two albums for the

Bay City Rollers The Bay City Rollers are a Scottish pop rock band known for their worldwide teen idol popularity, as a band in the 1970s. One of many 70s acts heralded as the "biggest group since the Beatles", they were called the "tartan teen sensations fro ...

(including the 1977 hit single " You Made Me Believe in Magic" ), " Don't Cry Out Loud" a signature hit for

Melissa Manchester Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been played by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage. Early li ...

in 1978, and an album for

Eric Carmen Eric Howard Carmen (August 11, 1949 – March 2024) was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the lead vocalist of the Raspberries, with whom he recorded the hit " Go All the Way" and four albums. He embarked on a so ...

in 1980. Maslin then took over production of the first

album for

Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...

, which achieved multi-platinum sales. He was called back to produce the following two multi-platinum albums for Air Supply, that were highlighted by five Top Five singles in a row "Even The Nights Are Better", "Every Woman In The World", "Here I Am", "Sweet Dreams", and "The One That You Love".

Los Angeles

In 1983, Maslin opened his own studio, Image Recording Studios in Hollywood. Maslin reduced his workload as a producer and engineer and focused on studio management and consulting. Over the years, Image Recording Studios hosted mixer

Chris Lord-Alge Chris Lord-Alge is an American mix engineer. He is the brother of both Tom Lord-Alge and Jeff Lord-Alge, both of whom are also audio engineers. Chris and Tom are known for their abundant use of dynamic range compression for molding mixes that ...

Night Ranger Night Ranger is an American hard rock band from San Francisco, California. The band formed in 1982 and experienced a surge of popularity during the 1980s with the release of several successful albums and hit singles. Guitarist Brad Gillis and ...

, Madonna, Faith Hill, Henry Mancini, Quincy Jones, Guns N' Roses, Leonard Cohen, Tina Turner (including her hit single, "

I Don't Wanna Fight "I Don't Wanna Fight" is a song by American singer and actress Tina Turner, released in April 1993, by Parlophone. The track was co-written by British singer Lulu, her brother Billy Lawrie, and Steve DuBerry. The song was first offered to sing ...

"), Carlene Carter, Fleetwood Mac, Ray Charles, Melissa Etheridge, No Doubt,

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...

, Lisa Loeb, Goo Goo Dolls, Michelle Branch, The Black Crowes, Cher, Sheryl Crow, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, Jewel, Butthole Surfers,

Green Day Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...

(including their

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

Record of the Year " Boulevard of Broken Dreams"), among others. Additionally, Image Recording mixed the music for many hit Hollywood movies including ''

Lethal Weapon ''Lethal Weapon'' is a 1987 American action film directed by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black. It stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover alongside Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, and Mitchell Ryan. In ''Lethal Weapon'', a pai ...

'' and ''

The Hunt for Red October ''The Hunt for Red October'' is the debut novel by American author Tom Clancy, first published on October 1, 1984, by the Naval Institute Press. It depicts Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius as he seemingly goes rogue with his country's cutt ...

''. Among other engineering projects at Image Recording, Maslin worked on tracks for

Jennifer Warren Jennifer Warren (born August 12, 1941) is an American actress, producer and film director. Early life and education Warren's uncle was Yiddish theatre actor and director Jacob Ben-Ami. Career Warren made her Broadway debut in 1972 in '' 6 Rms ...

and

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, soc ...

, as well as

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

’s album ''

HIStory History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

''. Maslin has also served as a consultant for studio builders, equipment manufacturers, engineers, producers, A&R personnel, and music supervisors. In 2005, Image Recording closed. Maslin has since built a digital ProTools studio for use by both himself and his producer/songwriter wife, Michele Vice-Maslin, and her company Sweetersongs. In 2008, Maslin was again working with David Bowie mixing and re-mixing.

Personal life

Maslin is married to Emmy award-winning songwriter and producer Michèle Vice-Maslin.

Selective discography

As producer

Singles

* 1975: "

Fame (David Bowie song) "Fame" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was released on his 1975 album '' Young Americans'' and was later issued as the album's second single by RCA Records in June 1975. Written by Bowie, Carlos Alomar and John Lenno ...

" - David Bowie (US No. 1) * 1977: " It's a Game" - Bay City Rollers (UK No. 16) * 1977: " You Made Me Believe in Magic" - Bay City Rollers (US No. 10, UK No. 34) * 1977: " The Way I Feel Tonight" - Bay City Rollers (US No. 24) * 1978: " Don't Cry Out Loud" - Melissa Manchester (US No. 10) * 1980: " It Hurts Too Much" - Eric Carmen (US No. 75) * 1980: " Lost in Love" - Air Supply (US No. 3) * 1980: " Every Woman in the World" - Air Supply (US No. 5) * 1981: "

" - Air Supply (US No. 1) * 1981: " Here I Am" - Air Supply (US No. 5) * 1982: " Sweet Dreams" - Air Supply (US No. 5) * 1982: "

Even the Nights Are Better "Even the Nights Are Better" is a 1982 song by the British/Australian soft rock duo Air Supply, released on their seventh studio album '' Now and Forever'' (1982) as the album's first single. It first charted in the United States on the ''Billb ...

" - Air Supply (US No. 5)

Albums

*1975: ''

'' - David Bowie (US No. 9, UK No. 2) *1976: ''

'' - David Bowie (US No. 3, UK No. 5) *1976: ''Earl Slick Band'' - Earl Slick Band *1976: '' Hoppkorv'' -

Hot Tuna Hot Tuna is an American blues rock band formed in 1969 by former Jefferson Airplane members Jorma Kaukonen (guitarist/vocals) and Jack Casady (bassist). Although it has always been a fluid aggregation, with musicians coming and going over the ...

*1977: '' It's a Game'' - Bay City Rollers (US No. 23, UK No. 16) *1978: ''

Strangers in the Wind ''Strangers in the Wind'' is a 1978 rock album by the Bay City Rollers. It was the group's sixth original studio album, and second consecutive disc to feature the production work of Harry Maslin, who produced hits for Air Supply. Early 1978 h ...

'' - Bay City Rollers (US No. 129) *1978: '' Don't Cry Out Loud'' - Melissa Manchester (US No. 33) *1980: '' Lost in Love'' - Air Supply (US No. 22) *1981: ''

'' - Air Supply (US No. 10) *1982: '' Now and Forever'' - Air Supply (US No. 25) *1982: ''Camilo (1983)'' -

Camilo Sesto Camilo Blanes Cortés (16 September 1946 – 8 September 2019), known professionally as Camilo Sesto, was a Spanish singer, songwriter and music producer. There are various sales figures for him, ranging from 70 to 200 million records sold, and ...

*2017: ''

Live Nassau Coliseum '76 ''Live Nassau Coliseum '76'' is a live album by David Bowie recorded on 23 March 1976 during Bowie's Isolar – 1976 Tour, Isolar Tour in support of the album ''Station to Station''. The recording was first released in September 2010, as part of ...

'' - David Bowie

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maslin, Harry Living people American audio engineers Record producers from Pennsylvania Businesspeople from Philadelphia Date of birth missing (living people) Engineers from Pennsylvania Year of birth missing (living people)