Stephen Hague (born 1960)[1] is an American record producer[2][3] most active with various British acts since the 1980s.
Stephen Hague | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 (age 63–64) Portland, Maine, United States |
| Occupation | Music producer |
Early life
editHague was born in Portland, Maine, in 1960.[1]
Early career
editHague started his musical career in the mid-1970s as a session keyboardist.[4] He soon became a member of the band Jules and the Polar Bears and produced (with Jules Shear) the two albums and one EP, released between 1978 and 1980, by that band. He then branched out into producing work by other artists, including 1980s Sparks offshoot band Gleaming Spires, their first album being recorded on Hague's home 4-track tape recorder. This 1981 album spawned the Los Angeles radio hit "Are You Ready for the Sex Girls?" on the Posh Boy label, a recording subsequently featured in Hollywood features The Last American Virgin and Revenge of the Nerds. Hague and Shear teamed up to produce both albums by new-wavers Slow Children in 1981 and 1982; Hague also co-produced Elliot Easton's (The Cars) 1985 solo album Change No Change.
Commercial successes
editIn 1983, Hague produced the Rock Steady Crew's worldwide hit single "(Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew". He then primarily worked with British artists.[5] Hague's first noted UK production was on Malcolm McLaren's "Madam Butterfly" single. In 1985 he produced Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's album Crush and Pet Shop Boys debut album Please, on which he also got a song writing credit for the song "Love Comes Quickly" which was a top 20 hit in the UK.[5] Hague has also worked with Public Image Ltd., New Order, Jimmy Somerville, Melanie C, James, Peter Gabriel, Dubstar,[6] Erasure, Pretenders, Blur, Pere Ubu, Robert Palmer, a-ha, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Robbie Williams, Tom Jones and Robbie Robertson, producing the hits "So In Love", "West End Girls", "It's A Sin", "Go West", "True Faith", "Regret", "Bizarre Love Triangle", and "A Little Respect" among many others.
Production style
editHague's production style has been described as a lush, layered sound with occasional jagged edges.[5] He cites the Beach Boys, Todd Rundgren and experimental German krautrock-bands as some influences.[5]
Production credits
edit1980s
edit| Year | Artist | Title | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Bob Beland | Stealing Cars b/w "I Can Walk Away" | 7" single |
| Roger Swallow | CUT | LP | |
| 1981 | Slow Children | Slow Children | |
| Gleaming Spires | Are You Ready for the Sex Girls? | Rodney On The Roq 2 compilation | |
| Gleaming Spires | Songs of the Spires | LP | |
| 1982 | Bob Beland | Bob Beland | EP |
| 1983 | Gleaming Spires | Walk on Well Lighted Streets | LP |
| Hilary | Kinetic | EP | |
| Rock Steady Crew | (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew | album written and produced | |
| 1984 | World's Famous Supreme Team | Hey! DJ | co-written and produced |
| Malcolm McLaren | Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo) | ||
| Andy Pratt | Fun in the First World | ||
| 1985 | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | Crush[2] | |
| Andy Pratt | Not Just for Dancing | now "Age of Goodbye" | |
| 1986 | Pet Shop Boys | Please[2] | |
| Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | The Pacific Age[2] | ||
| Pete Shelley | Heaven & the Sea | ||
| 1987 | New Order | True Faith | single |
| Pet Shop Boys | Actually | "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", "King's Cross" | |
| Communards | Red | ||
| Various Artists | Some Kind of Wonderful | ||
| 1988 | The Apartments | The Shyest Time | |
| Climie Fisher | Everything | ||
| Erasure | The Innocents[2] | ||
| Jane Wiedlin | Fur | ||
| 1989 | Pere Ubu | Cloudland | |
| Holly Johnson | Blast | "Love Train" & "Heaven's Here" | |
| New Order | Round & Round | 7" & 12" single versions | |
| Public Image Ltd. | 9 |
1990s
edit| Year | Artist | Title | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Jimmy Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Marc Almond | A Lover Spurned | Single from the album Enchanted | |
| New Order | World in Motion | ||
| Robbie Robertson | Storyville | ||
| 1991 | Banderas | This Is Your Life | |
| Siouxsie and the Banshees | Superstition[2] | ||
| Chapterhouse | Falling Down | ||
| Electronic | Feel Every Beat | single, additional production and remix | |
| Pet Shop Boys | DJ Culture | single, additional production and mix of 7” | |
| 1992 | Electronic | Disappointed | single, additional production and mix of 7” |
| 1993 | One Dove | Morning Dove White | |
| New Order | Republic | ||
| The Other Two | The Other Two & You | ||
| Morten Harket | Can't Take My Eyes Off You | ||
| Pet Shop Boys | Very | additional production | |
| 1994 | Blur | To The End | |
| 1995 | Dubstar | Disgraceful | co-produced with Graeme Robinson |
| Jimmy Somerville | Heartbeat | ||
| Gregory Gray | Euroflake in Silverlake | ||
| Frances Ruffelle | God Watch Over You | single | |
| 1996 | Robbie Williams | Freedom | single |
| Dicte | Voodoo Vibe | ||
| Manic Street Preachers | Everything Must Go | Australia and The Girl Who Wanted To Be God | |
| 1997 | Dubstar | Goodbye | |
| James | Whiplash | co-produced with Brian Eno | |
| ManBREAK | Come and See | ||
| Sarah Cracknell | Anymore | ||
| 1998 | Ace of Base | Cruel Summer | coproduced |
| Pretenders | Viva el Amor | ||
| 1999 | Technique | Pop Philosophy | |
| Tom Jones | Reload | produced or co-produced five of seventeen tracks |
2000-present
edit| Year | Artist | Title | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Afro Celt Sound System | Volume 3: Further in Time | |
| Closer to Heaven Original London Cast | Closer to Heaven (Original Cast Recording) | co-produced with Pet Shop Boys | |
| 2002 | a-ha | Lifelines | |
| 2004 | Peter Gabriel | Up | co-produced with Peter Gabriel |
| 2005 | The Modern | Life In A Modern World | unreleased album (See Matinée Club below) |
| David Mead | Wherever You Are | EP | |
| 2007 | Client | Heartland | few songs |
| The Cinematics | "A Strange Education" | ||
| Melanie C | This Time | "What If I Stay", "Forever Again", "Don't Let Me Go", "Immune", "May Your Heart", "I Want Candy" | |
| Melanie C | Understand (remix) | ||
| 2008 | Peter Gabriel and Various Artists | Big Blue Ball | co-produced with Peter Gabriel |
| Fryars | singles | ||
| 2009 | Robbie Williams | ||
| 2010 | Akira the Don | The Life Equation | |
| 2011 | Joseph Arthur | ||
| Claudia Brücken | The Lost Are Found | ||
| 2012 | Creature | Sick Imagination | |
| Low Sea | Remote Viewing | ||
| 2013 | Tristen | Caves | album |
| 2014 | James Varnish | V | EP |
| 2016 | Tommy MV$ERVTI | The Trailer Park Singles EP | co-produced single “heather’s song” with Malcolm McLaren |
| 2020 | Whitey | Now That's Why I Killed Music | album |
| 2022 | Dubstar | Two | album |
| 2022/3 | Whitey | On/Off | album |
| 2022/3 | Lizzo | About Damn Time | co-writer |
| 2022 | The Heroic Enthusiasts | Fits and Fashions EP | co-produced with The Heroic Enthusiasts |
| 2022 | The Heroic Enthusiasts | Crimes and Passions EP | co-produced with The Heroic Enthusiasts |
| 2023 | The Heroic Enthusiasts | Its A Sin (single) | co-produced with The Heroic Enthusiasts |
References
edit- ^ a b Thompson, Dave (2000-11-01). Alternative rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 773–. ISBN 978-0-87930-607-6. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Massey, Howard (2000-01-01). Behind the Glass: Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft The Hits. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 252–259. ISBN 978-0-87930-614-4. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Black, Johnny (2004-06-01). Reveal: the story of R.E.M. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 72–. ISBN 978-0-87930-776-9. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ "Stephen Hague Biography by Jason Ankeny (AllMusic)".
- ^ a b c d A.D. Amorosi (8 July 2016). "The making of Pet Shop Boys' Please". Magnet Music.
- ^ Buckley, Peter (2003-10-28). The rough guide to rock. Rough Guides. pp. 321–. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
External links
edit- Biography on MP3.com (archived on 12 February 2005)
- Stephen Hague discography at Discogs
