Reviews   Geoff Ashford
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Reviews   Geoff Ashford
Dave Walton - Every Window In The City (CBS 202490)

IRVING MARTIN

PRODUCTIONS

IRVING MARTIN

Dave Walton - Every Window In The City (CBS 202490)

Productions


Irving Martin Discography: An Introduction

King Brothers - Everytime I See You King Brothers - Everytime I See YouIrving Martin? Perhaps not a name to set most 60s music fans blood racing, but it should! He is responsible for some of the best UK pop productions in a variety of styles; Pop-beat, Harmony Vocal, R & B and dramatic Spectorian Productions, to name just a few.
One reason for his name not being better known is....a lack of hits! The one Top Twenty charter, (Number 12, August 1973, 13 weeks in the top Forty) Guy Darrell's, "I've Been Hurt" was a hit on Santa Ponsa (PNS 4) but it had originally been released in 1966. Who knows what might have hapened if this had hit the charts then?

The Compromise - You Will Think Of Me (CBS 202050)The Compromise - You Will Think Of Me (CBS 202050)

My first encounter with the credit "Production: Irving Martin", came on a CBS demo, white label with the big orange "A". (I was later to find most of my 'Irvings' looked like this!) The record, still a firm favourite, was Dave Walton's "Every Window In The City".
Irving Martin's name meant nothing to me, but the songwriter credits "Kenny Young & Arthur Resnick" did, as well as remembering that Jack Nitzsche had produced this title with Jerry Cole. It seemed worth paying the 50p at Notting Hill Gate's "Record & Tape Exchange". Few investments have paid, such a rich reward!

Cheryl St Clair - We Want Love (CBS 202041)Cheryl St Clair - We Want Love (CBS 202041)The production is glorious, sounding as if it was recorded in an empty Royal Albert Hall. The music is HUGE, bass guitar, piano and tamborine accompany Dave's voice on the intro, then a short cavernous roll on the drums and the tempo increases, never losing control as the music continues to build. All the while, Dave's voice stays with the terrific lyrics, clearly heard. How the record manages to reach such a dramatic climax, I don't know, but it does! Surely one of the best and biggest Spector styled ballads this side of The Righteous brothers. How about Nitzsche's original? Great, but Irving gets the gold star!

This was the start of actively looking for the Irving Martin production credit and, in most cases, I was not to be disappointed.

Thanks are due to Irving Martin for opening his archives, Jeff Glenn for his Reviews, Phil Chapman music restoration and Toshinari Mitsutomo, Al Williamson, John Kioussis, Ian Chapman, Geoff Ashford, Pontus von Tell and 45cat (a marvelous reference site for 45's) for additions to the discography, mp3s and label scans.

Martin Roberts(Updated 03/02/24) 


A Now & Again Musical Delight (Which will be replaced As & When)

The Compromise - You Will Think Of Me (CBS 202050)

The Compromise - You Will Think Of Me (CBS 202050: 1966)
(Wr. Mort Schuman, Production: Irving Martin)

Good song, (a relativly rare solo writing credit for Mort) but for me what makes it fab is Irving's production. He was only 19 years old at the time with no (credited) arranger but already creating magical sounds. Two more of my musical heroes were also involved in the recording; MORT SCHUMAN composer is one half of the late fifties - mid Sixties Doc Pomus / Mort Schuman hit writing machine, with big hits for big artists Elvis, Drifters, Dion et al. The partnership split and Mort moved to France and created more hits in the mid-sixties, co-writing The Small Faces "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" and Billy J. Kramer's "Little Children" among them; AND Hawkwind co-founder MICK SLATTERY. Perhaps more of my love for Hawkwind later but of interest, in "The Saga of Hawkwind" by Carol Clerk (Omnibus Press) she notes that The Compromise were the first (actually one of the first) English groups signed to CBS's UK label. A second release is also mentioned "You Baby" being one of the sides but no 45 found, I assume recorded but not released(?).

The Compromise - You Will Think Of Me (CBS 202050)

The Compromise - You Will Think Of Me (CBS 202050: 1966)
(Wr. Mort Schuman, Production: Irving Martin)

Good song, (a relativly rare solo writing credit for Mort) but for me what makes it fab is Irving's production. He was only 19 years old at the time with no (credited) arranger but already creating magical sounds. Two more of my musical heroes were also involved in the recording; MORT SCHUMAN composer is one half of the late fifties - mid Sixties Doc Pomus / Mort Schuman hit writing machine, with big hits for big artists Elvis, Drifters, Dion et al. The partnership split and Mort moved to France and created more hits in the mid-sixties, co-writing The Small Faces "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" and Billy J. Kramer's "Little Children" among them; AND Hawkwind co-founder MICK SLATTERY. Perhaps more of my love for Hawkwind later but of interest, in "The Saga of Hawkwind" by Carol Clerk (Omnibus Press) she notes that The Compromise were the first (actually one of the first) English groups signed to CBS's UK label. A second release is also mentioned "You Baby" being one of the sides but no 45 found, I assume recorded but not released(?).

60s Productions by Irving Martin on 45

King Brothers Everytime I See You Remember When CBS 202030 66
Tony Jackson You're My Number One Let Me Know CBS 202039 66
Cheryl St. Clair My Heart's Not In It We Want Love CBS 202041 66
The Compromise You Will Think Of Me Love Minus Zero CBS 202050 66
Dave Walton Love Ain't What It Used To Be Tell Me A Lie CBS 202057 66
Tony Jackson Don't Ever Leave You Baby's Side I'm The One She Really Thinks A Lot Of CBS 202069 66
The County Set Cold Winds Taste Love (And See) CBS 202070 66
Frank D'Rone My Girl At The Dance My Own True Love (Tara's Theme) CBS 202071 66
Eddie's Crowd Baby Don't Look Down Take It Easy Baby CBS 202078 66
Patti McMains There Is Beauty In The World Go To Her CBS 202079 66
Lord Sutch The Cheat Black And Hairy CBS 202080 66
Guy Darrell I've Been Hurt Blessed CBS 202082 66
Johnny Devlin Hung On You Prove It CBS 202085 66
Mike Redway One Day Let Me Be The Someone CBS 202092 66
Dave Walton Every Window In The City I've Left The Troubled Ground CBS 202098 66
King Brothers Jo Jo Peculiar CBS 202227 66
David Wigg Life Is Complicated Turning Round CBS 202233 66
Gary Bell Is This What I Get To Keep You CBS 202234 66
Marc Reid For No One Lonely City Blues CBS 202244 66
We Talkies I Wanna Walk In Your Sun I Ordered You CBS 202245 66
Guy Darrell My Way Of Thinking Big Louie CBS 202296 66
Tony Jackson Follow Me Walk Walk Walk CBS 202297 66
Johnny Devlin My Strength, Heart And Soul I Can't Get You Of My Mind CBS 202339 66
The Imagination Guantanamera You've Got Your Troubles CBS 202354 66
Paul Craig Midnight Girl Autumn CBS 202406 66
Tony Jackson If There's Anything Else You Want Come On And Stop CBS 202408 66
Johnny Devlin Tender Lovin' Care Five O'clock World CBS 202452 66
Cheryl St. Clair What About Me I'll Forget You Tonight Columbia 8077 66
We Talkies I've Got To Hold On What Are You Waiting For CBS 202457 66
Sheila White Misfit (From the Film "The Ghost Goes Gear") Switch Off The Night (From the Film "The Ghost Goes Gear") CBS 202465 66
Steps Beyond Not So Young Today Meanwhile Back In My Heart CBS 202490 67
Candlelight That's What I Want The Happy Days Of Summer CBS 202507 66
Dave Walton After You There Can Be Nothing Can I Get It From You CBS 202508 67
Guy Darrell Hard Lovin I've Never Had A love Like That CBS 202510 66
Bobby Bennett Just Say Goodbye She Believes In Me CBS 202511 66
Gnomes Of Zurich Hang On Baby Blues For My Baby CBS 202556 67
Marc Reid The Magic Book My World Turns Around You CBS 202581 67
Dennis D'ell It Breaks My Heart In Two Better Use Your Head CBS 202605 67
Guy Darrell Crystal Ball Didn't I CBS 202642 67
Romeo Z Come Back Baby Come Back Since My Baby Said Goodbye CBS 202645 67
Gary Bell Leave It To Me Anyway That You Want Me CBS 202646 67
The Californians Golden Apples Little Ship With A Red Sail CBS 2663 67
Gnomes Of Zurich High Hopes Pretender CBS 2694 67
Selwyn & John Bogey Man When God Gave Us Names CBS 2708 67
Dave Walton Lady He'll Never Know CBS 2709 67
Johnny Devlin Hurtin' You Gotta Tell Me CBS 2751 67
The Cailfornians Follow Me What Love Can Do Decca 12678 67
The Lemon Line For Your Precious Love You Made Me See The Light Decca 12688 67
Martin's Magic Sounds Mon Amour, Mon Amour Midem Melody Deram 141 67
Finders Keepers Friday Kind Of Monday On The Beach Fontana 892 67
Sight And Sound Ebenezer Our Love (Is In The Pocket) Fontana 927 67
The Californians Sunday Will Never Be The Same Can't Get You Out Of My Mind Decca 12712 67
Finders Keepers Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) Without Her Fontana 938 68
Harlem Jonns Reshuffle You Are The One I Love Good Lovin' Fontana 970 68
The Cailfornians Congratulations What Is Happening Baby Decca 12758 68
The Chamber Pop Ensemble Walk Away Renee 59th Street bridge Song (Feeling Groovy) Decca 12789 68
The Cailfornians Out In The Sun (Hey-O) The Sound Decca 12802 68
The London Balalaika Ensemble Kalinka Remember, Remember Deram 203 68
Anvil Flutes & Capricorn Voices April Showers Jolie Gendarme Deram 208 68
Monty Sunshine Two Lovers Hushabye Mountain United Artists 2245 68
Bobby Bennett All My Life Is You To Give (The Reason I Live) Columbia 8435 68
Sight And Sound Alley, Alley Little Jacky Monday Fontana 982 68
The Cailfornians The Cooks Of Cake & Kindness Mandy Fontana 991 69
Harlem Jonns Reshuffle Everything Under the Sun Let Love Come Between Us Fontana 1004 69
The Cailfornians Sad Old Songs Weep No More Fontana 1052 69
The Cailfornians You've Got Your Troubles Early Morning Sun Chapter One 112 69
Ian Green Revelation Santa Maria When You Love A Man CBS 3997 69
Royalty That Kind Of Girl Will You Be Staying After Sunday CBS 4181 69
Royalty Let's Ride I Need Your Love CBS 4498 69
The CBS tracks below were / remain unreleased (unless noted)
Falling Leaves Ten Feet Tall   CBS ? 66
The Sloopys Take My Heart   CBS ? 67
Royalty Your Heart's Not In Your Love   CBS ? 69
Royalty Heading Straight For You The Californians & Friends Teensville 1035 69
Tony Jackson Is There Anything Else You Want (alt) The Tony Jackson Group - Watch Your Step! Castle CD 892 04

60s Productions by Irving Martin on LP

Martin's Magic Sounds Martin's Magic Sounds Deram SML 1014 67
Marble Arch Orchestra Tomorrow's Standards US Liberty 7567 67
The Chamber Pop Ensemble The Chamber Pop Ensemble Decca 4933 68
London Balalika Ensemble London Balalika Ensemble Deram SML 712 68
Anvil Flutes & Capricorn Voices Something New Is Coming Deram SML 1026 68
The Liberty Studio Orchestra Tricks With Hits Liberty 83102E 68
Bones Galore Bones Galiore Polydor 583078 69
Harlem Jonns Reshuffle Harlem Jonns Reshuffle Fontana TL 5509 69
The Albums below are all in Fontana's "Living Prescene" series.
The Baroque Brass The Baroque Brass Fontana 16250 68
Fontana Concert Orchestra Portrait Of Bob Dylan Fontana 16257 68
Pete Smith Orchestra Neapolitan Nights Fontana 16259 68
Cortez And His New Latin Cortez And His New Latin Fontana 16265 69
Pete Smith Orchestra It's Very Hot For May... Fontana 16266 69

60s Productions by Irving Martin on CD

The Tony Jackson Group Watch Your Step
(Includes all four of Jackson's CBS, Irving Martin productions and the previousley unreleased version of "Is There Anything Else You Want")
Castle CD 892 04
Guy Darrell I've Been Hurt: The Complete 1960s Recordings
(Includes all four of Darrell's CBS, Irving Martin productions)
RPM 984 17
The Californians & Friends - Early Morning Sun: 60s Harmony Pop Produced by Irving Martin
(Essential! All The Californians cuts, Paul Craig's 45, both Royalty 45s (& previousley unreleased "Your Heart's Not In Your Love") 3 cuts by Finders Keepers (no "Sadie, The Cleaning Lady"), the 2 best sides from the Sight And Sound singles and Tony Jackson's "You're My Number One" and "Let Me Know". Buy a copy)
Teensville 1035 19

60s Compositions by Irving Martin aka D. Beadle

Don't Fool Yourself John Summers (Pye 15918) '65
Forget It (co-wr Jack Daw) Mal Ryder & The Spirits (Piccadilly 35209) '64
I Need Your Love (co-wr Tony Hiller) Royalty (CBS 4498) '69
I'll Forget You Tonight Cheryl St. Clair (Columbia 8077) '66
I've Never Had A Love Like That (co-wr John Carter) Guy Darrell (CBS 20250) '67, The Sceptres (RCA Canada 3436) '67
One Day John Summers (Pye 17081) '66
We Want Love Cheryl St. Clair (CBS 202041) '66, Caroline Carter (Decca 12239) '65
You Made Me See The Light (co-wr Tony Clarke) The Lemon Line (Decca 12688) '67

70s Productions by Irving Martin on 45

Peter Franc Song For Every Season Woman Don't Try To Rearrange Me Blue Mountain 1012 72
Peter Franc I'll Move Along Song For Every Season Dawn 1033 73
Peter Franc Ballad Of The Superstar Strange Kind Of Woman Dawn 1039 73
Les Reed Orchestra Also Sprach Zarathustra Second Movement Of Fifth Symphony Chapter One 186 73
Les Reed Orchestra Least We Forget - Chapter One 189 73
Anne Marie David Hey Papa Tell Me Once Again Epic 2297 74
Anne Marie David Sing For Your Supper Where Are You Going To My Love Epic 2431 74
Les Reed Orchestra Slaughter On Tenth Avenue The Hawk Bell 1342 74
Ashford And Buddy Played Peggy Sue Charmer W. Bros 16495 74
Sandy Nelson You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - French UA 74
Supergroove 2002 2002 Plus 2 Polydor 2058 576 75
Bremmer & Kane Band Song For Two Ladies From The Heart W. Bros 16641 75
Peter Franc Flag Of Convience At Home With You Dawn 1088 75
Babe Rainbow Don't Let Me Stand In Your Way - Mercury 6007 113 75
Patrick Samson Movin' Wth Susan - Italian Ducale 250 75
Bremmer & Kane Band I Made A Deal With The Sunshine Claim To Fame W. Bros 16538 75
Frogmorton White Swans Uncivilized Philips 6006506 76
The Saint Orchestra Return Of The Saint Theme Funko Pye 46127 78
Grace Kennedy Fever I'm So Glad I Got 'Cha DJM 10879 78
Monaco God Only Knows Earthy Pinnacle 64 78
Sandie Jones (Boogie Woogie) Dancin' Shoes (Boogie Woogie) Dancin' Shoes (Inst.) Éire Spider Web 006 79
Sandie Jones Shoes Off, Boots On Shoes Off, Boots On (Inst.) Éire Spider Web 017 79
Kim Goody Wait In Line - Bronze 133 81
Gerrard Kenny I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face - Musical Fantasy Fant 1 83
4 Unreleased cuts written by Geoff Ashford with his band Rivington Pike, The Chanter Sisters on B-Vox
Out Of My Sight Wait Just A Little Bit Longer
I've Got This Love
I'll Be There 71

70s Productions by Irving Martin on LP

Jamestown Sheiks Lennon & McCartney Reggae Style Chapter 1 - 1001 70
The London Sound 70 Orchestra and Chorus The Best Songs of Our Lives U.S. DECCA DEB 7-6 (5 LP Box set) 70
The London Sound 70 Orchestra and Chorus The Sounds of Christmas 50 Great Songs of Christmas U.S. DECCA DEB 7-7 (3 LP Box set) 70
The London Sound 70 Orchestra and Chorus The Best Songs of Hollywood U.S. DECCA DEB 7-8 (3 LP Box set) 71
XYLOS Inc. Pretty Percussion Polydor 2460 141 71
The Sunset Festival Orchestra Non-Stop Bacharach Sunset 50263 71
The Sunset Festival Orchestra Non-Stop Mancini Sunset 50345 73
The Sunset Festival Orchestra Non-Stop Carole King Sunset 50348 73
The Sunset Festival Orchestra Non-Stop Carpenters Sunset 50367 73
Peter Franc Profile Dawn 3043 73
Sandy Nelson Hocus Pocus UA 29509 73
The London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted By Ezra Rachlin
All-Time Classics Arcade 1 73
Peter Franc En Route Dawn 3051 73
Anne-Marie David Anne-Marie David
all but "Wonderful Dream"
Epic 80148 74
Barry Gray Space 1999
"Death's Other Domain" & "Black Sun", not credited but wr B. Dee, I. Martin & Prod Irving Martin
USA RCA 1422 76
The London Philharmonic Choir
Conducted By John Alldis
Sounds Of Glory Arcade 25 76
Frogmorton At Last Philips 6308 261 76
The albums below are all 'Library Music' releases and include tracks Irving Martin produced and co-wrote, usually with Brian Dee.
Heavy Rock The Regency Line 1010 75
Western Music The Regency Line 1011 75
Sport The Regency Line 1026 75
Tension Unlimited (All tracks, Irving Martin / Brian Dee) The Regency Line 1036
Soft Illusions Bruton Music BRD 5 78
Leisure Bruton Music BRD 6 78
Good Times Bruton Music BRG 4 78
Happiness Bruton Music BRG 5 78
High Adventure Bruton Music BRK 2 78
Speed Fever Bruton Music BRK 3 78
Dramatic Action Bruton Music BRK 4 78
Auturbine Bruton Music BRL 1 78
Light Industry (Over half, Irving Martin / Brian Dee) Bruton Music BRL 5 79
S.1 Drive / S.2 The Living City (S.2 Irving Martin / Brian Dee) Bruton Music BRJ 19 80

4 samples of Irving Martin's music

Lord Sutch - Black And Hairy - CBS.jpg

Lord Sutch - Black And Hairy - (Acetate, released as CBS 202080: 1966)
(Wr. D. Sutch, Acc.by Des Champ, Production: Irving Martin)

Lord Sutch didn't only make great records with Joe Meek. This Sutch written, Irving Martin produced B-side is one of his best. Play it with the lights out!

Selwyn & John - Bogey Man - CBS

Selwyn & John - Bogey Man - (CBS 2708: 1967)
(Wr. S. Timothy/J. Ellison, Musical Direction: Pete Smith, Produced by Irving Martin)

Sweet Floral Albion said of this record "A super super Brit rarity! Amazing that a beauty of this quality remains almost totally unheard and unknown."


Lord Sutch - Black And Hairy - CBS.jpg

Lord Sutch - Black And Hairy - (Acetate, released as CBS 202080: 1966)
(Wr. D. Sutch, Acc.by Des Champ, Production: Irving Martin)

Lord Sutch didn't only make great records with Joe Meek. This Sutch written, Irving Martin produced B-side is one of his best. Play it with the lights out!

Selwyn & John - Bogey Man - CBS

Selwyn & John - Bogey Man - (CBS 2708: 1967)
(Wr. S. Timothy/J. Ellison, Musical Direction: Pete Smith, Produced by Irving Martin)

Sweet Floral Albion said of this record "A super super Brit rarity! Amazing that a beauty of this quality remains almost totally unheard and unknown."

Harlem Jonns Reshuffle - Everything Under The Sun - Fontana

Harlem Jonns Reshuffle - Everything Under The Sun - (Fontana 1004: 1969)
(Wr. Crewe/Knight, Production: Irving Martin)

A cover of the Ronettes, Phil Spector produced song recorded in 1966 but not released untill 1976. From 1969 an enjoyable brassy version by this fab beat group.

Ashford - And Buddy Played Peggy Sue - WBros

Ashford - And Buddy Played Peggy Sue - (Warner Bros. 16495: 1974)
(Wr. Geoff Ashford, Produced by Irvin[sic] Martin

Geoff Ashford, the writer as well as performer on this goodie contacted me with the label scan and mp3. Thanks Geoff, checkout his Spotify web site.


Harlem Jonns Reshuffle - Everything Under The Sun - Fontana

Harlem Jonns Reshuffle - Everything Under The Sun - (Fontana 1004: 1969)
(Wr. Crewe/Knight, Production: Irving Martin)

A cover of the Ronettes, Phil Spector produced song recorded in 1966 but not released untill 1976. From 1969 an enjoyable brassy version by this fab beat group.

Ashford - And Buddy Played Peggy Sue - WBros

Ashford - And Buddy Played Peggy Sue - (Warner Bros. 16495: 1974)
(Wr. Geoff Ashford, Produced by Irvin[sic] Martin

Geoff Ashford, the writer as well as performer on this goodie contacted me with the label scan and mp3. Thanks Geoff, checkout his Spotify web site.


If I wondered if my admiration for Irving Martin's work was just a quirk in my make-up, I needn't have worried. I'm very pleased to be able to offer some first rate reviews written from the US side of the Atlantic by Jeffrey Glenn.

Irving Martin - Top Pop Picks by Jeffrey Glenn


Reviews   Geoff Ashford
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Reviews   Geoff Ashford
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