Richard James Burgess is a man who wears many hats. In a career that spans over five decades, Richard was first and foremost a drummer. In the 1970s, he became a part of the London music scene as a session drummer, as well as with the ground- breaking band Landscape.
Richard combined his passion for music, drumming and electronics when he worked closely with Dave Simmons on the Simmons SDS-V drum kit. After Landscape dissolved, he began to work more behind the desk, being one of the first to own a Fairlight CMI in the U.K. He would go on to work with the likes of Kate Bush, Spandau Ballet, Visage and Colonel Abrams.
The 1990s saw Burgess re-enter the world of academia and he would go on to write some of the most comprehensive guides on music production. Recently, Landscape released ‘Landscape A Go-Go’, a comprehensive 5 CD anthology of their work covering their entire recorded output between 1977 and 1983.
Richard recently chatted to Rob from his New York apartment, where he talked about his journey with electronic music and his future plans as an author, musician and producer.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:49 - Looking Back On Working With Landscape
04:43 - Using New Technology Live On Stage
06:19 - Starting The Journey With Music Technology
08:00 - The Threat Of Electronic Drums And Drum Machines
10:37 - Working With JJ Jeczalik
12:25 - Involvement With The Simmons SDS V
16:47 - Modern Electronic Drums
18:03 - Using Drum Sample Libraries
22:19 - The Fairlight CMI
29:00 - The Introduction Of Page R
32:23 - The Move Into Production
37:51 - The New Romantics
39:43 - Working With A Variety Of Artists
42:07 - Richard Burgess The Author
46:39 - A.I. In Music
50:20 - Compensating Musicians For Their Work
53:51 - Current Projects
55:24 - A Landscape Reunion?
Richard James Burgess Biog
Born in London, Burgess’ family emigrated to New Zealand in 1958 when Richard was aged 10. He studied at both Berklee and London’s Guildhall before forming Landscape. His musical career included being a session drummer, producer engineer and inventor.
Burgess re-entered academia where he both lectured and advised on music production and the music business in both the U.K. and the United States. His books, ‘The Art of Music Production’ and ‘The History of Music Production’ are considered essential reading for anyone in the industry.
Richard remains entrenched in the music business to this day, chairing the American Association of Independent Music, having also served on the boards of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences and the Smithsonian Music Committee.
Rob Puricelli Biog
Rob Puricelli is a Music Technologist and Instructional Designer who has a healthy obsession with classic synthesizers and their history. In conjunction with former Fairlight Studio Manager, Peter Wielk, he fixes and restores Fairlight CMI’s so that they can enjoy prolonged and productive lives with new owners. He also writes reviews and articles for Sound On Sound, his website Failed Muso, and other music-related publications, as well as hosting a weekly livestream on YouTube for the Pro Synth Network and guesting on numerous music technology podcasts and shows. He also works alongside a number of manufacturers, demonstrating their products and lecturing at various educational and vocational establishments about music technology.
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