Padgham, Hugh (15th Feburary 1955-Present)

He is a recording engineer and producer born Hugh Charles Padgham in Amersham, England, who began his work in the music industry when he got a job as a tape operator on the recording sessions of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes at Advision Studios.

He moved to Lansdowne Studios here he worked his way up in the ranks to head engineer. He then moved again to The Townhouse where he carried on his work as an engineer but also produced and co-produced many top acts of the 1980s, often with the producer Steve Lillywhite. It was during those years that he created his “gated” drum effect which is thought was initially used on Peter Gabriel’s third album and was a major sound in Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”. It went on to be used for many other recordings of that period.

This brought him four Grammy Awards which were Album of the Year and Producer of the Year in 1986 for Phil Collins’ No Jacket Required, Record of the Year in 1991 for Phil Collins’ “Another Day in Paradise” and Best Engineered Album in 1994 for Sting’s Ten Summoner’s Tales. He has also received a further 8 Grammy Award nominations and 2 Brit Award nominations.

In the new millennium he continued to see success with his production work and saw four No. 1 hits along with several Top 10 singles with the band McFly.

He started up his own studio Sofa Sound in 2007 and resides in West London with his daughter Jessica and his partner, the designer Cath Kidston.

During his career he has worked with countless artists and groups that include Adam Ant, Joan Armatrading, Vanessa Carlton, Julian Cope, Derek & Clive, The Dream Academy, Melissa Etheridge, The Fixx, Julia Fordham, Frida, Peter Gabriel, The Human League, Howard Jones, Chaka Khan, Landscape, Youssou N’Dour, Sera, Split Enz, Tin Machine, Tina Turner, Roger Waters and XTC.

The recordings he has worked on are too many to mention but a select few of them as either engineer or producer include Still Water by Bee Gees, Tonight by David Bowie, On & On: The Hits Of… by Stephen Bishop, The Dreaming by Kate Bush, Lore by Clannad, Anthology: North South East West by Tim Finn, Fingerprints by Peter Frampton, Peter Gabriel (3) by Peter Gabriel, Invisible Touch by Genesis, H20 by Daryl Hall and John Oates, Little Kix by Mansun, Press to Play by Paul McCartney, 5^th House by Dominic Miller, Ghost in the Machine by The Police, Journeys to Glory by Spandau Ballet, Days of Open Hand by Suzanne Vega, Brian Wilson by Brian Wilson, Drama by Yes and Between Two Fires by Paul Young.

Peter Gabriel Recordings
Games Without Frontiers (Peter Gabriel)
(Charisma CB 354)(UK45)

Sources:

Padgham, Hugh (15th Feburary 1955-Present)

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