Hurricane Smith R.I.P.

This totally escaped my notice (and everyone else's), but Norman "Hurricane" Smith died last month. March 3rd to be exact. He was 85.

Who the fuck was Hurricane Smith, you ask?

He was British recording engineer who worked with The Beatles on all of the EMI records right up through Rubber Soul. He also worked with Pink Floyd and Barclay James Harvest. I provided the link because I know none of you bitches have any idea who Barclay James Harvest
are. They were very Moody Bluesish. So here is some Moody Blues.



But I digress.

Working with all of those rock groups must have given him a taste for a bit of his own fame. Even though he was a bit out of step, musically.

Hurricane Smith was best known for his own self titled hit album in 1972 that featured some great honking saxaphone but had few other redeeming qualities.

I mean, just listen to his voice in the second track when he sings "Oh BABE".

You would think a recording engineer who had worked with The Beatles and Pink Floyd would have a better ear.

His objective, professional response should have been "Bloody Hell! That's the worst sound ever recorded. It will frighten the children and annoy the livestock. Erase that crap and torch this entire studio. And then shoot me, just to be sure."

But amazingly enough, both of these songs were actually very popular for a while. You gotta remember, it was 1972. Lots of hashish from Thailand floating around brought back by returning Vietnam vets.

That shit could make anything sound good. Or so I've heard.

Anyway, here's a little Hurrican Smith for ya. In rememberance.





And yeah...I owned a copy of his album.