Bruce Botnick (born 1945) is an American audio engineer and record producer. He is best known for co-producing L.A. Woman, the sixth studio album by the Doors, after producer Paul A. Rothchild quit during production of the album. Botnick is also known for producing for Eddie Money and his platinum albums Eddie Money and Life for the Talking, as well as Steve Perry's platinum album Street Talk.[1] Botnick also engineered for the Beach Boys and their eleventh studio album Pet Sounds, as well as producing and engineering for acts such as Love, Buffalo Springfield, Dave Mason, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Rolling Stones, as well as film composer Jerry Goldsmith.[1]

Bruce Botnick
Born1945 (age 78–79)
Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation(s)Audio engineer, record producer
Years active1963–present
Notable workL.A. Woman, Eddie Money, Life for the Talking, Street Talk, Let It Bleed, Pet Sounds

Early work edit

Botnick engineered Love's first two albums, and co-produced their third album, Forever Changes, with the band's singer-songwriter, Arthur Lee.[2] He also is listed as the one of two recording engineers on the 1965 Curtis Amy LP The Sounds of Broadway - The Sounds of Hollywood - said to have been released in 1965,[3] although it also has been said to have been released earlier. The LP back cover liner notes, written by Curtis Amy, formally thank Bruce Botnick for his work on the recordings.

The Doors edit

Botnick audio engineered the Doors' studio recordings starting with their first album in 1966.

In November 1970 he took over production of The Doors' L.A. Woman album, their last with lead singer Jim Morrison, after the band's long-serving producer Paul A. Rothchild fell out with the band over the album's direction.[4] According to Robby Krieger it was Botnick's idea to record the album at the Doors rehearsal space where they were more comfortable and used to the sound, rather than at a more costly recording studio.[5]

Additional work edit

Botnick has a credit as assistant engineer on the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed album. He later produced Eddie Money's first two albums, Eddie Money in 1977 and Life for the Taking in 1978. Botnick also produced two albums for Paul Collins' rock group The Beat, including 1979's The Beat and 1982's The Kids Are The Same. He also co-produced Kenny Loggins’ 1982 album, High Adventure.

Botnick had a long-running association with film composer Jerry Goldsmith as his scoring mixer. Botnick first met Goldsmith on 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture and they worked together on most of Goldsmith's film projects - numbering over 100 - from the 1980s through to Goldsmith's death in 2004.

He also engineered at least two of Lonnie Mack's late-1960s Elektra albums, and is credited as Re-Recording Mixer for the movie Gremlins.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "About". Bruce Botnick. August 20, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Love's "Forever Changes" Finally Gets Long Deserved First Class Vinyl Reissue". Analog Planet. December 26, 2012.
  3. ^ "Curtis Amy – The Sounds Of Broadway / The Sounds Of Hollywood". Discogs. 1965. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  4. ^ "Bruce Botnick: The Doors, MC5, Pet Sounds". Tapeop.com. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  5. ^ staff, Goldmine (June 4, 2012). "Robby Krieger Reopens the Roor to the L.A. Woman Sessions". Archived from the original on June 2, 2015.

External links edit