Phil Harding (producer)

Phil Harding (born 1957) is an English audio engineer, producer and remixer, best known for his extended collaboration with keyboardist and programmer Ian Curnow.

Harding had a robust career prior to joining forces with Curnow, and together they became a pop mix powerhouse for many British bands. At one point they were offered the task of the first House Music remix of the Chic hit "Le Freak".

The highlight of the duo's career is their 1980s work for the highly successful record label PWL, and its creative core at the time: Stock Aitken Waterman productions (later Stock/Waterman productions).

Phil Harding started in the music industry aged 16 at the Marquee Studios in 1973. There he worked with some of the top producers in the world as they recorded the great albums of the day.

As Phil’s career progressed, a very hot list of credits soon started to stack up with artists as diverse as The Clash, Killing Joke, Toyah and Matt Bianco, all taking advantage of Phil’s ever-growing reputation as a top engineer. At the start of the 1980’s, the name of a newly formed production team was added to the list – Stock/Aitken/Waterman.

Phil engineered and mixed their first chart successes (Divine and Hazell Dean) then their breakthrough and first No 1 single, ‘You Spin Me Round’ by Dead or Alive.

The hits came almost faster than you could count them – Mel & Kim, Bananarama, Rick Astley, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys and Kylie Minogue. Phil has just started writing a book about his escapades at PWL in the 80’s and is making good headway.

A further deluge of hits followed but this time with Phil and Ian as producers for: East 17 (including the Christmas No 1 ‘Stay Another Day’), Deuce, Boyzone, 911, Caught in the Act and Let Loose.

Harding and Curnow currently operate their own production company-established in the 1990's-at the Strongroom Studio complex in Shoreditch, London. Focusing on artist development projects. In addition to his highly successful body of work and considerable skills, Harding has been praised for his pleasant demeanor and down-to-Earth "non industry" personality.

Harding mixed the earliest Matt Bianco releases in a style which would become his signature before moving on to more illustrious efforts at PWL. He worked with Bianco vocalist Basia both in the group and throughout her brief but very successful solo career in the United States. His resume is a virtual "Who's Who" of British dance-pop.

More recently he has ventured onto the other side of the glass performing with Caro on their "The 4th Way" album and then as a solo artist with "The Story Of Beginners". Both albums drew on strong songs co-written by Phil Harding with Mila Bogen.

See also

* Stock Aitken Waterman

Artists mixed by Harding

* ABC
* Rick Astley
* Bananarama
* Basia
* Matt Bianco
* Michael Davidson
* Ochi Brown
* Dead or Alive
* Depeche Mode
* Erasure
* Information Society
* Pet Shop Boys
* Red Box
* Sigue Sigue Sputnik
* Sonia
* T'Pau

External links

* [http://www.lessharma.com/mixing-with-phil-harding.html Working and mixing with Phil Harding]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pwlassociates/ PWL Associates] fansite
* [http://www.recordproduction.com/phil_harding.htm Biography and video interviews] at RecordProduction.com
* [http://www.record-producer.com/learn.cfm?a=179 Producer's View - Phil Harding] at Record-Producer.com
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