Tony Visconti has been hailed as one of the most important producers in the history of Rock and Pop. “Get It On (Bang A Gong)” and “Cosmic Dancer” by T. Rex are true cornerstones of rock and roll. David Bowie’s “Young Americans,” “Heroes” and “The Man Who Sold The World” are masterpieces. The Moody Blues’ “Your Wildest Dreams” and “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere” are indelibly etched into our collective memory. And there are so many more.
Tony has recently co-produced and mixed David Bowie’s Blackstar CD, co-produced Esperanza Spalding’s Concord release entitled Emily’s D+Evolution and Daphne Guinness’ Optimist in Black release.
Visconti also starred in featured roles on two television series: HBO’s Sonic Highways, a 2014 American documentary mini-series directed by Dave Grohl and written by Mark Monroe, and Sky Arts’ talent show Guitar Star. Sonic Highways featured Visconti in interviews for the New York City episode, which climaxed with the Foo Fighters playing “The River” and Visconti conducting a 25-piece string section comprised of gifted Southern California teenage musicians. Sky Arts’ Guitar Star featured Tony Visconti taking the 4 semi-finalists into Abbey Road studios and producing a song with each one of them.
As a bass player, Visconti teamed up with his former band mate, Woody Woodmansey, drummer in The Spiders from Mars, for a UK, Japanese and United States tour of the first live performances ever of Bowie’s album, The Man Who Sold the World. The cause for such celebration was the fact that the album was never performed live in its entirety.
In 2014, Visconti again collaborated with iconic singer/songwriter Kristeen Young. Her latest album, The Knife Shift, features guest drummer and guitarist Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters).
2013 saw Bowie and Visconti’s production of Davie Bowie’s “Where Are We Now” (the surprise single that shocked the world), along with the album The Next Day charting at #1 in 21 different countries.
Previously, Visconti produced Angelique Kidjo’s Grammy-winning Djin Djin album, featuring guest artists Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, Peter Gabriel, Carlos Santana, Joss Stone and Ziggy Marley, earning Tony his first Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album. It is Kidjo’s best-selling album to date! Visconti also had a #1 release with Morrissey’s solo album Ringleader of the Tormentors just a year earlier!
His autobiography, Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy (Harper Collins UK) is an evocative, brilliant overview of Visconti’s life, musical beginnings, adventures in London with David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Thin Lizzy and Paul McCartney and so much more. In 2016, Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy had its second printing.
The versatile Visconti style has also produced albums by Thin Lizzy, Luscious Jackson, The Strawbs, U2, Fall Out Boy, Alejandro Escovedo, Gentle Giant, Mercury Rev, Sparks, Badfinger, The Alarm, D-Generation and Elaine Paige, the queen of British musical theater.
Producer, arranger, musician, mixer, exemplary collaborator-Visconti is all of these. He is also among the greatest and most genuine musical souls of our industry. Catch the celebrity Interview at CMW Saturday May 7, 2016. Also catch Tony perform live with Holy Holy on Sunday May 8 at Phoenix Club.