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Quiz about The Producers
Quiz about The Producers

The Producers Trivia Quiz


No, this isn't a quiz on Mel Brooks' great film from 1968 or the horrible 2005 remake. It's about record producers and the artists they worked with.

A multiple-choice quiz by hootch. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
hootch
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
245,154
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
310
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Who produced Nirvana's "Nevermind" album? He also used to be in a little band called Garbage. Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The infamous Sex Pistols album "Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols" (1977) was produced by two people: Chris Thomas and Bill Price. Earlier sessions with another producer were released unofficially a month earlier as a bootleg called "Spunk". Who had produced these sessions? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. John Cale, who was once a member of The Velvet Underground, produced the debut albums of quite a few influential acts. Which of the following wasn't produced by him? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. On his socalled 'Berlin Trilogy' albums - ie. "Low" (1977), "'Heroes'" (1977) and "Lodger" (1979) - David Bowie supposedly incorporated influences by German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and postpunk boundary challengers Wire. The albums are credited as being produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti, but generally it is assumed they were actually produced by someone else. Who? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. When Mancunian entrepreneur Tony Wilson set up Factory Records in 1979, one of his partners was the visionary producer who was responsible for the incredible sound on records by The Durutti Column, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, Section 25 and New Order. Who was he? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Which producer was the mastermind behind The Tornadoes' 1962 international smash hit single "Telstar"? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. George Martin is one of the most famous producers ever. That is because he worked on most of the records by the Beatles. When The Beatles split up in 1970 he still produced some of their solo albums. But, which pair of Beatles never worked with George Martin again? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Frank Zappa had total control over all the aspects of all of his records. So, of course, he also produced them himself. But he also produced a few other artists' records. Which of the following did he never work with? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Eric Drew Feldman has produced albums by Snakefinger, Frank Black, Belgian band dEUS, Tripping Daisy, Sparklehorse, former Green On Red vocalist Chuck Prophet, Charlotte Hatherley, The Polyphonic Spree and OK Go, among others. But he started out as guitar player for Captain Beefheart. Which other legendary band was he once a member of? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Steve Albini famously recorded Nirvana's third album, "In Utero" (1993), and the Pixies' breakthrough "Surfer Rosa" (1988). I say 'recorded' because he hates to be referred to as a producer. Which of the following artists has he never worked with? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Who produced Nirvana's "Nevermind" album? He also used to be in a little band called Garbage.

Answer: Butch Vig

During the grunge boom there was no escaping Butch Vig's production work. He was almost everywhere. He started out in the mid-80s doing production work for guitar bands like Die Kreuzen, Killdozer and Laughing Hyenas. Then he became like the house producer of every band in Seattle: Tad, the Fluid, Young Fresh Fellows. And then he went on to produce some underground bands' voyage into bigger audiences: Smashing Pumpkins, L7, Sonic Youth, Gumball, Helmet.

After which he branched out: Freedy Johnston, Soul Asylum, U2, Depeche Mode, Korn, etc.
2. The infamous Sex Pistols album "Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols" (1977) was produced by two people: Chris Thomas and Bill Price. Earlier sessions with another producer were released unofficially a month earlier as a bootleg called "Spunk". Who had produced these sessions?

Answer: Dave Goodman

"Spunk" had been recorded when original bass player Glen Matlock was still a member. Who released the bootleg remains a mystery, but many fingers at the time pointed in the direction of the Pistols' svengali manager Malcolm McLaren, who was always in the mood for a scheme here and there.

Many of the songs that would later appear on the official album can be heard on it in rawer, unfinished versions. Some of the songs also have alternate titles: 'Seventeen' is called 'Lazy Sod', 'No Feelings' is credited as 'Feelings', 'God Save the Queen' is 'No Future', 'Pretty Vacant' is 'Lots of Fun', 'EMI' is 'Who Was It?' and 'Anarchy in the UK' is actually called 'Nookie'.
3. John Cale, who was once a member of The Velvet Underground, produced the debut albums of quite a few influential acts. Which of the following wasn't produced by him?

Answer: "Chelsea Girl" - Nico

John Cale played numerous instruments on the first two Velvet Underground albums and proved the perfect foil to Lou Reed's control freak attitude. He played most of the music for, and arranged and produced several of VU chanteuse Nico's albums, but not her first one.

He played various instruments on albums by Brian Eno, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Ian Hunter, Nick Drake, Lio, Moe Tucker, Super Furry Animals, Gordon Gano. And produced music for The Stooges (debut album), Patti Smith Group (debut album), The Modern Lovers (debut album), Squeeze (debut album), Happy Mondays (debut album), Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Jesus Lizard among others. Oh, and he recorded quite a few solo records as well. You gotta own: "Paris 1919" (1973), "Fear" (1974), "Animal Rights" (1977), "Honi Soit" (1981) and "Music for a New Society" (1982). For starters.
4. On his socalled 'Berlin Trilogy' albums - ie. "Low" (1977), "'Heroes'" (1977) and "Lodger" (1979) - David Bowie supposedly incorporated influences by German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and postpunk boundary challengers Wire. The albums are credited as being produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti, but generally it is assumed they were actually produced by someone else. Who?

Answer: Brian Eno

In the mid-70s Bowie had a heavy cocaine addiction. So did his friend and singer Iggy Pop; who was also addicted to lots of other stuff. To kick their habits and get back on the right track, Bowie relocated himself and Pop to Berlin for a while, because they didn't know any dealers there, and to get in touch with people from the local socalled 'Krautrock' scene.

He wanted to work with Konrad 'Conny' Plank, who had worked with Kraftwerk, Neu!, Cluster, Harmonia, Ash Ra Tempel, Holger Czukay (of Can) and Guru Guru. Plank however had no interest in working with Bowie and even refused him entrance when he came looking for him at his studio near Cologne. Bowie had also chosen Eno and Visconti to work with, so they persevered and produced three of Bowie's most interesting albums ever.

However, only "'Heroes'" was actually recorded entirely in Berlin. Oh, and even though Eno was instrumental in the creation of these albums, and their working concepts and played on all three of them, he didn't actually produce them.

It's because his influence on them was so big and Bowie worked with Visconti before and after that these albums are unjustly credited to Eno. Though let's not forget that he was indeed important in their creation.
5. When Mancunian entrepreneur Tony Wilson set up Factory Records in 1979, one of his partners was the visionary producer who was responsible for the incredible sound on records by The Durutti Column, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, Section 25 and New Order. Who was he?

Answer: Martin Hannett

Martin Hannett produced almost everybody who's anybody in the history of Manchester's music scene: Buzzcocks (he produced their debut EP as Martin Zero), John Cooper Clarke, Jilted John (also as Martin Zero), Magazine, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Section 25, New Order, Crispy Ambulance, Stockholm Monsters, Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, New Fast Automatic Daffodils, The High.

He also produced records by ESG, OMD, U2, Pauline Murray & the Invisible Girls, Psychedelic Furs, Basement 5, The Names, The Heart Throbs, etc.

In 1982 Hannett parted ways with Factory, and sued Wilson for not paying him what he was owed. Later he returned, to produce the Happy Mondays. Hannett had a rather big heroin habit, and in 1991 he died of heart failure. In the 2002 movie "24 Hour Party People" he was portrayed by actor Andy Serkis, who is also known for playing Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
6. Which producer was the mastermind behind The Tornadoes' 1962 international smash hit single "Telstar"?

Answer: Joe Meek

Joe Meek was once hailed as the British answer to Phil Spector. He also developed a unique sound and formed a fleet of bands around him. Big difference was that Meek worked out of a bedroom-sized studio in the flat he rented, above a leather goods shop in London. And he was even more eccentric than Spector.

His first hit was "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton in 1961. In 1962 The Tornadoes reached the number One spot in the US charts with the Meek-produced "Telstar". This is supposed to be former prime minister Margaret Thatcher's all time favourite record.

Another hit that carries his signature production is "Have I The Right" by the Honeycombs. He recorded over 300 records and turned down the opportunity to work with the Beatles, because they were "just another bunch of noise, copying other people's music", as he described them. Meek was extremely paranoid.

He was convinced that rival companies had hidden microphones behind his wallpaper in order to steal his ideas. He suffered violent attacks of rage and depression.

In 1963 he was charged with "importuning for immoral purposes", because of his homosexual lifestyle. On the eighth anniversary of Buddy Holly's death, whom he was obsessed with, Meek shot his landlady who popped in at a bad time to complain about unpaid rent, and then killed himself.
7. George Martin is one of the most famous producers ever. That is because he worked on most of the records by the Beatles. When The Beatles split up in 1970 he still produced some of their solo albums. But, which pair of Beatles never worked with George Martin again?

Answer: John Lennon and George Harrison

Martin produced Ringo Starr's 1970 album "Sentimental Journey" and McCartney's "Tug of War" (1982), "Pipes of Peace" (1983) and "Flaming Pie" (1997).
8. Frank Zappa had total control over all the aspects of all of his records. So, of course, he also produced them himself. But he also produced a few other artists' records. Which of the following did he never work with?

Answer: The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band

Zappa produced Wild Man Fischer's debut album "An Evening with Wild Man Fischer" (1968). Fischer was a guy who used to live on the streets of San Francisco and improvised songs for a buck. When Zappa recorded the album with him, the emotionally unstable Fischer thought he'd be a star. So when the record didn't sell very much, he accused Zappa of keeping the money for himself. During one confrontation he angrily threw a bottle, which almost hit Zappa's daughter Moon.

After that Zappa severed all ties with Fischer. Because the album was released on Zappa's Bizarre label, it's still not available on cd. See the amazing documentary on Fischer - "Derailroaded" (2005) - for more details. Zappa also produced albums by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band: "Trout Mask Replica" (1969), the G.T.O.'s: "Permanent Damage" (1969), Grand Funk Railroad: "Good Singin', Good Playin'" (1976), L. Shankar: "Touch Me There" (1979), Dweezil Zappa: "Havin' a Bad Day" (1986).

He also produced Lenny Bruce's live album "The Berkely Concert", which only appeared in 1989.

But as it's an unedited performance of Bruce, it's hard to see what Zappa actually produced there. Then he also worked on the album "Lightning-Rod Man" (1993), by Lowell George & The Factory, which had been recorded during 1966-1967. George had played guitar on several of Zappa's records and went on to fame as the singer for Little Feat. He passed away in 1979. Zappa himself died in 1993.
9. Eric Drew Feldman has produced albums by Snakefinger, Frank Black, Belgian band dEUS, Tripping Daisy, Sparklehorse, former Green On Red vocalist Chuck Prophet, Charlotte Hatherley, The Polyphonic Spree and OK Go, among others. But he started out as guitar player for Captain Beefheart. Which other legendary band was he once a member of?

Answer: Pere Ubu

Feldman played on Beefheart's last three albums: "Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)" (1978), Doc at the Radar Station" (1980) and "Ice Cream for Crow" (1982) and was a member of Pere Ubu from 1990 until 1992. He played keyboards on the Pixies' "Trompe le Monde" (1991) and was a member of Frank Black's band on his first two solo albums. With PJ Harvey he played guitar on both "To Bring You My Love" (1995) and "Is This Desire?" (1998). Anyway, he's been around.
10. Steve Albini famously recorded Nirvana's third album, "In Utero" (1993), and the Pixies' breakthrough "Surfer Rosa" (1988). I say 'recorded' because he hates to be referred to as a producer. Which of the following artists has he never worked with?

Answer: Led Zeppelin

Steve Albini estimates that he recorded about a thousand albums. Artists he worked with include: Urge Overkill, Slint, Bitch Magnet, Pixies, Jesus Lizard, Ut, Wedding Present, Pigface, Breeders, Tad, Bewitched, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Helmet, Murder Inc., Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Zeni Geva, Killdozer, Gaunt, Superchunk, Fleshtones, The Amps, Sloy, Man or Astroman?, Melt Banana, Palace Music, Fugazi, The Auteurs, Brainiac, Fred Schneider, Smog, Bush, Low, Guided By Voices, Cheap Trick, Storm & Stress, Pansy Division, Silver Apples, Whitehouse, Dirty Three, The Ex, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Neurosis, Nina Nastasia, Mogwai, McLusky, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Dead Man Ray, Electrelane, High On Fire, Gogol Bordello, Made Out Of Babies and Joanna Newsom. And a lot more of course. Oh, and the forthcoming Iggy & the Stooges album.

He also recorded some groundbreaking albums with his bands Big Black, Rapeman and Shellac. And he's not the grouchy curmudgeon people often think he is. I spoke to him once and he's rather nice, in fact.
Source: Author hootch

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