Tom Moulton
Tom Moulton (born November 29, 1940)[1] is an American record producer, and originator of the remix, the breakdown section, and the 12-inch single vinyl format.
[edit] Life and career
Thomas Jerome Moulton was born in Schenectady, New York, United States.[1]
Moulton worked as a model at the Bookings and Ford agencies, before beginning his production career. Before that, he had worked in the music industry, holding a sales and promotion job at King Records (from 1959 to 1961), and similar positions at RCA and United Artists. He eventually left due to his disgust at the industry's dishonesty.[2] His music career re-started in the late 1960s, with a self-made tape of overlapping songs created for the Fire Island bar and restaurant, The Sandpiper.[3]
He was responsible for the first continuous-mix album side, on Gloria Gaynor's disco album, Never Can Say Goodbye, earning him the title the "father of the disco mix".[4] Among some of his other success in mixing songs are The Three Degrees' "Dirty Ol' Man", MFSB featuring The Three Degrees "Love Is The Message", B.T. Express' "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)", The Trammps' "Disco Inferno", The People's Choice's "Do It Any Way You Wanna", Andrea True's "More, More, More", plus First Choice's "Doctor Love" and Claudja Barry's album, The Girl Most Likely.[1]
Between 1977 and 1979, he produced Grace Jones' first three albums,[5] including one of the singer's biggest hits, her rendition of Édith Piaf's "La Vie en rose".
Moulton's innovative work was honored at the 2004 Dance Music Hall of Fame ceremony in New York City, when he was inducted for his achievements as a remixer. He is the official archivist of the Bethlehem Jazz and Salsoul music catalogues, and has overseen all of the digital remastering. In late 2006, Moulton remixed the Brand New Heavies (featuring N'Dea Davenport) single "I Don't Know (Why I Love You)".
A Tom Moulton Mix was used as the title of a compilation[6] of Moulton's remixes on Soul Jazz Records.[1]
More recently, Moulton was a regular guest on Disco935, an internet radio station which features disco music. He remains working, remixing classics as well as new songs, and has two releases forthcoming in 2012.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Andy Kellman. "Tom Moulton". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p107949/biography. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
- ^ Shapiro, Peter. Turn the Beat Around: the Secret History of Disco. New York: Faber and Faber, Inc., 2005., p.40
- ^ Shapiro, Peter. Turn the Beat Around: the Secret History of Disco. New York: Faber and Faber, Inc., 2005., p.42
- ^ "Meco Monardo and the Disco Sound of the 1970s". DiscoMusic.com. http://www.discomusic.com/people-more/39_0_11_0_C. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
- ^ Portfolio (Grace Jones album)
- ^ Stylusmagazine.com
