If I mention the name Peter Asher I’m going to guess that the first thing that comes to mind is his musical career as half of the popular 1960s British duo Peter and Gordon. Teamed up with schoolmate Gordon Waller, Mr. Asher, who already had success as a child actor, placed 10 songs in the US TOP 40, including the #1 hit “World Without Love.” Other hits include “I Go to Pieces,” “True Love Ways” and “Lady Godiva.”
Mr. Asher’s sister Jane, also an actress, had a boyfriend who was also a musician and even wrote “World Without Love” for Peter and Gordon to record. His name was Paul McCartney and for a time Macca lived with the Ashers, sharing the second floor with Peter.
When Peter and Godon stopped recording in 1968, Mr. Asher became the head of A&R for the Beatles‘ record label, Apple. It was here that he signed an unknown singer/songwriter named James Taylor, also agreeing to produce his first album. Though the album was not a success, Mr. Asher believed in Taylor’s abilities so much that he quit his gig at Apple and moved to the United States, where he became Taylor’s manager. For 15 years he would produce Taylor’s albums, including “Sweet Baby James,” “Mudslide Slim and the Blue Horizon” and “JT,” the latter helping him win the Producer of the Year Grammy Award in 1977.
In the early 1970s he took another young singer under his wing; Linda Ronstadt, who would go on to sell over 30 million albums in her career. While managing both Taylor and Ronstadt, Mr. Asher also produced classic albums for artists like Cher (“Cher,” ” Heart of the Stone”), Neil Diamond (“Lovescape,” “Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building”) and soundtracks for such films as “The Land Before Time,” “The Mambo Kings” and “Armageddon.” He also won two more Grammy Awards. One was for Producer of the Year for Ronstadt’s “Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind” album in 1989. He also took home the award for producing the Best Comedy Album of 2002 – “Robin Williams: LIVE.”
These days you can catch Mr. Asher on Sirius Radio’s Beatle Channel, where he hosts a weekly show called “From Me to You.,” where he spins some of his favorite records (from the Fab Four and others) and shares some amazing stories from his almost six decade career in music.
I recently had the great honor of speaking with Mr. Asher about his career.
Mike Smith: Most music fans remember you as half of the popular duo Peter and Gordon…
Peter Asher: The old ones do. (laughs)
MS: How did you two get together?
PA: We met in school. We both played the guitar together and sang. Gordon was more of a rock and roll fan and I was more of a folkie. I was singing Woody Guthrie songs while he was singing Eddie Cochran songs. So we tried singing together to see what it sounded like. It coincided that we were both huge fans of the Everly Brothers. They were our original idols and that’s who we were trying to sound like.
MS: You were an early champion of artists like James Taylor and Linda Rondstadt. How do you know, as a producer, when you’ve found that rare talent?
PA: I think you just do. I mean, when I first heard James, everything about him was remarkable. He had great songs, he was a terrific guitar player with a unique style all his own. He combined a sort of folk style of guitar playing with some jazz chords. An amazing combination. And he was a great singer. And the songs he sang to me, the ones he wrote, were just amazing. I don’t know HOW you know. You just kind of do. It’s the same now. When I hear somebody brand new. I think it’s just an instinctive thing. When they’re original and great and a pleasure to listen to. “Who’s this? What’s that?” It’s great.
MS: Some great music trivia is that both James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt appear on Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” Did you have a hand in that?
PA: i know Neil Young and I’m friends with his manager but I think that was just Neil asking James and Linda to come and sing. They all knew each other. I think James also played banjo on one cut. (he did).
MS: One thing I always took notice of growing up in the 70s is that the majority of Linda Ronstadt’s hits were covers of previous hit songs. “That’ll Be the Day.” “Blue Bayou.” “Heatwave.” Was that something that was intentional?
PA: As a producer we look for great songs everywhere, and that includes songs that other people had done before as well as brand new songs. And we did some of each. But, yes, quite a few of them became cover versions. People seemed to like them and they became hits. We didn’t shy away from a song just because someone had already done it. But basically we would look at all songs equally. And if we found an amazing song that was brand new, something like “Heart Like a Wheel,” or a favorite song from out past, like a Buddy Holly song, we did it. We look everywhere for great songs, old and new.
MS: You’ve also produced a few film soundtracks. Are they easier to produce as opposed to a musical group’s album?
PA: It’s very different. I’ve produced some tracks for a soundtrack that Hans Zimmer has been working on. Working with Hans is a particular pleasure because he’s brilliant. But it’s very different then making a song with an artist. In Hans’ case sometimes it’s a song that I will fit into a soundtrack. I will work with Hans. One time he was recording 12 drummers all at the same time. I was there to just help the session go smoothly and that Hans got what he needed. But you can’t guarantee which sessions (a soundtrack or a musical group) are going to be easy or hard.
MS: You’re now hosting your own show on the Beatles channel. As someone that has been in the business for as long as you have, can you explain their continual appeal?
PA: Not in any way that adds anything new to the equation. They’re just better than any other band, before or since. That’s why. It’s pathetically simple, I know. But their songs are amazing. Their singing is amazing. Their playing is amazing. What they came up with as a group was greater than the sum of its parts. The answer to your question lies in listening to it. If you listen you know not to turn away from that channel because you know the next song is going to be another song that you love.
MS: You often mention on your show that you used to share the 2nd floor of your parent’s home with Paul McCartney. Any housekeeping secrets you can share? Did he make his bed every morning?
PA: (laughing) I don’t really remember. Sadly, I have no intimate domestic details.
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