For anyone who was or is in radio, or a music reviewer or for whatever case reads "promo sheets", you might know what i am referring to. also you see this in advertisements sometimes.

the production credit.

so i've got this disc from The Shakedowns (a nice little peppy rock disc, RIYL The Figgs) and the promo sheet talks up Jack Endino, who twiddled knobs for Nirvana and Mudhoney, and more recently, The Hot Hot Heat. I feel like sarcastically spouting "Gee, Nirvana paid Endino to be their producer, and the Shakedowns also paid Endino to be their producer! Next stop- rockstarsville!"

Since when did the production credit mean anything, other than some bands have the bankroll to get a name while others don't? I also had a disc, the name of which i've forgotten, that was produced by Phil Ek (Built To Spill's producer), and it royally sucked. I just thought to myself, Phil Ek just did it to put some food on the table, and meanwhile the band is putting Ek's name on that front sticker, leading you into thinking it has some revlevance to the quality of the music.

i dunno. does that make sense?

bort
np: The Shakedowns

Producers are known for a certain sound. Listing producer credit for people like Fridman, Ek, Albini, Mogis - It gives you an idea of what these albums might sound like. I wouldn't necessarily buy something on Producer credit, but it might make me more inclined to listen to something...

If Jon Brion produced it, i'd buy it. If Steve Albini produced it, i'd wait to hear a clip first.

Different producers exert different influences in varying degrees.

Know your producers, it can be rewarding.

It also helps to Know Your Onion...

that goes without saying...

I bought a few albums based merely on who produced them. A few names include Flood, Brian Eno, William Orbit and even Trent Reznor.