“I didn’t think it would be one of the great albums of all time”: Alan Parsons’ view of ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ from the mixing desk
They might not achieve the same level of success or adoration as the musicians themselves, but production staff and sound engineers can make or break an album. Producers and engineers meticulously craft a sound which often rockets the artist to musical greatness. These are the figures like George Martin, Brian Eno, and Martin Hannett, who used their role in the studio to pursue revolutionary art. However, some of the greatest music producers of all time still often go unnoticed.
If you think about the gold standard of music production, you are likely thinking of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon. The 1973 album represented the pinnacle of progressive and psychedelic rock, seeing Floyd embark upon an ambitious concept tackling the pressures faced by the group in addition to the struggles of their friend and former bandmate Syd Barrett. Expectedly, the album was a colossal success and helped to establish the London band as a global success. Even today, The Dark Side Of The Moon is still among the most iconic and influential records ever.
A significant portion of that enduring success and influence lies within the strength of production on the album. Officially, the record was produced and written by the band themselves, each contributing something to the final cut.
However, The Dark Side Of The Moon is also indebted to the pioneering engineering work undertaken by Alan Parsons, who remains one of rock music production’s great unsung heroes. Parsons has certainly left his mark on the landscape of British music, having worked as an engineer on legendary records like The Beatles’ Abbey Road, which led him to become involved with Floyd.
Parsons had first crossed paths with Roger Waters and company while working as the assistant tape operator on the production of their 1970 record Atom Heart Mother. So, when the band was assigned to Parsons at Abbey Road Studios for Dark Side Of The Moon, Parsons already had a knowledge and understanding of the band. However, nobody could expect the sonic innovations the engineer imbued the record with, which formed an essential part of the album’s appeal.
In contrast to the incredible success of The Dark Side Of The Moon upon its release to the public, Parsons seemingly never expected its later reputation. Speaking to Goldmine in 2013, the engineer shared, “I knew it was the best Pink Floyd album. I didn’t think it would be one of the great albums of all time.” Perhaps this view of the record came as a result of the lack of recognition Parsons gained for his role in making the album.
“I did The Dark Side of the Moon as a staff engineer — which explains why I didn’t get rich,” Parsons revealed. Explaining this, he continued, “Engineers were considered unimportant in those days. It was only in the immediate years after that where they were recognised for their contributions to recording. It was very much a ‘do what you are told’ type of job before that.” Nevertheless, the topic does not remain sore for Parsons, who said, “I didn’t get any production credits for Dark Side, but I am happy with what I did contribute to it. I was there.”
“I was there” is among the greatest understatements in rock history. Parsons was not only present for the production process but his inventive techniques and approaches to the material of The Dark Side Of The Moon were essential in crafting the revolutionary album. Yes, the musical material was strong enough on its own, but without Parsons, it is certainly possible that the 1973 album would have flown under the radar, much like Floyd’s prior releases.
