Martin Rushent

Early life

Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman. Rushent attended Minchenden Grammar School in Southgate, Middlesex. Although his career did not start in earnest until the '70s, he began using music production equipment at the age of 16. After leaving school, Rushent, who had already experimented with his father's 4-track recorder, worked at a chemical factory before working for his father while applying for studio jobs. After numerous rejections, Rushent was employed by Advision Studios as a 35mm film projectionist. After approximately three months, Rushent began working in the audio department as a tape operator alongside Tony Visconti. He worked on sessions for Fleetwood Mac, T. Rex, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Petula Clark, Jerry Lee Lewis and Osibisa. Rushent stated that while at Advision, Jerry Lee Lewis threw a tantrum as Yes had been booked into the studio when he was not ready to leave, and chased the studio staff around the complex until they locked themselves in a different studio.

Rushent progressed to senior assistant engineer, staff engineer, and eventually head engineer. He then began working freelance, where he built his reputation and was employed by United Artists (UA). Rushent's production on Dare frustrated the group's guitarist Jo Callis, as the only guitar on the album was used to trigger a gate on the synthesiser. Singer Susanne Sulley was also frustrated by the lengthy process of Rushent's synth programming. In 1983, Rushent walked out of his own studio after Sulley made an off-the-cuff comment toward him.

Rushent decided to take a break from production in the 1990s, and sold his assets – including Genetic Studios. He briefly took up a consultancy position with Virgin, but retired from the industry to raise his children. In 2005, he produced Hazel O'Connor's album Hidden Heart.

At the time of his death, Rushent was working on a 30th anniversary version of Dare, remixed like Love and Dancing but using traditional musical instruments instead of synthesisers. Rushent's son James is the lead singer of the dance-punk band Does It Offend You, Yeah?.

Discography

Year Artist Record Type Role Reference 1970 Andrew Lloyd Webber Jesus Christ Superstar Studio album Engineer Gentle Giant Acquiring the Taste Studio album Engineer Chaos "Down At The Club" / "You Could Be My Girl" Studio single Composer, producer Johnny Harris All to Bring You Morning Studio album Engineer, remixing The Sensational Alex Harvey Band The Impossible Dream Studio album Engineer Banco del Mutuo Soccorso Banco Studio album Engineer Generation X Generation X Studio album Producer Buzzcocks Love Bites Studio album Producer Ian Gomm Gomm with the Wind Studio album Producer Buzzcocks A Different Kind of Tension Studio album Producer Jean-Jacques Burnel Euroman Cometh Studio album Producer 1980 Téléphone Au Cœur De La Nuit Studio album Producer 1981 The Human League Dare Studio album Producer Altered Images Happy Birthday Studio album Engineer, producer The Members Uprhythm, Downbeat Studio album Producer 1983 The Human League Fascination! E.P. Producer Intaferon "Get Out Of London" Single/12" Producer 1984 The Human League Hysteria Studio album Programming 1985 Associates Perhaps Studio album Producer 1988 Do-Re-Mi The Happiest Place in Town Studio album Producer 1993 Flop Whenever You're Ready Studio album Producer 1993 The Beautiful Babies Serenade Studio album Producer 1997 Ian Gomm "Come On" Single Producer 2010 The Pipettes Earth vs. The Pipettes Studio album Producer 2011 Does It Offend You, Yeah? Don't Say We Didn't Warn You Studio album Producer 2011 The Pipettes "Boo Shuffle" Single Producer