ro audio/video `Brothers In Arms' Was The Engineer's Production Debut Dorfsman Passes His `Trial By Fire' Ordeal "The Sony is a amazing machine, York, BY PAULA PARISI hoping to find work in a re- and it sounds great, but like all digi- cording studio. Rejected by studios PHILADELPHIA Neil Dorfsman, tal machines, when it messes up, it in L.A., Dorfsman found himself best -known for his work as an engi- really messes up,'' he says. "We working special effects for films neer on such albums as Bruce were about to mix a track when the like "Blacula" and "The Exorcist." Springsteen's "The River," Bob Dy- saxophone we'd recorded earlier in A year later, he returned to New lan's "Infidels," and the last five the week just disappeared. Eventu- York and engineered voiceovers for Dire Straits records, says he's ally, we got it back by fussing with a Manhattan ad agency. A few "rather surprised" at the phenome- the knobs for an entire day." He months later, Dorfsman got a call nal success that has greeted his pro- says he experienced similar prob- from Electric Lady Studios. While duction debut -Dire Straits' lems while engineering Dylan's "In- there, he was summoned to the "Brothers In Arms." fidels" on the 3M 32 -track digital .Power Station to remix tracks for a The work was nominated for six machine. Despite this, Dorfsman Foghat album. He stayed on. Grammy awards, and netted two: endorses digital technology, stating Dire Straits entered the picture best rock vocal, group, for the sin- while Dorfsman was working at the gle "Money For Nothing "; and best Power Station. "I had just done a engineered album. His rise has been record with Mike Manieri, and it What's more, the record has turned out that Mark Knopfler spent the past 47 weeks riding the `amazingly lucky' heard the record and loved it. He Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, was courageous enough to say, 'I'd most of those in the top 10; and has "the advantages far outweigh the like to work with that guy,' even been charting at the top of the Bill- disadvantages." though I didn't have much of a repu- board Top Compact Discs chart for Dorfsman and co- producer Dire tation at the time." an unprecedented 31 weeks. Straits' Mark Knopfler took the dig- The association has obviously According to Dorfsman, "Broth- ital element into consideration at ev- been mutually beneficial. "It takes ers In Arms" was "an amazingly ery stage of production planning for a certain kind of person to get along Better Than Chicken Soup. Motown artist Rockwell was well taken care difficult album to make." "Brothers In Arms." One thing with Mark, and I think we get along of at Granny's House in Reno, Nev., where he recorded and mixed his new album "We kind of did it backwards," he they didn't plan on, though, was well because I have an intuitive with producer Kerry Ashby. says. "After eight weeks of record- Dorfsman's troubled moonlight sense of what he wants. He doesn't The facility, which only opened its doors about four months ago, may not ing, we decided to switch drum- journey up the side of a volcano in like to get real verbal, even though offer homemade chicken soup, but it does boast an SSL 6000 Series E console mers. We already had tracks down Montserrat. While the band was re- he's a very literate guy. He sort of and a comfortable resort environment. Pictured (from for bass and synthesizer, then we cording at Air Studios there, Dorfs- wants to see what the people left) are Rockwell, studio owner Robert Fofman, engineer Norman Whitfield Jr., and producer Kerry Ashby. decided we didn't like the drums. So man made the climb carrying porta- around him will come up with." we overdubbed new drums to stuff ble digital gear in order to capture Dorfsman is now producing an al- that was played slightly out of time the sound of chirping crickets in the bum for Bricklin, a new A &M Rec- to the original drummer. Without a night air. ords act he says sounds "nothing Linn Drum to keep everyone in I almost killed myself up there," like Dire Straits." London Site To Get A 48 -Track Studio time, it was kind of like every man he says. "It was supposed to take an "People have given me this repu- for himself." hour, and instead it took nine and a tation for creating a nice acoustic Laughingly describing the project half. Our flashlights died, and we sound," he says. "They'll call and Nomis Grows To `Complex' as "trial by fire," Dorfsman recalls had to climb down the mountain in offer me a job and say, 'Make it LONDON West London rehearsal foot Studio A which opened late last many of the "disasters" which the middle of the night with all this sound like Dire Straits.' That's complex Nomis has completed an year, bringing to 10 the total num- plagued the production. Though he digital equipment." something I try to steer away from. expansion program its owner claims ber of rehearsal rooms at the loca- gays that reports citing a lost sax Despite a few such misadven- The Bricklin thing is pretty will make it the most complete facil- tion. solo were "greatly exaggerated," tures along the way, Dorfsman says straightforward. We all describe it ity for touring and rehearsing Both Studios A and B have 5,000 - he does admit encountering glitches his rise to the top has been "ama- as bubble metal." bands in Europe, if not the world. watt PA systems and DDA 16/24 with the band's Sony 3324 digital re- zingly lucky." The engineer- turned- Leading studio designer Tom Hid- channel desks, and according to No- corder, a unit purchased by Dire producer headed for Hollywood af- ley was brought in to oversee con- mis owner David Panton are "ideal" Straits specifically for the record. ter graduating high school in New struction of the new 1,200 -square- for band showcases or longterm re- hearsal projects. The other rooms average 700-800 square feet and are 4th AES International Conference equipped with 400 -watt Yamaha or 1,500 -watt Turbosound /Rauch PAs. Renamed as The Complex, the fa- cility also houses more than a dozen fully equipped offices available for Stereo Audio Technology rental on a six -month basis, and a basement instrument storage area with 26 high security cages. A for Television and Video range of back and frontline equip- ment is available for hire, and a new sales department offers equipment 1986 May 15 -18 Westin O'Hare Hotel for trial and purchase at discount Rosemont, Illinois rates. Swedish manufacturer DDrum last fall appointed Robert B. Schulein, Chairman, Shure Brothers, Inc., Evanston, IL, Nomis its exclu- USA (312) 866 -2374 sive U.K. distributor. A comprehensive 27/2-day Following its involvement in re- event designed to address the new opportunities and the new hearsal and insurance aspects of the problems of the emerging stereo audio technology Live Aid concert, Nomis set up Complex Insurance Services to pro- Experience to date has vividly demonstrated that the con- elaborate demonstrations, vide "a specialized and competitive and panel discussions. The 4th service that ventional audio practices in broadcast and recording are AES International understands music Conference is an event that promises to business needs and can interpret inadequate to meet the needs of stereo audio production. be of immediate and lasting benefit to professionals in the them in the City's financial terms." With an eye to providing practical solutions to these short- audio /video industry. This move was followed late last comings- problems of phase, level match, lack of stand- Advance registration for the conference including year by the launch of Complex Man- ards, the need for a solid center channel image, and preprints is: $345.00 members; $395.00 nonmembers. On agement, which plans to sign up to economic uncertainties -and to promote industry growth site registration: $420.00 members; $470.00 nonmembers. five new acts in the coming months and will be headed jointly by Lloyd through better understanding of stereo audio for television For an additional $100.00 you may purchase a meal package, Beiny and David Panton. and video, Conference Chairman and AES President Robert which includes dinner on May 15, 16, and 17; lunch on May Panton acquired the facility after B. Schulein has organized a program of technical sessions, 16 and 17; and brunch on May 18. first visiting it as the manager of an aspiring band. Wham! manager Si- To register for the AES 4th International Conference, call (212) 661 -8528, telex 620298 AES UW, or write: mon Napier-Bell had opened it a few months previously, Audio Engineering Society, Inc., 60 East 42nd St., New York, NY 10165 -0075 USA. but by February (Continued on page 56) 54 BILLBOARD APRIL 26. 1986 www.americanradiohistory.com.