Maximum Volume, Kenneth Womack
Maximum Volume, Kenneth Womack
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Maximum Volume
The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, The Early Years, 1926–1966

Author: Kenneth Womack

Narrator: Paul Woodson

Unabridged: 15 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/01/2017

Synopsis

Maximum Volume offers a glimpse into the mind, the music, and the man behind the sound of the Beatles. George Martin's working-class childhood and musical influences profoundly shaped his early career in the BBC's Classical Music department and as head of the EMI Group's Parlophone Records. Out of them flowed the genius behind his seven years producing the Beatles' incredible body of work, including such albums as Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Abbey Road.

The first book of two, Maximum Volume traces Martin's early years as a scratch pianist, his life in the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War, and his groundbreaking work as the head of Parlophone Records, when Martin saved the company from ruin after making his name as a producer of comedy recordings. In its most dramatic moments, Maximum Volume narrates the story of Martin's unlikely discovery of the Beatles and his painstaking efforts to prepare their newfangled sound for the British music marketplace. As the story unfolds, Martin and the band craft numerous number-one hits, progressing toward the landmark album Rubber Soul—all of which bear Martin's unmistakable musical signature.

About Kenneth Womack

Kenneth Womack's books include Long and Winding Roads, The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles, The Beatles Encyclopedia, and New Critical Perspectives on the Beatles. He delivers some fifty invited Beatles talks a year to audiences across the nation, while sharing his insights with media of all stripes, including National Public Radio, ABC, CBS, NBC, and Voice of America.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Silmaril on July 04, 2023

An excellently written and mostly fascinating look into one of the men most influential on the Beatles and their rise. I will be honest unless you’re really into music production (which I’m sadly not) some parts might feel like a bit of a slog, but to be fair they don’t last long before you’re back......more

Goodreads review by Tosh on December 03, 2017

Part one of a two-volume set on the life and works of British record producer George Martin. The author, Kenneth Womack, does his research well, and for those who can't get enough of how the Fab Four got their sounds in the studio, this is the source book to go to. Also happy to read about Martin's......more

Goodreads review by Tom on June 23, 2020

Meticulously researched, an absolute must for any Beatles nerd like me. Fascinating to hear the story of the band’s discovery from a different perspective for once too. Firstly, Martin’s initial reluctance to sign them, and then the random set of events that had to fall into place for them to begin t......more

Goodreads review by TMcB on July 16, 2018

A must-have addition to any Beatlemaniac’s “Fab Four” library. This is the first in a planned two-volume biography of the Beatles’ producer and the executive overseeing EMI’s Parlophone Records label from 1951 to 1965. This volume covers Martin’s life from his birth in a decidedly working class fami......more

Goodreads review by Tobin on March 07, 2024

Quite a good biography of one of the most influential people in the history of popular music. There's no denying the influence Martin had on the sound and success of the Beatles, and Womack does a lot of good work to set the stage and fill in some of the blanks. Overall, I really enjoyed it, however......more

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