Howard Gray

Howard Gray (born 15 July 1962) is an English musician, sound engineer, programmer, composer, re-mixer and producer who has worked with Public Image Ltd, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Kirsty MacColl, the Armoury Show, the Pale Fountains, Japan, the Stranglers, Simple Minds, the Pretenders, XTC, UB40, Scritti Politti, Cherubs, Terence Trent D'Arby, Jean Michel Jarre, the Cure, Manic Street Preachers, U2, Puff Daddy & Jimmy Page, Tom Jones and Van Morrison.
He is a founding member of the dance/rock group Apollo 440.
Early years
Howard James Gray was born in Sydney, Australia, shortly after his parents emigrated from their native Liverpool. The family returned to Liverpool when Gray was six months old, and the city played its role in forming the young Gray's musical passions. An early interest in music and sound recording led to the formation of his first band at the age of 15, Alvin the Aardvark and the Fuzzy Ants, with his brother, Trevor Gray, and fellow schoolfriends Jono 'Kumo' Podmore, James Gardner, Norman 'Noko' Fisher-Jones and Gary Hancock.
In 1980, during his last year at school, Gray landed a job as a tape operator at Richard Branson's notorious Manor Studio, the residential facility built on a country estate near Oxford. Throughout his tenure at The Manor, and at Branson's recently completed Townhouse Studios in London's Hammersmith, Gray worked with many producers, first as an assistant sound engineer, then as an engineer. The producer he worked with most often was Steve Lillywhite. Some of the many artists Gray worked with include Public Image Ltd, the Stranglers, Kirsty MacColl, the Armoury Show, Japan, Rip Rig + Panic and Van Morrison. He was Virgin's house engineer on Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's album Architecture and Morality, and engineered producer Adrian Sherwood's groundbreaking Dub Syndicate album The Pounding System (Ambience in Dub).
1980s: from sound engineer to producer
When Gray broke away from the Virgin studio system, he initially went to work as Steve Lillywhite's engineer, which led to him working with such diverse artists as Simple Minds, XTC, the Pretenders, UB40 and Abba's Anni-Frid Lyngstad ('Frida').
As a producer in his own right, Gray's big break came when, in 1983, he was asked by UB40 to help produce their multi-platinum selling album of cover versions, Labour of Love. Gray had previously worked with the band at the Townhouse on their UB44 album. Credited as engineer and assistant producer of Labour of Love, an administrative error caused Gray's role to be credited only as tape operator on the UK and US No. 1 single "Red Red Wine". Still only 21 years old, Gray also engineered and co-produced UB40's next album Geffery Morgan.
Gray went on to work with Scritti Politti on Cupid & Psyche 85, the Cure on The Head on the Door and he produced Terence Trent D'Arby's debut single "If You Let Me Stay", from his 12 million-selling album Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby. Some of the other artists Gray produced through the mid- to late '80s include the Pale Fountains, Head, the Screaming Blue Messiahs, Hugh Cornwell, Red Guitars, Danny Wilson and Age of Chance (with whom he created one of the first albums to be sampled and sequenced entirely on a Studio 440 sampling device).
1990s–2000s: Apollo 440, soundtracks, remixes and producing
In 1990, Gray formed the dance/rock group Apollo 440 with brother Trevor Gray and old friends and colleagues James Gardner and Noko, who had continued their musical careers with other bands, including Luxuria (Noko) and The Umbrella (Noko and Gardner). Gray's role within Apollo 440 revolves mostly around sound sculpture/production or, as he refers to it, his role is that of the "Vibe Controller".
Apollo 440 have released four albums on their Stealth Sonic Recordings label, distributed by Epic Records and achieved three UK top 10 and eight UK top 40 singles releases.
With Apollo 440, and under their Stealth Sonic Orchestra guise, Gray has recorded for various film soundtracks, including Lost in Space and Charlie's Angels, worked on a number of games for Sony PlayStation, including FIFA '98, Spider-Man and Anti-Grav, and remixed a diverse range of artists, including Manic Street Preachers, Puff Daddy & Jimmy Page, U2, Puretone, Ennio Morricone and James. Apollo 440 have worked on a number of tracks with Jean Michel Jarre, Jeff Beck (producing three tracks on Beck's album Jeff) and Tomoyasu Hotei.
In addition to his role with Apollo 440, Gray continues to undertake outside productions, including work with Tom Jones, Manic Street Preachers, Gareth Sager & Jock Scott, Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Drive By Argument and the Wolfgang Press. Gray has also collaborated with John Fortis on the production of The Cazals, Eight Legs and Art Brut's debut album Bang Bang Rock and Roll.
2010–present day
Gray was co-producer of the Josh Bray album Whiskey and Wool.
Apollo 440's fifth studio album, the 11-track The Future's What It Used to Be, was released in January 2012.
Trivia
Gray's debut production, Trevor Herion's "Love Chains", features the uncredited backing vocals of Holly Johnson, who was to record "Relax" with Frankie Goes to Hollywood in the same studio the next day.
David Slade, the director of the music video "Stop the Rock" for Gray's band Apollo 440, went on to direct Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight series.
Film soundtrack discography
The Game Plan (2007) - track: "Heart Go Boom"
Cursed (2005) - track: "Stadium Parking Lot" - aka "Wes Craven's Cursed"
Gran Turismo 4 (2004) - track: "Hot Rod Honeymoon"
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004) - track: "Time is Running Out"
EuroTrip (2004) - track: "Make My Dreams Come True"
Chasing Liberty (2004) - track: "Stop the Rock"
Resident Evil (2002) - track: "Wall of Death"
ATV Offroad Fury (2001) - track: "Yo! Future"
Evil Woman (2001) - track: "Stop The Rock"
Charlie's Angels (2000) - "Charlie's Angels 2000"
Bedazzled (2000) - track: "Stop the Rock (Mint Royale Mix)"
Spider-Man (2000) - "Theme Song"
Loser (2000) - track: "Stop The Rock"
Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) - track: "Stop the Rock"
Daria (1 episode, 2000) - I Loathe a Parade (2000) TV episode - track: "Stop the Rock"
Gran Turismo 2 (1999) (VG) - track: "Cold Rock the Mic"
Rogue Trader (1999) - track: "Liquid Cool"
Lost in Space (1998) - track: "Will & Penny's Theme"
Production discography (selected)
Pacific Street (CD, Album) Toshiba EMI Ltd 2001
Unless (12") Virgin 1983 Unless (7", Single)
(Don't Let Your Love) Start A War (Single) (Don't Let Your Love) ... Virgin
Geffery Morgan... (LP) Virgin 1984
I'm Not Fooled (12") DEP International
If It Happens Again (7", Single) Virgin Records
New Dreams For Old (12") On The Beach Red Flame
Now That's What I Call Music 4 (2xLP) If It Happens Again EMI Records, Virgin 1984
Riddle Me (7") Virgin 1984
Take It Round Again (12") Arista 1984
We Can Be Brave Again (7") We Can Be Brave Again ... Parlophone 1984
Close To Me (CDV, Single, PAL) Stop Dead Fiction Records 1988
Elle Adore Le Noir Pour Sortir Le Soir (7", Single) EMI Music (Belgium) 1985
Half An Octopuss (10", Ltd) Stop Dead Fiction Records 1985
I Got You Babe (7", Single) Nkomo A Go Go Virgin Music (Canada), DEP International 1985
I Got You Babe / Nkomo A Go Go (7") Nkomo A Go Go (Special... A&M Records 1985
The Head on the Door (LP, Album) Elektra 2006
Twin Cadillac Valentine (7") Twin Cadillac Valentine WEA, 1985
Who's That Girl (7") EMI Music (Belgium) 1985
Yé-Yé (LP) EMI Music (Belgium) 1985 Yé Yé (CD, Album) EMI Music (Belgium) 2004
America And Me (7") Marianne Virgin 1986
Gun-Shy (CD, Album) Elektra 1986
National Avenue (Sunday Afternoon) (12", Promo) Virgin
Quadpus (12", Single) A Night Like This Elektra
Tales of the Expected (CD, Album) Virgin
The Best Of (Ça Vient, Ça Vient, Change Pas Demain) (LP) EMI Music (Belgium) 1986
Wild Blue Yonder (7") WEA Records Ltd., WEA Records Ltd.
Don't Get Mad...Get Even! (12") Virgin
If You Let Me Stay (12") If You Let Me Stay (Re... CBS
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby (LP, Album) CBS
Love in Anger (12") Love in Anger, Uptown,... Parlophone
Mary's Prayer (7") Monkey's Shiny Day Virgin Records America, Inc., Virgin Records America, Inc.
Meet Danny Wilson (CD, Album) Virgin 1987
New York City (12") New York City, New York... Parlophone
On The Corner (12") On The Corner (7") EMI Records Ltd.
One Thousand Years of Trouble (CD, Album) Virgin
The Best of UB40 - Volume 1 (CD) EMI Music (Brazil)
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Noise? (12") Virgin
Wishing Well (The Darbinian Mix) (12") If You Let Me Stay CBS
Badman (LP, Album) Uptown/Downtown Parlophone 1988
Car's Outside (12") Virgin 1988
I Can Speak American (12") Twin Cadillac Valentine WEA Records Ltd., WEA Records Ltd. 1988
Sin Bin (12") Virgin 1988
Wanted (CD) Got To Share, Fine Time Big Life
Never Gonna Be The Same (10", Single) Nothing Ever Goes To P... Virgin 1989 Totally Religious (CD, Album) Elektra
Heart of Darkness (LP, Album) ZTT, ZTT
Totally Religious, (Album) Elektra, 1989
Little Brother (Remix) (12") Little Brother Big Life 1990
Come On! (12") Reverb Records (2) 1991
Don't Lose Your Dreams (10", Ltd, Num) Siren Records (8)
Electric Landlady (CD, Album) Walking Down Madison Virgin
Infamy! Or How I Didn't Get Where I Am Today (LP) Siren Records (8)
Pandora's Box (7") All She Wants Is Every... Virgin
Scarlet Red And Blue (Cass) Mountains, Rainbow PolyGram, M & G Records 1991
Sugar Tax (Album) ◄ (13 versions) Virgin Records America ... 1991
Sweet Danny Wilson (LP, Album) Ruby's Golden Wedding,... Virgin 1991
Sweet Danny Wilson/Three-In-A-Bed Romp (2xCD, Comp, Ltd) Ruby's Golden Wedding,... Virgin 1991
Walking Down Madison (7") Virgin 1991
Beneath The Pavement...The Beach (CD, EP, Ltd) Rev., Capital of Pain Concrete Productions 1994
Going South (CD, Maxi) Going South (7" Version) 4AD, Warner Bros. Records 1994
The Lead And How To Swing It (Album) ◄ (5 versions) Show Me Atlantic ... 1994
The Lead And How To Swing It (CD, Album) Show Me Interscope Records, Atlantic, ZTT 1994
Kevin Carter - The Remixes (12", Promo) Epic 1996
The First Wave (CD, Single, Enh) Toys 1:70, Sony Music Entertainment (Norway) 1997
If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next (CD, Single) Prologue To History, M... Epic 1998
BSE Bangin' Summer Extravaganza (CD, Album) Prologue To History Select Magazine 1999
The Very Best of UB40 1980 - 2000 (Comp) ◄ (4 versions) If It Happens Again Simply Vinyl (S12) ... 2000
The Very Best of UB40 1980 - 2000 (CD, Comp) Virgin, Dep International 2000
Everything Is Beautiful (A Retrospective 1983-1995) (CD, Comp, Album) Executioner (Adamson Mix) 4AD 2001
Forever Delayed - The Greatest Hits - Special Edition (2xCD, Comp) The Everlasting (Steal... Epic 2002
The Best of 1990-2000 & B-Sides (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Mysterious Ways (Solar... Interscope Records 2002
50 Years of the Greatest Hit Singles - Platinum Collection (2xCD, Comp) Red Red Wine Virgin, Virgin 2003
Essential (CD) EMI Music (Belgium) 2003
Lipstick Traces - A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers (2xCD, Comp) Prologue To History Epic 2003
Sugar Tax / Junk Culture (2xCD) Speed of Light Virgin 2003
Uncovered By Heartbeat (CD and 12" album) Cargo Records 2005
Bang Bang Rock & Roll (CD, Album) Fierce Panda 2005
It's Magnetic / Out on 24s (7") Kids 2006
LateNightTales (CD, Album, Comp) Unless Azuli Records, Azuli Records 2007
Leigh-On-Sea (7", Single, Ltd) Leigh-On-Sea Label Fandango 2007
Sex Lines Are Expensive Comedy (7", Single) Lizard King Records 2007
The Sega Method / Lower Your Pieces (7", Ltd) Lizard King Records 2007
What Is Woman? (12", Red) Stiff Records 2007
Drive-By Argument (CD, Album) Lizard King Records 2008
References
External links
Official website
Interview
Interview
Discogs.com
Discogs.com
BBC.co.uk
Myspace.com
Reverbxl.com
'The Producers': Howard Gray interview
The Quietus: 'Three Decades On: One Thousand Years Of Trouble By Age Of Chance'
Living people
1962 births
English electronic musicians
English rock musicians
English dance musicians
English audio engineers
English record producers
Remixers
Musicians from Liverpool
Apollo 440 members
Big beat musicians