Home› The Porch

I never heard much credit given to Rick Parashar...

Jeeva1Jeeva1 Posts: 23
in The Porch
Lately I have been wondering why I have never heard much if any credit going to Rick Parashar. Yes, there was an “official” tweet when he passed away last August, but before that I never heard anything about him at all, and I have been a PJ fan since 1992 when I was 12.
It was at his London Bridge Studios that Pearl Jam’s Ten Album was produced. He and his brother Raj built the studio in 1985, and it was a major part of the early Seattle scene which influenced the world. In addition to producing and engineering Ten, Rick Parashar also played piano, Fender Rhodes, organ and percussion on the Pearl Jam tracks Black and Jeremy! He also co-wrote with Jeff the awesome intro/outro of the album. (master/slave)
Also songs like State of Love and Trust, Breath, and Angel were recorded by him at his studio.
I mean if this guy helped in any way at all to produce my favorite album, I think he deserves lots of credit. I love the way the album Ten sounds, and I personally feel the sound has never been duplicated. (sure it has never been tried to be duplicated, but I wish it had) Again this is my opinion, but I love the raw energy of the album and Eddie’s vocal overdubs. I always hear about Brenden O’Brian but nothing about Rick Parashar.
Thoughts?
-Not to mention Temple of the Dog was recorded and produced by him, and bands like Soundgarden and Alice and Chains recorded albums at his studio. Rick Parashar recorded and mixed the song ‘Would’ by Alice Chains.

Comments

  • PJammer4lifePJammer4life Los Angeles Posts: 2,665
    Much respect to his work. It has a sound if it's own. However I think Eddie prefered the rawer garage sound of Vs/Vitalogy more to his punk roots at that time. Plus if you're a touring band, sometimes you want to albums to be closer to what people will hear live .
    Bridge Benefit 1994, San Francisco 1995, San Diego 1995 1 & 2, Missoula 1998, Los Angeles 2000, San Diego 2000, Eddie Vedder/Beck 2/26/2002, Santa Barbara 2003, Irvine 2003, San Diego 2003, Vancouver 2005, Gorge 2005, San Diego 2006, Los Angeles 2006 1 & 2, Santa Barbara 2006, Eddie Vedder 4/10/08, Eddie Vedder 4/12/08, Eddie Vedder 4/15/08, 7/12/2008, SF 8/28/09, LA 9/30/09, LA 10/1/09, LA 10/06/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09, Eddie Vedder 7/6/2011, Eddie Vedder 7/8/2011, PJ20 9/3/2011, PJ20 9/4/2011, Vancouver 9/25/2011, San Diego 11/21/13, LA 11/24/13, Ohana 9/25/21, Ohana 9/26/21, Ohana 10/1/21, EV 2/17/22, LA Forum 5/6/22, LA Forum 5/7/22, EV 10/1/22, EV 9/30/23
  • Jeeva1Jeeva1 Posts: 23
    PJammer4life said:

    Much respect to his work. It has a sound if it's own. However I think Eddie prefered the rawer garage sound of Vs/Vitalogy more to his punk roots at that time. Plus if you're a touring band, sometimes you want to albums to be closer to what people will hear live .

    Every song on Ten done live is very close to albums sound and energy. There is no loss. But I know what you saying.
    Vs and vitology had songs that didn't sound to good live Glorified g( which I like) or just not made for playing live. But again I know what your saying.
    Dynamically and energy wise nothing sounds as good as Ten. The songs translated perfectly live.

  • PJammer4lifePJammer4life Los Angeles Posts: 2,665
    What are your thoughts on the Brendan O'Brien Ten remastered vs. OG Parashar sound?
    Bridge Benefit 1994, San Francisco 1995, San Diego 1995 1 & 2, Missoula 1998, Los Angeles 2000, San Diego 2000, Eddie Vedder/Beck 2/26/2002, Santa Barbara 2003, Irvine 2003, San Diego 2003, Vancouver 2005, Gorge 2005, San Diego 2006, Los Angeles 2006 1 & 2, Santa Barbara 2006, Eddie Vedder 4/10/08, Eddie Vedder 4/12/08, Eddie Vedder 4/15/08, 7/12/2008, SF 8/28/09, LA 9/30/09, LA 10/1/09, LA 10/06/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09, Eddie Vedder 7/6/2011, Eddie Vedder 7/8/2011, PJ20 9/3/2011, PJ20 9/4/2011, Vancouver 9/25/2011, San Diego 11/21/13, LA 11/24/13, Ohana 9/25/21, Ohana 9/26/21, Ohana 10/1/21, EV 2/17/22, LA Forum 5/6/22, LA Forum 5/7/22, EV 10/1/22, EV 9/30/23
  • SB51327SB51327 NJ Posts: 35
    Jeeva1

    Let me guess your related to Rick? Ten was a great album and nobody will deny that. However, I think you are overstating Ricks role. Listen to any pre ten demos or even Pearl Jam's first show. Most of the songs were completed and mature after the short time the band was together. Rick didn't do anything to change the sound or the arrangements and that's a good thing. Not to mention Pearl Jam themselves did not like the production or mix and have talked about that. That's why they remixed Even Flow as a single and had BO remix the whole album years later. Rick will always be a part of the bands history but he gets the credit he deserves. He took an album that was very much complete by the recording process and put it on tape. His studio that's another matter and an important piece of the story.
  • Jeeva1Jeeva1 Posts: 23
    SB51327 said:

    Jeeva1

    Let me guess your related to Rick? Ten was a great album and nobody will deny that. However, I think you are overstating Ricks role. Listen to any pre ten demos or even Pearl Jam's first show. Most of the songs were completed and mature after the short time the band was together. Rick didn't do anything to change the sound or the arrangements and that's a good thing. Not to mention Pearl Jam themselves did not like the production or mix and have talked about that. That's why they remixed Even Flow as a single and had BO remix the whole album years later. Rick will always be a part of the bands history but he gets the credit he deserves. He took an album that was very much complete by the recording process and put it on tape. His studio that's another matter and an important piece of the story.

    Rick Parashar had a hand in helping with the production of Ten and contributed and some of the music. Even if a small part of it That alone to me deserves lots credit. I am a musician myself and love to record but I'm not a pro. The albums mix and production was good enough to start one of the best bands in history and the sounds of those songs live on forever exactly the way they were produced at the time.
    I'm not really saying he did a whole lot to change the music or contribute in huge ways to the sound. I Just think his contribution is a bit understated. Actually not stated. But that's my opinion and all Pearl Jam fans all have the right to their own. So thanks cause I'm wondering what everybody thinks.
  • KV4053KV4053 Mike's side, crushed up against the stage Posts: 1,504
    Its unusual to hear about producers in any genre. You could probably count on one or two hands the names of producers you've heard of. BOB is different because he is more actively involved in PJ.
    I know I was born and I know that I'll die. The in between is mine.
  • dreamcodedreamcode Posts: 165
    I can fully understand Jeeva1. If the band doesn't like the original sound of Ten it's their opinion, but I guess we'll never find out if Ten would have been this huge success it became if it had sounded differently (BOB). Especially for newer fans it's uncertain if Pearl Jam would even have become this phenomenon with a +20 years career that they could catch up on.
    And he still gives his love,
    he just gives it away...
  • HobbesHobbes Pacific Northwest Posts: 6,435
    I like his work with Blind Melon. I know the band wanted that early Stones' sound. Used a lot of old equipment. Not sure how much of that was Parashar, but Blind Melon sounds awesome.
  • hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,909
    I think original ten's sound is still best, but it was all I knew for how long..... I like the echo chamber vocals best personally
  • Jeeva1Jeeva1 Posts: 23
    hrd2imgn said:

    I think original ten's sound is still best, but it was all I knew for how long..... I like the echo chamber vocals best personally

    Exactly. I remember being a kid and figuring out that if you unplug the headphones just slightly you here this amazing effect with vocals.
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,402
    Hobbes said:

    I like his work with Blind Melon. I know the band wanted that early Stones' sound. Used a lot of old equipment. Not sure how much of that was Parashar, but Blind Melon sounds awesome.

    All Fender instruments.
    www.cluthelee.com
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,008
    he unfortunately also produced Nickelback's Silver Side Up.
    "every society honours its live conformists and its dead troublemakers"




  • ikiTikiT USA Posts: 11,059
    I always found the lyrics really hard to understand on the original recording (and re-master, too) as opposed to Redux. Redux sounds better to me (Ed's much clearer and it sounds more full), but the original recording still sounds pretty good, too.
    Bristow 05132010 to Amsterdam 2 06132018
  • hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,909
    Ed was known for his mumbles early on, Adam Sandler's opera man was so spot on hilarious
  • Jeeva1Jeeva1 Posts: 23
    edited June 2015
    hrd2imgn said:

    Ed was known for his mumbles early on, Adam Sandler's opera man was so spot on hilarious

    The early days of trying to figure out what Eddie was saying. The mystery

    Dial up modem on America online and prodigy going into forums where people would attempt to give their interpretation of what the lyrics were. Yellow Ledbetter was huge on the old forms with people trying to decipher it.
    Or how great was listening to bootlegs to hopefully get a glimpse of what he said on a particular line not understood on the album
  • mookeywrenchmookeywrench Posts: 5,980
    They didn't see eye-to-eye in the studio
    350x700px-LL-d2f49cb4_vinyl-needle-scu-e1356666258495.jpeg
  • hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,909
    edited June 2015
    Oh gosh in college my buddy and I ironically sat on a porch all night trying to figure out ledbetter --boots, CD single...never did get it as Ed fucking changes or mumbles the words every time
  • lolobugglolobugg BLUE RDGE MTNS Posts: 8,195
    Not a fan of his production at all on Ten. Blind Melon's album "sounded" much better. I think the songs on Ten obviously hold up over time but the production sounds really "dated". It reminds me of some of R.E.M.'s 80's records. the songs are awesome but the drum sounds are horrible.

    livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446

    1995- New Orleans, LA  : New Orleans, LA

    1996- Charleston, SC

    1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN

    2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN

    2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA

    2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)

    2006- Cincinnati, OH

    2008- Columbia, SC

    2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2

    2010- Bristow, VA

    2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL

    2012- Atlanta, GA

    2013- Charlotte, NC

    2014- Cincinnati, OH

    2015- New York, NY

    2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA

    2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY

    2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2

    2020- Nashville, TN 

    2022- Smashville 

    2023- Austin, TX x2

    2024- Baltimore

  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,008
    BOB's mix is grittier, harder edged. Which I honestly like.....now. But back then, part of what endeared me to the record was its....I don't want to call it "softness", but the sound was more subtle than BOB's mix is. I guess the band likes the newer mix better, and now so do I, but back then, I liked the original mix for what it was. If that makes any sense.
    "every society honours its live conformists and its dead troublemakers"




  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,363
    hrd2imgn said:

    Oh gosh in college my buddy and I ironically sat on a porch all night trying to figure out ledbetter --boots, CD single...never did get it as Ed fucking changes or mumbles the words every time

    I am convinced that YLB is supposed to be a joke.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,855
    PJ_Soul said:

    hrd2imgn said:

    Oh gosh in college my buddy and I ironically sat on a porch all night trying to figure out ledbetter --boots, CD single...never did get it as Ed fucking changes or mumbles the words every time

    I am convinced that YLB is supposed to be a joke.
    :smile: I agree, and furthermore I'm convinced it had no fixed lyrics as Ed hadn't gotten around to writing them before they recorded it.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • ikiTikiT USA Posts: 11,059
    edited June 2015
    Jeeva1 said:

    hrd2imgn said:

    I think original ten's sound is still best, but it was all I knew for how long..... I like the echo chamber vocals best personally

    Exactly. I remember being a kid and figuring out that if you unplug the headphones just slightly you here this amazing effect with vocals.
    I was like, what? I listened to the pink Ten last night on the ipod, using the half plugged phones technique. This shit sounds pretty effing cool. It's like all under laying guitars and Ed backup vocals. Try it!

    Bristow 05132010 to Amsterdam 2 06132018
Sign In or Register to comment.