Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

Did Gerry Goffin Ever Record in Silver Spring?

Zero to 180 wonders aloud whether Gerry Goffin — Carole King’s long-time songwriting partner (who left us June 19th, sadly) — did any recording sessions in Silver Spring, Maryland in connection with his 1973 debut solo (double!) album, It Ain’t Exactly Entertainment, released on Silver Spring indie label, Adelphi Records?  Is it possible, for instance, that all the voices and instrumental tracks for “It’s Not the Spotlight,” the A-side of Goffin’s 45 for Adelphi, were laid down at Track Recorders?

Track Recorders, by the way, is where John Fahey and Root Boy Slim and Linda Ronstadt and The Seldom Scene, among many other artists of local and national renown have gone to lay down, well, tracks.

Gerry Goffin 45

Among the 18 tracks on Goffin’s solo album that was clearly long in the making:

  • “Last Cha Cha on Jackson Highway”
  • “What Am I Doin’ Here”
  • “It’s Alright to Be Alive”
  • “Reverend Bottom’s Tojo Saloon”
  • “Maryland Again”

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Moment of Truth:

Album Credits with Recording Info

Fortunately, the recording credits for It Ain’t Exactly Entertainment go a long way toward dispelling any wild fantasies or wishful thinking:

  • Produced by Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg, and Gene Rosenthal.
  • Recorded in Nov/Dec 1972 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama at Muscle Shoals Sound and Fame Recording Studios.
  • Recording Engineers:  Steve Melton, Jerry Masters, Mickie Buckins, and Rick Rushing.
  • Remixed in New York at Electric Lady Studios and Hit Factory Studios.
  • Remixing Engineers:  Bernie Kirsch, Dick Shapiro, Tom Hummer, Harry Maslin, George Lopez, and Steve Weinberg.
  • Mastered in New York at Media Sound.
  • Mastering Engineers:  Jose Rodriguez and Joe Gastwirt.

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Gene Rosenthal & Gerry Goffin

LP back cover

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Thus, it is doubtful that Gerry Goffin set foot in Silver Spring, but not wholly implausible either.

[pssst – see Gene Rosenthal’s comment below]

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Epilogue

LINK to Gerry Goffin Almost Certainly Set Foot in Silver Spring

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One Response

  1. NOT IMPLAUSIBLE AT ALL! 🙂

    Gerry actually had family in the Silver Spring area, an Uncle and Aunt as I recall. Gerry himself, met with me here in Silver Spring, prior to the release of his FIRST Adelphi LP, AD 4102, “It Aint Exactly Entertainment” (Double LP). He has a second release on Adelphi, still in print on CD entitled “Back Room Blood” released in 1996, as well as a 3 song CD single also released in 1996. (BOTH include “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination”).

    Regarding local involvement:

    Dick Bangham Designed the Label for the 45 single “Spotlight”.
    The Double LP Jacket was printed and fabricated at ITI in Baltimore, which is also where George Massenburg, world renown engineer and audio designer built and ran his first studio……recording “Little Feat”, amongst others there. Both the Double LP & the Single were also pessed at the ITI subdivision pressing plant know as Sontec (All located in Cockeysville/Baltimore.

    At one point in time, I personally worked on the existing 16 track masters of Goffinj at track, w/I believe OB Obrien engineering, just doing some alt. test mixes, and editing out a piece of 2″ master tape, which included an “unreleased” title from the sessions called “Ghost Story”……..

    There’s an entirely “unreleased” 2nd LP (CD) from these same sessions.

    Best Regards
    Gene R.

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