John Leckie is an English record producer and engineer who has worked with prominent artists, such as Pink Floyd, Muse, John Lennon, Syd Barrett, New Order, and many, many more! In 1994, Leckie produced Radiohead’s second album ‘The Bends’.
Leckie and Radiohead began work on The Bends at RAK Studios, London, in February 1994. After an international tour in May and June, recording resumed at Abbey Road in London and the Manor in Oxfordshire. Radiohead moved away from the grunge style of their debut album Pablo Honey (1993), incorporating cryptic lyrics, greater use of keyboards, more abrasive guitar tracks and more restrained arrangements.
The Bends produced six charting singles: “My Iron Lung” (released as an EP in 1994), the double A-side “Planet Telex / High and Dry”, “Fake Plastic Trees”, “Just”, Radiohead’s first top-five UK single “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”, and “The Bends”.
‘The Bends’ received greater acclaim than Radiohead’s first album ‘Pablo Honey’, including a nomination for Best British Album at the 1996 Brit Awards; it elevated Radiohead from a one-hit-wonder into one of the most recognized British bands. It is credited for influencing a generation of post-Britpop acts, such as Oasis and Travis, and is frequently regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time; it was voted number 2 in Colin Larkin’s All Time Top 1000 Albums 3rd Edition (2000) and ranked number 110 on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time.
Watch the video below to hear more from the amazing John Leckie!
