In interviews, George Martin often complains about his lowly wage at EMI, making John Schroeder’s highly colourful autobiography a revelation. He’s not as well-known a producer, but he’s had his share of expensive cars, flying lessons, bachelor flats, costly divorces and good-looking girlfriends. The difference comes from writing No 1 hits for Helen Shapiro, namely, You Don’t Know and Walkin’ Back To Happiness.
After working with Norrie Paramor at EMI’s Columbia label, Schroeder joined the independent Oriole and made it a viable entity with hits for Clinton Ford, Carter-Lewis & The Southerners and Maureen Evans. He made some excellent records under tight budgetary control and, indeed, all the performers on the two volumes of This Is Mersey Beat were denied royalties.
Schroeder came into his own at Pye, producing hits for The Rockin’ Berries, The Ivy League and Status Quo, while, with the pianist John Pearson, he established a series of easy listening albums as Sounds Orchestral. With his own label Alaska, Schroeder had hits with Cymande, but Sex & Violins’ anti-climactic ending winds up with Schroeder producing fitness videos and duplicating porn tapes. His West End musical, Pull Both Ends, might have flopped, but Schroeder’s anecdotes about its background may make you wish you’d seen it.
