Tim McPhate | KissFAQ
In a NovElder exclusive, uncredited engineer Michael McCarty sheds some light on KISS’ “Elder” sessions at Phase One Studios in Toronto, shares fun recollections of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and offers a personal snapshot of Bob Ezrin
In conjunction with KissFAQ’s month-long NovElder retrospective, current ole president Michael McCarty discussed his role in working on KISS’ 1981 concept album “Music From The Elder.” An uncredited engineer on the project, McCarty detailed KISS’ sessions at Phase One Studios in Toronto, his personal recollections of working with the members of KISS, and Bob Ezrin’s hectic recording schedule in juggling two projects at the time. This marks the first time McCarty has gone on record regarding his “Elder” experience.
Following are excerpts from McCarty’s interview with KissFAQ’s Tim McPhate:
Fitting into “The Elder” picture:
KissFAQ: Michael, you are not officially credited in “The Elder” liner notes. How do you fit into the album’s picture?
Michael McCarty: Well, I was working for Bob as an engineer and associate producer and started off with the project. He was alternating working on “The Elder” and the second Kings’ album. I was the associate producer on the Kings’ record. Actually, Ringo [Hyrcyna] and I both engineered and co-produced the Kings’ independent record. And when Bob heard that record he got very excited about the band and got them a deal with Elektra and then we redid the record. So Ringo and I were engineers and associate producers.
So then [Bob] took the job of doing the next Kings album and “The Elder” at the same time. I don’t think he consciously did that but that’s just the way it worked out. I mean, it’s hard