R.I.P. Tony Cohen

An absolute giant in our industry over four decades, presiding over some of the best ever Australian releases. Check the list of productions in Wiki and you’ll see.

One of the things I've always loved about Australian music is that it just doesn't quite sound like US & UK music, and Cohen was one of the architects of that sound.

Nick Cave's tribute on Facebook:

"A Tribute to Tony Cohen

Tony was pure chaos in the studio and like many geniuses a nightmare to work with. But you came back again and again because he was just so good, everything he did was so unique and bold and startling. He was a master at both what not to do in the studio and what to do in the studio. For example - don’t set fire to the studio, don’t sleep in the air-conditioning vents, don’t not show up to the sessions for days at a time, but conversely do record music like your very life depended on it, do create sounds that no-one has ever heard before, do mix records with a courage that put every other producer in Australia to shame. He was also the funniest guy I have ever met and rising up through the narcissism and rampant insanity he had a heart just as big as a house. Australia has lost a national treasure.

NICK CAVE"

Interesting. I didn't know him by name but I own or have listened to a lot of records he produced or engineered.

Aw, that makes me sad. Like you say, he's produced so many absolute classics, and even if he didn't produce, his influence lays heavily upon them. One of the absolute greats.

What did he die of?

All reports at this point say he passed away quietly in hospital. He lived pretty hard so I don't think it's a huge surprise.