EPISODE ONE - BOB MARLEY, JIMI HENDRIX, ROBERT PALMER, TALK TALK

RECORDED 13TH JULY 2026
WADHURST KENT
Phill Brown is one of Britain’s most respected recording engineers and producers, whose career has spanned more than five decades and helped shape the sound of countless classic recordings. Best known for his work during the golden years of Island Records, Brown combined exceptional technical skill with a musician’s sensitivity, earning the trust of many of the world’s leading artists.

Brown began his career in 1967 at the legendary Olympic Studios as a tape operator, learning his craft alongside renowned engineers such as Glyn Johns and Eddie Kramer. During this formative period he contributed to landmark sessions including Beggars Banquet and All Along the Watchtower, gaining invaluable experience at the heart of London’s flourishing rock scene.

In 1970 Brown joined Island Studios in Basing Street as a house engineer, where he became closely associated with the extraordinary roster assembled by founder Chris Blackwell. He engineered recordings for artists including Bob Marley, Cat Stevens, Traffic, Robert Palmer and Roxy Music, developing a reputation for warm, natural recordings that captured both atmosphere and performance.

After leaving Island, Brown established himself as an independent engineer and producer, working with a remarkably diverse range of artists including Talk Talk, Dido, David Gilmour, Robert Plant and Faithless. His work on Talk Talk’s later albums is particularly admired for its sonic depth and innovative production, while his extensive discography encompasses well over 300 artists across rock, folk, world music and pop.

In 2011 Brown published his acclaimed memoir, Are We Still Rolling?, offering an engaging, candid account of life in the recording studio from the late 1960s onwards. The book has become essential reading for musicians, engineers and music historians, providing a rare insider’s perspective on the evolution of modern recording techniques and the personalities behind many of the era’s greatest albums.