Alan Parsons was born on December 20, 1948, in London, England. He grew up in a family with a notable artistic and literary lineage — his great-grandfather was the famous actor and theatrical manager Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. From an early age, Parsons was deeply interested in both music and technology, which naturally led him into audio engineering.
Parsons’ first big break came at Abbey Road Studios in London. He joined EMI as a trainee tape operator in the late 1960s, right when recording technology and rock music were evolving rapidly.
One of his earliest engineering credits — and the one that made his name — was The Beatles’ Abbey Road (1969). He was also an assistant engineer on Let It Be (1970).
He cemented his reputation by engineering Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon (1973). His meticulous work on that album’s lush soundscapes and pioneering techniques helped shape it into one of the most acclaimed albums in rock history. The album’s iconic sound — its pristine balance of analog synths, effects, and crystal-clear vocals — owes a lot to Parsons’ engineering skills.
It's an incredible run, an incalculable contribution to music and the advancement of music technology. And that's not even getting into his own music with The Alan Parson's Project (1974 - 1990) and his own solo albums, like today's release, the criminally underrated Try Anything Once (1993). Filled with masterful, epic songs and, as you would expect, near flawless production values, this album needs it's reevaluation and subsequent time in the sun immediately.
