Martin Hannett

United Kingdom, 1977–1991

English producer (1948-1991), the sound of Factory Records. Treating the studio as an instrument in the manner of dub, he recorded drums in stairwells and drenched everything in digital delay, giving Joy Division their cavernous space and shaping records for New Order, Happy Mondays and the Durutti Column.

MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Martin Hannett and 4 artists Martin Hannett influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Martin Hannett?

• Lee "Scratch" Perry — Hannett worked in the line of Perry's dub - the studio played as an instrument, the mix rebuilt with delay and space rather than captured live.
• Phil Spector — Hannett was more heavily shaped by Spector's work and persona than is usually noted - the producer as the real author of the record.
• Patsy Cline — An unlikely source he named himself for the bass-heavy, spacious sound: Patsy Cline's records - 'that echo, those low notes, the drums'.
• The Doors — The Doors are the third source Hannett named for that sound, alongside dub and Patsy Cline.

Which artists did Martin Hannett influence?

• Joy Division — Hannett made Joy Division sound like Joy Division - taming a fast, aggressive live band into cavernous, separated space, against the band's own objections at the time.
• New Order — Hannett produced New Order's first steps after Curtis's death, carrying the Factory sound into the band's early records.
• Happy Mondays — Hannett's last major work was with the Happy Mondays, whose Bummed he produced.
• The Durutti Column — Hannett built the electronic backing tracks that Reilly's guitar was laid over on the first Durutti Column album - the record's whole atmosphere is his.