Producer plots new strategy for Olivia
LOS ANGELES - Olivia Newton-John’s just released “Totally Hot” album represents a substantial change of direction for the artist, according to her long-time producer John Farrar.
“It’s mainly a small group sort of sound,” says Farrar, adding. “It sounds younger, less sophisticated, more rock ‘n’ roll”.
“There’s one Eric Carmen ballad.” he continues, called “Boats Against The Current”, two medium country ballads, but the rest is really up material, things like Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin’”
Farrar, whose musical relationship with the singer goes back to the mid-‘60s in Australia, believes the movie “Grease” was an instrumental factor in allowing Newton-John to make a change from predominantly country and MOR to a more rock-oriented sound.
“The area she was in was a little difficult to get out of.” notes Farrar. “But the “Grease” situation opened it up for her. Young record buyers accepted her doing that material. Up until then her audience was mainly MOR and when you have an MOR audience the size she had, it’s hard to turn your back on them. But I think, she can appeal to a number of audiences.”
Farrar wrote and produced the high energy “You’re The One That I Want” track from the movie, a duet Olivia did with John Travolta. That platinum single was No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in June.
“The song was set up because of the situation in the movie.” he says. “I came up with what I thought was an interesting tempo. I wanted to make it light hearted and as young and unpretentious as I could.”
The producer got involved with the “Grease” soundtrack originally by writing and producing the ballad “Hopelessly Devoted To You” for Newton-John.
In addition, Farrar also wrote and produced one other track, John Travolta’s ballad called “Sandy” on the “Grease” soundtrack.
The 33-year-old producer from Australia who now bases in Los Angeles not only writes and co-writes LP material for Newton-John but plays guitar on her disks. At one time he also played in her band.
“Totally Hot” is the 10th album Farrar has produced for Newton-John during what has been a long standing and successful producer/artist relationship.
Four of those albums have been million sellers, according to MCA, including “Let Me Be There,” “If You Love Me, Let Me Know,” “Have You Never Been Mellow” and “Greatest Hits.” The “Grease” soundtrack on RSO has also been certified platinum.
Other albums include “Clearly Love,” “Come On Over,” “Don’t Stop Believin.” and “Making A Good Thing Better.”
Farrar’s immersion into the music business began, he recounts, back in Melbourne, where he was a member of a four-piece band called the Strangers.
“I played guitar and sang vocals,” he states, “and we were sort of the resident band on a music pop show called the ‘Go Show. In fact, that’s where we met Olivia since just about every one in the Australian music business was on that show at one time or another including the Bee Gees. We learned a lot about music on it such as arranging and producing.”
In 1970. Farrar went to England to join a group called the Shadows.
“Two of the members of that group and I formed a group called Marvin. Welch and Farrar. We made three LPs together and we also made a few Shadows LPs. We appeared sometimes as the Shadows and sometimes as Marvin, Welch and Farrar.”
At the same time Olivia had won a talent contest in Australia as had Pat Carroll, Farrar’s wife to be, enabling the two of them to go and perform in England for a time as a duet.
Carroll’s visa expired, however, and she returned to Australia while Olivia pursued a solo career in England.
“Bruce Welch and I co-produced her first album in England about that time.” explains Farrar, “and a few tracks on her second LP. From that time on, however, I began to produce Olivia exclusively. We have known each other for a long time and we have been able to make it a successful combination. Sure, we have our differences of opinions at times but I think we have similar feelings musically.”
Part of the longevity of the relationship, Farrar feels, stems from the fact that he is able to write and play material for the singer as well as produce.
“That’s why I shy away from producing other artists although I am asked to produce other projects,” he says. “I wouldn’t feel I was contributing that much and I really want to be involved musically. I would just feel like a passenger if I produced a self-contained act that had its own material.”
The only other project he’s produced recently is the Moir Sisters on Rocket. But he’s planning a recording project for himself.
Farrar spends a good deal of his time writing and for that purpose maintains TEAC Tascam-equipped, 8-track home studio in his Benedict Canyon home.
“It allows me to go in and write quickly and not get too hung up on the quality on the sound. I think if I had a 24-track at home I wouldn’t get any writing done.”
On the “Totally Hot” LP Farrar wrote “A Little More Love,” the first single, as well as the title track. He also co-wrote “Never Enough” with his wife Pat along with Alan Tarney and Trevor Spencer.
And on the new LP, Farrar also employs three members from Columbia’s Toto including David Hungate on bass, Steve Lukather on guitar and Jai Winding on piano. In addition to other L.A. session players, the LP, cut at Hollywood Sound, Group IV and Cherokee and mixed at Indigo Ranch, features Bread’s drummer Michael Botts.