The Wiz: Rakesh "Rick" Parashar - Seattle/Grunge Iconic Producer
What connects London Bridge, Indian immigrants 👳 and some of the grunge era's most iconic albums?
Rakesh "Rick" Parashar
December 13, 1963 - August 14, 2014
Some people play crucial roles at particular moments in music history while remaining relatively anonymous to the wider public. It is remarkable how fundamental their influence can be.
That is Rick Parashar's story, and his part in the volcanic eruption 🌋 of grunge!
A small sample of the records Rick produced in 1991 and 1992:
"Temple of the Dog" - "Temple of the Dog"
"Blind Melon" - "Blind Melon"
Beyond his production work, Rick and his brother Rajan established London Bridge Studios in 1985, perhaps one of Seattle's most iconic grunge temples 🙏.
Rick studied music from childhood, especially piano and keyboards. In his final year studying acoustics, he decided to pursue a dream. He and Rajan, children of Indian immigrants, were obsessed with music, and had a father who believed in them and helped finance the studio while they were young.
Mountains 🏔️ of words and superlatives have been written about those iconic "Pearl Jam" and "Temple of the Dog" albums. They deserve every one.
The same goes for "Alice in Chains"' magnificent "Sap". Perhaps only at London Bridge in that period could "Alice in Chains", Chris Cornell of "Soundgarden" and Mark Arm of "Mudhoney" gather for something as special as "Right Turn", credited to the playful combination of their bands' names, "Alice Mudgarden".
As for "Blind Melon", I consider them among the decade's most underrated bands, and perhaps beyond it. Their music offers so much more than the famous bee girl 🐝. More about them in my separate post:
But how did a band that had only recently moved to Los Angeles end up in Seattle?
Apparently Shannon Hoon caused enough chaos 💥 in Los Angeles that his bandmates and label decided he needed some time away. So they too arrived in Seattle and at London Bridge.
Rick said a studio owner and producer needed two things: understanding music and understanding sound. "Blind Melon" also valued his excellent people skills 😎, his ability to let go and allow them to express themselves. Taking them out to parties after recording did not hurt either! These were heady days for Rick and his brother. A short interview with two band members:
Other work from that period includes "Dinosaur Jr."'s "Whatever's Cool with Me", and recordings made at the studio by "Mother Love Bone", including their EP and their only full studio album.
Another fascinating source is Dave Hillis, who worked alongside Rick at London Bridge and handled much of the studio's guitar work.
Hillis highlights the enormous drum sound 🥁. The kit usually stood on a wooden floor, backed by a tall brick or concrete wall rising toward a sloping ceiling, an arrangement he credits with contributing to the studio's distinctive sound.
He also remembers long recording hours and takes stretching into the night, even when Rick himself was not always present. These were the days of tape, before computers and Pro Tools dominated.
Some iconic work happened under intense time pressure. Hillis recalls "Temple of the Dog" being recorded in 15 days, while work on songs for the era-defining film "Singles" took even less time. The soundtrack included "Pearl Jam"'s "State of Love and Trust" and "Breath", and "Alice in Chains"' immortal "Would?".
An amusing story 🙃
During the sessions for "Even Flow" on "Pearl Jam"'s "Ten", Hillis recalls that after exhausting attempts and countless takes, the tape unexpectedly ran out during a performance.
He assumed they would simply do another take, as they had all evening. Instead, the band finished with a jubilant declaration that this was the one, and wanted to hear it!
Under pressure, Hillis kept his composure and assembled a version from other tape reels using his session notes. Fortunately, the band listened to his tape concoction 📼 and it passed their test.
For those wanting to go deeper, here is the long Hillis interview on an audio-engineering podcast:
A few extra details 🌶️
Rick died at only 50 after complications from a blood clot, leaving friends and family stunned 😔. The studio changed hands, but remains active.
Full circle, part one: "The Pretty Reckless" recorded this year's "Death by Rock and Roll" there, an album deeply affected by the death of one of the studio's most significant former visitors, Chris Cornell 🖤.
Full circle, part two: a tape machine Rick used had been gathering dust after his death. Before opening his own Pittsburgh studio, Dave Hillis asked the Parashar family whether they would sell it to him. They were happy to see it go to familiar hands.
A cherry on top 🍒, and a confession
I came to Parashar through a simple question: who plays the piano on "Pearl Jam"'s "Black"? And that question brought us all the way here.
The accompanying playlist begins with five songs where Rick stepped away from the production desk to play his favorite instruments, mainly piano and organ, with a little percussion. He became a part of some of the period's most precious recordings, an era he helped shape so profoundly.
In the main image 🖼️, from left to right:
Top: Rick and the iconic bee girl from "Blind Melon"'s debut. Middle: the other three historic 1991-1992 releases.
Bottom: London Bridge Studios, the late Layne Staley in the "Would?" video, the "Singles" soundtrack artwork at right and a studio logo above.
Image two: London Bridge's famous drum space 🧱, alongside an extraordinary selection of records made there.
Image three:
"Temple of the Dog", born from the aftermath of "Mother Love Bone" and dedicated to singer Andrew Wood, beneath "Shine", their EP recorded at the studio. At right are the master tapes returned to Chris Cornell, with the label's legal complaint against Rajan visible below.
In memory of those who were part of the grunge explosion and left too soon. We can keep listening 🎧 and enjoying the wonderful music and memories they left behind.
Comments