Dick Cuthell

Dick Cuthell
Birth name	Richard Cuthell
Genres	Ska, pop
Occupations	Musician, record producer
Instruments	Flugelhorn, cornet, trumpet, bass guitar, keyboards, percussion
Years active	1960s–present
Associated acts	The Specials Fun Boy Three Eurythmics The Pogues

Dick Cuthell is a British musician and record producer. He plays flugelhorn, cornet, and trumpet, amongst a range of other brass instruments, including tenor horn and valve trombone. Cuthell is best known for his work with The Specials^[1][2] and Rico Rodriguez.^[3] He also collaborated with bands such as Madness, Eurythmics,^[4] Fun Boy Three,^[5] XTC, and The Pogues. In addition to a range of horns, Cuthell also plays bass, keyboards and percussion and is a composer and arranger.

Biography

Island Records

After playing in several bands including the Washington Soul Band in the 1960s, Cuthell worked for Island Records in the 1970s as an engineer and later in-house producer. His work at Island Studios in both Jamaica and London brought him into contact with reggae and ska musicians, and these became a constant theme in the music he played and produced. He acted as assistant engineer on Bob Marley's Exodus album,^[6] on which he also played horns,^[7] and also met Rico Rodriguez, with whom he would later work in The Specials.^[8] He was also one of several engineers that worked on the dub album of Burning Spear's Marcus Garvey album, Garvey's Ghost.^[9]

The Specials

Cuthell became, along with Rico Rodriguez, the horn section for The Specials, playing cornet on their debut album, and staying with the band into their later incarnation as the Special A.K.A., playing on the hit single "Free Nelson Mandela", and the album In the Studio.^{[1][10][11][12]} He co-wrote two of the band's songs, "Bright Lights" and "Racist Friend", released together as a single in 1983, reaching #60 in the UK.^[13][14][15]

When the Specials split up, Cuthell went on to record with the spin-off group Fun Boy Three.^[16]

Later production and session work

Throughout the 1980s, Cuthell continued both production and session work. He contributed trumpet, flugelhorn and cornet to the Eurythmics' 1983 #1 album Touch, and also toured as part of the band.^[1][17] He played horns on The Pogues' 1985 album Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.^[18]

His productions include the Boothill Foot Tappers 1985 album Ain't That Far from Boothill.^[19]

He also recorded with Madness,^[20] and Linton Kwesi Johnson.^[21]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Rock Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-312-1, p. 351, 978-9
2. ^ Dammers, Jerry (1997) "Letter to Billboard magazine", Billboard, 1 November 1997
3. ^ Dick Cuthell, Roots Archives
4. ^ Sutherland, Bryony & Ellis, Lucy (2002) Annie Lennox: The Biography, Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-0711991927, p. 143
5. ^ Buckley, Peter (2003) The Rough Guide to Rock, Rough Guides, ISBN 978-1843531050, p. 401
6. ^ Goldman, Vivien (2007) "Keep on Moving", New Statesman, 28 May 2007, retrieved 2010-01-27
7. ^ McCann, Ian & Hawke, Harry (2004) Complete Guide to the Music of Bob Marley, Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-0711998841, p. 78
8. ^ "Rico Rodriguez Biographie", Orange Times, retrieved 2010-01-27
9. ^ "Garvey's Ghost", Roots Archives, retrieved 2010-01-27
10. ^ Walters, Barry (2005) "The Specials The Specials", Rolling Stone, October 6, 2005, retrieved 2010-01-27
11. ^ "Jerry Dammers' Spatial AKA Orchestra Presents Cosmic Engineering: a tribute to Sun Ra and other musical mavericks", barbican.org.uk, retrieved 2010-01-27
12. ^ Schurmacher, Thomas (1984) "Record Roundup", Montreal Gazette, 19 July 1984, retrieved 2010-01-27
13. ^ "Bright Lights", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-01-27
14. ^ "Racist Friend", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-01-27
15. ^ Racist Friend/Bright Lights, ChartStats, retrieved 2010-01-27
16. ^ Green, Jim & Robbins, Ira "Fun Boy Three", Trouser Press, retrieved 2010-01-27
17. ^ Speelman, Paul (1984) "Guitars - and no pretences", The Age, 2 February 1984, retrieved 2010-01-27
18. ^ Merrick, Joe (2001) London Irish Punk Life & Music...Shane MacGowan, Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-0711976535, p. 70
19. ^ Robbins, Ira "Boothill Foot-Tappers", Trouser Press, retrieved 2010-01-27
20. ^ "The Ascent of Madness", madness.co.uk
21. ^ Linton Kwesi Johnson discography, LKJ Records

Cavern After Hours the book due out late 2010. also see www.cavernafterhours.com for pictures and more info on the Washington soul band and Selofane.

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