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Andy Paley
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Key Information
Andrew Douglas Paley (November 1, 1951 – November 20, 2024) was an American songwriter, record producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist who formed the Paley Brothers, a 1970s power pop duo, with his brother Jonathan Paley. Following their disbandment, Paley was a staff producer at Sire Records, producing albums for artists, such as Brian Wilson, Jonathan Richman, NRBQ, John Wesley Harding, the Greenberry Woods, and Jerry Lee Lewis. He also worked in film and television, composing scores and writing songs mostly for animated series, such as The Ren & Stimpy Show, SpongeBob SquarePants, Camp Lazlo, and Handy Manny.
Early life and career
[edit]Andrew Douglas Paley was born in Washington, D.C., on November 1, 1951,[2][3] the son of Henry Paley, a college administrator and lobbyist, and Cabot Barber Paley, a teacher and therapist.[4][5] He was the third of five children and grew up in Crescent, New York, near Albany.[2][5] His younger sister Sarah is married to former U.S. senator Bob Kerrey. In 2010, he married Heather Crist in a ceremony officiated by Kerrey.[6]
"These snappy, hard-hitting songs are what rock and roll used to sound like back when singles were singles and boys would be boys."
Paley began performing in his early teens as a drummer and singer for local Albany-area bands before moving to Boston. He was a founding member and the drummer of the Boston, Massachusetts band, Catfish Black, which also included future Modern Lovers members Jerry Harrison and Ernie Brooks. The band was renamed the Sidewinders and was later joined by Billy Squier. The band performed around Boston and in New York City at venues like Max's Kansas City.[2] They released an album, produced by Lenny Kaye, which featured songs written and sung by Paley. The Sidewinders broke up in the mid-1970s. Paley then played on Elliott Murphy's album Night Lights, and performed with Jonathan Richman after the break-up of the original Modern Lovers.[8]
The Paley Brothers
[edit]Paley went on to form The Paley Brothers[9] with his younger brother Jonathan, a guitar/bass player and singer who also was part of the early Boston punk scene and had played with Boston and New York bands such as Mong. They disintegrated as an act in 1979 when Jonathan joined the Nervous Eaters. Although the Nervous Eaters collapsed after Ric Ocasek, who had produced their demo, was not permitted to produce their second album,[10] the Paley Brothers did not reform. Said Jonathan, "It was more of an evolution. Andy went on the road with Patti Smith's band and got into production work; I went and sailed around the world."[11]
Collaborative work
[edit]In 1979, Andy Paley played guitar on Jonathan Richman's album Back in Your Life, and continued to perform on and off with Richman and later incarnations of the Modern Lovers, and produce many of their recordings, through the 1980s. He produced Richman's 1985 album Rockin' and Romance. Paley then focused on songwriting, session work and record production while working with Madonna, k.d. lang, Mandy Barnett, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John, Brenda Lee, Little Richard, and many others.[2]
In 1988, Paley produced and co-wrote songs on Wilson's solo comeback album Brian Wilson, and continued to work with him on unreleased material in the 1990s.[12] Wilson described Paley as a multi-instrumentalist with "a lot of talent for anything you can think of. ... Andy Paley is the most frighteningly talented person I’ve ever worked with, and he has an unparalleled seriousness about music."[13]
Film and television work
[edit]Paley produced the soundtracks for Dick Tracy (1990) and A Walk on the Moon (1999) and wrote the original music for Traveller (1997, starring Bill Paxton). In 2009, he contributed to the soundtrack of World's Greatest Dad, directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams. He also wrote the musical score for the first season of Showtime's The L Word.[citation needed]
Paley also scored for cartoons such as The Ren & Stimpy Show,[14] and later wrote and produced the music for Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants. He and Tom Kenny – the voice of SpongeBob – co-wrote the It's a SpongeBob Christmas! Album (2012). Paley and Kenny were also both members of Tom Kenny and the Hi-Seas.[citation needed] He led the Andy Paley Orchestra, which provided the music for The Thrilling Adventure & Supernatural Suspense Hour, a theater group in Los Angeles that performs original stage productions in the style of old radio melodramas. Additionally he provided music for The Dana Gould Hour podcast.[15]
Personal life and death
[edit]Paley and his wife, Heather Crist Paley, have twin sons and lived in Grand Isle, Vermont.[2][3]
In July 2024, Paley was diagnosed with throat cancer. Though he was successfully treated and had been cancer-free from September, it was found to have returned on November 7, after he was admitted to a hospital in Burlington, Vermont. Heather Crist Paley wrote on her blog that her husband's health steadily deteriorated over the following days, and he was eventually admitted to a hospice facility in Colchester, Vermont.[16] He died there on November 20, at the age of 73.[3][17]
Discography
[edit]Albums produced
- Professor Anonymous – Living In The World (1980)
- The Real Kids – Outta Place (1982)
- The Real Kids – Hit You Hard (1983)
- Border Boys – Tribute (1983)
- Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers – Rockin' and Romance (1985)
- Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers – It's Time For (1986)
- Boys Wonder – Now What Earthman? (1987)
- Brian Wilson – Brian Wilson (1988)
- Various – Shag: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1988)
- Chris Isaak – Heart Shaped World (1989) (on track Diddley Daddy)
- John Wesley Harding – God Made Me Do It – The Christmas EP (1989)
- NRBQ – Wild Weekend (1989)
- John Wesley Harding – Here Comes the Groom (1990)
- Nasa – Insha-Allah! (1990)
- Various – Dick Tracy (1990)
- Richard X. Heyman – Hey Man! (1991)
- The Mighty Lemon Drops – Sound ... Goodbye to Your Standards (1991)
- John Wesley Harding – The Name Above the Title (1991)
- The Greenberry Woods – Rapple Dapple (1994)
- The Greenberry Woods – Big Money Item (1995)
- Jerry Lee Lewis – Young Blood (1995)
- The Foremen – Folk Heroes (1995)
- Jonathan Richman – Surrender to Jonathan! (1996)
- Paleface – Get Off (1996)
- Various – The Best Day Ever (2006)
References
[edit]- ^ "Andrew Douglas Paley". sesac.com. SESAC.
- ^ a b c d e Williams, Alex (November 27, 2024). "Andy Paley, Whose Imprint Was All Over Pop Music, Dies at 73". The New York Times. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ a b c Wood, Mikael (November 21, 2024). "Andy Paley, who produced for Brian Wilson and composed for 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' dies at 73". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ "Henry Paley obituary". New York Times. April 17, 1984. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
- ^ a b "Cabot Paley Obituary". New York Times. February 9, 2010. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- ^ Vincent M. Mallozzi (June 25, 2010). "Heather Crist, Andrew Paley". New York Times. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via Robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Tim Mitchell, There’s Something About Jonathan, 1999, ISBN 0-7206-1076-1
- ^ Tim Sendra. "Paley Brothers | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
- ^ Ginger Coyote (2010). "Jonathan Paley Interview". Punk Globe. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- ^ Quoted by Gene Sculatti in liner notes for "The Paley Brothers: The Complete Recordings"
- ^ Verna, Paul (April 22, 1995). "From Brian Wilson to Jerry Lee Lewis, Andy Paley's Career Defies Description". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 16. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 88–89. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (November 27, 2024). "Andy Paley, Multi-Instrumentalist and Songwriter, Dies at 70". The New York Times.
- ^ Lester, Paul (June 1998). "Brain Wilson: Endless Bummer". Uncut.
- ^ "Podcast". Dana Gould. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
Comedian Dana Gould takes a look at our world… through his eyes… for your benefit. Joined by fellow comedians and other interesting people with a focus on the weird and the real. Conversation. Music. Monologues. With Ken Daly, Andy Paley and more.
- ^ Crist, Heather. "Heather Crist Substack".
- ^ Merlis, Bob; Aswad, Jem (November 20, 2024). "Andy Paley, Brian Wilson Collaborator, 'Spongebob' Composer and Veteran Producer, Dies at 72". Variety.
External links
[edit]- Andy Paley at AllMusic
- Andy Paley discography at Discogs
- Andy Paley at IMDb
Andy Paley
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Upbringing and family
Andrew Douglas Paley was born on November 1, 1951, in Washington, D.C.[1][4] He was raised in Crescent, New York, a small hamlet in the town of Halfmoon near Albany, where he spent his childhood in a suburban environment in upstate New York.[5][6] Paley was the third of five children born to Henry D. Paley, a prominent college administrator and lobbyist, and Cabot Barber Paley, a teacher and therapist.[1][7] His siblings included older sisters Brewster and Deborah, younger brother Jonathan, and younger sister Sarah.[7] Sarah Paley later became a comedy writer, notably for Saturday Night Live, and married former U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey in 2001.[8][9] The Paley household emphasized education and intellectual pursuits, with both parents' professional backgrounds in administration, teaching, and therapy providing a supportive environment for creative development among the children.[1][7] This familial foundation, reflected in the siblings' later careers in music, writing, and public service, likely nurtured an early appreciation for artistic expression. Paley developed an early fascination with rock 'n' roll through his older sisters' records and local radio.[1]Initial musical pursuits
After dropping out of high school, Paley moved to Boston in the late 1960s, where he began developing his musical talents during adolescence, teaching himself to play multiple instruments including guitar, drums, and keyboards, while also experimenting with songwriting and recording basic demos by age 17 or 18.[2][10] Growing up in upstate New York near Albany, he started on drums at age 6 and joined his first band, the Satellite Six, at age 11 around 1962, marking the onset of his hands-on engagement with group performance.[5] His early self-taught approach was supported by access to family record collections and local radio, fostering a broad appreciation for pop music structures.[11] Paley's formative influences drew heavily from 1960s rock and power pop, particularly the harmonic innovations of the Beatles and the layered productions of the Beach Boys, whose live performance he witnessed as a child at RPI Field House in Schenectady, New York.[11] He also absorbed Phil Spector's Wall of Sound technique and acts like the Ronettes, which shaped his interest in multi-instrumental arrangements and catchy melodies broadcast on AM radio.[5][10] These elements informed his adolescent experiments, blending rock energy with pop accessibility in informal home recordings and local jam sessions. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Paley participated in his first band experiments in the Boston area, initially with Catfish Black around 1970 before it evolved into the Sidewinders, which later included Billy Squier on guitar; Paley contributed drums, vocals, and songwriting to the group, which opened for acts like Aerosmith and performed at college mixers and venues in Boston, reflecting the vibrant New England rock scene, and gained initial exposure through gigs like the First Earth Day event near Harvard Stadium in 1970.[12][5][1] By 1971, the Sidewinders secured a residency at Max's Kansas City in New York City, their first significant urban showcase following the Velvet Underground's era there.[13] This period culminated in Paley's move to New York City in the early 1970s to pursue music professionally, immersing himself in the emerging punk and new wave scenes at clubs like CBGB while continuing to hone his multi-instrumental skills.[10][5] The relocation bridged his regional band experiences to broader industry opportunities, building on the foundational techniques and inspirations from his youth.[13]The Paley Brothers
Formation and debut
In 1976, brothers Andy and Jonathan Paley formed the power pop duo the Paley Brothers in Boston, Massachusetts, drawing inspiration from 1960s harmony acts such as the Ronettes, the Shirelles, the Crystals, and the Beach Boys.[5] Andy, the elder sibling born in 1951, contributed as a multi-instrumentalist, lead vocalist, and co-songwriter alongside Jonathan, born in 1954, focusing on crafting melodic, harmony-driven songs that blended punk energy with pop-rock accessibility.[5] The duo's formation built on their shared New York upbringing and early musical experiments, transitioning from local bands to a professional act aimed at capturing the era's burgeoning power pop revival.[5] The Paley Brothers signed with Sire Records in 1976, at the recommendation of label co-founder Seymour Stein, who recognized their potential amid Sire's roster of innovative acts.[14] Their debut release was a four-song EP produced by Jimmy Iovine, recorded in a New Jersey studio and featuring original tracks that showcased their tight harmonies and upbeat songcraft.[15] This led to their full-length debut album, The Paley Brothers, issued in 1978 on Sire Records.[16] The self-titled LP, primarily produced by Earle Mankey and recorded at the Beach Boys' Brother Studios in Santa Monica (with one track, "Come Out and Play," handled by Iovine in New Jersey), emphasized a polished pop-rock sound with key originals like "Come Out and Play," "You're the Best," and covers such as "Come On, Let's Go."[16][5] Initial reception for the album was modest commercially, with no significant chart placement despite touring as openers for artists like Shaun Cassidy and Patti Smith.[5] Critics, however, praised the duo's sophisticated songwriting and harmonious style, hailing it as a high point of power pop for its blend of '60s influences and fresh energy—AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine later described it as a "pinnacle" of the genre.[5][17] The release established Andy Paley's early reputation as a skilled performer and tunesmith, though it garnered more cult appreciation over time than immediate mainstream breakthrough.[18]Subsequent releases
Following their debut album, the Paley Brothers contributed to the soundtrack for the 1979 film Rock 'n' Roll High School with a cover of Ritchie Valens' "Come On Let's Go," recorded alongside the Ramones and released as a single on Sire Records in 1978.[19] This collaboration highlighted their power pop style but did not lead to broader commercial success, as the duo's recordings struggled amid shifting industry trends favoring punk and new wave over polished pop harmonies.[11] Despite interest from figures like Seymour Stein of Sire Records and praise from Brian Wilson, the Paley Brothers faced declining sales and label support waned, prompting a pivot toward more experimental elements in unreleased demos that blended their signature hooks with edgier production.[11] No second full-length album materialized, though sessions yielded tracks like "Boomerang," intended as a potential lead single for follow-up material.[11] The band dissolved in 1979, with Andy Paley shifting to production and touring roles—such as with Patti Smith's band—while Jonathan Paley explored other pursuits, reflecting broader industry changes and diverging personal ambitions in the early 1980s.[20] This marked the end of their performing era and the brothers' transition to behind-the-scenes contributions. Their legacy endures as a key influence on the 1970s power pop revival, celebrated for crafting anthemic, Spector-inspired songs that captured AM radio's golden age amid a rock landscape moving toward grit.[5] Rare reissues, including the 2013 compilation The Paley Brothers: The Complete Recordings on Real Gone Music, have preserved their output, featuring 26 tracks with unreleased material and underscoring their cult status among genre enthusiasts.[11]Record production career
Sire Records period
In the early 1980s, Andy Paley joined Sire Records as a staff producer at the invitation of label founder Seymour Stein, marking his transition from performing artist to a key behind-the-scenes figure in the label's roster.[21][2] This role positioned him within Sire's vibrant ecosystem, which was then dominated by punk and new wave acts like the Ramones and Talking Heads, allowing Paley to apply his power pop sensibilities to emerging talent.[1] Paley's initial productions at Sire highlighted his ability to refine raw energy into accessible recordings, beginning with The Real Kids' album Outta Place in 1982, where his production emphasized tight rhythms and guitar-driven hooks, bridging garage rock roots with a more commercial sheen.[22] He later produced Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers' album Rockin' and Romance in 1985, shaping Richman's quirky songwriting into a crisp, melodic collection that blended folk-rock introspection with subtle pop arrangements, earning praise for its clarity amid the label's edgier output.[21] These efforts established Paley as a versatile collaborator during Sire's transitional years. Beyond production, Paley continued performing as a session musician, including keyboard duties on Patti Smith Group's 1976 European tour, where he supported the band's live intensity with his multi-instrumental skills.[1][21] This dual role helped him build a reputation for a polished pop-rock sound that contrasted yet complemented Sire's punk and new wave ethos, influencing how the label balanced underground grit with broader appeal in the mid-1980s.[23]Major collaborations
Andy Paley's most notable production partnership was with Brian Wilson, beginning in the late 1980s. He co-produced and co-wrote much of Wilson's eponymous 1988 solo debut album on Sire Records, including the lead single "Love and Mercy," which helped mark Wilson's successful return to creative control following years under the influence of psychologist Eugene Landy.[24][2] Paley also produced Wilson's contribution to the 1988 tribute album Folkways: A Vision Shared – A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Lead Belly, which won a Grammy Award for best album notes.[25] Throughout the 1990s, Paley and Wilson continued their collaboration on an unfinished album project known as the Andy Paley Sessions, recorded primarily between 1992 and 1996, featuring co-written tracks that blended Wilson's signature harmonies with Paley's pop sensibilities.[26] Several demos from these sessions, including "It's Not Easy Being Me" and "Soul Searchin'," have circulated via bootlegs and leaks, showcasing their ongoing creative synergy despite the project's eventual cancellation in favor of Wilson's more commercial Imagination album in 1998.[26][27] Beyond Wilson, Paley produced full albums for several prominent artists during his Sire Records tenure, including Jerry Lee Lewis's 1995 comeback effort Young Blood, which revived Lewis's rockabilly roots with a mix of covers and originals. He also contributed to sessions during Madonna's Like a Prayer era in the late 1980s, co-writing unreleased material like "To Love You" amid her transition to more introspective pop.[28] Paley's work extended to k.d. lang, producing tracks that highlighted her vocal range in a sophisticated pop framework, and to the Ramones, including a 1979 collaborative single "Come On Let's Go" with his band the Paley Brothers.[1][19] These partnerships underscored Paley's influence on 1980s and 1990s pop and rock production, blending vintage influences with contemporary polish.[2]Film and television work
Film compositions
Andy Paley's contributions to film music marked a significant expansion from his record production roots into cinematic soundtracks, where he primarily produced albums and composed original songs tailored to narrative contexts. His work emphasized period-specific authenticity, particularly in blending contemporary pop sensibilities with retro influences to enhance storytelling.[2] A pivotal project was his involvement in the 1990 film Dick Tracy, directed by Warren Beatty, where Paley produced the soundtrack album and wrote most of its original songs in a 1930s-inspired style evoking torch songs and jazz-era pop. These compositions, performed by artists including k.d. lang, Ice-T, Erasure, and Al Jarreau, complemented the film's noir aesthetic and integrated seamlessly with Danny Elfman's orchestral score, which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score. Paley's songs, such as "Ridin' the Rails" and "Back in Style," captured the era's rhythmic swing and emotional depth, contributing to the soundtrack's cohesive period immersion.[2][29][21] Beyond Dick Tracy, Paley produced soundtrack albums for several feature films, curating selections that amplified their thematic tones through eclectic mixes of pop, jazz, and soul elements. For the 1988 coming-of-age comedy Shag, he oversaw the album featuring tracks from The Bangles, Otis Redding, and The Drifters, blending upbeat 1960s rock and R&B to mirror the film's Southern dance culture. In 1989's erotic thriller Wild Orchid, Paley contributed original songs like "Children of Fire (Call of Xango)" and produced the album, incorporating sensual pop and world music influences to heighten the narrative's exotic tension. His work on the 1991 crime comedy A Rage in Harlem produced a soundtrack rich in blues and jazz standards, performed by artists such as Roscoe Lee Browne and Cissy Houston, which underscored the film's Harlem Renaissance vibe. Later, in 1999, Paley handled soundtracks for the satirical high school drama Election, selecting indie rock and alternative tracks to reflect its sharp wit, and the mockumentary Drop Dead Gorgeous, where he curated a mix of country-pop and humorous interludes to match the film's dark comedy.[29][2][30][31] Paley's film compositions often fused pop accessibility with jazz improvisation and orchestral swells, adapting to each project's emotional and visual demands without overpowering the dialogue or action. This versatile approach earned critical praise for the Dick Tracy soundtrack, noted for its evocative recreation of 1930s musicality within a modern blockbuster framework, helping the album achieve commercial success and cultural resonance as part of the Oscar-nominated production.[21][2]Television scoring
Andy Paley composed music for the animated series The Ren & Stimpy Show from 1991 to 1996, contributing original songs and scores that complemented the program's irreverent and energetic style.[1][29] His work included tracks such as "Don't Whiz on the Electric Fence" co-composed with Elinor Blake and John Kricfalusi, enhancing the show's distinctive comedic tone.[32] Paley's involvement with SpongeBob SquarePants spanned from 1999 into the 2010s, where he served as a key composer and songwriter, often collaborating with voice actor Tom Kenny.[24] Together, they co-wrote songs like "The Best Day Ever," the series' opening theme, featured on the 2005 soundtrack album of the same name.[33] In 2012, Paley and Kenny co-wrote the full-length holiday album It's a SpongeBob Christmas! Album, which included original tracks such as "Don't Be a Jerk (It's Christmas)" tied to the stop-motion special.[3] Paley also composed themes and additional music for other animated series, including Digimon in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as well as projects like Camp Lazlo through the early 2010s.[24][34] For Camp Lazlo, he earned a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music in 2007.[29] His television scoring, particularly for Nickelodeon productions, helped shape the vibrant, whimsical sound of 1990s and 2000s animated programming, with contributions to SpongeBob SquarePants supporting the series' multiple Daytime Emmy nominations in music categories.[35]Personal life and death
Family and later residence
Paley married Heather L. Crist on June 26, 2010, at Prairie View Church of the Brethren in Scott City, Kansas.[36] The couple welcomed twin sons, Jackson and Charlie, in 2012.[37] In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Paley and his family relocated from Los Angeles to Grand Isle, Vermont, in the Champlain Islands.[38][39] This move allowed Paley to maintain his professional commitments remotely. During their time in Vermont, Paley immersed himself in local community life, notably by playing the harp with Maple Run Band, led by his brother-in-law Trevor Crist, contributing to regional music gatherings and fostering ties within the area's creative scene.[38]Illness and passing
In July 2024, Paley was diagnosed with throat cancer.[3] Despite initial successful treatment that left him cancer-free by September, the disease returned in November.[2] Paley died on November 20, 2024, at the age of 73, while receiving hospice care in Colchester, Vermont.[1][24] The cause was throat cancer, following a brief but aggressive battle with the illness.[2] Following his death, tributes poured in from longtime collaborators. Brian Wilson, with whom Paley had worked extensively on solo projects, described him as "the most frighteningly talented person" and "greatest musical genius" he had ever met.[24] Nickelodeon, for which Paley composed iconic songs for SpongeBob SquarePants, hailed him as a "creative genius" essential to the show's musical identity.[24] Voice actor Tom Kenny, a frequent collaborator, called their partnership "one of the greatest true joys" of his career, praising Paley's encyclopedic knowledge of pop music.[24] Industry figures connected to Sire Records founder Seymour Stein also mourned Paley as a close associate and key artist on the label.[37] Obituaries reflected on Paley's enduring influence across pop and animation music, crediting him with revitalizing careers like Wilson's through innovative production and bridging classic rock 'n' roll with modern soundtracks.[1][2] His work on SpongeBob SquarePants and other animated series was noted for capturing whimsical energy in memorable tunes, while his pop productions for artists including Madonna and Jerry Lee Lewis demonstrated a chameleon-like versatility that shaped late-20th-century music.[24]Discography
Performer credits
Andy Paley primarily performed as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with his brother Jonathan in the power pop duo The Paley Brothers, contributing guitar, keyboards, harmonica, and lead and backing vocals across their limited output.[40][41] The duo released one studio album and a promotional EP before disbanding in 1979, with material later compiled on the 2013 anthology The Paley Brothers: The Complete Recordings.[42] The Paley Brothers' self-titled debut album, released in 1978 on Sire Records and produced by Earle Mankey, featured Paley on keyboards, harmonica, and vocals alongside his brother's guitar and vocals, with additional musicians including Eric Rose on guitar and Leigh Foxx on bass.[43] Key tracks included the original "Come Out and Play" (co-written by the Paley brothers), the cover "Stick with Me Baby" (originally by Mel Tillis), "You're the Best" (co-written by Andy Paley, Jonathan Paley, and Eric Rose), "Tell Me Tonight," "Too Good to Be True" (written by Andy Paley), "I Heard the Bluebirds Sing" (a cover of The Browns' song), "Magic Power," and "Turn the Tide."[41][43] Prior to the album, the duo issued a 1976 promotional EP on Sire Records containing four tracks: "Come Out and Play" and "Rendezvous" (both written by Andy Paley), "Hide and Seek" (written by Andy Paley), and a cover of "Ecstasy" (written by Billy Connors).[15] Additional singles and outtakes from 1976–1979, such as "Here Comes My Baby" (co-written by the Paley brothers) and covers like "Come On, Let's Go" (Ritchie Valens) and "Down the Line" (Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery), appeared on the 2013 compilation, where Paley also handled production on several selections.[42] Beyond the duo, Paley made guest appearances as a session musician, notably playing guitar and providing backing vocals on Jonathan Richman's 1979 album Back in Your Life (Beserkley Records), contributing to tracks including "Abdul and Cleopatra," "Respect Me," "Lover Please," "Affection," and "Buzz Buzz Buzz."[44] He also performed live with Richman and the Modern Lovers during this period.[1] Paley toured with Patti Smith in the mid-1970s, filling in on keyboards during her 1976 European tour and appearing on select live dates, though no verified studio recording credits with Smith have been documented.[1][34] Paley released no major solo albums as a performer, and the Paley Brothers' material remains scarce in physical formats outside the 2013 Real Gone Music compilation, which includes 26 tracks and has not been widely reissued since.[15]Production discography
Andy Paley's production work, particularly during his tenure as a staff producer at Sire Records, encompassed a range of rock, pop, and soundtrack projects in the 1980s and 1990s. His credits highlight collaborations with established artists and contributions to film soundtracks, often blending power-pop sensibilities with diverse genres. Below is a chronological selection of key albums and projects he produced or co-produced.| Year | Artist | Album/Project | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers | Rockin' and Romance | Twin/Tone Records | Full album production; featured acoustic folk-rock arrangements with 1960s influences. No major chart success.[45] |
| 1988 | Brian Wilson | Brian Wilson | Sire Records | Co-produced select tracks with Russ Titelman, Jeff Lynne, and Lenny Waronker; Wilson's first solo album, peaking at No. 54 on the Billboard 200.[24] |
| 1989 | Madonna | Like a Prayer | Sire Records | Produced the track "Dear Jessie".[1] |
| 1990 | Various Artists | Dick Tracy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Sire Records | Produced and wrote most songs; featured contributions from Jerry Lee Lewis ("It Was the Whiskey Talkin' (Not Me)"), k.d. lang with Take 6 ("Ridin' the Rails"), Madonna, and others; peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200.[2] |
| 1992–1996 | Brian Wilson | Andy Paley Sessions (unreleased) | N/A | Co-produced approximately 15 tracks with Wilson, intended for a solo album; sessions yielded songs like "This Girl I Knew," "You're Still a Mystery," and "Some Sweet Day"; several tracks later appeared on compilations such as Made in California (2013), but most remain unreleased or bootlegged.[26] |
| 1995 | Jerry Lee Lewis | Young Blood | Sire Records | Full album production; rockabilly revival with guest musicians including James Burton; peaked at No. 163 on the Billboard 200.[46] |
| 1999 | Various Artists | Election (Music from the Motion Picture) | Sire Records | Executive producer for the soundtrack; compiled indie rock tracks from artists like Badly Drawn Boy and Blur; no major chart entry but critically noted for its alternative selections.[47] |
