Hank Cicalo
Encyclopedia
Hank Cicalo is an American
recording engineer, most notable for his work in the 1960s and 1970s. Among the artists Cicalo recorded are The Monkees
, Carole King
and George Harrison
.
's recording studio
in Hollywood, California during the 1960s. Early in 1967, The Monkees recorded their Headquarters
album, which was their first to feature all four band members playing instruments. Lacking experience as a recording group, the sessions dragged out from a normal two or three weeks of sessions to a full six weeks. Cicalo worked patiently with the Monkees, and their producer
Chip Douglas
(himself a first-time producer), and the album came together as the band learned about making records. As a thank-you to Cicalo, the Monkees gave him writing credit for their song "No Time" (included on Headquarters). This briefly got Cicalo into trouble, as RCA had a rule against engineers soliciting songs for recording. When matters were explained, Cicalo was able to collect the writer's royalties
; released to praise and brisk sales, Headquarters paid Cicalo enough money to buy a house. He worked later with the Monkees on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd., and other albums.
recording studio, to make Harrison's Thirty-Three & 1/3.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
recording engineer, most notable for his work in the 1960s and 1970s. Among the artists Cicalo recorded are The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
, Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
and George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
.
The Monkees
Cicalo worked at RCA RecordsRCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
's recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Hollywood, California during the 1960s. Early in 1967, The Monkees recorded their Headquarters
Headquarters (album)
HeadquartersThe sleeve and record both render the title as The Monkees' Headquarters. was the third album issued by The Monkees and the first written and recorded primarily by the four members of the group, rather than by session musicians and professional songwriters...
album, which was their first to feature all four band members playing instruments. Lacking experience as a recording group, the sessions dragged out from a normal two or three weeks of sessions to a full six weeks. Cicalo worked patiently with the Monkees, and their producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Chip Douglas
Chip Douglas
Douglas Farthing Walter Hatlelid, better known as Chip Douglas, is a songwriter, musician , and record producer, whose most famous work was during the 1960s...
(himself a first-time producer), and the album came together as the band learned about making records. As a thank-you to Cicalo, the Monkees gave him writing credit for their song "No Time" (included on Headquarters). This briefly got Cicalo into trouble, as RCA had a rule against engineers soliciting songs for recording. When matters were explained, Cicalo was able to collect the writer's royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
; released to praise and brisk sales, Headquarters paid Cicalo enough money to buy a house. He worked later with the Monkees on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd., and other albums.
Later career
Cicalo engineered portions of Carole King's landmark Tapestry album, and some of her later works. He also worked with George Harrison at his Friar ParkFriar Park
Friar Park is the 120-room Victorian neo-Gothic mansion previously owned by the eccentric Sir Frank Crisp in Henley-on-Thames and bought by the musician George Harrison in 1970, as he left his former home Kinfauns, in Esher.-History:...
recording studio, to make Harrison's Thirty-Three & 1/3.