Ossie Byrne
Encyclopedia
Oswald Russell "Ossie" Byrne (1926 - December 1983) was an Australian record producer
, best known for producing the early recordings of The Bee Gees, including their first international hit, "New York Mining Disaster 1941
".
The youngest of nine children, he was born into a musical family in Queanbeyan, New South Wales
. He learned to play cornet
and trumpet
in his youth and joined a Salvation Army
band. He fought with the RAAF in World War II
, being injured and losing an eye in New Guinea
. After the war he played with local groups in Canberra
and Sydney
, as well as working as a finance officer, and in the mid-1950s he moved to Wollongong where he built a small recording studio
in his house. In 1961 he recorded a local group, the Del-Fi's, whose recordings had some success, and in 1965 he moved to Hurstville, Sydney and set up a new studio behind a butcher's shop.
Record releases by the Bee Gees in Australia had been relatively unsuccessful commercially at that time, but Byrne was a fan and, in 1966, offered the group almost unlimited recording time to develop their sound. He also became the group's co-manager. At the same time, he worked as producer with successful Australian pop singer Ronnie Burns. In November 1966 the Bee Gees had their first major success, "Spicks and Specks
". The group decided to develop their career in England, and Byrne accompanied them. Arriving in England in February 1967, the group immediately won a recording contract with Robert Stigwood
, and Byrne recorded the single "New York Mining Disaster 1941" with them at the IBC Studios
in Portland Place
. It became a hit in the UK, and internationally, and Byrne then produced the group's album, Bee Gees' 1st
(although the group had released two albums previously in Australia).
After that album, Byrne did not work with the Bee Gees again, as the group developed their own independent skills. Byrne remained in London, and produced the only album by folk rock
band Eclection
in 1968, and the first album by progressive rock
band Cressida
in 1969.
He died in London in 1983, of cancer. The Bee Gees dedicated their 1987 album, E.S.P.
, to his memory.
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...
, best known for producing the early recordings of The Bee Gees, including their first international hit, "New York Mining Disaster 1941
New York Mining Disaster 1941
"New York Mining Disaster 1941" was the first song to be released by the Bee Gees in the United States , and their first song to hit the charts in the US or UK...
".
The youngest of nine children, he was born into a musical family in Queanbeyan, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He learned to play cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
and trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
in his youth and joined a Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
band. He fought with the RAAF in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, being injured and losing an eye in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. After the war he played with local groups in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, as well as working as a finance officer, and in the mid-1950s he moved to Wollongong where he built a small 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 his house. In 1961 he recorded a local group, the Del-Fi's, whose recordings had some success, and in 1965 he moved to Hurstville, Sydney and set up a new studio behind a butcher's shop.
Record releases by the Bee Gees in Australia had been relatively unsuccessful commercially at that time, but Byrne was a fan and, in 1966, offered the group almost unlimited recording time to develop their sound. He also became the group's co-manager. At the same time, he worked as producer with successful Australian pop singer Ronnie Burns. In November 1966 the Bee Gees had their first major success, "Spicks and Specks
Spicks and Specks (song)
"Spicks and Specks" is a song by The Bee Gees .An instrumental version of the song is part of the soundtrack for Melody, which also featured several other Bee Gees songs.-Live performances:...
". The group decided to develop their career in England, and Byrne accompanied them. Arriving in England in February 1967, the group immediately won a recording contract with Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
, and Byrne recorded the single "New York Mining Disaster 1941" with them at the IBC Studios
IBC Studios
The IBC Recording Studios were recording studios in 35 Portland Place, London, England. After the Second World War it was the address of the leading independent studio in London and the British Isles...
in Portland Place
Portland Place
Portland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London, England.-History and topography:The street was laid out by the brothers Robert and James Adam for the Duke of Portland in the late 18th century and originally ran north from the gardens of a detached mansion called Foley House...
. It became a hit in the UK, and internationally, and Byrne then produced the group's album, Bee Gees' 1st
Bee Gees' 1st
Bee Gees' 1st is—despite the title—the third studio album by The Bee Gees. It was, however, their first album to be released internationally, as their first two LPs were only available in Australia and New Zealand...
(although the group had released two albums previously in Australia).
After that album, Byrne did not work with the Bee Gees again, as the group developed their own independent skills. Byrne remained in London, and produced the only album by folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
band Eclection
Eclection
Eclection were a British-based folk rock band, originally formed in 1967 in London by Norwegian-born Georg Kajanus , Canadian Michael Rosen, Australians Trevor Lucas and Kerrilee Male, and Britisher Gerry Conway...
in 1968, and the first album by progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Cressida
Cressida (progressive rock band)
Cressida were a British progressive rock band, best known for their mellow, symphonic sound. Originally known as Charge, they were active from 1968 and 1970, and recorded two albums for Vertigo.-Career:...
in 1969.
He died in London in 1983, of cancer. The Bee Gees dedicated their 1987 album, E.S.P.
E.S.P. (Bee Gees album)
E.S.P. is the Bee Gees' seventeenth original album. Released in 1987, it was the band's first studio album in six years, and the first album they released under their new contract with Warner Bros...
, to his memory.