I Was Sylvia Robinson’s Chief Recording Engineer

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Series analysing great artists from the perspective of someone who knew them

Andrew McGibbon presents a series of interviews analysing great artists from the perspective of someone who knew them.

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I Was...: I Was Sylvia Robinson’s Chief Recording Engineer

BBC Radio 4 - I Was..., I Was Sylvia Robinson’s Chief Recording Engineer

Andrew McGibbon talks to Allan Tucker, recording engineer to rap pioneer Sylvia Robinson.

Andrew McGibbon talks to Allan Tucker, chief recording engineer at All Platinum records, owned by the singer and "Mother of Hip Hop" Sylvia Robinson with then husband Joe Robinson.

Sylvia Robinson, found fame early in her life, as part of the duo Mickey and Sylvia, with 1957's Love Is Strange. She scored another hit 16 years later with her own song, Pillow Talk. It has since become a soul classic. 

She founded a record label - All Platinum - with her husband Joe Robinson in the early 1970's, complete with studios, record cutting rooms and offices. Always having a flair for the hit tune, in 1979 she put together a group of boys who had been rapping with her son Joey at the mall in Englewood, New Jersey where the Robinson's lived. 

The Sugar Hill Gang was born and their record, produced by Sylvia, was Rapper's Delight. It was a smash hit, launching rap and hip hop into the mainstream of popular music. She became known as the Mother of Hip Hop.

Allan Tucker grew up in New York in the 1960s, and began singing in a Simon and Garfunkel tribute act in his late teens. After passing on a career in science, he realised his calling as a recording engineer after watching another engineer make a complete hash of Allan's tribute act recordings. He knew he could do much better.

In the mid-70s, Allan arrived at All Platinum studios as chief recording engineer. 

Allan recalls the entertaining and extraordinary events at All Platinum working with Sylvia and Joe Robinson and other recording artists on the label. 

Written and Presented by Andrew McGibbon
Producer: Nick Romero
Series Executive Producer: Sarah Cuddon

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