Official Joe Jackson Website : Audio

Music

Big World
(1986)

[recorded in front of a live audience in a theater]

Joe Jackson – Vocals, Piano, Recorder, Accordion, Melodica
Vinni Zummo – Guitars, Vocals
Rick Ford – Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Gary Burke – Drums
Joe Askew, Nikki Gregoroff, Peter Hewlett, Curtis King, Jr. – Extra Backup Vocals Co-Ordinated by Joy Askew

Produced by David Kershenbaum and Joe Jackson
Michael Frondelli – Recording Engineer
Recorded at the Roundabout Theatere, East 17th Street, New York City, January 23rd, 24th, and 25th (Except “Man In The Street”, Recorded During Rehearsals on January 22nd).
Remote Recording Facility – Lemobile
Guy Charbonneau – Remote Recording Technician
Dave Roberts – Onstage Technician
Dave Hewitt – Remote Recording Production Co-Ordinator
Eddit Coletti – Digital Tape Technician
Jim Flynn (Martin Audio) – Recording Equipment Rental

Road Crew:
Frankie Enfield – Tour Manager
Al Tucker – Sound Engineer
Jeremy Darby – Live Production Co-Ordinator and Sound Engineer
Ted Leonard – Guitars (and much more)
Jim Skiathetis – Drums (and much more)
P.A. System by Maryland Sound Industries
Monitors and other Equipment – American Speaker Systems
John Borland – Piano Technician

Label: A&M

‘I want to clear up two myths about this record which still crop up all the time. Myth 1: During the live recording of the album, the audience was forbidden to applaud. Fact: There was plenty of applause. We were just playing a lot of unfamiliar material, and recording it for an album, so the audience were asked to hold it until they were sure a song was finished. They understood this and there was no problem. Myth 2: It’s a double album with a side missing. Fact: This was my first album to be released on CD, where the running time was not an issue. I was having a hard time deciding what to leave out for the LP, though, and I suggested making a 3-sided one, and selling it for the price of a regular album. Much to my surprise, the record company said yes. So rather than a side missing, you got an extra side. Critics, of course, hadn’t had to pay for it.’