PWL: From the Factory Floor

To the modern pop world, Stock, Aitken and Waterman (and Waterman's PWL brand) form a key link between the analogue past and the digital present of record production and writing. The label and studios produced so many pop hits in the 1980s that their name became a byword for success and perfection; that they created a template which is expertly worked today by Simon Cowell and the like is undeniable. Phil Harding was a key player in the brand's success, becoming an in-demand producer of hugely successful records for Kylie, Rick Astley, Bananarama, Dead or Alive, Pet Shop Boys, Jesus Jones, Erasure, Depeche Mode, and others. Successes and awards flowed, and demand for Phil's talents was high. This detailed memoir of this period of his life uniquely represents the first account of the PWL world from outside of the core trio. Packed full of anecdotes and production details, the book perfectly walks the line between gossip and insight, and is a perfect fusion of fan pleasing facts and professional and technical details. The addition of a complete discography and a technical appendix make the book a must have for any PWL fan or completist.