Boy keep swinging by David Bowie: studio, gear and credits

Boy keep swinging by David Bowie: through a Neve 8048 Custom 32-Channel (Mountain Studios) / Custom Datamix 24-Channel Console (Record Plant NYC). See the credits and gear, then recreate the sound in your DAW.

Details

Song: Boys Keep Swinging
Artist: David Bowie
Genre / Style: Post-Punk / Art Rock / Garage Rock
Date(s) Recorded: September 1978 (backing tracks) and March 1979 (overdubs/mix)
Original Record Company & Catalog #: RCA Victor – PB-11585 (UK: BOW 2)
Release Date: 27 April 1979
YouTube Search: Listen on YouTube

Personnel and session credits

Credits for this recording are still being verified against Discogs and MusicBrainz.

Studio and recording technology

Mixing / Overdub Studio: Record Plant, New York City, USA
Mixing Console / Desk: Neve 8048 Custom 32-Channel (Mountain Studios) / Custom Datamix 24-Channel Console (Record Plant NYC)
Multitrack Tape Machine & Format: Studer A80 24-Track (2-inch @ 30 IPS) / Ampex MM1200 24-Track (2-inch @ 30 IPS)

Reported gear and setup (not independently verified)

Tracking Studio & Room: Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland (Inferred: no studio documented in Discogs/MusicBrainz)
Studio Monitors: Tannoy Dual Concentric Gold 15" (Lockwood Enclosures)
Key Outboard Processors & Hardware Units:

Eventide H910 Harmonizer (Digital Pitch Shifter / Delay): Micro-pitch detuning on Bowie lead vocals and ambient stereo spread
UREI 1176LN (FET Limiting Amplifier): Fast peak limiting applied to direct guitars and snare drum
Teletronix LA-2A (Optical Tube Compressor): Dynamic optical smoothing on Dennis Davis direct bass line
EMT 140 (Plate Reverb): Master mechanical reverberation for vocal space and snare decay
Allison Research Kepex (VCA Noise Gate): Dynamic downward expansion and gating on drum room and snare tail

Synthesizers, Drum Machines & Electronic Instruments:

Steinway Model B Grand Piano (Acoustic Piano): Played by Brian Eno, providing rhythmic percussive drive straight into desk preamps

Signal chains covered in the full track sheet

Instrument-by-instrument recording pathways, including: Kick Drum (Carlos Alomar), Snare Drum (Carlos Alomar), Drum Overheads (Carlos Alomar), Bass Guitar (Dennis Davis), Rhythm Electric Guitar (David Bowie), Lead Electric Guitar (Adrian Belew), Acoustic Piano (Brian Eno), Lead Vocals (David Bowie), Backing Vocals (David Bowie & Tony Visconti).

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