There's been a great deal written about George Martin over the last couple of days - I can't recall an occasion previously when a record producer's death has led the BBC News, for example.

If you're looking for a good place to start, or frankly are only prepared to read one thing about Martin, I'd suggest the Guardian's collection of other producers talking about his work, although it's a pity they start with Mark Ronson's bit:

I was in a studio last night with a bass in my hand, thinking, ‘What would George do?’

Were you really, Mark? Really?

It might make me a bad person that when I heard the news, my mind went straight not to The White Album or Love Me Do, but... well, to this:

To be fair, Big Train did capture something quite essential about Martin there - yes, he was brilliant musically, but like many musicians that didn't make him any less of a bore when he talked about it.

On a side note, how many Game Of Thrones fans do you think had a horrible two minutes on Wednesday morning?

Jack Clement - known as "Cowboy" - has died.

Clement's nickname came from a sketch he was in on the radio and not authentic links to wrangling. He worked as an engineer and producer at Sun Studios; he was also the writer of two of Johnny Cash's early number ones. He also produced a couple of songs on U2's Rattle And Hum, but nobody's perfect.

Jack Clement was 82; he died Thursday 8th August in Nashville.

Apparently on BBC Breakfast yesterday, Calvin Harris mentioned that he'd been asked to work with Lady GaGa, but had said 'no'.

GaGa wasn't happy, as Gordon copies off her Twitterstream:

Gaga took to the social networking site to write: “Seems to be trendy lately to talk s*** about lady gaga when your albums/singles drop.

“Y’all should live off your own hustle.

“Never even emailed you @calvinharris I guess it’s hard to believe I write + produce my music.

“Cuz I’m a woman I don’t know about EDM right?”

Gordon helpfully points out that EDM is electronic dance music, lest his readers wonder why GaGa might be talking about Early Day Motions.

Interesting attack line for GaGa to somehow read sexism in Harris' comments, which I don't think was there in the first place.

But we should respect her for writing and producing her own stuff and not needing any help from other people. Harris should be ashamed for suggesting otherwise. Where would he have got the idea otherwise?

Obviously, on Born This Way the album she shares a writing credit with Fernando Garibay. But pretty much it's just her.

Well, her and Fernando Garibay and Jeppe Laursen. And DJ White Shadow.

GaGa, Fernando Garibay, Jeppe Laursen and DJ White Shadow. Writing together, but with no further assistance. If you don't count Garibay, RedOne and Cheche Alara.

Okay, okay, so maybe she doesn't write alone. But she's producer, right? She produces herself. With only the merest additional work by DJ Snake, DJ White Shadow, Fernando Garibay, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Jeppe Laursen, RedOne and Clinton Sparks.

Why on earth would Calvin Harris believe that she might collaborate?

Turns out, though, that Harris was approached behind GaGa's back. Gordon again:

Calvin then replied to Gaga: “No, your label emailed me.

“I always make sure I say I’m a fan when asked about it, I apologise if I offended u, wasn’t the intention.”

GaGa accepted the apology, although seemed not to realise it was then her turn to say sorry.

Meanwhile, Gordon himself has taken to Twitter:

Apologies for spelling @sallyhumphreys name wrongly on Twitter and in the paper. Super talented theatre producer and future Mrs Ronnie Wood

— Gordon Smart (@gordonsmart) October 30, 2012

Getting the name wrong. Despite all that studious fact-checking he told Leveson about.

Carl Davis, the man who created The Chicago Sound, has died.

Davis started out in music pulling together playlists for local radio DJs - a job nowadays done by computers. It's unlikely, though, that computers would go on to become a producer, found a label (Chi-Sound), or create a musical genre that defined a time and place.

Davis was also notable as one of the first African-American A&R director to work for a major label.

He produced this:

He was told it wouldn't be a hit. He stuck it out. He was right.

Carl Davis was 77; he died in Southern California on Thursday.

According to Louder Than War, the man who produced most of the key New Romantic and Factory legends, has died earlier today.

He'd made his name as an engineer - providing a wavy line from David Essex through to T Rex - before he moved over to the main position on the desk. United Artists had been impressed with the steady hand Martin had brought to Shirley Bassey's 1970s output and - when the money from those albums allowed the label to start hoovering up this new punk talent coming through, Rushent was an obvious choice to produce. His work on the first three Stranglers records saw him become a virtual member of the band; but by the time of the Black And White sessions Martin felt that there was little more he could offer and stepped aside shortly afterwards.

Managing to find a way to capture punky energy on record that involved a bit more than just turning everything up gave him a lead in the late 1970s market; his work with acts like The Buzzcocks and Generation X meant that he was well-positioned to shape the next generation of sound. Joy Division sought him out at miserablist edge of the new wave, while The Human League brought him in at the poppier end - his work on Dare winning him a Brit award, back when the Brits gave prizes to producers. (In fact, he was the first annual winner of a production award.)

Although things were going well for him professionally, personally the end of the 1980s were a less happy time. Falling ill with depression, Rushent suddenly found himself struggling to cope. If he never quite got back to his pre-illness financial position, he did return to health; he resumed working, but at a slightly less frenetic pace.

Amongst a massive collection of production credits, everyone has a favourite. For me, it's this:



RIP, Martin Rushent.

(At time of writing, there doesn't appear to be any formal confirmation of Martin's death on line.)

Willie Mitchell has died. Although a gifted musician - he took up the trumpet at the age of eight - his main contribution of music history was as a producer and label owner.

Mitchell started his production work for House Of Blues; he moved to Hi records to both record and producer. Eventually, he took over Hi Records; his empire would the Royal Studio in Memphis. The Royal is still a going concern - Marti Pellow was there recently, but it's also used by legendary musicians, too.

Willie Mitchell suffered a heart attack before Christmas; he died earlier today in Memphis. He was 81.

Greg Ladanyi, producer, has died a week after suffering a blow to the head on-stage in Cyprus.

Twelve-times nominated for Grammy Awards, Ladanyi's work included producing The Boys of Summer for Don Henley, Jeff Healey's See The Light and Fleetwood Mac on Behind The Mask.

Greg Ladanyi was 57; he was touring with Anna Vissi at the time of his accident.

Jim Dickinson, keyboard genius and producer, has died.

Born in Arkansas and growing up in Memphis, Dickinson was a member of Atlantic Records' house band The Dixie Flyers. This group - wheeled in to beef up other people's tracks - positioned Dickinson behind the piano for some great works. It's his keyboards on Teenage Head by The Flaming Groovies; on Spirit In The Dark by Aretha Franklin and - crucially - on The Rolling Stones' Wild Horses. It's fair to say there wouldn't be a Wild Horses without Dickinson's involvement.

During the 1970s, he moved in to production, working with Mojo Nixon and Green On Red amongst others; he was the man sitting in the small glass room when Big Star made Third. In 1998, he returned to big name producing for Mudhoney's Tomorrow Hit Today - this just a few months after helping Dylan to a Grammy by playing on Time Out Of Mind. He continued working with bands from Memphis, as mentor and producer, up until he fell ill.

As a musician, he never really stopped working, either. His final solo album, Dinosaurs Run In Circles, was released in May.

Dickinson has been ill for some time - living a country where people would rather scream than have state support, Dickinson had been relying on friends and supporters to help pay his medical bills.

His wife told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that there are no plans for a public memorial. Jim Dickinson was 67.

The vague prospect that there might be something interesting on U2's new album - the collaboration between the band and Rick Rubin - has come to nothing:

Guitarist The Edge said the Irish four-piece scrapped early sessions with the renowned knob-twiddler because it did not suit the band's style of recording.

"We actually laid all that stuff to one side. Really out of deference to Rick and that set of songs we just said, OK, that’s that, and we drew a line," explained the guitarist. "So none of the Rick material went into this project. Everything has been written subsequently."

Instead, then, it's more Eno-Lanois stuff as per usual, which is easier to churn out and seems to get lapped up, so why try any harder, huh?

Music journalist, executive and producer Jerry Wexler died earlier today.

Born in 1917, to an emigre Pole, Wexler had initially adopted journalism as a career after his mandated spell in the US Army. He joined Billboard in 1947, staying for four years - during this time coining the phrase "rhythm and blues" - before turning gamekeeper and joining a promotions company. Within a year, Ahmet Ertegun was sounding him out for a role at Atlantic Records; Wexler refused, holding out for a partnership. By 1953, Ertegun had come round to Wexler's way of thinking and sold him a share.

With a management style he described as that of a despot with problems delegating, he played a role in building up Atlantic's reputation and sales. He took charge of everything he could - doing production duties, for example, on Aretha Franklin's version of Respect.

An attempt to establish a powerbase in Nashville proved to be his undoing at Atlantic; following its failure he parted company with the label.

In 1977 he joined Warner Brothers as its East Coast man - a role which led him to sign Dire Straits and the B-52s, shaping the FM sound for the early 1980s. The assocation, though, didn't last long, and Wexler would quickly cut ties with the majors, carving out a freelance niche working with Bob Dylan, Dire Straits, Etta James, Allen Toussaint, the Staple Singers, George Michael and others.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made space for him in 1987, leading him to sum up his career:

Signalling his retirement, when Wexler moved to Florida towards the end of the last decade, he also canceled his Billboard subscription. He enjoyed a period offering contributions to a stream of documentaries about the music industry during its glory years, and a small glittery portrayal of his life in the Ray Charles biopic Ray.

Wexler is survived by his wife, Jean Alexander and his children Paul and Lisa. He was 91.

The death has been announced of Michael Berniker, who won nine Grammy Awards during a long career.

Berniker's greatest work was as a producer of Broadway Cast albums, achieving the difficult task of moving the atmosphere of a crowded theatre to a recording studio. His first Grammy came as a producer for Barbra Streisand.

After leaving his first label, CBS, in 1968, Berniker enjoyed some success as an executive at a number of other companies. It was he who brought Darryl Hall and John Oates to RCA.

Berniker, who was 73, died from complications related to a kidney disease.

Carl Barat wants Mark Ronson to do some work for him, but is having trouble getting his attention:

Good plumbers and flavour of the month superstar producers. You'll never get them to return your calls.

Still, there are other people who will turn up for anything:

If it's not any good, they're going to abandon it. Although Barat hasn't provided any data on where the bar is being set.

Has Steve Albini been breaking windows or something? Only surely he'd only be producing Scott Weiland's solo album because a court had ordered him to do so as part of some sort of community service?

James Morrison has decided he's got no choice but to cancel his summer gigging plans. I know, we were disappointed, too.

He's just too busy, says DigitalSpy:

It's going to take him all summer to just find a producer? Where's he looking - the source of the Limpopo?

It's not like he couldn't just ring up and book a producer, is it? I mean, obviously, if he mentions his name the guy is going to be like "oh, sorry, James, yeah, I'm producing all summer, booked right up. Sorry", but he could put on a silly voice and pretend to be someone else. Actually, maybe that explains the first album.

Peter Paphides constructs an interesting Top 20 in the today's Times, nominating the Top 20 starmakers of our rock and pop age.

It's been inspired by a desperate push from the Music Producer's Guild, who are trying to persuade the Brits to include non-performers in the categories as well. Yes, that would work brilliantly - after all, it's not like everyone used to hit the pause button to cut the now-defunct Best Producer category out their VHS of the prize ceremony in the past, is it? Of course, it's possible that they could have their own Brit Awards - like the Craft BAFTAs - and we're sure if the terms of the deal to transmit the Brits forced ITV to take it, a slot on the alarm-clock side of midnight would be made available on ITV3 one Wednesday to put the highlights out.

But for now, those who also help get Adele records into Woolworths must rely on the glow of the Paphides' list.

It's a fairly resilient list, too, although we're not sure that three people can take the responsibility for Arctic Monkey's success. Although it is refreshing that none of them are MySpace-related.

It's right and proper that George Ergatoudis' Radio One role, and its power to make taste, is recognised. But not if you really believe that his biggest contribution to the UK music scene is promoting The View.

Melvin Benn feels misplaced; and his key success is listed as "Reading and Leeds", although that's a festival rather than an actual pop star, and surely Glastonbury is more influential anyway? Benn's role in Somerset is more Royal Corps of Signals than ENSA, which means that Emily Eavis should have his slot, if anyone, and on that basis, alone, Benn should be disqualified.

Worryingly, Conor McNicholas is absent - worryingly for him, of course; and there's almost nobody from the music press and almost nobody from the Internet. In fact, Peter Robinson is there as the only person representing both camps.

That's not quite true, to be fair: Luke Day is there. Who he? Stylist at Attitude. Apparently, having tarted up the Scissor Sister's image puts him ahead of people who don't make the list - everybody at 6Music and Radio 2, for example. The people who pick the music for Skins. The advertising agencies working for Apple and all the mobile phone companies.

Which is quibbling, to be fair. The 20 in full:

1. LUCIAN GRAINGE
Chairman, Universal
2. SIMON COWELL
President, Syco Records
3. JIM CHANCELLOR
Managing director, Fiction
4. PAUL LATHAM
President, Live Nation UK
5. GEORGE ERGATOUDIS
Head of music, Radio 1
6. JACKNIFE LEE
Record producer
7. ORLA LEE
Head of marketing, Polydor
8. ALISON HOWE
Television producer, Later… with Jools Holland
9. JAMES FORD
Record producer
10. ZANE LOWE
DJ, Radio 1
11. CENZO TOWNSEND
Audio engineer
12. SCOTT RODGER
Manager
13. GEOFF TRAVIS and JEANNETTE LEE
Rough Trade supremos, mentors to Duffy
14. MELVIN BENN
Director of festivals, Mean Fiddler
15. DARCUS BEESE
Senior A&R manager, Universal/Island
16. PETER ROBINSON
Editor of Popjustice
17. ROGER FAXON
Director, EMI Music Publishing
18. CARL FYSH and WILLIAM RICE
Purple PR
19. LUKE DAY
Stylist
20. LAURENCE BELL
President, Domino Recordings

Gigwise - who do say they heard it on Newsbeat - have more detail about the Franz's abandonment of their sessions with Brian 'Girls Aloud producer' Higgins:

The new album remains on course for October - or earlier, if it looks like leeking onto peer-to-peer.