Jon Landau

Jon Landau (born May 14, 1947)[1] is an American music critic, manager, and record producer. He has worked with Bruce Springsteen in all three capacities. He is the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[2]

For the film producer, see Jon Landau (film producer).
Not to be confused with John Landau.
Jon Landau
Born (1947-05-14) May 14, 1947
United States
OccupationRecord producer, music critic
Spouse(s)Janet Maslin
Barbara Downey
Children2

Early life

Landau grew up in the Boston suburbs and earned a degree in History from Brandeis University with honors.[3]

Aligning himself with the growing underground culture of late-'60s Boston, Jon Landau carved out a niche for himself while writing for the music magazine Crawdaddy. A failed performer yet a passionate, devoted fan, Landau championed the straightforward rock & roll that he loved, and wrote scathing reviews of what he saw as the overblown, pretentious San Francisco scene.[4]

As a critic, Landau wrote for Rolling Stone from its first issue and for other publications. In Volume 1, Number 1 of Rolling Stone, published on November 9, 1967,[5] Landau compared Jimi Hendrix and his debut album, Are You Experienced, to Eric Clapton and Cream's debut album, Fresh Cream (both released months before, and both Hendrix and Cream having made huge American splashes as live performers that summer). The next few issues saw Landau staking out more traditional R&B and soul territory with profiles of Aretha Franklin,[6] and Sam and Dave,[7] plus a posthumous Otis Redding appreciation.

Bruce Springsteen connection

Landau's 1974 article in The Real Paper,[1] wherein he claimed, "I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen," is credited by Nick Hornby[8] and others with fostering Springsteen's popularity. Landau was then hired by Springsteen, and is cited as co-producer on Springsteen studio records from 1975's Born to Run through 1992's Human Touch and Lucky Town. Landau is considered to have influenced Springsteen artistically[9] as well as professionally.

Other music projects

Other artists that Landau has managed or produced include MC5, Livingston Taylor, Jackson Browne ('The Pretender'), Natalie Merchant, Alejandro Escovedo,[10] Train,[11] and Shania Twain.

Landau has been responsible for the liner notes for The Atlantic Albums Collection by Aretha Franklin (2015), Soul Manifesto: 1964-1970 by Otis Redding (2015), and The Complete Atlantic Albums Collection by Wilson Pickett (2017).

Personal life

Landau was once married to The New York Times film critic (and later book reviewer) Janet Maslin. He later married Barbara Downey, a former Rolling Stone editor. They have two children, Kate, also an artist manager, and Charles.

In 2011, Landau had a growth in his brain surgically removed. The surgery resulted in the loss of sight in one eye.[12]

References
  1. Landau, Jon (May 22, 1974). "Growing Young With Rock and Roll". The Real Paper via TheBoots.net. Archived from the original on February 2, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2012. Writing ahead of a weekly newspaper's May 22, 1974 publication date: "I'm 27 today...."
  2. Futurerocklegends.com
  3. Metcalf, Stephen (May 2005). "Faux Americana: Why I still love Bruce Springsteen". Slate.
  4. Kurutz, Steve. "Artist Biography - Jon Landau". AllMusic. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  5. "Hendrix and Clapton, p. 18.
  6. Rolling Stone, 1967.11.23, vol. 1, no.2, "Aretha," p. 16
  7. Rolling Stone, 1968.01.20, vol. 1, no. 4.
  8. Hornsby, Nick (May 21, 2004). "Rock of Ages". The New York Times. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  9. Metcalf, Stephen. "Faux Americana: Why I still love Bruce Springsteen". Slate. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  10. "Reuters Review of Escovedo's new album Real Animal". Reuters. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  11. The Huffington Post
  12. Remnick, David. The New Yorker, "We Are Alive," July 30, 2012.
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