I don’t know if the word is getting around, but I just thought I’d let everyone know about the passing of the Beatles’ first recording engineer Norman “Hurricane” Smith yesterday, March 3rd. He was 85. Asmost of you know, Norman was the Beatles’ primary recording engineer under George Martin from 1962 until 1965. He was promoted in 1965 and was replaced by Geoff Emerick.

It was Norman who recorded every note The Beatles played from “Love Me Do” through the “Rubber Soul” LP.
Norman made his first-ever (and only) convention appearance at the New Jersey Fest For Beatles Fans last year. I was able to spend some private time with Norman and his wife Eileen at the show and found him to be a true gentleman - kind, quiet and unassuming. Norman was utterly astonished by the reception he received in New Jersey. He’d thought everyone had forgotten him. I corresponded with him several times in the past year and he always expressed his appreciation of The Beatles fans who were so kind to him at that fest. He was supposed to have made his second fest appearance in Chicago last year, but between the time of the New Jersey fest in March and the Chicago fest in August, he became seriously ill and had to cancel his Chicago appearance. He had so looked forward to meeting with the fans again and was so disappointed not to be able to make it.
The final version of Norman’s book “John Lennon Called Me Normal” is forthcoming and I hope each of you will buy a copy and enjoy a really good read. It covers his life as an RAF glider pilot, his earliest days as a recording engineer at the EMI Abbey Road Studios, his tenure with The Beatles and his work with Pink Floyd. It also covers Norman’s own moment in the spotlight in the early 1970s as recording artist “Hurricane” Smith. His self-penned tune “Oh Babe, What Would You Say?” was a #1 hit here in the States in 1972 - recorded when Norman was 49 years old! Norman’s book will be part of a wonderful legacy and I’m thrilled to have been able to contribute to it in some small way.
So tonight, say a prayer for Norman and remember his work when you listen to those early Beatles albums. If you have a copy of “Oh Babe, What Would You Say?”, give it a spin and be glad that Norman came our way.

Mark Naboshek