John Ratcliff
Background information
Born (1954-09-13) 13 September 1954
OriginEngland
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Record producer
  • musician
  • composer
  • arranger
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • actor
  • columnist
Instrument(s)
  • vocals
  • keyboards
  • guitar
Years active1973-present
LabelsEMI Music Publishing

John Ratcliff (13 September 1954) is an English record producer and musician. He originally, discovered, supported and recorded the Norwegian synth-pop group a-Ha.[1] Between 1983 and 1985 he rented a flat in Dartmouth Road, Sydenham for the band to live in as it was 200 yards from his recording studio called Rendezvous. Sometimes the band members would take a 75 yard shortcut across the adjacent warehouse roof to get into the studio.[2]

Over that two year period the band recorded nearly forty songs, many of which ended up on their next three albums. The most notable of these being a demo of Take On Me which embodied the distinctive a-ha sound that would later propel the band to worldwide success.[3]

Terry Slater


Eventually he got the band to sign a management deal with his and Terry Slater's management company,[4] giving Pål, Morten and Mags a 25% share each of the profits. This arrangement was quickly superseded when Slater signed them to a publishing deal with ATV.

He is noted for re-producing 8 of the 10 tracks on a-Ha's debut album Hunting High And Low in 1985 at Eel Pie Studios near Richmond-upon-Thames. The most notable track being their worldwide hit "Take On Me".

Ratcliff has also worked with Dexy's Midnight Runners.

He is currently the musical director, a composer and performer with the Macedonian Arts Council.

Producer

All chart placings refer to UK Singles Chart and UK Albums Chart only unless indicated otherwise.

Singles:

Albums:

References

  1. ↑ "In John Ratcliff's own words, how he met, recorded and supported a-Ha". 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  2. ↑ "A-Ha 'Take On Me'". Sound On Sound. March 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "A-Ha 'Take On Me' Demo from Ratcliff sessions halfway down the article". thequietus.com. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  4. ↑ "T.J. Management Limited on Companies House website". Retrieved 25 October 2022.
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