Shel Talmy—Producer of ‘You Really Got Me’ & ‘My Generation’—Dies at 87

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Shel Talmy in the ’60s (Uncredited photo from his website)

Shel Talmy, the American record producer who helped to define the harder side of the British Invasion via his work with The Who (“My Generation”) and The Kinks (“You Really Got Me”), died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, from complications due to a stroke. He was 87.

Talmy’s passing was confirmed by Variety, which cited a representative of the producer as its source.

In addition to those two era-defining classic rock staples, Talmy also produced the Kinks’ followup, “All Day and All of the Night,” and other signature early songs by the band, including “Tired of Waiting for You,” “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” “Well Respected Man,” “Sunny Afternoon” and “Waterloo Sunset.”

Said the Kinks’ Dave Davies on hearing of Talmy’s passing, “I really loved the man. He was really crucial to the beginning of our career. I send all my love and condolences to his family. He was a really sweet gentle soul. Rest in Peace Shel Talmy.”

Talmy also worked with the Australian band the Easybeats’ on their hit “Friday on My Mind,” and with Manfred Mann, Chad and Jeremy (“A Summer Song”), Amen Corner, the Creation, the folk-rock group Pentangle, the Nashville Teens, the Bachelors, Small Faces and others.

He also worked with a very young David Bowie (still known by his given name, David Jones), when the latter was a member of a group called the Manish Boys.

Born in Chicago on Aug. 11, 1937, Sheldon Talmy, according to his website bio, “was interested in music from a very young age. A wunderkind, Shel’s appearance on the popular show Quiz Kids at the age of 13 told him that he was destined to be in the entertainment business. Then, in June of 1955, Shel graduated from the famous Fairfax High School, the alma mater of other luminaries such as Herb Alpert, superstar Michael Jackson, and infamous producer Phil Spector.

“After a brief stint working for ABC Television, Shel started working as a recording engineer at Conway Studios Los Angeles, where he cut his teeth on three-track recording equipment. Just three days after starting, he had his first assignment, producing the record ‘Falling Star’ by Debbie Sharon.

“After a few years of experience stateside, in the summer of 1962, Shel left for Britain. What was supposed to be a 5-week European vacation turned into much more, leading to some of his most enduring and popular recordings. Shel was signed to Decca Records as an independent producer, one of the first in the U.K., and his work helped to shape the burgeoning music scene at the time.

“A pioneer of the British Invasion, Shel worked with some of the most influential acts of the era. In 1963, Shel met the manager of the group who would become The Kinks. He brought them into the studio and their third single, ‘You Really Got Me,’ became a landmark recording.

“Pete Townshend, a young guitarist, became so enamored with ‘You Really Got Me’ that he wrote ‘I Can’t Explain’ in order to lure Shel into producing them. Shel and The Who’s collaboration is now legendary, producing the band’s first album My Generation.

“From there, Shel went on to produce countless acts, including David Bowie, the Pentangle, Manfred Mann and Roy Harper. His relentless work ethic has kept him on the scene and in the studio for decades, and his experience makes him an invaluable asset to any creative project.”

Talmy returned to the United States in 1979. Although he continued to produce recordings, he did not experience the level of success he enjoyed in the ’60s.