GRATITUDE live ALBUM RECORDED here in Baltimore md....i was there that night at the once called CIVIC CENTER in downtown Baltimore city, me and my local group and i remember seeing like 4 or 5 tractor trailers parked on the street..and i saw all these cords running out the back not knowing what they were there for....it was only years later when i got the live album ..and Maurice says! Baltimore ! here we are!!! i didn't get in but i was on the street at the side door, and Verdine bass was shaking the building!! i'd seen them before the gratitude recording at the same place..best show ever! blew my mind!!!

I don’t care what George Massenburg say songs like sing a song, keep your head up to the sky, be ever wonderful, love holiday, spirit and fantasy, Maurice white wrote majority of the lyrics on those songs. Those songs has help me get through a lot of rough times in m life. George massenburg did what a engineer and mixer suppose to do which is clean it up and make it sound more round and pure. George must have some hate towards mr. Maurice. Just because you give suggestions does not mean that you was the mastermind of the group. A lot of engineers have big egos.

It’s incredible to hear George talk of not being credited or acknowledged for work on classic tracks! I myself still have grudges over comparatively tiny issues and he has put all this to bed 100%…thanks George! Was lucky to have been in the audience at KMR in London the evening George dropped in to give a talk… will always remember it as just being in the room was a great time..x

Bobby Miller here. From my grain of sand experience compared to all mentioned; I can understand and believe George. As a human there is only so much that you can create and do. Some key individuals won't get credit. I had a similar conversation with Al Ursini.

George Massenburg was great at what he accomplished, however, listening to him explain Maurice's adding of certain words or phrases shows me he knew or never felt anything down deep in his soul. That "thing" that goes to your bones and makes the hair raise on your arms. Maurice was deep in that and it was a spiritual thing for him. Sometimes emotions do not come out as actual words. We used to sing every word and emotional "yow" that Maurice would sing. It was a part of their sound and if you leave it out, you can tell something's missing. EWF's mixes are still some of the top mixed songs in history. George, kudos to you for being a part of history.

one of the first recording sessions that I did was with Julius Brockington and Larry Young at a studio called Track in Silver Spring, MD. George Massenburg was the engineer. I guess he liked my playing and wanted me to play a bass that he built on the session. As I remember it was pretty much a PJ Bass. He’s a baaaad man

in private several members of the band often alluded to the accusations of copyright pilfering ...it's the industry and it happened and still happens.

Although I'm not to thrilled about the jabs thrown at the great Maurice, there is some truth to what he is saying. I heard Philip, Larry & Al on different interview saying there's were shady things going on with the business of EWF but whatever the Inside issues were EWF status will always be top tier. George is a legendary engineer.

Heartbreaking to hear my fav band EWF and Maurice spoken in that light

This is great, wonderful to hear from folk behind the desk.

The late great Charles Stepney was the DNA of E W& F. This, according to Phillip Bailey. He died in 76'. He used the Schlesinger system when composing.

great interview 👍

Wow him and Maurice must have had some kind of beef

Just so you all know. Some people are just plain luckier than others. George has gotten really lucky. I haven't been quite as lucky. But our backgrounds, are nearly identical. And we have crossed paths. Though George is, 8 years older than I am. I met him when I was 15 and he was 23.. And strangely enough.. As everything is so strange. We both went to work. For the same Recording Studio,, in Baltimore. With the same boss. Aside from that alone. We were both, mentored by the same guy. Just a few years apart. And I took a slightly different path in my career. Vacillating between, Radio Stations and Recording Studios. As a Broadcast Engineer and as a, Recording, Maintenance, Design, Fabrication, Building, Recording Studios and Studio Equipment and Gear. For some of our most legendary, American Pro Audio Manufacturers. Only I don't get famous like George. For all of the Live Radio & TV Broadcasts, I've done spanning a career of over 50 years. I remain Anonymous. And so I get more time to myself. And really don't need to share anything, with anyone. That people like myself and George, didn't have to learn on our own to begin with. As we all set the pace. We all led the way for others. We've all mentored, others. As we were mentored by Thomas M. Bray. Now dearly departed. And he was a genius Electrical Engineer. In many ways much more substantial than, George Massenburg or anybody else. And he remains anonymous. While he should've died a notable, millionaire. He never was one. He was incredibly humble. He liked helping others. George and I both got lucky with Tom Bray. And what he taught us both and what he taught me. I have been forever grateful and appreciative. And he knew it. And I got to do something really special for my mentor, early on. Yeah, it's not every day. When you get a job offer as Chief Maintenance Engineer. For the biggest Recording Studio in Baltimore. A brand-new multi-, control room/studio facility. In 1972. When I was only,, 16 years of age. And flunking out of high school. As I was a lousy student. Even though I had designed and built from scratch. My high school, Radio Station. With my own, custom-built, radio station audio console. I designed and built. Even though I was flunking out. But at 16 years of age. I don't know of anybody else like myself that got a job offer like that? It was exactly what I wanted. But I came up with a lame excuse. And declined the offer. Even though it's what I wanted. And I told the VP. That was far too much responsibility, for any 16-year-old to take on. But I was lying through my teeth. Why was I doing that? It's not every day a 16-year-old. Can hand over a full-time job. At a brand-new state-of-the-art, Recording Studio Complex. To my mentor, Tom Bray. As days earlier. After 23 years of service. Working for Johns Hopkins University. They laid him off. And he was so looking forward to his retirement in 2 years. Lost many benefits as a result of the termination/layoff. So they could hire a younger PhD they could pay less. I was devastated! What morons! But I could do something about that! I told the VP at, Flite Three Recordings Inc., formerly, Recordings Inc. The first studio George Massenburg went to work for. Now reopened and much larger as Flite Three Recordings Inc. And I recommended to the VP, Tom Bray. And the VP freaked. Tom Bray?!? What happened to Tom? He said. I asked, you know Tom? He said yes he knows Tom. He met Tom when he was a kid. And Tom was a genius. Working as a consultant. To Baltimore's, Top Esoteric, hi-fi Shop. And Craig, now the VP of Flite Three Recordings. Told me he was a stock boy there when he was a teenager. There was Tom Bray, evaluating all of the equipment. The store wanted to carry. And would give the owner the thumbs-up or thumbs down. Upon carrying that particular piece of equipment. He thanked me and hired Tom Bray immediately. And I got my mentor a brand-new full-time job he loved, doing. And a couple months later. I got hired on as a Full Blown Production Engineer. Right after I turned, 17. And I got to work with my mentor Tom Bray. I was in heaven! It couldn't have gotten better than this! And then I found out from Tom. He had also mentored, George Massenburg. And while George was starting to, make his way into audio. Starting around age 10 as he said. Yeah I started at 7. When I found myself. In the corner. At a place. My Daddy was playing his, violin, for. This Control Room called, Motown. You know the ones you have seen the early black and white pictures of. That's the control room I remember. And there was another big studio in town. That cut stuff for, Stax records. At United Sound Systems Studios in Detroit. That's where FUNK, took off! I love Funk. A white Jewish kid raised on funk. That my parents never played in our household. There was no pop music! Yeah mommy was a former, New York City, Metropolitan Opera Singer/Soloist. And daddy was a concertmaster/violinist. For some of our most highly respected American, Symphony Orchestra's. And no pop music in my household LOL. Yet I fell in love with funk. Only I haven't been quite as lucky as George. He's been very lucky. I've always loved, everything George Massenburg has ever done. Because I was 8 years younger than he. I wanted to be a lot like him. And I am but not as famous. Because we are both geniuses. Just like our mentor was. Just like my parents were. And George's, as well. Our parents both were artists and intellectuals. (More Parallel Audio in following post)

Damn I hate to say it but I believe this Brother!

To say Maurice was not a good writer is not true. Why then did they have all this success? Sure , George is a great recording engineer and helped Earth, wind & Fire, no doubt, Maurice gave him so much credit in his biography. Maurice valued and appreciated him, the band were so happy at first, because he was white, but Maurice didn’t care, he knew George was the best, he mentioned that too in his book. It’s sad that he talks like that about Maurice!

Massenburg is legendary of course. All the complaints seem to be about getting credit, rather than getting paid. My philosophy in life is that if you're paid well then take the abuse and lack of credit, and shut up.

I detect a lot of bitterness from Massenburg, his tremendous skill notwithstanding.

Listen to the Fantasy mix. Thats genius

I had to disagree with Mr. George Massenburg. Although, George Massenburg was a brilliant musice technican, I think that Maurice White was a brilliant song writer and producer. Maurice White wrote beautiful song that were ahead of his time. All the members of the Earth Wind & Fire were brilliant musicians. The members of the group of EWF were brilliant song writers they were Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Larry Dunn, AL Mckay, and even Ralph Johnson wrote songs, were all brilliant song writers. Also Charles Stepheny, wrote beautiful songs as well as being their producer. Also l would like to add among the great song writer team were Allee Willis, Skip Scarborough, and David Foster add others just to name a few all were brilliant song writers and producer for Earth Wind & Fire!!! They wrote songs that make you think about life's experiences and their song had messages in the songs. The members of Earth Wind & Fire were ahead if their time in both song writing and in music. 🎶 🎵

George is no doubt a master at mastering, but he's bellyaching that he didn't get the credit he THINKS he deserves on records by the greatest 70s/80s R&B band. He's from a generation that's white-centered. That arrogance attributed to a lot of the polarization he mentioned @18:40 -19:40 min.

I have the utmost respect for mr Massenburg being an engineer myself but I don't sympathise with his tone in this interview. For a guy who didn't care about credit he certainly seems to have changed his mind. He tuned ewf's instruments and their vocals which they couldn't do as well? Come on man!!! Maurice and co would have made these records without Massenburg as would have Michael Jackson without Bruce Swedien or Steely Dan without Bill Schnee. Concept and vision always surpasses technicalities. A great producer should know that

This guy is still mad at Maurice

With all due respect, Massenburg would be a great commentator on Fox News if they did music reviews. He could go on and diss Maurice White, Stevie Wonder and Prince or whatever genius [from the culture] that he sets his venomous sights on. This is why narrative creation is so important. We have to write our own story or else they'll call Earth Wind & Fire Milli Vanilli. SMH

I didn't like how he dissed Maurice claiming he couldn't write and took a third of the publishing for vocal ad-libs. If Maurice name is on a song he actually wrote it. If he stole publishing somebody in EWF would have said something by now. Charles estate tried to sue but the judge threw it out

I am saddened by this interview. There is nothing positive here to celebrate. I am a big fan of EWF and will always be. It is time for George to Celebrate EWF’s success and accept his role as an engineer of an historical band, instead of trying to take credit away from the group!

A lot of shots at Maurice but he is no longer with us to respond….the worst he says about himself is “I use to be mean “. The being sort of like in “indentured servitude “comment is telling about where his head is.

It sounds like he has a thing against Maurice. let it go. he passed on.

He sounds bitter

Nobody wanted to hear this cat diss Maurice white, if he had nothing nice to say, then he should have taken the Heisman pose and went mute on the subject of Maurice white,I won't watch part 2,this turkey is a hater,he knows his stuff musically, however he is tripping here

Was a big fan of Massenburgs work with Maurice and EW&F. However this interview, sickened me. The cheapshots thrown at Maurice are dispicable. The bitterness comes through with just the look on his face. To try and diminish Maurice in every way is just pathetic. Its almost as if NASA didn't give George credit for his work on the space shuttle. In every interview when it was appropriate, i always heard Maurice give him lots of credit. In his book, he gave him lots of credit. I know there was a falling out about Maurice and his relationship in the recording studio the Complex that Maurice opened in the late 70s, but was extremely disappointed in GM in this interview. You can have your disagreements with someone without trying to diminsh the talent and genius of someone like Maurice White. I would love to hear Verdine, Philip, Ralph and even David Fosters opinion on this interview. Everything being said, i will always say GM work with them was phenomenal, especially on I AM and Faces. I believe I Am and faces are right up there with AJA, Silk Degrees and Songs in the key of life as some of the finest produced, arranged, engineering and musicianship of any album in the 70s till today.