ZANG TUMMM TUMB ARTICLES “the first draft of history”

My week: Trevor Horn, record producer

Inside the day-to-day life of Britains cultural movers and shakers

Monday

Im organising a show for the Princes Trust at Wembley Arena in November, featuring a lot of the artists Ive worked with over 25 years in the music business.

Weve got some great acts — Buggles, Belle and Sebastian, Yes, Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones, Seal — but its a full-time occupation getting them to work together.

After lunch, cooked by Marco, our studio chef, I met up with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, wholl be playing together for the first time in 20 years. I was reminded of how much I always liked their Scouse sense of humour.

Tuesday

In the morning, my wife, Jill, and I did an OK! magazine photo-shoot at Hook End, our residential studio in Oxfordshire. We live in St Johns Wood in north-west London, but I love spending time at Hook End because its right in the countryside. It was exactly how youd imagine an OK! shoot to be — they put me in a pair of blue jeans and a white shirt, sitting on the bed and big smiles everywhere. I think Jill hated it more than I did.

Wednesday

We went on a recce to Wembley Arena. There are only just enough dressing rooms for the acts, so working out where to put everyone is a real logistical puzzle. Ive told them to put me in the toilets if it gets tight. In the evening, I rehearsed with the Frankies. I had a go at singing Two Tribes, which was a laugh. They said, “Youve always wanted to do that, havent you?” I said, “Yeah, of course I have!”

Thursday

The day began with a big technical meeting at my Notting Hill studio. I really wanted the show to feature explosions — I like those things that shoot out fairy-dust — but I was told “no pyrotechnics”.

I love our bit of Notting Hill, it reminds me of New York in a strange sort of way. Its changed a lot over the 20 years weve been here: until about 1990 it was a no-go zone for traffic wardens, so you could park wherever you wanted. Then crack cocaine came down on the area like a ton of bricks and altered the whole atmosphere.

Friday

I always get in early on a Friday because I want to get everything done by about 6.30. I put up a great big noticeboard with a list of artists and the songs theyre going to play, trying to work out which order they should go on stage.

(cont.)
I work like a dog during the week, but on Friday evening Ill go home and have a traditional Jewish Sabbath dinner with my wife and daughters. From then until Sunday we dont think or talk about work at all.