# John Porter (musician, born 1947)
**John Porter** (born 1947 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England) is an English record producer, engineer, remixer, and guitarist, chiefly known for his early work with [The Smiths](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-smiths) and [Billy Bragg](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-bragg) and for his bass playing in [Roxy Music](https://www.edgepedia.org/roxy-music).[1](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9cc98bd8-c5eb-4ca1-9c85-2b426c789a1e) Database listings describe him as a producer and musician active in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and credit him with 119 career credits, of which 91 are production credits.[1](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9cc98bd8-c5eb-4ca1-9c85-2b426c789a1e) • [2](https://readdork.com/credits/john-porter)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1947, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom[1](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9cc98bd8-c5eb-4ca1-9c85-2b426c789a1e) |
| Professions | Producer, engineer, remixer, guitarist, bassist, mixer, lyricist, and composer[1](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9cc98bd8-c5eb-4ca1-9c85-2b426c789a1e) • [3](https://bookingagentinfo.com/celebrity/john-porter/) |
| Best-known production | The Smiths' debut album *The Smiths* (1984), *Hatful of Hollow* (1984), and credits on *The Queen Is Dead* (1986)[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-porter-mn0001543302) |
| Roxy Music | Played bass on the band's second album, *For Your Pleasure* (1973)[5](https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/would-your-mother-recognise/235?theme=1) |
| Production credits | 119 total, including 91 production credits across artists such as The Smiths, Billy Bragg, Missy Higgins, Ryan Adams, Bryan Ferry, B.B. King, The Go-Go's, Buddy Guy, Killing Joke, Santana, and Sandie Shaw[2](https://readdork.com/credits/john-porter) |
| Later credits | Pro Tools engineering on Ozzy Osbourne's *Down to Earth* (2001); mixing and guitar on B.B. King's *Makin' Love Is Good for You* (2000)[6](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/John_Porter/416272) • [4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-porter-mn0001543302) |
## Disambiguation
Two musicians named John Porter are active in the same period and are frequently confused. The subject of this article is the Leeds-born producer whom [MusicBrainz](https://www.edgepedia.org/musicbrainz) catalogs as "John Porter (producer and musician US and UK)" and annotates as a "UK producer/engineer/remixer, chiefly known for his early work with The Smiths and Billy Bragg."[1](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9cc98bd8-c5eb-4ca1-9c85-2b426c789a1e) The other, John Frederick Porter, was born in 1950 in [Lichfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/lichfield), England, moved to Poland in 1976, joined the band Maanam in 1977, and led the Porter Band, whose 1980 album *Helicopters* became a classic of Polish rock.[7](https://www.britishpoles.uk/happy-birthday-john-porter/) The Polish musician is the one associated with singer Anita Lipnicka; MusicBrainz explicitly warns readers not to confuse the two.[1](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9cc98bd8-c5eb-4ca1-9c85-2b426c789a1e) • [7](https://www.britishpoles.uk/happy-birthday-john-porter/)
## Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry
Porter's route into production ran through a deep love of R&B and the blues, which evolved into a passion for recording and a creative relationship with [Bryan Ferry](https://www.edgepedia.org/bryan-ferry), the frontman of Roxy Music.[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/producer-john-porter-shaping-sound-175838209.html) A 1973 Beat Instrumental report on the band's rise notes that bass guitarist Rick Kenton was replaced by John Porter in the lineup.[9](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Beat-Instrumental/Beat-Instrumental-1973-05-S-OCR.pdf) Porter joined Roxy Music for their second album, *For Your Pleasure*, released in March 1973, on which he played bass guitar; the album's credits list him among the musicians alongside Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Brian Eno, Andy Mackay, and Paul Thompson.[5](https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/would-your-mother-recognise/235?theme=1) • [10](https://dev.bryanferry.com/albums/for-your-pleasure/)
After that he produced Ferry's first solo album, *These Foolish Things*, and then worked as a session player on bass, guitar, mandolin, and slide, teaming up with, among others, [Eric Clapton](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-clapton) and [Ronnie Lane](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronnie-lane).[5](https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/would-your-mother-recognise/235?theme=1) A later profile of his guitar work describes him as "perhaps best known for his work in music production" and connects him with blues recording.[11](https://www.maggironson.com/portfolio/john-porter-guitar/)
## Work with The Smiths
Porter produced The Smiths' first two albums and, after stepping back to let the band make *The Queen Is Dead* largely on their own, moved back into the frontline for their later singles, according to a 1987 interview.[5](https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/would-your-mother-recognise/235?theme=1) AllMusic credits him as producer and remixer on *The Smiths* (1984) and *Hatful of Hollow* (1984), and as engineer and producer on *The Queen Is Dead* (1986), with further producer credits on *[The World Won't Listen](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-world-wont-listen)* and *Louder Than Bombs* (both 1987).[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-porter-mn0001543302)
In interviews Porter has described the band as inexperienced in their early studio sessions, with some songs "pretty much put together in the studio." He recalled that [Johnny Marr](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-marr) was interested in the production process from the start, learning quickly about mixing, while Morrissey's engagement was limited; Porter said their relationship later cooled into "complete disdain."[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/producer-john-porter-shaping-sound-175838209.html) On the single "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now," he noted that his [Fender Telecaster](https://www.edgepedia.org/fender-telecaster) was on "just about every track" he made with the band, and he praised Marr's exactness in the studio.[12](https://www.musicradar.com/news/my-tele-was-on-just-about-every-track-i-did-with-the-smiths-john-porter-talks-producing-johnny-marr-on-heaven-knows-im-miserable-now) His production run with the band ended later in 1984, after sessions that produced "William, It Was Really Nothing," "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want," and "How Soon Is Now?"; he returned for further singles before the band settled into working with producer Stephen Street full time.[12](https://www.musicradar.com/news/my-tele-was-on-just-about-every-track-i-did-with-the-smiths-john-porter-talks-producing-johnny-marr-on-heaven-knows-im-miserable-now) • [8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/producer-john-porter-shaping-sound-175838209.html)
## Range of production work
Porter's credit list extends well beyond post-punk. The Dork credits database counts 91 production tracks across 12 artists, led by The Smiths with 33 tracks and Billy Bragg with 17, followed by [Missy Higgins](https://www.edgepedia.org/missy-higgins), Ryan Adams, Bryan Ferry, B.B. King, [The Go-Go's](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-go-gos), Buddy Guy, Killing Joke, Chris Jagger, Santana, and [Sandie Shaw](https://www.edgepedia.org/sandie-shaw).[2](https://readdork.com/credits/john-porter) AllMusic lists production and arranging work on Anita Lipnicka's and his own collaborative recordings, guitar and production work for Dana Gillespie's *Andy Warhol* (1995), and mixing and guitar on B.B. King's *Makin' Love Is Good for You* (2000).[4](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-porter-mn0001543302) He is also credited with Pro Tools engineering on Ozzy Osbourne's 2001 album *Down to Earth*.[6](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/John_Porter/416272)
His approach to studio technology, as described in a 1987 interview, was pragmatic: he owned a Yamaha CX5 and a LinnDrum, had worked with the Fairlight and the [Synclavier](https://www.edgepedia.org/synclavier), and held that "whatever it takes to get the best result is OK."
[5](https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/would-your-mother-recognise/235?theme=1)
## References
1. [John Porter (producer and musician US and UK), MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9cc98bd8-c5eb-4ca1-9c85-2b426c789a1e)
2. [John Porter | Credits, Dork](https://readdork.com/credits/john-porter)
3. [John Porter Contact Info, Booking Agent Info](https://bookingagentinfo.com/celebrity/john-porter/)
4. [John Porter — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-porter-mn0001543302)
5. [Would Your Mother Recognise You On The Radio? (MT Jan 87), Muzines](https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/would-your-mother-recognise/235?theme=1)
6. [John Porter, Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/John_Porter/416272)
7. [Happy birthday, John Porter!, British Poles](https://www.britishpoles.uk/happy-birthday-john-porter/)
8. [Producer John Porter on shaping the sound of The Smiths, Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/producer-john-porter-shaping-sound-175838209.html)
9. [Bryan Ferry on the swift rise of Roxy, Beat Instrumental, May 1973](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Beat-Instrumental/Beat-Instrumental-1973-05-S-OCR.pdf)
10. [For Your Pleasure — Bryan Ferry, official album page](https://dev.bryanferry.com/albums/for-your-pleasure/)
11. [John Porter (Guitar), Maggi Ronson](https://www.maggironson.com/portfolio/john-porter-guitar/)
12. ["My Tele was on just about every track I did with The Smiths" — John Porter talks producing Johnny Marr on Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, MusicRadar](https://www.musicradar.com/news/my-tele-was-on-just-about-every-track-i-did-with-the-smiths-john-porter-talks-producing-johnny-marr-on-heaven-knows-im-miserable-now)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Songwriters and record producers › Record producers › Classic era producers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license