Abstract
The remarkable success of Buena Vista Social Club, released by UK independent label World Circuit, has made it a focus in much of the academic literature on Cuban popular music of the 1990s. This article responds to some of the assumptions in this literature about the thought processes, strategies and motives behind the production of the album. In particular, one voice is conspicuously absent—that of Nick Gold, owner of World Circuit and the person who made the album happen. Here, in conversation with Lucy Duran, Gold tells the story of Buena Vista in his own words, revealing a tale of collaborative effort, creativity, generosity of spirit and spontaneity. The article questions the methodology of writers who feel they can speak for the views and attitudes of record producers without consulting or interviewing them directly, and argues for more communication between academics and the creative industries. In addition to giving an insider’s view on how one of the best-selling world music albums of all time was put together, this article is also a contribution to the budding literature on record production as a new academic field.
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