THE PWL FAN TURNED EMPLOYEE TURNED ARCHIVIST TELLS TALES OF DIGGING THROUGH PWL’S SECRET TAPE STASH TO MARK ELLIOTT…

IAN USHER

Pete Waterman definitely wasn’t thinking about posterity when he replied to an unexpected letter from a pop-mad Liverpool schoolboy, but little Ian Usher would not only go on to an impressively multi-faceted career in the business but would also collaborate with Waterman and Cherry Pop records, working on important re-releases - including such gems as Mel & Kim, the first four Kylie albums, Mandy Smith, Sinitta, Big Fun, Lonnie Gordon, and more. He was also entrusted with the keys to the legendary PWL archive, discovering incredible, never-heard moments in pop. Classic Pop hears the stories of a true PWL insider…

How did you become aware of SAW when you were young?

I was a big fan of Dead Or Alive and Divine and I just loved this amazing sound they had, without really knowing what it was. I kept seeing SAW’s name on the back of all these records. A local DJ from my hometown in Liverpool said he knew Pete Waterman and I should write to him because I was so keen to be a record producer, even though I was only 11!