Introduction to Mark Ronson’s Impressive Career
Mark Ronson has built one of the most impressive music careers in the past two decades, from producing Amy Winehouse’s "Back to Black" and publishing one of the best-selling songs ever with "Uptown Funk" to being a part of one of the greatest cultural moments of the decade with "Barbie". This year, the superstar producer achieved another milestone as an executive producer of "SNL 50: The Return Concert", a unique concert with stars curated by him and Lorne Michaels, featuring great artists covering the landmarks on the show. Ronson secured his first prime-time Emmy nomination.
The Beginning of a New Project
Lorne Michaels offered Ronson the opportunity to work on the project in October 2023, giving them almost a year and a half to correct their dream list. The list included big names like Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Cher, Malone, the surviving members of Nirvana, and "SNL" legends like Will Ferrell and Andy Samberg. Ronson recalls having a split-second flash of thought, saying, "This will be the best thing ever and a crazy amount of work. And of course, I will do it because it’s Lorne and it’s ‘Saturday Night Live’."
The Curation Process
Ronson, who calls his own "SNL" appearance in 2014 "the absolute highlight" of his career, said that narrowing down the musical acts to feature was a time-consuming task. He restricted it to about 120 songs, wrote ideas on sticky notes, and posted them, similar to how "SNL" uses its bulletin board to announce its weekly line-up. Ronson would often be in a hotel room, surrounded by yellow post-its with song titles like "Karma Chameleon" or "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" or "Evil", and he would giggle at the sight.
Collaborations and Brainstorming
Ronson often worked with Michaels and producer Erin David as a "brain trust", going through ideas for the line-up. He would send five or six songs to the artists to consider, and some of them would "completely ignore my suggestions or be completely insulted". However, artists also brought their own great ideas to the table. For example, Marcus Mumford from Mumford & Sons suggested playing Simon & Garfunkel’s "The Boxer", a particularly remarkable song in "SNL" history, which Paul Simon played on the show shortly after September 11, 2001.
The Production Process
The production of the concert special was intense, even by Ronson’s standards. He remembers waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweat, juggling the show, his memoir (planned for publication later this year), and managing time with his family, as his wife was pregnant with their second child. Ronson jokes about being on conference calls, saying, "I know you’re used to it, but I’m losing my mind here. Is this position coming with a prescription for Xanax?"
Conclusion
The concert special, "SNL 50: The Return Concert", was a unique and exciting project that showcased Ronson’s impressive career and his ability to bring together talented artists. The experience was challenging, but Ronson’s passion and dedication to the project made it a success. As he looks back on the experience, Ronson is proud of what he accomplished and is excited to see what the future holds for him.
