Hitmaker Mark Ronson unveils his 'Record Collection'

MNDR's Amanda Warner, who admits that she had never heard of Ronson before she met him, believes his production style is so effective because of his affable personality and precise musical vision. "He would send me an e-mail politely asking if Q-Tip could rap on our song," Warner says. "But he's also challenging in the studio, where there were many parts that he wanted me to re-sing. Mark knows exactly what he wants."

One thing Ronson never thought he wanted was to add his own vocals to one of his songs, but he did just that on two album tracks: "Lose It (In the End)," alongside Ghostface Killah, and the title track with Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon. Ronson says that he didn't approach the album with the intent to sing, but that failing to find a vocalist for "Lose It" made him consider lending a "soft, '60s, Zombies-esque" hook for the song.

As for the title track, the Kaiser Chiefs' Nick Hodgson penned a set of sarcastic lyrics that gently mocked Ronson's jet-setting lifestyle: "I just got in from somewhere really cool ... I'm not as clever as I thought I was." Ronson felt it was only right to handle the song himself.

"It wasn't like, 'Yeah, I'm going to sing two on this record, then five on the next, then you can file me under Ray LaMontagne,'" Ronson says. "It was more of a happy accident."

CROSSING THE POND

A peek at Ronson's chart history reveals the divide between his pop-star profile in the United Kingdom and in the United States. "Stop Me," a Smiths cover on "Version" that features Daniel Merriweather, peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. chart but climbed only as high as No. 44 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart. "Bang Bang Bang," from "Record Collection," sold 50,000 copies in its first week and hit No. 6 in the United Kingdom, but has yet to make a dent on U.S. radio.

Ronson, who splits his time between London and New York, says he isn't sure why his appeal has been limited to England but thinks his material might be "too weird or idiosyncratic for a massive American market." However, Smith says that "RCA is very serious about breaking Mark in the U.S. this time around," with TV and radio spots lined up for the fall and appearances at independent retail stores expected to coincide with the record release.

The Business Intl. will bring a new twist to Ronson's live show, replacing the brass mainstays with a heavy dose of synthesizer. MNDR, Greenwald, ex-Pipette Rose Elinor Dougall and Spank Rock will all be part of the first few shows on Ronson's tour, which kicks off Monday (September 27) at Bristol's O2 Academy.

Aside from supporting his own material, Ronson will mix Duran Duran's album in September for a possible holiday release, and hints that he might help out with D'Angelo's long-awaited third album. Allido Records, Ronson's record imprint/production company under Interscope Records, is also keeping busy with artists including Wale and Rhymefest.

Even if "Record Collection" doesn't help him rule the Billboard Hot 100, Ronson is fine with being pegged for now as a producer first, artist second in the United States. Just don't expect him to stay in the background forever.

"I felt like I made it when I was playing to 300 kids in hole-in-the-wall clubs, so I don't have any grand or outlandish dreams," Ronson says. "But the other thing is, I didn't have any real success until I was 31 or 32. Each little (achievement) might just be a baby step."