April 2o1o

So much for keeping up with the updates! The first quarter of 2o1o has already been chock full o' musical goodness!

Most of January was spent on two projects: first, was mixing an upcoming Death Cab for Cutie DVD in surround and stereo. This was a live concert filmed in Bellingham, WA, last year, and it's a fantastic representation of the band. Look for it soon!

The other big January project was the recording and mixing of Kirby Krackle's "E for Everyone" CD. This is a band that embodies and champions "Nerd Rock" - songs about comic book characters, video games and girls abound. Brilliant and clever songwriting and all-around nice guys.

Both of these projects were done here at my studio, The Office. The Kirby Krackle was mastered by John McCaig at panicStudios.

I spent three days tracking 20 Riverside at Two Sticks; this is a young (early-20s) funk/hip-hop/rock/horn band from Everett, WA, that blew me away with their musicality and deep sense of musical history. They are all multi-instrumentalists and write some insanely groovy (truly, not in the 60's sense of "like, groovy, man...") and catchy songs. I mixed it at The Office and Ed Brooks mastered at RFI.

Aaron English and I revisited a song from his previous record recording a new version as well as a brand new track at Two Sticks just before the holidays. We finished it up here and he will be releasing it on his website.

Dravus is a power pop/punk (who comes up with these labels?!?) band with catchy, energetic songs; we spent a few days tracking at Two Sticks and are finishing it up at The Office.

I'm continuing to mix new songs for Glasgow's Geoff Martyn; it's always a treat getting material from him because it's of such high quality.

Sax legend Hadley Caliman's record that I recorded at Two Sticks and mixed at The Office has been riding the JazzWeek airplay charts at #2 for three weeks!

I was asked to play drums on a couple of projects (nice to remember I'm a musician, too!); first, were two songs for April Devereaux - very cool piano-based tracks with some tricky changes; then five songs for Campfire Ok - just amazing music that I'm honored to have been a part of. I also was engineering on this, so I pulled double duty. Fun stuff!

Finally, Peter Frampton's "Thank You Mr. Churchill" that I tracked last year comes out 27 April - brilliant songs and killer performances!

December 2oo9

Gadzooks! Eight months since the last update! All kinds of musical insanity since the last report!

I was recently asked to do an overnight turnaround for a couple of live Death Cab performances on MTV for the "Woodie Awards". Gotta love "the internets" - their performance finished at 9PM Eastern, I received the files from Record Plant Mobile at midnight Pacific, did the mix, uploaded them, got some notes and did a revision by 9AM the following morning. The videos are now on the MTV site:
DCfC - Meet Me on the Equinox
DCfC - The Sound of Settling

Lots of jazz the past few months, too. I mixed and recorded the upcoming record for Origin Records artist, Scenes; some rather ripping trio performances! Mark Guenther at Seattle Disc Mastering mastered

Also for Origin, I mixed a couple of soon-to-be-released records for Thomas Marriott, one a quartet record and the other a quintet. More info as they are released.

Drummer Matt Jorgensen has an epic new release coming out early in 2010; he wrote a suite of pieces inspired by works of art created by his late father-in-law Dale Chisman; I tracked the core quintet at Two Sticks for a couple of days and then returned to add string quartet a few weeks later. This is one fine collection of music! John McCaig at panicStudios mastered.

I finished mixing a record for Glasgow artist, Colin Taylor, who will be releasing under the name "The Unsinkable Boxer". Mastered by Ed Brooks at RFI.

In death metal-land, I tracked and mixed Shaded Enmity's "Like Prayers on Deaf Ears"; huge metal! Mastered by Troy Glenssner at Spectre.

May 2oo9

This update is brought to you by the letter "F"!

I've spent much of the past month and a half in Cincinnati recording the new Peter Frampton record! Matt Cameron, who plays drums on six of the songs, recommended me for the gig (Thanks, Matt!!!), and both Peter and co-producer, Chris Kimsey, decided to bring me on board. We've had an absolute blast and the songs are an eclectic batch of modern rock mastery. I'll be returning in October to mix!

While I was there in Ohio, we all took a three-day detour and drove down to Nashville for a whirlwind session at Blackbird Studio and their incredible "d" room with a 96ch API Legacy desk. It was there that we recorded Peter and his co-writer for this particular song, Gordon Kennedy, and our next "F" guest, The Funk Brothers! Peter wanted to pay tribute to the Motown sound and the records he grew up loving, so what better way to authentically do so than to get the gentleman that helped originally create that sound? Eddie Willis (guitar), Bob Babbit (bass), Spider (drums) and Ron Jones (piano/organ) were joined by Peter and Gordon on additional guitars, Chad Cromwell on drums and Eric Darken on tambourine/vibes/bells. An 8-man musical beast, it was a rush to sit in the control room and listen to what sounded like a finished record come over the monitors. I've been pinching myself a lot lately just to make sure I'm not dreaming...

Finally, we have Robert Fripp! He will be "guest starring" on a new single from The Humans that we are tracking this week now that I'm back in Seattle. He's been a bit of a musical hero of mine since I first heard King Crimson many years ago. Can't wait!

In other news, before leaving the last throes of Winter here in the Pacific NW, I recorded the alliterative piano/drums duo, Benjamin Bear, at Two Sticks - excellent songs and great players!

I finished mixing the debut CD from Collider which was released this month. Buy this disc!

I also found time to track basics for a new Monsters of the Deep album at Robert Lang Studios.

I also did a whirlwind day at Robert Lang's recording two new songs with Conservative Dad; two songs, top-to-bottom, layered up all in one day and I mixed them the following day. Killer!

Prior to all that stuff, I recorded the debut disc for a young band from Seattle called Israfel; very earnest, interesting stuff. Keep an eye on these guys!

And I'm actually going to try to get some session photos on this site, finally!

February 2oo9

Even slower than last time on the update!!

The biggest news this time is that I've built my own studio! I'm still managing Two Sticks Audio, but I needed a place to mix and do tracking where I didn't have to be as concerned about booking schedules. So, I built The Office (it's where I go to work...) and have been working there since September. It's a one-room facility, but acoustically sound, isolated and a comfy place to work. Euphonix was even kind enough to do a bit of a profile on me and my new place!

I'm mixing the upcoming Smoosh record right now - amazing new batch of songs from these young ladies!

Bill Rieflin and I finally finished up the Humans disc! We did a three-week mix binge in December and cranked out a rather unique and incredible sounding record, if I do say so myself! Simon Heyworth mastered at his Super Audio Mastering facility in England.

I finished tracking and mixing the new Ian McFeron project over the summer before he and the band headed back out on the road. John McCaig mastered like a champ.

I mixed the new Goddamn Electric Bill record out now on 99x/10 records - killer disc! Once again, mastering was ably handled by John at panicStudios.

I'm wrapping up mixing the new Tristan da Cunha record this month.

It's been a dark second half of the year for me. Dark, as is DEATH METAL! I just wrapped up In Memorium's new disc, "Lost to Antiquity". Heavy stuff!! Mastered by, you guessed it, John McCaig!

Also in the wrapping-up stages is the new Funeral Age record. Brutal shards of the blackest metal.

180 degrees from those two projects is the new disc from Dan Connolly - acoustic-based singer/songwriter with sweeping productions. Guess who mastered?

I finished mixing the Alligators in early Autumn; this is a fantastic collection of songs!

I mixed Thomas Marriott's new disc, "Flexicon" and also recorded a new project featuring Tom and saxophonist Hadley Caliman - look for that this spring!

I recorded and am currently mixing trumpeter, Chad McCollough's, new record.

Woooo, I'm tired now!!

May 2oo8

Time for what's becoming a trend - another half-year update! It's been a crazy time...

Two Sticks Audio has been cruising along. I completed tracking for Only Human's new disc there and mixed it at my place.

I also tracked Ian McFeron's new project there. We'll be finishing overdubs this summer when he and the band are back from tour and then mixing it at my place.

I tracked and mixed Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden with his ass kicking jazz/groove/fusion trio, Harrybu McCage, for their debut release. Mastering was loving handled by John McCaig at panicStudios.

Camille Bloom has a DVD coming out from a performance at the Columbia City Theater here in Seattle. I mixed that and John mastered, once again.

I tracked basics for Bremerton-based, Alligators at Two Sticks. They are working on vocals and overdubs on their own and will be returning for mixing next month.

In February, I had the pleasure of tracking a record at Chroma Sound on their wonderful Trident 80B. The project was The Humans, featuring Bill Rieflin, Toyah Willcox and Chris Wong. The plan is to mix later this year when Bill is back from the REM tour and Toya and Chris can come back from England. Amazing music!

I spent a day at my place with Hector Zazou and Bill Rieflin tracking drums and noises for Hector's upcoming release.

November 2oo7

Although it may seem like I've dropped off the face of the earth because it now takes me six months to update this page, nothing could be further from the truth. Busy is the name of the game!

Since the last update, so much has happened - I'll try to remember it all!

I've been helping put Jason McGerr's new studio, Two Sticks Audio, together, and producing a number of sessions there in between massive wiring/console refurb parties and Death Cab sessions. I'll be handling studio management and booking, so contact me about getting some time in there!

Sessions I've done at TSA include the debut from Monsters of the Deep, Matt Jorgensen's 451 jazz quartet, The Long Winters, and solo work by Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam.

Also recently completed are the new Symon Asher disc, the fabulous Celtic punk of Ockham's Razor, mixing six songs on the new record from Adam Smith and Your Invisible Hands, and recording and mixing the new Conservative Dad EP.

I've been in pre-production with Seattle metal band Only Human and will be tracking their new disc at TSA in December. James Murphy of Testament (among others) will be mixing.

I've been mixing both the debut CD and a soundtrack composed by mysterious ambient electronic artist, Minor.

Earlier this year (I need to keep up with these updates better...), I finished mixing (and playing drums) on the debut disc from Ember After, a goth-industrial outfit led by OC resident Orren Merton and featuring an online cast of many!

Work also continues on the debut CD from singer/songwriter, Joni Wilm.

I think that's all for now!

March 2oo7

Iris I - Wrapped up mixing and mastered with John McCaig at Panic Studios.

Conservative Dad - Began tracking a full album project for these lads - amazing songs!!!

February 2oo7 - Well, it's been a million and a half years since I updated this page! The last year has been non-stop and nuts, but only in a good way! Lots of projects started and finished and I'm looking forward to an even busier '07. Here's a quick rundown of projects recently finished and some that are still underway:

Iris I - Six-song EP currently in production; guitar, bass and drums are done - vocals to follow soon! Lots of odd-time, prog goodness!

Symon Asher - Tracked guitar, bass and drums for 10 songs at Litho in November; vocals and guitar overdubs for four songs are complete and mostly mixed!

Ian McFeron - Recorded and mixed his new release, Let It Ride which, again, was mastered at RFI by Ed Brooks in January.

Aaron English - Recorded and mixed Aaron's magnum opus between May and November. This is a huge, sweeping epic of an album; mastered with Ed at RFI in December.

Scarlet Room - Recorded and mixed a second EP with the band; guess what? Yeah, we mastered with Ed!

Francis Nash - Hit Litho for a weekend in the summer to track basics for a new CD; vocals are still underway at my place.

I promise to try and be more timely with the updates...

March 2oo6

Ian McFeron - Finished mixing Fistfight With Father Time which was mastered at RFI by Ed Brooks earlier in the month. Also remixed Ian's second CD, A Long Way to Freedom for a new production run.

Scarlet Room - Finishing up overdubs and mixes; mastering at RFI this month.

Jason Parker Quartet - tracking live off the floor at Litho.

January 2oo6

Ian McFeron - Finishing tracking with mixing to start mid-month.

Scarlet Room - Tracking this four-piece band at Studio Litho; mixing later in the month.

November 2oo5 - Long time, no update! Big news is I've added a Pro Tools HD2 Accel rig to my arsenal - fun!

Ian McFeron - Drums, acoustic guitar and bass tracks are done for 16 songs along with fiddle on a dozen; vocals and lead guitar are up next.

Bill Montgomery - mastering a live piano trio of Bill Evans covers

Crush Velour - Remixing their never-released debut CD from '94 - still going!

July 2oo5

Francis Nash - Mixing their new CD

Ian McFeron - Preliminary tracking for this singer/songwriter's third CD.

Viscid - Guitar overdubs and mixing.

Crush Velour - Remixing their never-released debut CD from '94!

May 2oo5

Gregg Keplinger - Mixing 3 CDs of improvisational free jazz and collage-style music, plus tracked a live performace of the Gregg Keplinger Trio.

Loom - Tracking is nearly complete on the instruments; vocals and overdubs remain.

Viscid - Vocal tracking for newly recorded songs.

Last Fair Deal - Mastering their third full-length CD.

March 2oo5

Ember After - Mixing and contributing production, drums and keyboards.

William Montgomery - Tracking and mixing this Seattle-based composer's chamber music.

Randy Lee Fader and the Magnettes - Tracking and mixing their Motown/Northern Soul stylings with three stunning vocalists.

Loom - Tracking and mixing this tricky prog-pop band fronted by a dynamic female vocalist.

Viscid - Mixing these metaler's second CD.

Opossum Wranglers - Mixing their debut CD.