Producer, Guitarist, Bassist

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: Dead Love was a project out of the blue brought by CeeKay Jones and Norm Cutliff. I was the Producer/Co-writer/Guitarist/Bassist. What I loved was the time limitations (3 tracking/writing days). We just got inspired and went with it. No overthinking!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently working on some original material in collaboration with a group of excellent musicians

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Kurt Thum. Fantastic pop producer/keyboardist/writer and my brother!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both, because if you've ever actually edited on a tape machine you know what a joy a computer is.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I want every client to be so stoked on what we're doing! If they're not, I want to do everything I can to get them there.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like that it's always different and that its almost always creative.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Q:Did you tune that vocal? A:of course not...

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: I guess that I'm more a player than producer.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I usually ask for ref's that inspired they're material

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: If you want to rock, give me a shout!

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: A knife, A fishing rod, hunting rifle w/ ammo a first aid kit, acoustic guitar...but what if I break a string?

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: Ive made my living playing live in various situations for 20+ years

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I'd say heavy psychedelic

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Check you're tuning, then check it again.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Rock, Heavy Rock some pop rock some electronic, mostly vocal based.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I try to listen as a fan who wants to be emotionally moved and use my experience to set that in motion.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: My perspective changes depending on my role in the project, but universally, I try to find the simplest way to feel inspired.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Typically I'll start with an artist's demo and work the basics, arrangement, chord structure, melody maybe some harmony. Get it sounding good with just the melody and a guitar or piano then add some more instrumentation depending on the track.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: The studio's heart is a D&R Orion 48ch analog desk, Cranesong Spider, Daking and the Orion pres through Burl converters for the front end. Mics: I use an ADK zmod 67 for Vox and acoustic sources as well as an R84 ribbon and a custom ADK ttau251, for drums the usual suspects:57s 421s Beta 52, D112. stereo pairs of Blue's and THEs. For the mix side: 16ch Burl DA to the Orion. API2500 & 560s, A-designs Nail, Cranesong Trakkers(pair) ADT toolmod comps, JLM 1176(pair) Eventide 3000&3500, Lex PCM91 Antelope pure 2 for capture. Nuendo 10 full Waves suite, Slate suite, lots of plugins and VSTs including Omnisphere

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: It started with the Beatles. From there Queen, Prince, NIN, Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple, Strokes, Tame Impala, Starcrawler, Porcupine tree, Tool. As for production: George Martin, Flood, Eno, JJP, Andy Wallace, Chicarelli

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Anything from recording bands live in the studio and singer songwriter simple production to custom live drums and guitars for existing productions as well as full project production.