Engineer,Mixer,Producer

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

A: Big Head Todd and the Monsters Sister Sweetly---for the depth of the mix Fine Young Cannibals--She Drives Me Crazy----the snare sound Purple Rain---Because it's a live recording of a single performance,no overdubs except for strings

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Albert Cummings for Blind Pig records

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I was brought up on analog but a lot of clients can't afford it. ,now I try to introduce an analog sound into protools.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Playing the mix back and feeling like I helped create something

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

A: I either expensive or too busy, I always like working with new artists. My whole career has been working with new artists. Every big artist i've done ,I started when they were a new artist

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What do you listen to ,how do you imagine these songs to sound?

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

A: Keep an open mind

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

A: A Fender Stratocaster,a guitar cord, a 100 watt Marshall amp. A generator and a huge gas tank. Maybe I could play loud enough to get help.

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

A: I was a songwriter for A&M records in the late 60's ,early 70's. I became an engineer because there was no one else in Minneapolis to do it.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style certainly has been R&B Blues. Although I don't think I have a certain sound like other Producers. I'm dedicated to the song and the artist ,not imposing my style

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Anyone who's saying something new

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Route the vocal through an old Dolby A unit .When you play it back with the Dolby off, it brightens and compresses.

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

A: Blues based ,whether it leans more toward R&B,Americana,or Rock

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My spacial relationships and guitar sounds and making the vocals right ,whatever that takes

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Space and depth. I like to make a 3d mix so you can get inside of it

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I set the mix up to resemble a good analog board.I assign the same eq to each channel. If I want an API board,I use all API eq, If i want an SSL board,i will use all SSL Channel strips. Things always change but I start out that way

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

A: I am inspired by a lot of various kinds of music and production techniques. I currently like the dirty mixes of Tchad Blake and the sculpted sound of Mike Elizando

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

A: I usually try to spot the singles for an artist. Then try to shape it into the most it can be. It usually is just a mix thing to make it shine

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

A: I will make it work on multiple formats on the radio,computer,car and headphones

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: In the box protools 10 with a lot of plugins