Tape Op Podcast

Ed O’Brien, Radiohead founding guitarist and atmospheric sound sculptor, reflects on the records that shaped him and the band’s evolving public image. He explores serving songs through tone, creating Blue Morpho from a dark period, and finding freedom with improvising collaborators. Along the way: visual mythology, Paul Epworth’s patient production, fresh ears, and surrendering to musical flow.

We interviewed Maryam Qudus, aka Spacemoth, in 2022 for Tape Op #148, as well as for episode #8 of our DISCussion podcast. In addition to her own albums, she is busy working with artists such as La Luz, Toro y Moi, Frankie and the Witch Fingers [Tape Op Podcast #91], and others. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Maryam from her studio in Oakland, CA, to discuss her early influences, producing other bands, the making of her latest Spacemoth album, Inward Eye, and more. Enjoy!

Producer Marc Urselli is the chief engineer at New York City's EastSide Sound, as well as the owner of his own studio, Audio Confidential. He has worked with pop, rock, and jazz artists ranging from U2, Foo Fighters, Nick Cave, Lou Reed, Sting, Keith Richards, Kesha, Jeff Beck, Les Paul, Buddy Guy, Luther Vandross, Børns, The Black Crowes, Frank Sinatra, Joss Stone, Mike Patton, and of course, John Zorn, with whom he has made over 120 albums! Geoff Stanfield chatted with Marc from Audio Confidential about his early days recording in Italy, his move to New York, an internship at EastSide Sound, his approach to sessions, working with U2, and his recent collaboration with JZ Mics on their new MU-1 large diaphragm condenser/ribbon hybrid microphone. Enjoy!

We interviewed Jan St. Werner and Andi Toma of the German electronic duo, Mouse on Mars, way back in issue #46 of Tape Op. June 5th, 2026  brings the release of Spatial, No Problem, a collaboration with the late reggae and dub pioneer, and icon, Lee "Scratch" Perry. Geoff Stanfield caught up with the pair from their Berlin studio to discuss the four days of marathon sessions that resulted in this excellent and interesting album. Enjoy! Episode made possible with support from Soundtoys.

Sarah Tudzin, producer/engineer and frontwoman of Illuminati Hotties who has worked with Weyes Blood, Slowdive, Boygenius and more. She talks about growing up in Southern California and how that culture colors her sound. She explains the shift from drumming to studio work, the value of hands-on mentorship, and collaborative, ego-free recording sessions.

Drawing from a wide-ranging pool of influences—from punk and hardcore to authors like evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and ethicist Peter Singer – José González has forged a unique place for himself in the music scene. He has released records by his band Junip, but his multiple solo albums feature a stripped down "mid-fi" sound consisting mostly of a nylon string guitar, his voice, and the occasional tapping of his foot. His 2003 album, Veneer, gained significant popularity in Sweden, the UK, and the United States. His songs have been featured in films and television shows such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, One Tree Hill, The Blacklist, Friday Night Lights, and many others. His new release, Against the Dying of the Light, is in González's own words, "a collection of songs I hope will age badly, in the sense that humanity finds a way to unite and steer clear of its most self-destructive tendencies." Geoff Stanfield caught up with José from his home in Gothenburg, Sweden, to discuss this new album, his approach to recording, and more. Enjoy.

Texas native and Los Angeles-based producer/engineer, Phillip Broussard, has had a long and storied career. He has worked on pivotal records from a wide-ranging list of artists like Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of a Down, Jay-Z, Linkin Park, The Chicks, Neil Young, and more. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Phillip from his studio in Southern California to discuss his early years in Austin, engineering at Daniel Lanois’ Kingsway studio in New Orleans, his eventual move to Los Angeles, and his longtime working relationship with Rick Rubin. Enjoy!

North Carolina native, Stuart White, has had a steady and event-filled career path, one that has led him to engineering for some of today’s biggest artists. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Stuart from his mix room in southern California to discuss his formative years, studying at Full Sail University, getting hired by New York City’s Quad Studios, and working alongside and being mentored by Russell Elevado and Ann Mincieli, getting hired as Alicia Keys’ personal engineer, main house engineer at Mincieli’s Jungle City Studios, and becoming Beyoncé’s primary and full-time engineer. He has won six Grammy awards to date, and he has worked with FKA Twigs, Jay-Z, Childish Gambino, Sia, Megan Thee Stallion, and more. Enjoy! Episode made possible with support from AMS-Neve

Happy New Year and welcome to season nine of the Tape Op Podcast! For this episode, we welcome Yves Jarvis, the moniker of Canadian musician Jean-Sébastien Yves Jarvis. His latest release, All Cylinders, won Canada’s Polaris Music Prize for best album of 2025, a record on which Jarvis wrote and performed all of the 16 tracks. Made entirely using Audacity and a half-broken laptop, the collection showcases his love of ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock, soul, and folk music, but it also shines a light on his post-modern approach to music making. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Yves from his home studio in Montreal for this engaging, and often philosophical, conversation. Enjoy!

Since 2006, the Portland, Oregon-based Portugal.The Man have released ten full length studio albums and various EPs. Their 2017 song, “Feel it Still,” garnered them a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, but that might put them into a musical category in your mind that would be way off base. The band’s singer, frontman, and principal songwriter, John Gourley, is on what seems a mission to never rest on what he’s done before, continuing to push his music into new realms. Portugal.The Man’s latest album, Shish, is a wild-ride tapestry of pop music infused with metal, noise, punk, and electronica. His co-producer, engineer, and drummer on the project, Kane Richotte, holed-up with Gourley at the band’s studio outside of Portland, and made one of the most interesting records we have heard this year. Geoff Stanfield caught up with John and Kane while they were out on tour, to discuss the making of Shish, the band’s previous work with producers Jeff Bhasker, Danger Mouse, Mike D, and John Hill, and letting mixers like John Congleton and Andy Wallace do their thing. Enjoy!