Working Class Audio

Michael James is a  New York-born producer/mixer/engineer and has also been a an A&R rep as well as an solo artist himself. He's worked with  New Radicals, Hole, Far, Robben Ford, L7, Edwin McCain, Chicago, Reverend Horton Heat, A.J. Croce, Butterfly Boucher, Jane's Addiction, Maia Sharp, The Coronas, and Jawbreaker and many more.At 19 years of age, Michael  met former Blue Cheer member Ethan James (no relation), the owner and creative nucleus of Radio Tokyo. Michael had just recorded a single, which cost him $15 in studio time.  Ethan happened to walk past the control room as the mix was being played, and offered Michael a record deal on the spot. Ethan took the disc to KROQ-FM DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, who debuted it on his legendary show, "Rodney On The ROQ."  It was later added to the station's playlist. From there, Michael joined the band Waves Of Grain, whose indie release "Catch Me I'm Falling" placed Top Ten on several college radio playlists; it was later licensed in the UK, France and Germany.Radio Tokyo and Sub Pop By then however, Michael decided he was to be a producer and engineer, not an artist. He served as a staff producer and chief engineer at Radio Tokyo from 1986-90, where he recorded classic rock giants such as Ray Manzarek (The Doors), John Lang (#1 songwriter of "Broken Wings" and "Kyrie"), Richard Page (Mr. Mister), and L.A. session aces Abe Laboriel (Larry Carlton) and Alex Acuna (Weather Report).  An unsigned band from New York called Too Much Joy came to L.A. to record a demo at Radio Tokyo, which had become a Mecca for credible indie bands.  Michael was given the chance to produce a few tracks for the band. When Too Much Joy was signed by Alias Records, they asked Michael to produce the album Son of Sam I Am.  Rolling Stone, New York Times and Billboard praised the album and Michael went on to produce the band's major label debut for Irving Azoff's Giant Records.Michael soon encountered a band called L7, who asked him to produce their debut album, Smell The Magic for Sub Pop Records. Sub Pop liked it enough to ask him to produce several other artists on the label, including Reverend Horton Heat, who generously offered to perform at Michael's wedding reception!  And then there was Courtney Love and her band, Hole, whose Sub Pop debut he produced. Michael was taken with Courtney's sense of style, as well as her sense of where she was destined. "My goal was to keep the intensity while highlighting the pop element," he says.   Michael went on to work briefly with Jane's Addiction, Mazzy Star and the critically acclaimed Geraldine Fibbers.The Major Labels: Find The Good Stuff First!After an introduction from Sheryl Crow and Beck bassist Dan Rothchild, venerable WEA and Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman tapped Michael to be Head of A&R and Producer at his Warner/Discovery label. Michael made it a point to listen to the boxes of unsolicited tapes that came in until he found Canadian band, Sal’s Birdland, which he signed.  Later, they changed their name to Artificial Joy Club and Michael brought them to Interscope Records for their second album.  The band's first track wasted no time in ascending to the Top 20 of the alternative airplay charts.  Michael quickly found his next hit, New Radicals.  Working under the radar and without a record deal, he and singer Gregg Alexander slipped into the studio during downtime to work on the album.  Not only did Michael mix, but he also played the guitar solo on "Crying Like A Church On Monday."  When Michael “shopped” the album, it was repeatedly rejected. The major labels claimed “the stigma against male singer/songwriters” was insurmountable.  Ultimately, however, MCA Records saw the light, selling over two million units of Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too and securing Michael his first Gold and Platinum credits.Encouraged by Alexander to play and write more, Michael began taking on more work as a session musician.  He wrote several songs with A.J. Croce for Transit, including the hits "Maybe" and "What I Wouldn’t Do," and played lead guitar on the album, which was recorded mostly live in the studio.  “There’s no substitute for having a tight band perform live,” he says, “because that’s how you get the best vibe; that’s how you capture a great moment.”Giving Back = Staying RelevantMichael founded IndieProMix, a remote service that provides bona fide professional mixes to independent recording artists, at sliding scale prices.  "I pitched a few of my favorite mixers (David Kahne, Matt Forger, Tony Shepperd and Rob Chiarelli) the idea of giving back to the indie community because we all started as indies," says Michael.  "Many super-talented indies only dream of having their music mixed by pros with hits, so we decided to give them the pro experience while keeping our thumbs on the pulse of fresh new talent.  We thought it would be a 'cool' thing to do, just because we could.  It's been a win-win since we launched in 2010."Frequently a supporter of good causes for independent recording artists, Michael has been a top tier sponsor of International Songwriting Competition and San Diego Indie Fest.  He has been a featured speaker at seminars, master classes and conventions, including Musician's Institute, Los Angeles College of Music, EAT'M Festival, Taxi Road Rally, Westlake Pro and Vintage King L.A.Michael recently launched The Platinum Legacy, a series of pro bono seminars in which he and Grammy winning producer Rob Chiarelli (Will Smith, Madonna, Erica Campbell) share their hit-making tips and tricks, and how to deploy them in today's modern analog-digital "hybrid" studios.  When asked how he expected a pro bono venture to be successful, Michael responded, "It's the right thing to do.  Up and coming artists don't have the same mentoring opportunities that I had, so I'm doing my part to keep classic recording and production techniques alive.  Plus, more generosity yields more abundance in my life.  I'm confident that it will work out well, as it always does."Embracing New TechnologiesMichael has become one of the most respected and sought-after sound design consultants to the pro-audio industry as a result of his roles as a preset/algorithm designer and beta-tester for several highly successful, award-winning products from Lexicon, Eventide, Sound Toys and TC Electronics, among others.  He is a long-time endorser of Mesa/Boogie Amplifiers, Tom Anderson Guitarworks, Taylor Guitars, Eventide, Manley Labs, Dangerous Music, Chandler Limited, Avalon Design, Tonelux, Glyph Technology and SIT Strings.  "The endorsements, the product development, even the seminars and master classes I’ve taught," says Michael, "are a logical extension of what I do in my daily activities in the studio. To my clients in those sectors of the music business, my 'real world' experiences are valuable in their laboratory or classroom settings. For me, those relationships are critical for two reasons: I contribute to the development of new products which are both practical and creatively stimulating to my recording colleagues and to me; and exercising the technical side of my brain magically broadens my artistic horizons when I'm making records."Today Michael is in constant demand as a mix specialist precisely because of his multi-faceted skill set.  As a writer-mixer, he knows when to make the technology get out of the way of the song and the artistry.  As a musician, he can completely rearrange a song when an artist wants to dig deeper—even at the mix stage.  He is frequently hired to do just that, often performing new guitar, bass and keyboard parts at the artists’ request, breathing new life into the song and the mix.For more info, contact Jan Seedman / Cadium at +1.310.200.4448.http://michaeljamesproducer.com/

Owen Curtin is a audio engineer and professor of audio technology. He has worked with Sheryl Crow, David Gray, Keane, Amanda Palmer and Jordan Knight. Owen is the co-owner and head engineer at The Bridge Sound and Stage. Aside from his role recording and mixing at The Bridge, he manages all technology and facilities including studio integration, information technology, and acoustic design. One of his latest endeavors includes the Audio Builders Workshop which holds seminars on DIY audio building projects. Along with numerous DIY preamps and other tools, he designed and built a control room monitoring solution for the 500 series. Owen's courses at Emerson College and the New England Institute of Art includes Adv. Studio Recording, Foley, and Senior Seminar. As the Director of Faculty Development at NEiA, Owen chairs the sabbatical, grant, and titling committees. Owen also runs the online Learning Management System used to support all classes at NEiA. He holds a bachelor's in Media Arts from Emerson College and a master's in Music Technology at from The Conservatorium at the University of New Castle. Owen joins Matt for a chat to discuss his studio, his workshop, education and how keeping his kid count at two prevents him from being outnumbered!

Jon O’Brien is the owner and producer at The Music Box Studios in Downtown Fullerton, CA.  In 2009, fresh out of college and after a summer spent interning at Blackwatch Studios in Norman, OK, Jon returned home and began recording local bands out of his parents’ living room. Since then, Jon has spent the last 7 years recording and producing over 80 bands and artists in the Southern California area.  Many of the clients continue to frequent the studio year after year.  In a constant effort to improve his recording space, Jon has moved studios 3 times in the past 5 years, all the while, scouring craigslist and picking up unique instruments and gear for clients and producers to use. Eventually landing at his current and favorite space in Downtown Fullerton, Jon has launched a new studio model that focuses on pairing clients with like-minded staff producers. Jon has worked with bands such as Young the Giant, Listener, Travelers, Yellow Red Sparks and Roah Summit.  Today, Jon is 29 and he and his wife are expecting identical twin girls; sure to be producers and engineers in the making.www.jonobrienrecording.comwww.themusicboxstudios.com

Kurt Andress is a Business Manager for Working Class Audio guest Mitch Dane ( WCA #075). Kurt is also an old friend of Matt's going back almost 30 years. Kurt's background before moving to Nashville was as a musician in New Mexico working at Mesilla Valley Music where he built stage gear and flight cases, and owned a stage lighting company. Kurt moved to  Nashville in 1991 and graduated from Belmont University in 1994 with a degree in Music Business. After graduating he worked for a popular Christian music band called White Heart for a couple of years and then started KSA Management in 1996. In addition to Business Management in the music industry Kurt is also a real estate investor and property manager. Kurt and Matt talk money, debt and the business of recording. Kurt offers up his advice and guidance on running your business as a recording professional.  Enjoy. 

Jim Greer is a Bay Area record producer who has massed a wide variety of credits through many years of wielding multiple instruments and knowing how to fiddle some knobs. Highlights included writing and producing with or for: Galactic, Macy Gray, Handsome Boy modeling School, Cyndi Harvell, Andrew St.James, Diegos Umbrella, MC Lars, Del the Funkee Homosapien, Irma Thomas, Rondo Brothers, Butterscotch, and many more, including lots of writing and placing music in various films, tv shows, and commercials…Matt and Jim sit down for an in person talk that covers Jim’s approach to making records, business and how the death of his son Teddy has shaped his view and approach to life.Jim’s Site: http://digitalchildren.net/

Will Russell is the owner and chief engineer at Electric Wilburland Studio, which is located in an old Baptist church in Newfield, NY. He has been working in audio since the age of 17, when he first started doing live sound. Will continues to mix live at regional music festivals for bands like The Horse Flies and Sim Redmond Band. His most notable tour was mixing for Rusted Root from 1994-95. After being on the road, Will switched his focus to running Electric Wilburland full time, where he records and produces mostly local and regional artists-- and has been for 30 years. Past clients include The Samples, Madder Rose, Martin Simpson, The Horse Flies, Joe Crookston and Donna The Buffalo. He won a Grammy in 2009 for recording the album “Douga Mansa" with kora player Mamadou Diabate. Three years ago, Will joined the staff at The Park School of Communications at Ithaca College, where he teaches audio production part time. He also teaches a handful of young engineers and interns at Electric Wilburland year-round. Show notesWill's Studiohttp://www.wilburland.com/

Tucker Martine is a record producer, musician and composer and the son of singer and songwriter Layng Martine, Jr.,  Tucker grew up in Nashville, Tennessee where he played in bands and tinkered with recording devices before moving to Boulder, Colorado after graduating from high school. In Colorado, Martine was a DJ at a public radio station KGNU. He would frequently play two or more records at once on the air to experiment with creating new sounds. Martine also took courses at the Naropa Institute where he studied sound collage and befriended Harry Smith - the ethnomusicologist, artist and Kabbalist - who made a large impression on Martine.1993, Martine moved to Seattle, Washington where he began to combine his skills and interests. He joined Wayne Horvitz's chamber group The 4 Plus 1 Ensemble where Martine's instrument was a series of looping and sound manipulating devices which were fed by the groups otherwise acoustic instruments. Martine received a Grammy nomination in 2007 in the "best engineered album" category for the Floratone album with Bill Frisell on Blue Note. He has also released several albums of his field recordings. As a composer and musician Martine has released 2 albums under the recording pseudonym Mount Analog and a 3rd one is on the way. Additionally, Microsoft called upon Martine's creativity when they asked him to help compose the startup and branding sounds for Microsoft's new operating system Vista. Today Martine lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, singer songwriter Laura Veirs and continues to make records in his own studio, Flora Recording & Playback.Tucker has worked with artists such as The Decemberists, R.E.M., My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse, Beth Orton, Neko Case, Mudhoney, Bill Frisell, Sufjan Stevens, Spoon, Grandaddy, Mavis Staples, Iron And Wine, The Jayhawks, Karl Blau, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, Blind Pilot, Camera Obscura, Stephen Malkmus, k.d. lang, She and Him, M Ward, Case/lang/veirs, Jesse Sykes and Laura Veirs.

Tyler Crowder is a freelance recording/audio engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area, who enjoys working in various recording studios, where he's done projects with both artist on major labels including Sony, RCA, Def Jam, GOOD Music, Windham Hill, Arista Records, B&G, Dancing Cat, etc. as well as  with a diverse range of local indy bands.  By working with a diverse range of major artists and local indy artist, it allows Tyler to be fluent in all styles of music, and be able to contribute to the local community of musicians and bands that surround the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the years Tyler has earned 2 Grammy nominations for audio engineering, and participated in many Billboard Charting Albums. Tyler has worked with numerous artists including Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson, Lil’ Wayne, Snoop Dog, George Winston, Melvin Seals, Tuck & Pattie, Joan Jeanrenaud, Phil Aaburg, Henry Butler, Dave “Dave’s Hands” Jackson, Keola Beamer, Cyril Pahinui, Bola Sete, Professor Longhair, Steven, Damian, and Ziggy Marley, and the Los Lonely Boys along with many other artists.More on Tyler www.noisedrop.com

Cesar Mejia is an L.A. based engineer and producer born and raised in Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles. Besides engineering and producing he is a faculty member at Cal State Dominguez Hills where he teaches audio recording courses for the Digital Media Arts program. Cesar has a unique approach of putting his clients at ease, allowing the artist to perform at their optimal. Cesar’s methods and skills have allowed him to maintain an ever-growing list of clients like: Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Brian Eno, Bill Withers, Will I. Am, Beatmo, Chicago, Zach de la Rocha, Mezklah, Wayne Shorter, Hurley Clothing, Hanoi Counsel for the Arts Vietnam, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Al Geroe, George Duke, George Benson, Motorhead, Monte Carlo 76, Natashia Williams, Brujeria, Nathan East, Los Lobos, Marcus Miller, Aztlan Underground, Chicano Son, Amazon Gold Foundation, Andy Garcia, Most Eligible Basturds, Marisa Ronstadt, Susan Egan, & Kenny Moreno. Constantly working on projects of multiple magnitudes, he fully dedicates himself and applies the same enthusiasm to all his clients.Cesar speaks with Matt about all things WCA from The Shelter Studios in Los Angeles.More on Cesar's studio http://theshelterstudios.com/

Mark Kilborn is a sound designer, mixer and implementer with over a decade of experience in the video games industry. He has worked on various game franchises including Borderlands, Forza Motorsport, Brothers In Arms, Tony Hawk and Project Gotham Racing. For the last seven years he has served as one of the Audio Directors for the Call of Duty series, collaborating with teams of sound designers around the world on various projects including Modern Warfare 3, Advanced Warfare, Black Ops 1-3, Exo Zombies, Call of Duty Online and Modern Warfare Remastered. After he and his wife had twins in 2015, he setup a home studio and continues to contribute to the Call of Duty series as a Principal Audio Designer. He lives in Madison, WI with his wife, three kids, two dogs and too much snow. Mark flew to San Francisco for the Game Developers Conference recently and met Matt at a Starbucks to talk about Mark's world in game sound.Mark's list of credits include , Call of Duty 2017 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered (PS4/XB1/PC) Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (PS4/XB1/PC) Call of Duty: Exo Zombies (PS4/XB1/PC) Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS4/XB1/PC) - Nominated for BAFTA, AIAS awards for sound - Winner, GANG Sound Design and Audio of the Year awards Call of Duty: Ghosts (PS4/XB1/PC) Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (360/PS3/PC) Call of Duty Online (PC) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (360/PS3/PC/WII) - Nominated for BAFTA, AIAS, GANG and MPSE awards for sound Call of Duty: Black Ops (360/PS3/PC/WII) Singularity (360/PS3/PC) Forza Motorsport 3 (360) Dr. Awesome Microsurgeon MD (iPhone) Borderlands (360/PS3/PC) Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (360/PS3/PC) Samba De Amigo (Wii) Project Gotham Racing 4 (360) The Club (360/PS3/PC) Boom Boom Rocket (XBLA) Tony Hawk's Project 8 (360/PS3) Bionicle Heroes (NDS)