Tape Notes

Launching into a brand new season, John rockets over to The Church Studios to catch up with super-producer Paul Epworth, Harry Edwards and Riley MacIntyre to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Paul’s debut album ‘Voyager’. Paul shines a light on the five year on-off process of bringing the record to life, pulling apart the cosmic sounds and samples that form the basis of the album. From turning his studio desk into an instrument to serendipitous happenings, we hear Paul’s techniques of creating the perfect environment suitable for writing an expansive space concept album. Listen to find out what happens when you put a guitar through his ‘multi-story car park’ of pedals, how a SpaceX launch impacted the album, and how Paul stopped himself from just making techno.  Tracks discussed: Distant Planets, Where Do We Come From?, Space Inc. & Epilogue LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Voyager' here.'Voyager' - Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSElectro Harmonix Freeze PedalElectro-Harmonix Superego Guitar Effects PedalMoogerfooger MF-104M Analog DelayMoog MF-103 Moogerfooger 12-Stage Phaser OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :) Donate KEEP UP TO DATEFor behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @tapenotes Twitter: @tapenotes Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk 

In this episode we pick out a selection of highlights from Season 5. If you haven't heard every episode from the last season, this is a good way to introduce yourself to some of the other artists and producers we've had on and hear their tips, tricks and stories. Have a listen to see what you've been missing! You'll hear highlights from:FoalsCaribouJack GarrettTom Misch & Adam JaffreyGhostpoetRina Sawayama & Clarence ClarityBadly Drawn Boy & Gethin PearsonGrouplove & Dave SitekEnter ShikariEOB & Flood LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): Donate  Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk 

In this episode, John heads over to Sports Team HQ to catch up with Oli, Rob and producer Burke Reid, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced their Mercury nominated debut album ‘Deep Down Happy’.With DIY demos and a bag of stems, Oli, Rob and Burke break apart what goes into creating the band’s signature raucous sound. We’re treated to tales of sleeping in rehearsal rooms, sneaking into studios and mixing at the kitchen table. Burke talks us through some of his tricks of the trade, from managing the chaos of recording the band while they all still had day jobs, to making simple repeated things sound new and exciting.Listen to hear why they like to annoy Alex during his vocal takes, which stock Logic drummer has become an integral part of the band’s writing process and how they tailor their live sets so no one goes to the bar. Tracks discussed: Kutcher, Here It Comes Again, Fishing  Listen to 'Deep Down Happy' here.'Deep Down Happy' - Big Desert Records, Universal Music Operations Limited Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAudacity Audio Kitchen Big Trees PedalEpiphone CasinoFender AmpsMu-Tron PedalsNeumann U67Rickenbacker BassRoland RE-20 Space EchoBoss SD-1 PedalWEM AmpsLogic Pro SUBMIT A JINGLEFor all of the details on sending in a jingle email jingles@tapenotes.co.uk  Submit your Tape Notes jingle and we'll play our favourites each week on the podcast.Jingles can be in any style, can feature the Tape Notes theme, lyrics, or none of those things - be as creative as you'd like (as long as they're between 5-15 seconds). SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): Donate  Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    

Back at the start of lockdown, John caught up with Georgia and producer Mark Ralph to bring together a special episode for Aim House on how they wrote, recorded and produced Georgia’s Mercury nominated album ‘Seeking Thrills’. Delving right into the first demos inspired by a night out, Georgia and Mark talk us through their fluid process of bringing the songs to life, from drawing intricate details from their dynamic list of influences, to studio days together programming rooms full of synths.  We’re given an insight into Georgia’s move to becoming a singer, stepping out from behind the drum kit, and Mark shares some of his producer wizardry, enlightening us on song structure, the small things can completely change the feel of a track and much much more.Listen to hear how a grammatically incorrect sentence became the focus of a song, clips of hook lines written on a glockenspiel and discussions on how to make a computer groove. Tracks discussed: Started Out, About Work The Dancefloor LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Seeking Thrills' here.'Seeking Thrills' - Domino Recording Co LtdIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSMoogNord WaveRoland SH-101Roland Jupiter 6Roland TR-808Roland TR-909Sequential OB6 OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): Donate  Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk 

In this episode, John heads up to Assault & Battery Studios to chat with EOB – the solo project from Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien - and legendary producer Flood, to talk through how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Earth’. Armed with demos and tracks written during Ed’s time in Brazil, the pair take a deep dive into the sonic trenches, sharing their musings on the creative process, and reflect on their time working together in the studio. From fortuitous iTunes plays to jamming with world-renowned musicians, we hear Ed’s thoughts on transitioning from the realm of backing vocalist to lead vocalist, as well as the intricacies of blending carnival and dance music.  Listen to find why sometimes it’s a challenge finding beat 1, which track initially began with a swarm of Vihuelas, and why you should never use the word ‘demo’ in the studio.   Tracks discussed: Brasil, Olympik, Long Time Coming LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Earth' here.'Earth' - Capitol Records, Over Normal Limited, under exclusive license for UMG Recordings, Inc.Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAkai MPC Looper ARPElectro-Harmonix Memory ManElektron MachineEventide H3000Gibson Les PaulSoft Tube OTO BiscuitRoland System 700Roland Juno 60Boss RC-1 Looping PedalShure SM58OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): Donate  Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  

Rou Reynolds, the dynamic frontman and producer of Enter Shikari, dives into the eclectic world of their latest album, blending genres from techy metal to rave. He reveals the creative process behind tracks like 'The Great Unknown' and 'Satellites', showcasing spontaneous songwriting and emotional depth. Rou recounts quirky anecdotes, like the origins of gibberish lyrics and recording with a toy drum kit, while emphasizing the band’s DIY spirit and innovative recording techniques. Get ready to explore how they create their unique auditory landscapes!

In this episode, John catches up with Grouplove’s Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi along with legendary producer Dave Sitek to breakdown how they wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest album Healer. As their first record with an outside producer, the band reflect on their creative flow, pulling apart tracks bit by bit and showing us how Dave was the perfect weirdo to bring the album together. From jamming out five-hour demos at Hannah’s parent’s house to spending over a month recording from 9pm through to 11am, fuelled by cookies with cream cheese, breakfast burritos and copious amounts of weed. We hear theories on how people’s souls enter your body to give you songs, why Dave has been the cause of multiple people’s synth addictions, and we are treated to unheard midnight vocal takes recorded just before Hannah’s vocal surgery.  Tracks discussed: Deleter, Expectations, Places  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Healer' here.'Healer' - Atlantic Recording Corporation, WEA International Inc., Warner Music GroupIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSDunlop Echoplex PedalMellotronSequential Prophet 6 OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  KEEP UP TO DATEFor behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @tapenotes Twitter: @tapenotes Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  YouTube: Tape Notes PodcastDiscord: Tape NotesTo let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :) Donate  

In this episode, John catches up with Badly Drawn Boy A.K.A Damon Gough and producer Gethin Pearson to talk through how they wrote, recorded and produced ‘Banana Skin Shoes’. After numerous false starts producing the album – his first after an 8 year hiatus – Damon paired up with Gethin, bringing a new enthusiasm to Damon’s musical endeavours and with him a pool of new talent to draw inspiration from. We get to hear a plethora of demos and track breakdowns as the pair chart the development of the album and gain a fascinating insight into the philosophy behind their creative decisions. From a post Valentine’s breakfast date and a shared love of the Beastie Boys, Gethin and Damon reflect on their time working together and the importance of the relationship between producer and artist. Listen to hear how Damon’s chat after a toilet break was sampled into something much more meaningful, how he managed to include Brexit, his unborn child and Bono in the same song, and why the best piece of equipment you can have is a good artist.  Tracks discussed: Colours, Banana Skin Shoes, Is This A Dream?  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Banana Skin Shoes' here.'Banana Skin Shoes' - Damon Gough, AWAL Recordings LtdIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSProToolsProTools EQAdam Audio MonitorsAkai S950 SamplerRoland RE-20 Space EchoRoland TR-808Tascam 4Trk RecorderTeenage Engineering OP1Yamaha Clavinova OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): Donate  Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  

In this episode, John catches up with Rina Sawayama and producer Clarence Clarity to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Rina’s debut album ‘Sawayama’.   Diving deep into the almost 100 track sessions, Rina and Clarence reflect on how the album took shape, from writing demos in Rina’s bedroom to spending months in an LA studio. We hear the pair’s philosophies on creativity and the hustle of making it in the world of music, along with the secrets in crafting their fusion of R&B, noughties pop and nu-metal.   Listen to find out why Rina tries includes at least 10 hooks in each song, how Clarence tried to match a trap beat to Rina’s mum’s Beethoven performance and which member of The 1975 made a secret appearance on the record.  Tracks discussed: Dynasty, Love Me 4 Me, Snakeskin LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Sawayama' here.'Sawayama' - Dirty HitIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAbleton Sontronics SaturnSoundelux U99 OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): Donate  Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscord: Tape Notes Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk   

In this episode, John catches up with Obaro Ejimiwe, A.K.A Ghostpoet, along with engineer and mixer Shuta Shinoda to talk through how they wrote, recorded and produced his latest album, ‘I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep’.  Recorded at the start of lockdown before the album was actually released, Obaro and Shuta shed light on their creative relationship breaking down early demos and treating us to a selection of clips from the monumental amount of session files they racked up. We hear how Obar crafts his music despite a lack of traditional music theory, revealing the methods and approaches he uses to tap directly into the feeling of a song.  Listen to find out how birdsong was meticulously edited to perfectly fit the music, why Obaro has only just managed to use his Mellotron, and how he charmed Sarasara into singing on the record.  Tracks discussed: Breaking Cover, When Mouths Collide, Social Lacerations  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes   Listen to 'I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep' here.'I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep' - Ghostpoet, Play It Again SamIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSLogic ProCritter and Guitari Organelle MEventide HarmonizerFender Bassman AmpFlea C12 MicrophoneMellotron Melos Delay UnitSequential Prophet 6 Studer A80 Analogue Tape Machine OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions): Donate  Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscord: Tape NotesVisit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk