Tape Notes

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 

In this episode, John catches up with Tom Misch and engineer Adam Jaffrey to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Tom’s collaboration album with drummer Yussef Dayes - ‘What Kinda Music’. Tom and Adam dig deep into the session material, revealing the techniques and processes they used in recording the album. We hear Tom’s thoughts on stepping outside of his bedroom studio to record, as well as revealing the treasure trove of gear and plugins they used to hone his iconic guitar sound. Listen to find out why a fan made an almost 10-hour round trip to deliver the coveted OP1, what words Tom sings on his songs without lyrics, and why sometimes having a hangover in the studio can benefit the writing process.  Tracks discussed: Last 100. The Reel, Nightrider.   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to ‘What Kinda Music’ here.‘What Kinda Music’ - Beyond The Groove. Blue Note Records/CarolineIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Dynacord Tape EchoElectro-Voice RE20EventideMoogerfooger MF-101 PedalTeenage Engineering OP1Universal AudioUniversal Audio Neve 1073 UAD Thermionic Culture Vulture UAD Korg SD300 Plugin UAD Oxide (Tape Emulation Plugin)Zvex Lofi JunkyLogic ProProTools 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 Jack Garratt to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced his latest album Love, Death & Dancing. Jack digs up the original demo sessions recorded in his garden shed, unravelling the multitude of ideas he packed in to each track. Illustrated through a bounty of unheard demos and track breakdowns, Jack charts the emotional journey he undertook writing the album, revealing how he subtly controls rhythm and harmony to tell a story. Listen to find out how a core guitar riff was saved by a lucky phone recording, how his childhood trombone skills are now coming in handy, and how a few pearls of wisdom from producer Jacknife Lee have impacted his song writing.  Tracks discussed: Time, Anyone, Only The Bravest  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Love, Death & Dancing' here.'Love, Death & Dancing' - Island Records Release, Universal Music Operations LimitedIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Arturia Buchla Easel Plugin Arturia Prophet V3 PluginBehringer D ModelCritter & Guitari Pocket PianoFender Stratocaster Goodhertz Wow ControlMinimoogRoland TR-808Roland TR-909Roland Boutique SynthsSequential ProphetShure SM57Sonic Charge Permut8AbletonLogic Pro Logic Pro - Space Designer 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 links up with Caribou a.k.a. Dan Snaith, to breakdown how Suddenly -  his first release in five years - was written, recorded and produced. Diving deep into his hard drive Dan treats us to a plethora of demo versions, track breakdowns and even plays us a few nuggets live. We get to hear the philosophy and stories behind creating his most personal album yet and discover how he reduced a monumental 900 ideas down to a single record. Listen to hear the results of when Dan was let loose in Floating Points' Studio, how leaving his internet browser open while recording provided a moment of compositional serendipity, and why the title of this podcast could well have been 'Things I learned from Timberland'.  Songs Discussed: Magpie, Like I Love You, Sister  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes   Listen to 'Suddenly' here.'Suddenly' - City SlangIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAPI LunchboxArp 2600ARP Rhodes ChromaRhodesFlea 47 Native Instruments ReaktorSpectrasonics OmnisphereSpectrasonics TrilianSynthesis Technology - E370 Quad Morphing VCOToneBoosters ReelbusUniversal Audio 1176 CompressorWaves MondoMod Yamaha CS-70 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 

Kicking off a brand new season, John is joined by Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis to talk about how the band’s mammoth two-part project Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost was written, recorded and produced. As their first self-produced albums, Yannis gives us a fascinating insight into their biggest project yet, breaking down his writing process from the loops and drones he crafted at home to the final versions of lyrics written almost entirely at the pub.  Listen to find out how some NS10 cones were hacked to create a makeshift microphone, what Yannis projects on to the wall when recording vocals, and how the band managed to tie songs together with trips to Paris and cycling adventures in Annecy.  Tracks Discussed: Syrups, Exits & Neptune   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes   Listen to 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Part One' here. Listen to 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Part Two' here.'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Parts 1 & 2' - Foals, Warner Music UK LimitedIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Binson EchorecChandler Preamp Rhodes Chroma PolarisMXR Phaser Pedal EurorackKorg MinilogueLine 6 PedalsMemory MoogBoss RC-1 Looping PedalShure SM7BTeenage Engineering OP1 Yamaha NS10Logic Pro 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 we take a look back at some of the best bits from season 4. If you haven't heard every episode from the last season, this is a good way to introduce yourself to some of the artists and producers we've had on, hearing their stories, tips and general philosophy on writing and recording. Have a listen, you never know what you might learn! You'll hear highlights from:Mura MasaFriendly Fires & Mark RalphThese New PuritansElbowEzra CollectiveMystery JetsDJ Shadow LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes 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  

Thanks to SoundBetter for supporting this episode of Tape Notes.SoundBetter is the world's leading music production talent marketplace, giving you access to the best mixing & mastering engineers, singers, songwriters, producers, and studio musicians in the industry. You can work with Billie Eilish's drummer, U2's mix engineer, or hire the topliners that wrote on the latest BTS record, these pros are keen to work with Indy artists.Head to SoundBetter.com to find out more.In this episode, John ventures over to Wendy House Studios to catch up with hip-hip royalty Josh Davis AKA DJ Shadow, to talk through how he recorded and produced his latest album ‘Our Pathetic Age’ and his chart-topping album ‘The Mountain Will Fall’.  Josh gives us a full insight in to his largest most diverse project yet, breaking down his writing process from the moment he randomly dips in to his vast record collection for inspiration, to discovering unlikely source material such as an abandoned record collection rescued from a friend of his father's. We get to hear the original samples that form the basis of some of his biggest hits as well as the raw vocal stems of Nas and Pharoahe Monch rapping at each other from different studios.  Listen to find out about Josh’s meticulous sample editing process, what mixing mistake meant he had to sneakily rerelease a track, and why he had to gatecrash a Run the Jewels gig. Tracks discussed: Nobody Speak, Rocket Fuel, Drone Warfare LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Our Pathetic Age' here.Listen to 'The Mountain Will Fall' here.'Our Pathetic Age' and 'The Mountain Will Fall' - Mass Appeal/Reconstruction Productions, Inc. Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAkai MPC SamplerPioneer PLX 1000Sonos SpeakerTechnics SL-1200Technics SL-1210ProToolsAbleton 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