Tape Notes

Patrick Stump, the dynamic vocalist and guitarist of Fall Out Boy, joins forces with producer Neal Avron, known for shaping sounds across genres. Together, they dive into their latest album, discussing their return to roots and the innovative collaboration with a full orchestra. They explore the intricacies of tracks like 'Love From The Other Side' and 'Heaven, Iowa,' highlighting the blend of genres and the emotional depth of their songwriting. Their creative process reveals the balance between musical experimentation and authentic self-expression.

John sits down with indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club to talk about their sixth studio album ‘My Big Day’. Bombay Bicycle Club are a four-piece band from London, that broke onto the indie music scene with their genre defining debut album ‘I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose’ in 2009. Since then they have been releasing a steady stream of music which has been met with high critical acclaim, earning them an Ivor Novello and a Mercury Prize nominations. Chatting with band members Jack Steadman and Ed Nash, the three cover a range of topics including the inspiration behind the album, their use of sampling in their music, how over-thinking can negatively influence the production process, and their collaboration with music legends Damon Albarn, Paul Epworth & Chaka Khan.Tracks discussed: My Big Day, Heaven, Just A Little More Time----------------Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musicians and songwriters. Among many of Tape It's incredible features, you can record straight from lock screen, set markers and have complete control over your record settings, and that just the start.To find out more and get the full app free for a month, head to www.tape.it/tapenotes----------------To support the show and become a Patron, head to Patreon.co.uk/tapenotes. Any and all support is hugely appreciated, we don't take it for granted so thank you.----------------LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  linktr.ee/tapenotes Listen to ‘My Big Day’ here - https://songwhip.com/bombay-bicycle-club/my-big-day Mmm…Records, AWAL RecordingsIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://songwhip.com/laurelcollective/sunshinebuddy   GEAR MENTIONSMagix Samplitude - https://geni.us/iBEqbXnCasio Keyboard - https://geni.us/hKfeKorg Monotron - https://geni.us/T5K1HNative Instruments Kontakt - https://geni.us/AFPeUPaul Epworth's Neve Desks - https://geni.us/TFoT0OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgearHELP 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 :) DonateOr you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.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 NotesPatreon: 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.ukTAPE NOTES TEAMWill Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & EditorTim Adam-Smith - Executive ProducerWill Lyons - EditorNico Varanese - Videographer, EditorGuy Nicholls - Production AssistantJessica Clucas - Production AssistantKatie-Louise Buxton - Production Assistant

In this episode, John is reunited with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood, to talk about how the band wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Back To The Water Below’.Following the success of their fourth number one album, Mike reflects on how their purpose as musicians has changed over the years, sharing their process of working out what they love, but haven't done with Royal Blood yet.Giving us an in depth look behind each track, we hear stories of musical experiments, including making a new ‘wall of sound’ guitar and playing specially modified pianos, while simultaneously inviting new genres into the Royal Blood sound.Listen to find out the best way to beat the sounds on your demos, tips on how to keep a two-hour live set engaging, and thoughts on why you shouldn’t wait for inspiration to come.Tracks discussed: Triggers, There Goes My Cool, Waves----------------Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musicians and songwriters. Among many of Tape It's incredible features, you can record straight from lock screen, set markers and have complete control over your record settings, and that just the start.To find out more and get the full app free for a month, head to www.tape.it/tapenotes----------------To support the show and become a Patron, head to Patreon.co.uk/tapenotes. Any and all support is hugely appreciated, we don't take it for granted so thank you.----------------LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  linktr.ee/tapenotes Listen to ‘Back To The Water Below’ here.Imperial Galactic, Black Mammoth, Warner RecordsIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel CollectiveGEAR MENTIONSSoundtoys Devil-LocSpectrasonics KeyscapeMrs Mills PianoAvid ProToolsOUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgearHELP 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 :) DonateOr you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.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 NotesPatreon: 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.ukTAPE NOTES TEAMWill Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & EditorTim Adam-Smith - Executive ProducerWill Lyons - EditorNico Varanese - Videographer, EditorGuy Nicholls - Production AssistantJessica Clucas - Production AssistantKatie-Louise Buxton - Production Assistant

DodIe and Martin Luke Brown of FIZZ, along with producer Pete Miles, discuss the making of their album ‘The Secret To Life’. They share stories, stems, and creative approaches, including jamming over loops and recording voice notes in the bath. They delve into the importance of surprise in songs and introduce the Tape It app. They also discuss their creative process, recording techniques, and the desire to create a dramatic ending for the album. Breaking routine, embracing imperfections, and relying on gut instinct are also emphasized.

In this episode, John is joined by Olivia Dean and producer Matt Hales to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Olivia’s Mercury-nominated debut album ‘Messy’.Taking us back to the very start of their story, the pair discuss the inspiration for the album, sharing their approach to marrying different musical cultures and the importance of the chats they had before writing.As well as playing their writing session voice notes showing the exact moments each song took shape, we hear stories of mouth trumpet demos, creating artefacts to make instruments sound sampled, and the thought process behind choosing mix engineers. Listen to find out why so much of what makes a good record can come from turning things off, why it’s so valuable to just have things around the studio, and why tea can be such an integral part of the creative process.Tracks discussed: UFO, Messy, Carmen----------------Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musicians and songwriters. Among many of Tape It's incredible features, you can record straight from lock screen, set markers and have complete control over your record settings, and that just the start.To find out more and get the full app free for a month, head to www.tape.it/tapenotes----------------Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings.To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days).----------------LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  linktr.ee/tapenotes Listen to ‘Messy’ here - https://songwhip.com/oliviadean/messy2023 EMI, Universal MusicIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://songwhip.com/laurelcollective/sunshinebuddy   GEAR MENTIONSAudioThing ReelsShure SM7BBoss CE1 PedalMoog SynthsSteinberg CubaseOUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgearHELP 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 :) DonateOr you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.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 NotesPatreon: 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.ukTAPE NOTES TEAMWill Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & EditorTim Adam-Smith - Executive ProducerWill Lyons - EditorNico Varanese - Videographer, EditorHerbie Elton-Rowley - VideographerGuy Nicholls - Production Assistant

Bakar, a genre-blending musician known for his hit 'Big Dreams', teams up with innovative producer Zach Nahome, a long-time collaborator. They discuss their creative process behind the album 'Halo', sharing insights on spontaneous songwriting in various locations, from hotel rooms to iconic studios. Listeners learn why old beats should be preserved and how unexpected influences can shape a track's sound. They also explore the balance between inspiration and routine, illustrating how collaboration and setting can ignite creativity.

James Blake discusses his album 'Playing Robots Into Heaven' and his journey with modular synthesizers. They analyze elements in a song and share mixing preferences. They clear a sample from the band Raggart Wins and explore the power of reverb. They also delve into the emotional impact of voicings and pitch changes, and the relationship between music and mental health.

Electronic music duo Disclosure, producers of the album 'Alchemy', discuss their reassessed approach to creativity, managing burnout and heartbreak, and the key production choices in each track. They share Howard's AirBnb demos, Guy's method of creating kicks, and the small additions that make a track sparkle. They also talk about the quickest way to come up with a new track idea, the benefits of being musically naive, and the best ways to check if things still sound cool.

Amber Bain, Chloe Kraemer, and George Daniel of The Japanese House discuss the process of creating, recording, and producing their album 'In The End It Always Does'. They share stories of misunderstood lyrics and spontaneous studio moments, as well as the importance of collaboration and different personalities in the room. They also touch on the impact of lockdown on their creative process and the significance of acoustic elements and experimenting with different sounds.

In this episode, John is joined by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and producer James Ford, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘The Ballad of Darren’.With Damon’s initial demos to hand, the pair give us a guided tour of the record, right through the early versions and studio sessions, from the moments that reignited the feelings they had when writing in the 90s, to piecing together the musical jigsaw that forms the Blur sound.Along with stories of Damon’s inspirational chickens and the dangers of making pesto while writing an album, we’re treated to an in depth production and songwriting masterclass, with details on manufacturing the sound of a room, and the importance of energy and intention behind a song.Listen to find out what makes the first performance of something so special, why a 4-track recorder can sometimes be a great replacement pillow, and what benefits come with giving yourself distance from a record.Tracks discussed: St. Charles Square, The Everglades (For Leonard), The NarcissistLINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  linktr.ee/tapenotes Listen to ‘The Ballad of Darren’ here  Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group CompanyIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel CollectiveGEAR MENTIONSEventide H3000U47 MicNeve 1073 PreampNeve DeskTON-1501 Analog Strings SynthesizerPowertran Transcendent 2000Coles 4038 MicsMellotronWhurliClavinetFender AmpsSemler AmpsGaragebandOUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgearHELP 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 :) DonateOr you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.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 NotesPatreon: 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.ukTAPE NOTES TEAMWill Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & EditorTim Adam-Smith - Executive ProducerWill Lyons - EditorVideographer - Andy Tindall/Herbie Elton-RowleyGuy Nicholls - Production Assistant