Welcome to issue #104 of Tape Op.

What do Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, LL Cool J, Ozzy Osbourne, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, U2, Mick Jagger, AC/DC, The Damned, The Posies, and Rage Against the Machine all have in common? They all belong to a long and diverse list of artists that have had David Bianco touch their music. I fondly remember my own daily ritual of going into Toast Recording in San Francisco, in 1997, to work on my band's (Black Lab) debut record for Geffen/DGC. David and I have been friends ever since. I recently caught up with him at his studio, Dave's Room.

In an industry that has become more and more digitized, Nashville's Welcome to 1979 and its owner, Chris Mara, are offering clients an opportunity to step back in time. With a recent purchase of a vinyl cutting lathe, Chris, along with his vinyl mastering engineer Cameron Henry, is continuing the analog tradition, giving bands a chance to cut masters directly to vinyl. I talked with Chris and Cameron about what it's like learning a forgotten craft, and about the different ways Chris may be a leader in a resurging analog revolution.

Better known by the last name "Explosion," due to his rock group Doctor Explosion, Jorge Mu-oz-Cobo started Estudios Circo Perrotti in 2003 in his hometown of Gijon, located in Spain's northern coasta...

With the music biz shifting, daily talk amongst musicians mainly revolves around the subject of adaptability. As old doors close, others are opening, offering creative control, DIY tools, and diversif...

Jensen Transformers was founded in 1974 by Deane Jensen as part of his quest for excellent studio sound. He believed the transformers of the era were of a substandard quality, and our field has benefi...

What do Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, LL Cool J, Ozzy Osbourne, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, U2, Mick Jagger, AC/DC, The Damned, The Posies, and Rage Against the Machine all have in common? They all belong to a long and diverse list of artists that have had David Bianco touch their music. I fondly remember my own daily ritual of going into Toast Recording in San Francisco, in 1997, to work on my band's (Black Lab) debut record for Geffen/DGC. David and I have been friends ever since. I recently caught up with him at his studio, Dave's Room.

Better known by the last name "Explosion," due to his rock group Doctor Explosion, Jorge Muñoz-Cobo started Estudios Circo Perrotti in 2003 in his hometown of Gijon, located in Spain's northern...

Jensen Transformers was founded in 1974 by Deane Jensen as part of his quest for excellent studio sound. He believed the transformers of the era were of a substandard quality, and our field has benefi...

For me, the highlight of the inaugural A3E (Advanced Audio + Applications Exchange) event in Boston (September 23-24, 2014) was the closing keynote, which featured Dr. Richard Boulanger, Professor of...

Ian Shaw, engineer and producer from London, England, relocated to the heart of tropical Key West, Florida, the southernmost point in the continental US. In the winter of 2011 Ian shipped his recordin...

It only makes sense that with a renewed interest in analog synthesis, modular synths would make a comeback. However, rather than the hulking beasts Keith Emerson tortured on stage, or pampered studio dwellers, like TONTO, the new Eurorack style systems are lightweight, portable and powerful, owing to the inclusion of modern technology, compact circuitry, and new ideas. Tony Rolando and Kelly Kelbel run Make Noise, a modular synth company in Ashville, North Carolina.