We interviewed John Cale in issue #156 around the time of his previous release, Mercy. He has just released POPtical Illusion, a collection of synth and keyboard heavy tunes that carry a heavy, and at times angry message about the state of the world. That is not to say that that Cale has lost all hope and there is optimism that we can still bring about change. POPtical Illusion was produced by Cale along with longtime artistic collaborator Nita Scott.
Some Maybe Not-So-Obvious Items Every Studio Needs
In the past we've run a few columns about items every studio should have, like Sharpie pens and masking tape, but here I decided to look around me and think about all the items that aren't...
Sometimes when artists release compilations of "bonus" tracks, or songs that were recorded for an album but were left off, it is quite obvious why. With Juana Molina's new EXHALO, this is not the case! Each track on this four song EP is...
On November 9-11, 2018, Ableton held their Loop 2018 conference in Hollywood, CA. Thom Monahan and I both went to check it out. Here’s some of what we experienced, starting with Thom. -JB
It’s hard to imagine a music software company...
I liked your end rant - what they didn't tell you in school - and I generally concur. For better or worse, I generally do things differently than the way students are taught in other classes, an approach that is perhaps more likely to cause trouble,...
My pal just sent me this awesome piece written by a screenwriter about people asking him to read their scripts. And yes, I think anyone who works in whatever given field can understand this. Damned if you do, and an asshole if you don't. And of...
I just finished reading your article, "My Unwritten (Until Now) "Rules" in the studio," Tape Op #85. Let me offer up a few words of wisdom on your well-written points.
- Don't play music by other artists: In 1978 I was working with a...
Artist/writer Keri Smith came up with this list some time back and it took on a life of its own. During a chat a client showed this to me as we were discussing being a musician and people that were "unhappy" with their lack of success. This sure...
A band I work with is two weeks away from their release date. They've worked tirelessly to prepare for this release, hired an excellent publicist, shot videos, toured....they've done it all right and without fatigue. That record is the most...
Joe McGinty has Carousel Studio in New York. Here his pal Amy Hobby gathered 20 young ladies to knock out a great version of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" on film featuring Joe's INSAME collection of vintage keyboards. This film is the best...