I met with Christina Files on a crisp sunny afternoon at Peninsula Park in Northeast Portland. We discussed her past and present experiences as a live sound engineer, studio engineer and musician. Most folks may know Christina Files as the drummer who backed up both Shannon Wright and Mary Timony for many years. Some may recognize her as the singer for the Swirlies, and the drummer who killed the kit in the post rock band Victory At Sea. These are just a few of the many accomplishments of Christina Files as a musician. Over the past decade and a half, she's been behind the boards of many a great album for bands like Shipping News, June of 44 and The New Bloods. She's also done front of house for fine tuned live shows like Shellac and Black Dice. We talked about the dualistic, yet harmonious, nature of engineering audio in the studio and live venues. We also spoke of the excitement and beauty of recording in any space: basements, warehouses, elevator shafts; and making the best recordings you can with the gear you've got.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Overland Park, Kansas; a town just outside of Kansas City.
Were you into music and sound as a child?
Yes, I was. Most of my exposure to music was from listening to the radio and whatever records my older brother had. I had a boombox with a cassette recorder in it and I would often record myself playing guitar, Casio [keyboard] or drum machine. Sometimes I would use the living room stereo as a second recording device to add new parts on top of what was playing on my boombox. There was a lot of hiss.
Which came first for you, doing live sound or studio work?
I guess studio work. I recorded bands in my mom's basement on 1/2" 8-track when I was a teenager. I would also spend countless hours in my room recording to 4-track cassette. I started doing live sound when I was older and living on my own in Boston.
Do you feel there's a balance, or a similarity, between capturing live sound and engineering an album in the studio?
Oh most definitely. They're both centered on signal flow and acoustics. In a live sound scenario, you are usually forced to work super fast. You have a limited time to make sure everything is routed properly and sounds as good as it can. The same goes for being in the studio — just add a tape machine and/or computer. If you are lucky, you'll have a little more time to get the sounds you're looking for and to experiment. Hopefully you'll have slightly better equipment to work with than with live sound.
You seem to be primarily a freelance engineer in studios around town.
I work at a few different places in town. I tend to gravitate more toward studios that have old school equipment and higher quality A/D D/A converters. I've never predominately worked in one place; I usually end up wherever a band or project can afford to go. Sometimes it's in a higher end place, other times someone's basement or warehouse.
What was the first release that you engineered?
I remember interning at a few different places. I tried assisting, but no one was really interested. The first release that I recorded was a 7" by a band called Milk Money. I recorded side A at my school and side B at Fort Apache Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
In situations where you would track at someone's house or basement, would you bring certain equipment with you?
I usually bring my own equipment. If someone in the band has anything that can be put to good use I try and incorporate it as well. One of my favorite places that I've worked was a warehouse space where I used to live in Boston in the late '90s. It was an old turn of the century building with tin ceilings and giant arched windows. My roommates and I built walls, installed electricity, some plumbing and a kitchen. We could record there and spend time making music. I would use the elevator shaft as an echo chamber. It was sweet! I definitely wish I still had that place. Damn gentrification!
What was the place called?
84 Kingston Street was the address. Everyone just called it "Kingston Street." At that time in Boston, a lot of kids were living in warehouse spaces around Chinatown and Fort Point. Other buildings/art spaces in the area were on Congress Street, Stillings Street, Boylston Street and Edinboro Street. All really fun places to hang out, make music, art and have shows.
You cut some records at Kingston Street that have been released.
Yes. Mary Timony's Mountains was tracked there. Some of the first Victory at Sea's recordings for Slowdime Records were done there too. I remember the Make-Up recording a song there for a 16mm film, which I've never seen. The band had just finished playing a show that night, their equipment was already set up and my friend needed music for her film. That was the only time I've ever found myself recording a band in front of an audience. It felt like a cross between some sort of lecture series and a live TV show. It was strange, but fun. I'm not sure if the film ever came out.
What did you track Mary Timony's Mountains on?
An 1/2" 8-track synced up to Pro Tools LE.
How is it for you to perform on an album where you're also engineering?
Double duty. It's not easy. You usually don't get breaks. For Mountains I would hit record on the 8-track, run across one room into the next, sit down behind my drums out of breath and click off the song. We had a friend come over and hit record for us after the first day of that. We did get some good material from that first day, though. Mary and I would jam out a bit before each take so I could chill out after running across the room. We ended up using some edits for the record. In general though, when I'm in a band and we're trying to make a record, I prefer to only be playing my instrument and focusing. I find you can lose some of your creative input if you're too involved with the technical side of things.
Would you rather be playing music or engineering?
I've developed my recording interests and skills based on my needs as a musician. I love playing music. Recording is awesome too. I want to be involved in making good sounding records — the kind that I would want to listen to.
I noticed that you've worked with, or alongside, Bob Weston [producer, engineer, bassist, see [Tape Op #18] or book Vol. II] throughout the years.
Bob rules! He recorded a couple of bands that I was in. He is an amazing engineer. He and I met in Chicago when my band, Swirlies, was on tour in 1997. I was familiar with his work from bands like Polvo, Rodan, Sebadoh and Shellac. I really liked the sounds he would get on those records, especially with the drums — big, spacious room sounds. He and I have worked on the same records before, but not usually at the same time. I recorded a June of 44 single at Kingston Street that the band ended up using parts of on their full length, Anahata, which Bob recorded and mixed. He also mixed Mary Timony's Mountains. I've learned a lot from watching Bob work on sessions that I was playing drums on. He has been a mentor to me in that way. I've also called him many times with random recording questions. Bob has always been supportive and helpful.
I read somewhere that you studied bass guitar at Berklee College of Music. How did you make the transition from bass guitar to drums?
I had always wanted to be a drummer. One night I was walking around Cambridge and saw that my friend Mona [Elliot] was about to play a solo show at The Middle East. I went inside and after watching her set, I realized that I had made up drum parts for her songs. We talked after the show and decided to try "jamming" together. Both of our bands at the time [Swirlies, Spore] had rehearsal spaces in the same building so we got together one day and it just worked out. It felt more natural for me to play drums than bass, and I needed a break from my academic approach to music after studying in school for four years. That band became Victory at Sea — the first band that I had started as a drummer. I'd played drums at friend's houses and practice spaces in the past, but never had my own drums. I was so excited to be playing with Mona. We had a really similar approach to music.
After that band, you started playing drums with Mary Timony and later Shannon Wright. Do you have any future plans to back up any other musicians on the drums?
I've been playing shows here and there with friend's projects. Jenny Hoyston [Erase Errata/Paradise Island] and I played a couple of West Coast shows a few months back. I've been working on a film soundtrack with another friend. I would definitely like to be in a band again and continue to play on more records.
You contributed a track to the Monitor Records compilation Membrana-phonics as a solo artist. Do you envision yourself ever putting out a solo album?
I can see putting out a record but not necessarily under my name. I would come up with a band name.
Do you have a philosophy about recording?
Yes and no. I suppose it would be to do your best with what you've got, even if it's just a drum machine, a microphone and a tiny cassette recorder or some janky, free software that comes with your computer. I try and get the sounds down that I want to hear. I really like the quality of older records from the late '60s and early '70s. I think a lot of newer recording equipment lacks character. Try and make the sounds that you are hearing in your head and that sound right to you. I hear demos on Myspace all the time that sound incredible, then later, when I hear the finished record, I don't like it as much.
Do you have a "go to" piece of gear?
Not really. Although lately I've been using the Sennheiser 441 a lot for vocals. I like Urei LA-3A compressors. Old Altec mic preamps can be nice.
Have you found yourself taking on a producer's role in sessions you're engineering?
I think that sort of thing is inevitable. You're choosing the mics, the preamps and compressors, what effects are being used as well as balancing levels. I've been credited as being "producer." I've also been credited as "engineer" or "recorded by." A lot of times I have no idea what will be next to my name until the album is released. Maybe if I were doing more high profile records this would become more of a concern. Sometimes bands just want outside input. Other times they totally know what they want and you're just there to try and help them make it happen. Sometimes it's a combination of both.
You've worked mostly in Boston and Portland, Oregon. Do you find there are differences or similarities between working in each?
Recording in Portland is more affordable. It makes sense though because the cost of living here is slightly less. Other than that it's pretty much the same.
What have you been working on lately that's soon to be released?
The New Bloods, Panther (mixing), Tara Jane O'Neil, The Dead Trees and Explode Into Colors.
Talk a bit about the Tara Jane session.
We tracked at Audible Alchemy in Portland and had one day to do the basics for a few songs. She brought in Geoff Soule [from Fuck and Sad Horse] on the drums. Tara had recently returned from Japan. She made delicious rice balls for the session. She works fast and knows what she wants. I conducted a song while recording. My formal music training has finally been put to good use. [laughter] We had a lot of fun. I wish we had a budget for two more weeks. Someone give us more money!
Which Shipping News album did you record?
Very Soon, and In Pleasant Company. That was in Louisville [Kentucky] at Jason [Noble] and Kyle [Crabtree]'s [of Shipping News] warehouse on 1/2'' 8-track. We pooled our resources together. Jason's a recording nerd too, so he had a bunch of gear to contribute. We also rented some equipment from a local film company. I heard an original dbx 160 VU [compressor] for the first time. It made the vocals sound like an old movie.
Was that the 1/2 inch 8-track deck you had when you were a teenager?
Yes. It's a Tascam 38.
Have you ever experienced, in session, where a piece of gear has malfunc-tioned? What's your method of decompression?
Something always goes wrong. You do the best you can to make sure things continue to move forward. I try and keep a clear head so there's room to troubleshoot any problems. If something breaks, and there isn't time to fix it, I just use the next best thing. Coffee breaks are awesome.
christinafiles@hotmail.com
Lauren is a session drummer and the force behind LKN, www.myspace.com/lkn
