Clarke Rigsby: A Varied Career
by Larry Crane
A longtime staple of the Phoenix recording scene, Clarke Rigsby runs Tempest Recording out of a modest-looking but impressively outfitted space behind his home in Tempe, Arizona. He’s worked...
interviews
by Larry Crane
The Boxmasters are…: Billy Bob Thornton & J.D. Andrew
by Larry Crane
You might be most familiar with him as an actor, but Billy Bob Thornton has been playing drums, singing, and writing songs since he was a teen, long before he stepped in front of a camera. His early...
Lyle Lovett
by Larry Crane
During the early pandemic lockdowns my wife, Jenna Zine, and I searched out interesting online streaming performances as a way to keep connected to the experience of going out to see live...
Shahzad Ismaily: Filling in the Rest of the Puzzle
by Larry Crane
I first heard about Shahzad Ismaily when our pal and Tape Op contributor, Eli Crews [Tape Op #88] told me he was moving to New York to help his friend Shahzad open a studio. Soon, I realized...
Dave Stewart: Setting Up for the Goal
by Larry Crane
Record producer, songwriter, musician, and singer, Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart is a man of many talents and skills. Beyond co-producing all of the Eurythmics’ catalog with Annie Lennox,...
Mike Campbell: Dirty Knobs & Heartbreakers
by Larry Crane
As a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, guitarist Mike Campbell found himself co-writing some of their biggest hits, plus songs for many others like Don Henley and Stevie Nicks. He...
Christian Krüger & Moonshine Records
by Larry Crane
Someone built a vintage, '50s-style American recording studio in Germany? Or, as Moonshine's owner, Christian Krüger, said when he dropped a line, "I've lovingly recreated the original...
Garret “Jacknife” Lee: Looking for Noise
by Larry Crane
A “typical” Tape Op interview might follow the path of playing music, learning engineering, and becoming a producer. Garret “Jacknife” Lee took the path of playing in a...
Catherine Anne Davies: is The Anchoress
by Larry Crane
Or, conversely, The Anchoress is Catherine Anne Davies, a Welsh-born talented songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, singer, producer, engineer, mixer, and more. Her debut album, Confessions of a...
Roger Eno: Chasing Colours
by Larry Crane
I first heard Roger Eno via Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, the dreamy music written for the NASA footage-based documentary, For All Mankind. The album featured him collaborating with his...
Danny Elfman: Just Enough to Fuck it Up
by Larry Crane
Many likely know Danny Elfman’s name from movie credits, as he’s scored well over 110 films at this point. But some of us remember his ‘80s and ‘90s group, Oingo Boingo, along...
Blak Emoji’s Future R&B
by Larry Crane
Blak Emoji is the project/band of producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kelsey Warren. His recently released third album, Eclectro, is a fun and inventive listen, so I dropped him a line...