Tape Op Magazine - Issue #136

Interviews

Hopeton Overton Brown is "The Scientist"

Interviews

Interviews

Interviews

Interviews

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JULY 30, 2025 INTERVIEWS

Jon Castelli: Modern Mixing, a conversation with Doug Fearn

BY DOUG FEARN

Jon Castelli is a mix engineer and producer working out of his studio, The Gift Shop, in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles. Jon studied with Tony Maserati for five years and has since constructed a dense body of work on his own with artists such as Khalid, 6LACK, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Ke$ha, and Ariana Grande. I met Jon Castelli a few years ago and I was impressed with his skills, not only as a talented engineer and producer, but also because he has that special quality that pushes him to excel at his craft. I learned a lot about contemporary mixing techniques from talking with him, and I think his story will interest others.

JULY 30, 2025 INTERVIEWS

Kyle Crane: Bigger Achievements

BY DAVE MIDDLETON

I first met Kyle Crane at the airport in Austin before a barrage of SXSW showcases in 2012, when the band I was playing with flew him in from L.A. to be our drummer for the week. Eight years later, Kyle is one of the most in-demand drummers in Los Angeles. He has recorded and toured extensively with Daniel Lanois [Tape Op #127, #37] and Neko Case [#127], and has worked with many others, such as M. Ward, Pomplamoose, Glen Ballard, and Kurt Vile. He also served as Miles Teller's drum double in the critically-acclaimed 2014 film Whiplash, lending hands, sticks, and blistering acumen to its pivotal musical moments. His first solo record – released this year under the name Crane Like the Bird – is underpinned by a collection of guest performances that reads like a Who's Who of both indie rock and modern jazz, including: James Mercer (The Shins), Peter Moren (Peter, Bjorn and John [Tape Op #65]), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), M. Ward, Luke Steele (Empire of the Sun), Sabina Sciubba (Brazilian Girls), Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Brad Mehldau, and Kurt Rosenwinkel, to highlight a few. I caught up with Kyle before an Oakland performance with Neko Case to talk about the record and his career path. Kyle is a pure performing musician, so we spoke little about the technical side of recording. That said, his life is a case study on how to survive and flourish in the modern music industry; no small feat, as most of us know.

JULY 30, 2025 INTERVIEWS

Patrick Carney of The Black Keys

BY MICHAEL (B/W), LARRY CRANE

As one half of The Black Keys with Dan Auerbach [Tape Op #127], Patrick Carney has witnessed their band achieve the sort of commercial success they would have once considered impossible. But more than "just" a drummer, Patrick is actually a guy who found his way into this band by being into home recording. Many of the early Black Keys' albums were "homemade" by the band, and they've been hands-on with producing and recording ever since. Patrick's career as a producer has seen him work with Jessy Wilson, Calvin Johnson, Tennis, The Black Lips, The Sheepdogs, and *repeat repeat, as well as Michelle Branch, Patrick's wife and a very talented musician in her own right. Dan and Patrick had completed Let's Rock in 2019 when I rolled up to visit his Audio Eagle studio outside of Nashville. Photo: Patrick and Michelle at Audio Eagle

JULY 30, 2025 INTERVIEWS

Peterson Goodwyn of DIY Recording Equipment: This Issue's Do-It-Yourselfer

BY SCOTT EVANS

DIY Recording Equipment (DIYRE) is a cool company, making great, easy-to-build DIY studio gear. I've written a few enthusiastic reviews of their kits for Tape Op, and I was glad to get an hour of DIYRE founder Peterson Goodwyn's time to talk about how he ended up on this path.

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