ISSUE ARCHIVE
NO. 171 | Nov 2025
NO. 170 | Sep 2025
NO. 169 | Sep 2025
NO. 168 | Jul 2025
NO. 167 | May 2025
NO. 166 | Mar 2025
NO. 165 | Jan 2025
NO. 164 | Nov 2024
Jul/Aug 2021
During the recording process, so much of what we do involves intense collaboration. I absolutely enjoy helping an artist achieve their vision in the studio, and that shared nod of the head when something sounds right (a new part, a take, or a mix) is the best feeling. But what do we do when the collaborator is no longer sitting on the couch behind us or waiting on an email? In my chat with Ryan Ulyate this issue, we discuss the process of making these sorts of decisions when dealing with music from songwriters who have passed away. Ryan worked with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers for decades – engineering, mixing, and co-producing – and now finds himself working on posthumous releases with Tom's family and former bandmates. I worked in the same capacities with the late Elliott Smith and have overseen his audio archive and releases for decades now. Carrying the spirit and intention of an artist's work forward without their valuable input is a rough task, but I know we both feel honored to help this amazing music get released.
So many times in the studio I still find myself wishing I could turn around and ask my long-lost friend, "Does this sound right to you?" I miss that collaboration and the reassurance that we were on the right track, pushing his music to be its best. Both Ryan and I are drawing on the extensive previous experiences we've had – as I talk about in my End Rant this issue – allowing us to follow intuition, and ultimately helps lead us to where the music needs to go.
The photos above, and the photos on the front cover, are by Gary Lappier and are of legendary "Wrecking Crew" (Tape Op#107) drummer Hal Blaine's percussion collection. Yes, those are the sleigh bells used on The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and thousands of other records. See the interview with Hunter Lea, here for the full story.
— LARRY CRANE,EDITOR & FOUNDER
Years ago, I started seeing an engineer's name associated with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers on a number of releases. Working on Tom's Runnin' Down a Dream documentary, The Live Anthology box set, t...
From session bassist, to songwriter, to producer, Mike Elizondo has had an interesting musical path. For 11 years he co-wrote with Dr. Dre, making hits for 50 Cent, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige. His prod...
If you've listened to metal records produced in the last two decades, you've surely heard the work of Andy Sneap. Killswitch Engage, Megadeth, Carcass, and Judas Priest are only a few of the artists w...
My introduction to Mad Professor was via an album called No Protection, his dub remix of Massive Attack's Protection. It was a journey to a musical universe that I was aware of, but had never fully im...
John Leventhal's record production skills first caught my ear when I was a young kid obsessed with Shawn Colvin records. Since then, his playing and production has influenced me more than any other mu...
In Northern Ireland, in a certain region of the countryside, you can find Analogue Catalogue Recording Studios. This residential studio is run by Julie McLarnon, an engineer/producer with a fascinati...
In Tacoma, Washington, a town full of rich musical history – including The Sonics, The Ventures, and The Wailers – exists a museum-like recording studio you've probably never heard of. However, unli...
In Tape Op #55 we had a wonderful chat with John Cuniberti, where we discussed everything from his ReAmp product to recording the Dead Kennedys and Joe Satriani. In this interview we asked him about h...
Hailing from Edmonton, Canadian electronic pop duo Purity Ring made a splash with their debut album Shrines. The release was a document of Corin Roddick and singer Megan James' long distance collabora...
Paramore drummer Zac Farro was playing on the world's stages at an age when most of us were trying to figure out what middle school was all about. Now, at the ripe old age of 30, he has toured the wor...
