Interviews
By Jen Borst and Larry Crane
I caught Margo on Zoom while she was gigging in Bozeman, Montana.
Interviews
If there was a Grammy awarded for comparing one's life with others and then suffering about it, I'd be a superstar by now. I have a long history of picking up a magazine, such as this one, comparing my life and my "success" with who is featured in it, and then feeling awful...
Interviews
When my colleague, professor Amandine Pras of The University of York, visited Mali to study the regional recording studio industry, she was shocked to hear the same person's name come up again and again as the individual who'd helped many other engineers. That name was...
Interviews
Interviews
Interviews
In our interview with Mike Bridavsky (see Mike interview here) of Bloomington's Russian Recording, he mentioned his very unique, heavily modified Sphere Eclipse Type III console. I was curious about this console and the rebuilding project, so I dropped Mike a line.
Every state and every region has its own unique music scene. However, it can be said that New Jersey has produced more than its fair share of popular music's most iconic, diverse, and influential acts. Frank Sinatra, (William) "Count" Basie, Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah (aka Dana Owens), Debbie Harry, and George Clinton are just a few. And that's not even mentioning Bon Jovi from Sayreville, or the Jersey Shore music community of Asbury Park. In the DIY era of indie groups that caught fire in the 1980s, New Jersey tenaciously held its own, with vibrant post-punk and power pop scenes splattered throughout the state, especially in Sinatra's hometown of Hoboken. (Yes, I too was there, in the front lines of the stylistic battles for the soul of rock 'n' roll with The Bongos.) In 1988, brothers Rick and Kurt Reil formed The Grip Weeds in New Brunswick, combining a Beatlesque melodic jangle with a punchy, New Jersey muscularity. Which brings us to the House of Vibes recording studio in Highland Park. Beginning out of the necessity to record home demos for The Grip Weeds in 1992, House of Vibes evolved into a full-service recording destination for the new breed of New Jersey bands, as well as artists who were passing through. Like its home state, the studio boasts a surprisingly diverse clientele, as well as a sonic output that packs a punch. I sat with Kurt Reil – Grip Weeds singer/drummer and House of Vibes' chief producer/engineer – to discuss the evolution of the studio, and how this house became a home of good vibes and exceptional recordings.
As a member of New York City's The Strokes, Albert Hammond Jr. has been owning the downstroke for over 20 years. In addition to his work with that band, Albert has managed to find time to record five solo albums. His most recent, Melodies on Hiatus, is an expansive collection of 19 songs, recorded with longtime collaborator, producer/engineer Gus Oberg, at several spots in the Los Angeles area, including his home studio. (Recent interviewee Tony Hoffer [Tape Op #155] mixed the album.) Albert and I chatted for episode #85 of the Tape Op Podcast, and this is an excerpt from that conversation.
I dropped by to see John's studio, Bocce, and ask him about working with Sera Cahoone (see Sera interview here) and Margo Cilker (see Margo interview here).
