Cameron Spies : Always Something Cool Happening

BY LARRY CRANE, LARRY CRANE

In my hometown of Portland, Oregon, there are a number of talented engineers, producers, mixers, mastering engineers, gear builders, studios, and more. It's a thriving community of creative people, if you hadn't noticed, and one of the folks I'd been curious about for years has been Cameron Spies. He first caught my ear in the cool-sounding Radiation City from 2010 to 2016. From there, he began recording and producing some interesting Portland artists, such as Blackwater Holylight (amazing femme metal), Aan, The Shivas, New Constellations, Spoon Benders, Forty Feet Tall, Haley Johnsen, Reptaliens, and many others. He's now working out of Trash Treasury Studio, and his current group, Night Heron, is a real groovy sonic treat. We met up at Trash Treasury for a chat, and I got to see a heck of a lot of keyboards there!

Dan The Automator

BY JOHN BACCIGALUPPI, SAM RETZER

It’s Sunday night in Manhattan at Irving Plaza, and Dan “The Automator” Nakamura takes the stage behind a mouthwatering wall of synths, across from Kid Koala [Tape Op #159] and his three turntables. Deltron 3030 is back to rock the same stage where they made their New York debut 25 years ago, and the place is mobbed. If you were a hip-hop fan at the turn of the 21st century, Dan The Automator most likely blew your mind on numerous occasions. After cutting his teeth in the Bay Area DJ scene, Dan assembled his Glue Factory studio, originally in his parents’ basement, and produced some of the most revered and forward-thinking albums of the era. Dr. Octagon’s Dr. Octagonecologyst, Handsome Boy Modeling School’s So… How’s Your Girl?, and Deltron 3030’s self-titled debut stood out for their unorthodox sample sources and futuristic takes on rap music. Who can forget the first time they heard Dr. Octagon’s “Blue Flowers,” where Dan loops a Bartok violin phrase over a Minnie Ripperton vocal sample to set up DJ Qbert’s virtuosic scratching? Equally at ease producing rockers like Kasabian, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Cornershop, or his Serge Gainsbourg-inspired duo Got a Girl, Dan still operates the Glue Factory out of his San Francisco home and has expanded into scoring for television and film. We spoke on the phone between dates of the Deltron 3030 25th anniversary tour.

Giving Back, But Gaining More

BY JUSTIN DOUGLAS

Ratboys and Chris Walla

BY JOHN BACCIGALUPPI, MARCUS NUCCIO

Making Singin’ to an Empty Chair I first heard the Chicago-based band Ratboys via their track “Black Earth, WI,” and if you haven't heard them that’s a great place to start. The eight and half minute song takes its time, but it never feels like you need to get anywhere in particular any sooner than where and when the band is taking you. That song is on their 2023 album, The Window, that was produced by former Death Cab for Cutie guitarist and producer – and longtime friend to Tape Op – Chris Walla [Tape Op #19, #111]. As the pandemic was winding down in 2023, it was nice to hear a four piece band playing music together again. The band has a new LP out, Singin’ to an Empty Chair, also produced by Chris. Both albums sound great, but …Empty Chair feels like both the band and Chris have settled into a solid working relationship, and this new LP could open the band up to a bigger audience. They deserve it, as they’ve been together for over 15 years and are a great group. I recently had a chance to chat with singer/guitarist Julia Steiner and guitarist Dave Sagan, as well as Chris Walla, about making the new record. Two fun conversations with three nice people about one cool new record.