Music
**Working Class Audio**

Peel back the glamour of the professional recording world. Guests from the world of audio for music, film, games, restoration, and more share their insights on how they made their journey, how they survive, their advice on the real things including wins, losses, working with other people, money, and career advice.
Hosted by audio engineer Matt Boudreau.
The Working Class Audio Podcast – Navigating the World of Recording with a working class perspective.

Latest Episodes:

WCA #185 with Joshua Brooks Jul 01, 2018

Show notes

Joshua Brooks is an American Producer and Audio Engineer currently serving as Hybrid Studio’s Lead Engineer in Orange County, California . He has worked with a number of top performers as well as 100’s of LA and Orange County’s rising independent artists including: Lamb of God, Trivium, Soulfly, The Diamond Light, Jessica Muse, The Alan Parsons Project, Sons of Texas, Bird & The War, The Shakes and Your Favorite Color. Joshua also has several television and film credits.

Joshua maintains his passion for writing music and his works have gained recognition from top industry organizations. His music has been published by Riptide Music Group and he is the proud recipient of an Artist of the Year Award (Malibu Music Awards), a Billboard Chart Honorable Mention, and an Artist of the Year nomination (RAW Music Awards).

Joshua is a graduate of The Los Angeles Film School where he received an AS in Recording Arts and a BS in Entertainment Business, and he is certified by Avid in Pro Tools software systems.

About this Interview:

Joshua joins me to talk about his time in the United States Coast Guard, what he learned at The Los Angeles Film School, why he loves working at Hybrid Studios, the Orange County music scene and he and his wife’s anticipated arrival of a baby. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

Joshua’s site: https://www.mixedbyjoshua.com/
Hybrid Studios: https://www.hybridstudiosca.com/

WCA #184 with Joe Tessone Jun 24, 2018

Show notes

Joe Tessone is the owner and lead audio engineer at Mystery Street Recording Company. He is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago’s famed school of Audio Arts and Acoustics, with a degree specializing in Audio Design and Production. Since 2007, he has been an audio archiving consultant and mastering engineer for the Old Town School of Folk Music where he has helped preserve over 30,000 songs from recordings that date as far back as 1956. He is a member of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, the Audio Engineering Society, and is a voting member of The Recording Academy (Grammys). His work has been featured on Chicago Radio Stations such as Q101, WXRT, WGCI, WPNA, WGN, WLUW and more. He has also been highlighted multiple audio publications, including Live Sound International, Pro Audio Review, and Mix Magazine.

Joe worked as an engineer for the “127 Songs Live From the Old Town School of Folk Music” project, during which he mastered tracks by world renowned artists including Pete Seeger, Jeff Tweedy, Mahalia Jackson, Donovan, Andrew Bird, and more.

Since 2012, Joe has been a consultant for Sensaphonics, advising touring engineers and artists (including Steven Tyler, The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, Lisa Loeb, Wayne Kramer (MC5), John Feldmann (Goldfinger), Chance the Rapper, Thom Yorke, The Lumineers, and David Crosby), and teaching students and doctors of audiology, the implementation of in-ear monitoring in live and studio environments.

In 2014, he mixed and and mastered a live recording for Iron and Wine and he continues to work with dozens of Chicago’s favorite performers across all genres of music. Joe is also the Head of Audio for Sofar Sounds Chicago, were he produces dozens of live recordings year, including recent recordings of Jack Garrett, Shawnee Dez, CHAI, and Tank and the Bangaz.

In addition to his accomplishments in the field of audio, he is a musician of sorts. His musical career spans over 15 years of experience, most recently as singer/songwriter for the socially conscious punk rock band‚ Behold!‚ and banjo/ukulele player for the Americana ensemble, The Rust Belt Ramblers. Joe also is a volunteer producer for the Punk Rock Karaoke Collective, a community fundraising organization and an advocate for Jail Guitar Doors, an organization dedicated to bringing music to the lives of those in prison.

In his spare time, Joe enjoys playing with his two kids, skateboarding, vegan cooking, and birdwatching with this wife, Kristen.

About this Interview:

Joe joins me to talk about his multi-facetted studio Mystery Street Recording which exemplifies the concept of diversification. The studio handles an array of tasks including a traditional recording studio, format transfers, rehearsal space, Karaoke recording party’s, video production, consulting and podcast recording. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

Universal Audio’s “Half Yearly Sale”: https://www.uaudio.com/half-yearly-sale
Mystery Street Recording: https://www.mysterystreetrecording.com/

WCA #183 with Craig Bowen Jun 17, 2018

Show notes

Craig Bowen has been recording bands for over 20 years and is currently the owner/ operator of Tempo House recording studio in Baltimore City. He recorded records by Lungfish, Quixotic, Jackie-O Motherfucker, Ecstatic Sunshine, Jason Urick, Oxes, Thank You, Growing, Smoke Bellow, Zomes, Dan Deacon, Animal Collectiveand many more. He was in the band INK(Monitor Records) and currently performs instrumental guitar + drum machine music.

After years of working in a wide range of studios and ad-hoc recording environments, he designed and built a studio with a balance of efficiency and flexibility Inspired by, among other things, the John Peel radio show, Tempo House was created to provide an professional, relaxed recording atmosphere accessible to artists regardless of their popularity or esthetics.

About this Interview:

Craig joins me to talk about mentoring kids in inner city Baltimore, the fire that displaced his last studio, the beauty of his his espresso maker and the challenges that come with recording. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

Tempo House: http://tempohouserecording.com/
Ghost Ship FIre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Oakland_warehouse_fire
The Wire: https://www.hbo.com/the-wire
Sound Exchange : https://www.soundexchange.com/
Apollo Twin Platinum Vocal Promo: https://www.uaudio.com/twin-vocal-promo

WCA #182 with Mike Kennerty Jun 11, 2018

Show notes

Mike Kennerty is a producer/engineer based out of Edmond, OK. He’s best known as a guitar player for the multi-platinum band The All-American Rejects, but over the last decade has also made a name for himself as a producer in the punk rock world. Having worked with bands like Screeching Weasel, Masked Intruder, Direct Hit!, Red City Radio, and The Copyrights (for labels such as Fat Wreck Chords, Pure Noise, Red Scare, and Asian Man) he often tries to integrate bigger production elements to a genre usually known for its simplicity.

About this Interview:

Mike joins me to talk about the dual worlds of producing/engineering while being in a well known band as well as tips for studio owners, knowing when you have enough gear, his mentors and what he’s learned while straddling both sides of the glass. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

Twitter/Intragram: @mikeaar
Mike on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Kennerty
The All American Rejects: http://www.allamericanrejects.com/

WCA #181 with Gary Noble Jun 01, 2018

Show notes

Gary Noble is that multiple Grammy awarded and nominated technician with the ear that inspires magic. He is known for his knack of ” bringing the artists’ & producers’ visions to light.” His ear is attuned to many genres of sound and music as reflected in his expansive catalog of award-winning songs. His philosophy on life…” MUSIC IS LIFE. MIXING IS HOW I MEDITATE ON LIFE,” inspires him and motivates the focus he shares within each body of work.

Major record labels like Sony Music, Atlantic Records, and Universal Music Group recognize this and summon Mr. Noble regularly to give the music of artists like Jessie J and Abd Al Malik (which won 2 French Grammys} enhancements that can only be described as hypnotic. Movie studios know him as well, turning to him to mix songs for the soundtrack of blockbusters like “Amy” “Sex in the City: The Movie” and “After The Sunset.” His work is also reflected in the commercial world. An example of his work is the Crystal Light campaign featuring Estelle’s smash “Star”.

Noble recognized his musical gift at the tender age of 5. He would sit and listen to his parents’ record collections for hours on end. Living in New York, he was exposed to a virtual melting pot of different cultures and styles of music. By age fifteen he was a mobile DJ, which helped to fuel his passion for creating and mixing music even more. That experience would be the jumping-off point for him to ascend toward the ultimate career of Mixing Engineer. He studied at the Institute of Audio Research and worked at various studios in New York to hone his craft. He eventually met Salaam Remi(he produced Jazmine Sullivan, Amy Winehouse, Nas, The Fugees) who chose him to be his main engineer. The rest is history.

Today Noble’s talents are known by artists worldwide. Most recently, his skills helped British songstress Amy Winehouse’s “Back To Black” snag a dominating 5 Grammys in 2008. He also mixed the Grammy-nominated Nas single “Cherry Wine” featuring Amy Winehouse and produced by Salaam Remi. He also worked on Chronixx’s critically acclaimed Grammy-nominated album “Chronology”.

Gary Noble’s work has earned the music industry’s respect and highest honors. Artists he has worked with have earned all of the top accolades including American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, the MOBO (U.K.) Awards and The Grammys. And with each recognition, the artists themselves credit Gary with making it all possible.

About this Interview:

Gary joins me to talk about his journey from Jamaica to New York, his move to Miami, his musical partnership with producer Salaam Remi and his approach with keeping artists in the zone. Enjoy! – Matt

Show Notes and Links

Gary’s discography: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gary-noble-mn0001211562/credits
Gary on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmajor2
Gary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garynobleshow/

WCA #180 with Bobby Owsinski May 28, 2018

Show notes

Producer/engineer Bobby Owsinski is one of the best selling authors in the music industry with 23 books that are now staples in audio recording, music, and music business programs in colleges around the world, including The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook, Social Media Promotion For Musicians, Music 4.0: A Survival Guide For Making Music In The Internet Age and more. He’s also a contributor to Forbes covering the new music business, his popular production and music industry blogs are nearing 8 million visits, and he’s appeared on CNN and ABC News as a music branding and audio expert. Bobby has worked on over a hundred 5.1 surround projects and DVD productions for a variety of legendary superstar acts including The Who, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Iron Maiden, The Ramones, and Chicago among many others, and recently produced and mixed albums that appeared at #2 on the Billboard Blues Chart and #5 on the iTunes Rock Chart.

Visit Bobby’s music production blog at bobbyowsinskiblog.com/, his music industry blog at music3point0.com, his Forbes blog at forbes.com/sites/bobbyowsinski/, his podcast at bobbyoinnercircle.com, and his website at bobbyowsinski.com.

About this Interview:

Bobby joins me to talk about his podcast, diversification, being humbled, his views on the state of the studios as well as his musical beginnings and transition to producing and engineering, Enjoy! – Matt

Show notes and links:

Monologue and interview links:

YouTube Music: https://youtube.googleblog.com/2018/05/youtube-music-new-music-streaming.html
Music Business Worldwide: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/
Audio Now Cast: http://nowcastnetwork.com/
Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us
Billboard Business: https://www.billboard.com/

WCA #179 with Daniel Holter May 21, 2018

Show notes

Daniel Holter is a producer, mixer, composer and songwriter. He studio Wire & Vice is located in a 1920s-era post office near Harley Davidson and the original Miller brewery just outside Milwaukee, WI. He’s hosted a diverse range of musical artists, from Rihanna and Eric Benet, to Chester French, Maritime, and Skillet. Over the years, Daniel has mixed music by artists such as Nick Lowe, Field Report, Over The Rhine, Amos Lee, Blitzen Trapper, Collections of Colonies of Bees, Phil Keaggy, Crowded House, Dead Horses, WebsterX, and Ryan Higa. He’s also composed and/or produced thousands of cues currently being used by such varied clients as Apple, Nike, Google, Microsoft, GM & Gatorade, virtually all of the top shows on HBO, ESPN, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and all across the globe in tv, radio, advertisements, video games and film. Photo by Andrew Feller (http://www.andrewfeller.com/)

About this Interview:

Daniel joins me to talk about his studio, his licensing business, family, divorce, winning and his creative drive. Earlier in the show I’m joined by former WCA Alum Mike Wells (WCA #113) to talk about his new file delivery service Swan! Enjoy! – Matt

Show notes and links:

Mike Well’s new file delivery service for audio pros! : https://swan.audio/
Daniel Holter’s links
danielholter.com (me)
wireandvice.com (studio)
licenselab.com (license biz)
@danielholter (twitter and instagram)
https://www.facebook.com/wireandvice/

WCA #178 with Brad Phillips May 14, 2018

Show notes

Brad Phillips is an engineer, producer, and studio owner based out of Woodruff, SC. He is a 1999 graduate of the Belmont University Music Business and Audio Engineering program. Since leaving Nashville in 2001, he’s been working out of his own studio facility in South Carolina. Studio 101 is a commercial recording facility well-suited for live band tracking, serving solo artists, bands, and songwriters across many genres. Some of his engineering credits include, Jim Sonefeld (Hootie & The Blowfish), Ashland Craft(The Voice), Mac Arnold & Plate Full Of Blues, Delvin Choice(The Voice), Outshyne, Phat Lip, J. Adam Broome, Mark Webb Jr., Michael Land, Emily Lynch, Jacob Johnson, Scotty Hawkins, Newspring Church plus many others.

About this Interview:

Brad joins me for a chat to talk about Woodruff, South Carolina, running his studio (Studio 101), clients, eminent domain, his love of church and his time spent painting football, baseball and soccer fields. I also interview Dr. Jeremy Steel in Lafayette, California about Chiropractic medicine. Enjoy! – Matt

Show notes and links:

Brad’s Studio: http://www.studio101recording.com/
Dr. Steels practice: https://www.steelchiro.com/
Ted Talk Dr. Steel mentioned : https://goo.gl/9fm5vf

WCA #177 with Zack Ohren May 07, 2018

Show notes

ZACK OHREN is an Oakland-based audio engineer & producer whose work includes over a thousand recordings over a two-decade long career. Alongside his friend and former co-conspirator Aaron Hellam, he ran Castle Ultimate which quickly became synonymous with high-quality, accessible recordings. Since 2013, he’s been mainly working out of Sharkbite Studios. Zack has been described as “wizard fast” and “brutally honest” – skills that have helped him settle into a niche of heavy, often technically demanding music. He has worked with artists such as Machine Head, The Ghost Inside, Exmortus, Fallujah, Decrepit Birth, Suffocation, Set Your Goals, As Blood Runs Black, Cattle Decapitation, Entheos, Carnifex, All Shall Perish, Sworn Enemy, and Immolation among others.

About this Interview:

Zack joins me to talk about his journey with former studio partner Aaron Hellam and the series of studio locations known as Castle Ultimate that they created, the challenges with studio landlords, neighbors as well as lessons learned and where he’s at today. Enjoy! – Matt

Photo by Michelle Nisbet

Show notes and links:

.MOD File Zack mentions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQJatdOKm2o
Zack on Fcebook: https://www.facebook.com/zack.ohren
EXMORTUS – FEAST OF FLESH (Produced By Zack Ohren) : https://youtu.be/1XFj6p6PoYo
Hellam Sound (Studio of Aaron Hellam): http://hellamsound.com/

WCA #176 with Phil Greiss Apr 30, 2018

Show notes

Phil Greiss is a multiple-award-winning record producer. He left his name on numerous gold, platinum & diamond records, focusing on both production and songwritting aspects of Pop songs. Very much at ease on his own or collaborating with others, he’s been known to deliver award winning albums and songs, and chart topping singles wether composing, writing, producing, arranging, mixing, or all at the same time. Having completely produced, composed, arranged, recorded and mixed both of Zaho’s first albums, he has had the privilege of working or collaborating on projects featuring artists such as Willy William, J Balvin, Kat Dahlia, Kendji, Vianney, Maître Gims, Corneille, Sean Paul, Trey Songz, Justin Nozuka, Lefa, Gage, Don Choa, Tunisiano, Khaled, La Fouine, David Carreira, KC Porter, Rohff, Conor Maynard, Soprano, Karim Ouellet, Cheb Mami, Idir, Mario Pelchat, Andrée Waters, Grand corps malade, Nancy Logan, Sarah Riani, Humphrey, Mokobe, K-Maro, Vai, Neimann, Christophe Willem, Outasight and many others. He owns and operates his own indepedant production/publishing company with its own studio facility, working along every single industry’s major labels

About this Interview:

Phil joins me to talk about his childhood musical and audio experiences , travel tips, mentorship, his draw to pop music and an early experience with the magic of radio broadcast compression and limiting. Enjoy! – Matt