Hello Mark. What inspired you to start your career as a producer?
blink-182 brought motion city soundtrack on tour with us to europe a few years ago. while we were on the road i became good friends with the guys in the band. josh cain and i spent a lot of time at the shows talking about music and recording and instruments and everything. i've always been fascinated with the recording aspect of music, and throughout the recordings over the years i started buying all kinds of guitars, amps, recording gear, everything. at the last show, i think it was in paris, he came into the dressing room and asked if i would be interested in producing their next album. i hadn't ever even considered producing a record before that moment, but i love their music and thought i could bring some good ideas into the studio, and i was honored that they wanted me to be a part of it, so i said yes. a few months later we went into a studio here in los angeles and started working on the "commit this to memory" album. it was a great experience. they all had a million ideas and a lot of energy and enthusiasm to make a great record, so they basically locked themselves in this house/recording studio for six weeks and put their heart and soul into the record. i really liked being on the other side of the instruments for a change. helping a band discover and shape their ideas into an album. it's good to switch things up, going from musician and songwriter to producer helps keep me on my toes, and keeps me inspired. every time i work with a band i learn something that gives me ideas for parts in my own music.
What are some of the best production work you've seen on albums in your entire music career?
every time we record an album of our own music, either in blink-182 or +44, i always go back and listen to pet sounds by the beach boys. the vocal harmonies and ideas on that record are phenomenal. the end of "feeling this" on the last blink record was directly influenced by the beach boys. i also love the production on dark side of the moon by pink floyd. and the beatles. and of course the amazing work of jerry finn. pretty much everything i learned as a producer i learned from working with jerry. he was the best.
Which albums are you most proud of in your production career so far?
hmm. that's a hard question to answer. i'm proud of all the records for different reasons. maybe the best way to answer it is to mention a couple of them and what i like about each experience. first the motion city soundtrack album. when we started, here's a band on the cusp of great things with a million amazing ideas and they're trying to put all of these ideas into like a dozen songs. at the beginning of the process, some of the songs started with every single instrument going and the vocals starting and they would run full steam all the way through to the end of the song. so the challenge on that record was to help them open up their songs a little. we kept saying "the songs need to breathe..." so we worked a lot on arrangement on the mcs record. figuring out which parts and instruments needed to happen at which points, to drive the songs forward and keep them dynamic. justin and josh are great guitarists and even when all of the parts were recorded and the songs were near completion, they kept coming into the control room with "hey i have another guitar part or vocal idea for this song..." and i'd counter with "nah man, this song is pretty much done, it's going to get too crowded. there's too much going on already, it'll confuse the section." then we'd argue about it for a bit and figure out a way to put it in that made sense and sure enough the song would be that much better, and we'd all be stoked and high-fiving and telling each other how great we are. :) but seriously, THAT is the best part of the creative process for me. that rub of ideas. when an idea gets passed through the minds of several people and becomes more than it was. that's the way it is in the studio when things are hitting. people have ideas for the songs, and when everyone gets their hands on it and works it through, the original idea is changed into something special. that's what i live for in the studio. when something becomes greater than the sum of its parts. anyway, after six weeks of these guys living all together in two rooms of this house with a studio attached they created this amazingly beautiful and honest album. justin's lyrics are so brutally truthful. i think it's a really special alum.
then the socratic album i love because of the vast range of influences on it. they're this modern band with really old-school musical sensibilities. just listening to their demos you could hear touches of everything from folk songs to reggae to 70's american rock. we recorded the entire record with a mix of vintage instruments and amps, along with modern guitars. every song we'd start with a different approach to the instrumentation. they are all super muzo, and even tom their drummer would be in the control room saying "no you can't use that chord because it has the suspended seventh which is going to clash with the resonating open chord from the piano..." which is way beyond my musical lexicon. i'd just say "uh, that part sounds wrong..." this is one of my favorite records of all time. people really slept on this record and it's a shame because the songs are so good. this band should be a lot bigger than they are.
the final example i'll put in here is the new found glory record we just finished recording. this is a band i've been a fan of and friends with for a long time. then for past couple of years, as a listener, it seemed like they were kind of adrift. not that the songs were weak, but maybe just that they lacked focus. i can't really explain it. and then a few months ago i get a call from chad about working on their new record. we met up at the studio and he brought an ipod with a bunch of very rough demos. from the minute he walked in the door you could tell that this was a new band altogether. they had gotten out of their deal with their former label and had a whole new enthusiasm for their music. the tracks were still new found glory, but with a new edge and intensity to them. these guys wanted to come out swinging. so we went in and tracked what i think is the hardest-hitting nfg record to date. we worked really hard to get great, gritty guitars, big drums, edgy bass, and jordan is singing stronger than he ever has. now keep in mind that nfg has recorded a bunch of albums already. this is by no means their first bbq. so it was fun recording an album with a bunch of guys who had a definite sound in mind that they wanted to achieve, but also wanted input and guidance from someone they trusted. it was more of a collaboration, albeit a contentious one at times. usually when we are tracking a band, there are one or two members with definite opinions about what should and should not happen. in nfg, four of the five members hold fast in their opinions, and when it comes to voicing their views about what they do or don't like, there are no holds barred. throw in me with my thoughts and chris holmes with his, and it made for more than a few heated moments in the control room. but it totally worked. in those short moments of disagreement and raised voices, the songs really came together, and i think it shows through in the music. it's a great album. when we got the mix of the first track, all of us were floored. seriously. i can't wait for people to hear this record.
oh yeah and the matches. i want to mention them as well. even though i only produced three tracks for them, it was a great experience. i wish i could have done more, because it was so off the wall. they've got to be the most creative and innovative guys i've recorded. in the three tracks we did, one was kind of 50's dance-y, one was a rock song about having a cold at the beach, and the last one was this experimental electronic/hard guitar number. i'm still not convinced that shawn is from this planet. he's just out there in his own world, and somehow it all makes sense in the songs.
there are lots more that i could talk about, but hopefully i've answered the question by now. wait, what was the question?
When approached by bands, do you look at certain criteria before agreeing to produce their albums?
not at all. i listen to the demos, and if if i like the songs and think i can bring something to the project, i'm in. to me, the music is all that matters to make the decision. not the label, not what the songs they recorded before, not what anyone else thinks of the band. just the songs themselves.
What kind of expectations do you set for yourself when taking up the producer role?
here's what i try and do as a producer. i try and help define and highlight the elements that make each song work, and help a band evolve their ideas into a cohesive album. some songs need a lot of work, and some songs are perfect before they ever even get to me. the trick as a producer is to know which is which. also, keep in mind that bands work long and hard writing their music. the songs are like their kids, and i always have to be respectful of that. many times when you talk about changing a part or saying "this section really isn't working" you're talking about music someone worked on for months and has a strong connection with. it's easy to catch feelings. but when a band asks me to produce their music for them, they're asking for my opinion, so i'm always 100% honest about what i think. i'm coming in with fresh ears and trying to listen to the songs objectively. then we get into the recording and we have disagreements and i'll say what i think and stand up for what i believe is working or not. and i'm not always right. i'll say what i think and then someone will have a point or we'll try the idea and i'll be like "wow that's really cool. what a great idea." and then i'll take credit for having the idea in the first place. :) but seriously, the biggest point i keep in mind is that whatever decision is made, the band has the final word. always. the record is theirs. the music is theirs, and i am simply there to offer my thoughts and opinions. as jerry always said, "the band's name is big on the front of the record, and my name is small on the back." it's my job to be there helping get great sounds, working out song ideas and parts, mediating individuals and keeping them from getting in fist fights, and hopefully helping the band create an album that's better than they expected. i try and make the studio an encouraging musical laboratory where everyone can speak their mind and feel supported in trying out any wild songs ideas they might have. if the part doesn't work it's all good and we can take it out or start over, but every idea should have its chance to get in the music. that's what i try and do as a producer. oh, and i usually co-ordinate the ordering of lunches. or at least tell someone to do it...
as an aside, here's an in-the-studio tip for all bands out there, that i truly think can help them when they record. when musicians are in the studio tracking or writing, they're putting themselves out there. like i said before, we hold our ideas and songs dear. we work on them for long hours. the lyrics are personal to us. when someone says "i don't like your guitar part in the chorus," it's like an attack on our creativity. naturally, people get defensive. i've seen communication break down so many times simply because of the manner in which a comment is phrased. when you have something to say, address the part itself, not the person who wrote it. like if you're talking to the singer about a line he (or she) just sang, try and avoid "i don't like the way you sang that line." go with "there's something in that line that doesn't sit right." just taking the personal out of it goes a long way, believe me. then you can save the personal critiques for when you really want to hurt someone's feelings. :) (man, that is TWO smiley faces in the same answer. not cool. sorry)
How did you hook up with Koopa? What got you and Chris interested in producing their album?
they reached out and sent me some demos. i liked what they were doing so i said yes, and they came out to LA and we were in the studio for a few weeks putting it all together. they're a really good band. watch for them.
Any projects after the New Found Glory album? Will you consider producing albums of genres that you are less experienced in, like metal or hardcore?
absolutely. there are two hard edge bands that i may be working with in the near future, depending on the timing. i really like working with different genres. it stretches my own thinking and songwriting. that's why i always try and work with bands that do things different than what i've worked on before. if i only worked with a bunch of "diet blink-182" bands i'd get burned out real fast, which is why i always so no to those projects. not in a bad way, but when i want to record something that sounds like blink, i'll write it myself, you know?
What has been the biggest challenge(s) you faced and how do you overcome that?
i think the biggest challenge is just balancing all of the different projects, and dealing with the timing on everything. from +44 to producing to co-writing, starting to get into film scoring, and everything else. there's just a lot going on and not enough time to do them all. my first love is writing music, and i have to keep that my main priority. but then just when i'm about to start tracking something, a project comes up that really interests me, and i have to make a decision of how i'm going to spend my time. consequently i have all these ideas for songs backed up in my mind and scattered around. sometimes i'll even call and leave a message on chris's voicemail with just me playing an acoustic guitar to keep track of an idea that i don't want to forget.
Any fond memory that sticks out from working with all these different bands over the past years?
on every record there comes a point at which the tracks change from a bunch of recorded parts and become actual songs. they take on a life of their own. i know it sounds cheesy, but it's true.
Are there any albums you wished you had a chance to produce?
i just wish i could have been a fly on the wall during any of the beatles recordings. just to see how it all went down. all those amazing songs, the chemistry between the four band members that created these timeless albums.
Seems like it's been a pretty busy year for you, working on so many records. Any other plans for the rest of the year? When can fans expect to see you on the road?
i have an idea for something that i'm working on. ask me in three weeks.
Do unicorns really exist? Is there proof?
unicorns do not exist. they break my heart.
Have more questions for Mark? Leave them in the comments.