Steve Albini.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t open my gob about Steve’s untimely passing. I know his work of course, but I did not know the man personally. I did see him speak once and he was, as you might expect (or maybe not) funny, charming, insightful, unbelievably knowledgeable and unwilling to speak anything other than his truth.

His knowledge and experience were unparalleled but there were more important things about him than just that.

Knowledge is absolutely meaningless if you are unwilling or unable to share it.

Steve was both willing and able. He was no gatekeeper of his methods and could (and would) explain complex ideas with clarity and ease. And that is what struck me most about him. He could explain, for example, tape bias with such clarity (and lack of ego) that you’d walk away never forgetting it. Not just how to bias a tape machine, but what bias was, how it worked, what it meant. I mean, sure, he had an ego, but as far as I can tell, never when it came to passing along knowledge. Never.

I dunno, I’m rambling now because there is so much I want to say and my thoughts are still jumbled.

Godspeed Steve. Thanks for everything.

Digital or analog? For sound engineer Steve Albini, the choice is clear -  Chicago Sun-Times

Where Is Safe?

Transgender pop/punk pioneer (and my longtime friend and bandmate) Lenny Zenith writes and releases a song and video to raise funds for transgender youth and their families in at-risk states and I’m proud to have played a small part in it’s creation.

Go listen/purchase: Bandcamp (direct download), iTunes, Google, Amazon, all major music outlets.

Check the links below this video to donate directly.

Donate directly:

Drums…

This weekend some good friends and amazing musicians came by The Whelping Box and we recorded drums… without pissing off the neighbors!!!

I’m pretty sure about that, we’ll see.

The immensely talented Rohin Kehmani gave the kit its sea trial on a few tracks on the upcoming Lenny Zenith record… and I couldn’t be happier with the results (you’ll need to wait to hear them).

Le kit

Laying Low In The Highlands… out now!

Perry Serpa’s amazing quarantine record is finally out in full on Declared Goods Records… and I helped! A bit anyway. I did some… oh… let’s just agree to call it mastering to be quick about it.

You can choose your preferred streaming method HERE.

As always, I am very proud to have helped birth a bit of art out into the world, and I’m proud Perry feels comfortable enough with my ability to continue working with me on stuff like this.

Alone Again (Naturally)

Here’s the next single from Perry Serpa‘s upcoming record “Laying Low In The Highlands”. It’s a lovey cover of Gilbert O’Sullivan’s Alone Again (Naturally).

I’m super proud to have been able to master these tracks for Perry.

Enjoy.

Laying low in the highlands

I’m super proud to have mastered this first single from what is sure to be the album of the year, for my good friend and now far too infrequent bandmate, Perry Serpa, who seems to be an inexhaustible well of infinitely hummable melodies and insightful lyrics (damn him).

Go listen: