Why write a book on how bands can promote themselves instead of one about recording?
I noticed with a lot of the bands that I'd made great records with, they would get done and have no clue on how to promote their music. Even their managers didn't have a clue. I would write out a plan for bands of what I thought they should do, and eventually it made sense to turn it into a blog. After we started the blog I saw people responding to the music business tips much more than the ones on recording or musicianship. Along the way I started managing Man Overboard and Transit. You were promoting Sensual Harassment. Whenever I'd pick up a book on promotion it would be a lot of legal mumbo jumbo, or a bunch of information that was either obvious or ridiculous. The goal was to create a book on building a fanbase that would help musicians understand their goals, as well as the resources available. Many are imitating the bad habits of established artists instead of learning smart, new ways of doing things. There needed to be a guide for those ideas and resources.
The book gets very deep into how a band should choose a producer.
I have discussed making records with about a thousand bands. Most of them choose to make a record with me for reasons that aren't very well thought out. As a producer, many musicians [come to you via] a record you've done, are local to you, or they got a recommendation from a friend. Then they roll into the studio hoping you can do the same for them. I think there is a much smarter way to make this decision. It's important that you like the tones a producer/engineer gets, as well as the vibe of the performances they go for. (Are they capturing a band in a room, or making it sound super-tight and edited?) But what's important is that the producer fills in your blanks and can come up with a great vision of how to present your songs. Walking into your record, if you know that you're going to need help with vocal performances — say because your singer is a little weak — if you choose a producer who isn't great at coaching vocals, no one is going to want to listen to your record. The same goes for how involved in your songwriting you want a producer to go. I will mess with an arrangement and tell you when something is off, but I don't do co-writes or totally rewrite their songs. I'm the wrong producer if you're looking for that. Bands should figure out what their weaknesses are and try to find a producer who can fill them in. If your band is good at policing your own performances and you just need someone to get you good tones and a mix, why hire a producer who is good with rewriting songs instead of one who is a great engineer? If your drummer overplays and you need help reining him in, you better not work with a producer who has little input on drum beats. You have to find someone who is a good fit for your weaknesses in order to make a record that presents your songs in a compelling way.
What if a band doesn't understand what their weaknesses are?
Find someone who makes great records with whoever they work with. I always try to be like J. Robbins [Tape Op #13] — he makes an amazing version of that band's songs, any band, in any style I hear him work with. Granted, I think I overproduce way too much for me to be like J., but a band should find someone who has consistently made good records. Any producer can find some great bands, follow their lead, and make a pretty damn good record. But some producers really bring the best out of everyone. Do some research on who's made some great records, and whose name comes up in your record collection often, and then seek them out. Don't just settle for the person that's within 25 miles of your home, or one that your buddy really likes working with.
In the book we advise artists to release more music, more often. How does this affect you as a studio owner?
While I see this technique helping musicians to grow their fanbase every day, it's a serious pain in the ass for me as a producer. The biggest problem is recalling your settings and matching sounds later. The majority of bands who take our advice and put out one song a month, will later want to then collect it at the end and put it out as an EP. Often times they record two songs, over three different sessions that take place months apart, and then expect it to sound consistent in the end. Mike [Oettinger, Jesse's co-producer] and I have gotten really good at taking pictures of our settings (using an iPhone and the Evernote app) so that we can always recall them. It also forces me to print many of my outboard effects as I mix. It's definitely smart to record an EP or LP all at once and then trickle out the songs if a band's on a budget.
You record in two rooms at once at Cannon Found Soundation.
