New issue! Kurt Ballou!

[krabdagger]

I was so stoked when i got home last night to find a new issue of tape op in my mailbox, but the icing on the cake was the interview with Kurt Ballou at Godcity! He has been making some of my favorite records for years and it was nice to hear someone talk about the realities and limitations of trying to record heavy bands. Think i'm gonna have to lift that hi-hat planter trick off of him!

On that note, anyone have other good tips or stories about recording heavy bands?

[ctmsound]

sweet, can't wait to read it!

[Beardaby Jones]

I just love the way he uses vintage/boutique/broken amps on the converge recordings, and layers the shit of them. Biggest/most terrorfying guitar sound I've heard in a while. Apparently he uses odd tunnings too.

[krabdagger]

yeah the guitar tones on some of those converge records is amazing.

[Corey Y]

I just finished reading the interview and I really enjoyed it. I have some of Converge's older albums, not really a huge fan, I do like some of the bands he records. The interview really resonated though, I identified with a lot of the things he said and his practices. Similar background, similar philosophies and approaches to recording. A big thumbs up to Scott Evans for a great interview.

[jrsgodfrey]

This is one of the greatest things I have ever read.

"Indie pop productions require more insight as to the song and lyrics and what kind of feeling the songwriter's trying to evoke. When you're recording a metal band you KNOW what feeling they're trying to evoke. You just think "Satan, Satan, Satan." When you're eq'ing the bass, you're like "Satan, Satan, Satan." The snare drum - "Satan, Satan." It's more the technical challenge of, "How do I achieve the maximum amount of Satan?"

- Kurt Ballou

[Recycled_Brains]

+1 on all this.

Great interview. I've been patiently waiting for an interview with him. I'm not a huge Converge fan, but I do like some of it, and I LOVE the sounds on those records. The Torche and Disfear stuff is great as well.

Thanks Tape Op. hahaha.

Also, the Satan part made me LOL. Good stuff.

[ctmsound]

Still waiting for my issue! Guess I'll have to hit up john bacc for a copy at the hangar.

[jckinnick]

Ahww man don't ever do that again i read that as Karl Blau.

[comfortstarr]

This is one of the greatest things I have ever read.

"Indie pop productions require more insight as to the song and lyrics and what kind of feeling the songwriter's trying to evoke. When you're recording a metal band you KNOW what feeling they're trying to evoke. You just think "Satan, Satan, Satan." When you're eq'ing the bass, you're like "Satan, Satan, Satan." The snare drum - "Satan, Satan." It's more the technical challenge of, "How do I achieve the maximum amount of Satan?"

- Kurt Ballou

This was truly laugh out loud stuff for me last night.

[trodden]

Hell Yeah. A big fan of Converge, especially everything since Jane Doe as well as the records Kurt makes. The interview made my day. A great issue of Tape Op all around.

[audiosweet]

pretty much what everyone has said.

[carlsaff]

Great engineer, great interview. (And thanks for the shout-out Kurt!)

[emrr]

Some very cool thoughts and tricks in that one.

[krabdagger]

speaking of Kurt's planter trick, which i'm def. gonna try, anyone have any other tips for reducing hi-hat/ cymbal wash? I had a nightmare with that on my last session. I know, i know have the drummer play them softer...but this is punk rock/hardcore!