AUDIO from Don Was: A Producer's Most Important Lesson

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By Rob Hochschild

November 7, 2008

Over the four decades he's worked as a record producer, Don Was has worked with artists such as Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, the B-52s, Amos Lee, Ziggy Marley, and the Rolling Stones. He won the 1994 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year and he produced a documentary about the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Plus, the Detroit native is coleader of Was (Not Was), a band that fuses funk, r&b, rock, soul, pop, dance music, and other styles in a seamless blend that has yielded hits like "Walk the Dinosaur" and "Spy in the House of Love."

And then, last month, he spent a week working closely with Berklee's music production and engineering majors. It was an experience that Was said will "recharge" his work as a producer.

During his time on campus, Was gave an open clinic for students, staff, and faculty; met individually with student producers; and visited several classes.

Was also granted a long, in-depth interview, during which he talked about many music-related subjects, including qualities of good producers, the state of the industry, and what it takes for bands to succeed in the studio.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth: Don Was takes questions from students and faculty in Berklee's Studio A.