Welcome to this bonus episode! Back in Summer 2023 John sat down with podcasting legend Adam Buxton, live at the Podcast Festival for a two part chat into their respective careers, and Adam’s new music.

In this, part one, Adam takes the reins as host, turning the spotlight on John’s incredible career in radio. The conversation digs into John’s journey from the early days of Xfm to Radio X, the creation of the legendary X-Posure show, which introduced artists like Adele, The XX, and Scroobious Pip to the airwaves, and the evolving landscape of radio and podcasting, including insights into Tape Notes.

Adam also gives us an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at his musical process, sharing the inspiration and demos behind his much-loved theme, “Ramble Chat.”

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

John Kennedy

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Ali Lewis

John links up with Snarky Puppy founder and band leader Michael League to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest record ‘Empire Central’, as well as works from Varijashree Venugopal and a new project, Ellipsis. 

Michael League is an American producer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder of jazz fusion ensemble Snarky Puppy. Now with a reputation as one of the most innovative bands of the 21st century, constantly pushing the boundaries of improvisation and the styles they draw from, Snarky Puppy’s 20 year back catalogue includes 16 albums, and five Grammy wins. Outside of the band, Michael has shared his production and writing talents on records from David Crosby, Becca Stevens, Varijashree Venugopal and many more.

Speaking from his home studio in Spain, Michael digs into his production process, from crafting rough Logic demos and editing lengthy improvisations to blending global influences with Western jazz. He also shares the technical details of Snarky Puppy’s vast recording setup and treats us to a live demo of his current go-to, the Danelectro Sitar.

Tracks discussed: Bet, Ranjani, Obbakoso

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘Empire Central’ here.

• GroundUP Music

LISTEN to ‘Vari’ here.

• GroundUP Music

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Lauten Audio LS-208

Lauten Audio Snare Mic

Lauten Audio Atlantis FC-387

Audio-Technica Mics

Danelectro Sitar

F-Bass Hammertone 12-String

Fender Rhodes

Roland Space-Echo

Ebow

Moog Bass

Logic Pro

Avid ProTools

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

John Kennedy

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Ali Lewis

John is joined by Oli Sykes and Lee Malia of Bring Me The Horizon, as well as producer Dan Lancaster, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest album ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’.

Bring Me the Horizon, formed in 2004 in Sheffield, evolved from deathcore to genre-blending innovators, incorporating electronics, classical, and pop influences. With seven studio albums, over 5 million records sold, and electrifying live shows, they’ve built a global fanbase and earned multiple Grammy nominations. Their latest release, ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’, continues their evolution, produced by long-time collaborator Dan Lancaster.

Catching up at Stongroom Studios, Oli, Lee and Dan talk us through the incredibly fast-paced process of bringing the album together, sharing the countless demos, crazy sound design, and secret details meticulously hidden within each track. 

Tracks discussed: Kool-Aid, Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd, DIg It, 

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’ here.

• Sony Music Entertainment

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

ElastiquePitch 2

Soundtoys Little AlterBoy

Native Instruments Kontakt

GetGood Drums

Antares Autotune

AudioMovers

Output Arcade

DJI LAV Mic

Moises

Avid ProTools

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

John Kennedy

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Ali Lewis

John is joined by Lizzy McAlpine, and co-producer Mason Stoops and co-writer Taylor Mackall, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Older (and Wiser)’.

Lizzy McAlpine is a singer-songwriter and producer who first gained popularity by sharing covers on SoundCloud and YouTube. Her debut album, ‘Give Me a Minute’, arrived in 2020, however, it was her second album, ‘Five Seconds Flat’, that solidified her as a rising force, with the platinum-selling single ‘ceilings’ becoming a global hit. Her latest record, ‘Older’, blurs the lines between studio and stage, exploring themes of heartbreak and self-acceptance; recorded in LA, it was produced by Lizzy and Mason Stoops.

Catching up at Miloco’s The Pool studio ahead of the London leg of their tour, Lizzy, Mason, and Taylor discuss their approach to writing the album—from Lizzy’s intimate, bedroom demos to their collaborative recording process that transformed it into a full band album.

Tracks discussed: The Elevator, Pushing It Down and Praying, Force of Nature

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘Older (and Wiser)’ here.

• RCA Records, Indigo Blue 

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Baldwin Fun Machine

Baldwin Fun Machine (VST) 

Danelectro Bass VI

Austin Hooks Projector Amp

Benson Nathan Junior Amp

Univox U45B Amp

Echoplex EP2 Pedal

Chase Bliss Audio Pedals

Mellotron

Shure SM57

Neumann U67

Neumann U87

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

SubStack: Tape Notes

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

John Kennedy

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Ali Lewis

John is joined by Pixies, Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis), and producer Tom Dalgety, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest album ‘The Night The Zombies Came’.

The Pixies are an American alternative rock band widely acclaimed as one of the pioneers of the late 1980s rock movement. Their first three albums - Surfer Rosa (1988), Dolittle (1989) and Bossanova (1990) - defined an era as well as earning the band much critical success. The Pixies have influenced numerous prominent artists including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, The Strokes and Weezer. Since re-forming in 2004, they have maintained a steady creative output, working closely with producer Tom Dalgety.

Catching up at Strongroom Studios, Charles and Tom share stories from their album writing process, including the last minute track that Tom snuck onto the record, the inspiration that came from trips around the English countryside, and the creative results of Charles’s temper tantrums (which included his songwriting notebook ending up on the studio roof!).

Tracks discussed: The Vegas Suite, I Hear You Mary, Jane (The Night the Zombies Came)

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.

ROLAND

Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘The Night The Zombies Came’ here.

• Pixies Recordings, BMG Rights Management Limited

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Eventide H9 Max

Shure SM7B

MXC Carbon Copy

TC Electronic Bucket Brigade

Fender Reverb Tank

Vox Practice Amp

AC30 Amp

Takamine Guitars

Martin Guitars

Avid ProTools

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

John Kennedy

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Ali Lewis

John is back with Jack Patterson and Grace Chatto of Clean Bandit, for part two of their conversation, this time, talking about how they wrote, recorded, and produced some of their more recent hits. 

Clean Bandit are an English electronic group formed in 2008, known for blending classical music with electronics and pop. While they gained early attention with the track ‘Mozart’s House,’ their 2014 hit ‘Rather Be,’ featuring Jess Glynne, won a Grammy and earned the band global recognition. Now pop mainstays, they have released numerous chart-topping collaborations, including ‘Rockabye’ and ‘Symphony.’ With two studio albums to their name and new music on the horizon, their most recent work sees them teaming up with Anne-Marie and David Guetta.

In this, part two of our conversation, Jack and Grace take us through the early versions and of their track ‘Symphony’ (following its resurgence on TikTok), and discuss how their creative process has changed over the years, taking apart ‘Cry Baby’, and digging into the multiple remixes of the track. 

Tracks discussed: Symphony, Cry Baby

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 50% off. (Valid until 29th November 2024)

ROLAND

Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your 25% discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘Symphony’ here. 

LISTEN to ‘Cry Baby’ here.

• Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Korg Polysix

Korg MS-20

Alicia’s Keys

Ilya Efimov Plugins

Spectrasonics Keyscape

Ample Sounds Guitar

808 Warfare

Antares Autotune

Xfer Serum

Nexus

XLN Audio RC-20

Valhalla Vintage Verb

Universal Audio Teletronix LA-3A Audio Leveler

Pultec EQP‑1A

CL1b Compressor

Neumann U87

1176 Limiter

Neve PreAmp 1073

Ableton Operator Synth

Ableton

Avid ProTools

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Ali Lewis

Jessica Clucas

John sits down with English musician, producer, and DJ Simon Green, better known as Bonobo, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced works from across his back catalogue.

Bonobo first caught attention with his 1999 debut. Over the years, his evolving sound, often including elements of world music, nu-jazz and electronica, have earned him a devoted following. This popularity surged with the release of critically acclaimed albums including 'Black Sands' and 'The North Borders', released via Ninja Tune, which earned him multiple Grammy nominations and solidified his status as one of the biggest names in dance music. His latest work, the single, ‘Expander’ released in August 2024, is a slice of fresh yet unmistakable Bonobo, weaving organic vocals and instrumentation with vibrant dance floor energy.

Catching up at Baltic Studios, not too far from where Simon recorded his early work, the conversation digs into Bonobo’s creative process, discussing how he builds his unique drum patterns as well as exploring the essential plugins and sounds that shape his distinctive style. 

Tracks discussed: Expander, Sapien, Cirrus, Black Sands

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 50% off. (Valid until 29th November)

ROLAND

Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your 25% discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘Expander’ here.

LISTEN to ‘Fragments’ here.

LISTEN to ‘Black Sands’ here.

• Ninja Tune

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Knock Drum Buss Plugin

Soundtoys Decapitator

Soundtoys Little Alterboy

Valhalla Room

Valhalla Vintage Verb

Miroslav Philharmonik Strings

Slate & Ash Landforms

Slate & Ash Cycles

Slate & Ash Choreographs

TB Reelbus

Intellijel Plonk Module

Make Noise Optomix

Noise Engineering Basimilus

Oberheim Xpander

Oberheim OB8

Roland TR-808

Ableton Operator

Ableton

Logic X

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Katie-Louise Buxton 

Seb Brunner-Stolovitzky 

John sits down with Rex Orange County and producers Jim Reed and Teo Halm, to talk about how he wrote and recorded his latest album ‘The Alexander Technique’. 

Alex O'Connor, better known as Rex Orange County, is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Teaching himself music production at 16 years old, within a year he released his debut album ‘Bcos U Will Never B Free’. Since then, Alex has been consistently releasing successful music, including his fourth album, ‘Who Cares?’, which became his first to top the UK album charts, alongside platinum-certified hits like ‘Sunflower’, ‘Best Friend’, and ‘Loving Is Easy’. 

In conversation with Rex and his producers, Jim Reed and Teo Halm, they dig into the creative process behind his new album, sharing original demos, discussing the plugins that shaped the album, and demonstrating how some synthesizer parts were created using Teo’s iPhone.

Tracks discussed: Guitar Song, 2008, Much Too Much

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 50% off. (Valid until 29th November 2024)

ROLAND

Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your 25% discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘The Alexander Technique’ here. 

• Atlantic Records UK

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Keezy App

Koala App

Soundtoys Crystallizer

Soundtoys Effects Rack

Celemony Melodyne

Goodhertz Vulf Compressor

Neumann TLM 103

Neumann KM54

Coles Ribbon Mic

Sony C800

Moog Model D

Chase Bliss Mood

Chase Bliss Blooper

Spitfire Strings

Blank Forms Tape Loops

Logic Sampler

Logic Pro X

Avid ProTools

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

John is joined by Jack Patterson and Grace Chatto of Clean Bandit to talk about how they wrote, recorded, and produced some of their early hits.

Clean Bandit are an English electronic group formed in 2008, known for blending classical music with electronics and pop. While they gained early attention with the track ‘Mozart’s House,’ their 2014 hit ‘Rather Be,’ featuring Jess Glynne, won a Grammy and earned the band global recognition. Now pop mainstays, they have released numerous chart-topping collaborations, including ‘Rockabye’ and ‘Symphony.’ With two studio albums to their name and new music on the horizon, their most recent work sees them teaming up with Anne-Marie and David Guetta.

In this, part one of our conversation, Jack and Grace look back at their process of creating ‘Rather Be’ and ‘I Miss You.’ In addition to discussing how they programmed the synth at the very centre of their early music, the pair recount stories of writing on the Tube and possibly one of the most intense vocal sessions of their career.

Tracks discussed: Rather Be, I Miss You

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 50% off.

ROLAND

Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your 25% discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘Rather Be’ here. 

LISTEN to ‘I Miss You’ here.

• Atlantic Records UK

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Antares Harmony Engine

Soundtoys Little Alterboy

XLN AUDIO RC-20

reFX Nexus Synth

That Sound Drumline

Ilya Efimov Plugins

Spectrasonics Keyscape

Mellotron

AKAI EWI Midi Controller

Native Instruments Kontakt

Conny Plank's SSL Desk

Ableton Operator Synth

Ableton

Avid ProTools

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Katie-Louise Buxton 

Seb Brunner-Stolovitzky 

Jonathon Coughlin

John is joined by Alex Cook, better known as A. G. Cook, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Britpop’.

A. G. Cook, is a London-based artist and producer. After studying at Goldsmiths University, he founded PC Music, a label shaping hyper pop with artists including Hannah Diamond and Danny L Harle. His debut solo albums, ‘7G’ and ‘Apple’, arrived in 2020. In addition to his own music, Alex has shared his production talents with numerous pop icons, including Jonsi, Madonna, and Caroline Polachek, and Charli XCX. In May 2024, he released his third studio album, ‘Britpop’, a 24-song exploration blending pop, experimental electronics, and acoustic sounds.

Catching up at Strongroom Studios, Alex guides us through the three distinct chapters of the album, digging into the production and song writing approaches he took to make them stand out. As well as sharing some intricate plugin demos, we hear stories of developing a harmonic style, meticulous automation and what it means to be an aggressive listener.  

Tracks discussed: Heartache, Serenade, Lucifer

TAPE IT

Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.

Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 50% off.

MUSIVERSAL

Skip the waitlist and get your 25% discount HERE

LISTEN to ‘Britpop’ here.

• New Alias

LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  

linktr.ee/tapenotes 

Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective

GEAR MENTIONS

Soundtoys Filter Freak

Waves MetaFlanger

Deamtonics Synthesizer V 

Reveal Sound Spire

Xfer Serum

Xfer OTT

Sonic Charge Synplant 2

Logic Compressor

Native Instruments Reaktor

Native instrument Razor

IK Multimedia Mixbox

Udo Super 6 Synth

Sonic Academy Kick 2

Arturia Vocoder V

Melda Productions M Bit Fun

Electro Harmonix Pitch Fork

Roland TR-606

Roland Juno Synth

Rode Microphones

Sony C800G

Shure SM58

Arturia DX-7

Soma Synths Lyra 8

Logic Pro

OUR GEAR

https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.

KEEP UP TO DATE

For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: 

Instagram: @tapenotes 

Twitter: @tapenotes 

Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  

YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast

Discord: Tape Notes

Patreon: Tape Notes

To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! 

Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

TAPE NOTES TEAM

Will Brown 

Tim Adam-Smith 

Will Lyons 

Nico Varanese 

Guy Nicholls 

Jessica Clucas

Katie-Louise Buxton 

Seb Brunner-Stolovitzky 

Jonathon Coughlin