February 2024 will see the release of MGMT's fifth album, Loss of Life. Tape Op's online publisher Geoff Stanfield sat down for a chat with the band's founding members Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser to discuss the recording of the album, their long time working relationship with producer/mixer Dave Fridmann, and finding their new favorite microphone!

Enjoy!

Sponsored by: Earthworks Audio

https://earthworksaudio.com

Welcome to Tape Op's DISCussion, where we call our friends and music community notables to talk about their favorite records. For this episode we chat with Producer/Engineer Thom Monahan about the 1993 Polyphemus album, Scrapbook of Madness. Enjoy!

Sponsered by AKG-JBL

https://www.akg.co

If there is an authority on the production, editing, mixing, and mastering of film scores, it is Mike Matessino. He has had a hand in hundreds of films including classics such as the Star Wars Trilogy, Poltergeist, The Goonies, Superman, Back to the Future, Home Alone, the Star Trek films and Empire of the Sun. 

For his latest project, he meticulously remixed and remastered the Super Deluxe version of The Sound of Music from the original multi-track tapes and also wrote the in-depth liner notes. It is a definitive collection that includes every musical element from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s timeless masterpiece for the very first time, along with 11 never-before-heard alternate takes, including rare performances from the cast. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Mike from his home in Los Angeles to discuss. Enjoy.

Sponsored by: Distrokid

https://distrokid.com

"In the early days of 2020, following a cancelled tour and a near total mental collapse, Beirut's Zach Condon arrived on Hadsel, an island in the far northwest reaches of Norway. Armed with several suitcases stuffed with recording equipment, a modular synth rig, an Austrian tape machine, his trumpet, and some winter clothes, he embarked on the creation of what would become his latest release, Hadsel. (pronounced hahdsul). 

He also had ongoing access to a 19th century church pump organ, a centerpiece of the album's sound and spirit. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Zach from his home in Berlin to discuss the making of Hadsel and the journey that led there. Enjoy!"

Sponsored by: Adam Audio

https://www.adam-audio.com

September 2023 marked the 30th anniversary of the now classic Morphine album Cure for Pain. It was the band's sophomore release and recorded during the transition from original drummer Jerome Deupree to Billy Conway, with Jerome playing on the bulk of the album's songs and Billy playing on the title track, "Cure for Pain" and "Let's Take a Trip Together". To mark the occasion of the album's anniversary, Geoff Stanfield caught up with the band's surviving members; saxophonist Dana Colley and Jerome Deupree along with mastering engineer and archivist Pete Weiss. Enjoy!

Sponsored by: Radial Engineering

https://www.radialeng.com

Over the years it has been suggested that we do a segment on haunted studios. Our friend Heba Kadry got her first job in the U.S. as an intern at the famed Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas.

Legend has it that the place is haunted, and Heba told me that she was freaked out to be there alone at night and would blast loud music to keep the spirits at bay. Apparently that worked and she never encountered anything out of the ordinary. Former Sugar Hill owner Dan Workman did however have an out of this world experience there, so we chatted with him to get the scoop!

Welcome to Tape Op's DISCussion, where we call our friends and music community notables to talk about their favorite records. For this episode we chat with producer/engineer Ryan Hewitt about Neil Young's 1970 release After the Gold Rush. Enjoy!

Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. has been owning the downstroke for well over a decade now, and in addition to his work with the band he has managed to find time to release several solo records. His latest, Melodies on Hiatus, is a sprawling 19 song offering recorded with longtime collaborator Gus Oberg. Geoff Stanfield chatted with Albert about his latest recording, working with Rick Rubin and the power of imperfection. Enjoy!

Sponsored by: Vintage King

https://vintageking.com

I interviewed Portland Oregon's M Ward for our DISCussion podcast about a year ago and with his new release, supernatural thing, it was another opportunity for us to check in. In this episode, Geoff Stanfield catches up with Matt to discuss his love of collaborations, analog approach to recording and more. Enjoy!

Sponsored by: Rupert Neve Designs

https://rupertneve.com

Welcome to *Tape Op's* DISCussion, where we call our friends and music community notables to talk about their favorite records. For this episode we welcome drummer Victor Indrizzo (Willie Nelson, Scott Weiland, Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age, Beck, Daniel Lanois and countless others) sat down with Geoff Stanfield to chat about Marvin Gaye’s posthumous release, Vulnerable.

Sponsered by AKG-JBL

https://www.akg.co