Tape Op Podcast

In 2002, for issue 27 of Tape Op Magazine, I visited Jim Eno and Britt Daniel of the band Spoon at Jim's converted 2-car garage studio in Austin, Texas, to talk about making records. It's now 20 years later, and Spoon's 10th album, Lucifer on the Sofa, is out. I talked to Jim about his Public Hi-Fi Studio – the multi-story building that replaced his garage – Spoon's new album, and gender inequality in the studio over Zoom. Enjoy!

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Chicago's Neal Francis recently released In Plain Sight, the follow up to his critically acclaimed debut Changes. It is an album filled with personal stories wrapped in a deep pocket of funky grooves, classic tones and masterful songwriting.

Geoff Stanfield caught up with Neal to chat about recording In Plain Sight, discuss some of the record's tracks, and they even get a call from the album's mixer, Dave Fridmann! Enjoy!

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Producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin has worked with a staggering list of top artists including Adele, Pink, Paul McCartney, The Foo Fighters, Sia, Beck and many more. For this episode Geoff Stanfield chatted with Greg specifically about his recent work producing Greta Van Fleet's latest release, *The Battle at Garden's Gate*. Enjoy!

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For his most recent release *Uneasy*, pianist and composer Vijay Iyer is joined by Linda May Han Oh on bass and Tyshawn Sorey on drums.

The album is masterfully recorded and captures the tension, somberness and dark before the dawn sentiment of compositions that address subject matter ranging from the Flint, Michigan water crisis to the Black Lives Matter movement. By setting the stage, animating tones into vivid thoughts, and creating dialog between instruments, the trio creates a canvas for conversations around these topics and invites the listener to both engage and reflect.

Geoff Stanfield chatted with Vijay about the recording of *Uneasy* and it's socially relevant subject matter. Enjoy!

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2008 was an event filled year. Barack Obama was elected president, Satoshi Nakamoto introduced the concept of Bitcoin, Spotify was launched in Sweden and an extra “leap second” was added to the end of the year. It was also the year that Portland, Oregon band Blitzen Trapper released their album Furr and the single of the same name. 21 years, 42 million streams, and heaps of critical praise later, the band’s singer, guitarist and writer Eric Earley discusses “Furr” and the song’s humble beginnings. Enjoy!

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Laraaji (born as Edward Larry Gordon) may be most well-known for his 1980 album Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, a collaboration with Brian Eno for his legendary ambient series of recordings, but Laraaji's career has actually spanned more than 40 years and includes over 50 releases. However, music is only one element of this laughter artist, meditation practitioner, and mystic traveler. As Eno says, "Laraaji is one of the calmest and most serious people I have ever met, and also one of the most lighthearted. It's an unusual combination, but somehow both qualities show in his work – it's deep and bright at the same time." Geoff Stanfield had a conversation with Laraaji from which excerpts were pulled for an article in Tape Op issue #141, but actually hearing the words and wisdom is an experience all its own. Enjoy!

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Xenia Rubinos could just as easily be on a bill with Flying Lotus and The Boredoms as she could with Eryka Badu and Esperanza Spalding. Her unique genre mixing of soul, punk, jazz, pop and latin music grooves planted her firmly in a musical space all her own. Following Xenia's first two albums, 2013's *Magic Trix* and the wide success of 2016's *Black Terry Cat* and the extensive touring and hustle to promote it, she visited a "curandero" who diagnosed her with "a loss of spirit". Though uninspired and unmotivated to make music, she was encouraged by her longtime collaborator and co-producer Marco Buccelli to continue working. Rubinos' new release *Una Rosa*, is her own novella. It is a rediscovery of her musical self that explores new sonic territory, leaning heavily on the use of synths and drum machines to frame her stories, reflections and expressions. Geoff Stanfield chatted with Xenia from her home in Brooklyn. Enjoy!

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In this episode we chat with Producer/Engineer Mitch Easter about working on the song that launched R.E.M.'s career, "Radio Free Europe"! The version of R.E.M.'s Radio Free Europe that we have all come to know and love was released in 1980 on the band's 2nd album, Murmur, but there was an earlier version of the song recorded at Mitch's humble Drive-In Studios. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Mitch to talk this seminal track and working with the band in their early days. Enjoy!

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Jim Keller first made his mark co-penning the 80's hit "867-5309 (Jenny, Jenny)" as a member of the band Tommy TuTone. In a long and storied career he has managed Philip Glass, become a staple of the New York music scene and released several acclaimed albums. His most recent release, By No Means, was produced and recorded by Mitchell Froom and David Boucher and features David Hidalgo, Michael Urbano and Bob Glaub. Geoff Stanfield caught up on a 3 way Zoom call with Jim in New York and Mitchell in New Zealand to discuss.

Enjoy!

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Italian engineer and mixer Riccardo Damian has had a hand in the music of a staggering list of artists. Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Sampha, Lily Allen, Yebba, Ezra Collective, Alicia Keys, Drake and the list goes on. From interning in a small town in Italy to cutting his teeth in London's more prestigious studios and being Mark Ronson's main engineer, he has learned from mentors and carved a path and created a sound that is decidedly his own. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Ricky earlier this year to discuss his early days, the importance of being prepared and making sure technology never gets in the way. Enjoy!

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