Bands that don't come prepared.

[C_F_H_13]

This is directed more at joey, but anyone else can feel free to answer as well.

I can't remember what band it was or when, but I recall hearing you talk about someone showing up and not even having their songs all written. With the level and caliber of bands you work with is this pretty common, or do most of them have their shit together?

Since this happened have you changed your policies with bands booking you, or is it just more money for you if they aren't prepared?

 

[christopher ridley]

Think it was A Plea For Purging.

 

[ahjteam]

Since this happened have you changed your policies with bands booking you, or is it just more money for you if they aren't prepared?

My guess is that the label doesn't like if the budget suddenly jumps up, so my guess is that they will just do longer hours.

 

[Seth Munson]

I'm pretty sure Joey has co-written a bunch of the CDs he has produced.

 

[joeymusicguy]

This is directed more at joey, but anyone else can feel free to answer as well.

I can't remember what band it was or when, but I recall hearing you talk about someone showing up and not even having their songs all written. With the level and caliber of bands you work with is this pretty common, or do most of them have their shit together?

Since this happened have you changed your policies with bands booking you, or is it just more money for you if they aren't prepared?

This still happens. Sometimes its the product of really tight touring schedules, or just plain done on purpose. For example, band thinks it will be better to write in my presence instead of write a bunch of stuff that will ultimately get changed. I've told many people time and time again its much better to start with 13 songs that are 25% cool and I can help with the other 75% rather than starting with 2 riffs and trying to write a whole album.

Honestly, people book way in advance so there's really no excuse to come in with nothing, but it still happens. But its usually alright because I just take a percentage from the album sales if that happens.

 

[joeymusicguy]

I'm pretty sure Joey has co-written a bunch of the CDs he has produced.

Even if the cd is 99% complete when the band arrives, I always end up writing something on the cd. Sometimes its just a very little thing here or there, sometimes its full blown co writing.

 

[joeymusicguy]

Think it was A Plea For Purging.

A Plea For Purging is actually one of the best bands at being fully prepared for an album. Two of the guys in the band when to school for engineering so they come in with a full demo with everything.

 

[The Front Studio]

This still happens. Sometimes its the product of really tight touring schedules, or just plain done on purpose. For example, band thinks it will be better to write in my presence instead of write a bunch of stuff that will ultimately get changed. I've told many people time and time again its much better to start with 13 songs that are 25% cool and I can help with the other 75% rather than starting with 2 riffs and trying to write a whole album.

Honestly, people book way in advance so there's really no excuse to come in with nothing, but it still happens. But its usually alright because I just take a percentage from the album sales if that happens.

If I remember correctly the blog on your studio's myspace said you need a demo recording of each song before you start producing that band? Or did you step off from that criterium?

 

[C_F_H_13]

Even if the cd is 99% complete when the band arrives, I always end up writing something on the cd. Sometimes its just a very little thing here or there, sometimes its full blown co writing.

Just curious, but do you do splits with the bands if you write even a small amount? Or do you just collect points?

 

[Harley Barley]

I always guessed that bands signed to labels would have there shit together and have all their songs nailed.. its kind of a bummer to see bands that slack and use the producer to write major parts of the songs, when some unsigned bands work really hard to nail their own songs and write them great with out an experienced veteran helping.

I wish labels would actually sign talent again

 

[ahjteam]

I always guessed that bands signed to labels would have there shit together

It's the same even on the major selling artists. Why do you think Dr Dre, Timbaland, Max Martin, Neptunes and others dance and hiphop based pop-producers have so much work?

 

[ShelbyStanga]

A lot of times, it's not always the bands that don't have it together. Sometimes labels and management push the band to pick up an unrealistic tour schedule. It would be awesome if every band had a month off to write before going in to the studio, and a month off after recording to rehearse the new set. In a perfect world...

 

[Harley Barley]

@ahjteam i see the big pop-hip producers more or less writing the actual music for the songs well at least a lot of it. If you check out the new Eminem album every song has like an entirely different producer and its labeled on each song almost like the song features them as part of the song. I guess i just thought that metal bands would be more disciplined then crazy party hip hop and rap artists

@ShelbyStanga you are completely correct i guess since im not signed or something i just didnt realize that. I do see some bands that dont put out an album for a good 2-3 years then others that seem like the put one out almost every year. do you think that has something to do with the label? or maybe some bands can write material faster then others? or do the record labels just say "Hey, guys your recording your new album in 2 months hope you have material"

 

[Seth Munson]

^ Most labels have that in the contract. Its no suprise to the band.

For the most part its a rule of thumb like, the label tells the band they will do X number of albums and see where to go after that and I would also say that they are expected to have the next album ready every year. Some bands (depending how big and the success of their previous releases) can bank off of one CD for 2 years or more (like Underoath, TDWP, ect) but this is very difficult because bands dont usually write something that can stay that big for that long.
Its usually something like 3 year, 3 album deal. Victory does 5 year, 5 album. Some labels do a test CD with a band and off of its success determines to sign for a multiple release contract.

 

[mmmatthew]

Joey is extremely responsible for the sound of what you hear on all of his releases. His style is a seriously controlling type of producing... he chooses every single tone that you hear from the bass to the drums. Not always without the input of the band necessarily, but you know what I mean... Basically I'm saying he doesn't fuck around with these bands that are probably generally unsure or inept "tone" wise.

Then joey makes these bands give the best performance he can, and helps them write the songs along the way. But always hard ass, clean takes, followed by a serious fucking set of edits, a post production stage where there is generally a lot effort trying to tie everything together that goes on, followed by the best fucking mix he can muster.

Probably nothing you hear is 100% authentic, and thats where a lot people get on his shit. He helps create and give vibe to something that probably had none to begin with. No fault there. In general I'd say that makes all of his productions better.

112% percent sure Joey is the one writing/playing or programming the instruments on/generally making some songs on major releases. The ballad types songs in terms of their programmed parts, which is most the music on songs like "louder than thunder" by tdwp, "in recognition" by miss may, ect. And of course you've got the other major types of contributions he makes, like writing before their eyes parts, the keys/synths on asking alexandria, etc.

 

[joeymusicguy]

Just curious, but do you do splits with the bands if you write even a small amount? Or do you just collect points?

its always an up front flat rate

i take percent on very special cases.