Q : Let bands more or less pro to record themselves at decent price and therefore help the french scene is wonderful. Did you have some thanks from those who got far ?
Brett : You know, it's like for birthes, we forget, and some bands end thinking they are as good as they are on the CD and forget what they were... But I keep good contact with most bands.
Mobo : Yes of course. Last is Eryn Non Dae, it's a love affair betwen us. I almost forced them to record their first EP because I was a fan of them. With the last album they signed for Metal Blade (normal it's a fantastic album!) and we are proud.
Q : Before entering the studio, do the band have to respect some conditions ?
Brett:before, no, I don't ask anything. But, if they are not okay the D day, it will be useless for them. On my site I listed all the advices I could.
Mobo : Yes I always ask at least a preprod version or a repetition recording not too bad. I don't work with bands that doesn't inspire me or are bad with their instruments. I refused some for that reasons. I always explain them and they generally understand.
Q : The job of producer needs personnal investments, but do you touch other sectors into the musical industry or are you satisfied already ?
Brett : Well I'm already invested with Kalisia. Our album is out, after 10 years of work on it.
Mobo : I've been bassist for Bumblefoot, Warattah, Olympus Mons but I left progressively, because of time. Now I'm only into my own band, Plug-in and a project I'm building. I still work on videogame music, too.
Q : With a musical market in crisi and home studios in explosion, it must not be easy every day. What, in such a context, makes bands confident in recording in your studios ?
Brett : I have the pretention to think my work is quality, and that it must be for something. And, my rates are really not too much, it does a lot and musicians are still poor people.
Mobo : It's true it's more and more easy to record yourself nowadays. I propose it myself to some bands who are limit in term of budget, so that I only mix and masterize a CD. Those who come need an expertise, an exterior ear, or sometimes a strict environment. Also because their own gear is not enough. At each recording I hear things the band did not hear. I also bring ideas, in structures, sound. Even yesterday, I made a drummer change his breakdown so that he would glue a kick hit to a bass note, and the whole band was astonished and said "why didn't we think about it before?". Also, bands come because they are sure they wont spend 6 months recording. And, some come because they love a particular prod I made.
Q : in the sound domain, technology evolves faster and faster. How do you do to stay in tune ? Does the gear change a lot ?
Brett : The informatics change a lot yeah, but working on Mac, I have the chance not to change them every 6 months, and also to be able to sell my computer a decent price. Then, mikes are never changed but added. Software and plugs (I work ITB) are always updated and changed. Of course, I buy them all !
Mobo : Changed no, enriched yes! When you know your gear, they're no point in changing it. I invest on new things but I don't leave the older ones, excepted when it became useless. And that's not even a general rule, for example I just used on a project my first mike, which is a crap cheap one from 10 years ago, because I needed such a sound. I haven't used it in 8 years !
Q : Did it happen you loose confidence in your projects ? Stop it and start again faculty (laugh) or does the passion stay ?
Brett : at every album !! But I always say to myself it will be better next time !
Mobo : It happens sometimes, because of difficult relationships with some bands who don't care about the energy you put in their album, but in the end I'm still here and I think it will last. What does not kill you makes you stronger, we say !
