Fleet Foxes recently released their 4th album Shore, a sprawling and at times cinematic work that began as a solo record for the band's singer and principal songwriter Robin Pecknold. 
Written and recorded in several locations around the globe, Robin and engineer Beatriz Artola working with outside musicians and band members have created the band's most mature and engaging work to date. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Robin from their respective homes in Seattle and Los Angeles to talk about the process of recording the album and chat about some of their favorite tracks.
Enjoy!

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Episode 51: Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes

Welcome to Tape Op’s DISCussion, where we call our friends and music community notables to talk about their favorite records. This week we chat w/ mastering engineer Jessica Thompson about Scott Walker’s 1969 release Scott 3.

DISCussion - Episode 17: Jessica Thompson

Welcome to *Tape Op*’s DISCussion, where we call our friends and music community notables to talk about *their* favorite records. This week we chat w/ singer, songwriter and Vetiver frontman Andy Cabic about The Flying Lizards 1980 release *Fourth Wall*. Enjoy!

DISCussion - Episode 18: Andy Cabic

Daniel Lanois: If you have been a fan of music during the past 30 years, you have heard his production work with U2, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and countless others. In addition to helming these albums, he has had a long and storied solo career, releasing 21 albums since 1989 (release of Acadie). We've interviewed Daniel several times over the years, and it's always a great conversation, full of insights and pearls of wisdom. Geoff Stanfield caught up with him recently to discuss his latest release, Heavy Sun. Enjoy!

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Episode 54: Daniel Lanois

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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Episode 66: Jim Eno of Spoon

In issue 133 of Tape Op I interviewed Andrew Scheps about mixing, and his work with artists like Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Hozier. It’s been about 4 years, and we wanted to catch up, so I dropped him a line for this podcast. Andrew has recently developed a Pro Tools “bolt on” application, called Bounce Factory, that automates bouncing and mixing, plus he’s now working in Dolby ATMOS, and I had a special question to ask him as well. Plenty to discuss! Enjoy!

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Episode 70: Andrew Scheps

The pairing of Amanda Shires and producer Lawrence Rothman is an unlikely one. On paper, Amanda's Americana leaning solo records, including her work with the Highwomen and Lawrence's highly art rock leaning production style make almost no sense, and that's the beauty of it. The two partnered during Covid on remote writing collaborations and finally full band sessions at Nashville's famed RCA Studio B and Amanda's barn turned home studio. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Amanda and Lawrence to talk about their partnership and the process of making her new album, *Take it Like a Man*. Enjoy!

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Episode 75: Amanda Shires and Lawrence Rothman

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, Mixer, Engineer Geoff Swan about Jamie Lidell’s 2005 release, Multiply. Enjoy!

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DISCussion - Episode 27: Geoff Swan

Texas Trio Khruangbin have paired with Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré, son of the legendary Ali Farka Touré, for new release Ali. The result is an otherworldly, reverb soaked trance offering, perfect for a drive through the African desert or a stretch of Texas highway. Geoff Stanfield caught up with guitarist Mark Speer and engineer Steve Christensen to discuss the partnership and recording of the album. Enjoy!

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Episode 76: Khruangbin

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 back mastering engineer Heba Kadry to chat about Abdou El Omari’s 1976 release Nuits D'Été. Enjoy!

DISCussion - Episode 35: Heba Kadry

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!

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Episode 84: M. Ward

"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!"

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Episode 88: Beirut

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!

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DISCussion - Episode 38: Thom Monahan

Welcome to Tape Op's DISCussion, where we call our friends and music community notables to talk about their favorite records. For this episode, Geoff Stanfield chats with producer/engineer Mario J. McNulty about Massive Attack’s 1998 release, Mezzanine. Enjoy!

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DISCussion - Episode 41: Mario J. McNulty

If you were tuned in to the radio in the 90's, singer, songwriter, and producer, Paula Cole, has been woven into the fabric of your musical life with mega-hits such as "I Don't Want To Wait" and "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?" Almost three decades on, Paula is still making great records and has recently released Lo, a collection of highly personal songs performed entirely live with her longtime collaborators, Jay Bellarose, Chris Bruce, Ross Gallagher, and Rich Hinman. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Paula to chat about her new album, playing with Peter Gabriel, and more. Enjoy!

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Episode 93: Paula Cole

There is a long list of accolades for indie legend, producer, engineer, songwriter and musician John Vanderslice. In addition to being the owner of Oakland recording studio Tiny Telephone, he has released sixteen full length albums, five remix albums and EPs and worked with artists such as Spoon, St. Vincent, Deerhoof, the Mountain Goats, and Grandaddy. His new project, Google Earth, is a collaboration with James Riotto, and their debut album, Street View, leans heavily into the electronic realm. Geoff Stanfield caught up with John to discuss his career, this new release and more. Enjoy!

Episode 96: John Vanderslice

To celebrate the 100th episode of the Tape Op Podcast, I thought it appropriate to interview the two people responsible for Tape Op's existence; Founder and Editor Larry Crane, and Publisher John Baccigaluppi. 
We dive into the early days of the magazine, the evolution of the recording and publishing industries, things learned along this nearly thirty year journey, and more.
Enjoy!


Episode 100: Tape Op's Larry Crane and John Baccigaluppi

We interviewed Esperanza Spalding back in 2022 for Tape Op issue 147, around the time she had just finished her 8th album, Songwrights Apothecary Lab. Her latest release, Milton+Esperanza, is a Grammy-nominated collaboration with Brazilian music legend Milton Nascimento. The album is a compelling body of work that includes re-imaginations of Nascimento originals, covers, and new collaborative songs.
Geoff Stanfield caught up with Esperanza from her home in Portland, Oregon, to discuss the new album and some of her favorite Milton tracks. Enjoy!

Episode 101: Esperanza Spalding

We interviewed producer, engineer, and mixer, Chris Coady, back in 2016 for Tape Op issue 113. He has worked with TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Future Islands, Beach House, DIIV, The Drums, Porches, Amen Dunes, Sasami, Hand Habits, and countless other artists. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Chris from his studio in Glendale, CA, to discuss a wide range of topics ranging from his formative years in Baltimore, his days at New York City's Quad Studios, and his approach to recording and mixing. Enjoy!


Episode 102: Chris Coady

For over four decades, David Lowery has been an innovator and thought leader in the music business. As musician, he’s the founder and leader of both indie rock legends Camper Van Beethoven and the successful band Cracker. He’s also a writer, producer, studio owner, educator, and as a champion of artists rights in the digital age he even led a successful $112 million dollar lawsuit against Spotify. His new album, *Fathers, Sons and Brothers*, is a sprawling 28 song release that he offers as an alternative to writing an autobiography. It is a beautiful collection of deeply personal and often quite funny stories that span his history from childhood and family, to the origin stories of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker, to relationships and more. 
Geoff Stanfield caught up with David to chat about this new record, being a studio owner, producing, and his thoughts on record labels, digital technology and copyright, quantitative finance, and more!
Enjoy.


Episode 103: David Lowery

Baltimore, Maryland, native Josh "Deakin" Dibb is probably best known as a member of the indie rock legends Animal Collective, but he is also a producer, engineer, and mixer, helming projects for Avey Tare, Tickley Feather, Herald, his own album Sleep Cycle, and most recently a co-production venture with his Animal Collective bandmate, Panda Bear, on the fantastic release, Sinister Grift. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Josh from his studio, The Rabbit Hole, in Baltimore. Enjoy.

Episode 104: Animal Collective's Josh "Deakin" Dibb

Atlanta-based producer and songwriter, Turbo (aka Chandler A. Great), has been behind hits from Travis Scott, Gunna, Lil Baby, Nav, and Young Thug. His signature productions are easily recognized, and he has an innate ability to distill songs and their presentations down to their essence and a feeling. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Turbo from his home in Atlanta to discuss his early days, production process, genre-bending collaborations, and how he strives to always be evolving. Enjoy!

Episode 105: TURBO

Singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan, and Sara Watkins, collectively comprise the powerhouse trio I'm With Her. Their 2018 album, *See You Around*, garnered them Grammy and Americana Music Association nominations, taking awards for Best American Roots song for "Call My Name," and Best Duo/Group of the Year. Their second release, *Wild and Clear and Blue*, is a collection of deeply personal songs and incredible playing, produced by Josh Kaufman and engineered by D. James Goodwin. Geoff Stanfield caught up with the band to talk about the making of the record, their collaborative songwriting process, influences, and more. Enjoy

Episode 106: I'm With Her

The Connecticut-based band Goose has had what would seem a meteoric rise into the public consciousness, but the group has been building a loyal fan base the same way that artists like the Grateful Dead and Phish had before them, with nearly a decade of endless touring. Their latest release, Everything Must Go, and 2022's Dripfield were both produced and engineered by D. James Goodwin. Geoff Stanfield caught up with Goose frontman Rick Mitarotonda and Goodwin to chat about the recording of Everything Must Go, capturing the energy of a live band experience, experimentation in the studio, and D. James Goodwin's quest to make the greatest jam band studio album of all time. Enjoy!

Episode 107: Goose (w/ D. James Goodwin)

The story of Regina Spektor is one of a truly self-made artist. In 1989, at nine years old, Spektor and her family emigrated from Moscow to the Bronx in New York. Her love and affinity for playing the piano found her studying in high school at the Manhattan School of Music, and as she continued her classical studies she was also being exposed to and fell in love with pop music, hip-hop, and punk rock. Her self-released albums 11:11 and Songs led to a growing audience and opening slots for The Strokes and Kings of Leon. She was soon signed to Sire Records, who released her third album, Soviet Kitsch. Fast forward many years, and the list of accolades and accomplishments for Regina is long. She has released eight studio albums, featured at the Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Glastonbury festivals, performed at the White House for the Obamas, wrote the theme song for the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, and has had songs appear in multiple films. 
She recently reissued her albums Begin to Hope, Far, What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, Remember Us To Life, and Live in London all exclusively on vinyl.
Geoff Stanfield caught up with Regina from her home in New York to discuss her early years, her passion for the craft, and takeaways from working with producers such as Jeff Lynne, Jacknife Lee, John Congleton, and Mike Elizondo. 

Enjoy!

Episode 108: Regina Spektor

Larry Crane interviews Authors Eliot Bates & Samantha Bennett on their book, Gear: Cultures of Audio and Music Technologies

Episode 109: Authors Eliot Bates & Samantha Bennett on their book, Gear: Cultures of Audio and Music Technologies

Lord Huron first caught our ear with their 2012 release, Lonesome Dreams. The album's lush presentation, harmonies, and tinges of surfy guitars made it both  decidedly West Coast-sounding and, at the same time, otherworldly. Over a decade on, the band has released its fifth album, The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1, another fully-formed concept album of sorts that, like all of Lord Huron's releases, tells a story, is beautifully produced, recorded and mixed, and is another step forward in the band's development. Geoff Stanfield caught up with founder, songwriter, guitarist, and frontman Ben Schneider to discuss the new album, their Whispering Pines recording studio, and more. Enjoy!

Episode 110: Lord Huron's Ben Schneider

With their latest album, *is*, My Morning Jacket handed over the production reins to storied producer Brendan O'Brien, who has worked with artists ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Pearl Jam. The result of this collaboration is a focused collection of songs that showcases the band's development and musical diversity. Geoff Stanfield caught up with My Morning Jacket’s frontman and principal songwriter, Jim James, and Brendan to discuss the making of this stellar release.

Enjoy!

Episode 111: My Morning Jacket's Jim James with producer Brendan O'Brien

Eric Sarafin, first interviewed in Tape Op #34 in 2003, is a producer, engineer, and mixer, known for his work with artists such as Ben Harper, The Pharcyde, Jeff Lorber, Tone Loc, Barenaked Ladies, Amy Grant, and even Foreigner. Eric is also known as Mixerman, the name he used as he chronicled the events of a somewhat fictional album session in Los Angeles as The Daily Adventures of Mixerman, now available in book and podcast form. His following books, like Zen and the Art of MIXING, were very helpful, and his recent tome, Mixerman’s Ultimate Guide to PRODUCING Records, Music & Songs, is a nearly 600 page bundle of advice anyone making music should read. We had a nice chat, so enjoy!

Episode 112: Mixerman

Portugal. The Man

Hailing from Edmonton, Canadian Electronic Pop Duo Purity Ring made a splash with their debut album Shrines. The release was a document of Corin Roddick and singer Megan James’ long distance collaboration and Corin’s electronic music experimentation and exploration. Made entirely at home, the band’s latest and third release, Womb, debuted at number one on the electronic music charts. We sat down with Corin to discuss the making of both Shrines and Womb, distance recording and happy accidents.

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