Tape Notes

In this episode, John catches up with Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil and producer Rich Costey to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘A Celebration of Endings’. Armed with the very first demos and ‘work-in-progress’ recordings, Simon and Rich talk us through each song's evolution, from rehearsals on a farm to getting down intricate drum sounds and a 30-piece orchestra at Abbey Road. We’re given an insight into Simon’s vocal recording process as well as his approach to the biology of a guitar. Rich shares some of his producer wizardry, talking through single mic recording tricks, common rock mixing problems as well as the amps and gear used to help craft the band’s sound. Listen to find out how the pair blew up a pre-war Gibson Amp, what tuning their instruments did to the music and why you should go and follow @tempojunkee on Twitter.   Tracks discussed: North of No South, Instant History, Cop Syrup LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'A Celebration of Endings' here. 'A Celebration of Endings' - 14th Floor Records Limited, a Warner Music Group company. Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Michael Landau Signature Stratocaster Gibson Les Paul Boss Metal Zone Pedals JHS Kilt Pedal Sunn Drone Pedals Sequential Prophet 6 1969 100w Marshall Amp Black Volt Vox AC30 Roland JC-120 Sunn Amplifiers   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!    Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

4 Nov 20201h 54min

In this episode, John catches up with brothers Guy and Howard of Disclosure, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘ENERGY’. Chosen from over 200 songs, the pair break apart the individual parts and distinct sounds from the handful of tracks that made the cut. The boys take a deep dive into what it takes to make a Disclosure hit, revealing the tricks and tools they use along the way.  Listen to find out why the best hooks are written in 20 minutes, how conversations with Pharrell led to new chord progressions, and why the brothers nearly went the same way as Oasis. Tracks discussed: Douha (Mali Mali), Who Knew? & Birthday   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS: Korg PolySix Ableton Native Instruments Ample Bass Izotope Vocal Synth Tube-Tech CL 1B Compressor Neve Desk Moog Little Phatty Roland Juno 106 Roland Boutique Synths Roland D50 Roland SH-101 Universal Audio Apollos   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!    Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

28 Okt 20201h 53min

Launching into a brand new season, John rockets over to The Church Studios to catch up with super-producer Paul Epworth, Harry Edwards and Riley MacIntyre to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Paul’s debut album ‘Voyager’.  Paul shines a light on the five year on-off process of bringing the record to life, pulling apart the cosmic sounds and samples that form the basis of the album. From turning his studio desk into an instrument to serendipitous happenings, we hear Paul’s techniques of creating the perfect environment suitable for writing an expansive space concept album.  Listen to find out what happens when you put a guitar through his ‘multi-story car park’ of pedals, how a SpaceX launch impacted the album, and how Paul stopped himself from just making techno.    Tracks discussed: Distant Planets, Where Do We Come From?, Space Inc. & Epilogue   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Voyager' here. 'Voyager' - Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Electro Harmonix Freeze Pedal Electro-Harmonix Superego Guitar Effects Pedal Moogerfooger MF-104M Analog Delay Moog MF-103 Moogerfooger 12-Stage Phaser   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate   KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!    Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

21 Okt 20201h 27min

In this episode we pick out a selection of highlights from Season 5. If you haven't heard every episode from the last season, this is a good way to introduce yourself to some of the other artists and producers we've had on and hear their tips, tricks and stories. Have a listen to see what you've been missing!   You'll hear highlights from: Foals Caribou Jack Garrett Tom Misch & Adam Jaffrey Ghostpoet Rina Sawayama & Clarence Clarity Badly Drawn Boy & Gethin Pearson Grouplove & Dave Sitek Enter Shikari EOB & Flood   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions):  Donate    Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions: Instagram Facebook Twitter   Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

13 Okt 20201h 1min

In this episode, John heads over to Sports Team HQ to catch up with Oli, Rob and producer Burke Reid, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced their Mercury nominated debut album ‘Deep Down Happy’. With DIY demos and a bag of stems, Oli, Rob and Burke break apart what goes into creating the band’s signature raucous sound. We’re treated to tales of sleeping in rehearsal rooms, sneaking into studios and mixing at the kitchen table. Burke talks us through some of his tricks of the trade, from managing the chaos of recording the band while they all still had day jobs, to making simple repeated things sound new and exciting. Listen to hear why they like to annoy Alex during his vocal takes, which stock Logic drummer has become an integral part of the band’s writing process and how they tailor their live sets so no one goes to the bar.   Tracks discussed: Kutcher, Here It Comes Again, Fishing    Listen to 'Deep Down Happy' here. 'Deep Down Happy' - Big Desert Records, Universal Music Operations Limited   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Audacity Audio Kitchen Big Trees Pedal Epiphone Casino Fender Amps Mu-Tron Pedals Neumann U67 Rickenbacker Bass Roland RE-20 Space Echo Boss SD-1 Pedal WEM Amps Logic Pro   SUBMIT A JINGLE For all of the details on sending in a jingle email jingles@tapenotes.co.uk   Submit your Tape Notes jingle and we'll play our favourites each week on the podcast. Jingles can be in any style, can feature the Tape Notes theme, lyrics, or none of those things - be as creative as you'd like (as long as they're between 5-15 seconds).   SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions):  Donate    Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions: Instagram Facebook Twitter   Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

22 Sep 20201h 40min

Back at the start of lockdown, John caught up with Georgia and producer Mark Ralph to bring together a special episode for Aim House on how they wrote, recorded and produced Georgia’s Mercury nominated album ‘Seeking Thrills’.  Delving right into the first demos inspired by a night out, Georgia and Mark talk us through their fluid process of bringing the songs to life, from drawing intricate details from their dynamic list of influences, to studio days together programming rooms full of synths.   We’re given an insight into Georgia’s move to becoming a singer, stepping out from behind the drum kit, and Mark shares some of his producer wizardry, enlightening us on song structure, the small things can completely change the feel of a track and much much more. Listen to hear how a grammatically incorrect sentence became the focus of a song, clips of hook lines written on a glockenspiel and discussions on how to make a computer groove.  Tracks discussed: Started Out, About Work The Dancefloor  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Seeking Thrills' here. 'Seeking Thrills' - Domino Recording Co Ltd Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Moog Nord Wave Roland SH-101 Roland Jupiter 6 Roland TR-808 Roland TR-909 Sequential OB6   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions):  Donate    Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions: Instagram Facebook Twitter   Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

22 Sep 20201h 22min

In this episode, John heads up to Assault & Battery Studios to chat with EOB – the solo project from Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien - and legendary producer Flood, to talk through how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Earth’.  Armed with demos and tracks written during Ed’s time in Brazil, the pair take a deep dive into the sonic trenches, sharing their musings on the creative process, and reflect on their time working together in the studio. From fortuitous iTunes plays to jamming with world-renowned musicians, we hear Ed’s thoughts on transitioning from the realm of backing vocalist to lead vocalist, as well as the intricacies of blending carnival and dance music.   Listen to find why sometimes it’s a challenge finding beat 1, which track initially began with a swarm of Vihuelas, and why you should never use the word ‘demo’ in the studio.    Tracks discussed: Brasil, Olympik, Long Time Coming  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Earth' here. 'Earth' - Capitol Records, Over Normal Limited, under exclusive license for UMG Recordings, Inc. Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Akai MPC Looper ARP Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Elektron Machine Eventide H3000 Gibson Les Paul Soft Tube OTO Biscuit Roland System 700 Roland Juno 60 Boss RC-1 Looping Pedal Shure SM58 OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions):  Donate    Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions: Instagram Facebook Twitter   Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

26 Aug 20202h 8min

In this episode, John catches up with Enter Shikari frontman and producer, Rou Reynolds to breakdown how the band wrote, recorded and produced their new album ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’.   As the band’s most genre-bending album to date, Rou talks us through the challenges of combining techy metal, rave, reggae and ska influences with an oom-pah band and full symphony orchestra. Digging through his fifteen hard drives of demos and jams, we’re shown how every aspect of a track has a purpose and meaning – with detailed rhythms and distinctive sounds reflecting the state of the world in their own way.    Listen to hear the original gibberish lyrics that ended up making the final version of a song, how the band ended up forming and recording their toy drum kit and what plugins Rou uses to create his own audio cuddle.   Tracks discussed: THE GREAT UNKNOWN, Waltzing Off the Face of the Earth (1. Crescendo), satellites* *   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Nothing is True & Everything is Possible' here. 'Nothing is True & Everything is Possible' - SO Recordings/Silva Screen Records Limited Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Ableton Akai MPC Sampler Arp 2600 Arturia Synth Emulators Chandler REDD Microphone Farfisa Kemper Profiler Rack LOMO Channel Strip Native Instruments Massive Roland Jupiter 6 Sound Guru Mangle Plugin   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions):  Donate    Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions: Instagram Facebook Twitter   Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

19 Aug 20201h 39min