Brian Wilson Feels No Pressure When Creating His Sonically Beautiful Pocket Symphonies

BY MIKE METTLER — MAY 13, 2015

How does he do it? How does the eternal Beach Boy Brian Wilson keep composing all-new harmonically gorgeous and sonically seductive pocket symphonies (as he likes to call them), 50-plus years into his career? The answer, he says, is quite simple: “I know in my head — in […]

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Dream Into Action: Howard Jones Likes to Engage in High-Res Audio Practices Live and on Record

BY MIKE METTLER — MARCH 25, 2015

To borrow a song title, things can only get better for Howard Jones. Known for such indelible synth-driven ’80s hits like “What Is Love?,” “No One Is to Blame,” “New Song,” and “Everlasting Love,” Jones has focused his efforts in recent years on his inherent talents as a […]

By |March 25th, 2015|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on Dream Into Action: Howard Jones Likes to Engage in High-Res Audio Practices Live and on Record

Mark Rivera Digs Into a Deep Groove to Share His Uncommon Bond With Vinyl

BY MIKE METTLER — DECEMBER 10, 2014

When Mark Rivera isn’t splitting his time being Music Director for Ringo Starr or serving as a versatile multi-instrumentalist with Billy Joel (the latter for 32 years and counting), he’s doing what any good audiophile would — dropping the needle on some fine, fine wax. “The warmth of vinyl is like […]

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Deep Purple Drummer Ian Paice Celebrates Late DP Keyboardist Jon Lord’s Legacy as Composer and Rocker

BY MIKE METTLER — OCTOBER 10, 2014

“Souls, having touched, are forever entwined.” It’s a lyric penned by Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan in honor of his dear friend and late bandmate Jon Lord, the original keyboardist for Deep Purple who pioneered merging rock music with classical themes when he composed the material played jointly by […]

Play Me My Song: Mike Rutherford Opens Up About Genesis’ R-KIVE, Mike + The Mechanics & More

BY MIKE METTLER — SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

And then there were… five? The photo above is no trick of the tale, for you’re indeed seeing the five key members of Genesis — from the top of the stairs down, Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett, Peter Gabriel, and Mike Rutherford — together again for the […]

Sonic Sorcery, Part 1: A Peek Behind the Audio Curtain at Into the Unknown, by Roto’s Magic Act

BY JAMES ROTONDI — AUGUST 13, 2014

From The SoundBard’s desk: When my good friend James “Roto” Rotondi asked me if he could pen a series of essays about how to get great sound and what comprises great recordings for posting right here on The SoundBard, I immediately said, “Bring it on, brother!” Roto and I go […]

By |August 13th, 2014|Odds & Sods|Comments Off on Sonic Sorcery, Part 1: A Peek Behind the Audio Curtain at Into the Unknown, by Roto’s Magic Act

Damn the Two Channels: Tom Petty Producer Ryan Ulyate on How He Mixed Hypnotic Eye in Hi Res and 5.1

BY MIKE METTLER — AUGUST 1, 2014

“This band is so efficient, it’s scary.” It was November 16, 2012, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were already hard at work on the follow-up to 2010’s muscular Mojo. Petty was calling from an office adjacent to the control room at The Clubhouse, the longtime Los Angeles rehearsal space […]

By |August 1st, 2014|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on Damn the Two Channels: Tom Petty Producer Ryan Ulyate on How He Mixed Hypnotic Eye in Hi Res and 5.1

I’m Going to Give You Everything: Giles Martin on Mixing The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night in Surround Sound — and What Fab Album He Might Tackle Next

BY MIKE METTLER — JUNE 25, 2014

“I’m just into the ethos of having great sound,” says Giles Martin, describing his surround sound mixing philosophy. “The intention of what we do is to make the journey as seamless as possible. I want people to enjoy what they’re listening to without thinking about it.” Martin’s “natural […]

By |June 25th, 2014|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on I’m Going to Give You Everything: Giles Martin on Mixing The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night in Surround Sound — and What Fab Album He Might Tackle Next

Tiers of Actual Sighs: Richard X. Heyman Puts The X in Songwriting & Pop Rocking Excellence

BY MIKE METTLER

Richard X. Heyman is a rock & roll lifer. I first became exposed to his indelible brand of garage pop on his 1990 solo album Living Room!! (Cypress), instantly falling for the hooks of “Union County Line” and “Local Paper.” (And, yes, I do have it on vinyl, folks.) Soon thereafter, I learned […]

All You Need Is LOVE: The Beatles’ Revolution Lives on at The Mirage in Las Vegas

BY MIKE METTLER

“Love is all around you.” It’s a phrase that enveloped me in full during the climax of The Beatles — LOVE. My reaction? “Yeah yeah yeah!” The 7:00 p.m. performance on January 10, 2014 was my fifth time seeing this Cirque du Soleil extravaganza in its 7 years (and counting) at The […]