this is just a trick to keep from typing today

[Dave Pensado]

I was thinking about crossroads in my career today. I started thinking if I would be doing things differently if I had not heard and admired certain mixes. SO, WHAT ARE THE 5 (FIVE!) MIXES THAT INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST? I'm not saying that you liked best, but mixes you studied and ultimately changed how you work (if you are a producer, include yours also). I know, I have seen a million posts like this before, but come on, you asswipes owe me one easy day! Here's mine:

1. Cie La Vie-Robbie Neville
2. Any Frankie Goes to Hollywood by Trevor Horn
3. The Dude-Quincy Jones
4. Fixx-Teddy Riley and Blackstreed
5. 3-4 year old anything by Andy Wallace

After hearing these I had to change something about what I was doing.

[LumenStudio]

Well I only have two that I really fell in love with and that got me into recording more seriously:

Deftones - Around The Fur - Terry Date
NIN - The Fragile - (I think this was a colaborative mix between Alan Moulder and Trent Reznor among others)

[entropy]

1) Mellon collie and the infinate sadness. Smashing Pumpkins. Flood and Alan Moulder
2) I can't remember what #2 was
3)Midnight Marauders. ATCQ. Bob Power
4)OK Computer. Radiohead. Nigel Goodrich
5)... not an obvious "mix" choice but I love the simplicity of it all, and Trevor Horn has had bigger and better things but, anything from Art of Noise

[mersisblue]

Id like to say that it's hard to differentiate if its the mixing or the arranging that affects me the most

but I admire both in all of these

1 - the disc moon dance van morrisan

2- the four seasons edecember 1963

3- 3 doors down kryptonite album

4 - nirvana nevermind

5- mettallica black album

PS I try and " study " everything I listen to but if I had to study some these would be my first 5

[heinz]

Originally posted by Dave Pensado
4. Fixx-Teddy Riley and Blackstreed

Not an AE (musician) but I'm right there with ya on that one, those guitar sounds are epic.

[Paul David]

This is from a producer's prospective.

One in a million & up jumped the boogie by Timbaland
California Love by Dre
One more chance by Biggs (still don't know who produced it)
Voodoo (the whole album)
Diary of a mad band (whole album) by Devante Swing


From a mixer's perspective

Silent Night by Kelly price (my favorite mix)
The singles off the most recent three doors down cd
U-turn
Voodoo
Jill Scott's first CD

[pentajigga]

a bit off the main idea but the for what its worth, most of the top drumNbass 12" floating around at any time will be mixed incredibly. i mean the whole genre is almost based on the mix-downs.

[sismundi]

I'm such a sucker for lists.

1. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division (Martin Hannett)
2. Wrote For Luck - Happy Mondays (Martin Hannett)
3. Into Shallow - My Blood Valentine (Kevin Shields)
4. Secret Seperation - The Fixx (Rupert Hine)
5. Feel Flows - Beach Boys (Stephen W. Desper)

[verystrange]

Chicago Transit Authority
ZZ Top - Mescelaro - Joe Hardy
Chris Knight - Pretty Good Guy - Joe Hardy
Fiona Apple - When The Pawn - Rich Costey
Allison Moorer - Miss Fortune - Massenberg

Actually these records have change everything about my mixes, my recording, and my musical taste.

[Prickstein]

1. King For a Day...- Faith No More - Andy Wallace. (Anything mixed by Andy rocks)
2. Wish- Nine Inch Nails- Reznor/ Flood (if a guitar could vomit, it would sound like the verses)
3. White Pony- Deftones- Terry Date. (80% of drummers still ask me to make them sound like this)
4.Chocolate Starfish... Limp Bizkit - Terry Date p, Andy Wallace m
5.Sunk Loto - Album Demos- (My own work). Wrote, recorded and mixed a song a day for the sessions. Kicks ass over the released album for vibe and vocal delivery. Big lesson in not thinkin about it too much. Now if only Sony would let me do their next album...

[RichT]

There's the temptation with topics like this to quote obscure records and engineers to somehow appear cool...

And there's also my list

1. Foos - Colour And The Shape (Gil Norton / Chris Sheldon)

2. RHCP - Bloodsugarsexmagik (Brendan O'Brien / Rick Rubin)

3. Terrorvision - Regular Urban Survivors (Roy Spong (friend of Jules?) + Gil Norton)

4. Pearl Jam - Yield (Nick Didia / Brendan O'Brien)

Latest one that made me sit up was:

5. Muse - Absolution (Rich Costey)

[djui5]

NIN-Fragile
Tool-Undertow
Tool-Laterallus
Rage Against the Machine-All of them
Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon
Fleetwood Mac-Greatest Hits


These have all influenced my work...and I look for the ultimate in sound quality and the perfect mix with every sessions....

These albums keep me going.....keep me trying harder.....and help me get through the hard times.........Without something to work towards we all just work in circles.....


Influences make the world go round.

[Chrisac]

Originally posted by Dave Pensado
I was thinking about crossroads in my career today. I started thinking if I would be doing things differently if I had not heard and admired certain mixes. SO, WHAT ARE THE 5 (FIVE!) MIXES THAT INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST? I'm not saying that you liked best, but mixes you studied and ultimately changed how you work (if you are a producer, include yours also). I know, I have seen a million posts like this before, but come on, you asswipes owe me one easy day! Here's mine:

1. Cie La Vie-Robbie Neville
2. Any Frankie Goes to Hollywood by Trevor Horn
3. The Dude-Quincy Jones
4. Fixx-Teddy Riley and Blackstreed
5. 3-4 year old anything by Andy Wallace

After hearing these I had to change something about what I was doing.

Im not trying to be Sir Dave 11 my list is similiarish.

The first time I heard FGH 'Relax' it simply blew me away. This was also my introduction to Trevor Horn. It took them 3 months to do the bassline in a Synclavier....Thats dedication :)

From that moment I was influenced more by producers. In my early years I liked these guys. In no particulr order.


1. Trevor Horn
2. Quincy Jones (the diversity of the dude)
3. Wilf Smarties (completely unknown, but genius imo, his major influence was Quincy Jones. Wilfs tip I still remember to this day "Less Is best"
4. Bernard Edwards (Power station Stuff)
5. Terry Jam + Jimi Lewis


My tastes have changed these days but those guys were an influnece......Now Im more in to dudes like DJ shadow.

:)
PS
OH, and I got signed to ZTT.....YIPEEEEE I was on TH's Label. 3 months later the bastard dropped me after one single...

[djui5]

Originally posted by Chrisac

My tastes have changed these days but those guys were an influnece......Now Im more in to dudes like DJ shadow.

Awesome dj...

u like Z-trip also?

[Chrisac]

Originally posted by djui5
Awesome dj...

u like Z-trip also?

Yes he is, but he's also a great producer. Perhaps not in the production/sonic sense but in ideas. I heard he recently switched from an MPC 1000 to a PT's rig. His sound has changed and not for the better. He's gone a bit shiny

Never heard of Z-trip. Going to check him out now

[Berolzheimer]

Brian Eno- Another Green World
Pink Floyd- Wish you Were Here & Dark Side of the Moon

Those three records probably more than anything are what got me interested in engineering & mixing. Also Talkikng Heads "Remain in Light", although I was already starting my apprenticeship when that one came out.

[Conner]

My list will contain favorites of both mixing and production:

top five lately in no particular order:

Vindicated-Dashboard Confessional-(Terry Date)
tie-February Stars and Hey, Johnny Park- FooFighters-(Gil Norton)
Go or Go Ahead-Rufus Wainwright(not sure please help)
Gran Turismo-the Cardigans-(Torre Johannsen)
Coccoon Crash- K's Choice-(Gil Norton)
Give Me A Feeling- eL-(Charles Dye mixing-not sure producer)

These are my latest guilty pleasures in the realm of both production and mixing.

Cheers.
-Conner

[doorknocker]

1. Frank Sinatra- 'Mood Indigo' (from 'In the wee small hours') Engineer??
2. Jeff Buckley- all of 'Grace' and especially 'Last Goodbye' and 'Dream Brother' / Andy Wallace
3. Radiohead - 'High + Dry' John Leckie
4. Steely Dan- all of 'Aja' - credited engineers:Nichols/Scheiner/Schnee/Schmitt.... who mixed??
5. Zep- Whole lotta love..... George Chkiantz??

Andi

[living sounds]

Christina Aguilera - Genie in a Bottle

I love the way all those weird sounds fit together so naturally and yet every single element cuts through clearly.

Massive Attack - Angel

This track is mixed as close to perfect as possible.


Well, there are too many. It really get's to flavor more than better or worse, it depends. For example, I like those energetic pop mixes Tom Lord Alge does. They sound huge. Or the perfectly crafted Bruce Svedien Mixes. Listening to Michael Jacksons "Dangerous" I always think soundwise it was way ahead of it's time.

[Autowow]

1. Jeff Buckly - Grace. Amazing Album.
2. Radiohead - The bends & OK Computer. Amazing guitar sounds & 3D mixes.
3. U2 - Joshua Tree & Achtung Baby. I think the low end on The Joshua Tree is Damn perfect.
4. Black Crowes - Southern Harmony... Musical Companion...
5. Weezer - Blue Album. Again Monster guitars.

All around these albums changed the way I mix.

[Jalabodu]

Dark Side Of The Moon
Toy Matinee
Van Halen - Fair Warning (their best ever)
RHCP - Blood Sugar Sex Magik


Definately some diverse styles but great nevertheless.

[Gregg Sartiano]

This isn't the "all-time" top five (I can't think that hard this early!)...

I'm in a very Jon Brion mood (as usual!)

1) Jellyfish "Spilt Milk" -- Jellyfish gets accused of ripping off Queen on this album, but whoever thinks that just hasn't gotten past track 3. This record is intense in every respect -- it just had the bad fortune to come around when Nirvana was, in the words of Tom Petty, cutting down the old guard "like wheat before the scythe." The only problem is -- Jellyfish wasn't the old guard...talk about throwing out the baby with the bathwater! Jack Joseph Puig mix(?)...the man! Also, Jon Brion's musicianship is all over this record. As for the mixing, if you've seen the foldout inside cover pic...they use every instrument known to man on this record, and yet it all WORKS! Brilliant!

2) The Grays "Ro Sham Bo" -- This one is out of print. I spent $20 at Amoeba Hollywood for it, and it was worth every penny. J.J. Puig, again (prod. & mix) -- key members are Jon Brion and Jason Falkner, both singing (usually alternating songs -- J.B.'s "Lennon" to J.F.'s "McCartney"). I burned it so I wouldn't f&*k up the original, then made a copy (sorry!) for a producer/studio owner friend I work with a lot. Two weeks later, it was STILL all we were listening to! (the album's from 1994). With those two playing all over it, all you have to do to mix is let the musicianship shine -- there are many spots with hard pan left/right guitars (J.B. one side, J.F. on the other) dry as f&^k! BTW: seems like J.J. Puig likes those hard pans & de-esses a little more than most -- am I the only one who's noticed?

3) Rufus Wainwright (self-titled) -- Here is Jon's instrumental credit, if that gives you any idea of the scope of the record:

Jon Brion (vibes, marimba, chamberlin, accordion, bass, baritone guitar, optigan, S-6, baritone acoustic guitar, background vocals, percussion, timpani, crotales, celeste, temple blocks, assorted bells, tuned toms, mandolin, drums, tack piano, guitar, pick bass)

On top of that, Rufus Wainwright's got a tendency toward the quirky & operatic -- think Queen meets Todd Rundgren in one body! And the string arrangements are great as well. Bob Clearmountain mixed this. A much overlooked, very ambitious work. Had the divine providence to be released (by Dreamworks) in the wake of Biggie & 'Pac, when Puff Daddy, Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit and Eminem ruled the airwaves, during Clear Channel's big growth phase. Oops. (BTW: I love all of these artists, esp. Eminem. In that era, though, they brought new meaning to the term "sucking all of the oxygen out of the room" in regards to music industry exposure & promotion. That's all.).

4) "Magnolia" soundtrack -- Particularly the Oscar-nominated "Save Me." The Aimee Mann songs are absolutely stunning works of craft & artistry, and Jon Brion's all over this record (as usual -- he's been working with Aimee Mann since joining a later incarnation of 'Til Tuesday in 1987(?)). The arrangements are often sparse and yet harmonically rich -- Jon Brion's refined sense of how to use extended ("jazz") harmony tastefully in popular music is in evidence here. Bob Clearmountain, once again, ladies and gentlemen. This album is a study in using "small" sounds to make a big impression.

5) Jon Brion "Meaningless" -- What does a top producer/multi-instrumentalist do in his spare time? Get together his friends and make the best f^&king record ever! J.J. Puig mix, Matt Chamberlain drums (I think...), Jon Brion -- basically everything else. Think "Magnolia" times ten. And the ethereal seven minute-or-so cover of Cheap Trick's "Voices" at the end...Again, a lot of extended harmony here but extremely listenable, yet quirky at times -- it's a kaleidoscope of musical feelings and expression, immaculately recorded and mixed (dry as f&^k with hard pans, J.J. Puig-style!). It was self-released with no promo -- I picked it up at Amoeba Hollywood. See below for an article quote:

*******************************************

http://www.idiot-dog.com/embrionic/t...obe000813.html
Brion signed a record deal with Lava, an Atlantic Records subsidiary, in 1997. Over the next two years he recorded not one, not two, but three versions of his album Meaningless, all of which were rejected. The label finally gave him his walking papers, and his record back, last fall.

Brion tried to get the album out on the Internet, through the ArtistDirect Web site, but it turns out that an overenthusiastic fan in the Midwest had registered all the obvious Web domain names for Jon Brion - a situation that is still unresolved.

"I called and told him he'd created a beautiful piece of work. I said it was a work of art," says Jason Flom, president of Lava/Atlantic Records, who has enjoyed successes with Sugar Ray, Matchbox 20, and Kid Rock. "But I wasn't sure a major label could do this particular record justice." In other words, the label couldn't figure out how to market Brion's music in any of the handful of stylistic niches that define mainstream, major-label commerce.

"It's a weird one for me," says Flom, "because I'm a fan. I mean, Jon Brion couldn't make a bad record. If he decides that what he craves is mainstream acceptance, he'll make an album that could be tremendously successful. He could come up with a fantastic album that wouldn't sacrifice his credibility. It's just that he does whatever he wants to, whenever he wants. I'm not sure he isn't happiest doing what he's doing now: Largo, and producing [other artists], and writing movie scores.

************************************
Thank you, music industry!

HONORABLE MENTION: Fiona Apple "Criminal." Danceable, organic, harmonically rich (check out the piano & strings rideout at the end) -- if you've forgotten how great this one is, give it another listen.

[DirkB]

Ok, my list, some recent, some older:

1 Toto - Tambu (Elliot Scheiner)
Their first with Simon Phillips. Listen to "I will remember", man those drums...

2 Peter Gabriel - Up
Quite new and it sets a new standard for production.

3 Tool - Aenima
My favourite heavy album with one of the best roomsounds on the drums.

4 Jeff Buckley - Grace
The singer of the album I just finished showed me this one, AW's best work, amazing live playing and unbelievable depth to the sound.

5 Dave Matthews Band - Before these crowded streets. Hey, my altime favourite album, cannot not having it in a list .

Greetings,
Dirk

[Jose Mrochek]

I used to play classical piano for almost 7 years. Then my older brother got me the sheet music for "the wall" when I was 15. Basically, changed my life for ever. I still think "the wall" is by far the greatest album of all time. To me, it's all downhill from there. It's got everything, it's as close to perfection I think anyone has got. Even though like you said Dave, I still like to have McDonalds from time to time

[Jay Kahrs]

I'm surprised at all the people who like the way Grace sounds. Sure, great songs and dynamics but the whole thing sounds like a demo IMHO.

I can't think of any mixes that made me change my mixing style persay. Sure, there are some that I dig and I'll A/B to a lot when mixing but that's about as far as it goes.

1. Silvergun Superman - STP
2. Brother Sister - Brand New Heavies (whole album)
3. I Wanna Live Again - Black #9
4. Stars - Hum
5. Amorica - Black Crowes (whole album)

[Conner]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
I'm surprised at all the people who like the way Grace sounds. Sure, great songs and dynamics but the whole thing sounds like a demo IMHO.


-Gotta check out the remaster. SOunds even better in my opinion.
Really opened up AW's mix. A little on the hot side but I dig the mix even more now!

[Don Srygley]

Just a few things off the top of my head...in no particuliar order:

Supertramp - Breakfast In America
Jellyfish - Bellybutton
Jellyfish - Spilt Milk
Seal - Bring It On...and other Trevor Horn stuff
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger - (Outshined in particuliar)
The Toadies - Rubberneck
Anything by The Story (featuring Jonatha Brooke)
Go West & Amy Grant (from the 80's)

Whoops! I went past 5...and I know there's many more I'm leaving out, but these were just a few that I remember that made me go "Whoa!"

[RichT]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
I'm surprised at all the people who like the way Grace sounds. Sure, great songs and dynamics but the whole thing sounds like a demo IMHO.

Wha???

If you're recording demos like that get the hell out of NJ and down(up?) to the L.A!

[lesique]

Christina Aguilera - Genie in a Bottle

Awsome no doubt about it...

1 Toto - Tambu (Elliot Scheiner)

Couldn't agree more...

also , Andy Wallace stuff,

and last but not least - Trevor Horn - for me at least,those are absolutely the BEST arranged/ produced albums of all times.

Cheers,

[illacov]

Vintage

#1 Nora Jones - Don't Know Why You Didn't Come
incredibly mixed vox. Reminds me in so many ways of the
sounds i hear off Billy Holiday records, of course its not B.
Holiday!

Environment
#2 Anything by Bob Marley....Well how about Can this Be Love?
I always admired how they were able to make a studio
recording sound so staged and alive...especially on the
background vox.

Great Modern/Acoustic
#3 "In the arms of the Angel.." I dont really know the name of the
artist but i LUV how clear her voice sounds and yet the piano
retains a good deal of character throughout the song. Whats
really funny is I thought this should have been the theme
song to Titanic...I kind of thought that the Celine Dion song
was too Disney for the movie..meanwhile this song had that
old world feel to it lyrically which made it a plus for me.

Modern Pop/R+B
#4 Somebody beat me to it...but f##k Alicia Keyes and India Arie..Jill Scott's first album and for that matter the second and 3rd album sound INCREDIBLE... Her first album is my standard for maintaining the organics of the music i produce record and distribute..."Is it the way?" Still one of my absolute FAVORITE songs she's ever done...the live version is incredible also with the Sax solo...oh my god what a great artist...but also what a great team of producers, writers and engineers! Independent as hell you go girl!

Hip Hop/Rap
#4 How has anyone missed out on this guy? NAS...3 songs come to mind....Made You Look, Last Real N*gga Alive and Thief's Theme. THE VOCALS are SUPERB on these cuts that he did...I dunno what the recording chain is...if its all analog or digital a blend of both...what mike was used ...but the vocals are like God almighty on these songs without a HINT of distortion to the naked listener...I WISH...i could get my vocals this huge and crisp sounding...F*ck whatcha herd...these songs define an engineers role to the fullest. If any of the pro ME or AEs whatever on this board want to hawk their skills or value in the industry..then you will earn my money by providing me with proof that you can replicate the results of these 3 songs in a hip hop context...I have never heard anything similar from ANYONE EVER quality wise the sound quality speaks volumes...BELIEVE ME EVERY single rapper alive wants their voice to be heard this clear and intimate.

Rock
#5 Its a 3 way tie between Radio Head, Portishead and Bjork

Each one has the ability to give you various spins on the previous 4 examples i cited for being my influence and this alone makes them incredible in my opinion...not only as artists but also the calls that have been made when its time to engineer their albums i applaud them over the years for their committment to excellence and sometimes the not so excellent....

As a whole
LETS HEAR IT FOR THE RISK TAKERS you scared miscreant *****s! Im tired of people askin the "pros" questions and only doing what they do...the pros didnt get to where they are without experimentation and trial and error....Thank god that people like Dave arent all liars and thieves.
Dave thank you for pointing this out time and again.
You're a mans mans

Peace
Illumination
CEO, Mt. Olympus Records