Tape Notes is a podcast about the art and craft of music production. Hosted by John Kennedy, each episode reunites an artist and producer to talk about the high...
John is joined by Oli Sykes and Lee Malia of Bring Me The Horizon, as well as producer Dan Lancaster, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest album ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’.
Bring Me the Horizon, formed in 2004 in Sheffield, evolved from deathcore to genre-blending innovators, incorporating electronics, classical, and pop influences. With seven studio albums, over 5 million records sold, and electrifying live shows, they’ve built a global fanbase and earned multiple Grammy nominations. Their latest release, ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’, continues their evolution, produced by long-time collaborator Dan Lancaster.
Catching up at Stongroom Studios, Oli, Lee and Dan talk us through the incredibly fast-paced process of bringing the album together, sharing the countless demos, crazy sound design, and secret details meticulously hidden within each track.
Tracks discussed: Kool-Aid, Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd, DIg It,
TAPE IT
Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.
Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.
MUSIVERSAL
Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE
LISTEN to ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’ here.
Sony Music Entertainment
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
ElastiquePitch 2
Soundtoys Little AlterBoy
Native Instruments Kontakt
GetGood Drums
Antares Autotune
AudioMovers
Output Arcade
DJI LAV Mic
Moises
Avid ProTools
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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
YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast
Discord: Tape Notes
Patreon: Tape Notes
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
TAPE NOTES TEAM
John Kennedy
Will Brown
Tim Adam-Smith
Will Lyons
Nico Varanese
Guy Nicholls
Jessica Clucas
Ali Lewis
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1:43:17
TN:147 Lizzy McAlpine, Mason Stoops & Taylor Mackall
John is joined by Lizzy McAlpine, and co-producer Mason Stoops and co-writer Taylor Mackall, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Older (and Wiser)’.
Lizzy McAlpine is a singer-songwriter and producer who first gained popularity by sharing covers on SoundCloud and YouTube. Her debut album, ‘Give Me a Minute’, arrived in 2020, however, it was her second album, ‘Five Seconds Flat’, that solidified her as a rising force, with the platinum-selling single ‘ceilings’ becoming a global hit. Her latest record, ‘Older’, blurs the lines between studio and stage, exploring themes of heartbreak and self-acceptance; recorded in LA, it was produced by Lizzy and Mason Stoops.
Catching up at Miloco’s The Pool studio ahead of the London leg of their tour, Lizzy, Mason, and Taylor discuss their approach to writing the album—from Lizzy’s intimate, bedroom demos to their collaborative recording process that transformed it into a full band album.
Tracks discussed: The Elevator, Pushing It Down and Praying, Force of Nature
TAPE IT
Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.
Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.
MUSIVERSAL
Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE
LISTEN to ‘Older (and Wiser)’ here.
RCA Records, Indigo Blue
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
Baldwin Fun Machine
Baldwin Fun Machine (VST)
Danelectro Bass VI
Austin Hooks Projector Amp
Benson Nathan Junior Amp
Univox U45B Amp
Echoplex EP2 Pedal
Chase Bliss Audio Pedals
Mellotron
Shure SM57
Neumann U67
Neumann U87
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
KEEP UP TO DATE
For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:
Instagram: @tapenotes
SubStack: Tape Notes
Facebook: @tapenotespodcast
YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast
Discord: Tape Notes
Patreon: Tape Notes
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
TAPE NOTES TEAM
John Kennedy
Will Brown
Tim Adam-Smith
Will Lyons
Nico Varanese
Guy Nicholls
Jessica Clucas
Ali Lewis
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1:58:52
TN:146 Pixies & Tom Dalgety
John is joined by Pixies, Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis), and producer Tom Dalgety, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest album ‘The Night The Zombies Came’.
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band widely acclaimed as one of the pioneers of the late 1980s rock movement. Their first three albums - Surfer Rosa (1988), Dolittle (1989) and Bossanova (1990) - defined an era as well as earning the band much critical success. The Pixies have influenced numerous prominent artists including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, The Strokes and Weezer. Since re-forming in 2004, they have maintained a steady creative output, working closely with producer Tom Dalgety.
Catching up at Strongroom Studios, Charles and Tom share stories from their album writing process, including the last minute track that Tom snuck onto the record, the inspiration that came from trips around the English countryside, and the creative results of Charles’s temper tantrums (which included his songwriting notebook ending up on the studio roof!).
Tracks discussed: The Vegas Suite, I Hear You Mary, Jane (The Night the Zombies Came)
TAPE IT
Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.
Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 20% off.
ROLAND
Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com
MUSIVERSAL
Skip the waitlist and get your discount HERE
LISTEN to ‘The Night The Zombies Came’ here.
Pixies Recordings, BMG Rights Management Limited
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
Eventide H9 Max
Shure SM7B
MXC Carbon Copy
TC Electronic Bucket Brigade
Fender Reverb Tank
Vox Practice Amp
AC30 Amp
Takamine Guitars
Martin Guitars
Avid ProTools
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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
YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast
Discord: Tape Notes
Patreon: Tape Notes
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
TAPE NOTES TEAM
John Kennedy
Will Brown
Tim Adam-Smith
Will Lyons
Nico Varanese
Guy Nicholls
Jessica Clucas
Ali Lewis
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1:49:42
TN:145 Clean Bandit (Part 2)
John is back with Jack Patterson and Grace Chatto of Clean Bandit, for part two of their conversation, this time, talking about how they wrote, recorded, and produced some of their more recent hits.
Clean Bandit are an English electronic group formed in 2008, known for blending classical music with electronics and pop. While they gained early attention with the track ‘Mozart’s House,’ their 2014 hit ‘Rather Be,’ featuring Jess Glynne, won a Grammy and earned the band global recognition. Now pop mainstays, they have released numerous chart-topping collaborations, including ‘Rockabye’ and ‘Symphony.’ With two studio albums to their name and new music on the horizon, their most recent work sees them teaming up with Anne-Marie and David Guetta.
In this, part two of our conversation, Jack and Grace take us through the early versions and of their track ‘Symphony’ (following its resurgence on TikTok), and discuss how their creative process has changed over the years, taking apart ‘Cry Baby’, and digging into the multiple remixes of the track.
Tracks discussed: Symphony, Cry Baby
TAPE IT
Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.
Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 50% off. (Valid until 29th November 2024)
ROLAND
Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com
MUSIVERSAL
Skip the waitlist and get your 25% discount HERE
LISTEN to ‘Symphony’ here.
LISTEN to ‘Cry Baby’ here.
Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
Korg Polysix
Korg MS-20
Alicia’s Keys
Ilya Efimov Plugins
Spectrasonics Keyscape
Ample Sounds Guitar
808 Warfare
Antares Autotune
Xfer Serum
Nexus
XLN Audio RC-20
Valhalla Vintage Verb
Universal Audio Teletronix LA-3A Audio Leveler
Pultec EQP‑1A
CL1b Compressor
Neumann U87
1176 Limiter
Neve PreAmp 1073
Ableton Operator Synth
Ableton
Avid ProTools
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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
YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast
Discord: Tape Notes
Patreon: Tape Notes
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
TAPE NOTES TEAM
Will Brown
Tim Adam-Smith
Will Lyons
Nico Varanese
Guy Nicholls
Ali Lewis
Jessica Clucas
--------
1:06:04
TN:144 Bonobo
John sits down with English musician, producer, and DJ Simon Green, better known as Bonobo, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced works from across his back catalogue.
Bonobo first caught attention with his 1999 debut. Over the years, his evolving sound, often including elements of world music, nu-jazz and electronica, have earned him a devoted following. This popularity surged with the release of critically acclaimed albums including 'Black Sands' and 'The North Borders', released via Ninja Tune, which earned him multiple Grammy nominations and solidified his status as one of the biggest names in dance music. His latest work, the single, ‘Expander’ released in August 2024, is a slice of fresh yet unmistakable Bonobo, weaving organic vocals and instrumentation with vibrant dance floor energy.
Catching up at Baltic Studios, not too far from where Simon recorded his early work, the conversation digs into Bonobo’s creative process, discussing how he builds his unique drum patterns as well as exploring the essential plugins and sounds that shape his distinctive style.
Tracks discussed: Expander, Sapien, Cirrus, Black Sands
TAPE IT
Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast.
Visit tape.it/tapenotes or use the promo code TAPENOTES in the app to get 50% off. (Valid until 29th November)
ROLAND
Get 10% off Roland Cloud Ultimate Membership with the code TAPENOTES RC-1024 at rolandcloud.com
MUSIVERSAL
Skip the waitlist and get your 25% discount HERE
LISTEN to ‘Expander’ here.
LISTEN to ‘Fragments’ here.
LISTEN to ‘Black Sands’ here.
Ninja Tune
LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES
linktr.ee/tapenotes
Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective
GEAR MENTIONS
Knock Drum Buss Plugin
Soundtoys Decapitator
Soundtoys Little Alterboy
Valhalla Room
Valhalla Vintage Verb
Miroslav Philharmonik Strings
Slate & Ash Landforms
Slate & Ash Cycles
Slate & Ash Choreographs
TB Reelbus
Intellijel Plonk Module
Make Noise Optomix
Noise Engineering Basimilus
Oberheim Xpander
Oberheim OB8
Roland TR-808
Ableton Operator
Ableton
Logic X
OUR GEAR
https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear
HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW
If you'd like to help support the show you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.
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
YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast
Discord: Tape Notes
Patreon: Tape Notes
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
TAPE NOTES TEAM
Will Brown
Tim Adam-Smith
Will Lyons
Nico Varanese
Guy Nicholls
Jessica Clucas
Katie-Louise Buxton
Seb Brunner-Stolovitzky
Tape Notes is a podcast about the art and craft of music production. Hosted by John Kennedy, each episode reunites an artist and producer to talk about the highlights of their collaboration in the studio. Their conversations lift the lid on every stage of the creative process, from kindling the first spark of a song idea, through decisions on style and instrumentation, to finessing the final product. Full of fascinating anecdotes, the conversations also feature early demo versions and stems from the original session recordings. The result is a unique insight into the working methods of some of the most innovative and exciting talents in music.