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Gear Club Podcast

Music Podcasts

Gear Club Podcast is hosted by engineer / producers John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) and Stewart Lerman (Patti Smith, St. Vincent). Each episode of the podcast features an interview with a key player in the audio industry, and also offers tips and guidance to the next generation of engineers and artists. The podcast is an informative, yet irreverent, look at the art of recording by leading practitioners of the art.

Location:

United States

Description:

Gear Club Podcast is hosted by engineer / producers John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) and Stewart Lerman (Patti Smith, St. Vincent). Each episode of the podcast features an interview with a key player in the audio industry, and also offers tips and guidance to the next generation of engineers and artists. The podcast is an informative, yet irreverent, look at the art of recording by leading practitioners of the art.

Language:

English

Contact:

201-970-8730


Episodes

Ketchup with Russell Wedelich

2/29/2024
In 2018 the H9000 Harmonizer®, Eventide’s flagship multi effects processor, won a TEC award for best signal processing hardware. We had the team behind the H9000’s design and development on the podcast in Episodes #66.1, #66.2 and #66.3 to talk about the process of designing, building, and testing the latest in Eventide’s revered Harmonizer line. Now we’re back to talk about what’s new at Eventide and the 2023 TEC award for best signal processing software awarded to their revolutionary equalizer plugin, SplitEQ. Russell Wedelich is the VP of development and director of signal processing at Eventide and had a heavy hand in writing the DSP code that went into the H9000. He’s also the lead DSP engineer responsible for the SplitEQ plugin and its patented technology. Russ and I got to chat about what went into developing SplitEQ, the new Eventide H90 Harmonizer pedal, and the culture that makes Eventide so consistently innovative. For more from Russell and the rest of the H9000 team check out Gear Club Episodes #66.1, #66.2 and #66.3.

Duration:00:29:30

#93: The Singer and the Song with Thom Panunzio

12/22/2023
In this episode, we’re delighted to talk with industry legend, Thom Panunzio. Getting his start as an assistant at NYC’s Record Plant, Thom went on to work in every facet of the music business. He’s produced, mixed, and engineered albums for Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Joan Jett, Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Alice Cooper, and Aerosmith just to name a few. He helped design The Hit Factory in NYC, A&M Studios in LA, and the Thom Thom Club in Santa Monica, and was the Executive VP for Universal Music and head of A&R at Geffen Records for many years. Thom talks with John and Stewart about his time on staff at the Record Plant, his favorite mixing desks, his reluctant entrance into the world of A&R, and how the industry and technology has changed over the course of his almost 50 year career.

Duration:01:13:35

Ketchup with Greg Calbi

11/15/2023
Mastering engineer extraordinaire Greg Calbi is a dear friend and was our guest on Gear Club Episode #2 way back in January of 2017. Over the last 50 years Greg has mastered a seemingly endless list of albums across every genera of music, and it’s almost a certainty he’s had a hand in the making of one of your favorite records. In this episode Greg and I got to chat about Sterling Sound moving from Manhattan to its new facility in Edgewater NJ, his workflow from converters to compressors to clients, and the unique changes, challenges, and expectations of modern mastering.

Duration:00:38:17

#92: Capturing the Passion with Bob Gruen

10/17/2023
In this episode, we sit down for a conversation with renowned rock photographer Bob Gruen. Bob has been documenting the artists, concerts, and clubs that have come to define rock music, and is responsible for some of the most iconic images of the idiom. Listen in as Bob talks with hosts John and Stewart about his artistic philosophy, his move from film to digital, and being a part of music history.

Duration:00:40:46

#91: The David Mansfield Multiverse

9/28/2023
This month, we’re thrilled to have David Mansfield on the show, a composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger with a long and storied career. We have each worked with David for a long time, and know firsthand the talent and depth he brings to all the music he touches. Growing up in New Jersey and beginning his career in local bands, he started playing with Bob Neuwirth at The Bitter End and, at 18, joined Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue. From there, he went on to tour and record with Dylan over many albums, and in his 50-year career has worked with an endless variety of artists, including Sting, Van Morrison, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Bobby McFerrin, David Byrne, The Wainwrights, The Roches, really the list goes on and on. He’s also composed an equally extensive list of music for film and television, including The movies “Heaven’s Gate” and “The Apostle” and, most recently the Showtime Limited Series “George & Tammy”. In this episode, David discusses his early career and influences, touring with Dylan, his scoring and composition work, and demonstrates the Psaltery, one of the more unique of his many instruments.

Duration:01:13:00

#90: Fur Peace from Everywhere with Jorma Kaukonen

1/19/2023
In this episode, we talk with Jorma Kaukonen, electric guitarist extraordinaire for Jefferson Airplane, vocalist/blues picker for Hot Tuna, prolific solo artist, and all-around great guy. At 81 years young, Jorma is still writing, teaching, and gigging with no signs of slowing down. Listen in as we chat about his early career playing Bay Area clubs with Janis Joplin, life in The Airplane, his guitar mentors, speedskating, touring, and teaching guitar at his Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio.

Duration:00:48:02

#89: Michael Imperioli: Zen and the Art of the Power Trio

11/18/2022
Michael Imperioli is an Emmy award-winning actor, writer, novelist, and musician best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO series "The Sopranos". Since 2006 Michael has fronted the indie rock band "Zopa", and is currently working on a new album with our very own John Agnello. In this episode, Michael talks with our hosts about the parallels between acting and music performance and production, his musical influences, writing songs and screenplays, working on the new record, and whether you can know if a project is going to be a hit.

Duration:00:56:38

#88: Celebrating John Lennon

10/7/2022
In this special Gear Club episode, we celebrate the post-Beatle life of John Lennon, who would have turned 82 this year on October 9th. After The Beatles broke up, John and Yoko moved to New York where John produced, recorded, and played songs that spoke to the post-60s generation as they struggled for justice and an end to war. John Lennon impacted the lives of all those he came across, and that impact continues to live on. To mark the occasion of his birth, we’ve collected first-hand accounts from the producers and engineers who worked most closely with John as he wrote and recorded songs from “Imagine” to “Starting Over”. These people include Shelly Yakus, Jack Douglas, Rod O’Brien, Ed Stasium, Jay Messina, and Greg Calbi.

Duration:01:00:58

#87: Cross Pollinate with Dave Darlington (Part 1)

9/22/2022
Dave Darlington is a Grammy award-winning engineer, producer, mastering engineer, and musician who has recorded, mixed, composed, and played in just about every genre of music. He’s worked with the likes of Wayne Shorter, C+C Music Factory, Sting, and Miles Davis among many others. In this interview, Dave takes us through his journey to becoming an engineer, the joys and trials of running his own studio, Bass Hit, shares his recording ethos and inspiration, and gives some key advice on how to get ahead in the industry.

Duration:00:53:22

#86: Lessons Learned with Steve Marcantonio

8/2/2022
In this episode, John & Stewart chat with GRAMMY award-winning engineer and producer, Steve Marcantonio. Steve is a staple of the Nashville music scene but got his start in New York at The Record Plant under the instruction of the likes of Roy Cicala and Jay Messina. Listen in as Steve discusses his journey through the ranks at The Record Plant, his move to Nashville, and shares some insights on how to get a leg up as an engineer.

Duration:00:54:15

#85: A Better Island with Matt Wallace

6/23/2022
Matt Wallace is a producer, engineer, and musician with over 30 years in the industry, working with the likes of Maroon 5, The Replacements, Faith No More, O.A.R, and Paul Westerberg. Lately, Matt’s been working extensively on new and catalog mixing in ATMOS from his studio in Van Nuys, CA. In this interview he takes us through the technical and artistic aspects of ATMOS mixing, his production philosophy, working with Faith No More and The Replacements, and why making records isn’t about the gear.

Duration:01:03:29

#84: Chalk and Cheese with Peter Frampton

5/13/2022
In this episode, we talk with Grammy award-winning guitarist and vocalist, Peter Frampton. As a teen, Peter got his start in music with bands The Preachers and The Herd, co-founded Humble Pie at 18, and went on to have a solo career that has spanned 21 albums and more than 50 years. Peter chats with John and Stewart about his most recent record; Frampton Forgets The Words, his writing and recording process, early influences, and his love of playing live.

Duration:00:50:42

#83: What Steve Vai is Talkin' About (Part 2)

2/23/2022
This is part two of our interview with world-renowned guitarist Steve Vai, whose new record, Inviolate, was released on January 28, 2022. In this episode, we dive deep into Steve's creative process, where his ideas come from, and how they transform into music. He also talks about his years with Frank Zappa, his work as an in-demand sideman, and his orchestral compositions. To hear all about the record, and Steve's three-neck guitar, the Hydra, check out his part one interview.

Duration:00:33:26

#82: Lair of the Hydra with Steve Vai (Part 1)

2/10/2022
Steve Vai is a Grammy award-winning musician, composer, producer, and inventor of the Hydra: a three-neck, 36 string beast of a guitar with a steam-punk attitude and endless possibilities. Steve shows just what the instrument is capable of on his newly released album, ‘Inviolate’. In this episode, John and Stewart chat with Steve about his creative process, his fantastic new record, and the inspiration and design behind the Hydra. This is part one of a two-part interview.

Duration:00:32:37

#81: Lucky to Be Good with Ed Stasium (Part 2)

11/23/2021
This is part two of our interview with veteran Engineer and Producer, Ed Stasium. In this episode, Ed talks to John and Stewart about his time in LA, working with Mick Jagger, Living Colour, Motörhead, and The Smithereens, and shares a story about how editing drums saved his life.

Duration:01:26:18

#80: Good to Be Lucky with Ed Stasium (Part 1)

10/21/2021
Ed Stasium is a musician, engineer, and producer with a career in music that spans almost 50 years. Getting his start at Tony Camillo's New Jersey studio, he went on to record Gladys Knight, The Ramones, Talking Heads, Living Colour, The Smithereens, Mick Jagger, and Motörhead, to name a few. In this episode, Ed gets in-depth about recording Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train to Georgia," his time with The Ramones, the first Talking Heads record, and his role in the building of New York's iconic Power Station. This is part one of a two-part interview.

Duration:01:33:24

#79: As the Story Goes with Bill Schnee

8/31/2021
Bill Schnee is a musician, producer, Grammy-winning engineer, and more recently, a writer, with his new book "Chairman at the Board." With over 50 years in music, Bill has plenty to share, having worked with Miles Davis, Steely Dan, Dire Straits, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, and Whitney Houston, to name a few. In this episode of Gear Club Podcast, he sits down with John and Stewart to talk about the writing of the book, his early years as a musician and young engineer, his recording ethos, and shares a few stories from his book. For the full experience, watch the interview on our YouTube at https://bit.ly/GC79YouTube

Duration:01:13:11

#78: Ready, SETI, Go with Richard Factor

8/12/2021
In this episode, Eventide founder Richard Factor takes us to outer space on a Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. Richard is the founder and president of the SETI League: a non-profit, membership-supported group of amateur skywatchers hoping to catch signals of intelligent life from outside our solar system. Richard walks John and Stewart through the inception of SETI, the hows and whys of this galactic search, and one story about a real-life tin foil hat. For video of this episode, show notes, photos, and more, go to gearclubpodcast.com

Duration:00:52:48

#77: Memphis Music Magic & More with Terry Manning

5/28/2021
With a career spanning over 5 decades, Terry Manning is an accomplished audio engineer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, composer, and photographer. Terry got his start as a teenager in the legendary Memphis music scene at Stax Records and Ardent Studios. He has worked with the likes of Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Otis Redding, The Staple Singers, Shakira, Joe Walsh, Lenny Kravitz, Shania Twain, and Bryan Adams - not to mention his quintessential role in Big Star’s debut album, #1 Record. Listen in as Terry sits down with John, Stewart, and special guest host Bill (William) Wittman to discuss what it's like to be on both sides of the talkback mic as a musician and producer, running a destination studio in the Bahamas, his longtime friendship with Jimmy Page, and the making of Led Zeppelin III. For the full experience, watch this interview on our YouTube or at gearclubpodcast.com

Duration:01:47:27

#76: Brendan Benson: The Dear Life of a Raconteur

3/30/2021
Brendan Benson is a musician, singer-songwriter, producer, and founding member of The Raconteurs. As a solo artist, he’s released seven studio albums, most recently “Dear Life” released on Third Man Records in 2020. Brendan talks with John and Stewart about the recording of Dear Life, his writing process, The Raconteurs, and over 20 years of making music, from Detroit to Nashville. This interview was recorded at Sear Sound in January of 2020. For the full experience, watch this episode on our YouTube channel or at gearclubpodcast.com

Duration:01:07:18