>> from the editor...

If you're in LA this week be sure to check out the 2003 Surround Conference at the Beverly Hilton - the show is slated to be very well attended (i.e. a good hang) and the line up of speakers and panels is A-list as usual. Also, please check your listing in our producer directory - we need your updates before we put it in print! If you have industry related press, news, announcements, client updates, music reviews or something else to contribute, send it here.

>> Surround 2003 Returns Dec 11-12 in Beverly Hills

The Surround conference returns to Beverly Hills on December 11-12 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. The 5th Annual International Surround Conference & Showcase includes: The Second Annual Surround Music Awards, hosted by Grammy Winners Al Schmitt and Ed Cherney, Special Live Performance by Dweezil Zappa, Pioneer Award to Frank Zappa, Artist of the Year to Led Zeppelin, Special Appearance by BT, Real World Case Studies on the Making of Led Zeppelin DVD, The Rolling Stones Live Licks DVD box set, The X-Games, The upcoming Tom Cruise film The Last Samurai. Master Classes conducted by Allen Sides, Murray Allen, Mark Waldrep, Gary Lux, Bob Ludwig, Jim Scott and many more. Keynote Address by Grammy winner and legendary record producer Phil Ramone, Special Address by Grammy Award winning audio producer/engineer George Massenburg. Free show floor access featuring exhibits from the top audio anufacturers in the world. -Special bonus training sessions sponsored by Digidesign and DTS. For complete information on the event, show times and a complete program listing go to www.surroundpro.com

>> Jeff Castelaz Departs 3AM, Reforms CAST Management

Jeff Castelaz has departed 3AM to re-launch his company CAST Management with partner Jo Ann Thrailkill. Producer/mixer Tony Hoffer, up-and-coming Chrysalis Music Publishing act The Vacation, and new client Peter Walker are the basis of the new company. Hoffer's 2003 is full of highlights: The Thrills' debut 'So Much For The City' has sold over 600,000 worldwide, Turin Brakes' 'Ether Song' has sold about half that, and each album has spawned worldwide radio smashes. Both records were tracked at Sunset Sound Factory. Other projects this year include album mixes for Phoenix and Australian artist Alex Lloyd, as well as radio mixes for The D4 and Grandaddy. Hoffer is currently producing/writing with Fischerspooner and producing tracks for Beck's upcoming record. UPDATE YOUR ROLODEX: Jeff Castelaz, Jo Ann Thrailkill at Cast Management: 4470 Sunset Boulevard suite 400 Hollywood, CA 90027 (323) 665-1144 www.castmanagement.com

^ back up ^

System of a Down (SOAD) has helped to define the cutting edge of alt-metal since the band’s formation in 1993. With insightful lyrics and hard-hitting melodies, the quartet has earned two Grammy nominations and a massive global audience. The group’s most recent release, the chart-topping Steal This Album, produced by Rick Rubin, demonstrates their musical drive and unwavering social relevance. In addition to his searing, distinctive vocal performances, front man Serj Tankian also writes the evocative lyrics heard on SOAD’s albums. He explains how the Korg Triton Studio has satisfied his need for a powerful, innovative instrument to help him convey his messages: “I’ve seen a lot of bands using a Triton, mostly due to the diversity it allows. From sequencing to sampling, it does it all. When we were thinking of adding a synth to our live show so I could play strings and piano, I checked out a lot of synths and went with Triton. I’ve used it for writing as well — it’s really great when writing string parts for songs,” Tankian adds. Tankian has long been a devoted Korg user, employing a wide range of gear for his diverse projects. Tankian’s undertakings extend far beyond performing, producing, and writing. Staying true to the social consciousness promoted in SOAD’s songs, he’s also involved with Axis of Justice, a human rights organization he co-founded with Tom Morello of Audioslave www.axisofjustice.com. For more information visit www.systemofadown.com or Tankian’s production label at www.serjicalstrike.com.

^ back up ^

>> RPM Direct Set To Release Producer/Engineer Directory in Print -- UPDATE YOUR LISTING!

RPM Direct and The Music Business Registry have partnered to publish the print edition of RPM Direct's producer and producer management directory. NOTE: If you have a listing in our directory - producers, engineers, mixers, producer managers - MAKE SURE YOU UPDATE YOUR LISTINGS! We want to make sure your information is up to date before printing. Interested in advertising? For more information about extremely affordable introductory advertising rates, please contact Advertise@rpmdirect.com. Visit RPM Direct online: www.rpmdirect.com Visit The Music Business Registry online www.musicregistry.com

^ back up ^

The Barber Shop Cutting Edge in Sound Design will install a new Solid State Logic XL 9000 K Series SuperAnalogue console as the centerpiece of this new facility. Co-Owners Scott Barber and Mark Salamone plan to offer a cutting edge, high-power recording facility located in an historic early 1900’s church for a perfect creative environment. “The XL 9000 K Series, outfitted for surround sound mixing, will provide the studio with the superior sonic performance and powerful automation necessary to attract top shelf talent,” says Salamone. The Barber Shop Studios occupies a beautiful stone church located on the shore of Lake Hopatcong in Northern New Jersey. Built in the early 1900s, the West Side Church is an important part of local history and is registered with the Lake Hopatcong Historical Society. In the early 1970s, the church was converted into a live music venue called the Lighthouse and hosted a number of prominent performing artists. The 6,000-sq ft facility, with an additional marina, and restaurant, provides a relaxing creative environment with an incredible view that is accessible to NYC. The studio, due to open this spring, will offer a “dream” collection of vintage microphones, outboard gear and instruments, along with the most up-to-date digital equipment and tools. The studio will feature full service analog and digital recording and post-production, including 5.1 and 7.1 digital recording, editing, mixing and mastering services. The anchor for all this gear is the XL 9000 K Series console.

^ back up ^

>> Eric "ET" Thorngren Remains on the Radar

Eric "ET" Thorngren (mixer/engineer for Talking Heads, Robert Palmer, Bob Marley, Squeeze, Cindy Lauper, and dozens more) got his start at Sugarhill records, where he recorded and mixed such early rap acts as Grand Master Flash and The Sugarhill Gang. Fast forward a few years, ET is now based in Los Angeles, and has spent a lot of time over the past three years working with multi-talented producer/musician Jerry Harrison in Northern California. Jerry and ET recently finished recording and mixing an album for Warner Music's band The Von Bondies. ET prefers to start projects on analog tape and then immediately transfer the recordings into the digital domain for the rest of the process. With almost a decade of solid experience working in Pro Tools, ET is sought after for his unique combination of traditional recording and cutting edge skills. To get in touch with Eric Thorngren to request a discography, send email to thorngren@comcast.net.

^ back up ^

>> Bradley Cook Rocks with the Distillers, Ataris, Motochrist, Foo Fighters

Bradley Cook has recently recorded, mixed or produced some of the hardest rockin', balls to the wall, kick ass records around. He's just finished producing Motochrist which hits the streets in February. The Distillers album recorded by Bradley is quickly climbing up the alternative charts, and the Ataris album has just been certified gold. Also soon to be released is the new The God Awful record which Bradley produced and mixed. Bradley will be available the end of January for producing or mixing projects. He is also available for select engineering gigs. For more information contact Aaron Jacoves at Blast! (323) 857-7299 or at aj@blastmusic.net

^ back up ^

>> Metropolis Audio - More Grunt than Groans!

Melbourne Australia’s most notable and respected recording studio for over 30 years, Metropolis Audio, has undertaken some major installations to their professional facilities, thrusting them once again to the forefront of audio technology. By adding two brand new top of the line G5 Macintosh computers with Pro Tools (OS 10) HD Accel operating systems, Metropolis Audio now has a total of four Pro Tools suites available for production. With exceptionally more power to burn, the Music studios at Metropolis Audio are taking on the most demanding projects. In response to the demands of major events, the Metropolis Outside Broadcast Facility is also under going a major facelift. The re-vamp will enable the OB truck to comfortably house up to three large consoles plus various outboard gear & machinery, enough grunt for any audio project. During 2003, the Metropolis OB facility has been in high demand within the television industry, recording and broadcasting numerous music related television events including Various AFL Games (the Grand Final and the Brownlow Medal), The KISS/MSO concert, The Cat Empire & the John Farnham Last Time TV Broadcast. With over 30 years of expertise behind the name, Metropolis are predicting a strong future in the musical world and look forward to the next 30 years of operation. For further information please contact: Nikki Jones Studio Manager Metropolis Audio Ph: +61 3 9696 2111 www.metropolisaudio.com.au

>> Mark Angelo Recording Studios Update

Ronan Keating has been at London's Mark Angelo Studios recording tracks for his new album, released on November 17, with producers Alan Branch, Calum MacColl and engineer Kevan Gallagher. The studio was also the setting for the filming and recording of an acoustic set. Four tracks from the album, 'Turn It On', 'The First Time', 'Lost for Words' and 'This Is Your Song' were filmed and recorded live, along with an artist interview. The studio has proved popular for strings with its recently upgraded acoustics in the main live room. Ronan's sessions included the recording of a 22-piece string section for three of the tracks. Fame Academy winner Alex Parks was also at Mark Angelo's working with engineer John Gallen and producers Kevin Armstrong and Blair MacKichan on her latest material. An eight-piece string section was recorded for the track 'Everybody Hurts', along with vocals and piano for 'Stones and Feathers'. Arranger Simon Hale said, "The new acoustics really suited the strings and there was good separation and sight lines. We were able to record the string octet, piano and Alex's vocal entirely live, without clicks." In addition to the improved acoustics, recent equipment additions include two 1176 compressors, two SSL stereo compressors and two Neve EQ and mic amp modules. For further information, contact Mimi Kerns, Studio Manager, Mark Angelo Studios +44 (0) 208 735 0040 www.markangelo.co.uk

^ back up ^

>> Classic Albums Receive the 5.1 Treatment at the Angel Mountains's World-Class "A" Room

For decades, Universal Music has been building a catalog that contains some of the most revered recordings in the annals of popular music. In recent years, the label has embraced both its rich musical heritage and cutting-edge modern technology by re-issuing some of its classic albums and modern hits in the 5.1 surround format. During the past few months two of the most renowned albums in the Universal library, Marvin Gaye’s "Let’s Get It On" and The Allman Brothers’ "Live at the Fillmore East", have both received 5.1 remixes at Angel Mountain Productions & Sound in Bethlehem, PA. Paul West, Universal’s Senior VP of North American Studio Operations, had a vision that Universal Mastering Studios (Edison NJ, Los Angeles CA, and New York City), should have the ability to service the needs of all of Universal’s label groups. Given the need for a large format 5.1 mix room, as well as certain technical/production services, Universal’s Senior Director of Studio Operations East, Jeff Glixman forged the relationship with Angel Mountain Productions. A veteran producer, Glixman knows exactly what he wants from a studio facility. “The equipment and the sound of the room are always an important consideration, and Angel Mountain certainly delivers in that regard.” Both of the mixes were done in Angel Mountain’s “A” room, which features a Solid State Logic XL 9000 K console. Each album will be initially released as an SACD hybrid featuring SACD 5.1 and SACD stereo, with redbook audio on a second layer for listening in a standard CD player. The SACD releases are slated to be followed approximately 90 days later by DVD-A versions. Angel Mountain Productions & Sound's new multi-room studio complex spans over 18,000 sq. ft. and includes three world class 5.1 audio control rooms, soffitted Quested monitors, and the new SSL XL 9000K mixing console. The facility, built from the ground up with the most painstaking attention to both technical and architectural detail, has already taken its place as one of the largest and most encompassing audio post-production facilities in the country. For more information visit www.angelmtn.com

^ back up ^

>> DTS Entertainment Earns Eight Nominations For The 2003 Surround Music Awards

DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.) recently announced that its entertainment label, DTS Entertainment, continues to be recognized for its contributions to surround music with eight nominations in seven categories of this year's 2nd Annual Surround Music Awards. The finalists were announced November 13th by awards sponsor United Entertainment Media, and the winners will be revealed during the Surround Music Awards ceremony on December 11th, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. The nominees for each category were selected by a panel of industry professionals from submissions by record companies, studios and recording artists. Following is the complete list of DTS Entertainment title finalists nominated for the 2003 Surround Music Awards: Best Additional Features: "Halloween" -- Frank Zappa, and "Wake" -- Sheila Nicholls; Best Made For Surround Title: "Halloween" -- Frank Zappa; Best Menu Design: "Etterna" -- Emma Shapplin; Best Mix : Non-Orchestral: "The Game" -- Queen; Best Standard Resolution Title: "Brazilian Romance" -- Various Artists; Most Adventurous Mix: "The Wraith: Shangri-La" -- Insane Clown Posse; Horizon Award: "Wake" -- Sheila Nicholls. "The meteoric rise in popularity for the DVD format has been fueled by the added value of audio and video extras that consumers have never before been able to own," said David DelGrosso, DTSE Vice President of Marketing. In addition to DTSE's award nominations, music legend Frank Zappa was named the recipient of the 2003 Surround Pioneer Award for his extensive work in 5.1-channel surround's predecessor, Quad. DTS Entertainment's exclusive DVD-Audio release of Frank Zappa's "Halloween" was nominated for two Surround Music Awards this year, and is the only DVD-A release of Zappa's work to date. www.dtsentertainment.com

^ back up ^

>> Session Notes and Other Updates...

Clubhouse welcomes Warner Brothers's The Sun in November and December. The band is recording with producer/engineer Ben Hillier (Blur, Elbow, Curb) at 140db. Also at Clubhouse in December, is Philly-based Stiffed, in for tracking and mixing. D. James Goodwin is set to engineer their sophomore Rykodisc effort. Visit Clubhouse at www.clubhouseinc.com or dial (845)-876-2653.

Recently departing The Record Plant, veteran recording professional Bill Dooley is now working at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, CA. He can be reached at the studio (323) 465-4000 or via email at Billdooley2@hotmail.com.

Ed Cherney recently completed audio mixes for The Rolling Stones 4 DVD boxed set. The collection includes concert footage from the current tour, including arena shows at Madison Square Garden, theater shows at the Olympia in Paris, and stadium shows in London at Twickenham Stadium. LA's Design FX provided two Pro Tools systems with a total of 72 outputs, a third 24-bit 96K system for mixdown, and Apple cinema displays. For info contact Design FX (818) 843-6555 or www.dfxaudio.com

Manhattan Center Productions (MCP) provided the live audio recording services for the taping of Country Music Television's performance program CMT Crossroads in the Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom. The program paired singer-songwriters Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris for an episode that will air in early January. Producer Tom Davis and Engineer Stan "Quack" Dacus worked with a team of eight people including MCP's Chief Technical Engineer Joel Scheuneman to record the show in MCP's Studio 7. For more information, please contact Lindsay Miller at linmiller@mcstudios.com or 212.279.7740, ext. 351.

Catonia Whalen is now repping producer Eli Janney for the USA. Janney is still repped by Paul Brown in the UK. Eli recently handled engineering duties on the new Ryan Adams album Rock N Roll (Lost Highway) and also worked on the forthcoming Melissa Auf Der Maur (ex-Hole, ex-Smashing Pumpkins) solo disc due on Capitol in 2004. For more info contact Catonia Whalen Solar Sister Entertainment (917) 415-2984 or for more info visit www.elijanney.com

Nina Jackson has moved and changed her company's name from Ishka to The Day Job. The Day Job is located at 14 Church Street Twickenham Middx TW1 3NJ, England. Email is Nina@thedayjob.com or visit www.thedayjob.com
tel: 020 8892 6446 fax: 020 8891 1895

^ back up ^