>> from the RPM Direct desk...

Don't believe the fakes -- bogus RPM emails have been reported by some of our readers -- a likely indicator that someone is unsuspectingly passing a virus with our spammed address. Unless it's a message coming from News@rpmdirect.com or from one of our partners directly - don't open it. Meanwhile, if you have recording industry related press, studio sessions news, announcements, producer client updates, product news, music for review or something else to contribute, send it to News@rpmdirect.com. Keep your eyes on your inbox - the 2004 print edition of our Producer & Engineer Directory will be released shortly.

>> Battery Studios & Zomba Music Host Open House

New York's Battery Studios and Zomba Music invite you to attend their first open house on May 11. For the last fourteen years, Battery has provided state-of-the-art recording services for an array of major labels and independent artists. As one of the first studios in Manhattan to include Protools in its rooms at no additional charge, Battery continues this tradition by offering Protools HD Accel running on MacIntosh G4s with dual processors and 1.25 GBs of RAM. To further your convenience, these can be supplementing by a massive list of plug-ins including Logic v.6 and the Waves Platinum Bundle. Visit Battery Studio's first ever open house and tour their newly renovated recording studios, mingle, eat, drink and enjoy and evening of cathing up with friends along with a little networking. The studio will also be holding raffles for great prizes including an Apple i-Pod and a home theater speaker system. If you're going to be in or around NYC, make sure you save the date! Tuesday May 11, 2004 Time: 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Where: Battery Studios 137 W. 25th St. 7th Floor b/w 6th & 7th avenues. RSVPs must be acknowledged by May 1st as there is limited space. Please RSVP by email to: Tamara Miller, Studio Manager at BatteryNewYork@aol.com

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NARIP is hosting an exclusive upcoming lecture featuring red-hot writer/producers, The Underdogs. This duo has contributed to more than 50 singles and albums that have reached gold, platinum, and multi-platinum sales status and have generated numerous Top 10 singles, including Ruben Studdard’s recent hit “Sorry 2004.” Individually and collectively, they've also written and produced hits for Brandy, Tupac, Faith Evans, Dru Hill, Pink, Tyrese, Justin Timberlake, Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey, B2K, Jennifer Lopez, Luther Vandross, Brian McKnight, and more. They also have their own label, Underdog Entertainment, and work in creative partnership with J Records, part of the Clive Davis-led BMG organization. Come join The Underdogs for an exclusive lecture and Q&A session with topics to include: How producers develop artists; Business relations: producer/label, producer/A&R, producer/artists; Work ethic: not relaxing is fun; What's with this crazy industry right now; What's next for the business of music. This event will be held on Monday, May 10th. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m., the Lecture begins at 7:30pm. It will be hosted at Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn Beverly Garland Theater 4222 Vineland Avenue Studio City, CA 91604. Register online at www.narip.com or phone: 818-769-7007 Advance RSVP encouraged. Pre-paid admission guarantees seating. Questions? Call 818-769-7007 or email info@narip.com. The National Association of Record Industry Professionals promotes career advancement, continued education and good will among record executives.

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>> AES Presents "Does Quality Matter" Panel in NYC

On Wednesday, May 12, a group of pro audio and consumer electronics industry leaders will take part in an Audio Engineering Society (AES) panel discussion in New York City entitled: "Does Quality Matter, or Has the iPod Defeated the Listening Room?" This essential industry forum will discuss the relevance of 16 bit and high-resolution recordings such as DVD-A and SACD in a market where consumers are flocking to the portability -- and significantly lower sonic quality -- of digital media players such as Apple's iPod. The question on everyone's minds is whether there is any point in trying to develop and sell high quality audio formats to consumers who seem more than happy with compressed, sonically sub-par digital formats. The panel discussion brings together some of the most influential voices in producing, engineering, retailing, consumer electronics and music software to sound off on current consumer trends and possibilities for success of both high-end and digitally compressed formats. On hand will be engineer David Baker and producer Elliot Mazer, as well as Chris Byrne, general manager and co-founder, NHT home loudspeakers and NHTPro professional studio monitors, Kevin Clement, senior director, new technology, BMG Music, and Elliot Fishkin, owner, Innovative Audio. AES/NY section chairman Allan Tucker of Foothill Digital will present the program, to be held on Wednesday, May 12 at 6:30 PM in Tinker Auditorium at the French Institute, 55 East 59th Street. For further information and pre-event interviews, contact Allan Tucker at 212-877-0973, or email him at tucker@foothilldigital.com. Or visit AES at www.aes.org

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>> Grammy Winner Gustavo Celis Chooses Genelec Monitoring For Miami Facility

Acclaimed engineer/producer Gustavo Celis recently purchased two complete Genelec monitoring systems for the expansion of his Miami recording facility, Supersonic Studios. The new expansion, which was designed by the Toronto-based firm of Pilchner Schoustal International Inc., doubles Supersonic's size to four studios. Studio 1 employs Genelecs as its main monitoring systems for both conventional stereo, using a pair of 1034B’s and a 7073A sub, as well as 5.1 surround playbacks, which utilize five Genelec 1031A’s with a Genelec 7070A sub. This combination of Genelecs provides seamless, consistent monitoring in both domains. “Nothing else sounds like a Genelec,” enthuses Celis, who has won three Grammy awards, and received critical acclaim for his recording work on the musical numbers for the film Chicago. “I wanted to choose the best monitoring possible for this new studio, and based on my experience with Genelec, there was no other choice.” Studio 1, one of two new rooms at Supersonic, is a hybrid design, offering a large assortment of vintage and classic contemporary signal processing equipment, such as the Universal Audio LA2A compressor, Neve 1073 mic pre, and Lexicon 960L digital reverb, complemented by a large Digidesign Pro Tools|HD hard disk recording system. This elite technology is housed in an aesthetically striking, modern interior design with a perforated metal motif. “I’m not surprised that Gustavo chose the Genelec monitors for his new studio,” comments Jim McCormick, President of Magic Audio, the Orlando, FL dealer that made the sale. “We sell a lot of Genelecs throughout the region and especially in South Florida. They’ve become the common denominator for monitoring in the area, and they’re the speaker by which all others are judged.” For more information, please visit www.gustavocelis.com.

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>> SSL Announces Exclusive Distribution Agreement With Guitar Center And GC Pro

At the recent NAB Convention, Solid State Logic announced a landmark distribution arrangement with Guitar Center and GC Pro to introduce the SSL AWS 900 Analogue Workstation System. The SSL AWS 900, a revolutionary new recording and mixing system, was debuted at the NAB show. With a North American outreach of over 127 locations, and an established network of audio professionals through its GC Pro sales division, Guitar Center is able to provide large-scale exposure for the rollout of SSL's groundbreaking AWS 900. Guitar Center's retail stores and GC Pro's dedicated business-to-business organization will handle sales, service and support of the SSL AWS 900 to its target market. "An agreement between SSL and the Guitar Center organization has been reached, where Guitar Center and GC Pro will handle the AWS 900 product on an exclusive basis to select market segments in the United States," says Rick Plushner, SSL President North America. "Guitar Center will be offering demonstration centers in major markets throughout the U.S., complete with DAW systems and a wide range of outboard gear, with all Guitar Center locations providing their clientele with detailed information and support for this product. An extensive network of product training, system consulting and installation services will be made available through a program jointly supported by the two companies." David Angress, Guitar Center's Executive Vice President, remarks, "Solid State Logic is an innovative industry leader, and with the debut of its AWS 900, we can now bring GC's extensive client base the sonic quality of SSL's XL 9000 K Series in an affordable package that integrates with existing DAW systems." Using SuperAnalogue electronics time tested in the trend setting XL 9000 K Series SuperAnalogue console, the AWS 900 is the only console that provides the dual benefits of a fully featured SuperAnalogue signal path, coupled with a comprehensive DAW controller at this price point. The AWS 900 was built from the ground up for a 5.1 surround environment. Signal routing, inputs/outputs, monitoring and signal processing are all permanently available on the console. Top quality motorized faders provide conventional audio level control as well as controlling the levels in a DAW. For more information please visit GC Pro at www.gcpro.com and SSL at www.solid-state-logic.com

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>> Nursing Home Recording Studio Opens, Moby Donates Equipment

The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) at Beth Abraham Health Services, a skilled nursing facility and rehabilitation center, recently the grand opening of its Music Has Power Club Recording Studio. With the support of music therapists, the studio provides a medium for creativity and rehabilitation, using equipment ranging from electronic drums to devices that translate movement to sound. After visiting the facility and observing the work firsthand, Moby joined the Institute board in 2003 and has donated equipment to the new studio, which opened on Wednesday, April 28. Working with a range of equipment, patients at Beth Abraham have the opportunity to advance their physical, cognitive, and emotional goals through composition, performance and self-expression. Renowned music therapist and director of the Institute, Dr. Concetta Tomaino stated, "With the addition of the recording studio, we've been able to assist patients in many areas, from recovering speech to regaining physical function. Through the commitment of people like Moby, we are able to further our mission by expanding our services to include a recording studio dedicated to awaken hidden creative talent, while meeting rehabilitation goals through an innovative approach." "I am gratified to see the work of the Institute expanding, and proud to have been able to make a difference," said Moby. "The work that is being done at Beth Abraham is remarkable." As a result of the expansion, more than 40 patients every week are making their own music, recording their own CDs, and restoring function at Beth Abraham. These songwriters include a professional musician who suffered brain damage in a tragic accident, a small elderly woman in a wheel chair (who is great on the tambourine) and a 47-year old stroke victim with no musical training who has become a "star" at Beth Abraham, after recording his first CD. Both technologically and clinically, Beth Abraham is far more advanced than other healthcare facilities in its use of adaptive musical instruments to treat patients at any level of functioning. Music and technology have been a part of the Music Therapy Program since 1993. For additional information, please call the IMNF at (718) 519-5840. Or visit The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function online at www.musichaspower.org

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Actor Kiefer Sutherland has opened a new recording studio, Ironworks, with musician/producer Jude Cole. His stash of 28 new and vintage Gibsons provides a full arsenal of guitar sounds for the artists who record in the new studio. The studio is managed by top-notch guitar tech, "Captain" Mark Somgynari, and it's operating five to six days a week, 12 hours a day. "We don't rent the studio out," Sutherland said. "It's literally for bands that we have developed and that we're finding. It's unbelievable how many fantastic bands there are out there that are just not being heard. We just want to make records and try to figure out how to get them out there." Ironworks Studio is housed in a historic ironworks foundry in the Silver Lake area of LA. When Cole, Sutherland's best friend was a struggling musician in the beginning, Sutherland bought him an Arctic White Les Paul Custom. The two began collecting vintage guitars and gear, and Sutherland would send his guitars on the road with his buddy. "When he started to do well, I said, 'Jude, remember all those guitars I lent you? I want them back,'" Sutherland laughed. "And then we realized we had amassed really an incredible collection." His favorite electrics include a '67 ES-335 that faded from cherry to a golden salmon color after a lengthy stay in a storefront window, a '65 SG Special, a '59 Les Paul Reissue that was aged by Gibson finish specialist Tom Murphy, and his Les Paul Juniors and Specials dating from their first years of introduction (1954 and '55, respectively) up to 1959. The wide array of guitars provides players with every sound they need. "We had Mark Goldenberg in, who is just a phenomenal guitar player," Sutherland said, "after the first day, he never brought another guitar back, so that's a bonus, I guess." Other artists who have recorded at Ironworks include Jason Wade from Lifehouse, a new Maverick artist named MoZella, and two acts that Sutherland and Cole are working with: The band Softcore and Rocco Deluca.

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>> High Profile Artists And Composers Supporting Berklee's New Online Music Scholarship

Berklee College of Music, the world's largest music college and premier institution for the study of contemporary music, recently announced that it is launching the nation's first-ever online music education scholarship. The program is designed to provide gifted musicians throughout the world with unique opportunities to attend Berklee from anywhere, enabling them to receive world-class music instruction from renowned faculty members. A valuable component of the program is to equip musicians with the tools and strategies to address contemporary music issues, such as the emerging digital landscape, distribution models, and leveraging the Internet as a positive movement in music. This is the third progressive online initiative that the college has introduced over the past year. "The Berkleemusic online school is at the forefront of the effort to utilize the power of the Internet to further education and the music industry," says guitar virtuoso Steve Vai. "And the fact that you can study wherever you want, and whenever you have time, means that you can keep real musician hours while you're doing it." Berklee is awarding five scholarships, each of which is named after, and backed by, some of the most respected performers, arrangers, songwriters, and entrepreneurs in modern music. The celebrity support roster includes one Berklee honorary doctor of music degree recipient, Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, and four alumni: guitar virtuoso Steve Vai '79; singer, songwriter, and acoustic guitar wizard Patty Larkin '74; composer Alf Clausen '66; and songwriter Tom Snow '69. Each scholarship includes one year's worth of online courses at Berkleemusic.com, Berklee's online school, and all relevant textbooks and materials. Berkleemusic.com courses are created and taught by the same renowned instructors that teach at Berklee's physical campus in Boston. Since its launch just over a year ago, more than 1,500 students from 38 countries worldwide have studied at the online school. For additional information about the scholarship program, please visit www.Berkleemusic.com. Scholarship winners will be notified after September 30, 2004.

>> Antigone Rising Records Lava Debut at Mirror Image Recorders

With too many critics out there that view all-women bands as girls trying be musicians, New York City’s Antigone Rising wants to make one thing abundantly clear: They are musicians who happen to be female. Now signed to Lava Records, the original new band melds the abrasive aggression of Janice Joplin with the deep soul of Jimi Hendrix and the pop flare of The Goo Goo Dolls. Their new album, which features numerous producers including David Bendeth, who is also mixing the entire album at Mirror Image Recorders, is due out in early August 2004. “We want to break out of the mold of what everyone thinks we’re supposed to be as a female rock group,” says Cassidy, lead singer of the New York City-based quintet. “We are not The Donna’s or L7; we are a product of numerous, diverse influences that forges something completely different” Finally getting the opportunity to spend a sizeable chunk of time in a large format studio - Mirror Image Recorders - Antigone Rising believes recording on a Solid State Logic console with major producers is exactly what they needed to see their true visions come to fruition. Located in the heart of Times Square, Mirror Image Recorders has grown since its inception in 1978 to become three world-class mix facilities plus one MIDI / production suite. They have been involved in more than 30 of RIAA gold and platinum hit records for a widely diverse clientele including Method Man, Redman, Erick Sermon and many other artists. This popular studio currently boasts two Solid State Logic consoles including the SSL 9000 J Series, in addition to a Pro Tools HD system and Studer tape machines. For more information contact Mike Hogan, Studio Operations Manager at (212) 391-6645 or mgphogan@hotmail.com. www.mirrorimagerecorders.com.

>> Moogfest: A 50-Year Celebration Of Synths Inventor To Be Honored

It was 50 years ago that American maverick inventor Robert Moog began developing instruments that altered the course of modern music for all time and have since become an integral part of our musical culture. Moog's namesake analog synthesizer helped catapult the careers of such a diverse list of artists as rockers Edgar Winter, Todd Rundgren, Gary Numan and Devo, funkster Bernie Worrell with Parliament-Funkadelic, disco producer Giorgio Moroder with disco diva Donna Summer, fusioneers Chick Corea with Return To Forever, Herbie Hancock with The Headhunters, Jan Hammer with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Joe Zawinul with Weather Report. To honor Moog and commemorate his groundbreaking achievements, several renowned keyboardists and Moog users will gather on Tuesday, May 18 at B.B. King's Bar & Grill in NYC Times Square (237 w. 42nd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues) to participate in a gala Moogfest. The list of performers includes Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Suzanne Ciani, Jason Miles, Eumir Deodato, Pamelia Kurstin, NYC Reggae Collective, Stanley Jordan, Bernie Worrell, Steve Molitz of Particle, and DJ Logic. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office (212-997-4144). Over the past 50 years, Moog's dedication to the craft of making instruments has been as legendary as the instruments themselves. Robert Moog's substantial achievements have recently been recounted by documentary filmmaker/musician Hans Fjellestad in Moog (www.moogmovie.com). Shot on location in Asheville, N.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo and London, this feature documentary explores Moog's collaborations with musicians over the years and his ideas about creativity, design, interactivity and spirituality while also examining his mythic cult hero status among musicians. Theatrical release is planned for the summer of 2004 with follow-up DVD release in the autumn, distributed by Plexifilm. Artists such as Stereolab, The Neptunes, Devo, Meat Beat Manifesto, Tortoise, DJ Spooky, Money Mark, Luke Vibert & Jean-Jacques Perrey, 33, Junky XL with Gary Numan, The Album Leaf, Bernie Worrell, Pete Devriese, Bostich, Charlie Clouser, Baiyon, Suzanne Ciani, Electric Skychurch and others are contributing original music produced on Moog instruments for the soundtrack.

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>> U.S. Legislators Joins Recording Academy To Launch Recording Arts & Sciences Congressional Caucus

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow was recently joined Grammy-winning recording artist Clint Black; legendary recording artist, Country Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Brenda Lee; and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Mary Bono (R-Calif.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Mark Foley (R-Fla.) to announce the landmark formation of the Recording Arts and Sciences Congressional Caucus. The press event took place at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville, and was attended by members of the music community, and U.S. and local politicians. This announcement preceded the Grammy Town Hall event, part of the Academy's Cultural Policy Initiative, which included participants Portnow, Black, the members of Congress and Emmy Award-winning songwriter Victoria Shaw. Co-chaired by Reps. Bono and Hoyer, the caucus will seek to advance and protect the rights of musicians, songwriters, singers, producers and other recording professionals. Caucus members are united in their belief that support for the individual recording professional is essential to the creative life of the nation, and will therefore work to address issues such as intellectual property, new technologies, music preservation, music education and other music-related topics. "With changing technologies and emerging trends in music, there is a great need for a forum for discussion between members of Congress and artists. I am pleased to have created the Recording Arts and Sciences Caucus as a means for members and artists to talk about problems facing the industry and to work toward solutions," noted Rep. Bono. The Recording Academy worked with the members of Congress to advise them about issues that are of concern to the music community. Portnow recently traveled to Washington to meet with numerous members of Congress to serve as an advocate for the creative individuals that comprise the Academy's membership. "As an organization representing thousands of recording professionals, we have an obligation to help create an environment where they can grow creatively and thrive professionally," said Portnow. As part of the Academy's Grammy Cultural Policy Initiative, the Grammy Town Hall is the first in a series of high-level discussions with music industry leaders and policy-makers tackling challenging topics and important issues that affect the artistic environment. A 60 minute forum with moderated and audience Q&A, topics included pending legislation in Washington, D.C. that affects the music community; file sharing and new business models; public education about the value of paying for music; radio reform; broadcast decency and artists' responsibility; and public funding of the arts/arts education. Launched late last year, the Grammy Cultural Policy Initiative is a major advocacy initiative designed to utilize the Recording Academy's unique resources to advance the rights of the music community through advocacy, education and dialogue.

>> Apple Rebuffs RealNetworks Music Overture

Seattle-based RealNetworks said last week that Apple chairman Steve Jobs had declined an offer by RealNetworks' chief executive Rob Glaser to meet and discuss forming an online music alliance involving Apple's best-selling iPod portable players. Apple executives declined to comment. In an interview earlier this week with The Wall Street Journal, Jobs said Apple has little incentive to open its popular digital music player to others. "The iPod already works with the No. 1 music service in the world, and the iTunes Music Store works with the No. 1 digital-music player in the world," he said. "The No. 2s are so far behind already. Why would we want to work with No. 2?" As first reported in The New York Times, Glaser made the invitation in an e-mail to Jobs last week that suggested that the two companies join forces against their common enemy, Microsoft. He proposed a meeting to discuss the matter this week while he was in the Silicon Valley. As competition in the online music market has increased, RealNetworks has sought to work with Apple so RealNetworks' customers can choose to play their music collections on Apple's best-selling iPod portable players. RealNetworks, Apple and Microsoft all are jockeying for position in digital media -- in which encoding formats and copy-protection technologies dictate how and on which devices consumers play their music. Like Apple's leading iTunes song-download store, RealNetworks' online music store supports the Advanced Audio Coding format, which competes against Microsoft's Windows Media Audio format predominantly used by other legal music sites. But because of Apple's proprietary copy-protection standard FairPlay, songs attained from RealNetworks' Rhapsody music service and RealPlayer music store cannot be played on Apple's iPod players. "We want support for all media formats," Chiemingo said, "and it makes sense for us to make the most consistent experience for consumers so they can move their content to whatever device they want." RealNetworks also may later consider endeavors to support Microsoft's WMA format -- despite RealNetworks and Microsoft's pending antitrust legal spat, he said.

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>> Bits & Pieces...

Producers of many hits Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (Dexy's Midnight Runners, Morrissey, Madness, Bush) have taken on new management in well known publisher Hugh Gadsdon of Barbara Music Ltd and producer manager Dennis Muirhead of Muirhead Management. They will work together to further the careers of Langer and Winstanley who have recently produced Crackout's second album for Hut/Virgin and the first album for "Dogs Die in Hot Cars" for V2. For further information call: Hugh Gadsdon +44 (0)20 7758 1494 or Dennis Muirhead +44 (0)20 7351 5167 or online www.langerwinstanley.com

Minneapolis, MN's Oarfin Records recently welcomed Will.I.Am to record, along with Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas, in Studio A. The two were working on a remix for Sting's single, "Whenever I Say Your Name for Interscope Records, with Will.I.Am was producing, and Oarfin chief engineer Todd Fitzgerald engineering. The Counting Crows were also at Oarfin, for a live in-studio radio session, promoting their new "Greatest Hits" release on Geffen Records. Fitzgerald engineered the live sessions, with assistance from Daryll Hurst. Visit Oarfin Records online at www.oarfinrecords.com

Composing Music For Video Games: Building a Career in the Video Game Music Industry This new CD features a veteran panel of New York-based video game composers and producers who explain the opportunities and skills necessary to succeed in this rapidly expanding area. Learn about how composers secure jobs scoring video games in an increasingly competitive business climate, technical aspects of writing music for video games, how to build relationships and work productively with video game companies, and more. Order Your Copy Here

Howard Benson scores big with his Hoobastank album “The Reason” which came in at #3 with 79,993 scanned. Benson has been as busy as ever producing and mixing an album for My Chemical Romance, producing and mixing an album for Hazen St.., producing singles for Head Automatica as well as a single for Fe Fe Dobson. For more information contact Alia Fahlborg at phone at 310 855 0668.

Electro-rock band Rurik recently completed 3 songs with Engineer Dave Dominguez (ImaRobot, Staind, Papa Roach). The songs were recorded at Cello Studios will be mixed at NRG Recording Studios. Producer/Writer JohnO will be adding his skills to the project, as well as co-producing the track “Pieces”. JohnO has just produced/co-written 2 songs (slated as singles) with Shifty (ex-singer of Crazy Town) for Maverick Records. Rurik's upcoming gigs include May 29th at The Whisky-A-Go-Go. For updates, visit www.ruriknation.com or contact Jeff Olson Athir Creative Productions (323) 856-9422

McDonough Mgmt. recently announced the addition of Gavin MacKillop to the roster. Gavin produced the new Sugarcult album, "Palm Trees and Power Lines," which debuts on the Billboard Top 200 at #46 selling 22,000 copies. The record has already sold nearly 70,000 copies in Japan. Gavin produced and mixed two platinum albums for Toad The Wed Sprocket, a platinum album for General Public as well as critically acclaimed records for the Goo Goo Dolls, The Church and Audiovent. Contact Frank McDonough at McDonough Management LLC (805) 446-3370

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