Eyal Levi, Author at Unstoppable Recording Machine

JESSE CANNON: Turning Setbacks Into Opportunities, Non-Slimy Networking, and Producing Hit Podcasts

Jesse Cannon is a multi-talented producer, mixer, mastering engineer, author, and podcaster who has been a long-time friend of the URM community. He’s the author of “Get More Fans” and has produced and mixed bands like The Misfits, The Cure, and Saves The Day. In recent years, he’s become a force in the podcasting world, producing hit shows for major outlets like Atlantic Records and The Daily Beast.

In This Episode

Jesse Cannon is back with a masterclass on career longevity, creative strategy, and the mindset required to turn any setback into an opportunity. Using his own recent experience of losing a major gig at Atlantic Records—and landing an even better one just three days later—as a launchpad, Jesse digs into the practical, real-world tactics that separate those who thrive from those who fade away. He breaks down his methods for non-slimy networking, using tools like Google Alerts to find your community, and balancing the three essential pillars of a creative career: proactivity, reactivity, and outreach. The conversation also explores the changing tides of the music industry, the challenges of navigating a world saturated with information (and misinformation), and what it actually takes to develop and produce a podcast that connects with an audience instead of just adding to the noise. This episode is packed with next-level insights on how to build a sustainable, adaptable, and successful career in audio.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[7:15] The difference between good and bad sources of information (Mixing with Your Mind vs. tabloids)
[11:19] Why the democratization of information is one of society’s biggest challenges
[14:43] How major labels reclaimed power from indie artists via Spotify playlists
[17:10] Why too much opportunity for bands can actually degrade music quality
[22:03] How the isolation of COVID could lead to more emotional and powerful art
[24:03] The two types of artists during the pandemic: the prolific and the paralyzed
[27:38] Losing a huge gig at Atlantic Records and turning it into a new opportunity in three days
[30:59] Why non-specific, “skeezy-free” networking is the most effective long-term strategy
[34:49] Using Google Alerts to keep tabs on your competitors and find your community
[40:06] The three pillars of a sustainable career: outreach, proactivity, and reactivity
[44:57] URM’s operating principle: “Do what the other guys won’t.”
[56:01] Chance favors the connected mind: How diverse knowledge helps you solve problems creatively
[1:02:49] The flawed logic of “they sucked at business but got famous, so I can too”
[1:08:03] Choosing a producer: Are they the right person to fix *your band’s* specific weaknesses?
[1:13:25] The myth of the lone wolf superstar (and why Trent Reznor has a team)
[1:22:37] Why social media tactics only work if you have real-world experience to back them up
[1:42:08] Jesse’s podcast prep process and using Venn diagrams to structure segments
[1:53:39] Should you monetize a new podcast from day one?
[2:00:10] How to get the word out when you’re starting from zero (the power of Reddit and Facebook communities)
[2:11:20] Why the most successful people are often the ones who ask the most questions

Samus Paulicelli: Why He Quit Touring, His YouTube Workflow, and Mastering Hybrid Drums

Samus Paulicelli, also known as 66Samus, is a multi-instrumentalist and content creator best known for his incredible drumming chops. He’s toured and recorded with a host of heavy bands including Decrepit Birth, Abigail Williams, and Goatwhore (on bass!), and has also worked with Devin Townsend. While he’s a monster of death metal drumming, his popular YouTube channel, which boasts over 234,000 subscribers, showcases his versatility and creative humor across a wide range of musical styles.

In This Episode

Samus breaks down his journey from grueling van tours to becoming a full-time content creator, sharing the reality of why he stepped away from the road. He nerds out on his hybrid drumming setup, explaining how he dialed in his kick triggers to be flawlessly consistent without sounding like a typewriter, and gets into the age-old debate of raw drums versus samples. Samus also pulls back the curtain on his career as a YouTuber, discussing how live streaming became his main gig, the technical challenges of getting a stream dialed, and his workflow for batch-creating videos. He offers some killer insights into his practice philosophy, explaining how he uses visualization and mental preparation to nail complex songs in a single take. For anyone looking to understand the modern music career, this episode is packed with real-world advice on gear, content, and the mindset needed to make it work.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[3:05] The two-and-a-half-month tour from hell that broke up bands
[5:00] The story of how Samus ended up filling in on bass for Goatwhore
[7:09] Dialing in a hybrid drum rig for live shows 11 years ago
[8:18] A technical breakdown of how his Access pedal triggers work
[9:50] Dealing with drum purists who are anti-trigger
[12:05] Why he stopped triggering his whole kit on tour
[14:12] Cheating at drum tuning with a Drum Dial
[17:09] Is a great drum sound more about the player or the gear?
[18:38] Why he quit touring to go to school in Canada
[22:23] How live streaming became the key to quitting his day job
[24:20] The COVID-19 streaming gear price explosion
[27:47] His intense workflow for filming and batching drum videos
[30:03] The absolute necessity of a consistent upload schedule for YouTube growth
[35:41] How he balances practice time with content creation
[51:12] His recording process and using DAW templates for speed
[57:08] The challenge of quantizing drums while keeping the human feel
[1:12:23] How visualizing drum parts helps him learn songs without hours of physical practice
[1:16:36] Using “phonetic rhythms” to simplify and learn complex patterns

JAY RUSTON: Getting Killer Bass Tones, Why Modern Records Sound the Same, and Building Your Career

Jay Ruston is a producer and mixer whose work spans multiple genres, from pop to extreme metal. He’s known for bringing a powerful, rock-oriented clarity to his mixes. His extensive discography includes records for artists like Anthrax, Steel Panther, Stone Sour, Avatar, Amon Amarth, and Cataclysm, as well as mainstream acts such as Diana Ross and Wilson Phillips.

In This Episode

Jay Ruston breaks down his old-school-meets-new-school production philosophy. He gets into the weeds on why he prefers tracking bands live and focusing on one song at a time—a method he used while recording Avatar’s latest album to tape—to avoid the homogenous sound of many modern records. Jay shares his secrets to getting a prominent, clear bass tone that still serves the song, a signature of his heavy mixes. He discusses why committing to sounds during tracking is crucial and explains his “less is more” approach, emphasizing that performance and arrangement trump gear choice every time. He also gives some killer real-world advice on building a career, stressing the importance of relationships, patience, and knowing when to get out of the way and just let the band be themselves. This is a super insightful look into the mindset of a top-tier producer who makes things sound massive without overcomplicating the process.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[2:16] Recording the new Avatar record live to analog tape
[8:13] Approaching different genres: from Cataclysm to Diana Ross
[9:41] Why so many great producers come from Canada
[19:06] Why patience and long-term relationships are key to a career
[25:26] The creative benefits of tracking one song at a time
[28:16] Jay’s signature “rock” sensibility in extreme metal mixes
[40:16] Using a Slipknot song as a reference for a Meatloaf record
[42:09] How he got the insane bass tone on Avatar’s “Hail The Apocalypse”
[46:24] The secret to prominent bass that still serves the song (he’s a bass player)
[50:05] Why getting tones right at the source and committing is crucial
[53:09] Dealing with sessions that have way too many options
[1:00:41] Knowing when to get out of the way as a producer
[1:05:42] How the “one song at a time” method prevents homogenous-sounding records
[1:10:03] Adapting from the analog to the digital world
[1:14:58] His philosophy on using drum samples so no one knows they’re there
[1:21:57] The one popular microphone Jay will never, ever use for singing vocals
[1:23:44] Why most high-end gear and plugins are just “voodoo”
[1:43:51] Why relationships are more important than your skills (at first)

CHRIS WISEMAN: DIY Band Success, Why You Don’t Need a Record Label, Crafting Dark Riffs

Chris Wiseman is a guitarist, producer, songwriter, and the entrepreneurial mind behind the deathcore band Shadow of Intent. He also plays guitar in the metalcore band Currents. With Shadow of Intent, Wiseman has achieved impressive success while remaining completely independent, building a dedicated following from the ground up and proving that a DIY approach is still viable in the modern metal scene.

In This Episode

Chris Wiseman stops by to chat about his unconventional path from classical cello to metal, thanks to a little game called Guitar Hero 3. He gets into the weeds on the real differences between classical and metal composition, explaining how he uses theory—specifically semitones—to craft dark, memorable riffs without getting trapped by the rules. Chris shares the full story behind Shadow of Intent’s success as a completely independent band, offering a super insightful breakdown of when a record label is (and isn’t) necessary. He gives an artist’s perspective on what he looks for when hiring a mixer, detailing why he chose Christian Donaldson and what makes a portfolio stand out from the pack. They also get into the vital role of networking, luck, and why it’s crucial to find collaborators who genuinely care about your project. It’s a great look into the business, creative, and technical mindset needed to build a career on your own terms.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[0:03:14] Chris’s journey from classical cello to metal via Guitar Hero
[0:04:47] The debate: Is metal really just modern classical music?
[0:14:32] How Chris uses semitones (minor seconds) to make riffs sound darker
[0:15:27] Balancing music theory with creative instinct in songwriting
[0:17:47] The story behind the chromatic opening riff of “Barren and Breathless Macrocosm”
[0:21:10] Why you should write more songs than you need for an album
[0:26:27] The challenge of trying to write music while on tour
[0:29:51] Shadow of Intent’s journey as a successful independent band
[0:31:44] How to network and share your music without pissing people off
[0:37:35] Analyzing the value a record label actually provides
[0:42:39] Why trading financial stability for “looking cool” is a huge mistake
[0:45:15] How momentum can make or break a band’s career
[1:01:23] Why the band chose Christian Donaldson to mix their album
[1:07:47] An artist’s perspective: What makes a producer’s portfolio stand out?
[1:11:32] The importance of the “car test” and getting the low end right
[1:23:28] Does the producer actually *care* about your project?
[1:37:54] The undeniable role of luck in a music career
[1:45:42] Making the most of networking events like the URM Summit
[1:56:46] How to network with an artist without being a “punisher”
[2:02:18] Why you should treat every interaction like you’ll see that person again

JAY MAAS: AI Mastering, Music Entrepreneurship, and The Return of “Real” Mixes

Jay Maas is a producer, mixer, mastering engineer, songwriter, and computer scientist who’s been a staple in the scene since the early 2000s. Besides founding the influential melodic hardcore band Defeater, he’s been behind the console for a ton of great records from bands like State Champs, Bane, Counterparts, and Title Fight. He’s a dude with a serious entrepreneurial streak, always finding new ways to blend his technical know-how with his deep understanding of what makes a record hit hard.

In This Episode

Jay Maas is back on the podcast, and this time it’s a deep dive into the intersection of technology, mindset, and making a living in music. He and Eyal kick things off by nerding out on the evolution of recording, from the early resistance to click tracks to the ongoing quest for realistic cymbal samples. They get into the welcome return of more “real” sounding productions after the hyper-polished era of the 2010s, a trend that requires a more intricate and nuanced mixing approach. The conversation then shifts to the entrepreneurial side of things, with Jay giving a behind-the-scenes look at his new AI mastering tool, Maass”ter, and how he’s building it to be a genuinely useful service for working producers. They also get real about the mindset it takes to survive in this industry, covering everything from dealing with haters and the “sunk cost fallacy” to the importance of being brutally honest with yourself about your own goals.

Timestamps

[3:20] The shift in drummers’ attitudes toward click tracks
[6:32] Why programmed drums can lack the “feel” of a real performance
[8:14] The challenge of realistically sampling cymbals
[12:35] Production vs. performance: It all comes down to preference
[13:31] Why tape recording isn’t the magic bullet it was made out to be
[18:25] The return of “real” sounding recordings (with modern low-end)
[25:16] How better home recording creates more opportunities for mixers
[28:05] Why you have to look forward with technology, not romanticize the past
[32:46] Using haters as a gauge that you’re making an impact
[35:40] Introducing Maass”ter: Jay’s proprietary AI mastering tool
[36:31] Addressing the “Landr” stigma and how Maass”ter is different
[44:51] Using AI mastering to deliver “finished” sounding mixes to clients for feedback
[53:43] Why entrepreneurship is often looked down on in the punk/metal scene
[57:54] Getting through the dark times and giving yourself patience to recover
[1:02:24] Eliminating entitlement is crucial for success
[1:08:37] Being honest with yourself about when a chapter of your life is over
[1:10:12] The Sunk Cost Fallacy: Knowing when to bail on a project
[1:23:40] The danger of over-planning and “analysis paralysis”
[1:30:28] Order isn’t natural; you have to constantly fight against chaos