Eyal Levi, Author at Unstoppable Recording Machine

MATT HALPERN: Managing Anxiety, The Wim Hof Method, Building Mental Strength

Matt Halpern is a drummer, educator, and entrepreneur best known for his work with the progressive metal band Periphery, where his playing has become a benchmark in modern metal. Beyond the kit, he is a co-founder of the popular drum software company Get Good Drums and co-hosts the Chocolate Croissants podcast.

In This Episode

In a bit of a departure from the usual production talk, Matt Halpern and Eyal Levi get real about how they’re navigating the pandemic lockdown by focusing on personal growth and resilience. They discuss managing anxiety, the unique communication challenges of living in close quarters, and why now is the perfect time to build a stronger mindset. The conversation is a masterclass in developing a powerful daily routine, covering everything from the Wim Hof method (cold showers and breathwork) and mindfulness meditation to intense exercise regimens, personal saunas, and intermittent fasting. For any producer or musician whose success depends on discipline and mental fortitude, this is a seriously inspiring look at how to build the physical and mental strength to weather any storm and come out stronger on the other side.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[5:03] Managing your life to be happy, healthy, and productive during lockdown
[8:42] Why individual struggles get amplified during quarantine
[13:42] How touring and a musical background can prepare you for isolation
[18:32] Dealing with anxiety during a global pandemic
[25:34] Why patience is the biggest personal challenge to work on
[29:21] Learning how to communicate better with people who aren’t your business partners
[34:22] Matt details his new daily routine for mental and physical strength
[40:08] The Wim Hof method: an overview of breathwork and cold exposure
[46:46] The mental benefits of cold showers and how to start doing them
[52:47] The science of brown fat (BAT) and how cold exposure activates it
[1:02:21] A breakdown of the Wim Hof 10-week online course
[1:04:40] Using a personal infrared sauna for recovery and health benefits
[1:11:25] The power of mindfulness meditation for focus and dealing with stress
[1:15:18] Using meditation to improve sleep and handle business disagreements calmly
[1:34:53] How both Matt and Eyal use intermittent fasting in their routines
[1:41:10] Making these new wellness routines a permanent part of life, even on tour
[1:46:16] Pushing personal limits and the mindset of David Goggins
[1:50:02] Why the feeling of progress is one of the most fulfilling things in life

JOHNNY CROWDER: Mental Health in Music, Why Therapy Unlocks Creativity, and Entrepreneurship

Johnny Crowder is the frontman for the bands Dark Sermon and Prison. Beyond his career as a vocalist, he’s a passionate mental health advocate who has delivered TED Talks and founded COPE Notes, a wellness app designed to provide daily mental health support.

In This Episode

This is a really open and honest conversation about something that affects pretty much everyone in the music scene: mental health. Johnny Crowder gets into the deep connection between the arts and mental illness, and why so many of us in the metal community are drawn to this intense form of expression. He completely debunks the old “tortured artist” myth, sharing how getting treatment for his own struggles actually made his creative process healthier and more streamlined. The guys also discuss the challenges of being vulnerable in the studio, the importance of taking responsibility for your own mental wellbeing, and how to get past common roadblocks to seeking help. Johnny shares some seriously practical advice, like his “Where’s the rat?” technique for stopping negative thought spirals and how skills from running a band can translate directly into entrepreneurship. This is a must-listen for anyone who’s ever felt the weight of the industry or just wants to build a more resilient mindset.

Timestamps

[10:13] Combining the honesty of hardcore with the intensity of metal
[11:51] Why you need to get straight to the point in the studio
[16:54] Are the arts a magnet for people with mental illness?
[18:20] “Depression is not a fashion statement”: The glorification of mental illness
[22:17] Do artists create because of their pain or despite it?
[24:17] Fearing that treatment would ruin his creative process
[26:17] How a clearer mind actually leads to better creative results
[33:26] The prevalence of undiagnosed mental illness in the metal scene
[35:30] The difference between fault and responsibility for your own mental health
[37:25] Why your therapist isn’t there to “fix” you
[40:47] The smallest first steps you can take toward getting help
[45:44] What to do when you get a bad therapist
[54:30] Why “toughing it out” is a display of weakness, not strength
[55:58] You’re in your own boat: Why you can’t compare your struggles
[1:01:32] The “Where’s the rat?” technique for stopping negative thought spirals
[1:10:40] Why journaling is one of the most powerful tools for self-discovery
[1:20:04] How skills from running a band translate to entrepreneurship
[1:21:56] If your launch is perfect, you launched too late

BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN: Mixing David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”, designing Power Station, why he prefers digital

Bob Clearmountain is a producer, engineer, and mixer who has worked on a staggering number of hit records. His extensive discography includes iconic albums with artists like The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen (“Born in the U.S.A.”), David Bowie (“Let’s Dance”), INXS (“Kick”), Bryan Adams (“Reckless”), Roxy Music, Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, and many more.

In This Episode

Bob Clearmountain joins the podcast for a super chill chat about his incredible career, starting with why he bailed on being a musician to get behind the console. He talks about his early days at Media Sound, where he got his first big break recording Kool and the Gang simply because the main engineer was a no-show. Bob gives some awesome insight into co-designing the legendary Power Station, specifically making the rooms versatile enough for the huge rock drum sounds he was chasing. He shares some killer stories, including how a dance mix for The Rolling Stones and a punk band’s connection to the E Street Band led to landmark projects. He also gets into the nitty-gritty of his mixing philosophy, like how to serve the artist’s vision (even when it’s a “little spiky ball”), deal with demo-itis, and his preference for digital recording over the “warm bottom” of analog tape. This is a deep look into the mindset of a master at work, packed with technical tidbits and timeless advice.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[3:03] Why he switched from being a musician to an engineer
[5:22] Realizing he hated producing and was meant to be a mixer
[9:56] Learning by experimenting in the studio on weekends with “The Bats”
[12:15] Getting his first big break recording Kool and the Gang
[22:26] The design philosophy behind Power Station studios
[27:14] How a dance mix for The Rolling Stones came from his work with Chic
[32:52] His process for getting into the right headspace for genres he doesn’t listen to
[41:02] The story of mixing The Divinyls and learning about the “little spiky ball”
[46:30] How to handle artists who are too attached to their rough mixes
[53:57] What it’s like working with superstars like Paul McCartney
[58:35] The common traits that mega-star musicians share
[1:00:12] The philosophy behind his Clearmountain’s Domain plugin
[1:05:26] A rundown of his go-to analog gear for parallel snare, piano, and vocals
[1:13:39] Recording and mixing David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” in just three weeks
[1:15:47] Why a great arrangement is essential for a great mix
[1:18:47] Why he prefers digital recording to analog tape
[1:25:32] His philosophy and evolution of using de-essers in effects chains
[1:29:23] The story of Guns N’ Roses getting pissed about his use of snare samples
[1:32:12] What separates amateur mixes from professional ones

JOHNNY K: Producing Disturbed, The Psychology of Bands, and Why He Avoids the Grid

Johnny K is a producer, engineer, and songwriter known for his extensive work in the rock and metal world. His discography includes numerous platinum records and Grammy nominations with artists like Disturbed, Stained, Sevendust, and Megadeth, as well as Plain White Tees and 3 Doors Down. He got his start in a small home studio on the south side of Chicago, eventually landing his first gold record with the band Loudmouth before breaking big with Disturbed’s debut album, The Sickness.

In This Episode

Johnny K sits down for a wide-ranging chat about the philosophy and real-world grind behind a multi-decade production career. He gets into the importance of vibe and isolation in the studio, sharing why he moved from a massive commercial complex to a cozy home setup. Johnny offers his take on the producer-artist relationship, emphasizing a collaborative, friendly approach over being a detached authority figure. He gets deep on the technical side, detailing his process for preserving a song’s natural feel by tempo-mapping live takes instead of snapping them to a rigid grid—a key to avoiding sterile, over-produced records. He also shares some incredible stories about navigating label politics to land the first Disturbed album, the psychology of dealing with different artist personalities, and why the “magic fairy dust” of a great record is simply relentless hard work.

Products Mentioned

Pro Tools

Timestamps

[2:27] The story of his current “wood cabin” studio
[5:24] Why he sold his 40,000 sq ft music complex
[10:10] Why artists hire producers, not just studios
[17:15] His philosophy on being friends vs. being the “boss” with bands
[21:56] The 10-year journey to his first big break with Disturbed
[24:52] Transitioning from being just a producer to a co-writer
[26:17] The right way to present songwriting ideas to an artist like Dave Mustain
[31:13] Why he never lets anyone else do his final drum edits
[32:36] Tempo mapping a live performance vs. using a rigid click track
[36:33] Recording bands live in a room to capture feel, against the trend of “Pro Tools perfection”
[41:38] Adapting his work schedule to deal with artists who have substance abuse issues
[44:51] The misconception that musicians have the highest rates of addiction
[57:34] The “magic fairy dust” of record production is just hard work
[1:06:39] The importance of having a partner who understands the sacrifices of a music career
[1:14:43] Why being inactive leads to depression and anxiety for creative people
[1:28:36] The intense story of being “auditioned” by the label for the first Disturbed record
[1:35:09] How Disturbed’s loyalty kept the studio’s lights on
[1:40:17] A contrasting story: Winning over a skeptical Finger 11
[1:46:57] Why metal fans often resist change in their favorite bands
[1:50:43] His strategy for producing veteran bands: writing a song that will make the setlist

PHIL PLUSKOTA: Surviving a studio scam, secrets to massive guitar tones, and how to network online

Phil Pluskota is a Florida-based musician, engineer, and producer who has become the go-to dude for massive and punishing guitar tones. A true re-amping king, he has lent his skills to a host of heavy acts including Abiotic and Thy Art Is Murder, building a solid reputation one killer tone at a time.

In This Episode

Phil Pluskota hangs out to share the wild story of how his career was almost derailed by a shady business partner and, more importantly, how he managed the fallout—including paying back scammed clients himself—to rebuild his reputation. This one’s a masterclass in navigating the industry’s ugly side. Then, we get into the good stuff: his obsession with massive guitar tones. Phil breaks down his entire re-amping philosophy, from finding the right saturation and midrange to his process for choosing an amp before pairing it with the perfect boost pedal. He also shares his trick of dialing tones while panned, why he starts every mix from scratch, and why he’s not a fan of templates. We also dive into the nitty-gritty of tracking, like how often to change strings and getting players to use the right pick. To top it off, Phil shares killer advice on building a career from a small town by being a genuine, active member of the online audio community.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[0:02:45] Why you need an app to track lightning in Florida
[0:05:24] Surviving a studio flood after a water heater explosion
[0:13:14] The red flags of getting into a studio partnership
[0:17:40] Dealing with a lazy partner who wouldn’t track bands
[0:20:31] The critical skill of resetting a band’s bad vibe
[0:24:00] How his ex-partner scammed bands and sold gear he didn’t own
[0:28:46] The public fallout that almost destroyed his career
[0:30:24] Why Phil paid back everyone his ex-partner scammed
[0:39:22] Becoming known as the “Reamp Guy”
[0:44:11] Stealing the “cinder blocks under the cabs” trick
[0:49:32] Hand tone vs. gear: what really matters?
[0:56:27] The two most important factors in a great guitar tone
[1:00:34] Why he starts every mix from zero without a template
[1:09:58] How often you should *really* be changing guitar strings
[1:18:03] Convincing a stubborn guitarist to use a different pick
[1:39:22] Starting from scratch with mic placement for every single project
[1:41:01] Using an amp switcher to A/B heads and cabs on the fly
[1:43:39] The trick of panning guitars while dialing tones
[1:51:06] How to network online without being an annoying spammer
[2:05:01] Why you shouldn’t just message someone “hey”