Eyal Levi, Author at Unstoppable Recording Machine

Will Putney: Understanding Genre Culture, The Producer Hustle, Avoiding Burnout

As one of the most in-demand producers in modern heavy music, Will Putney has amassed a massive discography from his Graphic Nature Audio studio. He’s known for bringing a raw but polished sound to bands across the spectrum, including Body Count, Every Time I Die, Knocked Loose, The Acacia Strain, Norma Jean, and his own projects, Fit For An Autopsy and End.

In This Episode

Will Putney hangs out to talk about the real-world hustle of building a production career from the ground up. He gets into the importance of prioritizing experience and exposure early on and shares how he got his start working under producer Machine. Will breaks down why technical skill alone isn’t enough, emphasizing the unteachable art of understanding a genre’s culture—knowing what makes a band cool, what will connect with fans, and how to make decisions that serve the art form. He also discusses how his personal music tastes have evolved, the mindset required to avoid burnout during insane schedules, and the long-term value of investing in people to build a killer studio team. This is a super insightful look at the blend of artistic sensibility, business savvy, and sheer grind required to make it in today’s music industry.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[8:50] Adapting his studio to shrinking budgets in the early 2010s
[13:24] Why it’s just as hard for bands to get noticed now as it was 40 years ago
[19:00] The mindset of prioritizing exposure over money in his early career
[22:04] The hard truth about working your way up vs. expecting to work with your favorite bands
[28:38] Why he prefers to hire interns with no prior studio experience
[34:04] The unteachable skill: Understanding the culture of a genre
[37:36] Why even the biggest producers can fail when working with metal bands
[39:47] The critical importance of cultivating your personal taste
[43:37] How his personal music library has evolved away from the metal he produces
[46:07] Why staying educated on current scene trends is part of the job
[51:47] Dealing with creative burnout and how he hit the reset button
[58:13] Surviving the insane, non-stop recording schedule of 2019
[1:03:04] The “Burger King band” phenomenon: Why some bands stay together out of fear
[1:07:07] Dropping out of his biomedical engineering degree to work with Machine
[1:09:37] What he looks for when bringing on new interns
[1:14:14] The long, slow process of investing in and building a reliable studio team
[1:25:24] Why no editing technique is “off the table,” even for raw-sounding music
[1:28:49] His process for choosing amp, cab, and mic combinations for guitar tones
[1:32:08] Using a band’s live take to create a natural-sounding tempo map
[1:39:39] The danger of over-mixing and creating problems that don’t exist

ESJAY JONES: Building a career twice, why relationships are everything, and avoiding burnout

Esjay Jones is a South African producer and songwriter based in California. She first found success as the frontwoman for the band Stealing Love Jones, which became a massive act in her home country, touring with bands like Fall Out Boy and Seether. After a humbling attempt to break into the US market, she pivoted to a behind-the-scenes role, building a new career from the ground up. She has since worked with a diverse range of artists including Head from Korn, Jason Rauch of Breaking Benjamin, and Alien Ant Farm.

In This Episode

This one’s a killer deep dive on the mindset and hustle it takes to build a career from scratch—twice. Esjay Jones breaks down her wild journey from being a legit rock star in South Africa to getting chewed up and spit out by her first US tour. She gets real about the grind of starting over, falling into a career as a pro songwriter, and the importance of paying your dues. We get into some heavy-hitting topics for any working producer: the art of reading the room to guide a session, why relationships are more valuable than any piece of gear, and how she navigated from the pop world back to her metal roots. Esjay also drops wisdom on the business side of things, from the gambling nature of songwriting splits to knowing when it’s time to start saying “no” to protect your own creativity and avoid burnout. This is a must-listen for anyone who understands that being a great producer is about way more than just turning knobs.

Products Mentioned

Allen & Heath ZED-16FX Mixer

Timestamps

[8:26] From private jets in South Africa to a grueling US van tour
[15:39] The humbling reality of touring the US as an unknown band
[23:55] Why paying your dues is so important
[26:52] The problem with instant gratification culture in music
[30:30] How modern, edited records are creating a new generation of “superhuman” musicians
[33:14] The return of real instruments and guitars to pop radio
[37:35] Starting over: Playing 3-hour bar sets for $50 a night
[39:55] Discovering that “songwriter” was a real job title
[45:57] Why relationships are the most valuable currency in the music industry
[54:48] The importance of “reading the room” and emotional intelligence as a producer
[57:41] Learning to shut up and listen when you’re in a room with legends
[1:03:15] The producer’s job is to make the artist feel like they’re making the magic happen
[1:07:03] Being a woman in the metal scene and the importance of skill over everything
[1:13:26] Why a disorganized studio session is a total vibe killer
[1:20:18] You don’t need fancy gear, you need great ears and great instinct
[1:29:57] Why she left the pop music world to get back to her rock/metal roots
[1:37:39] How to handle songwriting splits without killing the vibe
[1:42:22] Learning to say “no” to sessions and avoiding creative burnout
[1:58:42] Deconstructing hit songs to master arrangement and structure

MICK GORDON: Managing Creative Anxiety, The Sound of DOOM, Mastering Focus

Mick Gordon is the composer and sound designer behind the iconic, aggressive scores for video games like Doom, Prey, and Wolfenstein. Known for blending industrial textures, synthesizers, and extreme metal, his work has created a distinct and influential sound in the world of game audio.

In This Episode

Mick Gordon is back for a deep conversation that’s less about gear and more about the mindset behind a successful creative life. He shares his core philosophies, like “commit and see what happens,” and explains why focusing only on what’s in your control is the key to navigating anxiety and uncertainty. Mick gets into the power of intentionality, both in his personal routines and his musical projects, where every decision is measured against a core concept like “sonic violence.” He breaks down how he manages massive, multi-year projects by using time-blocking, detailed notebooks, and a clear understanding of team dynamics. For anyone looking to level up their focus, productivity, and creative vision, this episode is packed with practical wisdom on how to build a sustainable and impactful career by treating your life with the same intention as your music.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[5:43] Mick’s mantra: “Commit and see what happens”
[7:55] Concentrating solely on what’s in your control
[11:28] Viewing quarantine as a “gift of time”
[13:43] The “Music, Mountains, and Water” philosophy for a good life
[19:25] Mick’s daily routine and the importance of “winning the morning”
[28:30] How to break down huge goals into small, actionable steps
[38:00] Identifying and replacing negative emotional triggers with positive habits
[44:18] Using a core intention as a “yardstick” for every decision in a project
[47:55] A Steve Vai practice technique for connecting emotion to chords
[52:06] Thinking of burnout like a guitar that needs new strings and a polish
[1:03:29] Understanding the different motivations of everyone on a large creative team
[1:12:33] Why cultivating your personal taste is one of the most important things you can do
[1:18:27] Using time blocking (two-hour work sessions) for focused productivity
[1:24:38] Using a physical notebook as an “external brain” to reduce mental load
[1:55:11] How to blend extreme metal and synthesized sounds without them clashing
[2:02:42] Using Superior Drummer and complex bus routing for huge drum sounds
[2:18:28] Why attaching your music to a cultural phenomenon is crucial for getting it heard
[2:29:08] The Tony Visconti/David Bowie-inspired concept behind the “Doom instrument”

BUSTER ODEHOLM: Mixing in a Car, Writing Inhuman Riffs, and Listening to “Haters”

Buster Odeholm is a Swedish producer and musician known for being the lead guitarist and producer for Humanity’s Last Breath and the drummer for Vildhjarta. He’s built a reputation for crafting pulverizing yet incredibly clear and detailed productions. His unique sound caught the attention of bands like Born of Osiris, Winds of Plague, and Oceano, making him a go-to mixer for modern, low-tuned metal. He started producing to make his own music sound great and has since turned that passion into a thriving career.

In This Episode

Buster Odeholm joins the podcast to talk about his journey from making his own band sound killer to becoming an in-demand producer. He gets into why he’s not a huge fan of touring, preferring to stay locked in the studio, and how having an audio engineer dad gave him a head start. Buster shares some killer insights into his creative process, including how he wrote an entire Humanity’s Last Breath album in Guitar Pro to create inhuman, non-guitar-centric riffs before shifting his workflow to tracking directly in the DAW. He also drops the wild story of how he landed the Born of Osiris mixing gig while on a road trip in the US, literally mixing in the car between Starbucks wifi stops. For anyone navigating the modern production landscape, this episode is packed with real-world advice on creative problem-solving, dealing with online feedback, and the confident mindset needed to push your career forward.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[6:51] Why touring isn’t always as glamorous as it seems
[19:45] Overcoming the fear of flying by learning about aviation
[24:39] Getting “withdrawal” from not mixing while on the road
[29:07] Growing up with an audio engineer dad and getting an early start
[35:16] Having relative pitch and how it helped him learn songs by ear
[42:25] Is traditional music theory essential for modern metal producers?
[47:17] Writing the first Humanity’s Last Breath album entirely in Guitar Pro
[50:43] The philosophy behind using software to write “inhuman” riffs
[54:18] The importance of having artistic intention behind your choices
[56:30] His current workflow: writing and tracking with a final, mix-ready tone
[1:05:34] Why you should listen to online criticism instead of dismissing all “haters”
[1:16:19] How he built his client base through his own band’s success
[1:22:45] When Mick Gordon (DOOM composer) used Buster’s mixes as a reference
[1:27:00] The crazy story of landing the Born of Osiris mix gig
[1:28:10] Mixing a major record in a car using a gaming laptop and in-ears
[1:29:15] Buster’s confident mindset and advice for overcoming imposter syndrome
[1:43:37] Why he often uses MIDI bass (specifically Dingwall samples) for low-tuned bands
[1:49:20] How to break past mental blocks and re-track parts when you know it’s necessary
[2:03:33] Why he prefers mixing on in-ear headphones

RICK CARSON: Why Gear is Your 401k, Reading the Room, and The Art of the Test Mix

Rick Carson is an engineer and producer at Make Believe studios, known for a wide-ranging discography that includes everything from A Day To Remember to chart-topping pop and jazz artists. He’s a deeply insightful pro who splits his time between Omaha and Los Angeles, working across multiple genres.

In This Episode

Rick Carson drops by for a wide-ranging chat that’s less about specific plugins and more about the mindset of a modern producer. He gets real about the business side of audio, breaking down why he views high-end gear not just as a tool, but as a crucial financial asset and retirement plan in an industry without 401ks. Rick shares a killer pro-tip he calls “the test”—a simple way to gauge a new client’s creative tastes on the first mix without risking the entire project. The conversation also dives into the importance of flexibility, whether that means learning a new DAW like Ableton Live to keep up with different genres or knowing how to turn a less-than-perfect recording into a killer final product. He explores the critical role of emotional intelligence in managing sessions, telling some wild stories that highlight why reading the room is just as important as setting a mic. It’s a deep discussion on the philosophy, psychology, and financial strategy needed to build a sustainable career.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[3:00] Why Rick is learning Ableton Live for pop and hip-hop work
[6:26] The humbling moment in a session that made him learn a new DAW
[9:01] Rick’s studio philosophy: keeping instruments open and ready to capture ideas instantly
[13:08] Recording drums with pizza boxes instead of cymbals and the local scene backlash
[20:20] The concept of “sound reinforcement” versus mixing
[23:13] The mixer’s job is to work with what you’re given, even flawed tracks
[28:24] Distinguishing between an artistic choice and an engineering shortcoming
[33:20] “The Test”: How to gauge a new client’s creative appetite
[35:01] A time “The Test” backfired when he applied his creative vision to an entire song
[40:57] At the highest level, winning test mixes is about taste and politics, not just skill
[42:30] How Joey Sturgis “fucked up everything” and changed the game for producers
[46:44] The classic intern mistake: “I could sound like you if I had your gear.”
[49:28] Why getting rid of his consoles is a business decision, not a philosophical one
[59:57] An insane story about a session guest who retuned the drums without permission
[1:06:15] The importance of emotional intelligence and “reading the room” as a producer
[1:16:05] The genius of Rick Rubin’s psychological approach to producing Slipknot
[1:38:00] The one thing that will always beat politics and relationships: sheer talent
[1:42:22] The most important reason to own gear: it’s your retirement plan
[1:46:54] Why microphones are one of the safest long-term gear investments