Eyal Levi, Author at Unstoppable Recording Machine

SAM GUAIANA: Producer psychology, handling difficult bands, and the power of saying “no”

Sam Guaiana is a producer, engineer, and mixer based in Toronto, where he runs Room 21 Sound. He’s built a solid reputation for his work with bands like Silverstein, Limbs, Obey The Brave, and Prophets, consistently delivering mixes that are modern and clear, yet packed with raw, aggressive energy.

In This Episode

Sam Guaiana gets real about the day-to-day challenges and psychological hurdles of being a modern producer. He kicks things off by breaking down how he made the Limbs record sound raw and aggressive despite being almost entirely sample-replaced. Sam shares his philosophy on navigating tricky situations, like how to deal with the “weak member” in a band, why being the “nice guy” can destroy a project, and the best way to mediate when a band is divided on its creative direction. He also explores the producer’s evolving role, emphasizing that our greatest value lies in our objectivity and our ability to actually finish a record. The discussion covers career strategy, too—from the importance of networking over advertising, to why it’s a huge milestone when you can finally start saying “no” to soul-crushing projects. It’s a deep dive into the mindset you need to not only survive but also build a long-lasting, fulfilling career.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[2:49] How the raw-sounding Limbs record was made with 100% drum samples
[5:36] The theory that Andy Sneap accidentally created the hyper-sampled metal sound
[11:06] Starting a career on an Mbox vs. the old-school tape machine world
[12:25] The massive impact of attending an arts-focused high school
[23:20] How to approach dealing with the “weak member” in a band
[25:32] Why being the “nice guy” producer can be destructive to the project
[32:20] The pros and cons of every band having a member with a home studio setup
[39:19] The producer’s main value in 2020: Objectivity and getting it done
[47:06] How Slayer managed to evolve with the times without alienating their fanbase
[52:03] Mediating conflict when Silverstein was terrified of releasing an electronic-heavy song
[58:46] You’re hired for your opinion, so don’t be afraid to have one
[1:14:21] The real career goal isn’t just going full-time; it’s being able to say “no”
[1:28:54] Identifying and turning down the “damaging version” of your signature genre
[1:41:22] Advertising doesn’t work for producers, but active networking does
[1:50:41] Why being in a band—even a small local one—is the best networking tool
[1:53:40] Getting over personal instrument biases (like a drummer who hates samples)
[1:59:37] Sam’s hierarchy of importance for getting a great drum sound
[2:06:38] What to do when you have to record a genuinely bad drummer
[2:18:08] The weird realization that just being competent and doing your job well is rare and impressive

BILL HUDSON: Surviving as a hired gun, Why YouTube stars won’t tour, and The limits of a producer

Bill Hudson is a professional touring guitarist known for his versatility and reliability. He’s handled guitar duties for a wide range of iconic metal acts, including Trans-Siberian Orchestra, I Am Morbid, Doro, and Udo Dirkschneider’s band U.D.O. He is also the founder of the power metal band Northtale.

In This Episode

Bill Hudson joins the podcast for a super chill and wide-ranging chat about what it takes to survive and thrive as a modern metal musician. He and Eyal get into the rise of the YouTube generation and how the internet has seriously raised the bar for musicianship, sparking a cool discussion on how musical tastes evolve and why it’s crucial to stay open-minded. Bill gives an inside look at the life of a “hired gun,” sharing his philosophy on professionalism, networking at festivals, and why being reliable is your most valuable asset. For all the producers out there, he drops some serious wisdom on navigating studio dynamics, dealing with stubborn band members who won’t take direction, and understanding why a producer’s work is ultimately limited by the artist’s performance. They also touch on how tools like Auto-Tune and copy-paste editing have evolved from being crutches to legit artistic choices that define the sound of modern records.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[11:41] Will live shows eventually be replaced by the “YouTube business”?
[12:20] How the values of the pre-internet music world have changed.
[16:29] Why talented YouTube musicians are turning down offers to tour with established bands.
[20:07] The unprecedented level of musicianship in the modern metal scene.
[22:13] Realizing that legendary guitarists from the ‘90s don’t always hold up today.
[27:36] How pop and hip-hop production is often more forward-thinking than metal.
[34:00] The theory that the music you hear at age 14 stays with you for life.
[41:23] How your taste in music is shaped by deep-seated harmonic preferences.
[52:05] Staying positive and embracing change when surrounded by older, bitter musicians.
[58:59] How Bill finds and lands gigs as a professional hired gun.
[1:03:04] The importance of reliability: learning Doro’s set in three days after her guitarist was quarantined.
[1:27:23] Detaching emotionally from the show when you’re a hired gun vs. a band member.
[1:33:00] The grey area between being a hired gun and a band member in the metal scene.
[1:34:36] Why Bill has a strict “I don’t carry gear” policy.
[1:37:11] Bill’s job description for being a professional touring musician.
[1:41:28] A musician’s perspective on working with producers and navigating creative differences.
[1:47:35] The story of working with Eric Rutan and a band that wasn’t ready for the studio.
[1:55:55] Why the producer or mixer often gets blamed for a band’s poor performance.
[2:02:20] Copy-and-paste guitar editing as a deliberate stylistic choice.
[2:04:00] How Auto-Tune has permanently changed the way we perceive pitch in vocals.

BRAD BLACKWOOD: The Post-Grammy Crisis, Authentic Networking, Common Mixing Mistakes

Brad Blackwood is a Grammy and TEC Award-winning mastering engineer based out of his Memphis studio, Euphonic Masters. His extensive discography spans genres, including major rock and metal acts like Lamb of God, Korn, Trivium, All That Remains, Alter Bridge, Hatebreed, and Thursday. He has also worked on massive pop and rock records for artists such as Maroon 5, The Black Eyed Peas, Dave Matthews Band, 21 Pilots, and Alison Krauss.

In This Episode

Brad Blackwood is back on the podcast, and this time it gets deep. He traces his path from a skeptical family to Full Sail, through a soul-crushing first job, and eventually to starting his own renowned studio, Euphonic Masters. Brad shares amazing stories about how genuine networking—not just handing out business cards—led to career-defining relationships with legends like Mike Shipley. The conversation covers the importance of social skills, managing your personal brand online, and the surprising existential crisis that can follow achieving a massive goal like winning a Grammy. He also gets into the critical topic of health and wellness for sedentary studio pros and wraps up with a killer Q&A, tackling everything from LUFS standards and stem mastering to the biggest mistakes mixers make before sending him their tracks. It’s a killer mix of career wisdom, life advice, and technical know-how.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[15:05] Convincing his parents to let him attend Full Sail in the 90s
[30:38] The soul-crushing AV job that almost broke him after graduation
[35:40] How his wife recognized his passion for digital editing and steered him toward mastering
[40:30] Leaving a staff position at Ardent Studios to start Euphonic Masters
[43:24] Why the value of a studio is the person in it, not the gear
[49:22] The surreal feeling of mastering records for bands he grew up listening to
[57:26] The story of how a random Gearsluts chat led to working with mixer Mike Shipley
[1:00:40] Why networking is about building genuine relationships, not just pimping yourself
[1:04:02] Social skills vs. technical skills: Which is more important for a successful career?
[1:11:27] Using your social media as the personality for your business
[1:26:13] What it’s really like to win a Grammy for Best Engineered Album
[1:29:17] The existential crisis of achieving all your career goals by age 39
[1:43:20] The importance of hobbies and disconnecting from the studio to stay fresh
[1:47:20] Why rucking (walking with a weighted pack) is a game-changer for sedentary pros
[2:05:40] Getting loudness from spectral balance, not just tape saturation and limiting
[2:13:07] How to handle mixes with major tonal issues without overstepping
[2:17:54] Why he doesn’t chase LUFS standards for different streaming platforms
[2:23:49] Brad’s take on stem mastering (he doesn’t embrace it)
[2:27:24] The biggest mistakes engineers make when submitting mixes for mastering

GARTH RICHARDSON: Producer Psychology, Recording Rage Against The Machine, and Why Audio is a Lifestyle

Garth Richardson is a producer whose work has been a fixture on the radio for decades, including seminal albums for artists like Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rise Against, Chevelle, Mötley Crüe, and Testament. Trained by his legendary father, Jack Richardson (Alice Cooper, The Guess Who), Garth has built a career on capturing raw, powerful performances. He is also a co-founder of the highly-regarded Nimbus School of Recording Arts and Media in Vancouver, created to pass on the mentorship-style training he received to the next generation of audio professionals.

In This Episode

Garth Richardson drops by to get real about the most important part of being a producer: the psychology. He argues that audio isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle, and explains why the old-school model of mentorship is so vital—and why “learning how to hang” is the single most valuable skill you can have. Garth shares some amazing stories and hard-won wisdom on how to build trust, read body language, and manage the intense pressure that artists face. He covers everything from being the band’s therapist to dealing with musicians on drugs. He also offers some killer practical advice, like why you should start tracking vocals from day one and how he captured the explosive energy of Rage Against The Machine’s debut by bringing a full PA into the studio. This episode is a masterclass in the human element of making records.

Products Mentioned

Shure SM58

Timestamps

[3:26] The music industry’s work ethic problem
[7:28] Why being a producer is a 24/7 lifestyle, not a job
[9:45] Has the era of real mentorship been lost?
[12:00] The magic of old-school, closed-door recording sessions
[15:04] The single most important skill a young engineer can learn
[17:50] How an intern speaking out of turn can kill a session’s vibe
[22:20] How Garth manages projects with five studios running at once
[25:57] The biggest mistake producers make with vocalists
[28:13] Managing a drummer’s energy and preventing burnout
[31:07] The producer’s job: Never let the band see you sweat
[34:34] The vital importance of trust between a producer and an artist
[37:40] Reading an artist’s body language to spot problems they won’t say out loud
[38:56] Playing therapist: Mediating a tense argument between band members
[48:38] Why you should never become buddy-buddy with the band
[53:45] The time Garth took a drummer’s cymbals away mid-take
[1:08:53] A brilliant trick to get drummers to play more musically for the song
[1:12:24] Michael Wagner’s hilarious lesson on “getting the Van Halen sound”
[1:13:53] The story of recording Rage Against The Machine’s debut album live in the studio

Eric Valentine: Vintage Console “Multiplicity”, Studio Psychology, Producing Queens of the Stone Age

Eric Valentine is a producer, engineer, and musician who got his start drumming in his own band, T Ride, in the early ’90s. He soon became known for his sharp production instincts, helming massive records for bands like Smashmouth, Good Charlotte, Queens of the Stone Age, and Taking Back Sunday. In addition to his production work, Valentine is the founder of Barefoot Recording studios and the high-end gear company Undertone Audio. He also shares his deep knowledge of the craft on his YouTube channel, “Making Records with Eric Valentine.”

In This Episode

Eric Valentine dives deep into the intersection of art and science that defines record-making. He kicks things off with a fascinating breakdown of how vintage consoles from Neve and API get their classic character, explaining that the “sound” comes from the signal passing through multiple identical amplifier stages—a concept he calls “multiplicity.” Eric shares details of his current experiment: a custom-built, multi-stage passive summing mixer using vintage Langevin amps to recreate the unified high-end texture of late-’60s records. He also gets into the crucial psychological side of production, from building trust with artists before a single note is recorded to framing criticism in a positive way that keeps creative momentum high. He shares stories from the Queens of the Stone Age sessions with Josh Homme and Dave Grohl, explains how Good Charlotte’s love for the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack defined their album’s sound, and lays out his incredibly efficient studio workflow for taking a project from pre-production to final overdubs without burning anyone out.

Products Mentioned

Timestamps

[0:04:39] Where the technical and artistic sides of record-making meet
[0:06:51] The “multiplicity” of vintage console sounds (Neve, API)
[0:09:42] Eric’s new multi-stage passive summing mixer experiment
[0:11:17] Capturing the unified high-end character of ’60s recordings
[0:15:13] Using nostalgic sounds to create familiarity and preference
[0:19:12] The importance of experimenting on your own time
[0:22:53] Navigating the complex psychology of bands in the studio
[0:24:28] How his parents (aerospace engineer dad, family counselor mom) shaped his career
[0:30:41] The importance of creating an environment that invites the truth
[0:33:57] How to build trust with a band before recording starts
[0:38:22] Framing criticism positively: “I think there’s an opportunity here.”
[0:43:52] Working with a visionary like Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age)
[0:45:44] How the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack shaped the Good Charlotte record
[0:48:34] The dynamic of having Dave Grohl just play drums on the QOTSA record
[0:52:47] The tough conversation when a band’s drummer isn’t working out
[1:00:32] Working with a young Jacquire King and learning from his mic techniques
[1:05:16] Why there’s no “right way” to make a record in the modern era
[1:13:02] Eric’s detailed workflow for managing a production from start to finish
[1:17:51] A smart vocal tracking schedule to avoid singer burnout
[1:19:20] How to build your own DIY tube traps