GET INSIDE THE MIND OF PRODUCER SANFORD PARKER

A producers’ role in the overall sound of an album is often under-appreciated. Sure, most people know roughly what it is that producers do, but until you’ve been in a recording session and seen first-hand how producers work with bands you can’t possibly understand the entirety of the impact they have on the final product. I’ve always been fascinated by producers (and mixers); when the Internet first started to be a place you could easily find a lot of organized, useful information (at some point in the late ’90s / early ’00s) I’d spend hours upon hours looking through album credits at AllMusic.com to see who produced and mixed my favorite albums, then I’d follow those links to look at said producer or mixer’s entire discographies, then I’d follow those links to look at other albums… and so on and so forth. I totally ate it up, and it’s still something I find an incredible amount of interest in.

That’s why I’m excited that Crustcake posted this awesome video interview with metal producer Sanford Parker, certainly one of the “it” producers of the moment, who’s worked with Nachtmystium, Pelican, Rwake, Batillus and many, many more. Check it out after the jump.

I’m not sure what context this was filmed in (there’s audible audience laughter occasionally), and the interviewer comes off as a bit ignorant with regards to metal (which he at least admits), but there’s some great stuff here; Parker shares his thoughts on how to approach production, the creative process, his listening preferences (country!) and also puts up with the interviewer’s annoying questions about metal sub-genres. Bonus points for the zinger about Chicago being filled with “hipster indie rockers;” the audience bristles. Check it:

If you dork out on music producers like I do, don’t miss the video interview with producer Colin Marston (also a member of Gorguts, Dyshrythmia, Behold… The Arctopus and Krallice) that Scion A/V released last month.

-VN