Tape Notes

John catches up with Bob Vylan and producer Jonny Breakwell to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the ‘Humble As The Sun’. Bob Vylan, are a grime and punk rock duo who emerged in 2017. Despite facing resistance for their provocative themes on racism and inequality, they gained a loyal following. Their albums, 2020’s ‘We Live Here’ and 2022’s ‘Bob Vylan Presents the Price of Life’ earned critical acclaim, and saw the duo win Best Alternative Act at the MOBO Awards. Their latest, ‘Humble as the Sun,’ sees the duo flex their musical muscles, drawing on soul, drill, and punk, brought together with their trademark intensity. Chatting in Miloco’s The Pool Studio, where some of the album was recorded, the conversation includes insights into navigating the independent artist landscape and the pivotal moments balancing personal and musical life. The pair also reflect on the process of refining Bobby's initial demos into polished tracks, exploring the production techniques that enhance the depth and cha

John catches up with English rock band The Libertines to discuss how they wrote and recorded their latest album ‘All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade’. The Libertines formed in 1997 and shot to fame with their debut album, 'Up the Bracket,' becoming pillars of the British indie/alternative resurgence of the early 2000s. Thirty years after their careers started, they have unveiled their fourth studio album, 'All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade,' primarily recorded at their studio, The Albion Rooms, in Margate, with producer Dimitri Tikovoï. Sitting down with frontmen Carl Barat and Peter Doherty, the pair discuss their song writing process from idea to finished album. As well as sharing exclusive insights into the evolution of the Libertines’ recording process, we hear demos and ideas from their early days writing together up to recent studio time in Jamaica.  Tracks discussed: Run Run Run, Merry Old England, & Shiver TAPE IT Thanks to our friends at Tape It for supporting the podcast. Visit tape.it/tapenotes

John catches up with producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jack Antonoff of Bleachers to discuss how he wrote, recorded, and produced the band’s latest album ‘Bleachers’. Having grown up performing, song writing, and producing bands throughout his teenage years, Jack first saw mainstream success as part of the band Fun, and their global hit track ‘We Are Young’. Since then, he has gone on to co-write and produce records for some of the biggest artists of the past decade, including Lorde, Lana Del Rey, The 1975, and Taylor Swift. Among his numerous awards and accolades, he was named Producer of the Year at the Grammys for three consecutive years. Throughout the conversation Jack discusses his song writing process, from stories of the studio magic that occurs when picking up random instruments, to the unusual mixing and panning techniques he uses to help make parts feel big (rather than actually being big). Tracks discussed: Call Me After Midnight, Jesus Is Dead, We’re Going To Know Each Other Fore

We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Alt-J’s Joe and Gus, along with producer Charlie Andrew, recorded back in February 2019. EPISODE NOTES In this episode John is joined by Gus Unger-Hamilton and Joe Newman from Alt-J, and producer Charlie Andrew to talk about how they recorded and produced the album 'RELAXER'.  The trio give a fascinating account of the thought processes and production techniques used in the recording of RELAXER.  Hear how a friend's pavlovian response to the smell of burning wood, the Gus whistle test, and swearing at an old school master all left their mark on the band's third album.  Tracks discussed: 3WW, House of the Rising Sun, Pleader LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   Listen to 'RELAXER' here. 'RELAXER' - alt-J, Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Akai MPC Sampler Melodyne Moog R

In this episode, John sits down with singer and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier, delving into the creative process behind his album ‘Djesse Vol. 4,’ the concluding instalment in his four-part ‘Djesse’ album series. Jacob first shot to fame in 2013 when videos of his complex vocal arrangements went viral on YouTube. Three years later, he released his debut album ‘In My Room’, written and recorded entirely from his family home. In 2018, Jacob set to work on Djesse, a four-volume, 50-song, album series featuring collaborations with artists around the world, which to date has earned him 6 Grammy nominations. Throughout the conversation, Jacob shares his original demos and discusses his approach to fusing such a plethora of musical genres, from rap and gospel, to dance and Kpop. He also discusses the collaborations that shaped the album, with artists including Chris Martin, Lindsay Loomis, and Willow Smith, as well as his audiences from live shows around the world. Tracks discussed: Over You, 100,000 Voices

John catches up with Declan McKenna to talk about his latest album ‘What Happened To The Beach?’ Declan McKenna first saw mainstream success in 2015 following the release of his debut single ‘Brazil’ and winning Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent prize. While blending topics of politics and social issues with his indie-pop sound through his first two albums, ‘What Happened To The Beach?’ introduces us to a new world, this time looking inward and drawing on Declan’s personal growth as a musician. As well as opening up his hugely varied bag of demos, musical sketches, and jam sessions, Declan shares stories of his time working in the studio with producer Luca Buccellati, talking through the unusual sounds and fantasy locations that inspired his writing. Tracks discussed: Mulholland’s Dinner & Wine, Breath of Light, Mezzanine LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to ‘What Happened To The Beach?’ here. Sony Music Entertainment Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective GEAR M

We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. The first selection is our chat with Dave Bayley (Glass Animals) from summer 2018.   EPISODE NOTES John ventures up to Dave Bayley’s new home studio in London Fields to talk about how Glass Animals’ debut album ZABA was recorded and produced.  We hear how Dave conjured up the band’s unique style through many late night sessions in his bedroom when he should’ve been studying for medical school. He reveals his producer hero’s and an insatiable appetite for data collection, creating his own sound world through sampling every sound imaginable.  Dave guides us through a fascinating breakdown of Gooey – from an early voice demo recorded on his phone to the finished article and we learn some of his trade secrets along the way.  Tracks featured: Gooey, Hazey, Toes LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'ZABA' here. 'ZABA' - Wolf Tone Limited Intro Music

John links up with hyper-pop royalty, Laura Les and Dylan Brady, aka 100 gecs, to talk about their latest album ‘10,000 gecs’. 100 gecs first broke onto the scene with their debut album ‘1000 gecs’ in 2019. Capturing attention online and amongst music fans, the innovative record was described as ‘one of the year's most fascinating, exhilarating experimental pop albums’. Their second studio album ‘10,000 gecs’, released in 2023, sees them maintain their status as hyper-pop trailblazers, this time blending pop-punk and ska in with their signature maximalist sound. Reflecting on their writing process and how it has changed over the years, the conversation covers a range of topics, from the vast number of alternatives each track goes through, to the crazy sound design and effects that make up such an enormous part of their style.   Tracks discussed: Hollywood Baby, 757, The Most Wanted Person In The United States ---------------- Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has bee

John ventures into the depths of Kent to catch up with Matthew Herbert and discuss his latest work ‘The Horse’. Renowned for his innovative sound exploration, Matthew gained recognition under various names, including Doctor Rockit, Wishmountain, and Herbert. He's produced for artists such as Bjork and Róisín Murphy, composed for stage and screen, and earned international acclaim for his records. His latest collaboration with the London Contemporary Orchestra resulted in 'The Horse.' Alongside a full album playback, the conversation covers the thought process behind the sounds, collaborators and story of each track, Matthew also shares his thoughts on ways in which to engage with music and creativity, and how to do it in a way that keeps you continuously inspired. Tracks discussed: Full Album LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to ‘The Horse’ here. Matthew Herbert, Modern Recordings, BMG Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear

John links up pop-rock band Fall Out Boy, and producer Neal Avron, to talk about their latest studio album ‘So Much (For) Stardust’.  Emerging from Chicago’s hardcore punk scene in the early 2000’s, Fall Out Boy rose to fame with hits including ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ and 'Thnks fr th Mmrs’. Constantly innovating, their eight studio albums have seen them embrace all sides of music, including R&B, and electro-pop. For their latest record ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, they return to their roots, working with producer Neal Avron.  Chatting with Patrick and Neal, the conversation covers the band’s approach to the early stages of demoing, their collaboration with a full orchestra and some of the best players in the business, and how they divide different writing responsibilities amongst each other. Tracks discussed: Love From The Other Side, Heaven, Iowa, So Much (For) Stardust LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to ‘So Much (For) Stardust) here. Fueled By Ramen, Elektra Music Group Inc.

John sits down with indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club to talk about their sixth studio album ‘My Big Day’.  Bombay Bicycle Club are a four-piece band from London, that broke onto the indie music scene with their genre defining debut album ‘I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose’ in 2009. Since then they have been releasing a steady stream of music which has been met with high critical acclaim, earning them an Ivor Novello and a Mercury Prize nominations.  Chatting with band members Jack Steadman and Ed Nash, the three cover a range of topics including the inspiration behind the album, their use of sampling in their music, how over-thinking can negatively influence the production process, and their collaboration with music legends Damon Albarn, Paul Epworth & Chaka Khan. Tracks discussed: My Big Day, Heaven, Just A Little More Time ---------------- Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musicians and songwriters. Among many of Tape It's incredi

In this episode, John is reunited with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood, to talk about how the band wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Back To The Water Below’. Following the success of their fourth number one album, Mike reflects on how their purpose as musicians has changed over the years, sharing their process of working out what they love, but haven't done with Royal Blood yet. Giving us an in depth look behind each track, we hear stories of musical experiments, including making a new ‘wall of sound’ guitar and playing specially modified pianos, while simultaneously inviting new genres into the Royal Blood sound. Listen to find out the best way to beat the sounds on your demos, tips on how to keep a two-hour live set engaging, and thoughts on why you shouldn’t wait for inspiration to come. Tracks discussed: Triggers, There Goes My Cool, Waves ---------------- Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musicians and songwriters. Among many of Tape

Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musicians and songwriters. Among many of Tape It's incredible features, you can record straight from lock screen, set markers and have complete control over your record settings, and that just the start. To find out more and get the full app free for a month, head to www.tape.it/tapenotes ------- In this episode, John is joined by Dodie and Martin Luke Brown of FIZZ, along with producer Pete Miles, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘The Secret To Life’. Discussing how FIZZ came into being, Martin and Dodie explain the reasons and implications of setting their solo work to the side (temporarily), to have a holiday from music, but still doing music...   As well as lots of sharing stories, stems and general shenanigans from their time down at Middle Farm Studios, we hear how each band member brought something different to the table, approaching creativity in so many different ways -

In this episode, John is joined by Olivia Dean and producer Matt Hales to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Olivia’s Mercury-nominated debut album ‘Messy’. Taking us back to the very start of their story, the pair discuss the inspiration for the album, sharing their approach to marrying different musical cultures and the importance of the chats they had before writing. As well as playing their writing session voice notes showing the exact moments each song took shape, we hear stories of mouth trumpet demos, creating artefacts to make instruments sound sampled, and the thought process behind choosing mix engineers.  Listen to find out why so much of what makes a good record can come from turning things off, why it’s so valuable to just have things around the studio, and why tea can be such an integral part of the creative process. Tracks discussed: UFO, Messy, Carmen ---------------- Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musician

Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings. To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days). In this episode, John is back at Strongroom Studios to catch up with Bakar and producer Zach Nahome about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Halo’. Looking back at the varied starting points of the songs, Bakar and Zach chart the journey of the album writing process, from writing in hotel rooms and AirBnbs to some of the most legendary studios in the world. As well as sharing the conversations that helped fuel their creativity, we are given a glimpse into how the pair forged Bakar’s distinctive sound, sharing tips on bringing modern elements into music that feels old, and building distinctive worlds of reverb. Listen to find out why you shouldn’t delete old beats, how a thief

Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings. To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days). In this episode, John is joined by James Blake to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’. With the idea of simplifying his solo work primarily with synths and drums, James shares his process of crafting an album with the purpose of getting away from the computer, reflecting on the impact it had on his creativity and mental health. A true master of modular synths, he talks us through the long journey learning to create ‘listenable’ music with them, discussing the ways in which they are able to create sounds that he couldn't have imagined.  Listen to discover the enlightening advice James received from Universal's Head A&R, how to best record yo

Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings. To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days). In this episode, John heads to Miloco’s The Yard Studios, to catch up with Guy and Howard of Disclosure, and talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Alchemy’. Having taken a break from their relentless touring schedule, the pair guide us through their reassessed approach to creativity. From stories of managing burnout and heartbreak, to balancing meaning and feelings with the key production choices of each track. As well as sharing Howard’s very first AirBnb demos, Guy digs deep with a vast production breakdown, including sharing his go-to method of creating kicks and the small additions to a track that can make it sparkle. Listen to find out the quickest way to come up

Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings. To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days). In this episode, John catches up with Amber Bain aka The Japanese House, along with producers Chloe Kraemer and George Daniel to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘In The End It Always Does’. Looking back on their time together, Amber, Chloe, and George guide us through the process of bringing each song to life. Alongside stories of misunderstood lyrics and dog walk writing sessions, they treat us to some of the most stunning first demos ever heard, as well as the spontaneous studio moments that left everyone in tears. As well as digging into the processes that shape the sound of the record, the trio discuss the importance of people when making music. They give us i

In this episode, John is joined by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and producer James Ford, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘The Ballad of Darren’. With Damon’s initial demos to hand, the pair give us a guided tour of the record, right through the early versions and studio sessions, from the moments that reignited the feelings they had when writing in the 90s, to piecing together the musical jigsaw that forms the Blur sound. Along with stories of Damon’s inspirational chickens and the dangers of making pesto while writing an album, we’re treated to an in depth production and songwriting masterclass, with details on manufacturing the sound of a room, and the importance of energy and intention behind a song. Listen to find out what makes the first performance of something so special, why a 4-track recorder can sometimes be a great replacement pillow, and what benefits come with giving yourself distance from a record. Tracks discussed: St. Charles Square, The Everglades (For Leonard)

In this episode, John is joined by Ben Howard and producer Nathan Jenkins aka Bullion, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Ben’s latest album ‘Is It?’. Looking back on their time together, Ben and Nathan talk us through their collaborative journey, from their initial coffee shop discussions, to the 10 day stint recording in the South of France. Sharing their initial sketches, voice note demos and the unexpected moments that changed the direction of each of the tracks. In addition to stories of delay tuning and the potentially negative effects of singing with too much reverb, the pair share their thoughts on the importance of considering different musical approaches and giving time to ideas to allow them to flourish. Listen to find out why you’ll never need four mics on an amp, why one wrong note with a delay can ruin a whole take, and why laziness is fundamental to Ben’s creativity. Tracks discussed: Walking Backwards, Days Of Lantana, Spirit LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES   linktr.ee/tap