INTERVIEW: GREG WELLS

What do you consider the best piece of music you have been involved with?

"Mika's 'Lollipop'."

You own an Apple laptop. What hardware/software platform do you use for your production work?

"I own eight Apple computers; just got the new Macbook Pro, which is stunning. I use Protools because I find it is unmatched in the editing and mixing department."

Stewart Copeland of The Police once referred to you as a Swiss Army knife when talking about your production capabilities. Of course this is a compliment in terms of your ability to solve practical problems. On the other hand a Swiss Army knife is not the first thing you think about when it comes to creative and musical input. Any comments here?

"I guess you'd have to ask Stewart what he meant. I took it as a compliment. I'm very influenced by a book written by Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa, called "Something like an autobiography". In that book he strongly advises that if you want to become a film director, you must immerse yourself in all the great books and films. You must learn how to write, act, light the set, operate the boom mic, run the camera - basically, you need to become a master of every area of film-making to become a great director.

"I read this book when I was 20, and in my own way have applied that approach to becoming a record producer, if that makes any sense. when I was younger, I could never get the older recording engineers to listen to me so I had to learn how to become an engineer. I've always been a serious drummer, pianist, and guitarist because there was nothing else for me to do in the small town I'm from. Plus, i was completely obsessed with music."

What are you working on right now, and who's at the top of your wish list?

"I just finished producing a new record by Canadian singer and songwriter Emm Gryner. She's super talented and we've made a gorgeous kind of retro record that tips its hat to Carole King's "Tapestry". Paul Buckmaster arranged and conducted a string quartet on several songs and I'm really proud of the whole thing. This week, I'm finishing the mixes."

"Who's at the top of my wish list? PJ Harvey, Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie, and honestly, Mika."

  gregwells.net

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