Artist Spotlight: HEALTH
-John Famiglietti of HEALTH
For Los Angeles-based band HEALTH, finding a unique sound that grabbed listeners’ attention came naturally. Beginning with their 2007 self-titled debut, they blended elements of noise, rock, and electronica seamlessly in songs that are at once both infectious and deliciously abrasive. But in the six years between 2009’s LP Get Color and their upcoming release Death Magic, the band perceived that the sound of music around them had changed by leaps and bounds. HEALTH has since turned to a new workflow focused on direct guitar recording through BAE Audio 1073 preamplifiers, giving their analog instruments the added punch they need to go toe to toe with HEALTH’s bevy of digital sounds...
“We were hearing how music production had really changed where you’ve got these pop-star songs that are hitting harder than a heavy metal record because of the production,” says HEALTH band member John Famiglietti, “and we’re saying to ourselves, hey, we make heavy music and there’s no reason our stuff shouldn’t be hitting harder than teeny bop music.”
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In 1979, Ziggy Marley and his siblings Cedella, Stephen, and Sharon made their recording debut with their father, "Children Playing in the Streets". The Melody Makers, as the group came to be known, played occasionally for several years, including at their father's funeral in 1981. Their debut LP was Play the Game Right, which was a very pop-oriented album, earning Ziggy some derision from critics. The band's label, EMI, wanted to market Ziggy as a solo act, and so the Melody Makers moved to Virgin Records (which was later acquired by EMI), where they recorded Conscious Party (1988, produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth). The album was critically and popularly successful, as was One Bright Day (1989) and Jahmekya (1991).
As the 1990s continued, the Melody Makers' sales slowly declined, beginning with Joy and Blues (1993) and continuing with Free Like We Want 2 B (1995).
Ziggy became politically active, working with the United Nations and creating a record label called Ghetto Youths Crew. A solo album, Dragonfly was released on 15 April 2003. On 2 July 2006, his second solo album, Love Is My Religion, was released on his independent record company Tuff Gong Worldwide. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, making it Ziggy's 4th Grammy win. On 5 May 2009, his third solo children's album Family Time, was released on his independent record company Tuff Gong Worldwide. Family Time features family and friends; Rita Marley, Cedella Marley, Judah Marley, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Jack Johnson, Toots Hibbert, Laurie Berkner, Elizabeth Mitchell, and more. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children.
Some of his most popular singles include "True To Myself", "Drive", "People Get Ready", and his hit single "Tomorrow People" from his Conscious Party album, which reached #39 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In April 2011, Marley announced his fourth album, entitled Wild and Free would be released on 14 June. The title track, featuring Woody Harrelson, was available for free with the pre-order of Ziggy's first comic book, "Marijuanaman".
In 2013 his song "I Love You Too" won him a Daytime Emmy Award in the 'Outstanding Original Song – Children's and Animation' category, after it was used in the Disney Channel animation 3rd & Bird.
On April 15, 2014, Marley came out with his fifth album, entitled "Fly Rasta", with "Background Vocals from Cedella Marley, Sharon Marley, Rica Newell, Tracy Hazzard, Ian “Beezy” Coleman, Vincent Brantley, Sean Dancy, and Tim Fowlles". Songs like " I Don't Wanna Live on Mars" and "Sunshine", show the emotion that Ziggy tried to portray in this new album.
BAE Gear: Ziggy Marley proudly uses the BAE 1073.
Jim James, singer-songwriter-guitarist for Grammy™-nominated My Morning Jacket commented, "My BAE 1073's ring loud and true- crystal clear as the ocean blue! Makes anything sing- from vocals, overheads, and even banjo strings! As everyone knows- an essential tool to have in ye olde audio toolbox!"
As the vocalist, frontman, producer and lead songwriter for My Morning Jacket, James has been instrumental in defining the sound of the band, from the haunting reverb of The Tennessee Fire to the amalgam of reggae, Americana, and folk that was the Z, which he co-produced with John Leckie. He was given an "Esky" for best songwriter in Esquire's 2006 Esky Music Awards in the April issue.
James typically plays rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, and occasional lead guitar on My Morning Jacket songs. He played the role of the band leader in the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There, singing the song "Going to Acapulco", with Calexico as his backing band, which was featured on the soundtrack of the film. Rolling Stone listed James among their "20 New Guitar Gods" along with fellow My Morning Jacket guitarist Carl Broemel. In 2008, James, along with former My Morning Jacket guitarist and cousin Johnny Quaid, formed Removador Recordings and Solutions record label. The label, as described on its website, functions "on the simple principal of yielding the highest annual percentage of aural joy back into the hearts and minds of investors and shareholders with ease and convenience". He contributed vocals on The Decemberists' 2009 album The Hazards of Love.
On April 4, 2009, James performed at the Radio City Music Hall, New York City, in the Paul McCartney "Change Begins Within" concert benefitting the David Lynch Foundation.
On July 7, 2009, James released Tribute To, an EP covering George Harrison songs. A portion of the proceeds from the album will go to benefit the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. The EP is available on yimyames.com as both a digital download and a physical CD/LP.
James and the rest of My Morning Jacket played themselves in "My Morning Straitjacket", an episode of the animated television series American Dad!
In 2012, Rounder Records released the Woody Guthrie tribute album New Multitudes which features songs covered by a variety of musicians including James (as Yim Yames) and Jay Farrar. James wrote an article on My Morning Jacket, discussing how the band got its name and growing up in Louisville, for the July 2012 issue of Louisville magazine. Bandmates Patrick Hallahan and Tom Blankenship also wrote articles for the issue.
James released his debut solo full length album, Regions of Light and Sound of God, on ATO Records on February 5, 2013.
BAE Gear: Jim James proudly uses the BAE 1073.
Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Zella Day blends modern pop with a touch of Western Bohemian flair. A native of Arizona, she was raised in a small mountain town near Phoenix, where her parents ran a cafe and art space whose creative clientele helped to nurture her musical interests.
Picking up the guitar at age 9, she was writing her first songs within a few years, influenced by the classic singer/songwriter records in her parents' collection and her rugged natural surroundings. Eventually relocating to L.A., Day first came to notice when her 2012 acoustic cover of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" began racking up the hits on YouTube.
While it's tempting to compare Day to ubiquitous pop divas such as Lorde and Lana Del Rey, the sonqwriter has her own charmed style. Unlike some of her peers, her songs are more about being in sync with the universe rather than vice versa.
Soon she adopted a lusher, pop-oriented sound, which led some critics to refer to her as a happier sounding Lana Del Rey. Her first single, "Sweet Ophelia"/"1965," arrived in April 2014 and in October of that same year she released her self-titled debut EP on California indie B3SCI Records.
BAE Gear: 1073 DMP
Originally from the Chicago area, Emerson Swinford is a Los Angeles-based guitarist, composer/songwriter and producer. He is currently a touring and studio guitarist for Rod Stewart. His guitar work can be heard on much of the 2015 album release by Stewart, called Another Country on which he also has bass, vocals, and co-writing credit. It has achieved platinum sales status in the UK. He also played guitar and co-wrote on the 2013 album Time, which also went to number 1 on the UK Albums Chart and has reached Double Platinum sales status there. Time went to number 7 on the US Billboard chart. Emerson was also the musical director and touring guitarist for Tony award-winning actress and singer Idina Menzel, famous for her roles in Disney's Frozen, Broadway's Wicked, Rent and the TV show "Glee."
Emerson composed the theme and under-score music for the hit comedy Hot in Cleveland, along with co-composer Ron Wasserman. Their work won them 2011, 2012 and 2014 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards. Emerson also co-wrote the theme and under-score music on the TV Land network comedy series The Soul Man (TV series) and Retired at 35. Additionally he has had many TV and film song placements including songs on MTV/"The Hills", "Pimp My Ride", " The Ghost Whisperer", and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Emerson is a co-writer of the hit single "Barenaked" for actress and singer Jennifer Love Hewitt.
As a session guitarist, Emerson has recorded with a diverse roster of artists such as Rod Stewart, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Delerium, Paul Oakenfold, Liz Phair, Jim McGorman, P.J. Olsson, Fisher (band), Kimberly Locke, Natalie Cole, Kenny G, Robbie Nevil, Dianne Warren and many others, as well as performing on the soundtracks for the movies Just Like Heaven, Planet of the Apes (2001) and "Power Rangers." His guitar work is also featured on several national TV commercial spots including "St. Ives" and "Coors Light."
Plug and Play: BAE Audio 1073 Preamplifier and 10DC Compressor Take Superstar Guitarist Billy Morrison’s Studio Sound to the Next Level
BAE Audio Combo Delivers World Class Performance in the Project Studio for Billy Idol's Guitarist
Superstar guitarist Billy Morrison has a busy schedule. Whether he’s gearing up for a Las Vegas residency with Billy Idol, recording and releasing solo albums with collaborators like Ozzy Osbourne, or playing top LA venues with Dave Navarro in their band Royal Machines, Morrison is perpetually evolving as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since time is always of the essence for Morrison, having the capability to lay down 'no-compromise quality' guitar, bass, and vocal tracks at his home project studio is a must. His go-to signal chain is a 'modern vintage' combination of the BAE Audio 1073 preamplifier and 10DC compressor, both of which stand at the ready to capture his sounds with the renowned analog warmth of old-world vintage consoles.
Becoming Re-acquainted with an Old Friend
Morrison knew about BAE Audio gear well before it became a key component of his home studio setup. “Having a recording career for quite a long time, I knew exactly who BAE Audio was,” Morrison says. “I’ve worked with a lot of different producers and writers, many of whom had BAE gear in their rack,” including frequent collaborator Steve Stevens, he notes. Before long, Morrison acquired a pair each of BAE Audio 1073 rack units and 10DC compressors for himself. “I try to invest in the best compressors and preamps I can get on the premise that if I don’t like the music that comes out I know it’s not the gear’s fault, I just don’t like my songwriting,” he jokes. “BAE gear is as high in quality as you can get in audio engineering, so I know that sound-wise, everything I record will be top notch.”
Vintage Sounds You Can Count On
Morrison takes a somewhat unusual approach to setting up the signal paths in his studio. “There’s no patch bay — it’s all about having quality, dedicated signal paths for specific inputs,” he explains. “I’ve got dedicated chains for guitar, bass, and vocals, which are always set up and ready to go.” Morrison’s bass guitar and vocal chain both sport the BAE 1073 and 10DC combination. The 1073’s Carnhill St. Ives transformers bring an authentic dimension of warmth and clarity to his bass guitar tracks, helping them sit easily in a mix. Also, Morrison says the 1073 is especially versatile on vocal applications: “Once you start to understand the sweepable EQ on the 1073 and what different amounts of gain do to a signal, there’s almost an infinite amount of tweakability when you’re setting up a vocal sound," he says.
The sweet analog compression of the 10DC has been a standout for Morrison. Though his two 10DCs are racked to be ready for bass and vocals, he is not afraid to send other sources through their transformer-coupled, all-discrete circuitry. “The 10DC is my secret weapon for every instrument and on vocals, it’s my absolute favorite thing,” he reveals. Morrison is particularly effusive about the improvements his BAE Audio gear has brought to light in his vocal chain. “Before I had BAE in my rack, I went through all kinds of different preamps and compressors. But I always felt like they colored the sound when I didn’t want color, and when I wanted color I couldn’t get the right color. It’s easy to get a great sound with the BAE Audio gear," he says. “It’s crystal clear when that’s the sound you want, and beautifully colored when you need it to be.”
Mix-Ready Tracking at Home
Now, after having integrated BAE Audio in his set-up, Morrison is able to track the bulk of his records at home. “Two thirds of my most recent solo album that came out last month, God Shaped Hole, was tracked at home — pretty much everything except drums,” he says. “Now, there’s no need to make demos. I’m already recording things at the highest level of quality from the get-go.” Morrison knows that his BAE 1073 and 10DC rack units will remain part of his signal chain for a long time to come. “Whenever I record I use the BAE Audio gear," he says. “It’s in the rack for a reason — I love it and everything gets plugged into it.”
White Lung Looks to BAE Audio’s Vintage Preamp Designs to Achieve a Modern Sound on Paradise
BAE Audio’s 1073MP and 1073DMP is used on Everything from Vocals to Bass on Hotly Anticipated Record by the Indie-Punk Darlings, Helping Achieve an 'Urgent' and 'Balanced' Sound
When high-energy indie-punk rockers White Lung got together with producer Lars Stalfors to begin work on their new record ‘Paradise,’ they made it clear that they were after a sound that was more than a mere simulacrum of the punk rock of yesteryear. “They were very clear that they wanted something new and modern,” Stalfors says. “They didn’t want something consciously vintage sounding, they wanted a big sound that took advantage of all the technical resources they had available.” To achieve the sound of the today, Stalfors turned to a modern take on a classic, the BAE Audio 1073MP and 1073DMP preamplifiers.
Foundational Sound
Most of the tracking for Paradise was done at Studio B of Palmquist Studios in Los Angeles, which Stalfors rents as his home base. There, his 1073MP found its way onto every bass, guitar, and vocal track White Lung laid down. The 1073DMP was an all-star on bass, allowing Stalfors to capture a musical direct signal courtesy of its Jensen DI transformer, while using a thru output to send signal to an amp, which he in turn miced through his 1073MP. “Everything except multitracked drums went through the 1073, and that’s only because I didn’t have enough channels.” Stalfors was clear about how a vintage design fits into a modern studio signal path. “This is a design that simply hasn’t been improved upon. It always sounds good, especially when you start layering tracks.”
Sonic Glue
One of the trademark sounds of Paradise is the urgent, yet tight and balanced, overdriven guitars of Kenneth Williams. “That’s the guitar going into the DI of the 1073DMP thru to an amp. Then I’ve got a dynamic mic and a ribbon mic on the amp going through the 1073MP,” Stalfors says. The 1073MP also shone on singer Mish Way’s in-your-face vocals, which sit comfortably atop White Lung’s wall of drums and guitars. The classic tonal characteristics of the BAE1073’s Carnhill-St. Ives transformers helped Stalfors maintain balance in the hotly contest midrange frequencies. “The BAE 1073 really pulls together the midrange on things like guitars and vocals, which just makes my life easier in mixing, especially on a record like this that can get pretty aggressive in the upper mids.”
Forward Motion
Stalfors prioritizes keeping the flow of his sessions going and tries to spend minimal time on gear decisions: that’s why the BAE Audio 1073 fits perfectly into his workflow. “There’s nothing more than a time kill or a vibe kill than doing a mic pre shootout,” Stalfors says. “That’s why I use the BAE 1073 on everything, I know it sounds great and it’s going to work in the mix.” Stalfors also appreciates the reliability and predictability of BAE Audio gear, which is handwired in California. “I don’t particularly care for vintage gear because of the temperamental aspect of it. My worst nightmare is when I’m at a studio and they’re like ‘you should try all the mic pres, they all sound a little different’. I just want the best sounding one, and the BAE Audio preamps are exactly that,” he says.
Classic Sound To Go
While the 1073MP is Stalfors’ studio workhorse, the 1073DMP has become his first choice no matter where he is recording, finding its way onto each recording he touches. “What I love about the 1073DMP is that it’s so versatile and I can bring it with me anywhere.” In addition to its great sound, Stalfors cites useful features such as its included ‘Bootsy Collins mod’, which adds a Jensen DI transformer, two thru outputs, and a built-in power supply. “I can throw it in my backpack, fly to New York, and know I’ll have that great result with me. Whatever system I put it in front of, I know that I’m going to get what I’m looking for.” Recently, it has been a key part of signal chains for the next record by The Cold War Kids, as well as a handful of hip-hop projects. “Anything that’s coming out with me will have the 1073DMP on it. It is my mic pre for everything.”