PropertyOfZack is glad to welcome Steve Evetts as our new featured producer in our Producer’s Corner series. Whether you know the name or not, Steve has done extensive work with Saves The Day, Lifetime, and Every Time I Die, among many others. In our new interview, Steve and I discussed the work he has done in the past, the new Wonder Years record, how producing has changed over his career, new technologies in the music industry, and more. Read up on this one, Steve gives a ton of great insight that not everyone can normally find!

Steve, for those who don’t know what exactly you do and just who you’ve done it with, could you go ahead and introduce yourself and give a brief overview about some of the bands you’ve worked with?
Okay, here goes: Hi, I’m Steve Evetts….I’ve produced A lot of records, including ones from The Dillinger Escape Plan, Saves The Day, Every Time I Die, Poison The Well, among others. Most recently, I completed albums from The Wonder Years, and Suicide Silence-which both come out in June, I believe.

You’ve done extensive work with bands from labels like Jade Tree and Victory Records. Is there a comfort with working in certain niches in certain labels regardless of what bands you work with?
Well, I suppose there’s a comfort-especially if it’s a style of music that most interests you. Growing up as a musician I devoured as much diverse music as I could. There were many “phases” I went through, so many styles appeal to me. The label thing is always cool, just in the fact that you become somewhat familiar with the people working there, and knowing you’re on the same page.

Saves The Day, Lifetime, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Every Time I Die are all bands that you’ve had your hand working with for multiple different records. Do you think that there’s a certain advantage on the side of bands for working with a producer multiple times?
I think so, especially when you form a bond with them-it’s almost as if you become the “extra member”, and there’s a trust formed. That will enable you to push each other artistically and hopefully take some risks. It eliminates fear to some degree.
For example, on the last Dillinger Escape Plan album, there was a moment where I was pushing for Greg (the singer) to hit these insane high notes in the song “Gold Teeth on A Bum”. During the vocal tracking for that we were both talking about Soundgarden, and how nobody goes for those vocals the way Chris Cornell used to. So we just said, “Lets do that, who cares what anyone thinks!” Greg was having a little doubt- “that’s really high”, he said after we came up with the melody sitting around the keyboard in the control room. “I’m not sure I can hit that”. I was pushing him, saying “you’ve got this, no problem”-and he hit it first take, exactly how you hear it on the final mix. I’m not saying I did anything special-he did all the work-I’m just saying that kind of trust in each other’s abilities can lead to special moments captured in recordings.

On the other side of that question, do you think that working with the same group repeatedly can inhibit progress for a band’s growth musically?
It can if any party involved gets complacent. You should always be striving to push the boundaries, and grow as a creative entity. I certainly don’t begrudge an artist/band for using a different producer…my only problem is if they use someone who isn’t capable- but likes to “bro down” with the band, and talk a good game only to get the gig. Those people have NO business calling themselves a “producer.”

What kind of equipment do you use in the studio and what are some of your favorite go-to tricks that you’re willing to reveal?
I try to use as much real analog gear as much as possible…lots of stompbox effects pedals. Printing effects as I go-that sort of thing. Committing to sounds, instead of leaving 300 options for the mix. I could go into an equipment list, but it’s not the car, it’s the driver. That being said, I love Chandler Limited. I use a good amount of their gear.
 
What have been some of your favorite records to work on in your years of producing and mixing?
There have been a number of “favorite” records over the years, for various reasons. A lot of them are just connected to a particular time in my life, or they could be because of the songs, or a combination of those and other things. It’s very hard to pick favorites. Basically almost every record I’ve ever made is my favorite for one reason or another. I’m just happy to get paid for doing something I absolutely love to do. 

Soupy Campbell of The Wonder Years has said on multiple occasions that working with you was a completely different experience from any other producer he had ever worked with before in the way that you track vocals and instruments. Can you just discuss your methods of taping live and doing no overdubbing?
Well, that’s not entirely accurate. I record the band live on the initial take-to get everyone playing in the same room together, just like a live performance. I think that’s very important. I hear stories about the drummer recording by himself -with no music, mind you- and just a click track. Even more asinine, is when the drummer records JUST the kick and snare drum, then just the tom toms, and then just the cymbals! That makes no sense to me. It removes all human element. It might be fine for a dance track, but to do that in the context of trying to make something with emotional content is just silly, in my opinion.

So much has changed since you started working on records in regards to technology, recording tools, and more. Have there been points where you haven’t wanted to produce anymore because the game that you stepped into in the beginning has now almost disappeared?
It can be frustrating at times, but you have to adapt or fade away-that’s the struggle. That being said, I’m not a total luddite. I love technology; it’s just that when you rely mostly on it that I have the problem.
 
You started producing heavily in the early 90’s with bands who were used to that specific way records were made, but now things have changed in terms of production. Do you ever find it difficult to use the same methods you always have with younger bands who are used to perhaps, a simpler method of recording?
I don’t use the same methods necessarily, but the underlying principles, which are to learn your craft, and to believe in your abilities enough to commit to an idea, are the same. There are wonderful tools out there that enable us to do amazing things with music, but the ease of use has created a whole new bad trend-Laziness. Nobody takes the time to learn their respective crafts…
That starts from producers, who can fix anything with a few mouse clicks, so they don’t have to learn how to coax an inspired performance from the band/artists. And also to record the most bland, uninspired vanilla sounds to give yourself “options”
It filters down to said bands/artists, who don’t really have to learn how to play/sing, because they know it’s going to get fixed anyway.
So, round and round we go- and nobody buys records anymore, because there’s this inherent sameness to a lot of it-and that is because a lot of records are made in the EXACT same fashion. Same drum samples, same auto tune, same gridded, uninspired performances that are synthesized by a computer operator, not by someone using their ears, and feel.

Some producers are excited by the fact that it’s becoming increasingly easy for bands to record their own music, but many producers also see that as a threat. What are your thoughts on self-recording and how they may or may not interfere with your job down the line?
Self recording as a whole isn’t a bad thing-but I always think there’s a value in an experienced outside opinion that understands the genre of music involved, and has some sort of vocabulary to communicate ideas to the band.
Plus dealing with the internal relationships within the band itself, and fragile egos, and trying to coax a proper vocal performance out of the singer(s), among many other things that don’t involve knobs, faders, and microphones. There’s a huge grey area in terms of producing that many aren’t aware of.

Most people have concerns with record labels selling less music, but how do you handle decreased sales in music as the producer of an album? How does that affect what you’re able to do?
It means as a whole, budgets are a lot smaller than what they were 10, even 5 years ago. Since I cut my teeth largely in the indie world (where budgets are generally small) it hasn’t been as much of a shock to me, but a lot of my friends who also do this for a living, but coming from the major label world are really hurting badly. It basically means we have to work a bit quicker, and just do more projects per year than before.

How do you select whom to work with? As time moves on and the band’s that you’ve done multiple records with start to fade out, are you looking to continue to work with bands continuously like in the past, or are you searching for many new bands to start working with?
I’m always on the lookout for new bands in the old MySpace days I’d get a ton of emails/links on a weekly basis. Now it isn’t nearly that often, but I get submissions to my email, and to my Facebook page. You can also contact Bennet Kaufman at BK Entertainment Group here and call at 818-728-8200. So, if you’re a band, hit me up!!

With the industry struggling how it is, are you open to working with bands or artists who may not seem very talented to you or are out of your comfortable genre of music if they’re willing to pay higher values for production? Especially if that means that you’ll be able to work with bands that you love for less money?
I love working with different genres of music, I think it keeps you motivated and hungry. Within the “rock” world, I just went from The Wonder Years to Suicide Silence-I don’t think you could be more opposite! The important thing that ties both bands together is that they’re both excellent at what they do in their respective (sub)genres, and they both work their asses off! There’s no secret as to why they’re both kicking ass right now.
And yes, I have taken less money to do projects that I totally believe in/love….it can’t always happen, but generally it pays you back in other ways, like getting you more work.
 
Kickstarter is a tool that many bands have been using to raise money for the recording process to be able to work with producers of their choosing. Do you think it’s right for bands to ask their fans for money, especially when they can’t guarantee happiness with their final product?
A fan will buy a bands record a lot of times without hearing the whole thing first, what’s the difference? The main thing is that the fans support their favorite artists. That way we can all keep creating. The money has to come from somewhere….kids steal music without realizing you have to pay money to make the music in the first place-whether that’s even down to paying to buy the equipment to record it at home, or go into the studio with a producer.
Nobody will ever be 100% happy with the final product, but that’s not a bad thing. The 20% of a record/song you hate will make someone else insanely happy..That’s the beauty of art/music-it’s all subjective, and it appeals to different people for different reasons. 

Does it matter to you that the money isn’t coming directly from the band or label’s pocket with services like these?
No-if the band is able to make music funded by the fans, and then subsequently can go out and tour and make a living; it’s win-win in my opinion.

What about your thoughts more in general? As already mentioned, you’ve been around for quite some time and have seen a great deal of changes in the industry. What are your thoughts on the present and future?
As an industry we’re all still fumbling in the dark a little bit. I have great hope for the industry to bounce back, although I’m sure it won’t be in the same business model as before.
I hope I can still do this for a long time…it’s been my passion since I was a little kid, and I’ve been very fortunate to be around this long. 
 
What else are you currently working on that you’re allowed to discuss? Are there any other new projects on the way that you’re extremely excited for?
Currently I’m working on a metal album from the band Warbringer. great group of guys, and great players. We’re about 1/3 of the way through tracking. I’m also going to be mixing a pop punk band from Australia called Skyway sometime in the first half of June. I have A few other things in the works I’m very excited about, but can’t discuss just yet-I don’t want to jinx it!
 
Thank you so much for your time, is there anything else you’d like to add?
I guess just be passionate about what you do, whatever that may be, and most importantly, learn your craft! Thanks a lot Zack-This was fun!