Mixing / Production

Probably best known as the producer of Meat Loaf's monster selling 'Bat Out Of Hell' album, Todd Rundgren's wide-ranging career has continually encompassed cutting edge technology. Jimmy Phillips talks to him about his latest ventures: an interactive music CD and interactive stage show.

Fluke got their first low-key press attention in the late '80s for their innovative dance-based sound and inteligent, musicianly approach. Now they're gaining a higher profile for their varied remix work. Nigel Humberstone talks to the trio.

There are very few people who can make a living doing a job they really enjoy. Producer John Leckie feels he is one of the lucky ones — and that's why it irritates him when people he works with in the studio don't realise how lucky they are. He explains why he thinks that artists, engineers and producers should all count their blessings...

Touring with Pink Floyd is not, as you might imagine, like a quick gig down the Bull and Gate. There's a tour budget of around £70 million, and the efforts of hundreds of people go into making each concert truly spectacular. In this exclusive, Mike Lethby talks backstage to some of the men who keep the Floyd on the road.

From a garden studio in Wales, Danny Chang scores multi-million pound animated productions for TV companies throughout Europe. Paul White talks to him about the gear and techniques involved in writing music for cartoons.

This month, we turn Production Lines over to the classical fraternity, with some words from classical producer Joanna Leach.

Nigel Lowis has made his name producing female soul vocalists like Dina Carroll and Judy Cheeks, but his skills also include songwriting and remix work. Sue Sillitoe joined him at Sarm West, his home from home, to talk about songs, synths and success...

Future Sound of London aim to infiltrate broadcasting and permeate TV and radio, rejecting the traditional roles of studio musicians to fashion themselves into a complete 'broadcast system' with control over every aspect of the audio/visual mix. Nigel Humberstone discovers what it's all about.

Mike Stock, once one third of production giants Stock Aitken and Waterman, ponders the future of British pop...

Paul Ward plays a key role in the thriving Surreal To Real record company, is about to release his second solo album — and still holds down a day job. Paul White caught up with him backstage, after his impressive live performance at the EMMA festival, to find out how he does it.

In the UK exclusive on the 10th anniversary of Trevor Horn's ZTT label, Richard Buskin talks to this renowned producer, whose Midas touch has transformed artists as varied as Frankie Goes To Hollywood, ABC, Yes, the Pet Shop Boys, and most recently Seal.

With a track record that includes hit albums for the Smiths and current chart success with both Blur and the Cranberries, producer Stephen Street is making himself quite a name for his honest and straightforward production approach.

Take some Cajun banjo, an Italian opera singer, and a dash of Robert Fripp. Mix these diverse elements liberally with electronic dance music, and serve as the third album from the Grid, Evolver. Nigel Humberstone talks to the hi-tech duo on the making of this album, and their forthcoming classical project.

Andre Jacquemin is best known for his production work on all the Monty Python albums, but he is also a rock music producer, a composer and an expert at putting sound to picture. Here he reflects on the advances of technology which have allowed him to streamline his working environment, and the support that is necessary to maintain it.

It's a well worn record company adage that the music known as New Age doesn't sell, yet the little-known artist Clifford White has enjoyed such enormous success with this kind of music that he has set up his own booming record company. Paul White (no relation) finds out how.

Despite having spent more than 15 years in the public eye, David Sylvian remains an enigmatic figure who has reinvented his own musical style constantly, both within his solo work and in his collaborations with musicians as diverse as Holger Czukay and Robert Fripp. Paul Tingen charts the history of the thinking musician's thinking musician.

London Records have just given Scottish band Finitribe £75,000 to record their next album. By the terms of their mould-breaking new record deal, even if London don't like the next album, the Finis keep the money. Wilf Smarties finds out how they wangled it.

Composing for film is an ambition shared by innumerable musicians, only a tiny percentage of whom will ever land a soundtrack job. But it can be done. Nigel Humberstone recounts his own experience of scoring a low-budget independent Hollywood movie and talks to Barry Adamson, one of a new breed of soundtrack composers, about his career to date.

Despite looking back fondly on his days as a pioneering member of groundbreaking electronic group Tangerine Dream, Chris Franke has been a solo artist for over half a decade, and has made a name for himself both in the world of film scoores and as a businessman. Ashok Prema talks to the man they call " the sequencer king".

Jane Siberry's unique-sounding music has attracted collaboration from musicians such as Brian Eno and fellow Canadian Michael Brook. But she's still in control, as Mark J. Prendergast discovers...

A surprise hit with the independent release of 'Chime' led to a record contract, numerous singles, two successful LPs and worldwide touring for brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Nigel Humberstone catches up with them to talk about good gear, punk ethics and the importance of being spontaneous...