With an impressive resume that includes engineering for Sublime with Rome, Joe Haze has recently relocated his complex production set up from Northern California to Salt Lake City. The producer, mixer and engineer is a skilled guitar player who admits he doesn't mind being a "hired gun" with other bands, credits his studio skills to Sylvia Massey, a producer best known for her work producing Tool's 1993 album "Undertow." Haze worked side by side with Massey at RadioStar Studios in Weed, Calif. learning from one of the best in the industry.
Now living in Midvale with a massive basement studio, Haze is exploring local talent while producing acts outside of the Beehive state.
How did you get into producing music?
The need to record evolved out of me being frustrated I couldn't find anybody who liked the music I liked. So I started with a drum machine, guitar and a 4-track, in my bedroom. I had no idea what I was doing. There wasn't Youtube, audio schools or a good mentor -- I was on my own! Around the age of 18, on a whim, I purchased "The Downward Spiral" by Nine Inch Nails. I hated the album, but the more I listened to it, the more I needed to know how they achieved the sounds on that album. That became the catalyst for me wanting to learn the are of recording I learned everything I could about each piece of gear. I didn't realize it at the time, but Trent Reznor used classic gear to make TDS. This became my blueprint, for learning audio.
I got my first producing gig when I was 19. A local band (who 10 years later would be all over MTV) had me help them with their sound and eventually asked me to produce their first record. After that, I moved back to the Bay Area and spent five years working on my own music, buying recording gear and trying to get into a studio.
Eventually, I ended up running a few small studios and getting into broadcast. In 2005, I learned that Sylvia Massy, a famous producer, had a studio about an hour from my place, so I sent her a message introducing myself. She invited me to co-produce and engineer an album with her.
It was a very intense experience working with Sylvia, the studio had all the best classic analog gear, just like Reznor's studio. Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips) was at the studio visiting her husband while he was working on his album, she cooked us dinner it was cool.
Sylvia worked with people like Prince and Rick Ruben. I was handed down techniques they taught her, on how to work with bands and being quick in the studio. Five years later Sylvia hired me as one of her top guys after hearing an album I did (I grew a bit since the early days of working with her.)
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With an impressive resume that includes engineering for Sublime with Rome, Joe Haze has recently relocated his complex production set up from Northern California to Salt Lake City. The producer, mixer and engineer is a skilled guitar player who admits he doesn't mind being a "hired gun" with other bands, credits his studio skills to Sylvia Massey, a producer best known for her work producing Tool's 1993 album "Undertow." Haze worked side by side with Massey at RadioStar Studios in Weed, Calif. learning from one of the best in the industry.
Now living in Midvale with a massive basement studio, Haze is exploring local talent while producing acts outside of the Beehive state.
How did you get into producing music?
The need to record evolved out of me being frustrated I couldn't find anybody who liked the music I liked. So I started with a drum machine, guitar and a 4-track, in my bedroom. I had no idea what I was doing. There wasn't Youtube, audio schools or a good mentor -- I was on my own! Around the age of 18, on a whim, I purchased "The Downward Spiral" by Nine Inch Nails. I hated the album, but the more I listened to it, the more I needed to know how they achieved the sounds on that album. That became the catalyst for me wanting to learn the are of recording I learned everything I could about each piece of gear. I didn't realize it at the time, but Trent Reznor used classic gear to make TDS. This became my blueprint, for learning audio.
I got my first producing gig when I was 19. A local band (who 10 years later would be all over MTV) had me help them with their sound and eventually asked me to produce their first record. After that, I moved back to the Bay Area and spent five years working on my own music, buying recording gear and trying to get into a studio.
Eventually, I ended up running a few small studios and getting into broadcast. In 2005, I learned that Sylvia Massy, a famous producer, had a studio about an hour from my place, so I sent her a message introducing myself. She invited me to co-produce and engineer an album with her.
It was a very intense experience working with Sylvia, the studio had all the best classic analog gear, just like Reznor's studio. Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips) was at the studio visiting her husband while he was working on his album, she cooked us dinner it was cool.
Sylvia worked with people like Prince and Rick Ruben. I was handed down techniques they taught her, on how to work with bands and being quick in the studio. Five years later Sylvia hired me as one of her top guys after hearing an album I did (I grew a bit since the early days of working with her.)
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On average, how much time goes into producing a full-length album?
Typically, I can track, edit and mix a song in 2.5 days. I usually like to give a month for a full album it gives me room to experiment and breath a bit.
Tell us about some of the albums and artists you have worked with.
I did pre-production and dub mixing for Sublime, they brought a full camera crew to capture the sessions. It was crazy. I suggested we tie the Vintage Neve Console to the modern SSL console and Sublime did a live jam straight to tape!
Last year I did an album for Johnny T. formerly of Bangalore Choir and Razor Maid. We did a reggae album, had artist flying in from all over the world and that was the project that landed on the 2011 Grammy Ballot.
I did a remix for Kid Savant they just hit No. 3 on the Billboard "Heatseekers" chart. I mixed the new King Doom record (that Chris Vrenna worked on).
Who would you like to work with?
I have been talking to Chris (Vrenna) about doing something on the new Tweaker album. I also am looking for talented local musicians who need a push in the right direction.
What can a band expect when working with you?
Bands can expect a high level of commitment to making there project better. I am a very intense person, but I use that energy in the studio to my advantage. I have the studio chops and gear, but making great records comes down to bringing out the best (or worst) in an artist.
I am also very creative, recently I had a client who wanted an old vintage guitar sound. Without missing a beat, I had my tech wire up an old speaker from the '60s in this strange mess on floor to get this crazy (White Stripes) guitar tone.
For local bands interested in your production, how can they get in touch and what can they expect?
I prefer to let my manger deal with the money, but I am not prohibitively expensive. management@joehaze.com, joehaze.com
What are you currently working on?
Right now I am mixing and producing the sophmore release for The Ludovico Technique (Metropolis Records), doing a remix album for King Doom and working with an online collaborative site kompoz.com on a pilot program for mixing.
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