Good sound comes from good people

TUE MADSEN

-What's your opinion about analogs versus digitals? How much computer interference is too much for you? How about Pro-Tools?
I love my Pro Tools! But I don’t fix stuff that doesn’t need it. Some people in the industry fix everything „to be on the safe side”. That is NOT me!!!! To me the convinience of mixing ITB is the main thing. I can get back to a mix two weeks later when the singer found out his vocals were too loud in one little part and fix it. With analogue it wouldn’t be possible. It can be done, but is very time consuming and not the safest way to do it. The sound quality of Protools these days is so good. There are differences, but pros and cons and budgets.... makes me choose PT anyday.

-Another quote taken from your website says "I want to try to make every record something special, and I would hate for all my records to sound the same". Of course, they don't sound the same. But over the years you have managed to create your unique quality sound and stand out. That's definitely one of producer's biggest achievements, to create a sound that cannot be compared with any other. Are you aware of that?
Yesno. I know of course there are similarities to my works. But also big differences. Like really big I think. My thing is this: I want to make something that I would like to listen to myself. That is my rule or drive if you will. That is what ties my productions together with a „Tue Madsen sound” if you will. But within that range there is a lot of room for different things.

-How would you describe your style as a producer?
Hmm... Musical. And with humans as the center of the whole thing.

-I remember when a few years ago I talked to some band you produced (don't remember the name really) and my interlocutor said something like „Working at Antfarm Studios is completely different, Tue really doesn't need any expensive and sophisticated studio equipment to deliver best possible sound”. How do you respond to that?
Good sound does NOT come from good equipment! Good sound comes from good people. If you have good people the good equipment comes into play, but not before that. I have the equipment that I think is necessary and the quality of it is good. But I don’t buy stuff just because it’s expensive and supposedly something „I can’t live without”. I buy the stuff I find I can’t live without. It’s all about knowing your gear and knowing yourself and your ears.

-What does the Antfarm Studio has to offer? What are some pieces of gear that you always have with you?
That depends on where I am going. I always bring my mikes... AKG414s and Shiure57s... unless it is already at the studio. It’s pretty standard. I check out the studio equipment list and bring whatever they dont have. Maybe an iLok with my plug ins so I can do the work I like to do as we go along intead of having to tell the band: I know what you mean and it’s gonna be alright. Trust me. I will do this when I get home” I like to do it right away so there is no discussion.

-How influenced are you by what’s on top of the charts, in terms of the sounds that you use? I mean, do you try to be up-to-date with current trends?
I check out whatever is on the scene, yes. I take some mental notes, look for inspiration.. But most of the time when I start working, I find that I want to do something else. So it is not for me to try to copy someone elses work I think.

-Do you belong to the group of producers who alaways say that great music can be produced in any style? If no, what kind of ingredients are needed to deliver a great sound? What are some key elements that make a production successful?
Some styles are in direct relation with the way it sounds. Fear Factory wouldn’t have worked the way it did if it had been a sloppysounding ambient production. It might have been good, but it would have been a different thing all together. Keyelements: Good songs! Good musicians. And by good musicians I don’t necessarily mean technically perfect. It is more important to know your limits and keep within them already when you are writing your songs. And I think the urge of having something to say. If you just wanna make noise and drink beer, fine, but don’t torture the rest of the world with your hobby. If you really have something to say with your music, even if it’s about noise and beer, bring it to the front. Make us believe that you mean it. That will make the difference between a good and a bad record to me.

-You've already produced many bands coming from various music genres like thrash, metalcore, hardcore, punk, death metal, gothic, doom... What is your favorite production from all the works you did over the years, the one making you think „I'm so fucking proud of my work on that album”?
There are many and for very different reasons. I am very proud of the Sick Of It All record because I was a fan and finally had the chance to give something back to them. I am very proud of my Mnemic albums (the first two). The 3 The Haunted albums I worked on. First Revolver for being so BAM! In your face and the next two albums for being a part of a truly great band who wanna take a step in a new direction and expand their horizon. That is a very important move, and those two albums are truly greatness! A band like Ektomorf makes me proud because they come back every time. There is a great friendship there and we have made 4 albums together now that all came out quite different. Right now I am eagerly awaiting the response to the new one that will be out in March I think. It is a great step for the band and me. I love the sound on it as well as the songs. Dagoba for making my job very interesting. Engel for writing heartwrenching songs! The list goes on and on forever.... Because truly, I really do love almost evverything I did, so to mention a few is really hard.

-During your career as a producer, has there been a band that you really wanted to produce but were unable to do so due to certain, so called „business obstacles”? Are there maybe any other famous studio producers you would love to work with on some future projects?
I once had to turn down fucking Behemoth because I was too busy with something else, and then it just turned out to be the most important album in death metal in recent years... well... But I have mixed the live album just released, so I am getting a little taste of it still... It would have been nice to have worked on the last Metallica album, but you know... they forgot to call me, hehe... I would love to have Terry Date or Andy Wallace mix something for me. I would have to be in the room to pick their brains and get some inspiration.. Maybe one day it will happen.

-Which producers or maybe particular albums formed your personality as a producer?
Deftones: Around The Fur was and still is a reference point for me in terms of.. well everything really. Terry Date is someone I always looked up to in many ways. He had a signature sound but also manage to change quite a bit over the years. Master Of Puppets… is just a great sounding record, Lots of thing Rick Rubin did… and not some of the things he did… NIN records… Marilyn Manson: Antichrist… Manfred Manns Earthband: Nightingales and Bombers… Lots of things inspire me to do what I do and be who I am.