Tape Notes
Tape Notes is a podcast about the art and craft of music production. Hosted by John Kennedy, each episode reunites an artist and producer to discuss their collaboration in the studio. They explore the creative process from initial song ideas to final production, featuring early demos and session stems. The podcast offers unique insights into the working methods of innovative music talents.
Episodes
TN:183 Arlo Parks & Baird
John is joined by Arlo Parks and Baird to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Ambiguous Desire’.
Arlo Parks is an indie-pop singer-songwriter from West London. After uploading demos to BBC Introducing as a teenager, she quickly attracted industry attention. Her debut album, ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’, arrived in 2021, establishing Arlo as one of the defining artists of her ge
TN:182 Bleachers (Jack Antonoff)
Take our audience survey and enter the draw to win! https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/t/AudienceSurvey2026/
John is joined by Jack Antonoff of Bleachers to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Everyone for Ten Minutes’.
Jack Antonoff is an American producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. As a producer, he’s widely recognised for helping shape the sound of modern pop
TN:181 Tom Misch
Take our audience survey and enter the draw to win! https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/t/AudienceSurvey2026/
John is joined by Tom Misch to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Full Circle’.
Tom Misch is an English singer-songwriter and producer known for his innovative sound, blending hip-hop beats and soulful vocals along with his distinctive guitar style. His self-recorde
TN:180 Foo Fighters
John is joined by Foo Fighters to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Your Favorite Toy’.
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed by Dave Grohl. Known for their alt-rock anthems driven by melody and personality, they have evolved into one of rock’s biggest and most influential bands. Over the past 20 years, they have released twelve studio albums, won fifteen Grammy
TN:179 TOMORA (Tom Rowlands of Chemical Brothers & AURORA)
John is joined by TOMORA to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album COME CLOSER.
TOMORA are an electronic music duo made up of The Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands and AURORA. Both have excelled in their fields: The Chemical Brothers’ ten albums helped define electronic music, while Norwegian artist AURORA’s ethereal songwriting has won her a devoted worldwide following. The duo
TN:178 Holly Humberstone & Rob Milton
John is joined by Holly Humberstone and Rob Milton to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album Cruel World.
Holly Humberstone is a singer-songwriter from Grantham, England. After early support from BBC Introducing, her debut EP ‘Falling Asleep at the Wheel’ gained widespread attention during the pandemic, earning a BRIT Rising Star win and two Ivor Novello nominations. Her debut
Reissue | TN:49 Enter Shikari
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Enter Shikari's Rou Reynolds, digging into their 2020 record, 'Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible'.
EPISODE NOTES
In this episode, John catches up with Enter Shikari frontman and producer, Rou Reynolds to breakdo
TN:177 Imogen Heap
John sits down with Imogen Heap to talk about how she wrote, recorded and produced the EP IAM _ _ _.
Imogen Heap is a British composer, artist, and producer, widely regarded as a pioneer in electronic pop and music technology. Over the years, her music has evolved from alternative to electronica, producing acclaimed albums such as Speak for Yourself and Ellipse, and collaborating with artists inc
TN:176 Fred again..
John is joined once again by Fred Gibson, better known as Fred again.., to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album USB.
Fred Gibson is an award-winning British songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer whose musical journey began collaborating with legendary producer Brian Eno at just 16. Since then Fred has established himself as a globally successful solo artist.
Alongsi
TN:175 Mumford & Sons and Aaron Dessner
In this episode, John is joined by Mumford & Sons and producer Aaron Dessner to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Prizefighter’.
Mumford & Sons are a British folk-rock band made up of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, who rose to global fame with their banjo-driven folk rock, earning BRIT and Grammy success with the records ‘Sigh No More’ and ‘Babel’. Their latest
TN:174 Danny L Harle
John sits down with Danny L Harle to discuss how he wrote, recorded and produced the album Cerulean.
Danny L Harle is a British producer, artist and composer. One of the most sought-after songwriters and producers in music today, he has worked with numerous artists including Caroline Polachek, Florence and the Machine and Dua Lipa. Danny began releasing solo electronic music in 2013 on A.G. Cook’
TN:173 Emma-Jean Thackray
John is joined by English musician, songwriter, producer and DJ Emma-Jean Thackray to talk about how she wrote, recorded and produced the album Weirdo.
Emma-Jean Thackray is a musical polymath whose creative approach was shaped by playing in brass bands as a child in West Yorkshire and studying jazz composition and performance at university. Her 2021 debut album 'Yellow' topped the UK Jazz Albums
TN:172 Artemas & Toby Daintree
John sits down with Artemas and producer Toby Daintree to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘LOVERCORE’.
Artemas is an English artist and producer. As a teenager he taught himself music production and soon began releasing his dark, alternative pop music, inspired by grunge and new wave sounds. The viral hit ‘if u think i’m pretty’, released in 2024, made him a global star
Reissue | TN:46 Rina Sawayama & Clarence Clarity
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Rina Sawayama and producer Clarence Clarity.
EPISODE NOTES
In this episode, John catches up with Rina Sawayama and producer Clarence Clarity to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Rina’s debut album ‘Sawayama
TN:171 Adam Buxton & Joe Mount
In this special Xmas episode, John is joined by Adam Buxton and producer Joe Mount to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album Buckle Up.
Adam Buxton is a podcaster, actor, comedian and musician, best known for his long-running, award-winning Adam Buxton Podcast. Since launching in 2015, he’s become one of the UK’s most popular podcasters, with guests ranging from Paul McCartney to
TN:170 Haim & Rostam Batmanglij
John is joined by Haim and producer Rostam Batmanglij to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘I Quit’.
Haim are an American pop-rock band from Los Angeles, made up of multi-instrumentalist sisters Danielle, Este and Alana Haim. Playing together in their family band growing up, they formed Haim in 2007 and released their debut EP, ‘Forever’, in 2012.
Their debut album, ‘Days
TN:169 Parcels
John is joined by Parcels to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced the album “LOVED”.
Parcels are an Australian electropop band consisting of Jules Crommelin, Louie Swain, Noah Hill, Patrick Hetherington and Anatole Serret. After moving from Australia to Berlin, Parcels signed a deal with French label Kitsuné. However, it was their collaboration with seminal dance duo Daft Punk, who prod
TN:168 Sam Gellaitry
John is joined by Scottish musician and producer Sam Gellaitry.
Described as “your favourite producer’s favourite producer”, Sam’s innovative, genre-blending electronic music and superb production skills have earned him a loyal fan following and industry respect over the past decade.
Sam signed his first deal, with XL Recordings, at just 18. While early EPs were purely instrumental, Sam started
TN:167 Kae Tempest & Fraser T. Smith
John is joined by Kae Tempest and Fraser T. Smith to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album “Self-Titled”.
Kae Tempest is an English recording artist and author. He began his career performing at open mic nights around London, quickly gaining a reputation for his powerful lyrical performances blending rap and spoken word poetry. Between 2008 and 2012 he toured internationally with his band
TN:166 Hayley Williams & Daniel James
John is joined by Hayley Williams and producer Daniel James to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party’.
Hayley Williams is an American pop-punk and rock musician. She began writing songs in her early teens, signing a deal with Atlantic Records at just 15 years old. The label wanted her to be a solo artist, but Hayley had other ideas, instead forming the
TN:165 The Favors (FINNEAS & Ashe)
John is joined by The Favors, a duo composed of producer/singer-songwriter FINNEAS and singer-songwriter Ashe, to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘The Dream’.
FINNEAS is a Grammy Award-winning producer best known for his longtime collaboration with his younger sister, Billie Eilish. As her primary producer, songwriter and touring partner, FINNEAS has played a key role in shaping he
TN:164 Pomplamoose
John is joined by Pomplamoose - American indie-jazz duo Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn - to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Photogénique’, released in July this year.
The two met while studying at Stanford University and began making music together in early 2008. They first gained widespread attention in late 2009 through their inventive covers of popular songs on YouTube and MySpace,
TN:163 CMAT & Oli Deakin
John is joined by Irish singer-songwriter CMAT and producer Oli Deakin, to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘EURO-COUNTRY’.
CMAT, aka Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, is best known for her unique blend of country-infused pop music, which often incorporates humour and pop culture references. She released her debut album, ‘If My Wife New I'd Be Dead’, in 2022, produced by longtime friend Ol
TN:162 Laufey & Spencer Stewart
John is joined by singer-songwriter and musician Laufey and producer Spencer Stewart to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘A Matter Of Time’.
Having performed on numerous national TV singing shows in her youth, Icelandic-Chinese artist Laufey released her first full-length album, ‘Everything I Know About Love’ in 2022. It was praised for seamlessly blending jazz influences with contem
TN:161 Rudimental
John is joined by Piers and Kesi of seminal British dance act Rudimental, at Strongroom Studios in London to discuss how they wrote and recorded new album ‘RUDIM3NTAL’.
Rudimental’s three members - Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon Rolle - started as childhood friends. After releasing their debut album ‘Home’ in 2013, the trio quickly became one of the most influential dance acts of the 21st cen
TN:160 Djo & Adam Thein
John is joined by Djo and producer Adam Thein to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘The Crux’.
Djo, aka Joe Keery, is an American musician and actor. His music career began back in 2014 as a guitarist and drummer in the Chicago psych-rock/garage band ‘Post Animal’. He left to launch a solo career as Djo, balancing music with a starring role in the Netflix global hit ‘Stranger Things’.
TN:159 Barry Can't Swim
John sits down with Scottish artist, producer and DJ Josh Mainnie, at Baltic Studios, better known as Barry Can’t Swim, and producer O’ Flynn to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Loner’.
Josh first began releasing under the alias Barry Can’t Swim in 2019, releasing a stream of singles that began attracting attention for their melodic, dance-driven style. In 2023, he released his fi
TN:158 Lorde & Jim-E Stack
John is joined by Lorde and producer Jim-E Stack to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Virgin’.
Lorde, is a singer-songwriter and producer from New Zealand who rose to fame in 2013 with the Grammy winning global hit track ‘Royals’. Her albums 2013’s ‘Pure Heroine’, 2017’s ‘Melodrama’, and 2012's ‘Solar Power’ all showcase her sharp, raw lyrics and sophisticated production .
TN:157 Jamie xx
John is joined by Jamie xx, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘In Waves’.
Jamie xx is an English musician, record producer, and DJ. He began his career as part of The xx, whose 2009 debut album ‘xx’ was instrumental in shaping the indie music scene of the 2010s. Jamie’s critically acclaimed solo debut, ‘In Colour’, arrived in 2015, earning both Mercury and Grammy nominat
Reissue | TN:42 Caribou
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Caribou, Dan Snaith, all the way back in Summer 2020.
EPISODE NOTES
In this episode John links up with Caribou a.k.a. Dan Snaith, to breakdown how Suddenly - his first release in five years - was written, recorded and
TN:156 Air
John is joined by Nicolas Godin, one half of the French electronic duo Air, to explore how they wrote, recorded, and produced their iconic debut album, Moon Safari.
Formed in 1995 by Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, Air rose to global fame with ‘Moon Safari’ in 1998, a critically acclaimed, genre-defining album that helped elevate French pop and inspired a generation of down-tempo electroni
TN:154 Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
John is joined by Hollywood royalty and Jazz sensation Jeff Goldblum along with producers Alex Frank and Scott Gilman to talk about how they recorded and produced ‘Still Blooming’.
A lifelong pianist, Jeff formed The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra in the 1990s, performing in and around LA for over 20 years. The band’s fourth album released in May 2025, ‘Still Blooming’, blends Broadway classics and
TN:153 Porter Robinson
John sits down with electronic producer and DJ Porter Robinson, to discuss how he wrote and recorded his third album ‘SMILE! :D’
Having begun self-producing at just twelve years old, Porter Robinson has since risen to become one of the most acclaimed artists within the EDM world, performing alongside artists such as Skrillex and Tiësto. His work has seen him tour extensively around the world and
Reissue | TN:40 DJ Shadow
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation from Summer 2020, with Josh Davis, better know as DJ Shadow.
EPISODE NOTES
In this episode, John ventures over to Wendy House Studios to catch up with hip-hip royalty Josh Davis AKA DJ Shadow, to talk through how he recorded
TN:152 Olly Alexander & Danny L Harle
John is joined by Olly Alexander and producer Danny L Harle, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced ‘Polari’
Olly Alexander is an English singer, actor, and LGBTQ+ activist, best known as the frontman of Years & Years. The band found global success in the mid 2010’s with the hit ‘King’ and released two UK #1 albums before Olly transitioned to a solo career. As well as representing th
TN:151 Maribou State
This week, John is joined by electronic music duo Maribou State to discuss the making of their third studio album, ‘Hallucinating Love’.
Maribou State first gained traction after releasing a string of EPs back in 2011, but truly broke through with their debut album, ‘Portraits’, propelling the duo to international recognition. Since then, they’ve become a staple of the global dance music scene, s
TN:150 RÜFÜS DU SOL
John sits down with indie-dance trio RÜFÜS DU SOL to discuss how they wrote, recorded and produced their most recent album ‘Inhale / Exhale’.
Hailing from Sydney, Rüfüs Du Sol—comprised of Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George, and James Hunt—joined together in 2010 through a shared passion for electronic music. Since their formation, they have evolved from local talents to global dance music icons, thro
Bonus Episode - John Kennedy & Adam Buxton (Live)
Welcome to this bonus episode! Back in Summer 2023 John sat down with podcasting legend Adam Buxton, live at the Podcast Festival for a two part chat into their respective careers, and Adam’s new music.
In this, part one, Adam takes the reins as host, turning the spotlight on John’s incredible career in radio. The conversation digs into John’s journey from the early days of Xfm to Radio X, the cr
TN:149 Snarky Puppy (Michael League)
John links up with Snarky Puppy founder and band leader Michael League to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest record ‘Empire Central’, as well as works from Varijashree Venugopal and a new project, Ellipsis.
Michael League is an American producer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder of jazz fusion ensemble Snarky Puppy. Now with a reputation as one of the most innovat
TN:148 Bring Me The Horizon & Dan Lancaster
John is joined by Oli Sykes and Lee Malia of Bring Me The Horizon, as well as producer Dan Lancaster, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest album ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’.
Bring Me the Horizon, formed in 2004 in Sheffield, evolved from deathcore to genre-blending innovators, incorporating electronics, classical, and pop influences. With seven studio albums, over 5 mil
TN:147 Lizzy McAlpine, Mason Stoops & Taylor Mackall
John is joined by Lizzy McAlpine, and co-producer Mason Stoops and co-writer Taylor Mackall, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Older (and Wiser)’.
Lizzy McAlpine is a singer-songwriter and producer who first gained popularity by sharing covers on SoundCloud and YouTube. Her debut album, ‘Give Me a Minute’, arrived in 2020, however, it was her second album, ‘Five Secon
TN:146 Pixies & Tom Dalgety
John is joined by Pixies, Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis), and producer Tom Dalgety, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the band’s latest album ‘The Night The Zombies Came’.
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band widely acclaimed as one of the pioneers of the late 1980s rock movement. Their first three albums - Surfer Rosa (1988), Dolittle (1989) and Bossanova (199
TN:145 Clean Bandit (Part 2)
John is back with Jack Patterson and Grace Chatto of Clean Bandit, for part two of their conversation, this time, talking about how they wrote, recorded, and produced some of their more recent hits.
Clean Bandit are an English electronic group formed in 2008, known for blending classical music with electronics and pop. While they gained early attention with the track ‘Mozart’s House,’ their 2014
TN:144 Bonobo
John sits down with English musician, producer, and DJ Simon Green, better known as Bonobo, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced works from across his back catalogue.
Bonobo first caught attention with his 1999 debut. Over the years, his evolving sound, often including elements of world music, nu-jazz and electronica, have earned him a devoted following. This popularity surged with t
TN:143 Rex Orange County, Teo Halm & Jim Reed
John sits down with Rex Orange County and producers Jim Reed and Teo Halm, to talk about how he wrote and recorded his latest album ‘The Alexander Technique’.
Alex O'Connor, better known as Rex Orange County, is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Teaching himself music production at 16 years old, within a year he released his debut album ‘Bcos U Will Never B Free’. Since the
TN:142 Clean Bandit (Part 1)
John is joined by Jack Patterson and Grace Chatto of Clean Bandit to talk about how they wrote, recorded, and produced some of their early hits.
Clean Bandit are an English electronic group formed in 2008, known for blending classical music with electronics and pop. While they gained early attention with the track ‘Mozart’s House,’ their 2014 hit ‘Rather Be,’ featuring Jess Glynne, won a Grammy an
TN:141 A. G. Cook
John is joined by Alex Cook, better known as A. G. Cook, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Britpop’.
A. G. Cook, is a London-based artist and producer. After studying at Goldsmiths University, he founded PC Music, a label shaping hyper pop with artists including Hannah Diamond and Danny L Harle. His debut solo albums, ‘7G’ and ‘Apple’, arrived in 2020. In addition to hi
Reissue | TN:29 Floating Points
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation from November 2019, with Sam Shepard, Floating Points.
EPISODE NOTES
In this episode John heads to EMS4 studios in Shoreditch to chat with Floating Points a.k.a Sam Shepherd, about how he recorded and produced his latest relea
TN:140 Four Tet
John is joined by Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Three’, along with a selection of his other work.
Following his start in music writing and recording as part of post-rock band ‘Fridge’, Kieran released his debut solo album as Four Tet ‘Dialogue’ in 1999. Since then, his constant experimentation and blend of hip-hop, jazz, krau
TN:139 Kasabian
John joins Kasabian producer, songwriter, and frontman Serge Pizzorno to discuss the band’s latest record, ‘Happenings’.
Kasabian, an English rock band formed in the late 1990s, burst onto the scene in the early 2000s with iconic anthems like ‘LSF’ and ‘Club Foot’. Since then, they have released eight albums, earning multiple NME Awards and a Brit Award for Best British Group in 2010.
Sitting do
TN:138 Charli XCX, George Daniel & A.G. Cook
John is joined by singer, songwriter, and producer Charli XCX, as well as producers A.G. Cook and George Daniel, to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album ‘Brat’.
Charli XCX first saw success collaborating on Icona Pop's 2012 smash hit ‘I Love It’ and Iggy Azalea's chart-topping single ‘Fancy’. Since releasing her debut album in 2013, she has continued to innovate and energise the music sc
TN:137 IDLES, Kenny Beats & Mikko Gordon
John is joined by IDLES' Bowen, along with producer Kenny Beats, and producer and engineer Mikko Gordon, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘TANGK’.
Idles are a British post-punk band who gained recognition with their 2017 debut album ‘Brutalism’. Known for their gritty, powerful sound and explosive live shows, their five albums to date have earned them nominations for
Reissue | TN:18 The 1975
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Matty and George of The 1975, recorded back in March 2019.
EPISODE NOTES
John ventures up to Spitfire Audio to meet with Matty and George from The 1975 to talk about how the album 'A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationship
TN:136 St. Vincent
John sits down with American singer and guitarist Annie Clark, aka St Vincent, to talk about her latest album ‘All Born Screaming’.
Immersed in music since childhood, after studying at Berklee College of Music, Annie toured with acts including The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens. Adopting the name 'St. Vincent', in 2006 she released her debut EP 'Paris Is Burning', and released her debut albu
TN:135 Bob Vylan & Jonny Breakwell
John catches up with Bob Vylan and producer Jonny Breakwell to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the ‘Humble As The Sun’.
Bob Vylan, are a grime and punk rock duo who emerged in 2017. Despite facing resistance for their provocative themes on racism and inequality, they gained a loyal following. Their albums, 2020’s ‘We Live Here’ and 2022’s ‘Bob Vylan Presents the Price of Life’ ea
TN:134 The Libertines
John catches up with English rock band The Libertines to discuss how they wrote and recorded their latest album ‘All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade’.
The Libertines formed in 1997 and shot to fame with their debut album, 'Up the Bracket,' becoming pillars of the British indie/alternative resurgence of the early 2000s.
Thirty years after their careers started, they have unveiled their fourth studi
TN:133 Jack Antonoff (Bleachers)
John catches up with producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jack Antonoff of Bleachers to discuss how he wrote, recorded, and produced the band’s latest album ‘Bleachers’.
Having grown up performing, song writing, and producing bands throughout his teenage years, Jack first saw mainstream success as part of the band Fun, and their global hit track ‘We Are Young’. Since then, he has gone
Reissue | TN:16 Alt-J & Charlie Andrew
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. This selection is our conversation with Alt-J’s Joe and Gus, along with producer Charlie Andrew, recorded back in February 2019.
EPISODE NOTES
In this episode John is joined by Gus Unger-Hamilton and Joe Newman from Alt-J, and producer Charlie Andrew to talk ab
TN:132 Jacob Collier
In this episode, John sits down with singer and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier, delving into the creative process behind his album ‘Djesse Vol. 4,’ the concluding instalment in his four-part ‘Djesse’ album series.
Jacob first shot to fame in 2013 when videos of his complex vocal arrangements went viral on YouTube. Three years later, he released his debut album ‘In My Room’, written and recor
TN:131 Declan McKenna
John catches up with Declan McKenna to talk about his latest album ‘What Happened To The Beach?’
Declan McKenna first saw mainstream success in 2015 following the release of his debut single ‘Brazil’ and winning Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent prize. While blending topics of politics and social issues with his indie-pop sound through his first two albums, ‘What Happened To The Beach?’ intr
Reissue | TN:12 Glass Animals
We’ve been having a look back through the Tape Notes archive to bring back some of our favourite early episodes that you may have missed. The first selection is our chat with Dave Bayley (Glass Animals) from summer 2018.
EPISODE NOTES
John ventures up to Dave Bayley’s new home studio in London Fields to talk about how Glass Animals’ debut album ZABA was recorded and produced.
We hear how Dave
TN:130 100 gecs
John links up with hyper-pop royalty, Laura Les and Dylan Brady, aka 100 gecs, to talk about their latest album ‘10,000 gecs’.
100 gecs first broke onto the scene with their debut album ‘1000 gecs’ in 2019. Capturing attention online and amongst music fans, the innovative record was described as ‘one of the year's most fascinating, exhilarating experimental pop albums’. Their second studio album
TN:129 Matthew Herbert
John ventures into the depths of Kent to catch up with Matthew Herbert and discuss his latest work ‘The Horse’.
Renowned for his innovative sound exploration, Matthew gained recognition under various names, including Doctor Rockit, Wishmountain, and Herbert. He's produced for artists such as Bjork and Róisín Murphy, composed for stage and screen, and earned international acclaim for his records.
TN:128 Fall Out Boy & Neal Avron
John links up pop-rock band Fall Out Boy, and producer Neal Avron, to talk about their latest studio album ‘So Much (For) Stardust’.
Emerging from Chicago’s hardcore punk scene in the early 2000’s, Fall Out Boy rose to fame with hits including ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ and 'Thnks fr th Mmrs’. Constantly innovating, their eight studio albums have seen them embrace all sides of music, including R&B
TN:127 Bombay Bicycle Club
John sits down with indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club to talk about their sixth studio album ‘My Big Day’.
Bombay Bicycle Club are a four-piece band from London, that broke onto the indie music scene with their genre defining debut album ‘I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose’ in 2009. Since then they have been releasing a steady stream of music which has been met with high critical acclaim,
TN:126 Royal Blood
In this episode, John is reunited with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood, to talk about how the band wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Back To The Water Below’.
Following the success of their fourth number one album, Mike reflects on how their purpose as musicians has changed over the years, sharing their process of working out what they love, but haven't done with Royal Blood yet.
Giving us an in
TN:125 FIZZ & Pete Miles
Thanks to Tape It for supporting this episode. Tape It is a recording app designed specifically for musicians and songwriters. Among many of Tape It's incredible features, you can record straight from lock screen, set markers and have complete control over your record settings, and that just the start.
To find out more and get the full app free for a month, head to www.tape.it/tapenotes
-------
I
TN:124 Olivia Dean & Matt Hales
In this episode, John is joined by Olivia Dean and producer Matt Hales to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Olivia’s Mercury-nominated debut album ‘Messy’.
Taking us back to the very start of their story, the pair discuss the inspiration for the album, sharing their approach to marrying different musical cultures and the importance of the chats they had before writing.
As well as
TN:123 Bakar & Zach Nahome
Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings.
To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days).
In this episode, John is back at Strongroom Studios to catch up with Bakar an
TN:122 James Blake
Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings.
To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days).
In this episode, John is joined by James Blake to talk about how he wrote, re
TN:121 Disclosure
Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings.
To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days).
In this episode, John heads to Miloco’s The Yard Studios, to catch up with Gu
TN:120 The Japanese House, Chloe Kraemer & George Daniel
Thanks to Audiomovers for supporting this episode. Their Listento Plugin has been a gamechanger for us and we use it across all of our remote interviews and recordings.
To see their full range of plugins, visit audiomovers.com and use the promo code TAPENOTES1 at checkout to get your free month (usually only two days).
In this episode, John catches up with Amber Bain aka The Japanese House, alon
TN:119 Blur & James Ford
In this episode, John is joined by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and producer James Ford, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘The Ballad of Darren’.
With Damon’s initial demos to hand, the pair give us a guided tour of the record, right through the early versions and studio sessions, from the moments that reignited the feelings they had when writing in the 90s, to piecing
TN:118 Ben Howard and Bullion
In this episode, John is joined by Ben Howard and producer Nathan Jenkins aka Bullion, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Ben’s latest album ‘Is It?’.
Looking back on their time together, Ben and Nathan talk us through their collaborative journey, from their initial coffee shop discussions, to the 10 day stint recording in the South of France. Sharing their initial sketches, voic
TN:117 YUNGBLUD & Mati Schwartz
In this episode, John joins Dom Harrison, a.k.a. YUNGBLUD and producer Mati Schwartz to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Dom’s debut album, ‘21st Century Liability’.
Digging into the very first tracks that the pair worked on together, Dom and Mati share the story of how their relationship began, looking back at the early rejection and tough love moment that kicked Dom into action,
TN:116 Sub Focus
Get 50GB of DAW project storage with our sponsor Aux: https://aux.app/tapenotes
In this episode, John joins Nick Douwma, a.k.a. Sub Focus, to talk about how he wrote, recorded, and produced his latest album 'Evolve'.
Unable to stop John from dancing out of his chair, Nick ploughs on and talks us through the evolution of his most recent tracks. Sharing some of the first demos and samples that ki
TN:115 Temps (James Acaster)
In this episode, John catches up with the mastermind behind Temps, James Acaster, at Strongroom Studios, to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘PARTY GATOR PURGATORY’.
Reflecting on the genesis of Temps, James talks us through the initial moments of creation, from recording and chopping up his drums from an unaired mockumentary, through to his selection of almost 40 collabor
TN:114 James Ellis Ford
Thanks to Highnote for supporting this episode of Tape Notes.
Highnote is the best way to share, store, and discuss your recording projects, a kind of bespoke Dropbox for audio specifically built for communication. Think time-stamped voice comments directly over your audio, nesting versions to toggle and compare in real time, and instant notifications when people comment or listen to a track you’v
TN:113 Diplo (Major Lazer, Sia, Thomas Wesley)
In this episode, John links up with Thomas Wesley Pentz, aka Wes aka Diplo, to talk about his work under various guises with Major Lazer, Sia and as Thomas Wesley.
With on-going exploration of far reaching and cross-cultural mashups at the centre of his approach, Wes reflects on how working with so many specialists from across the globe has helped him forge a diverse sound and career.
Breaking a
TN:112 Benny Sings & Kenny Beats
In this episode John catches up with Benny Sings and producer Kenny Beats to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Young Hearts’.
Linking in from their studios in Amsterdam and LA, Benny and Kenny look back on their time spent writing and how each environment had an impact on the music. From experiencing the ‘Kenny Beats Thing’ in LA along with his wealth of collaborators, t
