PRESS
RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
Fax: (615) 662-1636
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
THE RECORDING
ACADEMY® TEXAS CHAPTER AND THE PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING®
HOST P&E WING RETREAT AT THE ROCK
SANTA
MONICA, Calif. (June 24, 2010) — On Saturday, June 19,
2010, The Recording Academy® Texas Chapter and the Producers &
Engineers Wing® presented "P&E Wing Retreat at the Rock"
at Blue Rock Artist Ranch & Studio in Wimberley, Texas.
Blue Rock,
founded by songwriter/guitarist Billy Crockett and his wife Dodee, is
a destination studio dedicated to audio excellence situated on 19 pristine
acres in the Texas Hill Country outside of Austin. At "Retreat
at the Rock," 100 guests were treated to a full day of presentations
by recording luminaries, professional development workshops, networking,
and a special musical performance from GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter
Ruthie Foster. Presenters included Steve Lamm, owner of Cryptic Globe
Recording (CGR); legendary producer/engineer/designer George Massenburg;
platinum producer/mixer Tim Palmer; Shadow Hills Industries president
and founder Peter Reardon; and keynote speaker Rupert Neve, founder
of Rupert Neve Designs Incorporated.
The day opened
with Massenburg's presentation, which explored the evolution of quality
standards in recorded music since 1992 from technical, artistic and
business points of view. Demonstrations showcased an eye-and ear-opening
look at what MP3s really sound like and the audible effects of over-compression.
The conversation detailed how a generation of listeners has grown accustomed
to the destructive artifacts inherent to inferior forms of digital coding
and the resulting loss of emotional impact in music that has dynamics
curtailed by over-compression.
Also covered
were various theories related to how sound affects the perception of
a music recording's value, as well as the marketplace evolution from
label-driven to artist-driven incentives and revenue concentration.
Audio excerpts of classic and modern artists were compared and contrasted
as Massenburg explored the phenomenon of the 20-year de-evolution of
the modern record business and the resulting abandonment of substantive
quality criteria.
Lamm, a GRAMMY®
Award winner for engineering rap gospel album Alive And Transported
by TobyMac, discussed how producers and engineers currently work with
digital and analog gear and how to get the best productivity out of
the combination.
Palmer's hit
list of topics ranged across the expanse of his career as he delighted
the audience with "The Song is King," "Don’t Trust
the A&R Guy," "Letting Things Go," and "Don’t
Bring Your Analog Multi-tracks Home." One of alternative rock's
unsung heroes and a GRAMMY nominee for his work on U2’s All
That You Can’t Leave Behind, he has produced artists such
as David Bowie, Robert Plant, Switchfoot and Tears for Fears, written
songs with Ozzy Osbourne and the Goo Goo Dolls, and mixed albums for
artists including Pearl Jam and The Cure.
Reardon's segment,
"Beyond Fidelity: The Studio as an Engine of Inspiration,"
discussed the challenges of facilitating exceptional performances in
the studio. The president and founder of Shadow Hills Industries and
the former president of Waxploitation Records, Reardon is a producer/engineer/remixer
with credits including Choclair, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Chris Vrenna, Barenaked
Ladies, Coolio, The Cult, Fear Factory, The Geto Boys, Scarface, and
Josh Wink.
Keynote Speaker
Neve, who was awarded a Technical GRAMMY Award in 1997, provided both
inspiration and basic technical knowledge in his presentation. He discussed
how the sound created by vacuum tubes, integrated circuits, the medium
of the CD, and many other sonic anomalies, all affect the perception
of music and how the resulting effects on a listener can range from
frustration — and even anger — to satisfaction and relaxation.
Since founding NEVE Companies in 1961, Neve has designed and manufactured
professional equipment for the recording, TV, film and broadcast Industries
worldwide, including the legendary Neve 8078, 8068 consoles and 1073
and 1081 modules. In 1985, he founded Rupert Neve Designs Incorporated,
based in Wimberley, Texas, with a new range of high performance audio
equipment that retain his original transformer and EQ traditions but
incorporate circuitry to take account of recent discoveries about the
way we hear music.
"Our Texas
Chapter always thinks big, but they’ve outdone even themselves
this time," said Maureen Droney, Senior Executive Director of the
P&E Wing. "To be able to spend a day with some of the recording
industry's finest talent in this beautiful, relaxed, and creative environment
has been a remarkable experience. 'Retreat at the Rock' was, simply,
an extraordinarily special event."
Photo File
1: PE_Texas10_Photo1_RupertNeve.JPG
Photo Caption 1: Rupert Neve shows off his Technical GRAMMY® Award
at The Recording Academy® Texas Chapter event P&E Wing: Retreat
at the Rock. Photo by Gary Miller/WireImage.com. Photo Courtesy of The
Recording Academy®/WireImage.com. © 2010.
Photo File
2: PE_Texas10_Photo2_RuthieFoster.JPG
Photo Caption 2: GRAMMY®-nominated artist Ruthie Foster performs
at P&E Wing: Retreat at the Rock in Wimberly, Texas. Photo by Gary
Miller/WireImage.com. Photo Courtesy of The Recording Academy®/WireImage.com.
© 2010.
Photo File
3: PE_Texas10_Photo3_NeveMassenburg.JPG
Photo Caption 3: Pictured L-R: Rupert Neve and George Massenburg at
The Recording Academy® Texas Chapter event P&E Wing: Retreat
at the Rock. Photo Courtesy of The Recording Academy®. © 2010.
Photo File
4: PE_Texas10_Photo4_MassenburgJenkinsNeve.JPG
Photo Caption 4: Pictured L-R: George Massenburg, The Recording Academy®
Texas Chapter Executive Director Theresa Jenkins and Rupert Neve at
P&E Wing: Retreat at the Rock. Photo Courtesy of The Recording Academy®.
© 2010.
Established
in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers,
engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving
the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers.
Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized
award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music —
The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional
development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services
programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing
musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and
ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information
about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social
networks as a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/thegrammys,
MySpace (www.myspace.com/thegrammys),
a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammys,
and a YouTube channel subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys.
Currently
more than 6,000 professionals comprise The Recording Academy Producers
& Engineers Wing, which was established for producers, engineers,
remixers, manufacturers, technologists, and other related creative and
technical professionals in the recording field. This organized voice
for the recording community addresses issues that affect the craft of
recorded music, including the development and implementation of new
technologies, technical guidelines and recommendations, and archiving
and preservation initiatives. For more information, please visit www.producersandengineers.com.
# # #
MEDIA
CONTACTS:
Robert Clyne/Clyne Media, Inc./615.662.1616/robert@clynemedia.com
Lisa Roy/310.463.1563/lisaroyaudio@mac.com
Jennifer Keppel/The Recording Academy/310.392.3777/jenniferk@grammy.com