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Fuzz Evil Release “High On You”, Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Paul Fig

These guys got in touch with me after reaching out to Jim Rota of Fireball Ministry. They were looking for someone to produce their band Fuzz Evil and Jim mentioned me.

After a few emails and phone calls while I was in Seattle tracking Alice in Chains’ new album, we made a plan. There was some great rough material in the early demos they sent and I knew that together we could mold those tunes into something crushing.

We made plans for the trio to drive through the Arizona desert to Burbank, CA where we slaved for two days on pre-production at my space, Underbrow. Then we were off to Studio 606 (the Foo Fighters studio owned by Dave Grohl) to track live on Sound City’s famed Neve 8028, the recording console that Grohl rescued from the failing studio. We tracked for two more days then were back in Underbrow for three days to wrap up solos, vocals, and a shaker track.

These guys stepped up and delivered some of the most fun stoner, desert rock ever. They hilarious and a blast to spend time with, and they worked their asses off. We crossed the finish line in five days. I enjoyed every second of their energy and work ethic as I pushed them to deliver. The fun and the hard work show in the music we produced. I look forward to hear more from these three.

Robert Pasbani of Metal Injection says,

“Fuzz Evil have been doing one thing since their formation in 2014- bringing sweet jams to the masses.We are pumped to showcase the opening track “Get it Together” which features some sweet licks and an epic solo that will make you feel like you are on a rocket on another planet”

Release date: September 14, 2018

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Stavesacre return with new Album “MCMXCV” (1995), Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Paul Fig

This all started when Sam West asked to meet for a beer to chat one sunny California summer day in 2016. After catching up with life, Sam asked if I would like to produce the new Stavesacre album. Sam and I played together in Scaterd Few and in Human Rights with HR from Bad Brains, so I know he can beat a drum. Without hearing any demos I agreed to work with Stavesacre. The next few months (in between engineering gigs) I helped them arrange and shape their demos. Half a year later we started tracking drums and guitars (lots of guitars) with Ryan Dennee and Jeff Bellew, and then finally tracked bass in one weekend after Dirk Lemmenes flew out from Atlanta, Georgia.

In January 2017, Mark Salomon materialized from the east coast where he had been working hard on lyrics and melody. He sang for nine straight days. Two with his vocal coach Jason Martin at his Bull Shed studio, then seven days with me at my space, Underbrow production. Stavesacre knocked this one out of the park. While wrapping up Fireball Ministry’s Remember the Story and Ironaut’s Sick Stupid Lies,  AND gearing up for Alice in Chain’s recording session in Seattle, we mixed at fever pace. I am extremely proud of to have produced this Stavesacre record, and I hope we can do it again.

Review excerpt by Loyd Harp Indie Vision Music:

From the first notes of “The Dead Rejoice” you can tell its Stavesacre, as the Bellew/Dennee twin guitar attack is immediately recognizable. This opening track (not counting the sound collage, “Intro”) speaks of spiritual death and reawakening and brings hints of the joy the title implies.

“Sleepy Head” reminds me of Friction’s “At the Moment” in that melodic, quasi-ballad-that-rocks sort of way. “On Being Human” is a straight forward rocker that grab’s the attention of any listener in danger of drifting off track. Interestingly, penultimate track “Moonstone” intro could almost pass for a lost SF59 track, and while it shifts when the song kicks in, there is a remarkable similarity (influence?) of later period Starflyer stuff (post-2005 or so). “Breathe Me” is incredibly emotional and atmospheric (Sia Cover) performed in a way I haven’t heard them do before, which drives the point made above the band’s maturity during their lengthy silence.

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Cleopatra Records Release Fireball Ministry’s “Remember the Story”, Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Paul Fig

Jim Rota and I hit it off while co-producing Huntress’s Static Album in 2015. A couple years later, Fireball Ministry landed a deal with Cleopatra Records and Jim and Emily asked if I would like to produce their new record. Hell yes! I’m a big Fireball Ministry fan. How can you go wrong with Rota, Burton, Scott f’ing Reeder, and Big John O! 

With my hands full of class A mic pres from Shadow Hills Industries and Aurora Audio, tracking when we could, I set up for drums with John O in the middle of Angel City Drum Works’ warehouse. Then I tackled guitars with Emily and Jim. Once we had a nice pile of tracks we headed toward Palm Springs to Banning to track bass with the left handed, barefooted beast of a desert rock low-end player, Scott Reeder, at the studio on his ranch.

The Obelisk’s review of the album said, “…as opener “End of Our Truth” and the following “Everything You Wanted” set a tone through hook, comfortable tempo and a purposeful fervency of groove, the contribution of producer/engineer Paul Fig — who has helmed records for post-reunion Alice in Chains as well as Rush and Ghost, among others of a more metallic ilk — shines through in presenting the songs with a clean sense that nonetheless doesn’t detract from their harder-hitting aspects”.