A look at Producers with Special Guest John Hruby
Phil Simon
2005-07-09
A few months back we took a peak behind the scenes, sneaking glances at the studio and control room to figure out how some of the musicians that we love best are making their studio albums. The jam scene is packed with musicians who are making amazing music on stage but seem to never be able to put it together just right in the studio. The Dead's struggles in the studio are well documented, and of the dozens of studio records that they put out, only a few are recognized as true studio masterpieces. Phish themselves struggled in the studio and never really quite figured out how to capture what made them exciting on stage on a studio record. To help us to discover some of the secrets of the studio, we here at Jambands Business School have sat down with John Hruby. For those of you who are Ohio jam band enthusiasts, you will recognize John's name as the band leader for one of the most innovative bands to come out of Ohio in the last ten years, Guest. Many have noticed that Guest have been on a bit of a hiatus in the last year or so and the reason is that John has been down in Atlanta in the studio of Billy Hume where he has helped to create a producing team called The Pentagon. Hruby's work transcends the Jam scene, as he has collaborated with Atlanta producer "Mr Collipark" on the new album released by the Yin Yang twins called USA (United States of Atlanta.) USA also features a guest vocal from Adam Levine of the band Maroon 5 further illustrating the height to which this album has excited the recording industry. This album alone has produced greater attention, radio play, and record sales than is likely to be produced for any jam artist this year and showcases the power of hip hop as a marketing force. The album shipped over a million copies to stores before it was even released. Only a handful of established jambands have any million selling albums in their history at all. We sat down with John to talk to him about his experience, how producing beats is different than producing improvisational music, and how working outside of this genre is complimenting his own musical development. Jambands Business School: How did you get into producing? Last we heard from you the band Guest was touring and you were fully entrenched in that. How did you go from playing in a regional jamband to being involved in the production of this huge Hip Hop record? How did you get involved with Billy Hume? JH- I met Billy while doing our (Guest's) album..." "I liked him immediately. We became friends, we kept on touch, and now we work together. He's seriously incredible at what he does. I try to soak up whatever wisdom I can when I'm around him. Billy and Joel (Mullis) have been invaluable teachers to me.... I owe them both tremendously. Jambands Business School: What is it like to try to produce beats as opposed to composition like melody? JH- I follow a three step plan Step 1. When producing rap music/beats you need to fully embrace simplicity. Meaning you must come to accept that even though you think what you are playing is over simplistic, it's really not. When I first moved to Atlanta I was still in a jamband mindset. And although I didn't believe it at the time, I was overplaying (by rap standards). I'd be jamming along with a fellow producer and they'd stop me and say..."That's it, play that!"... I repeated the phrase I had just played, and they'd say...."no, no, no just do that one thing you were doing"...I played again..."no, no, no....just play that Beep Boop thing there!"...I stopped for a second and I asked..."do you want me to play this?"...I played and then all of a sudden "Yeah...yeah...that's crunk"...I'm sitting there thinking... that's crunk? You wanted me to play that? But in the end....he was right...embrace simplicity.
Step 2. Before producing rap music/beats you must have first embraced the rap culture. Meaning.... rap has a distinct RHYTHM. (I'm being really P.C. on this one)! One of the only drawbacks of being white is you have no RHYTHM! You might think you have rhythm...but don't fool yourselves white people...you don't. Rap music is based around the BEAT. I needed to understand the BEAT. It sounds so simple, but it was one of the most difficult musical challenges I have ever faced. Eventually it began to come, I listened and listened some more, absorbing everything around me, immersing myself in the culture, embracing the culture. Step 3. Finally, to produce rap music/beats you must embrace the MPC. Learn to sample. Say it with me, MPC. No, not MCP...this isn't Tron, MPC. Rap beats are primarily constructed on this medium (MIDI Production Center). Basically you load audio samples into this machine, organize them via 16 touch-sensitive pads, set the number of meters you wish to record, along with the Beats Per Minute, time signature. Hit record and go at it. Although it is a machine, the MPC does have a certain groove, or FEEL to it. In other words, your end result is not quite as stiff, or calculated as you may expect...somehow it grooves. After you understand the basics of the MPC, then it's just a race to find great samples. When searching for samples, or any effective audio content it is important to take into consideration the impact of sample rate, bit-rate and file format. After you organize the samples and record the beat, you just dump the tracks into your Mac or PC (I'm a Mac guy) via the outputs on the MPC. Mix it down...and whammo. You've got a rap beat. I use a Pro Tools TDM rig to mix my stuff. There's obviously more to it, but for now, just repeat after me...embrace the MPC. Ahh...Pro Tools...there's a whole other world...ask me about that later.
Jambands Business School: What was it like to work with artists whose background were totally different than your own? JH- Wonderful and refreshing. Cultural differences and programmed stereotypes can often lead one to accept a few vast misconceptions. Let's take for example the stereotype that all rappers are disrespectful of women and have dirty mouths, while jambands consist of individuals who are in tune with a more karmic resonance. Some of my good friends would stare me down and reiterate this stereotype to me with conviction. And I would be the first to acknowledge that stereotypes have become stereotypes for a reason. But having now been witness in both cases... Playing with Guest I met a good deal of jambands, and for the most part they were all good people. There were however those who I couldn't help but get a bad vibe from. There's no need to name bands here, but you know the type. Polite and courteous to your face, playing up the hippie persona...but privately exploiting it. And for what? There are bad apples in every bunch in all walks of life. Rappers portray themselves as being hard and tough, pounding home their point with a barrage of expletives. But in the studio, it's a whole different ballgame. Rappers know what their labels want, and the labels (so they think) know what the people want. Sex, Drugs, and Thuggin, that's what sells in rap music (from a lyrical standpoint). That's not what most of these guys stand for. They come to studio ready to work, and ready to LISTEN. They're businessmen, and they have to be. Because like any other entertainment incarnation... rap, at its core, is a BUSINESS. So I guess it's all relative. Rappers will hide behind a persona to sell their product, while members of jambands will play the role of hippies to achieve what? I don't know... appeal to an already established touring market? Jambands Business School: Were you comfortable working completely outside of the genre with which you have normally worked (jam, rock, composition), and jump into rap? JH- I still have every NWA, Public Enemy, and KRS One album I bought when I was in grade school man! It's funny, one of the first weeks I was here I got to show off my rap knowledge. One of the local producers, Collipark (at the time I didn't know, but Collipark is one of rap's TOP producers) had expressed interest in using live instruments on some tracks (this would eventually lead to the birth of our writing troupe "The Pentagon"). I took a chance, opened my mouth and said... "they did it on 'Two Hard Muthaf@*kers'." Collipark laughed and said..."You know that one?" I said "Easy and Ren f@*kin' it up again. Yella was on the drums." He busted out laughing. The very next week we got together, marking the first collaboration of Collipark and The Pentagon. At this point I was feeling slightly more relaxed having broken the ice, but I was still following the instructions of my boss Billy Hume (master class producer, fellow Pentagon writer, and now dear friend). "Just be quiet, and speak when I tell you to." Got it. The session began and I sat mute, unless otherwise told. About halfway in I had some free time to tweak a sound I had been preparing for the session. I knew it might be inappropriate, but I took a chance and handed my headphones to Collipark "Here's a sound I've been working on, it's sounds like a Lo-fi scratch" "Lay that down!"...he said. Billy looked at me, and I knew I would probably hear about it later, but for now he went along with it. After the session was over he brought me aside. I felt like Sonny in "The Godfather," speaking up in the middle of a sit down. "What did I tell you?" he asked "I know, I'm sorry."... I said. He stopped, looked at me again and said, "I do respect that you at least have an opinion, that's what a producer needs, but have some patience." Point taken. He smiled at me and said, "It was a great part though." It was, and it would be that part nearly a year later that would begin the track "Live Again", a song that would make it onto an album SHIPPING PLATINUM! About two months ago Collipark told me Adam Levine (Lead Singer/ Maroon5) would be singing on the track. Even my parents know who Maroon 5 are. What the hell just happened?
Jambands Business School: You're a songwriter first, and songwriting is a demanding process. How do you prevent that process from becoming stagnant?
JH- I've never felt defined by one particular genre. Before I joined Guest I had dabbled in other styles of music. I think the move to Atlanta helped me challenge my comfort zones (musically and geographically). Another positive attribute was that I started LISTENING to music again. I know that sounds weird, but when you live and breathe the same music day in and day out...you can't help but become a bit jaded. I remember when I first started listening to music it was magic, because I had no idea how it was done! I didn't know anything about chord progressions, meters, hooks, constructing the bridge of a song, etc. It was all mesmerizing. Eventually you strum your first chords, discover your vocal range, learn to play the songs you loved as a kid. Then one day it's gone. It's kind of like the day you realize a fat man really doesn't come down your chimney every Christmas...the mystery has been solved.
After I came to the realization that THIS IS IT, MUSIC IS MY LIFE, the question then became. How do I not lull myself into complacency? The answer was simple. Do it all! Stepping into rap is just another phase in my musical career. I'm comfortable with that. I get bored REALLY easy, so I constantly have to switch it up. I have to continually surround myself with new and interesting people, in order to prevent my music from becoming stale and mediocre. Rap music has already had a profound impact on my playing, writing style, and how I approach certain compositions. It's a different way of thinking... and I like that. In the end, I'm comfortable in just about any setting. The rap scene was no exception. Like I said before, my life for 6 years was JAM JAM JAM, so I needed something new. I wasn't sure rap music was the solution, but it did shake up my world quite a bit. All it takes is a slight deviation from the norm to jog the brain a little. Indeed. I want to thank John Hruby very much. You can catch him and the members of Guest throughout the Ohio valley and around as they gig occasionally, including the upcoming Tabfest in Mendon, OH this July. For more information on Guest check out their website.
Phil Simon is a longtime contributor to Jambands.com He also runs his own booking agency and publicity firm called Simon Says Booking handling bands including Freekbass, Revision, the Zen Tricksters, Mandorico, Bump, UMelt, Smokestack, Chicago Afrobeat Project, Tar Beach, the Blue Method, Woodbox Gang, and others. Be sure to check out www.simonsaysbooking.com for more information.
Back to Departments/Jambands Business School
|
Exclusive:
Cover Story
Jerry Garcia: Rock’s Original Hipster
