A Conversation with Chris Lord-Alge – HuffPost 2.27.12
Mike Ragogna: Chris, what brought you to the Grammys this year?
Chris Lord-Alge: Well, the most important thing as a Grammy winner is to come and support the troops. (laughs) I have to come and support all of the guys that are making the Grammys happen — all of the sound engineers, producers, every guy that sets up a mic, and making all of this work. And I met all of them this year and we really had some good laughs and some good camaraderie. The most important guy I met was Tom Holmes, who is the final guy in the chain. He’s the guy mixing, everyone’s funneled into him and he’s right next to what I call “Ground Zero,” which is where all of the video production is taking place. To me, that’s the heart and the core of the Grammys — the video production room and the audio production room. So, I really want to see the guys that all feed into that. You might think that it’s so weird and geeky for me to do that, but for me, it’s something I don’t ever get to see. I’m really just here to show solidarity and give them support.
MR: And some of your acts are here as well.
CLA: Right. I also get to meet people like David Grohl and Paul McCartney, then see them rehearse and play. Hopefully, I can also get a little bit of one on one time with them and their band, who you never really get to see. It’s really a lot of fun for that reason.
MR: What were you most excited about for the show this year?
CLA: Well, they bumped up the technology a lot, sonically and visually. They also had a fantastic line-up this year. This is the largest live music line-up they’ve ever had. I think the fact that the Grammys are becoming more and more about live music and performances is just incredible, and having Paul McCartney finish was amazing — a legend of rock ‘n’ roll in there twice.
MR: Do you look forward each year to seeing the technological advances in sound put to work on the Grammy stage?
CLA: I think the technology you’re seeing change is just higher quality in video editing. The audio is also being dealt with on such a pro level now that it’s really becoming something to watch — a real visual spectacle. I think that really put the Grammys on the map this year.
MR: Right. Phil Ramone said that if you’re going to do a Grammy show, of all things, the sound has to be good. Seeing the ways that the sound has evolved over the last few years, what do you think the next challenge will be in making the sound the best it can be?
CLA: Well, I think lightning always strikes. There’s always going to be an issue, I don’t care what kind of backups you have. What it all really boils down to is the men driving the machines at the ceremony. That’s why they need the real pros and experienced engineers like Tom and Eric Schilling because when something happens, they know how to react. That’s why you have experienced guys at the helm.
MR: Having the experience that you do, do you ever find yourself being roped into lending a hand or giving your opinion at events like this?
CLA: You know, I’m 100% here to help. I want to be a fly on the wall and if I can influence anything to make it better, that’s what I want to do. I think, if anything, what I’m offering while I’m here is a morale boost. I’m here to show my support and let them know that I’m just here to see them. I could be doing anything at the Grammys, but I’m here to show support and get everyone excited. That’s what’s important to me.
MR: Have you worked on any other music awards show?
CLA: I actually did the CMAs one year. I had a really big run doing country with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. There was a period when I had around seven albums on the charts between the two of them. James Stroud, who is one of the producers, got the CMA people to allow me to do the main mix for the whole show. It was really stressful, but so exciting. I got to actually sit in the hot seat and be the one-man show for that year. They wanted me to do it every year, but I told them I would only agree to one. (laughs) If I ever do another one, I would want to be involved in the Grammys.
MR: What are you working on these days?
CLA: One of the big exciting projects that I finished recently was something for Bruce Springsteen, which was mixed by Bob Clearmountain. I also got to mix a lot of the songs with Bruce and he turned out to be a really stand-up and amazing guy. I hadn’t mixed anything for him since around 1984, so it’s been quite a long time since I’ve worked with him. It was fun to see him opening the show and Bob mixing the sound in the truck. It was really exciting to see him leading the show.
MR: How did it come to be that both you and Bob did mixes of Bruce’s album?
CLA: Well, Bob did a mix of the album and Bruce wanted to hear my take on the album as well. Bruce, being a really intelligent guy, wants to hear everyone’s different ways of mixing it so that he can look at the versions and figure out which one best fits the song.
MR: Have you found that it’s difficult entering the scene like that, wanting to do a great mix but sort of competing with a friend and contemporary?
CLA: Well, here’s the thing. He has his sound, and I have mine. I’m naturally going to go for my sound because I can’t copy his sound. I tried copying it in the ’80s when I wanted to be like him, but I got my own sound. (laughs) We have complimentary sounds that have similarities, but two very different styles.
MR: Who are some of your influences?
CLA: The biggest influence for mixing would have to be Bob Clearmountain. The biggest production influence would be Dan Hartman. He taught me a lot about producing. People didn’t realize how great of a musician and songwriter he was. I learned so much from him, and those two were some of my key influences throughout the years. I, personally, think that Dan’s legacy fell to me. I worked with him right up to his death. A lot of the technique I learned from him, I still use today. So, if anyone’s holding a torch for him today, it’s me.
MR: Beautiful. Having the experience that you do, how do you feel about this group of nominated new artists as opposed to the batches of new artists in the past?
CLA: The difference to me is that the new crop just has a new spin and new songs. It really boils down to having a catchy song that people want to hear – that’s the spin. They’ve just taken that to a new level. I’m all about the new artists because they come from nowhere with a song and an idea, and it comes through so clean and so clear. That’s what’s happening.
MR: What advice do you have for new artists?
CLA: You’re only as good as your last song, so keep writing. It’s the simplest truth. It’s all about the song. The production technique has something to do with it to, but it’s mostly the song. If you keep writing, you’re going to hit the one that becomes a Beatles song, you know? (laughs)
MR: Do you often find that when you work with new artists, you have to help give their songs that boost to become a better song?
CLA: Every time. We always try to rework the song in the best way that we can to have it go the best direction possible. By the time most songs get to me, they’ve already been worked to a certain level because of my position. Usually, the song is given to me to take to the finish line.
MR: Are there artists that still impress you when you look back on your time working with them?
CLA: I try to make it so that there’s an emotional connection with every artist that I work with, otherwise, there’s no point in doing it. If there is some blood on the tracks, that’s the best. If the song makes you hurt a little bit, it’s actually going to have some really great gain to it.
MR: Do you have any final thoughts on the Grammy’s that you’d like to share?
CLA: I think the Grammys is helping put music back on the map in people’s minds. It’s one of the biggest conduits to making people realize how important music is in our lives. I’m really glad that it got this kind of bump this year, and I’m hoping that this is only the beginning to making it more mainstream again and not just some other slightly embarrassing awards show. I think it needs it, and a lot of people are starting to look at music in a more important way.
MR: What’s in your immediate future?
CLA: My immediate future is more music making and being more diversified. I want more involvement from the ground up. I want to go from building the structure to actually decorating. This is definitely something that I eat, sleep, and breathe every day.
MR: Chris, thank you so much for taking time to talk with us. Best of luck to you.
CLA: Thanks so much, Mike. It was my pleasure to be here, man.
Transcribed by Evan Martin