Capitol Records and The Newborn in their Sink

Admittedly, it’s not everyday that I get to visit Capitol Records—and running with this idea until I broke a sweat (I’m on my fourth lap), I thought to myself in my normal internal monologue fashion:

SELF:   “I bet other people don’t visit Capitol Records that often either.”

So from this minor leap in logic, I took the next big jump in assuming that you care and decided to write a blog about it.

Crack of Knuckles.

So, first thing is first: how about some photos?  This is the sink from the Capitol Records Mastering Department bathroom:

Now, personally, I feel that this sink says volumes about their mastering work—however, these two points are sufficient:

1. It fits one small infant—not that I’ve tried: more of an observation and less of a truth—I didn’t have a baby handy.
2. While music may or may not be born in this department, like this bathroom sink, they do a fantastic job of making music clean and presentable.

If putting out a record is liking birthing a baby, then mastering might be like a gentle wipe with a moist cloth on that infant afterwards: Lord knows I struggle to get my music to smell and look good, especially after I’ve been pushing it through my proverbial creative uterus for a long time—at least it feels that way.

With that being said, I am tickled to death with how much life Kevin Bartley brought to the album and I can’t wait for you to hear it.

This is Kevin—he’s the dude that mastered the disc and an all around nice guy:

Unrelated to Kevin, I was noticing on the way to the bathroom (as their hallways adorned these trophies) that countless other artists with mullets have had their albums mastered here.  Here are a few:

You know, to quote Richard Marx:  “Wherever you go, whatever you do, I’ll be right here waiting for you”— and certainly, here he is.

I’m debating growing my hair out in a similar fashion to follow suit—it seems like the thing to do.  Granted, not all of their artists have mullets, so it’s not necessary:  I was just thinking in terms of my business to party ratio and where those two ideas meet on my head.  For example:

He’s all party and no business (I’m talking hair, not music… George Harrison is amazing), and he mastered here also—I’ll get back to you on the whole mullet thing.

In terms of being wowed, this was one of my favorite albums growing up!  Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd changed my life  I feel honored to have the same mastering team working on my music:

In the meanwhile, it’s nice to be on the inside for once and I’m glad that you could join me:

See you back on the other side.

- Mike

PS

I’m thinking CD release party real soon, with a band.

PSPS

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