WCA #599 with Alex Newport – Three Decades of Production, a Studio in the Desert, Engineering at Tiny Telephone, and Why Unique Always Beats Good

Matt welcomes producer, engineer, and mixer Alex Newport for his first appearance on Working Class Audio. Alex grew up in the UK Midlands with few music resources, and found his way into production after his band got signed to a UK label with an upstream deal to Columbia, and ended up recording at Sawmills, a legendary residential studio on a tidal island at the tip of Cornwall. Working there with producer Colin Richardson changed everything. From there Alex spent decades moving between LA, San Francisco, and New York — engineering at Tiny Telephone, producing records for At the Drive-In, City and Colour, and many more — before eventually building his own residential studio in Joshua Tree, designed from the ground up to let bands show up and make records without distraction. The conversation covers production philosophy, surviving as a freelancer across three decades, why he intentionally avoids getting pigeonholed, and what really matters when designing a studio space.In This Episode, We Discuss:Growing Up in the UK Midlands With Few Music ResourcesThe Band That Got Signed: Upstream Deal to Columbia RecordsRecording at Sawmills — The Tidal Island Studio in CornwallColin Richardson as a Life-Changing ProducerThe Difference Between a Producer Who Listens and One Who Doesn'tWhy Alex Was Initially Resistant to Having a ProducerWhat Colin Taught Him That He Still Uses Today — and What He HatedThe Shift From Being a Musician to Wanting to Be in the StudioMoving to the US: From Arizona to LA to San Francisco to New YorkFirst Impressions of LA — Where's the City Centre?The Culture Shock of Going From the UK to CaliforniaWhy Alex Prefers San Francisco Over LATiny Telephone and John Vanderslice — Engineering as EducationLearning to Mic Instruments He'd Never Encountered BeforeThe Moment Budgets Started Collapsing Around 2004Building a Studio in LA, Then New York, Then Realising It Was MadnessNew York vs LA: Brutally Honest vs Relaxed and OpenSurviving as a Freelance Producer: The Feast or Famine RealityWhy He Intentionally Avoids Getting Pigeonholed as a ProducerMoving to Joshua Tree and Building a Residential Studio From ScratchDesigning the Studio From a Musician's Perspective, Not an Engineer'sThe Vintage Trailer as Accommodation: Glamping, Not a Holiday InnHigh Ceilings That Cost an Extra $35,000Good Coffee Is More Important Than the Gear in the RackThe Sawmills Influence on the Joshua Tree Studio ConceptPhilip Broussard, Daniel Lanois, and the Kingsway/Teatro PhilosophyWhat Alex Brings to the Table as a Producer: Objectivity and People SkillsThe Sliding Scale Rate Philosophy: Money Follows Good WorkOn Relationships, Touring, and Finding a Partner Who Gets ItDual UK/US Citizenship and Thoughts on Moving Back to EnglandMatt's RANT!: AI and Its Uses Links and Show Notes:Alex Newport Tiny Creatures StudioWCA with John Greenham WCA with Philip Broussard Credits:Guest: Alex NewportHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith