Jamie Muffett- british producer/mixer and songwriter

1.What inspired your passion for music and who has been there supporting you from the beginning?

I don’t remember one point specifically that inspired my passion for music, it’s something that has always been there. I do remember hearing Imagine at a very early age and recognising that it was more than just a piece of entertainment. I don’t know how old I was, probably about 6 or 7, I suppose that was my first personal connection with music as an art form.

Other than the usual family support I have not really sought specific support, I think that if you are passionate about doing something you become a knowledge and help sponge. No-one can match your personal motivation anyway so I tend to find what I need myself.

2. How do you feel about people downloading music rather then buying physical copies?

It depends if you mean legally or not. I don’t think anyone has any real idea what the Internet has done for the music industry as a whole, yes it is much easier to get music for free, and that has direct implications for the artists and all the people involved in the creation of the music, but it is also easier for artists to get to the people who would buy their music. It’s a can of worms as there are arguments for and against the democratisation of music, the loss of a physical product that you can hold in your hand, Apple becoming one of the biggest players in the industry, audio quality, royalty rates, the list goes on…. Time will tell.

3.How do you feel about the music industry today?

If you couldn’t tell from the previous answer, if I’m honest – I don’t know. It is what it is and in my humble opinion the way to make your way in it is to be adaptable and creative in your business practice as well as your art.

4.Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I think a lot depends on how the next couple of years pan out, I have had an amazing 18 months since coming from the UK and long may it continue!

5. Do you think singer/songwriters are the best interpreters of their own work or do you believe some cover versions can be better then the original?

Yes some cover versions are better, Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley and All Along the Watchtower – Hendrix spring to mind, I’m not sure that is the norm though. I do know that once you get used to one version it is hard to be totally subjective to other interpretations.

I think the point of a cover is that the artist sees some potential in the song in a way that they can articulate differently, and in their style. I don’t see the point in an artist covering a song simply to hijack some glory from the original, I don’t blame them I have done it myself!

If the artist does interpret the song in their own way, their fans will probably appreciate their version and maybe not the original, and that’s cool in my book.

6.Who have you always dreamt of working with and why? How would you go about accomplishing this?

I would love to work with Radiohead, I think I have to put out a few good albums to get there – working on it!

7.As you are starting out your career as a  music producer what steps do you plan on taking to reach your goal?

I’m taking each day as it comes, each song as it comes. If you put in 100% into everything you are working on the rewards come sooner or later. I’m a bit of a forward planner which is good and bad, if you plan too meticulously you can miss unforeseen opportunities, of course no planning can be a disaster, I’m trying to straddle a bit of both.

8.Have you found that as you are starting out as a music producer there are aspects that have taken you completely by surprise. If so, what are they?

I think the ability to learn in any given subject. I have been recording for nearly 15 years now and there are endless opportunities for knowledge growth, be it technical, creative, or interpersonal.

9. What is the greatest thing about working in the music industry as a music producer? And what would you change if you had the opportunity?

I think stretching your brain in a creative capacity is great, if I get a day off after being in the studio for a couple of days I can’t turn my brain off, it’s addictive. I’m not really one to aspire to laying on a beach and doing nothing, so it’s perfect for me.

There are lots of things that would make my life easier if they were different, but I’m not sure easier is necessarily better.

10.If you could have asked anyone for advice when you were starting out. Who would you have liked to ask?

What would you have liked to ask? What would be your answer now?

I think I would have liked to ask me, now. I think taking advice can be useful but also limiting, the reason I say me is that I know what is relevant, what makes a difference etc… To me! Take advice with a pinch of salt, what works for someone else (however successful) won’t necessarily work for you. Be adaptable and confident where possible, take that advice or don’t.

11.From your experience in the entertainment industry what advice could you offer people looking to get where you are today?

I think you have to take opportunities that don’t necessarily have an obvious initial benefit, you never know what will come of them. You can certainly spread yourself too thinly if you throw yourself into everything though, it is important to finish projects you start. As I said before though that may apply to you or not, you may already be taking your opportunities but you aren’t working on your technical knowledge, in which case that would be what you need to be working on now.

12. What courses/classes would you recommend someone take if they want to be a music producer?

I’m not a good person to ask as I dropped out of music school, but probably business and basic psychology, I think it is a given you love and can play music so I’m not sure music school is required. Maybe electronics too.

13.How many years were you fighting to get to where you are today and what was that time in your life like?

It clicked for me that this is what I should be doing about 2 years ago, somehow I had managed to lead my life in such a way that I had accrued the knowledge and life skills that made me suitable for this. I think you can certainly trace that back to high school, maybe even earlier. It wasn’t a conscious decision though. For years I struggled with the idea that I wanted to play rock/alternative music and that I had to be in a band to do that. Having to tour, travel etc was not a life I wanted, I have always been straight edge and ploughed my money/spare time in to music, being a producer/engineer is that life I always wanted without the side that made me intolerably uncomfortable.

14.From your experience so far, what have you found to be most challenging? And how are you dealing with it?

Selling yourself is hard, I think coming to America and there being no shame in blowing your own trumpet has really helped. I seem to work much better in a can do culture. I definitely have that British grumpy and cynical side come out occasionally, and that is amplified in the UK. I’m Mr positive, reach for the stars over here! Haha

15.Share with us your proudest moment in your career so far?

There have been a few times when I have finished a mix and thought I am getting near to the finished product that I imagined I could create 10 or so years ago. I’m not there yet and inevitably the bar gets raised each time, who knows if I will ever be 100% satisfied with something I have produced. I think also the relief that I could come to another country and do what I hoped I could do makes me a bit proud. I’m not going to get too self congratulatory though, I’m British after all.

Links and Recommendations Photo Gallery Jamie Muffett’s Website