I have a subscription to TapeOp Magazine....the best magazine (in my opinion) for recording engineers, producers, etc. with interviews and gear reviews and a letter section that rules.
So the other day I got the latest issue.
The last page of the magazine is usually pretty cool. This one was no exception. The contributor, Larry Crane, wrote a piece called "My Unwritten (Until Now) Rules In The Studio". It is just generic rules he has that any engineer should live by.
Rule #1: I don't play music by other artists that might possibly be inappropriate in some way. I don't wear band t-shirts.
SO.....when explaining this rule, he goes on about how he does not want his clients to think he prefers certain artists or styles of music. This is understandable, as if you were doing a session with Gretchen Wilson and were wearing a Slayer t-shirt, it may raise some eyebrows. And how, if a discussion gets to a certain artist or style of music, he will pull something up merely as a point of reference, or whatever.
But the hilarious part of this is the last third of the paragraph:
Kudos to Mister Crane for having a good sense of humor....certainly when he can recognize something that deserves to be laughed at.But when I know my clients well, playing music we all enjoy can be a great way to unwind, get perspective, and talk about new recording ideas. On one session we even played that first Chickenfoot album over and over for comedic relief. (Apologies to Chickenfoot producer Andy Johns).