Moderator: Welcome to PSW, Jack!

chat.boy: Hi, Jack!

Jack Endino: Hey guys... my fingers are greased and ready to fly.

Moderator: What project are you working on these days?

Jack Endino: About to mix a new record by the Feederz (last record, 1984...)

Moderator: So how 'bout those Feederz?

Jack Endino: Feederz... extremely politically incorrect band, determined to offend almost everyone.

Moderator: Yes, that is popular among the youth of today and yesteryear.

Jack Endino: Always works...

Moderator: chat.boy was a rebel in his youth.

chat.boy: Yes he was...

Jack Endino: Was he in a band?

Moderator: Are the Feederz masters digital or analog?

Jack Endino: Recording to 15 IPS 2-inch... mixing to 24-bit digital.

Moderator: So you tracked them too?

Jack Endino: Yup, over the past couple weeks, couple days here and there.

Moderator: Any favorite rooms in Seattle, or do you move around?

Jack Endino: I move around... but I'll use Bob Lang's, Soundhouse, Hanzsek, Avast, Gravelvoice, Bear Creek, whatever.

Moderator: Is Bear Creek out in the country? I think I have heard of that.

Jack Endino: Woodinville... way out there.

Moderator: What is the exact 24-bit device you are mixing to?

Jack Endino: ProTools 5.1.1.

Moderator: Are you an actual operator of Pro Tools?

Jack Endino: Pretty savvy with it, yup.

Moderator: Is it now your preferred mix medium? There is much controversy about it.

Jack Endino: Depends on budgets... if people can afford half-inch, I’ll use it (at 15 ips) but PT is very pleasing; you can mix a song a piece at a time and edit it together.

Moderator: Dig. Have you used the RADAR system at all?

Jack Endino: Never laid eyes on a RADAR thus far... I don't think anyone has one around here.

wilbur: What was the first record you mixed that got critical or commercial acclaim?

Jack Endino: Depends on how much acclaim you mean ... first record I did that "got noticed" was the first Soundgarden EP, it was also almost the first record I recorded, period. That was in 1987...

Angie: Good evening! My question is - will you work with Wellwater Conspiracy again and if so, will that be anytime in the near future? Thanks for your time!

Jack Endino: It's possible ... we might put Brotherhood of the Electric back together this summer, I just heard from McBain, and he's getting itchy to play again. I guess Matt is getting busy with Pearl Jam again, so the rest of us will do some wacky project.

jeffsochor: Was Chris Cornell a "one take" singer?

Jack Endino: Nope, not at all. Far from it. Very few people who can actually "sing" are. But he's pretty damn good though.

PJohnson: Do you have any formal training?

Jack Endino: Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, UW, 1980... not that it is particularly useful to what I do now, except that I can fix things when they break! As for the recording stuff, I'm self-taught, as most of us are.

PJohnson: How would you suggest someone get started in the studio business?

Jack Endino: Find somewhere that has a soundproofable room, like a house with a good basement, start buying gear, start a band and learn to record yourself and your friends. Once you know more about what you are doing, the next steps will become apparent... what to buy, whether to look for a building to rent, etc. It's actually not a very good business to be in if you want to make any money.

Jeffsochor: But you've done it (gotten into recording) - in hindsight, what would you have done differently?

Jack Endino: Nothing, really... maybe made Nirvana sign a contract!!! (heh!) But seriously, I'm doing exactly what I always wanted to be doing.

Walter: What's up with your band?

Jack Endino: Skin Yard broke up in 1992 after 5 albums, although we just put out a rarities CD a couple months ago. Other than that, I had/have a sporadic side project called Endino's Earthworm, which released one album in 1993... and I just finished a second one which I'm shopping to labels now. I sing (!?) and play guitar; Barrett Martin drums. I also played bass for about six Wellwater Conspiracy gigs last year.

evergem: Do you have any suggestions for a band to avoid being overwhelmed by recording in a studio?

Jack Endino: Yep... practice, practice. Make sure you know the songs backwards and forwards, and MAKE SURE the singer has finished the lyrics. The less you have to worry about that stuff the easier it will be. And remember that it's not the expensive gear that guarantees a good result, it's the guy running it that counts.

RockerRhonda: Hi, Jack. How much different is the Seattle music scene now compared to the "grunge" period of the 90's?

Jack Endino: More diverse, by far. All kinds of music now, and everyone is not desperately trying to get signed. Well, at least not AS desperately. Plenty of clubs too, unlike in the 80’s when there were about three. Lots of great bands.

evergem: Do you care to weigh in on the digital music debate (e.g. mp3’s) and discuss some of the pros/cons? I'd be interested to know your opinion.

Jack Endino: I never mess with MP3’s, I don't need to ... my house is overflowing with music as it is, and my wife Dawn runs a local music magazine (Backfire) so we get review copies of everything cool in the mailbox all the time, and I get flooded with demos etc ... and I'm the proofreader for the magazine ...

Moderator: Nice!

Jack Endino: MP3’s is a big subject, but I'm not a specialist in the music business itself ,or the legal issues. I don't think they sound so great, but neither did most cassettes.

Jim G: I am prinarily a live guy but have done a fair amount of recording in the past with good results. Do you have any hints to make work in the studio more palatable to a live guy, or should I just say forget about it. The money is ok for the studio gigs.

Jack Endino: I'd say... you better wear ear plugs for the live gigs, or else do not attempt to do any mixing the day after doing a live gig.
Live sound is hell on the ears. I used to do some of it too.

chuck from MD: Any guitar tricks you would care to reveal, or just straight ahead 57's and such?

Jack Endino: I do have preferences in amps, speakers, pickups but usually I have to record what is placed in front of me. I keep coming back to 57’s (sigh) there's gotta be something better but I usually go for what I know. I do enjoy splitting the signal out to two different amps and panning them hard left and right though. You get "stereo" without having to go back and double the rhythm tracks.