I don’t have a set way of working. I think the thing that marks me out in the way I approach records, that attracts whoever I’m working with, is the creative flexibility. What is really important if you’re producing a session is to not bring your ego in to the room, to think about how you’re serving the song first of all and what the artist wants to achieve.
For most people I talk to now, in terms of how you carve a career working in music, they have what you call "portfolio" careers. You’ll very rarely see someone who is ‘just an engineer’, or ‘just a mastering engineer’ coming up now. Even people working at the top of their game are having to straddle many roles - so you’ll do mixing AND production, there may be a bit of co-writing too. The way the industry has changed, particularly with decreasing revenue streams, people are having to diversify so it’s becoming more normal to do what was actually quite natural for me all along, which was to have a foot in many camps.
I’ve just set up my own independent production room and have been co-writing with different artists. I’m trying to transition away from the touring life I’ve had for the past 4 years… My life has been pretty much, tour bus, tour bus, tour bus… Don’t go home, go to the studio. Rinse and repeat. But I do get to do what I love and that’s make records.
I have a second album coming out as ‘The Anchoress’ later this year and I will continue to write and produce for other artists. It’s just the life of a modern music maker, you wear many hats!