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John Agnello
Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, Producer...
| 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
If you've read the bio, you know a little bit of history about me. Here's what's been going on over the last year or two.
It's been a pretty cool couple of years. I've been blessed to make some new awesome friends. The Hold Steadyguys are totally solid. "Boys and Girls In America" did really well for them. It was ranked really high in a bunch of the "end of the year" lists in all the major music mags. And we've made a new record which is awesome. By the summer, it should be cranking around the country and Europe.
I've done a bunch of cool stuff with Dino and the Youth. In fact, for about two months, me and Sharon were moving to Amherst/Northampton. We actually put a bid on a house, but lost it to another couple. Then Sharon got a job at Sterling Sound, which kiboshed the move.
I was reunited with a wonderful band I had worked with years before named Madrugada. Unfortunately, the reunion was tragically upset by the death of my good friend and band member, Robert Buras. A great man and a wonderful talent. The band and I regrouped and finished the record, but it was an intense process, unlike anything I've experienced before. Damn I miss him.
Earlier in 07, I was lucky enough to work with the great Turbonegro. "Retox" is an awesome record and I loved the time I spent with Euroboy, Happy Tom and Chris Summers. Man, those guys are great live and it's a record I'll always be proud of.
I've also been psyched to work with a bunch of great indie artists like, The Hazey Janes, Cobra Verde and Aaron Lee Tasjan.
And I've been blessed to just finish a great record record with my favorite singer of all, Jennifer O'Connor. She is so special, I can't listen to the record without getting chills.
Anyway, all is good. Look for some of these records and there will be more to come soon..............
And now, the bio....
The last few years have been busy for John Agnello. Throughout 2004 and 2005, John manned the board for Son Volt (recorded and mixed Okemah and the Melody of Riot (Transmit Sound/Legacy Recordings)), The Kills (recorded and mixed No Wow (Rough Trade/SonyBMG)), Drive-By Truckers (mixed The Dirty South (New West)), Early Man (mixed Closing In(Matador)) and Clutch (mixed Robot Hive/Exodus (DRT)). In Fall 2005, the Drive-By Truckers called upon John to mix their latest album, A Blessing and A Curse. He then co-produced, recorded and mixed the debut self-titled album from Witch, featuring J Mascis on drums. John’s longstanding working relationship with Mascis currently has him scheduled to work on the new Dinosaur Jr. reunion album. In March, John recorded and mixed the forthcoming Andrew W.K. album, which began just days after he finished mixing Sonic Youth’s forthcomingRather Ripped. John heads to St. Louis in April to record the new Son Volt album. He then returns to the NYC area to produce, record and mix the latest from The Hold Steady.
While he has made a name for himself working with hard rock bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Screaming Trees, The Breeders,Jawbox, Buffalo Tom, Alice Cooper, etc.), he has also shown his skill with subtler sounds (Five for Fighting, J Mascis, Mark Lanegan, Patti Smith, Jay Farrar, Dar Williams, Nada Surf). John has proven himself a favorite of younger bands, including NYC darlings Death of Fashion, emo-punk bands like At A Loss and Jimmy Eat World, the indie-pop of Joshua, Favez, Camber and Elevator Action, stoner rockers Nebula, and the balls-out rockers the Murder City Devils, The Sammies and Burning Airlines.
Starting his recording career as an assistant engineer at the Record Plant in New York City, John was able to work on some legendary early 80’s albums including John Mellencamp’s Uh Huh, Aerosmith’s Rock in a Hard Place, Scandal_(band)" target="_blank">Scandal’s The Warrior, Twisted Sister’s Stay Hungry, Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual and John Waite’sNo Brakes. As he went out on his own, John had a string of successes recording albums with The Hooters, The Outfield,Patty Smyth and Sophie B. Hawkins. He then gravitated toward the aforementioned bands that were influenced by the rock music he grew up with and loved.John has had songs featured in a number of soundtracks including Social Distortion’s “Death or Glory” fromLords of Dogtown, The Screaming Trees’ “Darkness Darkness” from True Lies, the Dinosaur Jr./ Del The Funkee Homosapien collaboration, ”The Missing Link,” from Judgement Night, The Honeymoon Suite’s “Those Were The Days” from The Wraith, and Dinosaur Jr.’s “Turnip Farm” from Reality Bites.
In addition to the commercial success of many of the above albums, John has had notable success with his work with the Norwegian band Madrugada (mixed Industrial Silence, produced, recorded and mixed Nightly Disease). Both albums achieved platinum status in their native Norway, and combined sold in excess of 300K worldwide.
John has the unique ability to step in and do whatever is necessary for a project. He is able to give the direction that is often needed with young bands, while he is equally comfortable with the give and take process that is de rigueur with veteran groups. In every situation, he enables the artist to achieve their vision. John is also extremely versatile. He’ll give songwriting direction, arrangement ideas, play guitar parts or perform harmony vocals--- whatever is necessary to make the best sounding record.