Bad Studio Experience Detroit Michigan

[Viaticus]

Thought I would share this as it is still fresh in my mind.

So I live in Asheville, North Carolina and drove(split gas) with 2 friends to Detroit Michigan to let my friend finish vocals with a producer who has some "legitimacy in the industry" in order to finish our demo we recorded with Jamie King who in my opinion is the best Producer I've worked with so far. Supposedly the vocalist producer (Craig Owens - DRUGS/Chiodos) was supposed to work with my friend for the time he paid.

Turns out he showed up an hour late and talked for 30 minutes and then left for "lunch" for 3 hours. Then at 3pm he came back said very little carrying a guitar and then again left. All in all he spent 30 minutes and my friend to recorded for 4 hours for a total price of 400$. Last night we said this isn't worth the money and came back to North Carolina leaving at 7pm arriving at 7am. My friend was set up with this guy through an A&R rep who had no fault at all. The studio was very nice and the engineer was good. It's sad that this supposedly big name professional cared to show any legitimate work ethic to our album and even lacked a meager attempt to satisfy my friend the customers vocal goals and demands. Did he really think my friend spent 10 hours driving total for him to say everything was good and leave?

Correct me if I'm wrong but a producer is supposed to be present if you pay him to produce vocals? Right? My friend is processing a refund and the owner of the studio was very apologetic.

Personally from me the guy who recorded all the guitars on the cd. My sleep schedule is messed up from the drive and this Big shot attitude of I've got better things to do than work with someone who paid me is lame and sad. If anyone would like to share some similar situations or hate please respond.

 

[via]

hope you get a refund. when this guy can make a living out of such a kickass job and doesn't take it seriously, he should not have such a big name in the first place.

 

[pineappleman]

Uhh well that's what you get for having Craig Owens "produce" vocals I guess? I had no idea he was a producer at all, and now we know why haha. Seriously though, that sucks.

 

[KingAenarion]

I keep saying it, and I'm going to say it again...

Success in the music Industry is 90% reliability.

What should happen now is that either way, getting a refund or not, you should make it clear to everyone you know within the industry that this guy is a joke and that he's not worth a cent... and get them to pass it on.

Even if you just send an email to all your muso friends, as well as any studios you've worked in or are in the area that simply describes how he didn't turn up for what he was paid for.

This will achieve two things.

1) It will let you get sweet sweet revenge.

2) It will warn others about him so they're not also fucked by his general lack of competence in the "turn up to shit" category.

Also... 1000 posts...

 

[Scar Symmetry]

If you have bad studio time, pay the producer and chalk it up to experience, making a thread to tell the world about it is even more unprofessional.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

If you have bad studio time, pay the producer and chalk it up to experience, making a thread to tell the world about it is even more unprofessional.

I don't see the OP slinging insults, or trying to attack the man. I think it's perfectly reasonable to report a negative experience with someone. Perhaps they'll see this and reconsider their actions next time.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

I don't see the OP slinging insults, or trying to attack the man. I think it's perfectly reasonable to report a negative experience with someone. Perhaps they'll see this and reconsider their actions next time.

I guess, I'm from the UK though, here we are apathetic as fuck.

 

[KingAenarion]

If you have bad studio time, pay the producer and chalk it up to experience, making a thread to tell the world about it is even more unprofessional.

I disagree...

In any other profession you wouldn't pay someone for work they didn't do.

e.g. If you organised a lawyer for 4 hours of time for a consult and he was only there for 1 hour, you'd only pay him for 1 hour unless he'd done like 3 hours of specific research for you or something.

Or a painter who you organise to paint your whole house who only does half the work... you wouldn't pay him the full amoun

If the person requires payment in advance then doesn't do what they say, it's even worse... particularly so at $100 an hour!

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

If you have bad studio time, pay the producer and chalk it up to experience, making a thread to tell the world about it is even more unprofessional.

I'm not really a fan of this approach, what if people that got screwed by Roter didnt bother sharing their experience?

 

[Scar Symmetry]

"Being ripped off" is subjective though, you don't know the full story. Just my

 

[Konfyouzd]

I'm a bit confused on this as well. I understand that he wasn't present, but does that mean he did nothing? I'm not arguing one way or the other, I'm just curious as I am my own recording engineer, producer, etc and I suck at them all.

 

[Viaticus]

"Being ripped off" is subjective though, you don't know the full story. Just my

I'm directly quoting the recording engineer at the studio as stating "Fuck Craig Owen".
The whole experience was a clear example of lack of communication, lack of professionalism, and lack of work ethic on Craig Owens part. Like I said we paid for a day of recording not 4 hours. The engineers rate was 20 an hour and my friend paid 100 an hour for craig and matt dalton who were not there. When Craig Owen was an hour late showed up for 30 minutes said everything sounded good then said he had to go to lunch. That left my friend doing takes without knowing what craig wanted him to do. A big part of working with someone like that is their ability to give a critique or make vocal suggestions. They made their contract null and void due to their inability to follow through. It's sad they wasted my time and my friends time.

 

[bigswifty]

"Being ripped off" is subjective though, you don't know the full story. Just my

Thats not the apethetic attitude I was expecting from a Brit.
More like "fuck the twat! ha'way the lads!".

Seriously, Op's got every right to spread the word.
You work, you get payed. You don't work, you don't get payed.
It's the way the world works whether you like it or not.



Write a song about it

 

[Scar Symmetry]

Not convinced guys, sorry. I'm sticking to my post on this.

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Why?

OP is getting his mOney back from the studio owner, pretty easy to see whatshisface is el doucho

 

[Scar Symmetry]

Why?

OP is getting his mOney back from the studio owner, pretty easy to see whatshisface is el doucho

If you make large assumptions, yes. I don't grant myself those as a luxury.

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

If you have bad studio time, pay the producer and chalk it up to experience, making a thread to tell the world about it is even more unprofessional.

So letting other people in the industry know about an unprofessional producer is unprofessional?

I guess its unprofessional to give product reviews as well? Because that exactly what this is. And in no way is it Unprofessional.

Your in the wrong in this instance.

Not convinced guys, sorry. I'm sticking to my post on this.

None is trying to convince you, they are just saying that your stance makes no sense.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

So letting other people in the industry know about an unprofessional producer is unprofessional?

I guess its unprofessional to give product reviews as well? Because that exactly what this is. And in no way is it Unprofessional.

Your in the wrong in this instance.

None is trying to convince you, they are just saying that your stance makes no sense.

So you know all the ins and outs of the situation eh? You know for a fact that you are 100%, resolutely in the right in your thinking? Good for you bro, really, good for you. I will never adopt your way of thinking. Ever.

 

[brutalwizard]

All in all he spent 30 minutes and my friend to recorded for 4 hours for a total price of 400$.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

So you know all the ins and outs of the situation eh? You know for a fact that you are 100%, resolutely in the right in your thinking? Good for you bro, really, good for you. I will never adopt your way of thinking. Ever.

You can drop the attitude.

I don't understand how you do it, but you always manage to twist things around and act as if the reason everyone else is wrong is because, in your option, our way of thinking is somehow flawed.

It's fine to disagree, but at least have the integrity to defend your statements without coming off in such a negative way.

I believe what he's saying is that his vocalist recorded for four hours, and the person they paid to produce it was only around for thirty minutes, but they were charged as if the producer in question was their for the full four hours. At least that's how I'm reading it.