HYDROGYN Vocalist Discusses Working With Producer MICHAEL WAGENER On Debut Album

May 30, 2006, 17 years ago

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In a recent interview with BW&BK;, HYDROGYN vocalist Julie discussed what it was like working with producer Michael Wagener on their debut album, Bombshell. The following is a brief excerpt from the interview:

"Michael was an influence for sure," says Julie. "Within the first week of being in the studio he had convinced (guitarists)Jeff Westlake and Jeff Boggs to change from Marshall to Randall amps. That says it all doesn’t it (laughs). Michael was a very important piece to the entire thing. He was part of the writing on I think four songs and was part of the arrangements as well. For Jeff Westlake he was the only choice. He is the one who called him and got the ball rolling for the entire project. Absolutely Love Michael. He has become a very close friend. We talk every week sometimes daily. He taught us a lot and worked just as hard as us. From the recording process all the way through the artwork for the cover to the end. He did the entire cover and booklet for this CD.

As far as being nervous or intimidated I wasn’t. The guys were. I had no clue who he was, his background, who he had produced at all. So to me at first he was just another guy who had a really nice studio. Now to the guys that was a different story. They were not intimidated but they are worried about looking bad having to follow George Lynch or Zakk Wylde (laughs). After I figured out what all he had done I had already formed a comfort level with him so it still didn’t get to me."

Bombshell features a cover of the SKID ROW classic '18 And Life', which Wagener originally produced for the band's 1989 self-titled debut.

"It was Michael’s idea to do that song," Julie reveals. "We were doing a production workshop with him, which is where he teaches up and coming engineers and producers the tricks of the trade in his Wireworld Studio in Nashville. When he does that he uses a band to record a song so he can properly do what is needed. He called us up and asked if we would do it and we said yes, and then he gave us our homework. It was a bit tougher than the CD sessions because this was his song. He knew exactly how he wanted it, and remember he sold 12 million CDs with this song. We changed it up a bit just on little things but I think it came out great."

Watch for the full story in BW&BK; #98.

As previously reported, Hydrogyn is releasing their new album, Bombshell, through Chavis Records. Audio samples from the album are now available at the band's official website, www.hydrogyn.com. Bombshell's track list is as follows: 'Vesper's Song', 'Blind', 'Look Away S.P.', 'Breaking Me Down', 'I've Been Waiting', 'Confession', 'Love Spoke', '18 And Life', 'The Sand', 'Whisper', 'Circle', 'Book Of Names', 'Come Back To Me', 'Mutilated Mind'.



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