Musician, producer and engineer Dan Carey has had his hands in music ever since he was a child, literally and figuratively. He fabricated his first four-track recorder when he joined the heads of two tape machines and also built his first guitar from scratch. A deal with Virgin Records in the '90s cemented his love of production and later he was tapped to co-write/co-produce Kylie Minogue’s 2003 hit “Slow.” He’s since worked with artists such as Sia, Franz Ferdinand and Wet Leg. Earlier this year he produced Australian duo Royel Otis’ debut Pratts & Pain. He works largely in his London studio Mr. Dan’s and also runs his label Speedy Wunderground, through which he devlops artists and—true to the name—releases music swiftly.
Carey was recruited to produce Pratts & Pain after he’d collaborated with Royel Otis previously. “They came over for a jam and we got on so well,” the producer recalls of their initial meeting. “Before we even got talking we were jamming. Royel [Maddell] showed me the chords of a song he was working on—it later became ‘Glory to Glory’—and it was the most enjoyable time. Occasionally you meet someone and there’s no introduction required; you just go straight into it. That’s how it was with them. We played for a few hours, did some demos and knew immediately that we’d need to do a record together.
“I like to work quickly,” he continues. “It’s not about time constraints. If you capture an idea just as it’s forming, that’s really valuable. Royel Otis is ideal because they’re not precious about anything.”
The biggest challenge Carey’s faced over the years has been working with material that wasn’t quite studio-ready. “I was sent the demos and there were a few songs but clearly not a whole album’s worth,” he recollects. “I made the mistake of going along with what the band and label wanted, which was to simply get on with it. I wasn’t as experienced then. Now I’d say, ‘No, we’re not going to start yet. We’ll wait until the songs are finished.’”
Carey does most of his work at his studio, Mr. Dan’s. What sets it apart for him is its user-friendly configuration. “I don’t like to divide the control room and live room,” he explains. “I’ve got a machine space in the back with all of the noisy gear. The main room is circular with everything arranged around the edge. At one end there’s a desk and then it goes into a collection of guitar amps, piano, a whole wall of modular synths, etc. It’s inclusive and everyone feels like they’re in the same position. It’s a practical thing because often I’m playing and engineering.”
When Music Connection spoke with Carey, he’d just started pre-production on a new Wet Leg record. A fresh project with British indie band Bar Italia will follow soon thereafter. His favorite piece of gear is his customized analog Swarmatron synthesizer, which he uses on most records.
Contact speedywunderground.com,
Instagram @dancareydan
