Gordon Raphael
Encyclopedia
Gordon Raphael is a record producer
and musician from Seattle, Washington
and New York, currently working in San Antonio, Texas.
Gordon Raphael is most widely known for his work with The Strokes
, whom he met while attending one of their very first shows at Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side, New York City. He produced their debut EP The Modern Age as well as their first two albums Is This It
(which was voted best album of the decade by NME in the UK, and number 2 best of the decade in USA by Rolling Stone) and Room On Fire
. The EP and first album were recorded entirely in his own studio Transporterraum NYC. He has also produced many songs with Sarah Maguire, Fake Chemical State
for ex-Skunk Anansie
lead singer Skin
, Mexico's very famous rock band Fobia
, the well loved highly imaginitive album "Soviet Kitsch" by Regina Spektor
, Stockholm
-based Doctors & Dealers
, form Bognor RegisKill Kenada
, Britain's The Moonies
, the highly skilled London based band Three Trapped Tigers
Operatic art rockers Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man
Swiss literary-rock band The Mondrians, Finland's Caroline Taucher, and UK artists Charly Flynn and The Sound Explosion
.
As a musician, Gordon formed two original bands in Seattle, Mental Mannequin and Colour Twigs which featured his own songs. In the 1990s during the famous Grunge Revolution he was keyboardist for the psychedelic band Sky Cries Mary
- and starred in an epic dark-wave band called Absinthee with Anna Mercedes. His favorite instrument is the Arp Odyssey, which he started learning at age 18. This small 1970's analog synthesizer creates an infinite pallet of evocative, intense outer space noises as well as a barrage of bass which he uses on many of his own and other artist's recordings.
Gordon moved to London in 2002 following the success of Is This It, and founded a studio there called The Silver Transporterraum of London. (This place is now called Urchin Studios, in Limehouse
, London). In his first year living there he worked with 30 bands, and was asked to produce the debut album of The Libertines whilst doing the live sound on their first-ever UK Tour (with the Vines and The Strokes). Living in London was a dream come true for Gordon, as his primary rock influences were mainly British,
and he saw it as a great chance to learn more about the people, history and culture there. He participated in Skint and Minted, a talent night at Filthy McNasty's pub, which at the time (2002) was a heady meeting place for young creative London minds. As well, Gordon made a strong bond with Toby L, the founder of Rockfeedback.com (and Transgressive Records) and they created a clubnight called The Basement Club which presented very early concerts by Regina Spektor, Bloc Party, The Libertines, and Gordon's own band Black Light among many others.
In 2005, after working for almost a year on The Strokes album First Impressions of Earth, Gordon moved to Berlin to be close to his friend, the wonderful producer
Moses Schneider. From his Berlin base, many European bands began to contact him through the internet to work: Zeno and the Stoics (Madrid), Mikkel Glasser (Copenhagen),
Husky Stash (Berlin), Sue and the Unicorn (Berlin), Satellites (Mallorca), Big Deal (London), A Brand (Brussels), Deportivo (Paris), Scanners (London), Olivia Anna Livki (Warsaw),
Super 700 (Berlin), Ian Astbury (London), Eva Loft (Berlin), The Michelles (Berlin),
In January 2010, Raphael went to Cape Town
, South Africa
, to produce the debut album Shark by indie rock band The Plastics. They had a number one song
called Jukebox from that record which features Gordon on Piano, and a lush string section.
In April of that year Gordon Raphael recorded 11 songs in 7 days with the Argentinian indie band Calendar, at La Casa De la Música studios in Villa Mercedes, San Luis.
recently produced the new album by San Antonio band "Education" and was quoted saying:
"“I worked with Education for the last four days and we almost finished a 10-song album, and it’s really good. And I think when people hear this record a lot of them are going to want to come and record with me here, and Education will get a lot of respect and power to get their music out into the world. They’re a really good band and the songs are amazing.” (Gordon Raphael-famed Producer of The Strokes) "
Enrique Lopetegui - San Antonio Current
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and musician from Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and New York, currently working in San Antonio, Texas.
Gordon Raphael is most widely known for his work with The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
, whom he met while attending one of their very first shows at Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side, New York City. He produced their debut EP The Modern Age as well as their first two albums Is This It
Is This It
Is This It is the debut studio album by American indie rock band The Strokes. Recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael, after meeting at an early show at Luna Lounge, a former venue on the Lower East Side in NYC, the album was first released on July 30, 2001 in...
(which was voted best album of the decade by NME in the UK, and number 2 best of the decade in USA by Rolling Stone) and Room On Fire
Room on Fire
Room on Fire is the second studio album by American indie rock band The Strokes. Released in October 2003, it follows 2001's Is This It and includes three singles: "12:51", "Reptilia", and "The End Has No End." Grammy-winning producer Nigel Godrich was initially in charge of production, but The...
. The EP and first album were recorded entirely in his own studio Transporterraum NYC. He has also produced many songs with Sarah Maguire, Fake Chemical State
Fake Chemical State
Fake Chemical State is the second solo album by Skunk Anansie lead vocalist Skin. Released on 20 March 2006, the album was produced by Gordon Raphael and Skin herself, except for the first single "Alone in My Room" which Skin produced with former Mansun lead vocalist Paul Draper...
for ex-Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
lead singer Skin
Skin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
, Mexico's very famous rock band Fobia
Fobia
Fobia is a Mexican rock band from Mexico City, whose career started in 1987, a time when there wasn't much promotion of Mexican rock bands.In December 1987, RCA Ariola de México promoted a famous battle of amateur rock bands: "Rock en tu idioma"...
, the well loved highly imaginitive album "Soviet Kitsch" by Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor
Regina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...
, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
-based Doctors & Dealers
Doctors & Dealers
Doctors & Dealers is a one-woman band based in Stockholm, Sweden. The principal member is Sparrow Lindgren who frequently works with collaborator Anders Lager on recordings and several additional band members when playing live shows.-Biography:...
, form Bognor RegisKill Kenada
Kill Kenada
Kill Kenada are a rock music group from Bognor Regis, England, formed in 2001 inspired by Fugazi, Pavement, Sonic Youth, Pixies, Urusei Yatsura, At the Drive-In, and many more.The band name is a reference to a character named Shotaro Kaneda...
, Britain's The Moonies
The Moonies
The Moonies were an alternative rock band from Liverpool, England, who existed from 2001 to 2005.-History:Steve Banks, Ryan Clarke and Mike Berry were teenagers when they first began playing...
, the highly skilled London based band Three Trapped Tigers
Three Trapped Tigers
Three Trapped Tigers are an instrumental noise-rock band from London, England. The band has released three EPs and one album. Their debut album Route One or Die was released May 30, 2011 on Blood and Biscuits records.-Band Members:...
Operatic art rockers Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man
Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man
Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man. are a British band, comprising elements of prog rock, folk and post punk.-History:...
Swiss literary-rock band The Mondrians, Finland's Caroline Taucher, and UK artists Charly Flynn and The Sound Explosion
The Sound Explosion
The Sound Explosion were formed in Athens, Greece, in May 1991 by four young gentlemen obsessed with all the great mid 60's garage and beat bands from all parts of the world...
.
As a musician, Gordon formed two original bands in Seattle, Mental Mannequin and Colour Twigs which featured his own songs. In the 1990s during the famous Grunge Revolution he was keyboardist for the psychedelic band Sky Cries Mary
Sky Cries Mary
Sky Cries Mary is an American trance rock musical group from Seattle, Washington, that formed in the late 1980s.The husband and wife team of Roderick Wolgamott Romero and Anisa Romero sing dual lead vocals...
- and starred in an epic dark-wave band called Absinthee with Anna Mercedes. His favorite instrument is the Arp Odyssey, which he started learning at age 18. This small 1970's analog synthesizer creates an infinite pallet of evocative, intense outer space noises as well as a barrage of bass which he uses on many of his own and other artist's recordings.
Gordon moved to London in 2002 following the success of Is This It, and founded a studio there called The Silver Transporterraum of London. (This place is now called Urchin Studios, in Limehouse
Limehouse
Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff to the west and Millwall to the east....
, London). In his first year living there he worked with 30 bands, and was asked to produce the debut album of The Libertines whilst doing the live sound on their first-ever UK Tour (with the Vines and The Strokes). Living in London was a dream come true for Gordon, as his primary rock influences were mainly British,
and he saw it as a great chance to learn more about the people, history and culture there. He participated in Skint and Minted, a talent night at Filthy McNasty's pub, which at the time (2002) was a heady meeting place for young creative London minds. As well, Gordon made a strong bond with Toby L, the founder of Rockfeedback.com (and Transgressive Records) and they created a clubnight called The Basement Club which presented very early concerts by Regina Spektor, Bloc Party, The Libertines, and Gordon's own band Black Light among many others.
In 2005, after working for almost a year on The Strokes album First Impressions of Earth, Gordon moved to Berlin to be close to his friend, the wonderful producer
Moses Schneider. From his Berlin base, many European bands began to contact him through the internet to work: Zeno and the Stoics (Madrid), Mikkel Glasser (Copenhagen),
Husky Stash (Berlin), Sue and the Unicorn (Berlin), Satellites (Mallorca), Big Deal (London), A Brand (Brussels), Deportivo (Paris), Scanners (London), Olivia Anna Livki (Warsaw),
Super 700 (Berlin), Ian Astbury (London), Eva Loft (Berlin), The Michelles (Berlin),
In January 2010, Raphael went to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, to produce the debut album Shark by indie rock band The Plastics. They had a number one song
called Jukebox from that record which features Gordon on Piano, and a lush string section.
In April of that year Gordon Raphael recorded 11 songs in 7 days with the Argentinian indie band Calendar, at La Casa De la Música studios in Villa Mercedes, San Luis.
recently produced the new album by San Antonio band "Education" and was quoted saying:
"“I worked with Education for the last four days and we almost finished a 10-song album, and it’s really good. And I think when people hear this record a lot of them are going to want to come and record with me here, and Education will get a lot of respect and power to get their music out into the world. They’re a really good band and the songs are amazing.” (Gordon Raphael-famed Producer of The Strokes) "
Enrique Lopetegui - San Antonio Current