Peter Katis
Encyclopedia
Peter Katis is an American record producer, engineer, mixer and musician.
Working primarily out of his own residential studio (Tarquin Studios) in Bridgeport, Connecticut
, Katis is best known for producing alternative and indie rock
bands, especially for Fat Cat Records
.
in New Canaan, Connecticut. Starting in the early 90s with a studio in his parent's basement, Katis worked with various groups including The Mommyheads
, Oneida
, Guster
and Mercury Rev
.
In 2001, Katis recorded and mixed Interpol
's critically acclaimed debut LP Turn on the Bright Lights
followed by their sophomore effort Antics in 2004 and Paul Banks
' solo project Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper
in 2009.
Katis has a longstanding relationship with the New York band The National
for whom he has co-produced albums since 2002 including 2005's Alligator
and 2007's international breakthrough Boxer. The cover of Boxer is actually a photograph of The National playing at Katis' wedding.
More recent productions include albums for Scottish bands Frightened Rabbit
, The Twilight Sad
, and We Were Promised Jetpacks
, the debut LP
from London's Fanfarlo
, Strict Joy
by Ireland's The Swell Season
, Go by Jónsi Birgisson (of Sigur Rós
fame) as well as albums by Australias' The Grates
and Locas in Love
from Germany.
Katis is a long-time associate of cartoonist and musician James Kochalka
, having produced several of his albums. He is a founding member of "the worlds only all hockey rock band" The Zambonis
. Started in 1991 with his brother Tarquin Katis and friend Dave Schneider. Though he and Tarquin are no longer in the band, The Zambonis continue to play nothing but hockey songs. Together with Tarquin and drummer Adam Pierce of Mice Parade
he still releases critically acclaimed records as The Philistines Jr., most recently 2010's 'If a Band Plays in the Woods...?' and a version of the album on which other high-profile artists cover all of the album's songs ('If A Lot of Bands Play in the Woods...?' in November 2011).
Working primarily out of his own residential studio (Tarquin Studios) in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, Katis is best known for producing alternative and indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
bands, especially for Fat Cat Records
Fat Cat Records
Fat Cat Records is an independent label based in Brighton on England’s South Coast. Their output includes electronica, post rock, indie, downtempo, minimal techno, noise and punk-pop...
.
Biography
Katis attended New Canaan Country SchoolNew Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School is private day school, offers grades Pre-Kindergarten-9, located on a campus in New Canaan, Connecticut. The current headmaster is Timothy Bazemore, who joined the school in 2000....
in New Canaan, Connecticut. Starting in the early 90s with a studio in his parent's basement, Katis worked with various groups including The Mommyheads
Mommyheads
The Mommyheads are an American indie pop band who played from around 1987 through 1998, disbanded for a decade, and then reformed in 2008. Starting in New York City as the brainchild of singer Adam Cohen , the band produced a string of quirky and highly inventive releases on...
, Oneida
Oneida (band)
Oneida is a rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their influences include psychedelic rock, krautrock, electronic, noise rock, and minimalism, but the overall structure and intent of their music cannot be easily traced to any of these styles...
, Guster
Guster
Guster is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1991, the group is known for its live performances and humor, founding members Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel came about to begin practice sessions while attending Tufts University in Medford,...
and Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev is an American alternative rock group, that formed in the late 1980s in Buffalo, New York. Original personnel were David Baker , Jonathan Donahue , Sean Mackowiak, a.k.a...
.
In 2001, Katis recorded and mixed Interpol
Interpol (band)
Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
's critically acclaimed debut LP Turn on the Bright Lights
Turn on the Bright Lights
Turn On the Bright Lights is the debut studio album by American post-punk revival band Interpol, released in August 2002. The album was recorded in November 2001 at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut, and was co-produced, mixed and engineered by Peter Katis and Gareth Jones...
followed by their sophomore effort Antics in 2004 and Paul Banks
Paul Banks
Paul Julian Banks is an English American musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and guitarist of the rock band Interpol. He is also a solo artist under the name Julian Plenti. As a singer, Banks' voice lies in the baritone range.-Early life:Banks was born in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
' solo project Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper
Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper
In a First Listen feature on their website, The-Fly.co.uk said that Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper "could almost be two different albums – one with folky, Bon Iver-esque lullabies and one with upbeat art-rock stomps" and that it is a "beautiful little sonic beast"...
in 2009.
Katis has a longstanding relationship with the New York band The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
for whom he has co-produced albums since 2002 including 2005's Alligator
Alligator (album)
Alligator is the third album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National, released in April 2005. The album brought The National critical acclaim and led them to headline a tour, with opening act Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The album was on many year-end top 10 lists, including Uncut and Planet...
and 2007's international breakthrough Boxer. The cover of Boxer is actually a photograph of The National playing at Katis' wedding.
More recent productions include albums for Scottish bands Frightened Rabbit
Frightened Rabbit
Frightened Rabbit are a Scottish indie rock band from Selkirk, formed in 2003. The lineup consists of lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and lyricist Scott Hutchison, guitarist and bassist Billy Kennedy, guitarist Andy Monaghan, drummer Grant Hutchison and guitarist and keyboardist Gordon Skene...
, The Twilight Sad
The Twilight Sad
The Twilight Sad are an indie rock band from Kilsyth, Scotland, comprising James Graham , Andy MacFarlane and Mark Devine . The band are currently signed to Fat Cat Records and have released two full-length albums, as well as several EPs and singles...
, and We Were Promised Jetpacks
We Were Promised Jetpacks
We Were Promised Jetpacks is an indie rock band from Edinburgh, Scotland, comprising Adam Thompson , Michael Palmer , Sean Smith and Darren Lackie...
, the debut LP
Reservoir (album)
Reservoir is the debut album of the London-based indie folk band Fanfarlo. The album was recorded in October and November 2008 at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States and was produced by Peter Katis. It includes the bands featured singles "Fire Escape" and "Harold T. Wilkins,...
from London's Fanfarlo
Fanfarlo
Fanfarlo are a London-based indie pop band formed in 2006 by Swedish musician Simon Balthazar, and Giles J Davis...
, Strict Joy
Strict Joy
Strict Joy is the third album by The Swell Season . It was released in Ireland on October 23, 2009, the rest of Europe on October 26, and on October 27 in North America on the ANTI- record label...
by Ireland's The Swell Season
The Swell Season
The Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
, Go by Jónsi Birgisson (of Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
fame) as well as albums by Australias' The Grates
The Grates
The Grates are a two-piece band from Brisbane, Australia, comprising Patience Hodgson and John Patterson . They have been lauded for their catchy songs and enthusiastic and energetic live shows, as Patience spends much of the time bouncing around, even while singing...
and Locas in Love
Locas in Love
Locas In Love is a German indie rock band. It was formed in the fall of 2001 in Cologne by Björn Sonnenberg and Stefanie Schrank, Jan Niklas Jansen joined a few months later. They have been touring and releasing ever since, though mostly in Germany and bordering European countries...
from Germany.
Katis is a long-time associate of cartoonist and musician James Kochalka
James Kochalka
James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
, having produced several of his albums. He is a founding member of "the worlds only all hockey rock band" The Zambonis
The Zambonis
The Zambonis are a Connecticut-based indie rock band formed in 1991 by musicians Dave Schneider , Peter Katis, Jon Aley, and Tarquin Katis. The Zambonis write songs exclusively about hockey...
. Started in 1991 with his brother Tarquin Katis and friend Dave Schneider. Though he and Tarquin are no longer in the band, The Zambonis continue to play nothing but hockey songs. Together with Tarquin and drummer Adam Pierce of Mice Parade
Mice Parade
Mice Parade is an indie/shoegaze band from New York City led by percussionist Adam Pierce. Mice Parade's albums were all initially released on Pierce's record label, Bubble Core Records and Fat Cat Records...
he still releases critically acclaimed records as The Philistines Jr., most recently 2010's 'If a Band Plays in the Woods...?' and a version of the album on which other high-profile artists cover all of the album's songs ('If A Lot of Bands Play in the Woods...?' in November 2011).