After recording three projects in bedrooms, Athens-based rock group Mind Fish has made the move to the studio, producing its second full-length but first studio album, Watch Out!
“You can only produce yourself for so long, you know,” lead vocalist Dean Tartaglia said. “And sometimes you just need someone else to see your vision through.”
For Mind Fish, that someone was Eddie Ashworth, an assistant professor in the School of Media Arts and Studies. Prior to coming to Ohio University, Ashworth produced for bands such as Sublime, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Slightly Stoopid, among others. Since coming to OU, he has worked with Duke Jr. and the Smokey Boots and Columbus-based Maza Blaska, who will open for Mind Fish tonight.
The relationship between Ashworth and Mind Fish started before Watch Out!, when several of the band’s members were Ashworth’s students.
“I reckoned they were in a position to observe how I approach record-making. I had also spoken with Dean (Tartaglia), who came to me earlier this year about producing a few tracks for an EP,” Ashworth said.
Sharing a light-hearted attitude, Ashworth and the band were able to create an album that Tartaglia described as “a soundtrack to a ’90s Nickelodeon show.”
“Eddie made me do some silly things and at first I was like, ‘Are you serious? This is what we’re paying for?’ But it’s actually been really great,” Tartaglia said. “We like the theatrical, and we needed someone who wasn’t apprehensive.”
Ashworth proved to be a suitable fit, and Mind Fish’s goofy personalities helped keep the process enjoyable for him.
“It’s been a lot of fun working with Mind Fish because they are serious musicians who don’t take themselves too seriously,” Ashworth said. “The songs are super catchy, the music is full-on guitar rock with unforgettable pop hooks, and Dean’s lyrics are both zany and deep all at once.”
Although Mind Fish will release two new singles tonight, the 10-track album will not come out until late 2011 or early 2012. Recording wrapped up last month, but Tartaglia said the mastering process will take some time.
To cover the cost of mastering, Mind Fish created a profile on Kickstarter, a website that allows people to showcase “projects” and raise money. Donors pledge a certain amount, often earning a reward in the process.
In Mind Fish’s case, prizes included personalized emails, free copies of the album, dinner with the band, and a personalized song written and recorded by Tartaglia himself. The band reached its $1,000 goal in less than a week.
“When you have something like Kickstarter, I almost feel like you don’t need a label backing you,” Tartaglia said. “It’s really cool knowing that there are people out there that actually support us.”
nb360409@ohiou.edu
