Jamie Laboz
Occupation:
Musician, composer and producer
Official Website:
http://www.jamiesboombox.com
Background:
After spending time in New York City ‘s once seedy underground East Village scene, musician/composer/producer Jamie Laboz made his way to Venice, California, where he began composing for several top-rated, long-running MTV shows. He started with Wildboyz, Snoop Dogg’s Doggy Fizzle Televizzle and Yo Momma— as well as the show’s many DVDs—and then moved on to Run’s House (seasons two and three) and more recently Rob and Big. This versatile multi-instrumentalist (guitar, bass, lap steel, uke and keys) seamlessly transitions between genres as needed.
When not making music for the MTV generation, you can find Laboz creating his homebrewed style of indie-psychedelic-rock. “When creating my own music, I want to get as far away as possible from the straight-up stuff I make for work.” So in the spring of 2006 he released his debut solo record, Better Late Than Never , singing and playing everything except for drums. He’s currently recording a “conceptual” follow-up,The Green Album, which is darker, heavier and way more tripped out. Some of the tracks feature veteran drummer Aaron Comess, who e-mailed his tracks to Laboz from New York. “There’ll be a heapin’ helpin’ of feedback, fuzz, backwards guitars, reverbed-out vocals and a universal message.”
Better Late Than Never is available on iTunes.
Jamie Laboz
Laboz on M-Audio Hardware: “Right now I am using an iMac 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo with 3GB of RAM—its really blazing fast. I use the MobilePre USB for an audio interface, which is plugged directly into the computer. The two inputs are more than enough for me, as I usually record one instrument at a time. The MobilePre is small, which makes it easy to bring to sessions. It sounds fantastic—I even bought one for my lady, she loves it!
“From the outputs of the MobilePre I connect a pair of BX5a reference monitors, which sound fantastic and very neutral, giving a true balanced sound. The BX5a monitors give all the clarity, depth and volume needed to mix without coloring the sound. My mixes now sound consistent on other sound systems, especially on small TV speakers, where most of my work is heard.
“I use the Keystation 61es for playing melodies and programming beats and samples. The 61es is simply laid out and compact, which makes it easy to use and maximizes my small studio space. The semi-weighted keys add a dynamic human quality to programming and sequencing, making digital tracks sound way more live than before.
“Over the last five years Ive used M-Audio gear to create hundreds of tracks for over a dozen top-rated, long-running shows on MTV. This music is played around the world daily to millions and is also featured on the DVDs. I also used all of this gear to create a Broadway-sounding musical for the NBC show Improv Everywhere. Its from the makers of Runs House and several other hit shows on the major networks.
“Under super-strict deadlines, my M-Audio gear ensures I get the job done quickly, hassle-free and sounding pretty darn sweet.”
On M-Audio Software: “I just recently purchased the iZotope Ozone 3 mastering plug-in and was pleasantly surprised by its versatility and high-quality sound. Whether Im crafting individual tones or preparing the final on-air mix it does the job easily and with style. Its great for getting a quick master of any performance. Conceptually, I try to use the software to create organic-sounding music thats warm and inviting to the ears. The ‘string setting on Ozone 3 was fantastic for the big show-tune number on Improv Everywhere.”
What he is proud of: “I was very happy with Snoop Doggs Doggy Fizzle Televizzle because my music was prominently featured throughout the series—not just in the background. I had a few reoccurring ‘theme songs as well, such as ‘Snoops Diary and ‘The Doggfather. The show was really hilarious and helped me secure a stronghold composing for the network for a number of years afterwards. It also helped me to develop some diversity.”
His songwriting process: “Rather than sit down, play guitar and sing until I have a song like I used to, I now write and record as I go along. Most of the time this works better because I have a palette of sounds and instruments that will push me outside of what I can do with just guitar and vocals. A certain effect, instrument or loop will give me a newer, fresher perspective. Im then able to capture it as Im creating it and arrange it in the most unique way possible. When the whole process is finished, I have a fully recorded and mixed song that would have never emerged from just playing guitar and singing on the couch.”
Why M-Audio? “All of the M-Audio gear is so easy to use, just plug it in and youre ready to record—no fuss or muss, nothing to slow you down when the spontaneous urge arises. Before M-Audio my studio setup was a mess. Almost everything was recorded with lo-fi microphones going into a little four-track mixer straight into the Macs onboard audio input. My speakers were medium-quality computer speakers at best with a subwoofer that covered up the rest of the mix.
“Those days are long gone! Now everythings done in the digital realm, retaining as much of the clarity and quality as possible. When music is broadcast on TV and DVDs, the sound needs to be of the highest quality possible. For five years Ive used M-Audio products almost every day for long hours, leaving them on for months at a time, and never once have I had any piece of gear go out. That says a lot! I have full confidence in all of the products. Thats why I keep buying and relying on M-Audio. I cant say the same for some other companies.
“M-Audio has taken my music, created in a walk-in closet home studio, to the next level by making it sound good enough to be aired daily on several of MTVs most popular shows worldwide. Its enabled me to have a career as a musician, which wasnt possible with the gear I had 10 years ago.”
