Alex sits down with legendary guitar tech and sound engineer to talk Walter Becker and more.
“I remember this moment when my father said to me, 'How much money did you make this weekend?’ And I said, $225 bucks. This is like 1967. He says, I'm working on the guidance system for the Lunar Landing module and after taxes, I didn't make that much money. Maybe this music thing is not such a bad deal.” - Nite Bob
In this episode, Alex finally gets the chance to sit down with Nite Bob, whose job titles include sound engineer, guitar tech, tour manager, and production manager, to name a few. His 45-year career in the music industry is legendary as are many of the artists he’s worked with, including Steely Dan, Aerosmith, Iggy Pop, Emerson Lake & Palmer, KISS, The New York Dolls, R.E.M., and many more.
Recorded at the Ear Inn, one of New York’s oldest pubs, Nite Bob shares stories from years of working closely with Steely Dan’s Walter Becker - his proclivity for purchasing guitars on a whim, even when advised otherwise; how he brought hard rock-worthy volume to Steely Dan shows, and thought nothing of switching equipment in the middle of a song.
Nite Bob and Alex discuss buying guitars as a collector versus as a working musician, and Nite Bob tells Alex about that time he connected Rick Rubin and Run DMC to Aerosmith, which resulted in one of the most iconic collaborations in music history.
Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Matt Dwyer. Editing and mixing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd