Boston-based producer, audio engineer and songwriter Jason Maas gets candid about his music production process, his experiences on the live touring circuit, and his love of oeksound plugins…
What projects have you been involved with recently?
I’m constantly mixing and mastering stuff. I work with an artist called Aryia who’s blowing up right now, and I’m actually taking on managing him as well. We’ve been doing a single a month; he co-writes with my assistant here at Jay Maas Recording, and I master everything. I just finished a new full length record for a band called Silent Drive, who are on Equal Vision Records and comprises members of this legendary hardcore band from the Boston area called Bane. I’m also doing a record with another band called The Darling Fire. I’m entrenched in records at the moment!
When was the last time you were touring and performing in a band yourself?
I wrote the first record for a band called Defeater which came out around 2008, and I toured with them all the way through the end of 2015. At that point I was in my mid 30s; I’d been touring since I was 17 and I wanted to have a kid. I was a full time producer here at the studio, and when you’re gone for eight, nine weeks at a time, it’s tough on your social relationships. It’s an incredible and positive experience, and it’s one that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Before that I never understood how much travelling and being immersed in different cultures could help you grow as a human and overall good person.