Goldfinger vs. Goldfinger

07/13/07 1:30pm

In honour of our July/August 2007 Artist Written Issue, we got friend of ChartAttack and Goldfinger drummer Darrin Pfeiffer to interview the man who's ass he watches gyrate nightly, Goldfinger vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann. Here are the results:

Darrin: Hey John.
John: Hey D.

Darrin: Thanks for taking the time for this. I know you're busy.
John: No worries bro, it's all good.

Darrin: What ya up to today?
John: Actually, today I'm trying to download Entourage and Lost.

Darrin: So those are your shows?
John: Yeah, pretty much. Entourage and Lost.

Darrin: Mine is House and 24. The Simpsons and Family Guy as well, but those are given.
John: For sure. Those are staples. I heard 24 is pretty good.

Darrin: Absolutely. Lots of murder. I like that. Other than that I don't watch TV at all. No time these days.
John: I hear ya brother.

Darrin: I don't even have time for video games.
John: I never thought I'd see the day when Darrin Pfeiffer didn't have time for video games.

Darrin: I have an Xbox 360 still in the box. But enough chat. At what point in your career did you realize you wanted to be a producer?
John: I don't think it was ever a conscious decision. I've always been getting demos on the road. You know that. We get tons of 'em. I remember getting demos from The Skeletones and Buck-o-Nine and thinking I could make them sound better. You remember the recording of our first record? I couldn't keep my hands off the board. How I was making Rifkin [Jay Rifkin, producer and owner of Mojo Records, Goldfinger's first label] crazy saying I wanted the snare to have more crack in it, or why can't I hear the attack of the kick drum? Showoff was the first band I ever produced a record for after getting their demo and thinking I could really help that band with their songs.

Darrin: That was back in the two-inch tape days as well. Analogue baby!
John: Totally. I knew very little of that world back then, but I did it all. Clean the tape machine. Change the tape reels. I'll admit I was a lot greener than I am now. I was still experimenting with mics and figuring out what pre-amps work with what instruments. Just going for it.

Darrin: I remember very well. You were like a mad scientist.
John: It all goes back to our days at Downtown Rehearsal [Goldfinger's first rehearsal spot] when we were having the time of our lives just writing and demoing songs and showcasing for Jay Rifkin.

Darrin: You've built up an impressive lineup of bands and artists that you've worked with over the years. The Used, Story Of The Year, Mandy Moore, Ashlee Simpson, Hilary Duff, Good Charlotte to name a few. Is there one dream artist that you would just love to produce?
John: Um... probably Coldplay, I guess.

Darrin: I figured Social Distortion.
John: Nah... Social D do what they do great, which is what makes them who they are. But with Coldplay, I think Chris Martin is such a great songwriter and their songs are stylistically eclectic and that's right up my alley. I feel I could work with what Chris brought to the table, push the envelope a bit and help shape some different sounding music — bring some sounds in that he wouldn't normally think to use.

Darrin: I'll call Chris Martin for ya, see what I can do.
John: Thanks man, that would be great.

Darrin: When an artist or a band approaches you, what do you listen for first? Is it the songs, the melodies, the drummer or everything?
John: Always with the drummer, eh Darrin?

Darrin: Seriously though, I remember you saying the drummer had to be on or it was a waste of your time, that if you had to hire a guy it always led to problems.
John: Yeah, I've had to hire drummers for jobs. Some drummers are wicked live but struggle with a click in the studio. I've been lucky because you've had no problems and usually kill it in the studio.

Darrin: You're so sweet.
John: But to answer your question, I'd have to say the singer. If the singer doesn't have that earnestness or that originality, then it's tough. They don't need to have perfect pitch or be a trained singer — sometimes that's a defect — but they do have to have something special. If the singer has a style and their own thing and I believe them when they sing, then I think that's almost as important as the song.

Darrin: Do you want the singer to write their own lyrics?
John: It helps, for sure. I like hearing a good song and knowing the singer wrote it. It makes it more believable for me as a listener knowing he's drawing from personal experience and I think the fans will relate to that as well.

Darrin: You have to work with the band and get their songs as great as possible, but you also want to make sure that the finished product is something they like and can be proud of. Do you agree?
John: My job as a producer is to make a band as comfortable as they can be so they can be as creative as they can be. It's a double-edged sword. I want the band to have a CD with great songs that they love, but most of the time I have the label wanting the hits. If they don't get the hits then the band gets dropped or they break up. That weighs on my mind a bit.

Darrin: Let's switch gears and talk about, well, gear. You know the evolution of recording equipment has grown exponentially over the years to where it is now. What advances do you foresee in the future, say 10 to 15 years?
John: Home recording is where it's at. Nothing against the big studios, but I think people want to save money. Maybe there'll be a plug-in for ProTools you can put on that sounds like a Green Day or U2 record. I feel that kids want more product these days. They want LPs, EPs, live recordings and bands have to tour so they'll have to record on the go.

Darrin: The way people consume and listen to music these days has definitely changed.
John: For sure, man. Most kids listen to music on MySpace on their crappy computer speakers and not on huge sound systems or expensive headphones like we did. I check my mixes on computer speakers or my iPod because that's how fans are listening to it.

Darrin: Instant gratification.
John: Yeah man. Kids download from the 'net right onto their iPods or MP3 player and off they go.

Darrin: Goldfinger... when do you find the time?
John: Um, well, I tore my ACL pretty bad on our last England tour and I'm still walking with a limp. I wanna tour, I really do, and I know the guys want to as well, but I have to think of my son Julian. I want to be able to play with him as he gets older. If it wasn't fun anymore and I didn't feel like it was going on the best summer camp ever, I wouldn't do it anymore. It's still fun, but I have to be careful about my leg.

Darrin: Well, Wakestock is coming up and a lot of people are really excited because it's a wicked lineup. Goldfinger and the Deftones? Come on!
John: Absolutely, man. It's gonna be so much fun. I can't wait. Last time we played that festival it was a highlight show.

Darrin: You're a huge PETA supporter and an advocate for animal rights. Seems like you're so busy these days.
John: Well, you know me better then anyone on the planet, Darrin. I'm still struggling to find the balance. I want to do my part, but I also have a job to do. It seems like the older I get, the more I realize that the vegan policeman John Feldmann might turn people off to my cause so I've tried to scale that down a bit. I feel that animals aren't here to eat or for humans to use as slaves, but I can't force people to change... ya know?

Darrin: I was actually fine with the way you were on tour. You had a moment during our set where you would tell people the person you were, then that was it. You would hand out flyers and brochures and just tell people, "Hey, here's the facts, now make up your own mind with it." I respect that.
John: Thanks Darrin, that means a lot to me. I think about my son and I think, "Who am I to stop him from eating Big Macs when he's 12 or 13 when he really starts making his own decisions?" All I can do is tell him what I am and educate him on the choices I made and hope for the best.

Darrin: One more question just popped into my head. Do you ever wish your studio wasn't attached to your house?
John: Yes.

Darrin: Like, get in your car, go to the studio, then come home.
John: For sure, man. I have a hard time separating work from home life. It's literally an impossibility. I'll be in the middle of a guitar take and Julian will come in screaming and jumping around, which is rad, but sometimes it takes me away from the vibe and rhythm of recording. He'll come in with a full stinking diaper and change the mood for sure. The bands all get along great with my wife and son and that's good. I might be buying a smaller place for just my family just to have that separation.

Darrin: So we've been talking for a half-an-hour and I appreciate your time.
John: Thanks Darrin, this was a lot of fun.
Darrin: Now get back to work, fucker!