Recording engineer John Neff talks about his fascinating music background

 Had a great talk with my friend John Neff.  John Neff is a recording engineer and producer, based in Portland, Oregon for the last five years, currently operating out of two studios. His record career started in 1965, with the making of The Ascots record, “So Good”, which he wrote. A second single followed in 1967, with an album in 1969. From 1971 to 1973 he was staff session guitarist working for  producer Don Davis at United Sound in Detroit, playing on close to 200 songs for such artists as Mary Wells, Isaac Hayes, Johnny Nash, Curtis Mayfield, Billy Paul, The Spinners and others.   The mid 70s saw him touring the US and and internationally with several Detroit based groups. In 1977 he joined Steppenwolf and toured with them, followed by Hoyt Axton and Redeye in the late 70s. 1979 saw a move to Maui, Hawaii, where he retired from touring but not the music business. Neff did a morning radio show for nine years, started a Hawaiian record company and built a recording studio with Walter Becker from Steely Dan. Artists worked with there include Buffy Ste. Marie, Donald Fagen and Willie Nelson.  Moving back to the mainland in 1993, he spent a dozen years in Hollywood, nine of which were working with film director David Lynch. He recorded the scores for and mixed the films, “The Straight Story” and “Mulholland Drive” for which he received a technical Oscar nomination. He also mixed all of David’s earlier films in 5.1 surround for their DVD releases and has an album out with Lynch titled “BlueBOB”.    A move to Marin County in 2005 resulted in John working at the legendary Plant Studios with artists such as Journey, Sammy Hagar, Michael Franti and more.

 

John has mixed 17 Feature Films, and three shorts, and worked on approximately 450 music recordings over the last fifty years in the business, and been nominated for a Grammy as well as receiving numerous Gold and Platinum awards.