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Butch Vig

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Butch Vig

Butch Vig (born Bryan David Vigorson, August 2, 1955, Viroqua, Wisconsin) is both a record producer and the drummer for the rock band, Garbage.

Early career

Vig became interested in music and production work when he was a student at the University of Wisconsin main campus in Madison. Vig was studying film, and subsequently became involved in the Madison music scene. During college, he lived with the musician, Laurie Lindeen, who went on to form her own band and eventually married musician Paul Westerberg.[1]

Vig produced several local and regional punk rock bands, such as Killdozer and The Other Kids.[2]

While enrolled in college, Vig met Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. With Erikson, Vig began the band that became Spooner in 1979. Vig and Marker spent hours recording on Marker's four-track tape recorder in his basement. That was the nascent beginning of Smart Studios.

While no offers came to Spooner, the side project Fire Town was signed to Atlantic Records in 1988. They gained critical acclaim and small financial success with their releases "I'll Carry The Torch For You", "Rain On You", and "The Good Life".

Production work

Vig's first high-profile production work was in 1991, when he produced The Smashing Pumpkins' Gish and Nirvana's Nevermind.

His production work on Nevermind is widely credited[citation needed] as the reason that Nirvana broke through to the mainstream, going #1 on the U.S. chart (replacing Michael Jackson). Vig incorporated overdubs and vocal doubletracking, whereas Nirvana's previous album, Bleach (produced by Jack Endino) had a more "lo-fi" sound. Kurt Cobain originally refused to double-track his vocals and guitars but Vig reportedly got him to comply by saying "John Lennon double-tracked". Cobain would later criticize Vig for the album's slickness, although this might be due to Andy Wallace's mixing of the album.[3] Cobain said that "Butch Vig...recorded the album perfectly," in a 1993 MTV interview.

Billy Corgan welcomed Vig's elaborate production on The Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream. The track "Soma," for example, uses over 40 guitar overdubs.[citation needed] This album met with great commercial and critical reception, also breaking another indie band into the mainstream.[citation needed]

Together with Steve Marker (guitar player of Garbage) he also owns Smart Studios. They are located in Madison, where Vig currently resides.

Musician

As a musician, Vig is the drummer for Garbage, who have released four albums:

Recent times

Vig worked with Jimmy Eat World on their sixth album, Chase This Light, released in October 2007. He is also working on soundtracks for two new movies. Produced his first English band The Subways' on their second album. He is also working with Tom Gabel of Against Me! on his new solo EP, which is suspected to be called 'Heart Burns'. Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage, revealed in Carson Daly interview that Vig will be producing the 8th studio album by Green Day, 21st Century Breakdown.

Productions

Remixes

Butch Vig has remixed songs for the following artists:

Film soundtracks

Butch Vig composed and produced the soundtrack for the following movie:

See also

References

  1. ^ Citypages.com
  2. ^ Audiohead.net
  3. ^ Berkenstadt, J. (1998). Nevermind Nirvana at pg. 96. New York: Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-864775-0
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