Gary Martin Fishman

“AN INTELLECTUAL SAYS A SIMPLE THING IN A HARD WAY, AN ARTIST SAYS A HARD THING IN A SIMPLE WAY" - CHARLES BUKOWSKI

Writing - like a great photograph - should ideally tell you a story. Exactly like art. Exactly like music.
It should impart a feeling.
I like to feel.

I'm also an unapologetic, unabashed smartass. Obviously, I began as a drummer...
Music was my first passion. The power of records; that inherent energy. An energy captured for posterity.

I gigged in bands and at nineteen years old I caught a break.
My journey then continued as a studio 'teaboy'. I was paid to be in the middle of a nurturing environment. Wow! I emigrated, from North York....to Parkdale. I made a lot of coffee, fetched, and learned through osmosis. What did I learn? A pro studio should always be primed for use - meticulous.
Then, utterly debauched...haha

I learned first & foremost: make your client happy. A most valuable lesson...

"IT NEVER GOT WEIRD ENOUGH FOR ME." - HUNTER S. THOMPSON

I was engrossed. The passion was palpable. Visceral.
Amber Studios did commercial sessions during the day and records at night.

We recorded everything under the sun, practically any genre you can name. Lots and lots of real drums, guitars, bass. String sections to a Steinway. Horn sections to a B3 & Leslie, to amps. Many amps - with much in between. A fridge grate, to a basketball as a sampled kick drum. To tape. Use tape if you ever get the chance. It's rich, it's responsive. Saturate the mother, because it's got soul.
Mmmmm...and of course, vocals.

Gear. Esoteric, strange outboard boxes. With real knobs. A Fairlight, samplers, and all those lunatic Beatles' studio tricks. Learn a rule, then immediately bend or break it. It primed me for Protools in a wonderful way. To predict what will be needed. Intuition.

TO ELICIT FLOW

That was my education - learning the fundamentals and foundation of recording from the best in this city. “If you’re in the room, you’re in the mix.” I'm lucky. I absorbed.
Eventually, I became a house engineer. My specialty was bands. I worked excruciating hours, but I learned more...and more...
Thankfully, my curiosity is monstrous.

"MUSIC IS THE ONE INCORPOREAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HIGHER WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE WHICH COMPREHENDS MANKIND BUT WHICH MANKIND CANNOT COMPREHEND." - LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

I've been making up songs and music since I picked up my first raggedy guitar at age thirteen.
I was driven to create, as opposed to just learn other people's songs - the music seems to unfurl. Composition was a natural evolution.

When you recall a favourite old song in your imagination, it's amazing how often certain nuances, or inflections are so pronounced. A vocal curl, a lick, or a hook. These become increasingly crucial as our collective attention span diminishes.
Understanding context, capturing emotion and originality. Subtleties that stick. Production that sounds good in five years - not for just those few minutes - those are some of my strengths....it’s still a journey.
A voice. Your voice. The message.

TO ELICIT FOCUS

I'm really quite fortunate, I get to say things like...

A little more tail on the plate.
Make this pump - push all the buttons in on the 1176
The kick needs a point and a little more flabbiness.
Pan the piano to 3:30 and give it more hammer.
Patch in a ping pong, throw a trem and then a panscan on it...now tuck it in.
Yes! You are golden, keep going, keep going...
I invest a lot in projects I accept. As I said...I need to feel....it's crucial the listener feels...the story.

TO ELICIT PASSION

"GET UP OFFA THAT THING" - JAMES BROWN