The Sonic Architect: Music Producer Wharton Tiers' Journey Through No Wave and Beyond
From No Wave to New Symphonies: A Conversation with a Music Production Pioneer
Wharton Tiers, a legendary music producer and artist, has left an indelible mark on the alternative and noise music scenes. From his early days in the No Wave movement to his groundbreaking work with Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and Helmet, Tiers has consistently pushed the boundaries of sound. His Manhattan-based Fun City studio became a crucible for some of the most innovative and influential music of the past four decades. As Wharton Tiers reflects on his extensive career in music production, he shares insights into his latest project, "Synchronized Brainwave Activity," and recounts his experiences with influential artists and bands that have shaped his artistic journey.
1. Could you tell us about your latest project Synchronized Brainwave Activity?
Synchronized Brainwave Activity (SBA) is the more adventurous side of The Lucky Ones, which Danna Lyons and I formed to do some covers and original songs. We would do some SBA and everyone really loved it so we've been doing more SBA gigs with the most recent being Nov 3rth, 2024 - NYC Club Berlin). We have also been recording a lot as well.
I would describe it as a mix of songs and poetry loops, some culled my poetry as a seventeen year old! Sometimes it pays to hang on to these specks, it's like a time capsule and lots of fun. My good friend Larry Fesenden has been adding some saxophone and helping with a video. So in short SBA is like an art piece in progress and as such it's quite exciting, and artistically satisfying.
There is of course some No Wave influence in SBA. So I'll use that point to slide into the next question "What was it like being part of the No Wave NY scene"? I was like the youngster, fresh outta college moving to this grey place that was NYC then. But there was so much original art being presented that it really boosted my desire to add to it. It was a very competitive scene as well, which created a massive amount of energy and alot of it got channeled into the performances. I was very influenced by all of it, including the downtown art music of Philip Glass, Phil Niblock and Laurie Anderson.
2. Could you tell us about working with Laurie Anderson on Theoretical Girls?
I played a couple with Laurie, once on drums, and once on guitar but that was about the extent of it. She let me play Beach Boys songs on her vocoder. Her ability to "Lock In" was special and playing shows with her was an honor. Theoretical Girls may have been one of the greatest bands even, but Glenn and Jeff had a hard time working together, which I found out to be a fairly common problem in bands. Lots of great bits though and I will always see what it could have been. Jeff did give me a renewed intent in classical music. Glenn and I were always pals and involved in countless projects one of which was Sonic Youth which led to Dinosaur Jr. Those were the early Fun City days, which was my studio in Manhattan on 22nd Street, where I spent 30 years recording everyone. Quite a discography!
3. What was it like working with Sonic Youth?
Sonic Youth was early on, and a fairly consistent presence over the years. I liked working with them because you never quite knew which way the session would go, always the free form.
4. What was it like working with Dinosaur Jr.?
Dino was epic, "You're Living All Over Me" came together pretty quickly, no one had money for long recording sessions. The record is proof you didn't need it. When I was mixing the
record, which was on tape, I had to do a bunch of spot erasing esp before the solo guitar because residual hum and noise was intense. I erased a bit of the solos and had to replace it with a sample which no one else seemed to notice.
5. You won a Gold record award for your work with Helmet. What was it like producing their album?
By the time the nineties rolled around Fun City was producing a fairly massive sound, which
lead to Helmet and Biohazard recordings. The second Helmet record was a big deal because of their signing with Interscope. The record company seemed a bit upset that we made the record so quickly, but Helmet was a tight organized group at that point, so how many takes do you need? The Interscope President took a limo over to Fun City and I ran a live mix of the tracks we recorded. He was very happy when he left.
6. Do you have any favorite records?
Favorite records is always a hard question, I love so much music and there's a lot of great music out there. As to my finest moment as a producer, I just returned from a trip to Budapest, where the Budapest Symphony recorded my "Symphony #5". That was very special to me.
How can fans learn more about your upcoming projects and follow you?
More information can be found online at my website https://www.whartontiers.com/ and on social @whartontiers. Thanks for the support!
About Wharton Tiers:
Wharton Tiers, a sonic alchemist of the New York underground, has been shaping the landscape of alternative music for decades. From his early days as a fresh-faced college graduate immersed in the No Wave scene to his role as the mastermind behind Fun City studio, Tiers has left an indelible mark on the industry. His latest venture, Synchronized Brainwave Activity, showcases his enduring passion for pushing musical boundaries, blending poetry loops with his youthful musings to create a time-capsule of artistic expression. Tiers' journey has been punctuated by collaborations with iconic figures like Laurie Anderson and groundbreaking bands such as Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. His production prowess earned him a gold record for Helmet's album, cementing his status as a sought-after producer. Yet, amidst his rock credentials, Tiers' musical exploration knows no bounds, as evidenced by his recent triumph with the Budapest Symphony performing his "Symphony #5". From the gritty streets of No Wave to the hallowed halls of classical music, Wharton Tiers continues to orchestrate a career that defies categorization and inspires generations of musicians.
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