Jake Mai

For Olivine, an up and coming band from Dallas, TX, it’s all about putting yourself out there and following what excites you. The band, founded by singer/songwriter Jake Mai, caught the eye of renowned producer John Feldmann (The Cab, All Time Low, Panic! At the Disco), launching a relationship that would lead to the release of Olivine’s debut full-length album, Drift.
We caught up with Jake to talk about Olivine’s inspirations, what it was like working with Feldmann, and just what obstacles the band had to overcome. Check out the interview below, and be sure to pick up a copy of Drift today!
When did Olivine form and who or what inspired you to make music?
I started Olivine in 2010 when I moved back home to Dallas from New York. Inspiration comes from many places, most of the album was written while I was touring in my previous band. There’s really nothing more inspirational to me than seeing new unfamiliar places, and having some time alone to sort things out. “Drift” was written mostly about a past relationship that went sour, and starting over at the drawing board to make sense of it all and move on. But there are a few songs that are very special to me like “Landslide” that are about change… and letting go of our inner-resistance to it.
Was being in a band something you always wanted to pursue? Was it difficult getting started and gaining recognition?
We all came from already established bands, and are great friends… and making music is one of the only things that comes naturally and excites us. I believe that if you do what excites you in life, you will be rewarded in whatever form it may take.
You were fortunate enough to work with producer John Feldmann, what was that experience like?
Working with John Feldmann was amazing; he is a very passionate and talented producer… and puts so much intensity and focus into every aspect of the production. We’ve been listening to albums that he’s produced for a long time, so it was definitely a big milestone for us.
Your debut album, Drift, came out November 1st. What has the process been like making this record? What should the fans expect?
We’re extremely happy with the way it turned out… and everyone should expect an “all killer no filler” album from start to finish.
What have been the biggest hardships in your music career so far?
Making Drift took a long time… but we were able to put a LOT of time into tracking everything. We recorded most of it straight to 2-inch tape… which was frustrating at times, because you can’t easily do a lot of un-noticeable punches or overdubs to perfect performances. We also funded the album ourselves which proved to be very difficult. In the end it was a lot more rewarding in that sense, but between the funds, contractual disputes with our old label, and scheduling issues… there were a lot of pitfalls and disappointments over the last year. Luckily we were able to finish it and keep looking up.
You’re just getting started, so do you have big plans for the future? Any immediate dreams right now?
We’re really stoked about the direction we’re headed, and our live show will be a different experience than our album. We can’t wait for everyone to experience it. Also, most of the 2nd album is ready to go, so be looking for new music very soon! - http://musiccreatesus.tumblr.com

For Olivine, an up and coming band from Dallas, TX, it’s all about putting yourself out there and following what excites you. The band, founded by singer/songwriter Jake Mai, caught the eye of renowned producer John Feldmann (The Cab, All Time Low, Panic! At the Disco), launching a relationship that would lead to the release of Olivine’s debut full-length album, Drift.
We caught up with Jake to talk about Olivine’s inspirations, what it was like working with Feldmann, and just what obstacles the band had to overcome. Check out the interview below, and be sure to pick up a copy of Drift today!
When did Olivine form and who or what inspired you to make music?
I started Olivine in 2010 when I moved back home to Dallas from New York. Inspiration comes from many places, most of the album was written while I was touring in my previous band. There’s really nothing more inspirational to me than seeing new unfamiliar places, and having some time alone to sort things out. “Drift” was written mostly about a past relationship that went sour, and starting over at the drawing board to make sense of it all and move on. But there are a few songs that are very special to me like “Landslide” that are about change… and letting go of our inner-resistance to it.
Was being in a band something you always wanted to pursue? Was it difficult getting started and gaining recognition?
We all came from already established bands, and are great friends… and making music is one of the only things that comes naturally and excites us. I believe that if you do what excites you in life, you will be rewarded in whatever form it may take.
You were fortunate enough to work with producer John Feldmann, what was that experience like?
Working with John Feldmann was amazing; he is a very passionate and talented producer… and puts so much intensity and focus into every aspect of the production. We’ve been listening to albums that he’s produced for a long time, so it was definitely a big milestone for us.
Your debut album, Drift, came out November 1st. What has the process been like making this record? What should the fans expect?
We’re extremely happy with the way it turned out… and everyone should expect an “all killer no filler” album from start to finish.
What have been the biggest hardships in your music career so far?
Making Drift took a long time… but we were able to put a LOT of time into tracking everything. We recorded most of it straight to 2-inch tape… which was frustrating at times, because you can’t easily do a lot of un-noticeable punches or overdubs to perfect performances. We also funded the album ourselves which proved to be very difficult. In the end it was a lot more rewarding in that sense, but between the funds, contractual disputes with our old label, and scheduling issues… there were a lot of pitfalls and disappointments over the last year. Luckily we were able to finish it and keep looking up.
You’re just getting started, so do you have big plans for the future? Any immediate dreams right now?
We’re really stoked about the direction we’re headed, and our live show will be a different experience than our album. We can’t wait for everyone to experience it. Also, most of the 2nd album is ready to go, so be looking for new music very soon! - http://musiccreatesus.tumblr.com

Olivine - Tunigo Buzz


2012-12-01
Olivine is made up of singer/songwriter Jake Mai, drummer Joe Bortscheller, and lead guitarist Casey Hollyfield. Olivine caught the attention of multi-platinum producer John Feldmann and also worked with two additional producers to create their debut album, Drift. We got a chance to talk with Jake about the highs and lows of the recording process, touring plans, and personal events that found their way onto the record.

Congratulations on your debut full-length album, Drift, being released on November 1st! I know you had some recording setbacks, what was the most challenging part of the recording process?

- We tracked and mixed the album with 3 different producers in 3 different states, and it took a LONG time. We started tracking (“Pockets”, “Enough”, “Landslide”, “The Greatest”, “Up All Night”, “Don’t Say No”) with Casey Di Iorio in November of 2011, and finished in August of 2012. Then we flew out to Atlanta a couple of weeks later to complete additional overdubs and have the album mixed by Kenneth Mount and Zack Odom. Each session was interesting because every producer works differently. For instance, John Feldmann and Brandon Paddock swear by digital recording, (rather than analogue) so it only took us 3 days/nights of tracking to complete “Drift” and “Without You”. Casey Di Iorio, on the other hand, is very particular and precise. Casey is an extremely gifted engineer and has an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage gear. We recorded on this awesome Neve board that Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson recordedBad on, and used a variety of instruments to create lots of cool atmospheric sounds. It was really a big learning experience to watch him work… his approach is to spend a lot of time getting great natural sounds, and to capture great performances. Most tracks were recorded straight to two-inch tape and dumped into Pro-Tools using the CLASP system. This was really frustrating at times, because it’s less forgiving and you can’t do a lot of punches or overdubs to perfect performances. You can really hear the difference between the sessions, the tape saturation sounds fantastic. We also funded the record independently, so staying afloat financially while dumping money into studio time has been very difficult. Making the album ourselves was very rewarding overall… but between the funds, contractual disputes, and scheduling issues, there were a lot of pitfalls and disappointments over the last year. Luckily, we were able to finish strong and keep moving forward.

You had the opportunity of working with John Feldmann (All Time Low, Panic! At the Disco) on part of this album, what was that experience like?

- During the spring of 2011, I randomly sent some demos out to John Feldmann and he responded in a couple hours. We worked out the details and flew out a couple of weeks later. It was pretty crazy/intimidating when we got to LA because we’ve been listening to his albums for a long time, and we didn’t know what to expect. He had this amazing house with plaques everywhere with a lot of dogs and cats. But yeah, it was a great environment to make a record… and John is an incredibly passionate and talented producer. We shot the shit for about an hour when we first got to his house, had some espresso, and then he switched gears. John and his engineer Brandon Paddock had a very tried and true method of production, they put so much intensity and focus into every aspect of production. We ended up finishing everything in about 30 hours while The Cab hung out and took a break from recording “Symphony Soldier.” It was short and sweet, but the songs turned out great… it was a big milestone for us.

You and Joe Bortscheller have been friends for a long time, how does it feel to have him down in Texas?

- Joe is a phenomenal drummer, and he’s been my best friend for years so it’s been awesome… it’s always great to have him around. He’s extremely dedicated, and music comes very natural to him. My friend Mark McCreight performed drums on much of the album, but left the band in early 2012. It was a difficult thing to deal with, but Joe pulled through within a month. He quit his job, and drove his Toyota Corolla 28 hours to Texas. I had him lay down in a big field of bluebonnets (Texas state flower) at the state line and took a picture… it was priceless. Now we all live together to save costs, which can take its toll on everybody… but it’s been a worthy grind to say the least.

How did you choose the name Olivine?

- Olivine is a precious rock in the earth’s subsurface, but weathers quickly on the surface. It takes the perfect conditions (pressure, material, heat, time) to form… which I thought was a cool metaphor in relation to this project.

At the end of your song “Landslide”, there is a recording from your attorney. What was the motive behind your decision to include it in the album?

- The first week living in Los Angeles, I pulled through a sobriety checkpoint about - us.tunigo.com

Olivine - Tunigo Buzz


2012-12-01
Olivine is made up of singer/songwriter Jake Mai, drummer Joe Bortscheller, and lead guitarist Casey Hollyfield. Olivine caught the attention of multi-platinum producer John Feldmann and also worked with two additional producers to create their debut album, Drift. We got a chance to talk with Jake about the highs and lows of the recording process, touring plans, and personal events that found their way onto the record.

Congratulations on your debut full-length album, Drift, being released on November 1st! I know you had some recording setbacks, what was the most challenging part of the recording process?

- We tracked and mixed the album with 3 different producers in 3 different states, and it took a LONG time. We started tracking (“Pockets”, “Enough”, “Landslide”, “The Greatest”, “Up All Night”, “Don’t Say No”) with Casey Di Iorio in November of 2011, and finished in August of 2012. Then we flew out to Atlanta a couple of weeks later to complete additional overdubs and have the album mixed by Kenneth Mount and Zack Odom. Each session was interesting because every producer works differently. For instance, John Feldmann and Brandon Paddock swear by digital recording, (rather than analogue) so it only took us 3 days/nights of tracking to complete “Drift” and “Without You”. Casey Di Iorio, on the other hand, is very particular and precise. Casey is an extremely gifted engineer and has an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage gear. We recorded on this awesome Neve board that Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson recordedBad on, and used a variety of instruments to create lots of cool atmospheric sounds. It was really a big learning experience to watch him work… his approach is to spend a lot of time getting great natural sounds, and to capture great performances. Most tracks were recorded straight to two-inch tape and dumped into Pro-Tools using the CLASP system. This was really frustrating at times, because it’s less forgiving and you can’t do a lot of punches or overdubs to perfect performances. You can really hear the difference between the sessions, the tape saturation sounds fantastic. We also funded the record independently, so staying afloat financially while dumping money into studio time has been very difficult. Making the album ourselves was very rewarding overall… but between the funds, contractual disputes, and scheduling issues, there were a lot of pitfalls and disappointments over the last year. Luckily, we were able to finish strong and keep moving forward.

You had the opportunity of working with John Feldmann (All Time Low, Panic! At the Disco) on part of this album, what was that experience like?

- During the spring of 2011, I randomly sent some demos out to John Feldmann and he responded in a couple hours. We worked out the details and flew out a couple of weeks later. It was pretty crazy/intimidating when we got to LA because we’ve been listening to his albums for a long time, and we didn’t know what to expect. He had this amazing house with plaques everywhere with a lot of dogs and cats. But yeah, it was a great environment to make a record… and John is an incredibly passionate and talented producer. We shot the shit for about an hour when we first got to his house, had some espresso, and then he switched gears. John and his engineer Brandon Paddock had a very tried and true method of production, they put so much intensity and focus into every aspect of production. We ended up finishing everything in about 30 hours while The Cab hung out and took a break from recording “Symphony Soldier.” It was short and sweet, but the songs turned out great… it was a big milestone for us.

You and Joe Bortscheller have been friends for a long time, how does it feel to have him down in Texas?

- Joe is a phenomenal drummer, and he’s been my best friend for years so it’s been awesome… it’s always great to have him around. He’s extremely dedicated, and music comes very natural to him. My friend Mark McCreight performed drums on much of the album, but left the band in early 2012. It was a difficult thing to deal with, but Joe pulled through within a month. He quit his job, and drove his Toyota Corolla 28 hours to Texas. I had him lay down in a big field of bluebonnets (Texas state flower) at the state line and took a picture… it was priceless. Now we all live together to save costs, which can take its toll on everybody… but it’s been a worthy grind to say the least.

How did you choose the name Olivine?

- Olivine is a precious rock in the earth’s subsurface, but weathers quickly on the surface. It takes the perfect conditions (pressure, material, heat, time) to form… which I thought was a cool metaphor in relation to this project.

At the end of your song “Landslide”, there is a recording from your attorney. What was the motive behind your decision to include it in the album?

- The first week living in Los Angeles, I pulled through a sobriety checkpoint about - us.tunigo.com