Q&A with multi-platinum rock producer Michael Wagener.

James Lugo

James Lugo

Active member
Well here it is as promised. My buddy Michael Wagener is going to join rig-talk tomorrow and jump on board this thread and answer questions and tell you guys some cool rock-n-roll stories. He's worked with George Lynch, Zakk Wylde , James Hetfield, Nuno Bettencourt, Dave Mustaine, Vito Bratta, Brian May just to name a few. So I am sending him this link now and he said he'll join RT tomorrow and jump on this thread. So you guys are welcome to start asking some question whether it be about the gear, guitars, amps, cabs, recording technique, mixing, funny stories etc... Michael is a cool guy so don't feel weird about any question you may have.

So before we get started I just want to say thanks Michael for doing this for us.

His client list is a who's who of rig-talk icons:

DOKKEN BACK IN THE STREETS DEEJAY RECORDS 1979
MÖTLEY CRÜE TOO FAST FOR LOVE LETHÜR RECORDS 1981
GREAT WHITE OUT OF THE NIGHT AEGEAN RECORDS 1983
DOKKEN BREAKING THE CHAINS ELEKTRA 1983
ACCEPT BALLS TO THE WALL CBS 1984
GREAT WHITE GREAT WHITE EMI-AMERICA 1984
DOKKEN TOOTH 'N NAIL ELEKTRA 1984
STRYPER SOLDIERS UNDER CMD ENIGMA 1985
DOKKEN UNDER LOCK AND KEY ELEKTRA 1985
POISON LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN ENIGMA CAPITOL 1986
METALLICA MASTER OF PUPPETS ELECTRA 1986
ALICE COOPER CONSTRICTOR MCA 1986
W.A.S.P. INSIDE THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS CAPITOL 1986
WHITE LION PRIDE ATLANTIC 1987
ALICE COOPER RAISE YOUR FIST N YELL MCA 1987
MEGADETH SO FAR, SO GOOD,SO WHAT CAPITOL 1987
KROKUS HEART ATTACK MCA 1987
FLOTSAM & JETSAM NO PLACE FOR DISGRACE ELEKTRA 1988
OVERKILL UNDER THE INFLUENCE MEGAF. ATLANTIC 1988
SKID ROW SKID ROW ATLANTIC 1988
DOKKEN BEAST FROM THE EAST ELEKTRA 1988
WHITE LION BIG GAME ATLANTIC 1989
EXTREME PORNOGRAFFITTI A&M RECORDS 1990
SAIGON KICK SAIGON KICK ATLANTIC 1990
QUEEN STONE COLD CRAZY HOLLYWOOD REC 1991
SKID ROW SLAVE TO THE GRIND ATLANTIC 1991
MÖTLEY CRÜE DECADE OF DECADENCE ELEKTRA 1991
OZZY OSBOURNE NO MORE TEARS SONY CBS 1991
WARRANT DOG EAT DOG CBS SONY 1992
OZZY OSBOURNE OZZMOSIS CBS SONY 1992
TESTAMENT LOW ATLANTIC 1994

Plus many more... Somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 million records sold!
http://www.michaelwagener.com/html/discography.html
 
I'd like to know which album he has done has his favorite guitar tone and what is his favorite guitar tone of all time?

Thanks!
 
I'd love to know the amps/micing techniques for White Lion Pride and Dokken Back for the Attack.
 
I'd like to know amps/micing techniques for the Balls To The Wall album. That is my fave recorded guitar tone of all time!!!!! I believe Wolf used a floyded strat with EMG's, is this true? I also believe Wolf had a "special" Marshall back then that was heavily modded. Is this true? Any pedals or whatever to get that grinding, pumping, sizzle with girth please!
 
Dear Michael Wagener.

Thank you for taking your time to do this. I believe I can speak for us all when I say that we are very grateful.

I would like to hear you out on your approach in getting a "sound" for a band/artist. Not specifically the guitar, but the whole shebang.
Does it start with hearing earlier material and/or seeing the band live? i.e. Do you think:

"OK, this is what they can do, but I want them to sound like this" and then take it from there? Do you then have a specific sound in your head that you will pursue, or will you let it flow into something different?

In pursuing this, will you make any arrangement edits to suit the sound you are going for, or do you generally stay within what has already been written?

Again, thank you.

Kasper Jensen
 
Mr. Wagener welcome to RT...

1. I wanted to ask you about the never ending debate us guitar freaks usually have. Do you think tone is mostly in the fingers or in the equipment?

2. What do you think has the most impact on tone: Guitar or Amplifier?

3. And what is your favorite guitar player out of all the people you have worked with?

Regards, :rock:
Nico.
 
Hey Michael, thanks for taking time to do this, and welcome to R-T :worship:
I'm very curious what mikes and mic-pres you prefer for doing some of the great high-gain tones you have gotten, and do you have any that you always go to first? Or any mike combo's you prefer?
Also, do you have any advice for good sounding bass tracks?
Thanks, I appreciate it
 
cheers Michael! :cheers2:


as allways James never fails to bring the pain! :rock:


Martin Birch spoke of having the feeling that something magical was happening during the recording of Machine Head, and then again with Number Of The Beast. What albums, if any did you get that feeling with?
 
Michael

Thanks for joining us and answering out questions.



Which amps seem to get the most use at your studio?

Of all the MTS and Egnater stuff, what is the most used Modules. Is it still the Wagener Deluxe by Salvation?

can you elaborate on your current go to line up while tracking guitars?

Royer----TG2----CraneHeadsong ?

Any EQ or compression?



Thanks in advance.


I have lots more questions but will only bother you with these for right now!
 
Pleasure to even get the chance to do this, thanks for doing this Michael :rock:

1) what amplifiers and effects were used on the album slave to the grind for Dave and Scotti? rivera, ultra120+, 5150?

2) what are your favorite go-to mics that always deliver the goods for vocals, guitar cabinets, cymbals, snares, and kicks?

3) on the no more tears album, anything you care to share as far as guitars/amps/vocals/bass/drums are concerned?

4) on Extremes Pornographiti - any stories that you can share with us or any information for others who are trying to go for that tone?

thanks for your time man :rock:

-Matt
 
Do you still have that incredible mane of hair you manly engineering man? :D

When did you feel that you could finally handle lead singers and get them through sessions rather painlessly? (of course, not you James :LOL: :LOL: )
 
Hi Michael,
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, could you please share your observations (funny or otherwise) on working with George, Nuno and Vito Bratta??
Cheers,
Ben
 
Michael, spoke with you at NAMM 2007 while you were in the booth demonstrating the Creation Audio Labs MK 4.23 pedal, still have the information you gave me and just want to say it was awesome speaking with you. Thanks for putting up withy my 4324324 80s shred questions :LOL: :LOL:


OK, what do you know about the now famous Aspen purple superlead?

Thanks!
 
glpg80":34zj9f8b said:
what amplifiers and effects were used on the album slave to the grind for Dave and Scotti? rivera, ultra120+, 5150?
Click to expand...

I don't think the 5150 was available yet when Slave to the Grind was recorded.
 
Michael tried to join tonight but had some logistical login issues but Brad cleared everything up and he has an account and will most likely hit this tomorrow.
 
An absolute legend!!! Wow I'm stoked to here what he has to say.

Being Pornograffitti as one of my all time favorite albums not only style wise but also production wise. What an honor to have him on board!


Edit: Just saw that he is actually the "Master" of Puppets. :LOL: :LOL:
 
Hi Michael, welcome and it's a honor to chat with you. With the equipment thats out today as far as amps go, what amps have you heard that just sound incredible out of the box or do you find that the old ones still have the best sound? Thanks again!!
 
tom_h":1870ohet said:
glpg80":1870ohet said:
what amplifiers and effects were used on the album slave to the grind for Dave and Scotti? rivera, ultra120+, 5150?
Click to expand...

I don't think the 5150 was available yet when Slave to the Grind was recorded.
Click to expand...

Yeh I always wondered why that always comes up since STTG was released in 91 and the 5150 was late 93 into 94 or something like that..
And I believe he said mostly Rivera TBR with some ADA on Gearslutz

Either way Welcome to rigtalk Michael Wagener I only go to Gearslutz to read your posts :thumbsup: :LOL: :LOL: :rock:
 
Hello everybody, what a great forum, thank you James for giving me the heads up.

I just signed on this morning and I will get to all of your questions to the best of my knowledge as soon as I can. Right now we are being pummeled by tornadoes and heavy rain, so it might be tonight before I can get started on answering your questions.

PLAY IT LOUD!!!
 
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