Matt
Forger MATT
FORGER
Matt Forger is L.A Songwriter's Network guest speaker for July 2, 2003.
Michael Jackson's Thriller album sounded amazing then, and still sounds amazing now. Matt Forger worked his talent into that multi-platinum album. MJ himself is quoted as stating: "…Matt's contribution would ensure success".
Matt Forger's talent has graced 16 Grammy winning albums & recordings, with seemingly countless credits working with artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Van Halen and many, many others. Quincy Jones's first call for engineering goes to Matt. Matt's been doing sound for everything from Superbowl to Spielberg. Matt Forger is one of the most well-known & respected people in this business, because he understands the road to success is never straight, & flexibility is important. He can switch from tweeking sound to video with Francis Ford Coppola to mixing a legend like Lena Horne in a heartbeat.
Matt knows what sounds good. He's one of those "golden ear" guys you hear about.
But even with all those huge credits & accolades, above all else, Matt Forger is a real person. Easy to talk with, passionate about what he does. Ask and you'll find that many will say that there are very, very few industry people with creds like Matt's that will remember your name, smile, and make you feel like you really matter. And because your music is a big part of who you are, he wants to hear that too.
Great songs aren't all from the big names. Great songs come from real people.
So if you want to know how to make your songs and demos sound better, even
GREAT, you'll be there when Matt Forger shares with L.A. Songwriter's Network
his tips, secrets, and experienced advice.
If you want to see what a studio legend thinks of your work, you'll be there.
Hey- If you just want to impress your friends & meet a legend, yeah, you can come too!
Matt Forger @ SongNet
July 2,, 2003, 7:30 PM
The Coffee Gallery Backstage
2029 N. Lake Ave
Altadena, CA.
2 miles North of the 210 fwy off @ Lake
www.songnet.org for more info
ALWAYS FREE!
(but buy a cuppa coffee please!)
The following article and biography appears on StudioExpresso.com:
http://www.studioexpresso.com/profiles/MattForger.htm
Producer/Mixer/Engineer/Sound Designer/ Production Supervisor
History: LA based Matt Forger met and worked
with Michael Jackson on the ‘THRILLER’ album and also worked on
the ‘E.T. STORYBOOK ALBUM’ with Quincy Jones and Steven Spielberg
producing. Following the remarkable success of the album, Matt worked on the
groundbreaking ‘THRILLER VIDEO’ with director John Landis. This
relationship continued and Matt worked on the albums ‘BAD’, ‘DANGEROUS’,
‘HISTORY’, and ‘BLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR’. Matt also
recorded and mixed the ‘CAPTAIN EO’ 3-D Film for Disney, directed
by George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, and oversaw its installation at
Disney theme parks worldwide.
Forger began his involvement in
the music business by mixing live sound for rock bands in the Northeast, and
designing and building sound systems and studios. Shortly after moving
to LA and securing a staff position at Westlake Studios, he met and worked
with Producers Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey, Harold Faltermeyer, and George
Duke. This was followed by the opportunity to work with Quincy Jones, Rod
Temperton, and Bruce Swedien, and become part of “The Team.”
More recently Matt was involved on the Michael Jackson film project
‘GHOSTS’ with director Stan Winston. Among the other works Matt
has completed are his efforts on the re-mastering and adding of bonus tracks
to the Michael Jackson ‘Special Edition’ albums; ‘OFF THE
WALL’, ‘THRILLER’, ‘BAD’, and ‘DANGEROUS’.
The nature of Matt’s involvement with Michael Jackson is extensive.
Forger provided a technical foundation, and relaxed studio environment for
the creativity of the artist to flourish where Michael would write and develop
songs and arrangements. “This process of experimentation, exploration
of sound, and application of new technologies, is always challenging, but
can also be most rewarding,” says Forger. Matt’s all too
familiar with the process - generating singles, videos, and dance remixes,
international
versions and promotional materials, approval of mastering and test pressings,
generating versions for film and television appearances, and cataloging and
maintaining an archive of all materials, are just some of the responsibilities
that Matt has overseen.
Matt has worked extensively with the Japanese superstar Yuming. They first
worked together in 1984 when Yuming's producer, Masataka Matsutoya
was looking for a new sound. After releasing numerous albums it was time for
a new approach, so Matt was hired to bring not only a new sound, but new
production techniques as well. That first collaboration doubled the sales
figure of any previous album, and was the first of 15 albums on which Matt
was recording engineer, mixer, and co-producer. 13 of these albums entered
the Billboard chart at #1. Matt has also received 2 “Gold Disc Awards”
(Grammy Equivalent) for his contributions.
Current Credits: This year has found Matt working in the LA singer/songwriter community, working with many new and promising artists. Matt is also offering his services as a consultant, for the creative recording arts. The basis for his work is the emotional content of the recording. “Remembering that music is a form of emotional communication is important” Matt says, “Too many people view recording as a technical experience. It is important to understand technology and be able to control and it, but it’s the music at center stage. It’s the song people remember, not the recording system.”
Matt is also recording
in a classic format with exciting new results. Matt calls it ‘reality
recording’, this is a live to 2-track recording style that uses a carefully
placed single stereo microphone and a high quality signal path. It is capturing
the moment of a great performance, and putting the listener there in the environment
to share the experience. "It is especially well suited to acoustic performances
and elegant in its’ simplicity," says Forger.
contact: Dianne Forger
fn: 818-341-6610 fx:
818-341-7355
e-mail: mdforger@aol.com