Feature / One Question Interviews / What's That Noise?
Larry Livermore

Words: Loren • October 16, 2020

Larry Livermore
Larry Livermore

Larry Livermore (Lookout Records founder)

SPB: What studios played a role in defining “the Lookout sound” of the label’s early years?

Livermore: All the early Lookout releases were recorded in one of two studios. The first was Dangerous Rhythm, in Oakland, CA, run by Kevin Army and Matt Wallace (by the time we began working with Kevin in 1987, Matt was moving on and was working mostly with major label bands like Faith No More). All our early recordings with Kevin were done on a Tascam 8-track recorder. In 1988 or 1989 Kevin began renting time in other local studios when we wanted to have the option to record on 16-tracks. I can't remember if he ever upgraded the original Dangerous Rhythm studio to 16-tracks, but he probably did. Kevin continued to work with Lookout bands for many years, in many locations, and probably produced more releases on our label than anyone else, at least during the first ten years or so (this is a guesstimate; I haven't sat down and counted).

In 1988, we also began working with Andy Ernst, who ran a studio in San Francisco (later relocated to Hayward, CA in the East Bay) called Art of Ears. Andy already had 16-track capability when we began working with him, and later upgraded to 24-tracks, though I don't remember exactly when. Andy was the producer-engineer for Green Day's first two albums and first two 7" EPs, among many other projects. Until we began working with him, Andy had primarily specialized in hip-hop and r&b, so punk rock was somewhat of a new experience for him, unlike Kevin Army, who had played in punk bands before getting involved with the recording end of things.

It wasn't until 1990 or so that we began branching out into other studios, and that was largely the choice of bands, some of whom came from other parts of the country, and some of whom had already formed relationships with certain producer-engineers before coming to Lookout. But quite a long time, Kevin Army and Andy Ernst worked on the majority of Lookout releases.

Loren • October 16, 2020

Larry Livermore
Larry Livermore

Series: What's That Noise?

One-question interviews with artists where we find out about the gear and equipment they use to achieve their sound.

More from this series

Related features

Six Below Zero

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • January 22, 2025

Matthew Brammer (Six Below Zero) SPB: Can you walk us through your studio or recording set-up to get a glimpse of how a one-man band works for Six Below Zero? Brammer: Since I don't play live anymore, I'm pretty much 100% "in the box" these days. Especially since a lot … Read more

Distants

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • May 23, 2024

Steve Brewer (Distants) SPB: Did you choose your name before the band members were located in different cities? Brweer: Yes. Everyone who was in the band when it started lived in Chicago. When I joined the band in 2019, Zach and I would carpool the distants from Michigan to Chicago … Read more

Faulty Cognitions

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • April 1, 2024

Chris Mason (Faulty Cognitions) SPB: Was the mic’ing of your kit for the recording of Somehow, Here We Are fairly straight forward, or were there some techniques or experiments used to capture the sound? Mason: We didn't do anything too fancy. I do remember that we didn't mic the toms … Read more

Stephen Hamm Theremin Man

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • March 4, 2024

Stephen Hamm Theremin Man shows off his theremin magic. Read more

Middle-Aged Queers

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • January 31, 2024

Josh Levine (Middle-Aged Queers) SPB: Tell us about the day you bought your current (primary) bass and why you chose it. Levine: I bought my current primary bass in the ‘90s at Univibe Music (RIP) in Oakland. It’s a DanElectro Longhorn, ‘90s reissue. I thought it was black. I played … Read more

Related news

New book on Lookout Records' history

Posted in Music News on February 12, 2015

Don Giovanni releasing collection of The Lookouts

Posted in Records on January 27, 2015

Adeline to release Larry Livermore compilation

Posted in Records on March 29, 2012

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025

More from this section

Jumalvauhti

One Question Interviews • March 27, 2025

Kalle (Jumalvauhti – bass) SPB: Who is your favorite band/artist from the 2000-2010 era? Kalle: It's hard to say, but Destiny's Child definitely can't go wrong.  Read more

Bronson Arm

One Question Interviews • March 26, 2025

Black Bickel (Bronson Arm) SPB: What is your favorite stretch of highway to drive in the US? Bickel: My favorite stretch of highway is that bit between Milwaukee and Minneapolis, two cities that Bronson Arm always have a great time playing. So if we are leaving Milwaukee, we are usually … Read more

Unstable Shapes

One Question Interviews • March 25, 2025

Kevin Hurley (Unstable Shapes – bass) SPB: What is your favorite Fugazi record? Hurley: While we can debate the best Fugazi record, a personal favorite of mine is The Argument. It was my entry point for the band. I was admittedly way late to the party on them and as … Read more