Rob Schnapf

American record producer

Rob Schnapf

Schnapf in 2016

Background information
Genres| Rock
Occupation| Record producer
Years active| 1986–present

Musical artist

Rob Schnapf is an American record producer. He was the co-producer (along with Tom Rothrock) of Elliott Smith's albums Either/Or, XO (on which he also played guitar on the song "Baby Britain"), Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill, for which he was recruited by Smith's family to complete after Smith's death.[1]

Schnapf runs the Mant Sounds studio.[2][3][4]

## Background

[edit]

Schnapf, along with Rothrock and partner Bradshaw Lambert, started Bong Load Custom Records in the early 1990s which is notable for releasing Beck's "Loser" single. Schnapf first heard Beck as he was playing on the street during the annual Sunset Junction Fair. A week later Rothrock saw Beck jump onstage to play in between bands during a show at Jabberjaw and approached him afterwards about recording his songs. Together Rothrock, Schnapf, Beck and Karl Stephenson recorded the bulk of what would become "Loser", and subsequently Mellow Gold, Beck's first major label album. Rothrock and Schnapf would continue to record with Beck working on material for what was intended to be his follow-up to Mellow Gold, a somber acoustic affair meant to silence detractors that claimed he was a one hit wonder joke act. Beck eventually had a change of heart and went on to record Odelay with The Dust Brothers only using one song from the Rothrock/Schnapf sessions, "Ramshackle", as the album closer.[5]

Rob and Tom produced the 1993 Dog Society album entitled Test Your Own Eyes. Schnapf later produced Guided By Voices' second of two TVT Records releases; Isolation Drills in 2001 and The Vines debut album Highly Evolved in 2002. In 2003, he produced Saves The Day's album, In Reverie. Also, in 2005, he produced Nine Black Alps' debut album Everything Is.

Schnapf has also worked in conjunction with Australian band Powderfinger in the production of their sixth studio album Dream Days at the Hotel Existence.

Schnapf produced Brooklyn based artist Kevin Devine's major label debut Put Your Ghost to Rest. Following the success of the partnership Schnapf was also recruited to produce Devine's "Another Bag of Bones" a single released prior to Devine's follow up album.

This was followed by work with The Whigs on their debut Mission Control for ATO Records.

Schnapf worked with Australian rock band Kisschasy on their third studio album, Seizures and Wild Light's debut for Startime International Records.

Schnapf then worked with Booker T. Jones on his Grammy winning Potato Hole album featuring the Drive By Truckers and Neil Young. He also worked with Dr. Dog and Toadies 2010 release of Feeler.

Schnapf produced Canadian indie-rock band Tokyo Police Club's 2010 second album Champ.

Schnapf is also credited with the creation of the tambourine back beat, and the 3 against 2 vibraslap.[citation needed]

He is currently[when?] in development of a 1-hour crime drama called the Pope and The Monkey.

## Production discography

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* 1993: Test Your Own Eyes – Dog Society (Co-producer w/ Tom Rothrock)
* 1994: Mellow Gold – Beck (co-producer)
* 1995: Daredevil – Fu Manchu (Co-producer w/ Tom Rothrock and Fu Manchu)
* 1996: Mic City Sons \- Heatmiser (Co-producer w/ Tom Rothrock and Heatmiser)
* 1997: Either/Or – Elliott Smith (Co-producer w/ Tom Rothrock)
* 1998: XO – Elliott Smith (Co-producer w/ Tom Rothrock)
* 1999: Mock Tudor – Richard Thompson (Co-producer w/ Tom Rothrock)
* 2000: Figure 8 – Elliott Smith (Co-producer w/ Tom Rothrock)
* 2001: Isolation Drills – Guided by Voices
* 2001: Stay What You Are – Saves the Day
* 2002: Your Majesty – The Anniversary
* 2002: Highly Evolved – The Vines
* 2003: In Reverie – Saves the Day
* 2003: La Musica Negra – Verbena
* 2004: From a Basement on the Hill – Elliott Smith
* 2004: Winning Days – The Vines
* 2005: Everything Is \- Nine Black Alps
* 2006: Put Your Ghost To Rest – Kevin Devine
* 2007: Dream Days at the Hotel Existence – Powderfinger
* 2007: Scream And Light Up The Sky – The Honorary Title
* 2007: Heart Tuned To D.E.A.D. – Switches
* 2008: Mission Control – The Whigs
* 2008: Melodia – The Vines
* 2009: Adult Nights – Wild Light
* 2009: Potato Hole – Booker T. Jones (co-producer)
* 2009: Seizures – Kisschasy
* 2010: Champ – Tokyo Police Club
* 2010: Sweet Thing – Sweet Thing
* 2010: Shame, Shame – Dr. Dog
* 2012: Emerge – Dog Society
* 2012: "A Sleep & a Forgetting" – Islands
* 2013: Bulldozer – Kevin Devine
* 2013: FIDLAR – FIDLAR
* 2013: "Saves The Day" - Saves The Day
* 2014: Night Moves – H-burns
* 2015: St. Catherine – Ducktails
* 2016: Cody – Joyce Manor
* 2016: Cold Coffee – Barrie-James O'Neill
* 2017: Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset – Richard Edwards
* 2018: Heaven – Dilly Dally[6]
* 2018: Marlin Fisher – Henry Chadwick[7]
* 2020: Alphabetland – X
* 2020: "Underground Forever"/"Hustlin" - Jonathan Tyler
* 2022: Canary Yellow – Soft Kill
* 2022: (watch my moves) – Kurt Vile (co-producer)
* 2024: Smoke & Fiction – X

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Elliot Smith, 'From a Basement on the Hill' (Anti-)". Spin. November 5, 2004.
2. ^ "KINGSIZE SOUNDLABS SOUTH". Kingsize Soundlabs. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
3. ^ Elhaj, Emily (April 20, 2020). "Inside Rob Schnapf's Mant Sounds Studio". Reverb.
4. ^ "Rob Schnapf Chooses Manley For His MANT Studio". ProSoundWeb. September 18, 2018.
5. ^ Inc, CMJ Network (July 23, 1996). "CMJ New Music Monthly". CMJ Network, Inc. - via Google Books. `{{cite web}}`: `|last=` has generic name (help)
6. ^ "Rob Schnapf | Credits". AllMusic.
7. ^ "13 New Albums To Stream Now: Tash Sultana, Troye Sivan, The Band and More Editors' Picks". Rolling Stone. August 31, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* 10 Years of Mellow Gold Documentary on YouTube\- Retrospective documentary done for the anniversary of Beck's first album, features interviews with Schnapf
* Greene, Jayson (October 21, 2013). "Keep the Things You Forgot: An Elliott Smith Oral History". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 1, 2020. "Released on the 10th anniversary of Elliott's death, features interviews with Schnapf"

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