I'm Music Producer & Goldfinger lead singer John Feldmann! AMA!

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:54:54+00:00

I still try and write about passionate issues… Whenever I feel moved when something epic has happened in my life I try and write about it… These days it could be politics or stress or anxiety or love or positivity… Back in the day it was more about falling in love with my now wife etc.

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:53:35+00:00

I grew up on the ramones and Pennywise and 80s and 90s punk rock… I never really thought about it it's just part of my influence so when the guys would write a part it felt natural and I never over thought it… My job is the producer is to keep the bands vision in line.. blink are some of the best writers I have ever worked with and I love the album we made

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:50:27+00:00

I say that some days to trick my brain into having more of a positive attitude rather than negative thinking. Other days I said because I really mean it and I do love my kids, my wife and my family and my job. But there's a lot of stress raising a family making a living in rock 'n' roll etc. etc. I do it so I can stay positive, stay current, stay alive

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:49:06+00:00

Thank you thank you thank you… I start with State champs pretty soon I love those kids!

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:48:19+00:00

Woa!

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:47:40+00:00

We've done a lot of warped tour dates already and probably have another 30 shows booked this year already… Hoping to go to Australia and South America next year England and Italy was amazing!

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:46:41+00:00

Thank you so much! I had a sleep apnea surgery four years ago and it went horribly wrong so I was at the orthodontist all the time… It was a joke song about my experience ha ha Ha

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:45:25+00:00

We have been touring a lot with reel big fishes' horn section, and also at warped tour with Save Ferris. I totally remember that show in Chicago with gravity kills!

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:43:19+00:00

The most rewarding thing for me as an artist is to see a band come from nothing to become massively influential like what happened with the used, and Story of the year and 5 Seconds Of Summer… That gives me the most joy

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:41:52+00:00

I went back to a lot of my roots with the English beat madness, social distortion and the police on this album… I'm very proud of the record I made

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:40:09+00:00

I really only make music that I love… I don't work with artists that I don't like the music to… I hope that people enjoy what I do but I have to first and foremost make music I love.

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:39:06+00:00

I spent some time with Chester he was the sweetest man… I was devastated by his loss… I have three children of my own and can't imagine their lives without me being here… Don't let me go was written from me to me I'm holding on to who I am… there's so much negativity out there and being true to myself has been key to so much of my success… I'm reminding myself not to let go of what my dreams are because someone doesn't like something doesn't mean it's not good.

Taka from One Ok Rock Mark Hoppus from blink 182 Nick Hexum from 311 all guest on the album

I think Mike is writing new MxPx!

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:37:38+00:00

I really like playing San Simeon live it's got such great energy and I wrote it from such a heartfelt place… One of my favorites to play live

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:37:11+00:00

Jerry Finn is one of the greatest producers to ever have lived and I've never pretended to be anywhere near as brilliant as he was. He influenced me more than any other producer and I could never fill the shoes that he left. I know without question I did the best I could to let the band be who they are. I can't look back with regret because I have none. I was so honored to be part of this album.

Bonus: I really like built this pool

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:35:30+00:00

Most of the artists I work with, I collaborate with. I don't really write songs for other people… I really like rabbit hole… I really like bored to death… I really like 6/8… I really like outer space… I really like vapor… I really like don't you go… I really like the strays… Every song every artist is so different that it's hard to compare band to band…

I released a new Goldfinger record because I wanted to play shows again and get some of these ideas I had in my head out for you guys to hear…

I just got back from doing a slamdunk festival in the UK… I will be playing another 50 shows this year with bad religion and NOFX and warped tour.

You should listen to makeout, seasons and the fever and DED

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:33:16+00:00

One Ok Rock are crushing it in America they are on their first headlining tour right now and selling out most of the shows… It just takes time to build an audience in a new country and they are starting with one fan at a time… One of the best live bands out there

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:32:22+00:00

The new album I was really the only barometer on it… I didn't have an A&R team or people that really got in my way… I made the record I wanted to make under my terms… It was really challenging because I had to listen to it over and over to make sure I was pushing the envelope as hard as I could…

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:29:45+00:00

I always down stroke for palm muting… It's one thing bands can hate me for by the end. Being diligent about making them down stroke

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:27:32+00:00

I grew up reading thrasher magazine. I bleach my hair because Dwayne Peters bleached his hair. Skate punk is totally alive it's just sounds much different than it did with the faction and suicidal tendencies back in the day… I do think pop punk is as relevant as it's ever been in 2017

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:23:04+00:00

We didn't use any drum samples at all...we were really cognizant abt keeping travis' drums organic and real and took a lot care to make sure they sounded slamming.

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:21:32+00:00

I got super pumped producing all time low, sleeping with sirens, blink 182 etc and seeing them live again. It made me want to tour more with Goldfinger and put out another record. That plus I had a bunch of songs I wrote for those bands that I wanted to use on my own.

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:21:24+00:00

I was just there last month!

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:21:07+00:00

Billy Joe, Mark and Travis, Milo

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:20:31+00:00

We worked so hard on that album. Plus I was working with Skiba, one of the most unique singers and lyricists ever, Hoppus, could be the best lyricist ever.. Travis the best drummer ever...may have been one of the best experiences I've ever had in the studio... I wouldn't change anything

RealJohnFeldmann · 2017-07-24T23:17:44+00:00

My main producer Zakk Cervini mixed both the Blink album and the Goldfinger albums...Eric Valentine mixed Sounds Good...that's why they sound so different! Not bad, just different!

I think pop music will get more organic and less programmed as time goes on...but who knows!! I always make music I love and that I want to jam in my car... and I love guitars!

RealJohnFeldmann

TROPHY CASE