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| photo by Robert Kinsler |
Here’s the weekend’s statistics, provided by the NAMM Show organizers:
60,000+ show attendees, including 8,760+ international attendees from 122 countries, regions and territories
After the trade show floors opened, Tony Hoffer – whose studio credits include mixing/production work on albums or singles by Beck, Depeche Mode, Travis, Air, Phoenix, Silversun Pickups, and others – did a Mix with the Masters song demonstration session.
Mothersbaugh emphasized that without Margouleff’s contribution and the success of “Whip It,” “there would be no Devo today.” The group had been under pressure by Warner Bros. Records to deliver a hit after two previous albums failed to make an impact (Freedom of Choice was eventually certified platinum and is Devo’s most successful studio effort).
The first of two sets saw Jones and Collins trade vocal duties on each band’s respective alt-rock radio hits from the late 1990s/early 2000s. An exuberant Jones was in fine form, especially during the crunchy power pop-leaning “Flavor of the Weak” and midtempo, Oasis-styled favorite “Another Perfect Day” (the Manchester group would later be represented by an impressive “Champagne Supernova” cover).
1,650+ exhibitors representing 5,400+ brands, which is 25% more than 2025.
Nearly 15,000 artists demonstrating and endorsing products and brands
200+ education sessions with 550+ speakers
1,600+ media, influencers and content creators reaching over 200+ million followers, which is 50% more than 2025.
200+ education sessions with 550+ speakers
1,600+ media, influencers and content creators reaching over 200+ million followers, which is 50% more than 2025.
Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan was given the Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Award for innovation, while Mike Dirnt of Green Day and Les Claypool of Primus were among those receiving Bass Magazine Awards (all performed as well, with Dirnt’s band mates Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool turning up for a surprise mini-set during the event).
During the “Industry Insights” Breakfast Session, NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak (pictured above) interviewed retail business leaders and presented the not-for-profit organization’s annual Music for Life Award to Rick Beato. The musician, producer and educator, whose Everything Music channel on YouTube has 5.45 million subscribers, was the first influencer and non-music celebrity to be honored.
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| photo by George A. Paul |
When an attendee sought an anecdote about working on Beck’s albums, Hoffer said the alt-rock musician would sometimes do one take of a song and wouldn’t want to do another. “There could be a mistake, but we moved on. That gives it a vibe,” and often leads to magic. He added, “something different gets you excited … I’m searching for scrappiness.” Citing a post-punk music background, Hoffer admitted his goal is to “try and see what I can get away with.”
Across the way at the Hilton Hotel, the often humorous and engaging afternoon TEC Tracks panel discussion ‘Buzz Me In’: Birth of a Record: Devo’s ‘Whip It’ included Devo singer Mark Mothersbaugh, the 1980 song and Freedom of Choice album producer Robert Margouleff and moderator/author/music journalist Mr. Bonzai, AKA David Goggin.
Following the “Whip It” video projected silently on a screen, Bonzai asked Mothersbaugh about the clip’s connection to a 1962 article in Men’s pinup magazine The Dude. The singer said, “There was somebody in Nevada that whipped clothing off,” and quipped, “whips can be dangerous if not used properly.” He continued, “‘Whip It’ was our looking for something. Instead of being confrontational, we were sneaking into the system. The lyrics were like something out of Thomas Pynchon’s [novel] ‘Gravity’s Rainbow.’”
Margouleff – who’d gained prominence as a pioneering synth musician and produced a string of Stevie Wonder albums in the 1970s – recalled catching a Devo gig at L.A.’s Starwood before taking the production job. Referring to the overall message of the song “Freedom of Choice,” he felt that Devo “had something really important to say and I’m glad to be part of it. It was truly art.”
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| photo by George A. Paul |
The Devo singer/songwriter recalled initially seeking a third album producer such as David Bowie, having “loved the Ziggy Stardust concept,” or Brian Eno, due to his early work in Roxy Music, because Eno was “what synthesizers were all about.”
At the time, Devo wanted to add more funkiness to their new sound. Mothersbaugh said they looked to Margouleff because of his work with Wonder: “He had common sense technique” and “so many great ideas. Also, he was a conceptual artist; he brought a positive energy to what we were trying to do.”
For a producer to be good in their role, Margouleff said they should “get the artist to perform at the limit of their potential and keep it as simple as possible; that album is really simple.” Then he went on to praise Devo drummer Alan Myers as a “rock solid player” in the studio for melding well with the drum machines and complimented the current band lineup after seeing a recent concert.
Motherbaugh noted that Devo’s tour dates with the B-52’s lately have been “really enjoyable: We’re old and crabby and they’re a party band. We really complement each other.”
Additionally, there were some funny stories about recording Freedom of Choice at L.A.’s Record Plant at the same time as Little Richard and the wild shenanigans of Rod Stewart’s posse (encompassing a dwarf, the studio facilities’ jacuzzi and lewd drawings all over the mixing board area).
“It really was like the ‘Hotel California,’” Margouleff noted, and relayed how he accidentally whipped himself in the face trying to get the “Whip It” single’s sound.
Thursday evening, dB Technologies USA celebrated its new loudspeaker launch with a private NAMM Show release party at the Grand Theater in Anaheim. The concert featured singer/guitarist Stacy Jones and lead guitarist Jamie Arentzen of American Hi-Fi, playing alongside singer/bassist Max Collins and drummer Ben Hilzinger of Eve 6 for the first time. Paul David Hager, a noted A-list engineer and producer, made sure the sound was top notch.
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| photo by George A. Paul |
Before doing Eve 6’s popular ballad “Here’s to the Night,” Collins said “If you’re an elder millennial … this was probably your graduation song.“
His performance on it and “Inside Out” was iffy at best. Jones joked that they were “the Sloan of cover bands,” and the musicians did solidly fun takes on Cheap Trick’s “Surrender,” Huey Lewis & the News’ “Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll” (complete with guest saxophonist) and Tom Petty’s “You Wreck Me” (for which Jones jumped on drums).
My article was originally posted to rockcellarmagazine.com.
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