Garth "GGGarth" Richardson, (born ),
is a Canadian record producer and
sound engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a sound recording, recording or a Concert, live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization (audio), equalization, Dynamic range ...
. He is the son of music producer
Jack Richardson.
He has worked with such musical acts as
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
,
Motley Crüe,
Nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian Rock music, rock band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Hanna, Alberta. Throughout its history, it has consisted of lead guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan ...
,
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to Rage) was an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991. It consisted of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim ...
,
L7,
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Peoria, Illinois, Peoria, Illinois, in 1996. Known for their sonic experimentation, face and body paint, masks and uniforms, the band has sold over five million records wor ...
,
Melvins
Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...
,
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish Rock music, rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, composed of Simon Neil (lead vocals, guitar) and twin brothers James Johnston (Scottish musician), James (bass, backing vocals) and Ben Johnston (Scottish musician), Be ...
,
Kittie
Kittie is a Canadian heavy metal music, heavy metal band from London, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 by guitarist Fallon Bowman and drummer Mercedes Lander, with guitarist and vocalist Morgan Lander and bassist Tanya Candler joining the ...
,
Shihad
Shihad were a Rock music, rock band formed in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1988. The band consisted of founders Tom Larkin (musician), Tom Larkin (drums, backing vocals, samplers), Phil Knight (lead guitar, synthesiser, backing vocals) and Jon To ...
,
54-40,
Hedley, and
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rise Against's mu ...
.
He co-founded the Nimbus School of Recording Arts in
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
with producer
Bob Ezrin
Robert Alan Ezrin (born March 25, 1949) is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, best known for his work with Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, Andrea Bocelli and Phish. As of 2010, Ezri ...
and established his personal recording studio, the Farm, in
Gibsons
Gibsons is a coastal community of 4,758 in southwestern British Columbia, Canada on the Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), Sunshine Coast, where the southwest bank of Howe Sound meets the Strait of Georgia.
During its early history as a Europe ...
, British Columbia. He and five partners opened Fader Mountain Sound, a sound studio and rehearsal space that took over the space formerly occupied by the famed
Little Mountain Sound Studios
Little Mountain Sound Studios was a music recording facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. From the 1970s through the 1990s, it was the most successful recording studio in Western Canada and the home for many years to producers Bruce F ...
in Vancouver. Richardson also created the Bandwagon, a portable recording studio used for
music therapy
Music therapy, an allied health profession, "is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music t ...
by patients at
British Columbia Children's Hospital and other facilities in the
Lower Mainland
The Lower Mainland is a geographic and cultural region of the mainland coast of British Columbia that generally comprises the regional districts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Home to approximately 3.05million people as of the 2021 ...
of BC that cater to teens and adults.
He has been nominated for a
Grammy
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
, a
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...
, and three
Juno Awards
The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's music industry. The Grammy Awards are the United S ...
, winning the
Juno Award for Producer of the Year in 1997.
Early life
Richardson was born in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
and is the son of
Jack Richardson, a prominent music producer who worked with notable acts including
Alice Cooper
Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
,
the Guess Who
The Guess Who was a Canadian rock band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1965. The band found their greatest success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, under the leadership of singer/keyboardist Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman, wit ...
, and
Bob Seger
Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is a retired American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded with the groups Bob Seger and the Last Heard and the Bob Seger System throu ...
in the 1960s and 1970s.
From the age of five, Richardson would visit his father at his Toronto studio, Nimbus 9, and was inspired to follow in his footsteps.
He started working as the studio's janitor at the age of 14. At 15 years of age, he worked as a
second engineer
A second engineer or first assistant engineer is a licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. This title is used for the person on a ship responsible for supervising the daily maintenance and operation of the engine depa ...
on Seger's "
Night Moves", which was produced by his father.
Richardson was athletic as a child, participating in hockey, football, and skiing.
[ He attended ]Georges Vanier Secondary School
Georges Vanier Secondary School and Woodbine Middle School are two public schools consisting of a junior high school (Grades 6 to 8) and high school (Grades 9 to 12) located in North York district of Toronto, Ontario. Owned and Operated by the No ...
and would work at Nimbus 9 at night.[ He later enrolled in Fanshawe College's Music Industry Arts program but chose to leave before completing his diploma, preferring the hands-on experience at his father's studio.][ His first production credit came in 1979 with ''Ad Up'', an album by Numbers, a short-lived Toronto-based band.
]
Career
Production work
In the 1980s Richardson landed a job at Phase One Studios in Toronto.[ Three years in, he was invited by producer ]Michael Wagener
Michael Wagener (born 25 April 1949) is a German retired record producer, mixer and engineer from Hamburg, best known for his work with many popular American hard rock and heavy metal music, heavy metal bands in the late 1980s. He is particularly ...
to work with him in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
for six months.[ Richardson left for LA in 1984 and stayed there for 12 years.][
Richardson was an assistant engineer on the 1987 ]White Lion
White Lion is an American glam metal band that was formed in New York City in 1983 by Danish vocalist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta. Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, they released their debut album ''Fight to Survive ...
album, ''Pride
Pride is a human Emotion, secondary emotion characterized by a sense of satisfaction with one's Identity (philosophy), identity, performance, or accomplishments. It is often considered the opposite of shame or of humility and, depending on conte ...
'', produced by Wagener.[ His first big break was engineering the ]Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
' '' Mother's Milk'' (1989). He was credited as "GGGarthatron" on the album and initially planned to use the name for his next project with a band called the Power Trio from Hell.[ However, the band believed it would bring bad luck and instead opted for "GGGarth", a name they considered to be lucky due to its seven-letter composition.][ Richardson adopted the moniker, in reference to his stutter, and continued to use "GGGarth" as his professional credit on several subsequent projects.][
He produced ]Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to Rage) was an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991. It consisted of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim ...
's 1992 self-titled debut studio album, which earned him a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
The Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical has been awarded since 1959. The award had several minor name changes:
* In 1959, the award was known as Best Engineered Record – Non-Classical
* In 1960, it was awarded as Best Engineeri ...
at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards
The 36th Annual Grammy Awards were held on March 1, 1994. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Whitney Houston was the Big Winner winning 3 awards including Record of the Year and Album of the Year while opening ...
.
He mixed and produced several tracks on the Melvins
Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...
' 1993 album, ''Houdini
Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts.
Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...
'', co-produced their 1994 release ''Stoner Witch
''Stoner Witch'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Melvins, released on October 18, 1994, by Atlantic Records. It is their second release for the label.
Recording
The album was recorded with Garth "GGGarth" Richardson and Joe Ba ...
'', and served as engineer and mixer on tracks from their 1996 album, ''Stag
A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) a ...
''. Richardson also produced the 1996 album '' Shot'' by the Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas by vocalist David Yow, guitarist Duane Denison and bassist David Wm. Sims. They relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in 1989, where they found kindred spirits in ...
, and the following year, he was awarded the Juno Award for Producer of the Year for his work on the singles "Bar-X-the Rocking M" from ''Stag'' and "Mailman" from ''Shot''.
The band L7 chose Richardson to co-produce their 1994 album, '' Hungry for Stink'', because of his work with the guitar sound on albums by Melvins and Rage Against the Machine. He mixed the Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee (born Thomas Lee Bass; October 3, 1962) is an American musician who co-founded and plays drums for the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He also founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical projects.
Early ...
single "Planet Boom" from the Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...
EP ''Quaternary
The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), as well as the current and most recent of the twelve periods of the ...
'' (1994) as well as the acoustic version of Nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian Rock music, rock band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Hanna, Alberta. Throughout its history, it has consisted of lead guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan ...
's " Leader of Men", which was appeared on their 1998 album, ''The State
A state is a political entity that regulates society and the population within a definite territory. Government is considered to form the fundamental apparatus of contemporary states.
A country often has a single state, with various administrat ...
''.
Richardson produced 54-40's 1998 album, '' Since When''. Both the album and its title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
were the highest-charting album and single in the band's history. ''Since When'' peaked at No. 19 on the ''RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines.
One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
'' Top 100 Albums chart, and the single peaked at No. 2 on ''RPM''s Alternative 30 chart and No. 11 on their 100 Hit Tracks chart. Richardson also produced three tracks on the band's 2018 album, ''Keep On Walking''.[
He produced ]Kittie
Kittie is a Canadian heavy metal music, heavy metal band from London, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 by guitarist Fallon Bowman and drummer Mercedes Lander, with guitarist and vocalist Morgan Lander and bassist Tanya Candler joining the ...
's debut album, '' Spit'' (1998), and Shihad
Shihad were a Rock music, rock band formed in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1988. The band consisted of founders Tom Larkin (musician), Tom Larkin (drums, backing vocals, samplers), Phil Knight (lead guitar, synthesiser, backing vocals) and Jon To ...
's '' The General Electric'' (1999).
In 2000, Richardson co-produced Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Peoria, Illinois, Peoria, Illinois, in 1996. Known for their sonic experimentation, face and body paint, masks and uniforms, the band has sold over five million records wor ...
's debut album, '' L.D. 50''.
In 2003, he received a Juno nomination for Producer of the Year for his work on the songs "Family Stem" and " The Red" from Chevelle's ''Wonder What's Next
''Wonder What's Next'' is the second studio album by American rock band Chevelle, released on October 8, 2002 by Epic Records. Spawning the singles " The Red", " Send the Pain Below", and " Closure", it proved to be Chevelle's breakthrough albu ...
''.[ The prize had been renamed the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award in 2002 in honour of his father.
Richardson produced '']Siren Song of the Counter Culture
''Siren Song of the Counter Culture'' is the third album, studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against. Released on August 10, 2004, it was Rise Against's first album on a major record label, after the band signed with DreamWorks Records ...
'' (2004) by Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rise Against's mu ...
, the band's first album on a major record label.
He received his third Juno nomination for Producer of the Year in 2006, for his work on the singles " Gunnin'" and "Villain" by Hedley, from their self-titled debut album.
Richardson has produced three albums by the Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish Rock music, rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, composed of Simon Neil (lead vocals, guitar) and twin brothers James Johnston (Scottish musician), James (bass, backing vocals) and Ben Johnston (Scottish musician), Be ...
: ''Puzzle
A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to find the solution of the puzzle. There are differe ...
'' (2007), '' Only Revolutions'' (2009), and '' Opposites'' (2013). In 2010, he was nominated for a Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...
for his work on ''Only Revolutions''.
The Farm Studios
In 2002, Richardson began developing his own personal recording facility on a seven-acre property in Gibsons
Gibsons is a coastal community of 4,758 in southwestern British Columbia, Canada on the Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), Sunshine Coast, where the southwest bank of Howe Sound meets the Strait of Georgia.
During its early history as a Europe ...
, a town situated on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, approximately 45 kilometers from Vancouver. He lives on the property, which also includes accommodations for artists recording on-site.[
The recording studio was designed in collaboration with Ron Obvious, who also contributed to the design of ]Bryan Adams
Bryan Guy Adams (born November 5, 1959) is a British and Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and photographer. He is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million album, records and Single (music), si ...
' Warehouse Studio and Armoury Studios
Armoury Studios is a Canadian recording studio located in Vancouver, British Columbia's Kitsilano neighbourhood.
History
The Armoury building was constructed, from the ground up, in 1990 by Canadian songwriter/producer Jim Vallance. Vallance co ...
in Vancouver.[ Additionally, Richardson installed cables into the woods of his property, enabling musicians to record outdoors.][
]
Nimbus School of Recording Arts
In 2008, Richardson co-founded the Nimbus School of Recording Arts alongside producers Bob Ezrin
Robert Alan Ezrin (born March 25, 1949) is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, best known for his work with Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, Andrea Bocelli and Phish. As of 2010, Ezri ...
and Kevin Williams.[ The school was named after Nimbus 9, the Toronto studio operated by Richardson's father.] Ezrin had apprenticed under the elder Richardson during the 1970s.[
The school provided ]diploma
A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offi ...
programs in audio engineering, live sound mixing and recording, and advanced studio production.[ Students who completed one year of training were also eligible to apply to ]Capilano University
Capilano University (CapU) is a teaching-focused public university based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, located on the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, with programming that also serves the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and the Sunshi ...
to pursue a degree.[
The school closed in 2023. Richardson told the '']Vancouver Sun
The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, and is the larg ...
'', "It was a perfect storm of COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
, student visa trouble and increased property taxes that forced us to close."[
]
Bandwagon
In collaboration with the Music Therapy Ride—an annual motorcycle charity event that raises funds for music therapy services in British Columbia—Richardson developed a mobile recording studio known as the Bandwagon, designed to be brought directly to a patient's hospital bedside. Initially conceived in 2010, the first Bandwagon was installed at BC Children's Hospital
British Columbia Children's Hospital is a medical facility located in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority. It specializes in health care for patients from birth to 16 years of age (possibly l ...
in 2012. A second unit was created in 2013, serving multiple facilities across the Lower Mainland
The Lower Mainland is a geographic and cultural region of the mainland coast of British Columbia that generally comprises the regional districts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Home to approximately 3.05million people as of the 2021 ...
that support long-term care
Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long-term care is focused on individualized and ...
patients, individuals with dementia
Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
, and hospitalized teenagers.[
Richardson was inspired to create the Bandwagon after spending time with his daughter at BC Children's Hospital, where he witnessed firsthand the positive impact of the hospital's music therapy program on patients.][ The mobile studio enables patients to record their own music with the support of on-site music therapists and is equipped with professional-grade microphones, keyboards, and guitars.][
]
Fader Mountain Sound
In 2012, Richardson launched Fader Mountain Sound studios in partnership with Ben Kaplan, Shawn Cole, Kevin Kowai, Daniel Byrne, and Paul Boechler. Kaplan previously collaborated with Richardson at both the Farm and the Nimbus School of Recording Arts.[ Fader Mountain Sound was founded in the former premises of ]Little Mountain Sound Studios
Little Mountain Sound Studios was a music recording facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. From the 1970s through the 1990s, it was the most successful recording studio in Western Canada and the home for many years to producers Bruce F ...
, a legendary facility closely linked to iconic producers Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Earl Fairbairn (December 30, 1949 – May 17, 1999) was a Canadian record producer. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999, and is considered one of the best of his era. His most successful productions are '' Slippery When Wet'' ...
and Bob Rock
Robert Jens Rock (born April 19, 1954) is a Canadian record producer, recording engineer and musician.
In 1976, Rock joined Little Mountain Sound Studios, starting out as a recording engineer and sound mixer. During his time there, he coll ...
.[
Richardson left Fader Mountain Sound in 2016, moving his equipment back to the Farm Studios.][
]
Personal life
Richardson has two brothers and two sisters.[ While still living in Los Angeles, he met his first wife during a six-month trip to ]Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, where he was working with Dead Brain Cells.[ The couple settled in Los Angeles and had two daughters.][ They relocated to Vancouver after one of their daughters faced a serious health issue that wasn't covered by their insurance.][ Richardson chose Vancouver over Toronto, believing the city offered better opportunities in the music industry at the time.][
Richardson remarried in 2007.][
He received an honorary ]Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or '), also termed Doctor of Literature in some countries, is a terminal degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In the United States, at universities such as Drew University, the degree ...
from Capilano University
Capilano University (CapU) is a teaching-focused public university based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, located on the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, with programming that also serves the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and the Sunshi ...
in 2025.
Selected production credits
Awards and nominations
Richardson was nominated for the Grammy Award along with Andy Wallace and Stan Katayama.
References
External links
*
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*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Garth
Living people
1960 births
Canadian record producers
Canadian audio engineers
Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award winners