Les Mouches, Rockets Red Glare, Mean Red Spiders... these beloved groups are just a few of the Toronto artists who have experienced the mixing-console magic of Jeff McMurrich over the last decade. Wavelength spoke to the creator of The Sweatshop, T.O.'s most indie-(and-jazz-) friendly studio...

Unlike most recording producer/engineers, you only take on projects that interest you artistically. How do you balance the desire for artistic fulfillment with the demands of the almighty dollar? The choices I make with regards to the projects I get involved with are motivated by a number of factors, the people involved being the number one consideration. Life is too short to spend it surrounded by assholes. If you enjoy and respect those you are working with, then it usually follows that you respect what they are trying to artistically express. In terms of financial motivation, there is none. I enjoy the struggle. It keeps me young, and put in a global perspective, it's truly a charmed life. I support the development of a strong local music community and am a huge fan of establishing a micro-economic structure within that community. What this really means is that at any one time I'm owed various sums of money from a number of starving artists. You know who you are!!!

You also involve yourself more in the creative process than your average engineer. How do you get the best out of artists without interfering with their vision? One thing I look for in an artist is a strong vision. One I don't need to mess with too much. If it doesn't exist, people will most certainly pick up on that. One thing people need to realize is that recording is conceptual. It's my job to try and match the artist with the correct conceptual approach. I'm a big fan of live-off-the-floor recording. Dynamics happen when people perform together. This is carried over from my work in the jazz world, where it is the only approach. Often just a few overdubs will complete the vision.

You now have a new studio space to call your own. Can you tell us a bit about this sweet set-up? The Sweatshop v.3.0! I recently fell prey to downtown development a second time and had to move to make way for a Shoppers Drug Mart. The upside was that the couple upstairs moved out eight months before I did, giving me full run of the house. Needless to say, much recording ensued. I'm now in a huge 1200 sq ft. apartment with a room filled with gear. It's my home base. I can do loud stuff at traditional studios and bring it back to edit/overdub/mix. Sometimes a record is done entirely in an outside studio, sometimes it's a combination. I run ProTools at home for maximum portability. It's the best of both worlds.

How do you feel about the Toronto music scene right now? Is this a good place to live and work for you? I love Toronto. I was born here. In my opinion, the indie scene has never been stronger. The last couple of years has seen foreign labels and media embrace Toronto and I think the provincial stigma is quickly eroding. The local community has to make sure that it can use this as an opportunity to create a local infrastructure. If foreign companies invest in Toronto acts, it pays to keep the money here. To all the labels and independent promoters that are circumventing the establishment, I give full props. Getting back to the question posed, yes. I feel very fortunate to be working with so many talented people here. If I could change one thing, it would be to bring back Rockets Red Glare. I'm very serious.

Enlighten us a bit as to the existence of the mysterious entity that is Infinite Systems. Infinite Systems is me in experimental mode. I think everyone has to experiment, go way off the map and then bring some knowledge back that they can apply to randomize convention. I try to create 'œinfinite systems,'? which are pieces of music that can play by themselves and never repeat. The use of controlled feedback is essential. Feedback has always seemed like the closest thing to God I've ever experienced. That's the 'œinfinite'? part. It's a terribly prententious and self-indulgent exercise that acts as both therapy and a musical palate cleanser between sessions.

For more info, go to www.jeffmcmurrich.com.

BY JONNY DOVERCOURT