Linda and Billy (and Muffin!) in the studio

"I've known Billy Stein for many years, but it wasn't until I spent a full year working with him on THE OTHER SIDE OF ME that I really understood the depth of his talent and his sense of humor. He is a classically trained musician who lives on the cutting edge of today's popular music, and he is carrying on the tradition of his famous last name with brilliance and passion."

Fans will remember Billy Stein as Linda's very talented keyboardist. Billy had quit touring several years ago to concentrate on producing records although, as you will learn in this interview, he was motivated to go out "on the road again" with Linda and The Other Side Of Me Band. He teamed up with Linda to co-produce her latest record, THE OTHER SIDE OF ME.

The Eder-tors of THE VOICE sat down with Billy at his studio in Manhattan to discuss the record, his preparation for the live performances of the new music, and the debut of The Other Side Of Me Show at North Salem, New York this past winter. Before our interview began, we were joined by Billy's adorable cat.

BILLY: You're not allergic to cats, are you?

VOICE: Oh, no! We love cats!

BILLY: Well, this is Muffin, my boy cat.

VOICE: He's very pretty… or handsome rather.

BILLY: I know… his name doesn't really work for a guy! [All laugh]

VOICE: Do you realize the last time we interviewed you for THE VOICE was four years ago?

BILLY: Was it really four years ago?

VOICE: Yes, it was in 2004.

BILLY: Really?!

VOICE: Time flies!

BILLY: It sure does! I started with Linda in 2000, which is scary. The first gig was at Sculler's in Boston in April 2000.

VOICE: When did you start your company, Strange Cranium?

Learn more about Billy at his Web site: http://www.strangecranium.com

BILLY: I've actually been producing music for over 25 years. I was twelve when I set up my first recording studio. Then I was known as "Billy Beat Box." I rigged up two Sanyo tape decks together to create a two-track tape machine. I had a couple of keyboards, a Moog Source and Korg PolySix, my grandfather's ukulele, and a small microphone suspended from the ceiling in my bedroom. I recorded my friends doing funny skits and rapping like Run DMC. In high school, I expanded the studio and I recorded my original rock band called The Riverbottom Nightmare Band. I had the drum set on one side of my bedroom and the guitar amps around my bed! In college, I helped form a band called The Hatters and my nickname was "Captain Cranium." We set up a recording studio in the living room of our ranch in the mountains of Colorado. After touring for years and releasing three albums on Atlantic Records, I started two music production companies with members of The Hatters, one with the lead singer from the band, Adam Hirsh, called Honeyspoon Records. We set up our studio in the offices of Vanguard (Omega) Classics. We produced tracks for bands, composed music for Indie Films, and scored TV shows on VH1 and Discovery Channel. The other company was formed with the lead guitar player, Adam Evans. His nickname was "Strange" and we called ourselves "Strange Cranium." We also produced tracks and recorded music for TV. Adam Evans left the biz, Adam Hirsh left for LA, and I took over the name "Strange Cranium" here in NYC. That was ten years ago and the company has grown and grown since then.

VOICE: The last time we spoke, you were doing work for TV and movies. Are you still involved with those things?

BILLY: Yes. The show "Boiling Points" is still airing on MTV. It's actually the highest rated TV series ever on MTV. I've done the music for several shows with that same production company. One is called "Smoking Gun TV" and it airs on Court TV. The other airs on CMT and is called "Prankville." Recently, I did some work on a game show for Direct TV, as well as a PBS special with Jason Howland and Dani Davis. We're slated to do another 26 episodes for PBS next year, so I'm still very active in TV.

VOICE: Have you done any film work recently?

BILLY: I've had some songs placed in films. One has been released, called SUBURBAN GIRL, based on the popular book, A Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing. I also did all the original music for a documentary about the Holocaust, THE MARCH OF THE LIVING. I wouldn't say this project was fun because of the subject matter, but it was satisfying and rewarding for me to be involved with it, and it was enjoyable and challenging because it was a symphonic score.

VOICE: Have you been doing any Broadway work at all?

BILLY: I've produced two Off Broadway cast recordings for SH-K-BOOM Records… ALTAR BOYZ and THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL. We did a lot of the recording here in my studio. I have also played the keyboards in the pit of HAIRSPRAY. I guess you could say I have been involved more behind the scenes these days when it comes to Broadway projects.

VOICE: It sounds as if you've been quite busy these past four years since we last spoke. As for Linda's latest record, THE OTHER SIDE OF ME, please tell us about the beginnings of the process of recording this album.

BILLY: It was an amazing process to actually pick songs, find a direction, and then fulfill that vision. Linda first approached me in August 2006 and asked me to send her some demos that I had done, so I sent her some stuff and she liked it. I started to do more, and sometime around January 2007 we decided to go ahead and do this project together.

VOICE: What was the next step from there?

BILLY: The record company asked us to do some songs just so they could see what the direction of the record was and how we work together as a team. Linda and I produced two songs and they really liked them, so we continued on from there.

VOICE: Did you write any of the songs on the record?

BILLY: I co-wrote two of the songs, "Make Today Beautiful" and "The Other Side Of Me," with Bill Grainer and Shaun Barker. In the past, I had worked with Shaun, who also wrote "Pieces" and "Prayer For Love," two other songs on the album. I met him through Epic Records, and I had co-produced some things for Shaun with a great producer named Jon Kaplan. Shaun and I maintain a friendship and are still working together on other projects.

VOICE: Besides the songs you and Shaun Barker did, how did you go about coming up with the rest of the songs? Was it mostly through people you know in the business?

BILLY: Linda brought me most of the songs. She gathered a few CDs worth of material from contacts in the business and a few songs from Jack Murphy, and I brought some songs from friends that I know. And, of course, Linda is a great writer as well. One of her songs is featured on this album.

VOICE: Picking songs must be one of the most daunting parts of the whole process because there are so many songs out there.

BILLY: Yes, there are, but these all kind of clicked. They all felt right. There were a few struggles with songs that weren't really working, but they ultimately worked out in the end. "Prayer For Love" and "They Are The Roses" were difficult here and there, but they both turned out really well after doing a few different versions, tempos, and keys.

VOICE: When we interviewed Linda, she mentioned that you had a children's choir for "They Are The Roses," That must have been a fun song to record.

BILLY: It was great! Jake, Estella (my daughter), and Maddie (my niece) came into the studio and recorded their little part for the song. At the end, you will even hear my baby, Rosalie, letting her voice be heard.

VOICE: There must have been quite a bit of tweaking involved throughout the process.

BILLY: That is what was so great about doing this record. We had a lot of opportunity to work on songs over time and then come back and make them stronger. We were recording here in my studio so we didn't feel much time pressure. We did have deadlines, but we had the flexibility to have Linda to come in, sing a scratch, take the time to listen, and be able to change things later. So the record was in constant metamorphosis.

Billy and Muffin in the studio

VOICE: It seems that this would be the best way to get a cohesive album though… to take your time to really work on it, to play with it, to make changes to it.

BILLY: Yes, it is. You do hear stories about people taking too much time and they end up losing focus, but that did not happen.

VOICE: Did you do any of the arrangements?

BILLY: Yes. Linda and I did all of the arrangements.

VOICE: Can you describe the process of writing an arrangement for a song?

BILLY: For THE OTHER SIDE OF ME, Linda and I listened to many, many songs and worked on over 20 arrangements. The process usually followed this pattern: Linda and I would listen to the song several times and then discuss the positive and negative aspects of it. We would then begin working on the key, tempo, groove, lyrics, and structure here at my studio. Over the course of a few days, I would lay out all the parts and instrumental ideas using "virtual instruments" on my sequencing software, Logic. I would either send an mp3 to Linda, or Linda would come by the studio to listen to what we had come up with, and then she would make comments. She would record a "scratch vocal" into another software program, called ProTools, to put with the track we had created. We would then work more on the track to refine the sound. This process would continue for a while until ultimately we would come up with an arrangement of the song that we both liked. Later, when we had the live musicians come in and lay down the parts, the song would develop even more and we might change the arrangement again. In fact, some songs like "They Are The Roses," "The Other Side Of Me," and "Lifted," were changed constantly even up until the last day. So you can say the arrangements were continually refined to make them the best they could be.

VOICE: How did you go about hiring the musicians for the record?

BILLY: We had a great bunch of musicians and vocalists on this record. I have a friend, NIR Z, who has his own studio in Brooklyn. I take a lot of my songs to him and he lays down the drums. He had already played on "Pieces" and a few other tracks that we did. Everybody liked his work, so we continued with him. The same was true of Richard Hammond, the bass player. He does a lot of work here for me too. Linda brought Will Lee in to play bass after those first few songs were recorded. We also had Clint deGanon and David Finck in to record. An integral part of the sound of this record was due to Duke Levine, an amazing guitar player that I've worked with over the years. I also do recording sessions as a musician, and I've worked a lot in sessions with Duke. He came in and did most of the guitars in six days. We had some really long days here recording right there in the little recording booth. Jason Paige came in to record backing vocals on the first four songs. He is a genius and one of my closest friends. We also hired Dave Eggar on cello, Gregoire Maret on harmonica, and Antoine Silverman on fiddle. These are also all friends of mine who I have worked with over the years. So I guess you can say we had a little help from my friends!

VOICE: So you recorded the musicians right here?

BILLY: Yes, except for the drums, which you can't do here because my studio's too small, and some of the bass, which we did at Will Lee's studio. I did the B3 [organ] here and some of the piano at Avatar Studios, so it was a mix between working here and doing some of the stuff at a bigger studio.

VOICE: Who was the engineer for the recording?

BILLY: I did all the engineering here at Strange Cranium Studios for the vocals, strings, and acoustic guitars. The engineer at the sessions at Avatar Studios was Neil Dorfsman. He's a legend and we work together a lot. Actually, it was through him that I met Duke Levine years ago. He has won three Grammy Awards as an engineer and producer: one for Dire Straits' BROTHERS IN ARMS and two for Sting's BRAND NEW DAY and NOTHING LIKE THE SUN. He has also worked with Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Paul McCartney, just to name a few.

VOICE: Could you tell us about the new technology you used and how it differs from the old technology?

Taking a break...

BILLY: In the past, during the tracking process, you'd go in and record the band live and do a few edits by splicing tape. Now, with the Pro Tools system and the power of computing, you can record a lot of tracks, amass a lot of data, and then go through and pick the best stuff. For the mixing process, I did a lot of the "pre-mixing" here, sound-replaced some elements, and created some cool effects. Then we brought the mixes over to the amazing Frank Fillipetti at Legacy Studios in midtown NYC. He opened up my sessions on his nice Euphonix console. We then had the opportunity for his ears and his expertise to make the recording sound better. Because he has a digital system, we could do a lot of mixes at once, go back and listen, and then make changes over the course of a few days, several times if necessary. This is a whole new way of mixing. We could keep changing things until they were just right. We were changing up until the very end… rearranging and adding different sounds. In the past, as with Linda's earlier records, you'd do the mix during the day and listen to it that night. The following day you'd come back in, make a few tweaks, and you'd have to commit to that mix for all eternity. Now it's so much better to have the luxury of getting the mix perfect.

VOICE: Did you have Linda's input in the mixing process?

BILLY: Yes, Linda was completely involved. She was definitely the co-producer. Her instincts are amazing! She is totally comfortable with the music and her voice fits the music perfectly. This record shows who she truly is as a musician, and I think it's really exciting! I think the public will realize this when they hear the music.

VOICE: What is involved in mastering the record? Where was this done?

BILLY: Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in NYC did the mastering. Mastering is the final step in making a record. This is where the mastering engineer puts the final "gloss" on the mixes and helps make "song to song" volume levels consistent.

VOICE: Hopefully, some of the songs will be played on the radio to reach a broader audience. Is it hard to get songs on the radio today?

BILLY: Yes. A lot of things have changed in that regard. A lot of radio stations have consolidated into just a few radio stations. From my experience when I was in a band in the early 90s, there was a lot of college radio and word of mouth exposure. There were individual programmers in each listening area who made their own decisions as to what to play. For example, my band had a hit song in Charleston, South Carolina because the programmer at that station liked our CD and played it. Now I think there are a lot of mandated lists from a central place, so it's harder to get songs played. However, I do think the whole thing is breaking down again into smaller markets because of the power of the Internet. That's a way for music to get out now.

VOICE: Do you think this album would do well on radio?

BILLY: Definitely. This album is kind of… organic Americana. It's not heavy country. It's just nice melodic good music that people will love.

VOICE: It would be great if one song would catch on.

BILLY: It's a great opportunity for Linda to reach a whole new audience!

VOICE: Would you have a lot of work to do on a song for it to be played on the radio? Is there such a thing as a radio edit? Do you actually make the songs shorter for radio?

BILLY: There's a radio edit and there's also radio mixes, and there is quite a market for that. If the electric guitars are mixed too loud, then it becomes Triple A or Rock. If the song is mixed with the acoustic louder, it becomes a different market. Put the fiddle in, and it becomes Nashville… fiddle out and it becomes something else for another market. There are requirements from the record company for each format.

VOICE: So essentially you can take one song and mix it for all kinds of markets?

BILLY: Right.

VOICE: What did you find most difficult or challenging in making THE OTHER SIDE OF ME?

BILLY: The most difficult part was finding the right microphone for Linda to sing into at my studio. Linda's voice is so powerful… in the past she's been known to blow up mics! We tried all different kinds… tube mics from Germany to solid state mics from Japan. I spent many sleepless nights trying to find the right microphone for her, one that wouldn't distort her voice and could capture it as it sounds live. We ultimately used a few different mics and preamp/compressor combinations depending on each song's vocal range and character.
VOICE: What was the most enjoyable part for you?

BILLY: The most enjoyable part was listening to the record as a whole for the first time at the mastering facility and realizing that we had created something unique and special. I'm extremely proud of this collection of songs. To hear Linda say that this album is a true expression of her and that we were able to capture the vision we both had for this album is an amazing feeling.

VOICE: Could you please tell the fans what makes this record so special?

BILLY: First of all, Linda came up with the concept of this record, and she seems very pleased that we fulfilled her vision. We worked for months perfecting the material and I'm extremely proud of it. I really feel that this album has an "edge," yet has an intimacy and soul that is magical and beautiful. Linda truly connects with the lyrics and you can sense it while listening. I think it's going to be awesome to see her perform this material live because this type of music is the music she started performing when she began her career. She has essentially come full circle.

VOICE: If you take away all the outer trappings, she's a singer/songwriter with a guitar in her hands.

BILLY: Yes. That said, we were kind of worried that the fans weren't going to like this record because it's so different from everything she's done.

VOICE: We don't think you'll have to worry about that. We think they'll love it!

BILLY: I think it's just a matter of getting it out there, and that's what we're working on now. Linda asked me to tour with The Other Side Of Me Show as musical director. I had given up touring a few years ago to pursue making records and to be home with my family, but I decided to do this tour.

VOICE: There are a lot of Linda's fans that will be happy to hear that! What made you decide to do the tour?

BILLY: I know that performing on this tour will be fun because that's my roots. I came from performing in a "jam band," so it should be fun for me!

VOICE: Have you been musical director for a singer or band previous to Linda's show or is this your first experience in this capacity?

BILLY: I have been a musical director in some capacity for almost 25 years. In Theatre, I was the musical director at summer camps from age 14-18 and was the resident musical director at Musical Theatre Works New York City from 1995-1998. For TV, I have worked in that capacity for shows that featured live bands on AMC, MTV, and VH1. Lastly, in the Pop, R&B, and Rock genres, I have put together showcases and have been musical director with bands for several artists on many different labels, both Major and Indie. Recently, two highlights include being musical director of the band Dreams Come True, one of the best selling Japanese artists of all time, with over 30 million in album sales and 15 million in singles sales, and being the musical director for EPIC recording artist, Tony Vincent.

VOICE: Please tell us what is involved in being musical director while preparing a show to tour.

BILLY: In the case of Linda's show, I was involved in hiring the musicians, writing the charts, and establishing the "sound" of the band. I also spent countless hours creating "stems," or submixes, of all the tracks on the record for the potential use as "backing tracks" for the live show.

VOICE: What do you consider when you are choosing which songs will be done live?

BILLY: I think Linda and I are trying to do songs that feature her amazing vocals and that also have a "good-feeling" groove. I want people to dance! There's a lot of room for jamming with these songs because there are good grooves and beats.

VOICE: Once the songs were set, how did you go about choosing the musicians and background singers for the tour?

BILLY: Linda and I found great musicians that we knew from around town and have worked with in the past.

VOICE: Are you also responsible to find substitute band members and singers in case the "regulars" are not available?

BILLY: Yes. That's part of my responsibilities.

VOICE: What is it about some of the songs and arrangements that calls for singers to back Linda?

BILLY: The songs on the record have many vocal parts that Linda sang and created. We also had top session singers to sing vocal arrangements on many songs as well. We wanted to re-create this live and do so using back-up singers.

VOICE: Fans attending The Other Side Of Me Show are there because they want to hear Linda. Was it difficult to make sure that the audience could hear her above the background singers?

BILLY: We hired great background singers who know how to "blend" so that Linda would still stand out, as she should. We also have Jeff Osborne at the Front of House position to help mix them.

Jake and Estella in the recording studio

VOICE: Do you sing background on any of the songs in the show?

BILLY: Yes. I sing along with the other musicians.

VOICE: Are the arrangements the same for the live show as they are on the recording?

BILLY: The arrangements on the record are very dense. There are a ton of tracks… maybe eight or nine guitar parts, strings, and percussion. And there's choir too. Jason Paige, Will Lee, Shaun Barker, Tabitha Fair, and Russell Velasquez can be heard singing backgrounds on a lot of tunes. We had to double it so it sounded big. So there were a lot of things that we had to figure out before we take the show on the road, and we spent several months working on those things. We needed to see how it worked live and then we changed the arrangements a little bit so they worked.

VOICE: How are the charts prepared for a live performance? Were you involved in that process?

BILLY: I was very involved in writing the charts. I worked with a copyist here at Strange Cranium. We listened to the recorded tracks and decided which parts would be played and sung live. We used a program called SIBELIUS, which is a fantastic notation program. These charts can and will be continually updated as rehearsals and shows happen. There are tons of vocals recorded (some songs have almost 50 tracks of vocals), so it was a challenge to reduce them to four or five singers. I also picked a few of the many guitar parts that Duke Levine recorded to be performed live.

VOICE: Linda mentioned that you might be playing some tracks in the live show, at least initially.

BILLY: We're trying that with the notion of getting rid of the tracks ultimately. I don't know what will happen, but it will definitely be fun because these songs will be great live! I think hearing the songs live can be more of a complete experience than just hearing the songs on the stereo.

VOICE: What has been the most challenging and also the most fun for you in your role as musical director?

BILLY: Again, it has been challenging trying to make these songs work with a smaller group of musicians and singers. The show is challenging as the recorded songs are very layered with several guitar, keyboard, and vocal tracks. For the live show, we only have a few musicians on stage, so as a group we have the challenge of trying to stay true to the original arrangements of the songs, yet re-envision them so that they work in the live context. The most fun has been performing the songs with these other fantastic musicians.