Marty Munsch

Marty Munsch (born Martin J. Munsch; August 12, 1967 in Summit, New Jersey) is an infuential American music producer and recording engineer. Munsch works extensively with punk rock, post-punk, hardcore punk, Industrial, Gothic and Hip-Hop as well as sub-genre artists. He is known for albums by U.S. Chaos, Violent Society, T.S.O.L and a plethora of other artists that have become influential acts, including Discharge and Crazy and The Brains. His career has spanned over four decades and has produced over 40 albums. As a live sound engineer, Munsch has worked with Soundgarden, GBH, U.K. Subs, Black Train Jack, Slaughter And The Dogs Melvins, The Reverend Horton Heat, Babes in Toyland, Kyuss, Filter, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Murphy's Law, Everclear, the Sugar Hill, Slayer, White Zombie, Johnny Thunders, Walter Lure, The Waldos, U.S. Chaos, Lunachicks, Cypress Hill, CIV, Dropkick Murphys, the Mentors, and Pennywise. Techniques and Influences As an engineer or producer, Martin Munsch, would utilize and push different ideas or theory in producing promoting and marketing music, such as heavy guerrilla ambush-style techniques. He was referred to as "The Phil Spector of Punk Rock" by the group The Pugilistics of Arizona; Who backed Cape Cod, Mass The Freeze and several other groups. His approach often includes but is never been limited to the use of "room-as-equipment", or "studio-as-instrument", to achieve reverb, delay and convolution with microphone rigging, unconventional stripped and minimal drum kits, heavily modified, rare vintage amplifiers with a constant fondness for the Universal Audio's Legendary URI 1176 compression units, that always seemed to deliver the levels of undeniable consistency. This occurred generally while working with Bob Both at Twain Studios with a plethora of Vox, Fender Princeton, London Reverb, Twin Reverb and his own heavily modified Fender Bassman Amplifiers customized with Marshal tube sets. (Fender guitar amps are usually equipped with 6V6 or 6L6 tubes), whereas Marshall amplifiers generally use EL34s. This technique was used during the tracking of the Above All Hope EP. Using available and surrounding alterations, to create unique sound substitutions for plate and or electronic, modern digital reverb utilities. With archaic and highly effective results while working with reel-to-reel tape compression. Pushing of saturated input reference signals of well over +6 and as high as +14, with negligible distorted signals. Noted for pushing a Tascam 1/2" during the recording sessions of Violent Society's "Not Enjoying It" and Inner Ear Studio sessions with The Suspects to +17 IPS on a OTARI 1/2". Then with the Studer 2" +18 IPS, During The Dean Dean and the Sex Machines sessions. Sony MCI reel to reel, from a bass effective curvy 15 IPS. to an oddball + 15 IPS or typical 30 IPS, to add extra headroom during the [3]Violent Society Not Enjoyin' It recording sessions. Just enough during his typical sessions to be overbearing; to give a harder, more apparently louder and crushing dynamic. Munsch would over utilize the acoustics of The clubs and available sound systems to pre QC and master his recordings mirroring the output for medium mono rooms, with very dominant bass cabinets, notably The Pipeline Club of Newark, New Jersey where he was a fixture for over a decade. Without doubt, Marty Munsch is well known for his innovation and entrepreneurship as a marketing fanatic (as well as his extreme intolerance for unprepared employees). His influences by the early Joe Meek and Dub pioneer King Tubby and Bob Both who he recorded with at Twain Studios for decades. He also attributes some influences by Bill Price as well as Sandy Pearlman and guitarist Chris Spedding. Starting as an assistant with live audio in the early 1980s at the Capitol Theater, in Passaic New Jersey. At this time in 1985 Munsch also worked with Joe Strummer formerly of The Clash on a significant amount of reels involving re-edits, of punchy Clash dub material for reissue. Later with CPI in NJ, with QC and Duplicate Mastering with most of Chicago's Wax Trax catalogue. Munsch also had his ears on the final Sex Pistols official release of Pirates of Destiny for Skyclad Records while with CPI in 1989. When venturing West, he wound up at The Downtown Performance Center, in Tucson, Arizona working live with The Melvin's, The Mentors and Nirvana for a brief time, before returning to place stakes in New Jersey and New York. During the 1990s, Munsch had pressed further into recording, booking and producing many well known Punk, Ska and Hardcore punk groups. During the early 1990s; the artist Violent Society, who released the single East Coast Assholes E.P, (1993) on Punk Rock Records. Not Enjoyin' It LPCD was self-released in 1994 via its members and was quoted by Maximum RocknRoll Magazine as being One of the top 10 best and most influential punk albums of the 1990.. Then again with the Washington D.C. group, The Suspects, to originally produce as well as co-engineer with Mike Davis, New Dawn In the 21ST Century. Munsch, who is obsessive with a properly tuned kit and snare sound, refused to record unless every nut and bolt of the kit was tightened, tuned, and painstakingly miked and practically redesigned drum sound, by properly tuning and setting snare drum wires for the Kent Stax kit, that was never fully understood and utilized by the legendary drummer who also played with Washington DC vanguard Scream; until Munsch brought to light the importance of training the wires to the snare head. In 1996 and again with a secondary incarnation The Suspects DC in 2002 at legendary, Inner Ear Studios owned by Don Zintara. Going forward and immediately locked in work with The Trauma School Dropouts While in Albany NY, with Max Tracks Studios. 2000's saw The New York Rel-X in 2002.[4] Munsch had pushed long and protracted studio sessions with power-pop group The Stun Gunz, that proved worthwhile until the group parted due to a "Too Much Too Soon" scenario. The Flair Up's LP was also recorded at Eventually this time. Later recruiting his 12-year-old daughter Carolyn Munsch who would assist with The 2015, The Accelerators ''On The Beach" E.P.[5]and album cover artwork. A bulk of his recent recordings and productions, are recorded with Bob Both,[6] formerly of James Brown and Polygram Records. Munsch has also had several motion picture appearances in internationally acclaimed films. Marty (Martin) Munsch is listed in the Marquis Who's Who in Entertainment. Affiliation Munsch has been primarily affiliated with many mixing and tracking engineers such as: Bob Both of TWAIN Recording, who he had spent the larger portion of his career with, Max Castlenova of Clear-Cut Studios , Mike Davis, Don Zintara of Inner Ear Studios, Arlington, VA), CPI NJ (Wax Trax QC and DUP Mastering), and NY Electric Lady Studios, over the years at dozens of studios and many session hours. Official production credits 1983 "With Sympathy" by Ministry – Post-Mastering Duplication Engineer 1985 "Revolution Rock Edits and Dubs" by The Clash – Post Engineer and Producer 1988 "Revolution in the Classroom" by Sex Pistols – Mastering Engineer -Skyclad records 1988 "Sex On Wheels" by My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult QC Mastering Engineer 1991 "A Better Tomorrow" by Dysfunctional Youth – Producer and Mastering Engineer 1992 "Connected" Stereo MC's - Post Production Compilation Mastering, CPI 1994 "East Coast Assholes" by Violent Society / Infant Mortality - Punk Rock Records – Producer 1995 "Battalion Of Saints" Live At CBGB's NYC - Live Engineer - Mastering Engineer - Producer 1995 "East Coast Assholes" by Violent Society Punk Rock Records – Producer 1995 "East Coast Assholes" by Violent Society Punk Rock Records – Dead Elvis records Producer, Mastering 1995 "East Coast Assholes" by Violent Society Versions 2 Through Reissue Schuylkill Records – Producer 1995 "More East Coast Assholes" Compilation Punk Rock Records – Producer Mastering Engineer 1995 "Another Generation Lost" by Bomb Squadron – Mastering Engineer 1995 "Not Enjoyin' It" by Violent Society – Producer 1995 "Negative Attention" by Violent Society on Vinyl, 7", 33 ⅓ RPM (Originally Released on "Not Enjoyin' It") – Producer 1995 "Anthems For Arbor Day" By Heft 7" Producer Engineer Martin Munsch [12]- Bob Both Studio Engineer 1995 "Bang Bang Lu-Lu/England Belongs To Me" by Trauma School Dropouts – Producer - Arrangement 1995 "Some More East Coast Assholes" by Various 1995 "You're A Punk Slave" by The Rash – Producer - Mastering Engineer 1996 "For Being Young / Last call For Alcohol EP" by U.S. Chaos – Producer, Mastering Engineer, Sound Engineer Bob Both Engineer Martin Munsch 1996 "A !@#$ Scared Government" by Basic Skills – Producer, Mastering Engineer, and Sound Engineer 1996 "Yes, I Am Talking To You" by Terabithia – Producer Martin Munsch 1996 "Punk Dwellings" U.S. Chaos, For Being Young – Post Producer Advisory, Produced By Martin Munsch 1996 "Live At CBGB" by Peter and The Test Tube Babies – Live Sound Engineer, Producer, and Mastering Engineer 1996 "The Rise of Punk" by Violent Society – Producer 1996 "This City Sucks" by Trauma School Drop Out's Identity Crisis – Producer and Sound Engineer 1996 "New Dawn In The 21'st Century" The Suspects - Engineer Producer 1997 "Scene and Heard" by The Mishaps – Producer and Mastering Engineer 2003 "Unreachable" Single EP by The Dead Heroes - Producer, Mastering Engineer (Bob Both Studio Engineer) Rel. Headache Records, Punk Rock Records [19]vers. Time To Raise Some Hell. 2003 "Dead Heroes" EP by The Dead Heroes - Producer, Mastering Engineer (Bob Both Studio Engineer) Rel. Headache Records, Punk Rock Records vers. Time To Raise Some Hell. [21]vers. Time To Raise Some Hell. 2005 "Broken Bones And Power Chords" Vol.1: New York's Finest (CD, Comp) by Various Artists Through Crosscheck Records [23] 2005 "I Told You Once" by Broken Heroes – Producer and Mastering Engineer, (Bob Both Studio Engineer) 2005 "Smashing Hippies" by Broken Heroes – Producer and Mastering Engineer (Cert. YouTube 100,000 Digital Release) 2006 "Live at CBGB's" by TSOL – Producer, Engineer 2006 The Pinheads "The Pinheads" EP Producer, Bob Both Engineer 2006 The Electric Hellfire Boys Club EP Producer, Bob Both Engineer 2006 "Busy Signal" Single by The Stun Gunz – Producer, Bob Both Engineer 2007 "The Girls Can't Get Enough" LP by The Stun Gunz – Producer and Mix Engineer 2008 "Way Too Loud For Rock N’ Roll" by The Flair Up's – Producer and Mastering Engineer 2010 "A Marty Munsch Production" – 20 Years of Punk Rock Records 2011 "Stopping Evolution Dead In It's Tracks" by U.S. Chaos – Producer, Sound Engineer, and Mastering Engineer 2002 "She's Got A Gun" By New York Rel-X, Martin Munsch Producer, Engineer Bob Both. 2006 "Live at CBGB's", TSOL: Producer, Engineer 2014 "Send It Out", The Antics: Producer, Engineer 2015 "When I'm Alone", The Antics: Producer, Engineer (Bob Both) Compilation albums 2022 "Time To Raise Some Hell" EP (Punkrockrecords EMBN: 16734380 2022) Skins N' Pins CDLP (1996) Stinkbox Records Compilation LP (1996) No More Heroes: A Tribute to the Stranglers - song "Shut Up" (Elevator Music, 1998) 1996 Punk Dwellings: New York's Finest Vol. 1 CD - songs "For Being You" and "Last Call For Alcohol" (Dwell, 1996), prod. Marty Munsch 1997 No More Heroes: A Tribute to the Stranglers - song "Shut Up" (Elevator Music, 1998) 1999 Broken Bones And Power Chords Vol. 1: New York's Finest CD - songs "For Being Young", prod. M. Munsch and "Last Call For Alcohol", Prod. M. Munsch. (Crosscheck, 2005) 2010 A Marty Munsch Production EP (Punkrockrecords SG-63593, 2010, UPC: 846017048228) Time To Raise Some Hell EP (Punkrockrecords EMBN: 16734380 2022)