Mike Fraser: Family reunion in the studio

The Canadian record producer and mixing engineer Mike Fraser should be a familiar name for Rock and Metal fans, because he has worked with bands like Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Rush and many many others. Most notably, he has recorded and mixed six records for AC/DC – find out more about it here:

How did your career in music recording and producing begin? How did you get interested in music?
I was in a garage band in Jr Highschool. I learned very quickly I wasn’t going to make money playing guitar, lol. I quit school and drove truck and heavy equipment for a while. Got tired of being laid off in the winter, so decided to get into something I loved. Music. I figured behind the scenes would suit me better than trying to play, so I got a job at a studio here in Vancouver. The only opening they had was a janitor job, so I took it to get my foot in the door.

Any favorite music artists?
I have a ton of favourites. AC/DC, Metallica, Airbourne, The Cult, etc. Been lucky enough to have been able to work with them.

What was the experience like recording so many albums by AC/DC (The Razors Edge, Ballbreaker, Stiff Upper Lip, Black Ice, Rock or Bust, and Power Up)?
AC/DC are an incredible band to work with. Number 1 is they are so down to earth and easy to be around. Each record we do is like a family reunion. AND they are amazing in the studio. Their dedication to their craft is second to none.

You have also worked with Metallica. What was that like, Mike? Were you a fan of Metallica?
Metallica I hadn’t really heard much of until I was asked to mix the Binge and Purge boxset. That really turned me on to them.
My pals Bob Rock and Randy Staub did a few records with them and while they were doing Load, asked me if I could help mix it to ease the workload a bit. So Randy and I needed up sharing mixes on Load and ReLoad. Another great band and really nice guys to work with.

You have also worked with the late Dio. What was that like?
Working with Ronnie was a dream. I was a bit of a longtime fan, so getting the call to do a record with him was awesome.
Such a nice guy to be around and we had lots of fun in the studio. Really sad when he passed away. I still miss him.

Tell us about working with Corrosion of Conformity. Is that a different sound to work with?
CoC was sent to me by James from Metallica. Him and Pepper Keenan were buddies and Pepper asked him if he knew anyone that would be great at mixing the CoC album. I hadn’t heard of them before, but I love new challenges and great rock, so it was a good fit. The producer John Custer and I hit it off right away. It was basically me, John and Pepper in the studio doing the mixes. Was a great experience!

Tell us about your work with Joe Satriani?
Working with Joe is always amazing. He makes playing the guitar look easy…. Until you pick one up and realize how great he really is. He’s a musical genius. Being a solo artist it can be tough to keep the music and melodies fresh. Joe is great at inventing sounds and tones on his guitars, so they take on personalities. Much like a lead vocalist adds to a song.

What was the greatest moment for you in recording and producing?
There were a lot of great moments during my 40+ years in the business but a few highlights were:
– Meeting Steven Tyler and Joe Perry when they walked into the studio the night before we started working on Permanent Vacation.
– Working with Jimmy Page on Coverdale Page record. He’s such an icon and class act!
– The time I was mixing a live Pink Floyd song, Comfortable Numb, I had the speakers cranked and halfway through I noticed a moment in the back of the room. David Gilmore had popped it. He gave me a big smile and a thumbs up.
– Recording the intro to Thunderstruck, Angus lit a cigarette just before starting. He played the whole thing in one take! At the end he just smiled and his cigarette was one long ash.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on trying to stay young! It’s a total mindset, and so far I’m hanging on!

Text: John Wisniewski
Photos from Mike Fraser’s website and his Social Media