Even if you don’t know who Justin Perkins is, you’re more than likely aware of his work. Perkins owns and operates Mystery Room Mastering, a Milwaukee-based business that masters a wide variety of Wisconsin (and Midwestern) releases, as well as albums from the likes of The Replacements, Bash & Pop, The Mr. T Experience, and many other acts from all around the world. But long before he was working on records for some outstanding bands, he was in a few of his own amazing musical projects.
Recently, Perkins allowed My First Band host Tyler Maas into his basement studio (a.k.a. “Mystery Room East”) for a long and informative discussion about the interesting and nuanced field of mastering, as well as his decades of experience on-stage playing in bands like Yesterday’s Kids, Obsoletes, and stints with Screeching Weasel, Tommy Stinson’s Bash & Pop project, and many other notable outfits. Along the way, Perkins talked about forming a band with his babysitter and his time working at the legendary (and now-closed) Smart Studios in Madison. Meanwhile, Maas reminisced about being a huge Yesterday’s Kids fan in high school.
My First Band is sponsored by Boulevard Brewing and Bradford 2020: A Charity Calendar. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever else you get podcasts. Music used in this show comes courtesy of Devils Teeth (“The Junction Street Eight Tigers”), Yesterday’s Kids (“Nothing Gold Can Stay”), and Obsoletes (“Wish It Never Came”).