Butch Vig

Infobox musical artist
Name = Butch Vig


Img_capt =
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Bryan David Vigorson
Alias = Butch Vig
Born = Birth date and age|1955|08|2
Died =
Origin = Viroqua, Wisconsin, USA
Instrument = Drums
Genre = Rock
Occupation = Musician, songwriter, record producer, remixer
Years_active = 1983–present
Label =
Associated_acts = Garbage
Firetown
Spooner

Butch Vig (born Bryan David Vigorson, August 2, 1955, Viroqua, Wisconsin) is both a record producer and the drummer for the rock band, Garbage.

Early career

Vig became interested in music and production work when he was a student at the University of Wisconsin main campus in Madison. Vig was studying film, and subsequently became involved in the Madison music scene. During college, he lived with the musician, Laurie Lindeen, who went on to form her own band and eventually married the noted musician Paul Westerberg. [ [http://citypages.com/databank/28/1384/article15544.asp Citypages.com] ]

Vig produced several local and regional punk rock bands, such as Killdozer and The Other Kids. [ [http://www.audiohead.net/interviews/butchvig/ Audiohead.net] ]

While enrolled in college, Vig met Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. With Erikson, Vig began the band that became Spooner in 1979. Vig and Marker spent hours recording on Marker's four-track tape recorder in his basement. That was the nascent beginning of Smart Studios.

While no offers came to Spooner, the side project Fire Town was signed to Atlantic Records in 1988. They gained critical acclaim and small financial success with their releases "I'll Carry The Torch For You", "Rain On You", and "The Good Life".

Production work

Vig's first high-profile production work was in 1991, when he produced The Smashing Pumpkins' "Gish" and Nirvana's "Nevermind".

His production work on "Nevermind" is widely creditedFact|date=April 2008 as the reason that Nirvana broke through to the mainstream, going #1 on the U.S. chart (replacing Michael Jackson). Vig incorporated overdubs and vocal doubletracking, whereas Nirvana's previous album, "Bleach" (produced by Jack Endino) had a more "lo-fi" sound. Kurt Cobain originally refused to double-track his vocals and guitars but Vig reportedly got him to comply by saying "John Lennon double-tracked!". Cobain would later criticize Vig for the album's slickness, although this might be due to Andy Wallace's mixing of the album. [Berkenstadt, J. (1998). "Nevermind Nirvana" at pg. 96. New York: Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-864775-0] Cobain said that "Butch Vig...recorded the album perfectly," in a 1993 MTV interview.

Billy Corgan welcomed Vig's elaborate production on The Smashing Pumpkins' "Siamese Dream". The track "Soma," for example, uses over 40 guitar overdubs. This album met with great commercial and critical reception, also breaking another indie band into the mainstream.

Together with Steve Marker (guitar player of Garbage) he also owns Smart Studios, located in Madison, where Vig currently resides.

Musician

As a musician, Vig is the drummer for Garbage, who have released five albums:
* "Garbage" (1995)
* "Version 2.0" (1998)
* "Beautifulgarbage" (2001)
* "Bleed Like Me" (2005)
* "Absolute Garbage", a greatest hits collection (2007)

The band also contributed the theme song for the James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough".

Recent times

Vig worked with Jimmy Eat World on their sixth album, "Chase This Light", released in October 2007. He is also working on soundtracks for two new movies, and producing English indie rock band The Subways' second album. This will be the first time Vig has worked with a UK based band. He is also working with Tom Gabel of Against Me! on his new solo EP, which is suspected to be called 'Heart Burns'.

Productions

*2009 Green Day's new album, yet to be titled.
*2008: The Subways - "All Or Nothing"
*2007: Against Me! - "New Wave"
*2007: Jimmy Eat World - "Chase This Light"
*2006: Kilroy - "LP"
*2005: Garbage - "Bleed Like Me"
*2003: AFI - "Sing The Sorrow"
*2001: Garbage - "Beautifulgarbage"
*1998: Garbage - "Version 2.0"
*1997: The And - "And Night"
*1997: The And - "Day"
*1995: Garbage - "Garbage"
*1995: Soul Asylum - "Let Your Dim Light Shine"
*1994: Sonic Youth - "Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star"
*1994: Helmet - "Betty"
*1994: Freedy Johnston - "This Perfect World"
*1994: Killdozer - "Uncompromising War on Art Under..."
*1993: Smashing Pumpkins - "Siamese Dream"
*1993: Gumball- "Real Gone Deal"
*1993: Gumball - "Super Tasty"
*1993: Gumball - "The Damage Done"
*1993: Crash Vegas - "Stone"
*1992: Sonic Youth - "Dirty"
*1992: L7 - "Bricks are Heavy"
*1992: Chainsaw Kittens - "Flipped Out in Singapore"
*1992: Drain - "Pick Up Heaven"
*1992: Gumball - "Wisconsin Hayride"
*1991: The Fluid - "Spot the Loon"
*1991: Nirvana - "Nevermind"
*1991: Smashing Pumpkins - "Gish"
*1991: Tad - "8-Way Santa"
*1991: The Young Fresh Fellows - "Electric Bird Digest"
*1991: Die Kreuzen - "Cement"
*1990: Urge Overkill - "Americruiser"
*1990: King Snake Roost - "Ground into Dirt"
*1990: Laughing Hyenas - "Life of Crime"
*1990: The Fluid - "Glue"
*1989: Killdozer - "For Ladies Only"
*1988: Die Kreuzen - "Century Days"
*1987: The Other Kids - "Happy Home"
*1987: Killdozer - "Little Baby Buntin"'
*1985: The Other Kids - "Living In The Mirror"
*1985: Killdozer - "12 Point Buck"
*1985: Killdozer - "Snakeboy"
*1984: Killdozer - "Intellectuals Are the Shoeshine Boys of the Ruling Elite"
*1982: Die Kreuzen - "Internal"

Remixes

Butch Vig has remixed songs for the following artists:
* Against Me!
* Ash
* Beck
* The Cult
* Depeche Mode
* EMF
* Garbage
* House of Pain
* Korn
* Limp Bizkit
* Alanis Morissette
* Nine Inch Nails
* Michael Penn
* M.O.P
* The Subways
* U2

Film soundtracks

Butch Vig composed and produced the soundtrack for the following movie:
* "The Other Side" (pre-production)

ee also

* List of record producers
* List of drummers
* Garbage
* Nirvana
* The Smashing Pumpkins

References

External links

* [http://www.garbage.suite.dk Butch Vig Productions]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=B0tk9ikchbb29 All Music Guide entry for Butch Vig]