John Karr



Recording engineer based in San Francisco since 1988, and owner of [l1613997] and [l915375]. Former staff engineer and manager at Olde West and [l271790].

Karr studied analog/electronic music at Sara Laurence and the New School in New York and then onward to Berklee College of Music in Boston as a jazz arranging major and playing guitar in the prog-rock bands Meta Terra, Surgery and Slug Bunny. While at the New School he cut his teeth engineering live shows at Inroads Art Gallery, The Pyramid Club, A7. with such artists as Jon Zorn, Sonic Youth, Fred Frith, Eugene Chadborne, Noise R Us, Derick Baliey, Leferts Brown and some of the downtown NYC art noise and punk bands circa 1979-80.

While at Berklee he began his recording career mixing exclusively live on location to a 2 track PCM F1. Early clients Included everything from student projects to members of John Mclaughlin, Weather Report, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Jean Luc Ponty’s bands. Some of these sessions were live radio broadcasts on WERS. This led to the opening of JK’s first studio, an analog tape/MIDI programming room, Skyline Audio in Allston Ma, in 1982.

Since moving to San Francisco in 1988, JK became the staff engineer and manager at both, Olde West and Brilliant Studios, and led a double life working live sound at such legendary venues as The Kennel Club, the Fillmore, Slims, Yoshi’s, The Great American Music Hall, Bottom of the Hill, The Justice League and Public Works. John was also the sound department manager and head engineer of The Independent for over 7 years.

APPEARANCES +


Surplus 1980 with GW Sok
Kremlin Gremlin (A Dull Fiddler)
2022, ,
Art Rock/Post-Punk/Dub
Condemned 2 Death*
You Can't Kill A Vatrat!
2002, CD, Comp, Grand Theft Audio, ,
Hardcore/Punk
House Of Mirrors
Reflections Of A Broken Past
CD, Album, Akasic Records
Surplus 1980
Illusion Of Consistency
2023
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard
Live In San Francisco '16
2020
The Residents
Dreaming Of An Eyeball Beaming
2019, Vinyl Blue / Black Swirled, ,
Experimental
The Mermen
Do You Hear What I Hear (A Very Mermen Christmas)
2012, CD, KMA Records (2), ,
Surf/Psychedelic Rock
Vieux Farka Touré
Live
2010, ,
African
The Mommyheads
Flying Suit
2010, ,
Indie Rock
At Jennie Richie
Rectums Merging
2007, LP, S/Sided, Ltd, What We Do Is Secret
Shannon Bryant
Oceano
2007, CD, Album, Dig, Belle Estrela Music
At Jennie Richie
The Bicycle Considered
2006, CDr, Mini, Resipiscent
Kevin Ayers
Alive In California
2004, CD, ,
Alternative Rock
Various
TRR50 Thank You
2004, CD, ,
Leftfield/Abstract/Experimental
Two Gallants
I'm Her Man
2004
Hella + Dilute
Hella + Dilute
2003, 2xCD, Album, Gat, Sickroom Records
Live Human
Live Human Live
2002, CD, Hip Hop Slam, C.O.D. RECORD$
Rumah Sakit
Obscured By Clowns
2002
Spaceheads
Insound Tour Support Series No. 6 (Live - 1999)
1999
Off Ramp
Off Chance
1996, CD, Album, Ramp Records (2), ,
Free Improvisation/Experimental
Naked Aggression
March March Alive
1996, ,
Punk
Toast (12) / The Mommyheads
Emperor Of Everything / Tension
1994, 5", Single, Club, I-Sore Records
Brian Melvin Trio*
Old Voices
1994, CD, Album, Timeless Records (3),
D'CÜCKOO*
D'CÜCKOO
1991, CD, Album, Aisle Of Women Productions, ,
Synth-pop
D'CÜCKOO*
D'CÜCKOO
1991, CD, Album, Aisle Of Women Productions, ,
Synth-pop