In a career that spans nearly a decade, producer Thom Monahan has given music lovers some of indie rock's finest and most pivotal records: Scud Mountain Boys' Massachusetts, Pernice Brothers' Overcome By Happiness, The Beachwood Sparks' Once We Were Trees, and the Chamber Strings' A Month of Sundays, to name a few. This year is no different. From the lush orchestration of Pernice Brothers' fourth release, Yours Mine and Ours
to the brisk and brilliant power pop of Bigger Lovers' Honey In The Hive to the retro rock crunch of the Capitol Years' Jewelry Store EP, 2003 saw Monahan continue to do what he knows best: deliver a sound that is distinctly his. All the while, he's accumulated a loyal, if not cult-like, following.


A self-confessed gear-geek, Monahan found a knack for music early in lifeand quickly decided to make it his future. At 16, he spent six months compiling field recordings for his friends to listen to while stoned. In
college, Monahan got his first "paid" gig recording G.G. Allen on a four-track in exchange for a Joy Division bootleg and a Sonic Youth record. In his early 20s, he and two Danbury, Connecticut friends formed the punk outfit Monsterland and were signed to Seed Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic, releasing two albums and an EP.

But in 1994, following Monsterland's legendary break-up (an all-out fist fight-turned-meltdown on
stage at Brownies), Monahan relocated to Northampton, Mass. to get a new start. There, he met and befriended the man who would set his career on a new course, songwriter Joe Pernice, who fronted a local trio called Scud Mountain Boys. Released on Sub Pop, the Scuds' debut album, 1995's Dance The Night Away, which Monahan engineered and mixed, was a critical smash and a catalyst for Western Massachusetts' entry into the alt-country arena.


From there, Monahan fine-tuned his studio chops recording area bands like the Silver Jews and New Radiant Storm King, before joining The Lilys in 1996. Demonstrating his prowess on bass and harmonies, Monahan can be heard all over the band's most stellar effort, Better Can't Make Your Life Better.


But perhaps what he's best known for is his work with Pernice. In the last seven years, the two have collaborated on eight albums, defying budget boundaries at every turn (the Pernice Brothers' last two releases were both recorded in friends' homes and offices). But take one listen, and you'll hear what sounds like a million bucks. It's no wonder musicians
like Whiskeytown's Mike Daly, Jolene's John Crooke and Dinosaur Jr's J Mascis have all pitched in to the Pernice project at one time or another. They'd be the first to admit that their guitars never sounded so good.


As for Monahan's current work, he's produced new albums by The Natural History, Brady Brock, and the Dambuilders' Dave Derby and is gearing up for the Pernice Brothers' summer tour which kicks off in June.



THOM MONAHAN DISCOGRAPHY:
2003 releases

Pernice Brothers-"Yours, Mine And Ours" Ashmont 2003 P/E/M

The Natural History-"Beat Beat Heartbeat" Startime International 2003 P/E/M

Brady Brock- "Warm American Sweater" In Music We Trust 2003 P/E/M

Capitol Years-"Jewelry Store" Full Frame/Feel Records 2003 P/E/M

J Mascis and The Fog-"Free So Free" Ultimatum 2003 E



2002 releases

PS-"Self-Titled" Speechless records 2002 P/E/M

Bigger Lovers-"Honey In The Hive" Yep Roc 2002 P/E/M

Colorplates-"Forest of Alvary" Rock Stars Drop Out 2002 P/E/M

Purple Ivy Shadows-"Field Guide" Dark Beloved Cloud 2002 E/M

New Radiant Storm King-"Winter's Kill" Rainbow Quartz 2002 P/E/M

Glimore Girls Soundtrack-Pernice Brothers"Clear Spot" Rhino Records 2002
P/E/M


2001 releases

Beachwood Sparks-"Once We Were Trees" Sub Pop 2001 E/M

J Mascis and the Fog-"More Light" Ultimatum 2001 E

Pernice Brothers-"The World Won't End" Ashmont 2001 P/E/M

Chamber Strings-"Month of Sundays" Bobsled Records 2001 P/E/M

Capitol Years-"Meet Yr Acres" Full Frame 2001 P/E/M

Jubilee AllStars-"Lights of The City" Independent Records 2001P/E/M

Jim And Jennie and the Pine Tops-"Little Birdie" Overcoat 2001 P/E/M

Jim And Jennie and the Pine Barons-"self-titled" PhovSho-2001 E/M

The Warren Commission-"Tricked By Cleverness" Espo Records 2001 P/E/M

Tizzy-"Down With the Furies" Vital Cog Records 2001 P/E/M



2000 releases

Big Tobacco-"Big Tobacco" Glitterhouse 2000 P/E/M

Chappaquiddick Skyline-"Chappaquiddick Skyline" Sub Pop 2000 P/E/M

The Moves-"self-titled" Mr Lady Records 2000 P/E/M

The Warren Commission-"Rendezvous With You" Espo Records 2000 P/E/M



1999 and earlier releases

Purple Ivy Shadows-"White Electric" Crave Records 1999 P/E/M

Purple Ivy Shadows-"Mexican Party" Handsome Records 1999 M

Pernice Brothers-"Overcome By Happiness" Sub Pop 1998 P/E/M

Ill Ease-"Live at The Gate" Smilex Records 1998 M

Scud Mountain Boys-"Dance The Night Away/The Early Year" 1997 Sub Pop P/E/M

New Radiant Storm King-"Hurricane Necklace" Grass Records 1996 P/E/M

Scud Mountain Boys-"Massachusetts" Sub Pop 1996 P/E/M

Silver Jews-"The Natural Bridge" Drag City 1996 E/M

Ray Mason-"Missyouville" Chunk Records 1996 P/E/M

You And What Army-"Kinda Wanna" Big Deal 1995 E



TV/Film

"No Maps For These Territories"(William Gibson Doc.)

Big Tobacco-"Pipe Bomb (remix)"P/E/M

"The Slaughter Rules" - -Pernice Brothers "Stars In My Crown"P/E/M

Brown-Forman Corp/Southern Comfort-Pernice Brothers "Let That Show (remix)" P/E/M

The Gilmore Girls - Pernice Brothers "Crestfallen" P/E/M