Third Eye Blind, the California-based rock band formed in San Francisco in 1993, is one of the biggest and most enduring bands of the post-grunge era. Lead vocalist Stephan Jenkins signed the band’s first major-label recording contract with Elektra Records in 1996, which was later reported as the largest publishing deal ever for an unsigned artist. The band continues its innovative ways and, as part of the creative process, recording equipment from TASCAM plays an integral role in everything the band produces.
Kryz Reid, lead guitarist for Third Eye Blind and self-proclaimed video nerd, has been a co-writer on the band’s records since 2010. He is the producer of Third Eye Blind’s podcast Pod of Wine as well as director of the Third Eye Blind videos Horror Show, Disorder, Tropic Scorpio, Song to the Siren, Joke, and the 5-part YouTube series 100 Blind Days in Lockdown. Reid reports, “Along with being the lead guitarist, I work with Stephan to create the band’s videos and social content. A particular high for me was producing the So Alone, So Alive(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F_u2Sl2CCA) broadcast last year. That put us second on the Billboard Live in Quarantine chart.”
The TASCAM Model 24 multitrack live recording console is at the center of Reid’s recording efforts. “I edit videos on the computer, but the last thing I want to do is record music on a computer. The Model 24 reminds me on my old school TASCAM Porta One 4-track, only bigger. It’s essentially my daily driver when it comes to music. I turn it on and start working—with no ‘BS.’ Removing the computer from my recording process has been key. I want to listen to music, not look at it. The EQs are great, and the one knob compressor is a really fantastic feature. Equally important, the faders feel very professional, and the entire look of the Model 24 makes me smile every time it catches my eye!”
Equally important to the band’s efforts are the TASCAM DR-40X / DR-40 digital 4-track recorders with USB interfaces. “We’ve used the DR-40 for years at front of house to capture a blend of the desk input and the DR-40’s built in mics.,” Reid explained. “It’s a really immediate way for us to post show highlights on our social media pages. I also used my DR-40 to record Stephan’s live vocal for the So Alone, So Alive broadcast—feeding him a mix of the rest of us while allowing him to sing along using a Shure SM7 on the unit’s XLR input. Stephan’s a very physical performer, so I was able to put the DR-40 in his back pocket and let him do his thing.”
Another favorite TASCAM product in the band’s equipment arsenal is the TASCAM DR-10L micro linear PCM recorder, of which the band has five units and the TASCAM DR-10SG camera-mountable audio recorder with shotgun microphone. According to Reid, “The DR-10L recorders are being used to close capture all of us in studio as we’re working on our new record—with the first single being titled Box of Bones, which will release July 30th. I’m also producing a documentary of the entire recording process. They’re fast and the dual record mode is a game-changer. These recorders last a good 10 hours on a single battery and sound awesome! The TASCAM DR-10SG has been another important piece of gear for us. We use it for basic pickup during everything we do mobile, including recording or rehearsing. It’s small and easy to place just about anywhere.”
Before directing his attention back to Third Eye Blind’s current projects, Reid offered the following thoughts on TASCAM and its influence on everyone in the band, “I’ve been a TASCAM head since I was a kid, and my Dad used Teac Hi-Fi components, so the brand runs deep in my family. I love everything about the Model 24. It really takes me back to how I used to record on my TASCAM Porta One when I was 17. And like me, all the guys in the band have used TASCAM for years. We all started on TASCAM 4-track machines and have each had our fair share of interfaces and other products. Even the colors on the Model 24’s knobs make us feel at home— right back where we started and fell in love with recording.”
