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"Making a great record that communicates emotionally with people" is one of the many credos that drive Michael Vail Blum in his pursuit of producing artists to their full potential.

Michael started his career as an engineer in Chicago where he met and worked with Pat Leonard on various jingle projects. Michael made the move to New York to briefly work at the Power Station and within a year decided to live in Los Angeles, where he has resided for ten years.

Michael's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin (Madison), along with his interest in designing studios for Westlake Audio led to his reteaming with Pat Leonard, to help design Johnny Yuma Recording. During this association with Leonard, Michael worked as an engineer on several Madonna LP's including "Who's That Girl", "Like A Prayer" and Julian Lennon's LP "Mr. Jordan".

Thirty years ago Michael made the leap to producer and has been involved with such innovative artists as Redd Kross (Atlantic), Infectious Grooves (Epic), Low Pop Suicide (World Domination), The Young Dubliners (Scotti Bros.) and the Goo Goo Dolls (Warner Bros.).

The shift to producer was very natural for Michael. "My general attitude is to make a concerted effort to realize the artist's musical vision, draw the best performances out of an artist, as well as help them focus creatively." Michael works out of Titan Recording, where he has produced projects for Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies (Epic), Spectacle (Supreme/Island), Tura Satana (formerly Manhole - Modern Music), Norman Brown (MoJazz), Judy Judy Judy and Brazil 2001. Michael has produced a gold album for recording artists Blind Zero (Valentim De Carvalho/EMI) in Portugal. Michael engineered and mixed the multi-platinum New Radicals debut album (MCA) and developed and produced Anastacia (Daylight/Epic) and Kelly Clarkson (J/RCA). He also produced The Urge, which signed with Immortal/Epic as well as Steve Poltz of The Rugburns, from San Diego, who signed to Mercury. Michael has also produced an LP for Jesse Valenzuela of the Gin Blossoms, recorded and mixed the score for Season one of the Sony Pictures Television/Showtime Series "Street Time" and has produced A.J. Croce's “Adrian James Croce” and “Cantos” CD’s as well as Julia Othmer's debut CD “Oasis Motel”, "Born To Run" on Roger Daltrey's "Moonlighting Anthology" and indie punk band Japanther’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll Ice Cream” CD.

Currently, Michael has produced Japanther’s latest "Baby Jail For Ex-Kings" and “Beans, Limes and Rice” CD, Danni Rosner's debut CD and many successful Tribute band albums with Led Zepagain and Turn The Stone featuring Sam Morrison. Always looking to take new artists under his wing, will be a priority for Michael in continuing his quest to make great records.

DISCOGRAPHY:

JAPANTHER
BABY JAIL FOR EX-KINGS (WANTAGE RECORDS)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

DANNI ROSNER
WEST (INDEPENDENT)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

JAPANTHER
BEETS, LIMES and RICE (WANTAGE RECORDS)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

TRIBUTE TO BOB SEGER - FEATURING SAM MORRISON
TURN THE STONE (TITAN MEDIA)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

LED ZEPAGAIN
LED ZEPAGAIN (TITAN MEDIA)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

JAPANTHER
ROCK N' ROLL ICE CREAM (WANTAGE RECORDS)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

DIRTY SWEET
OF MONARCHS AND BEGGARS (SEEDLING RECORDS)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

A.J. CROCE
CANTOS (SEEDLING RECORDS)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered LP

JULIA OTHMER
OASIS MOTEL (INDEPENDENT)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed, and Mastered LP

ROGER DALTREY
MOONLIGHTING - THE ANTHOLOGY (SANCTUARY RECORDS GROUP)
Producer on "Born To Run"

CHICAGO BLUES REUNION
BURIED ALIVE IN THE BLUES> (OUT THE BOX RECORDS)
Additional recording, Editing, Mixing & Mastering

A.J. Croce
ADRIAN JAMES CROCE (SEEDLING RECORDS)
Produced, Engineered, Mixed LP

PERCY SLEDGE
SHINING THROUGH THE RAIN (VARESE SARABANDE)
Additional Recording & Mixing

JESSE VALENZUELA
TUNES YOUNG PEOPLE WILL ENJOY (GABRIEL RECORDS)
Co-Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

ZUBIA BROTHERS
ZUBIA BROTHERS (BACKMAN RECORDS)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

NEW RADICALS
NEW RADICALS (MCA)
Engineered/ Mixed LP
(Multi-Platinum)

BLIND ZERO
REDCOAST (VALENTIM DE CARVALHO/ EMI)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP
(Gold Album/ Portugal)

TURA SATANA
RELIEF THROUGH RELEASE (MODERN MUSIC)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

SPECTACLE
SPECTACLE (SUPREME/ ISLAND)
Produced/ Engineered 3 Tracks

FARZIN FARHADI
FARZIN FARHADI (ALADDIN)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
BEST OF COLLECTION (EPIC)
Co-Produced/ Engineered 4 Tracks

THE URGE
RECEIVING THE GIFT OF FLAVOR (IMMORTAL/ EPIC)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

CYCO MIKO (MIKE MUIR)
LOST MY BRAIN (EPIC)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

NORMAN BROWN
BETTER DAYS AHEAD (MOJAZZ)
Co-Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

FOCAL POINT
SUFFERING OF THE MASSES (TOOTH & NAIL)
Produced/ Emgimeered/ Mixed LP

UPSIDE-DOWN ROOM
DRAG BABY DRAG (TOOTH & NAIL)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

3T
BROTHERHOOD (MJJ/ 550 MUSIC)
Co-Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP & Various Tracks

LOW POP SUICIDE
DEATH OF EXCELLENCE (WORLD DOM/ RELATIVITY)
Produced/ Engineered LP

INFECTIOUS GROVES 
GROOVE FAMILY CYCO (550 MUSIC/ EPIC)
Produced/ Engineered LP

THE YOUNG DUBLINERS
BREATHE (SCOTTI BROTHERS)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

THE YOUNG DUBLINERS
ROCKY ROAD (SCOTTI BROTHERES)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed EP

REDD KROSS
THIRD EYE (ATLANTIC)
Produced/ Engineered LP

JUDY JUDY JUDY
JUDY JUDY JUDY (IND)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

NATHAN CAVALERI
NATHAN CAVALERI BAND (MJJ/ EPIC)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

CONTAGIN
HATE (WORLD DOM/ CAPITOL)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed Single

GOO GOO DOLLS
I'M AWAKE NOW (METAL BLADE/ WARNER)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed
("Freddy's Dead: The Final Chapter" - Title Song)

REDD KROSS
1976 (RHINO)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed Single
("Spirit of '76" - Title Song)

EVE'S PLUM
EYE (EPIC)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed Single
("Higher Learning" Soundtrack)

THE FLYS
THE FLYS 25 CENTS (RAID/ CAROLINE)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

UNCLE SLAM
WHEN GOD DIES (RESTLESS)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

THE DEAN
SELF-TITLED (INDEPENDENT)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed LP

THE GRAYS
VARIOUS B-SIDES (EPIC)
Engineered/ Mixed

JULIE RITTER (MARY'S DANISH)
JULIE RITTER (AUTOMATIC/ ATLANTIC)
Engineered LP

KRISTEN VIGARD
VARIOUS TRACKS (INDEPENDENT)
Produced/ Engineered/ Mixed EP

SARSIPPIUS
SARSIPPIUS (EPIC)
Engineered/ Mixed LP

LOW POP SUICIDE
DIS-ENGAGED (WORLD DOM/ CAPITOL)
Engineered/ Mixed EP

LOW POP SUICIDE
CROSS OF COMMERCE (WORLD DOM/ CAPITOL)
Engineered/ Mixed LP

CONTAGIN
CONTAGIN (WORLD DOM/ CAPITOL)
Engineered/ Mixed LP

MADONNA
LIKE A PRAYER (SIRE)
Engineered/ Mixed LP

MADONNA
KEEP IT TOGETHER (SIRE)
Engineered/ Mixed Single

FRED SCHNEIDER
THE SHAKE SOCIETY
Engineered/ Mixed LP

RIVERDOGS
BONE (DREAMCIRCLE/ INTERCORD)
Engineered/ Mixed LP

HARVEST
SOUNDTRACK (CURB)
Engineered/ Mixed Score

PUMPKINHEAD II
SOUNDTRACK (CURB)
Engineered/ Mixed Score

BRYAN FERRY
BETE NOIR (REPRISE)
Engineered LP

PINK FLOYD
YET ANOTHER MOVIE (COLUMBIA)
Engineered Single

JULIAN LENNON
MR. JORDAN (ATLANTIC)
Engineered LP

WHO'S THAT GIRL
SOUNDTRACK (SIRE/ WARNER BROTHERS)
Engineered/ Mixed Score