Dave Collins (audio engineer)

Dave Collins
Background information
BornHollywood Hills, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Mastering engineer
Studio Owner
Years active1983-present
WebsiteOfficial website

Dave Collins is an American Grammy Award winning mastering engineer.[1] He has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including Alice in Chains, Metallica, Soundgarden, Weezer, Grateful Dead, Madonna, Linkin Park, The Police, Porno for Pyros, Oingo Boingo, Alice Cooper, KMFDM, Sepultura, Puscifier, Chris Cornell, Bon Jovi, Buckcherry, Monster Magnet, Sting, Flogging Molly, Bad Religion, Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Chevelle and Bruce Springsteen.[2][3]

Collins has also mastered motion picture soundtrack albums such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Passengers, Jurassic Park, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Schindler's List, and Braveheart.

Life and career

Dave Collins was born and raised in Hollywood Hills, California. Collins started his career in 1983 as an assistant to Armin Steiner, the American sound engineer and mixer. He worked with Steiner on the 20th Century Fox Scoring Stage until he was hired to work for Digital Magnetics, a new company created by Armin Steiner and his business partner Bruce Botnick, the American sound engineer and record producer. Collins worked as a recordist with the Sony Compact Disc Mastering System for Digital Magnetics in Hollywood from 1983 until 1988. In 1988, Collins was hired by Shelly Yakus, American recording engineer and mixer, to manage the mastering department of A&M Studios in Hollywood.[4] In 1995, Dave Collins was promoted to oversee the four studios as Chief Mastering Engineer at A&M.[5] Collins worked there as Chief Mastering Engineer for 14 years for until the studios were acquired by PolyGram Entertainment in 1999. After A&M’s closure, Dave Collins opened his own mastering studio on Western Avenue, Hollywood, California. In 2016, Collins moved to Pasadena after building two custom studios with Thomas Jouanjean by utilizing the principles of architectural acoustics.[6][7] This location was also home to Hinge Studios owned by Craig Bauer the American mixing engineer. Collins is married to Christina Preston.[8][9]

Awards and recognition

During his career, Collins has worked on 9 Grammy award winning projects and over 30 Grammy award nominated projects. Recently, Collins received two Grammys at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards for his mastering of D’Angelo’s 2016 record Black Messiah which won the Best R&B Album and Record of the Year.[10][11][12]

Grammy awards

Year Artist Album or Song Category Result
1989 Danny Elfman Batman Movie Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Nominated
The Batman Theme Best Instrumental Composition Won
1991 James Horner Glory Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Won
Danny Elfman Edward Scissorhands Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Nominated
1992 John Barry Dances with Wolves Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Won
1993 Danny Elfman Nightmare Before Christmas Best Musical Album for Children Nominated
Luther Vandross How Deep is Your Love Best R&B Male Vocal Performance Nominated
Heaven Knows Best Rhythm & Blues Song Nominated
Little Miracles (Happen Every Day) Best Rhythm & Blues Song Nominated
Sting Demolition Man Best Rock Vocal Performance Nominated
1994 Barry White Practice What You Preach Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
John Williams Jurassic Park Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Nominated
1995 John Williams Schlinder’s List Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Won
Soundgarden Spoonman Best Metal Performance Won
Black Hole Sun Best Rock Performance Won
Barry White Baby’s Home Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Nominated
The Icon is Love Best R&B Album Nominated
1997 Bruce Springsteen The Ghost of Tom Joad The Best Contemporary Folk Album Won
1999 Chris Cornell Can't Change Me Best Male Rock Vocal Performance Nominated
2006 Buckcherry Crazy Bitch Best Hard Rock Performance Nominated
2010 Barry Manilow The Greatest Love Songs of All Time Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Nominated
2012 Avett Brothers The Carpenter Best Americana Album Nominated
2016 D’Angelo and The Vanguard Black Messiah Best R&B Album Won
Really Love Best R&B Song Won
Seth Macfarlane No One Ever Tells You Best Traditional Pop Vocal Nominated
John Daversa Kaleidoscope Eyes: Music of the Beatles Best large Jazz Ensemble Nominated
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Cappella Nominated
Do You Want to Know a Secret? Best Arrangement, Instrument and Vocals Nominated
2017 Metallica Hardwired Best Rock Song Nominated
Hardwired...To Self Destruct Best Rock Album Nominated
2018 Metallica Atlas, Rise Best Rock Song Nomination Nominated
Anita Wilson Sunday Song Best Gospel Album Nominated
Seth Macfarlane In Full Swing Best Traditional Pop Vocal Nominated
2019 Alice in Chains Rainier Fog Best Rock Album Nominated

Selected discography

References

  1. ^ "American Grammy award winning". Audiophilereview.com. 21 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Artists and musicians worked with Dave Collins". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Inside Track: Metallica 'Moth Into Flame' (2017)". Soundonsound.com. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  4. ^ "Dave Discography". Amstudios.net.
  5. ^ "Dave Collins's career". Audiophilereview.com. 21 October 2018.
  6. ^ "WCA #165 with Dave Collins". Workingclassaudio.com.
  7. ^ "El Dorado County Arts: Dave Collins in Sounds of Success | Style El Dorado County Foothills". Styleedc.com.
  8. ^ "Hinge Studios". Prosoundnetwork.com. 28 August 2018.
  9. ^ "D6 DAVE COLLINS (2000)". Amstudios.net. A&M Studios. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  10. ^ "2016 Grammy Awards". Billboard.com.
  11. ^ "58th annual Grammy Awards". Billboard.com.
  12. ^ "D'Angelo win best R&B album Grammy for Black Messiah". The Guardian.