EP 258: Tokyo Speirs – How Pro Bands Balance Creativity & Work

Tokyo Speirs is a multi-Platinum-certified Canadian record producer, audio engineer and songwriter from the Greater Toronto Area.

He has worked with many charting artists via Walk Off The Earth, such as Lindsey Stirling, Lukas Graham, Phillip Phillips, Gabriela Bee, USS, and Luminati Suns. With certified gold singles such as “Fire in my Soul,” Platinum on their 2019 full-length album “Here We Go,” which peaked as the #1 selling pop album in America (Nielsen’s Pop Album Chart), #3 on Canada’s Top Albums Chart, and debuted in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Album Sales Chart, and Platinum on their latest Album “Stand By Me” which included the Platinum-certified smash hit “My Stupid Heart,” with the help of viral TikToks and creative live performances. He has co-written and co-produced the Pokémon Journeys theme song, Disney’s Go Away Unicorn and Blade Runner Black Lotus.    

Using unconventional samples, creative lyrics and unique recording techniques, Tokyo pushes the boundaries while reigning in the weirder side of pop. Having also gained respect in songwriting and mastering, at the end of the day, he’s just a friendly engineer (friendgineer?) who strives to draw intimate, captivating performances, whether that means invisibly recording or pushing talent as far as possible to get the take.

He is currently working and performing with Walk Off the Earth, producing Luminati Suns, as well as dipping his toes into video production and live production.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

  • Finding your niche in production
  • Being strong-willed to push your skills
  • Letting experimentation inspire creativity
  • Working and writing with Walk Off The Earth
  • Treating music as a job
  • The inner workings of a successful band
  • Setting up roles for different members of a band
  • Recording unique instruments
  • Prioritizing during the recording and mixing stages
  • Knowing when to spend time on something vs. moving on
  • Scheduling your life around music
  • How he organizes his files, sessions, and ideas
  • How to make choruses that are huge

To learn more about Tokyo Speirs, visit: https://www.instagram.com/friendgineer/

Check out Walk Off The Earth on tour: https://tour.walkofftheearth.com/

And check out their latest single: https://orcd.co/breakingmyheart

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