Meet Kevin Killen

Within six months of his first trainee gig at a studio, Kevin Killen had already advanced to engineering. Only a few years later, he was assisting Stephen Lillywhite on U2’s “War” album, and by the time the band’s “Unforgettable Fire” came around, he was part of the production/engineering team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who Killen would again work with on Peter Gabriel’s seminal record “So.” From there, the work he contributed to is, quite literally, music history.

Take us back to the very beginning and let us know more about how you found your fascination for sound and recording!

There were a number of pivotal moments, the first being as an 11-year-old when my older brother Declan brought home Led Zeppelin II. I was totally fascinated by the sound of that album and that sparked my interest in The Beatles, Bowie and a lot of British glam rock and pop. My eldest brother Dermot was into Motown, Stax, Burt Bacharach and The Beach Boys, so all of these were sonic environments that thrilled me. As a teen I began to dabble in playing guitar and I had a Premier Royal Blue drum set. Having one at home, where I lived with my parents, seven siblings and my grandmother, was somewhat impractical! The second moment was watching a documentary about the making of an “XTC” album that Steve Lillywhite and Hugh Padgham were making at The Manor Studios in Oxfordshire, UK. It had never occurred to me that there was a formal and creative process in recording and producing music. That led to the last “Eureka” moment. I was studying science in Trinity College, Dublin – which was one of the subjects that interested me, including engineering, aeronautics and architecture – and I needed a summer job. I pulled out the Yellow Pages phone directory and looked up “Recording Studios” in Dublin. There were eight of various sizes, from 8- to 24-track. I went to all of them, dropping off a CV and a request for a summer internship. Fortunately for me, the studio manager at Lombard Sound agreed to interview me and a few weeks later I started. I knew the instant that I stepped into that control room that this was for me. My first session was with an Irish folk artist, Mick Hanley, who was overdubbing some acoustic guitar and vocals on some previously recorded tracks. The engineer Philip Begley and producer Bill Whelan were incredibly kind and instrumental in my development over the years, but that day was beyond my wildest dreams.

You’re an engineer, a producer and a mixer – sometimes juggling them all! Do you prefer any of the roles more? Which is the favorite part of a production for you – the actual arranging and recording or the final mixing process?

I actually love the discipline of engineering, capturing a sound that exceeds the expectations of the artist and musician. In the beginning, I was intent on becoming a really good recordist, so that still really fascinates me. But as I grew more curious, production and mixing became more of a focus. I love all three equally and since I believe that making music is truly a collaborative endeavor, I will often move between the roles even if I was just hired as an engineer. But of course, I am always conscious of being respectful to whatever hierarchy exists for that project.

Why was Real World Studios the perfect place for recording the Real to Reel SDX?

It is perhaps the most unique recording environment not just from a sonic perspective, but also from a collaborative and creative point of view. I have had great success there over the years, and I love all the supportive staff there, so it was a perfect environment to record the library. It is also visually stunning, which is incredibly inspirational.

To you, what defines a great drum sound?

It should be musical, unique and elevate the song. On top of that, it should “sound” fantastic and have a really strong sonic identity. I often listen to drum performances in isolation and it should totally embody the intention of the song.

Having had the chance to work with the sounds when making presets and really digging into the product, how do you feel about the final result?

I am thrilled with the results! It’s the perfect blend of the approach we discussed at the outset, combining analog and digital processes. The kits have a lot of personality, which is part of what I try to embed in my drum recordings, but the library also reflects some of the capabilities of the rooms at Real World. I am very proud of this collaboration and I hope users have as much fun utilizing the myriad of choices available and creating some memorable productions moving forward.