The Producer: Erik Blood

Age: 35
Hometown: Seattle (by way of Tacoma)
Current neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Favorite place in Seattle: My couch
Go-to karaoke song: “Life On Mars,” David Bowie

Seattle’s most iconic music is defined as much by producers as it is by bands. The grunge era had Jack Endino’s heavy hand, the ‘00s Phil Ek’s light touch. Nobody’s certain where the next wave will go, but it will be guided by Erik Blood.

Blood describes his production style as hands-on, but we’re hard pressed to find a fingerprint common to the Moondoggies’ rootsy boogie and Shabazz Palaces’s dizzying beatscapes—though Blood produced recent, acclaimed albums by both bands.

“He’s very aware of somebody’s personal method of digging inwardly for that place they’re trying to get to,” says Moondoggies frontman Kevin Murphy. “He’s a problem solver for mental block.” (One preferred method: a cocktail of Mandarin vodka and Rockstar Energy Drink known as “the Touchdown.”)

Blood produced THEESatisfaction’s Sub Pop debut, due in March, and is finishing albums by up-and-comers Crypts and Stephanie. He’s hoping to work with outré hip-hopper OC Notes and looking forward to more collaboration with Shabazz.

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Photography by Kyle Johnson at Melrose Market Studios.