The man in the producer’s chair for Fontaines D.C.’s latest album, Dopamine Chamber, as well as 2024’s extraordinary Romance, James Ford has witnessed the Irish five-piece’s recent evolution first-hand, and guided them in the crafting of a pair of sublime albums.
But for Ford – speaking to us in a new interview – working with Grian Chatten, Conor Curley, Conor “Deego” Deegan II, Tom Coll and Carlos O’Connell to realise some of the most urgent and impactful modern rock of recent years isn’t always a breeze.
“They are one of the best bands of their generation. They are so focused and serious, although working with them is undeniably intense,” James told us.
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“They might be on a certain trajectory but when making the album, we still want to make it creative and weird – and that is not an easy process. They are pushing themselves harder than most acts and within the band, they are pulling in different directions and you can feel this in the music. It can be fractious sometimes but I think the proof is in the pudding, their music is always so exciting.”
Ford puts his ability to guide creatives to their destinations down to a balance of technical ability and emotional intelligence in the studio:
“I’m a musician so I can talk to artists in their own language,” James said. “For new producers, getting things sounding good is basic but vital – but then people management is so important too. I was always scared of things getting awkward in the studio. I thought that the whole thing could fall apart but these moments are so important, that’s often where the gold is.
“Honestly, the best way is to go in with good intentions and be open hearted, I try to be a member of the band for a few months and make the best record I can for me within the parameters of the situation,” Ford explained.
James also explained to us how the Dopamine Chamber sessions grew in unexpected directions, which he allowed to develop organically…
“The creative approach is never a straight line, with Fontaines, I had thoughts on this record and what we came out with was entirely different,” he says. “Something might be going on in your peripheral vision and you need to be able to pivot – this is where the real magic is.”
