The Distressor is one of the few modern pieces of outboard gear that has become a classic and now stands in the same "must have" league as compressors like the 1176 and LA-2A. Simply put, it's a standard piece found in studios everywhere today.

Dave Derr is the creator of the Distressor, Fatso, and other totally unique hardware outboard devices and he’s my guest on this week’s podcast.

In the interview we talk about his life as a professional musician and recording engineer, his time spent working at Eventide, how the Distressor went from idea to product, and how Fatso almost didn't make it to market, among many other things.

On the intro I'll also talk about how music radio formats are changing (which you might find surprising), and some stats about the Musical Instrument retail industry that are very interesting and telling.