full bio
Totally Killing It brings an underground creative vibe and actual studio chops to the mixing desk. We have long been true to the underground while, at the same time, working in the studio with artists such as Talking Heads, Madonna, AC/DC, Wu-Tang Clan, Guns and Roses and many more.
Our early beat mashups were among the first to mix sound efx such as jet planes, gun shots and crowd sound with our own hip hop beats and received support and exposure from DJ Omar Santana. In the studio, we engineered for seminal remixers Arthur Baker, Francois Kevorkian, Shep Pettibone and Jellybean. As a young assistant Engineer we worked on the tracks Planet Rock and Jam On It. We learned production working with producers Phil Ramone and Frank Fillipetti among others. At Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, the torch of Dub was passed by Wailer Tyrone Downie and legendary mixer Stephen Stanley who schooled us in Reggae and Dub while recording tracks for the Wailers.
In the 90s Totally Killing It became a defining member of the New York underground. The Sub Dub EPs sparked the New York Illbient scene with Totally Killing It and Samyz Joint being the first labels to define the sound. Sub Dub with Raz Mesinai (Badawi) outlined the fusion of Hip Hop, Dub and Experimental sound deconstructions when DJ Spooky, DJ Olive (who named the sound Illbient) and Lloop championed the Sub dub EPs worldwide. The band’s Tribal House tracks became a staple at Sound Factory. Live, Sub Dub ruled New York Dub wise opening for Mad Professor, playing the NASA rave and doing many Dub nights at the Cooler. Sub Dub toured Europe and, in the US, with the Executioners and Invisible Scratch Pickles. Sub Dub were asked to remix artists from Arto Lindsy to Burning Spear. The band was described as “America’s answer to the Orb” by I-Tunes.
Further down the road, the Totally Killing It Guru Yoga CD by Intrinsic Sky Sound System featuring HH Penor Rinpoche a legendary Tibetan master and the Revolution Of Compassion CD with Jetsunma fused experimental grooves and Tibetan mantra to create dance music for spiritual awakening.
New Dubs were created from a studio in Lapland during Summer Midnight Sun time. Raw Dubs in the Spirit of Lee Scratch Perry or Scientist. Bass heavy vibrations to heal and nourish the soul. This projects only vocal track features musician, recording artist, singer and songwriter Joonas Hauveli.
Totally Killing It tracks have been used by Pepsi, MTV, ABC Television and Sony Pictures. We’ve done remixes for clients diverse as Bad Boy Entertainment and Tibetan Singer Songwriter Tsering Cho. In 2002 John won an Emmy mixing live TV for ABC television. As a music mixer for Good Morning America and The View he has mixed artists from Duran Duran to Willie Nelson, from Pavaroti to Usher.
Discography, Credits, Client list and Demos available upon request.
TKI productions 