Brian Gardner (Mastering)

Brian Knapp Gardner

US mastering and lacquer cutting engineer, based in Los Angeles (California), often referred to as Big Bass Brian (a moniker given by Dr. Dre).

He learned how to operate a cutting lathe at his first job at Century Records (4) while still a teenager. In 1965 he started professionally in the mastering room of RCA Studios, Hollywood, occasionally doing recording as second engineer. At RCA, Creedence Clearwater Revival became so impressed with his work they hired him as the first employee at Fantasy Studios, where he worked as mastering engineer and producer between 1969 and 1974, remastering many artists of the Prestige and Milestone catalogues. He then moved on to Allen Zentz Mastering, working on most of the Casablanca catalogue. He moved to Bernie Grundman Mastering in 1984, retiring there in 2015. He continues to operate his own studio Brian Gardner Mastering.

He signs his cuts in a variety of ways. Most straightforward are his initials BKG, but mostly he etches a flower or "seagulls". Please credit as follows

Lacquer Cut By [Runout Etching ❀] - Brian Gardner
Lacquer Cut By [Runout Etching ⁀⁀ ⁀⁀] - Brian Gardner