Q&A with Slim Shady LP Mix Engineer Alan Mason

EMDb: One thing I’ve always been curious about is the “Mr. B” credit on The Slim Shady LP. Who exactly was Mr. B? I’ve wondered about this for years, but I’ve never been able to find a definitive answer.

Alan Mason: Mr. B is Mark Bass of the Bass Brothers. Mark had final say on the mixes of all the non-Dre-related tracks.

I’d seen people say it was Mark online before, but there was never a source to back it up, so I’m glad we can finally make that official.

Although Dr. Dre wasn’t credited for mixing the tracks produced by the Bass Brothers, did he have any direct involvement in the mixes?

There were really two completely different camps. The Bass Brothers with me and Aaron Lepley at the Mix Room in Burbank. Then Dre and Segal (Richard Huredia) at Dre’s home studio and elsewhere.

The clean version of “My Fault,” which later appeared on the Celebrity Deathmatch soundtrack, sounds noticeably different from the album version, and I haven’t been able to find any mixing credits for it. Did you have any involvement in mixing that version, or do you know who did?

I had no involvement. Not sure who did.

Mike Strange has mentioned that Eminem is very involved in the mixing process and gives detailed feedback on every record. Was that already the case during The Slim Shady LP? How involved was Eminem once a song reached the mixing stage?

Em was very involved from start to finish. He would be picking drum samples and showing Mark and Jeff examples from other music. He also wrote constantly.

By the time a song reached you, was the production essentially finished, or did changes still happen during the mix?

Like most projects at the time, sequences and sounds would be altered throughout the production process. We used a Roland SBX-80 as the master sequencer that was synched to time code for layback. Once laid down (this was tape), we’d begin vocals.

Em was insistent on getting the verses and bones of the hooks in one session for tonal consistency. We also did not punch-in very often, as Em was also adamant on nailing whole verses in one go (famous for it).

Beyond that, the mixes were done about 10 times a piece.

Dre’s tracks were of a much higher production value, and it was a challenge to make the Bass Bros tracks sound comparable. They didn’t. 😳

Was there a particular song on The Slim Shady LP that was especially challenging to mix?

“Just Don’t Give a Fuck” was a much earlier production from the 8 Mile days and wasn’t recorded well.

Of all the songs adapted from the Slim Shady EP, “If I Had” appears to have changed the least. Was the instrumental actually remade, or was the original beat simply remixed?

Unfortunately, I don’t remember (It was about 28 years ago).

The entire Slim Shady EP was reworked for the LP, with some tracks ultimately not making the cut. Do you have any information on why certain songs were left off?

We did some mixes of all the tracks. I’d say about half the record was fresh material. Interscope had final say on what made the album and what didn’t. I think they weren’t too keen on including D12 on the album for marketing purposes.

“Take the World With Me” was found on a leaked session tape. Do you remember anything about that track or any other songs that didn’t make the album?

I do remember hearing that one with Bizarre and Outsidaz. I don’t particularly remember any others.

The album liner notes list both The Mix Room and Dre’s Crib for recording and mixing, but they don’t indicate which songs were done where. How were the recording and mixing duties divided between the two studios? Was it simply Dre’s tracks at his studio and the Bass Brothers tracks at the Mix Room?

In short, yes. Two completely separate camps. Visits were made to each other’s houses, but not often. I don’t think Dre was interested in collaborating with the Bass Bros.

Were you involved in any capacity on The Slim Shady LP beyond the songs you ultimately received mixing credits for?

Yes. I recorded most of the skits. They were entertaining. I also assembled show tapes for Em and did some rough and dirty mastering/editing.

Do you remember how the original “Ken Kaniff” skit was recorded? Was the phone conversation genuine, or was it staged for the album?

I did not record “Ken Kaniff.” I think it was Aaron. I can tell you that some was taken from a voice message and some was staged.

The credits list Mark Bass as a performer. Am I right in assuming that Mark played the female phone operator, and that this was the staged portion you were referring to, while the phone message was the genuine part?

I don’t know who the female phone operator was for sure, but you are likely correct that it was Mark. Though there was a girl hanging around at the time that did the backgrounds on “Cum On Everybody.”

Is there one mix from the album you’re particularly proud of, or one that stands out to you today?

I mixed “Rock Bottom” several times. It was very early in my career, and I don’t like the way most of that record sounds now. The best mix on the album is “My Name Is” (it kills everything else).

“Rock Bottom” is credited as being mixed by Dr. Dre, which makes it the only Bass Brothers track to credit both the Bass Brothers and Dr. Dre. Is there a story behind that?

My relationship with the Bass Bros got worse over time. There were lots of drugs and very late nights. I wasn’t really wowed by their productions either, and they didn’t seem committed to sonic integrity. I mixed “Rock Bottom,” and I think Mark gave credit to Dre out of spite. Dre didn’t mix any of the Bass Bros tracks.

Well, it passed as a mix by Dr. Dre for all this time, which says a lot about your work. The fact that it’s the only track in Eminem’s entire catalogue involving both the Bass Brothers and Dr. Dre does seem a little suspicious when you pair that with what you’re saying.

The drugs — I’ve heard Jeff speak about that before, so it was definitely a thing. I’ve always thought that was probably a reason why Em hasn’t worked with them since he got clean — not that I’m blaming them, but because he needed to remove himself from that lifestyle completely.

The Bass Brothers were not good people. I don’t know how Jeff is today; he was the better of the two and also where most of the musicality came from. I don’t know what’s up with Mark. I believe the Brothers are estranged at this point. Anyway, the Basses were managed by Joel Schumacher, who was a real piece of work and an exploiter extraordinaire. He was key in negotiating the contract with Interscope and how the bros ended up owning a piece of Em for life. (It was a crap deal, and getting fucked over is more the reason [why] Em drifted away from them). I’m glad he did and happy for all his success. He was never a problem, he was always easy to work with and professional.