DJ, remixer, music supervisor and consultant Jason Bentley and his producer/music supervisor Mark Burgoyne have joined Machine Head. Both will serve as music supervisors at the Venice, Calif.-based music and sound design house.
"As a house we have to be fresh, both stimulated and stimulating," said Machine Head creative director/sound designer Stephen Dewey. "This [deal] represents both of those things."
Bentley is known in Southern California as a DJ on public radio station KCRW, where for the past decade he has hosted and programmed the nightly "Metropolis," which features electronic, house, club, techno and pop music. Additionally, Bentley is involved in several other musical endeavors that span commercials, artist & repertoire (A&R) for record labels, live shows, remixing and features.
Burgoyne’s background encompasses television, the Web and record labels. He has worked as a music supervisor at Bunim Murray, Van Nuys, Calif., the producer of various reality programs such as MTV’s Road Rules. He was also a music supervisor at the former DEN. Earlier, Burgoyne worked in artist development and record promotion at San Francisco record label Om.
"Jason is the creative force, but we have the same tastes and opinions," said Burgoyne. "With this project, it’ll be helpful for him to have a partner, and we’ll be working together to facilitate everything."
Bentley has dabbled in commercials over the years, and among his recent projects—done prior to his coming aboard Machine Head—is a forthcoming Mitsubishi commercial via Deutsch LA that features a track by the French band Telepop Musik.
"Prior to this [deal], I would get about a phone call a month from someone [in commercials] asking for my music services," Bentley explained. "I felt that with the right partner I could expand that, not only in terms of commercials but TV and features as well."
Bentley continued, "I’m immersed in the [music] community and culture, and I want to bring that type of energy to Machine Head. I’ve known about the company for a decade, and this [arrangement] just felt right. The pedigree, the facility, and seeing the work that Stephen’s done—it’s on par with the creative caliber I want to be associated with."
In the longform arena, Bentley was music supervisor on the features City of Industry and The Matrix, and will reprise that role for the two planned Matrix sequels. The original Matrix soundtrack went platinum and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Bentley said the follow-up will feature a collaboration between Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against The Machine and DJ Shadow, as well as tracks by Linkin Park, Papa Roach and Prodigy. Additionally, Bentley is working on music for a Matrix DVD, titled Animatrix, which features Japanimé style animation and fills in some of the gaps in the film’s storyline.
Bentley also acts as a consultant to Madonna’s record label, Maverick Records, where he previously served as director of A&R. In the past several months, he has built up his remix portfolio to include tracks for GusGus, Paul Oakenfold and Fisher Spooner.
In addition to his DJing on KCRW, Bentley programs and hosts a weekly show on rock station KROQ, "Afterhours," which features club and house music. He has been the opening act for artists such as David Bowie and Fatboy Slim, and continues to be a resident DJ at BossaNova, the weekly club housed at Sugar in Santa Monica. (This fall, BossaNova is moving to the Westside club Zanzibar.)
Bentley and Burgoyne join a Machine Head staff that, in addition to Dewey, includes sound designers Chris Smith and Chris Simpson, as well as composers Chris Neilman and Mark Kilian. In-house engineer Adam Schiff also does some composing at the company.
