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Butcher Bros. | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Philadelphia |
| Labels | Ruffhouse Records |
| Members | Phil and Joe Nicolo |
TheButcher Bros. is an American music production team made up of brothersPhil and Joe Nicolo, originally based out ofPhiladelphia in the mid-to-late '80s. Together and individually, the brothers have produced albums for a wide variety of bands, includingUrge Overkill,John Lennon,Bob Dylan,Amy Grant,Cypress Hill,Nine Inch Nails,Dog Eat Dog,Anthrax,Rett Smith andLuscious Jackson.[1] While Joe Nicolo was the original "butcher" he later paired briefly with his brother as Butcher Bros. Joe continues today as Joe the Butcher. The brothers began their music careers as teenagers, fixing speakers and rewiring amplifiers at a local drive-in movie theater. After earning a B.S. in Science fromTemple University, Phil returned toPhiladelphia and the brothers founded the Studio 4 recording studio. Using the name "Butcher Bros.", a reference to their father's trade, they quickly established themselves in many genres of music production. Sometimes they would work together and other times, individually.
Phil Nicolo's early credits includethe Hooters,Nighthawks andWillie Nile. While working with those bands, he was also working withKris Kross,Teddy Pendergrass andTaj Mahal. Joe completed mixes ofBilly Joel's "The River of Dreams", 3Cypress Hill albums,Schoolly D,Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, theRolling Stones' "Love Is Strong",Aerosmith's "Falling In Love" andJames Taylor's "A Little More Time" and Phil co-produced and mixedSting's "When We Dance",John Lennon's "Do The Oz",Bob Dylan's "Tell Old Bill",Dishwalla's "Counting Blue Cars, and "Under Pressure" with British rockersKeane.
In 1989, Joe Nicolo and Chris Schwartz, foundedRuffhouse Records. Over the next decade, the label sold over 100 million units through Sony distribution. The label would release albums fromLauryn Hill,the Fugees,Cypress Hill,Kris Kross andWyclef Jean and accounted for 12 ofColumbia Records' 39 Grammy nominations in 1990. To accommodate a busy production schedule, the brothers renovated a warehouse inConshohocken, Pennsylvania, and converted it into studios, digital editing rooms and offices. In 1993, Phil founded MasterVoice, a mastering lab.
In 2002. Joe joined forces withMerv Griffin andRKO Pictures as Executive Producer of the filmShade - a movie that can be best described as being a cross betweenThe Sting andPulp Fiction. The movie starsJamie Foxx,Gabriel Byrne,Thandiwe Newton,Sylvester Stallone andMelanie Griffith. Joe also serves as music supervisor on the film and will be overseeing the music on several other RKO films in the future. In April 2003, Joe Nicolo was honored by the Philadelphia Chapter of NARAS (The Grammys) by being awarded The Heroes Award as recognition of his outstanding work and contributions to the U.S. music industry on both a national and local level. In 2004, Joe entered into a production and distribution deal with Light-year/Warner Bros. Warners is currently distributing (for Joe's company Judgment Entertainment) a DVD series on funny cars and dragsters,Jailbait,Laura Smiles, as well as the Judgment PictureShade. Joe is also producing several new movie releases:Return to Sleepaway Camp,Southern Gothic andTooth and Nail-both directed by Mark Young, andOne Part Sugar starringDanny DeVito,Justin Long, andDylan Walsh.
Phil is an adjunct professor at Temple University. He won a Grammy in 2005 for mixing and mastering theSpanish Harlem Orchestra's "Across 110th Street".
