# Peter Katis

Peter Katis is an American Grammy Award-winning record producer, audio engineer, mixer, and musician.
Katis is best known for working with alternative and indie rock bands. He works primarily out of his own residential studio, Tarquin Studios, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

## Personal life

Peter Katis was born in New York City in April 1966. He is the eldest son of Dr. Lauma Katis and Dr. James Katis, both psychiatrists. His brothers are Tom and Tarquin.
Katis attended New Canaan Country School and Greenwich High School, both in Connecticut. He graduated from the University of Vermont having majored in Visual Arts and minored in English. He also attended and then taught studio production classes at SUNY Purchase in New York.
Katis lives in Fairfield, Connecticut, with his wife, Ann Risen Katis, and their son, Will.

## Music career

Peter Katis's music career began in the late 1980s with The Philistines Jr., an experimental pop band composed of Katis (vocals, guitar, keyboards), his brother Tarquin Katis (vocals, bass), and their friend Adam Pierce (drums). The band's first gig was an opening spot for Phish in front of a sparse crowd on the campus of the University of Vermont.
The Philistines Jr.'s early albums - Greenwich, CT (1991) and The Continuing Struggle of The Philistines Jr. (1993)—received critical acclaim and charted on college radio stations across North America. The band also received frequent airplay from John Peel on his BBC Radio 1 program. Upon hearing their first album, Peel telephoned the band "just to say how much he liked the record" and invited them to record a Peel Session in London. The band completed three Peel Sessions and concurrent UK tours.
Subsequent albums by The Philistines Jr. include The Sinking of the S.S. Danehower (1996), Analog vs. Digital -or- We Don't Get The Respect We Deserve in Today's Scientific Community (2000), If A Band Plays in the Woods...? (2010), If a Lot of Bands Play in the Woods...? (2011), and "Help!" (2019).
Over time, Katis has also participated in a number of musical side projects, including The Zambonis, The Happiest Guys in the World, The Pants, and James Kochalka Superstar.

## Music production career

While recording songs for his own band in an ad-hoc studio set up in his parents' basement, Katis realized he had an affinity for production. "My favorite part of being a musician was producing a record," said Katis.
In 1989 he began taking continuing education classes at SUNY Purchase in studio production, which further developed his recording skills. Katis then worked as an intern, an assistant, and then as an engineer in various recording studios in New York City. As his career progressed, Katis began being asked by his friends in other bands—including Mommyheads, Oneida, Guster, and Mercury Rev—to help record their albums.
By 1998, Katis's demand as a producer, audio engineer, and mixer had grown to the point where he needed a dedicated production space. He bought a 7,000 square foot Victorian home in Bridgeport, Connecticut and transformed it into Tarquin Studios, a residence and recording studio for musicians. Katis has since worked with dozens of artists (see Associated Acts and Discography) at Tarquin Studios.
In 2017, Katis and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads launched a concert series for emerging artists at The Fairfield Theater Company.

### Death Cab for Cutie

Katis produced Death Cab for Cutie's The Blue EP (2019). The video for the song Blue Bloods, was filmed at Tarquin Studios.

### Frightened Rabbit

Katis produced Frightened Rabbit's 2008 breakthrough album The Midnight Organ Fight, as well as the 2010 follow-up The Winter of Mixed Drinks. To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of TMOF, Frightened Rabbit released Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit's Midnight Organ Fight. Katis's own band, The Philistine's Jr., contributed to the album by covering the song "Bright Pink Bookmark". The album, released in 2019, has also become a tribute to Frightened Rabbit's lead singer Scott Hutchison.

### Gang of Youths

Katis mixed The Positions (2015) and Go Farther in Lightness (2017) for the Australian band Gang of Youths. The former album debited at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was nominated for 5 ARIA Music Awards. The latter album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was nominated for 8 ARIA Music Awards, winning four: Album of the Year, Best Group, Best Rock Album, and Producer of the Year.
Katis's band, The Philistine's Jr., opened for Gang of Youths on several west coast dates of their 2018 American tour.

### Interpol

Katis also has a long-standing relationship with Interpol. He recorded and mixed the band's critically acclaimed debut album Turn on the Bright Lights (2002), followed by Antics (2004). He also worked with lead singer Paul Banks on Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper (2009), Julian Plenti Lives... (2012), and Banks (2012).

### The National

Katis has worked with The National on eight of their albums: Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (2003), Cherry Tree (2004), Alligator (2005), Boxer (2007), High Violet (2010), Trouble Will Find Me (2013), Sleep Well Beast (2017), and I Am Easy to Find (2019). Trouble Will Find Me received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. Sleep Well Beast received the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. Katis co-produced and mixed the album.
Illustrating his close personal connection to the band, the cover of Boxer features a photo of The National playing at Katis's wedding reception.

## Discography

| Year | Title | Artist | Credits |
| 2019 | Help! | The Philistine's Jr. | Lyrics, Performer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| The Blue EP | Death Cab for Cutie | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit's Midnight Organ Fight | Frightened Rabbit | Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Engineer, Mixing, Recording |
| I Am Easy To Find | The National | Mixing |
| Natural, Everyday Degradation | Remo Drive | Engineer, Mixing |
| Problems | The Get Up Kids | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | |
| Ruthless | The Moth and The Flame | Performer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited | Mercury Rev | Mixing |
| 2018 | Bottle It In | Kurt Vile | Producer |
| Before The Sun Goes Down | The New Respects | Mixing |
| On the Corner Where You Live | The Paper Kites | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| Lost Friends | Middle Kids | Mixing |
| 2017 | The World We Built | The Wild Reeds | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2017 | Go Farther In Lightness | Gang of Youths | Mixing |
| 2017 | Hammock | Hammock | Mixing |
| 2017 | Only the Lonely | Colony House | Additional Production, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2017 | Near to the Wild Heart of Life | Japandroids | Mixing, Additional Production, Mixing |
| 2017 | So Numb | Sannhet | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2017 | Sleep Well Beast | The National | Producer, Mixing |
| 2017 | There Is No Love in Fluorescent Light | Stars | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2016 | This Is Your Life | Augustines | Producer, Mixing |
| 2016 | Synthia | The Jezabels | Mixing |
| 2016 | It's Not About the Witches | T.O.L.D. | Mixing |
| 2016 | Everything and Nothing | Hammock | Mixing |
| 2016 | Arms | Bell X1 | Mixing |
| 2016 | And Then Like Lions | Blind Pilot | Mixing |
| 2015 | You're Going to Make It | Mates of State | Mixing |
| 2015 | The Positions | Gang of Youths | Mixing |
| 2015 | Then Came the Morning | The Lone Bellow | Mixing |
| 2015 | Jackrabbit | San Fermin | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2015 | B'lieve I'm Goin Down... | Kurt Vile | Mixing |
| 2015 | After It All | Delta Rae | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2014 | Youth Culture Forever | PAWS | Mixing |
| 2014 | Ruckers Hill | Husky Gawenda / Husky | Mixing |
| 2014 | Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave | The Twilight Sad | Additional Production, Mixing |
| 2014 | Honeyblood | Honeyblood | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Electronic Percussion |
| 2014 | Augustines | Augustines | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2013 | Trouble Will Find Me | The National | Mixing |
| 2013 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | | Mixing |
| 2013 | Let's Be Still | The Head and the Heart | Additional Production, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2013 | Hummingbird | Local Natives | Mixing |
| 2013 | Chop Chop | Bell X1 | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2013 | Breach | The Kissaway Trail | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guitar, Synthesizer |
| 2012 | Traveler | Trey Anastasio | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Vocals, String Arrangements, Instrumentation |
| 2012 | Tramp | Sharon Van Etten | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2012 | Shallow Bed | Dry the River | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2012 | Live: England vs. France | Mice Parade | Mixing |
| 2012 | Julian Plenti Lives | Paul Banks | Producer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2012 | Five Minute Major (In D Minor) | The Zambonis | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2012 | Circles Around the Sun | Dispatch | Producer, Engineer |
| 2012 | Banks | Paul Banks | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2012 | Animal Joy | Shearwater | Guest Artist, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2011 | We Bought a Zoo [Original Soundtrack] | Jónsi | Producer |
| 2011 | Prisoner | The Jezabels | Mixing |
| 2011 | Outside | Tapes 'n Tapes | Additional Production, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2011 | Mountaintops | Mates of State | Engineer |
| 2011 | In the Pit of the Stomach | We Were Promised Jetpacks | Additional Production, Mixing |
| 2011 | Fire Needs Air | Dazzled Kid | Mixing |
| 2011 | Deserter's Songs: Instrumental | Mercury Rev | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2010 | What It Means to Be Left-Handed | Mice Parade | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2010 | The Winter of Mixed Drinks | Frightened Rabbit | Additional Production, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2010 | Sleep Mountain | The Kissaway Trail | Producer, Mixing |
| 2010 | Let's Go Coconuts! | The Macaroons | Engineer |
| 2010 | How to Train Your Dragon: Music from the Motion Picture | John Powell | Drum Engineering, Percussion Engineer |
| 2010 | High Violet | The National | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2010 | Going the Distance | | Producer |
| 2010 | Go | Jónsi | Producer, Engineer |
| 2010 | Everything Under the Sun | Jukebox the Ghost | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2010 | Easy Wonderful | Guster | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2009 | Up End Atom: A Tribute to Atom & His Package | | Producer, Engineer |
| 2009 | These Four Walls | We Were Promised Jetpacks | Producer, Various Instruments, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2009 | Strict Joy | The Swell Season | Producer, ARP Synthesizer, Percussion, Performer, Featured Artist |
| 2009 | Silver Starling | Silver Starling | Mixing |
| 2009 | Reservoir | Fanfarlo | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2009 | Love, Hate and Then There's You | The Von Bondies | Engineer, Audio Engineer |
| 2009 | Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper | Paul Banks / Julian Plenti | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Additional Music |
| 2009 | Dark Was the Night: Red Hot Compilation | | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2009 | Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy | Mark Mulcahy | Producer |
| 2008 | Up with the Sun | Titles | ARP Synthesizer |
| 2008 | Teeth Lost, Hearts Won | The Grates | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guitar, Keyboards |
| 2008 | Summer Palace | Sunny Day Sets Fire | Producer, Mixing |
| 2008 | Secrets Are Sinister | Longwave | Producer, Engineer, Audio Engineer, Mixing |
| 2008 | Re-Arrange Us | Mates of State | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guitar, Vocals (Background), Bass |
| 2008 | Heavenly Bender | Sam Champion | Mixing |
| 2008 | Fight on the Ice | The Zambonis | Composer |
| 2008 | Elephant Shell | Tokyo Police Club | Producer, Mixing |
| 2008 | DeLeon | DeLeon | Engineer |
| 2008 | A Skin, A Night & The Virginia EP | The National | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2008 | 5 Zusammen Verschwinden | Karpatenhund | Mixing |
| 2007 | Mice Parade | Mice Parade | Assistant Engineer |
| 2007 | Marginalia | Nurse & Soldier | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2007 | I'll Follow You | Oakley Hall | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2007 | Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters | The Twilight Sad | Mixing |
| 2007 | Boxer | The National | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2007 | Anjula | Anjula Prasad | Mixing |
| 2006 | Tremors | Humanzi | Producer, Mixing |
| 2006 | Spread Your Evil Wings and Fly | James Kochalka Superstar | Composer |
| 2006 | Peoples | HiM | Engineer |
| 2006 | Gravity Won't Get You High | The Grates | Mixing |
| 2006 | Diet Pills & Magazines | Humanzi | Mixing |
| 2006 | Catastrophe Keeps Us Together | Rainer Maria | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2006 | 19-20-20 | The Grates | Mixing |
| 2005 | Trilateral Commission | Jimi Tunnell | Assistant Engineer |
| 2005 | Tree City | Robbers on High Street | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2005 | The Loyal | Tiger Lou | Mixing |
| 2005 | The Loving Sounds of Static | Mobius Band | Producer, Mixing |
| 2005 | The Golden Republic | The Golden Republic | Producer, Engineer, Audio Engineer, Audio Production |
| 2005 | Our Most Beloved | James Kochalka Superstar | Producer, Main Personnel |
| 2005 | Nights Wave EP | Mice Parade | Mixing, Overdubs |
| 2005 | Lit Up | The National | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2005 | Hanukkah Rocks | The LeeVees | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guitar, Instrumentation |
| 2005 | DoublePlays: All Is Dream/Deserter's Songs | Mercury Rev | Engineer |
| 2005 | City vs. Country | Mobius Band | Engineer, Mixing, Audio Production |
| 2005 | C'mere | Interpol | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2005 | Bem-Vinda Vontade | Mice Parade | Engineer, Audio Engineer, Mixing, Overdubs |
| 2005 | Alligator | The National | Producer, Engineer, Audio Engineer, Mixing, Audio Production, Vocals |
| 2004 | The O.C. Mix 2 | | Engineer |
| 2004 | My Body: The Pistol | Les Baton Rouge | Producer, Engineer |
| 2004 | Matador at Fifteen | | Engineer |
| 2004 | Lightning and the Sun | Katy Mae | Engineer, Keyboards |
| 2004 | Life of the Party [EP] | Longwave | Mixing |
| 2004 | Fine Lines | Robbers on High Street | Engineer |
| 2004 | Cherry Tree | The National | Engineer |
| 2004 | Antics | Interpol | Engineer, Audio Engineer, Mixing |
| 2004 | Aghast Agape | The Prosaics | Producer, Engineer, Audio Engineer, Audio Production |
| 2003 | Yes New York | | Engineer |
| 2003 | Wild Card | Jim Allen | Engineer |
| 2003 | The Instinct | Denali | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2003 | The Black EP | Interpol | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2003 | Stars at Noon | Sea Ray | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2003 | Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers | The National | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2003 | Maybe This Christmas Too? | | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2003 | Heather | Satanicide | Engineer, Audio Engineer |
| 2003 | A Winter's Night: The Best of Nettwerk Christmas Albums | | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Turn on the Bright Lights | Interpol | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Pushbutton Parfait | Raymond Scott Orchestrette | Engineer, Mastering |
| 2002 | On a Wire | The Get Up Kids | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | MTV Road Rules: Don't Make Me Pull This Thing Over, Vol. 1 | | Mixing |
| 2002 | Interpol | Interpol | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | For the Kids [Nettwerk] | | Producer, Engineer, Vocals (Background), Instrumentation |
| 2002 | Each One Teach One | Oneida | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Atheists, Reconsider | Liars / Oneida | Engineer |
| 2002 | All Roads Lead to Salzburg | Mice Parade | Engineer, Mixing, Overdubs |
| 2001 | The Operating Theater | Brian Dewan | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | The Ghost of Fashion | Clem Snide | Mixing |
| 2001 | Mokoondi | Mice Parade | Engineer, Mixing, Overdub Engineer |
| 2001 | I Blame You | Michael Shelley | Mixing, Recorder |
| 2001 | Elza | Elza | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Instrumentation |
| 2001 | Don't Trust Whitey | James Kochalka Superstar | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, Recording |
| 2001 | Anthem of the Moon | Oneida | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Analog vs. Digital | The Philistines Jr. | Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Artwork, Composer |
| 2001 | All Is Dream | Mercury Rev | Engineer |
| 2000 | Ur-Klang Search | The Dylan Group | Engineer |
| 2000 | Steel Rod | Oneida | Mixing |
| 2000 | Put-Outs Sing the Hits | Put-Outs | Mixing |
| 2000 | Now Is the Time: Live at the Knitting Factory | Alex Blake | Engineer, Pre-Mastering Engineer |
| 2000 | Kiss Without Makeup | Franklin Bruno | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2000 | Eat Crow | Pants | Producer, Engineer, Mastering, Various Instruments, Layout Design |
| 2000 | Come on Everybody Let's Rock | Oneida | Mixing |
| 1999 | Ramda | Mice Parade | Engineer |
| 1999 | More Adventures in Lying Down | The Dylan Group | Engineer |
| 1999 | Enemy Hogs | Oneida | Engineer, Mixing |
| 1998 | Welcome to the Jungle | Jim Rome | Composer |
| 1998 | Too Many Movies | Michael Shelley | Engineer |
| 1998 | The True Meaning of Boodleybaye | Mice Parade | Engineer |
| 1998 | Survival of the Illest: Live from 125 NYC | | Digital Editing |
| 1998 | Heartdrops | The Heartdrops | Engineer |
| 1998 | Dreams Gone Sour | The Absolute Zeros | Producer, Recorder |
| 1998 | Deserter's Songs | Mercury Rev | Engineer |
| 1998 | After the Morning | Katie McMahon | Engineer |
| 1997 | Show & Tell: A Stormy Remembrance of TV Themes | | Engineer |
| 1997 | Pop Pie | | Producer, Engineer |
| 1997 | Play-Off Fever! | The Zambonis | Engineer |
| 1997 | Monkey vs. Robot | James Kochalka Superstar | Producer, Engineer, Various Instruments, Vocals (Background), Layout Design |
| 1997 | Half Empty | Michael Shelley | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 1997 | Dylan Group & H.I.M. | The Dylan Group | Engineer |
| 1997 | Cradle the Balls | Satanicide | |
| 1996 | The Sinking of the S.S. Danehower | The Philistines Jr. | Lyrics, Performer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 1996 | Resonance Found at the Core of a Bubble | | Engineer |
| 1996 | Happiest Guys in the World | Happiest Guys in the World | Engineer, Mixing |
| 1996 | After School Special | Iris | Engineer |
| 1996 | 100% Hockey...and Other Stuff | The Zambonis | Engineer, Illustrations, Artwork |
| 1995 | Thumper | Thumper | Engineer, Audio Engineer |
| 1995 | The True Story | James Kochalka Superstar | Producer, Engineer |
| 1995 | Bingham's Hole | The Mommyheads | Producer |
| 1995 | 1st Bubble Core Records Sampler | | Engineer |
| 1994 | When the Doves Cry: The Music of Prince | Bob Belden | Assistant Engineer |
| 1993 | The Continuing Struggle of The Philistine's Jr. | The Philistine's Jr. | Lyrics, Performer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 1991 | Greenwich, CT | The Philistine's Jr. | Lyrics, Performer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |