Hughes Drive Productions is how I make records. I started it in 2001 and named it after the street where I grew up and built my first studio. What began as a passion project has grown into more than 20 years of recording, producing, and developing music for artists throughout Los Angeles and Orange County.

Hi, my name is Shawn Taylor. I have been involved in music most of my life, studying music in high school and continuing through college, including formal training in recording arts at Golden West College. There I studied under Evan Williams and Tom Kubis, and that foundation still informs how I approach every session. Over the years I have produced, recorded, mixed, and developed more than 100 albums and singles, with work recognized by a San Diego Music Award for Best World Album.
 

At the center of my work is making complete records. I enjoy working with artists from the earliest stages of songwriting through final mixes and masters, helping shape arrangements, performances, and sonic identity along the way. Much of my work has focused on reggae and dub music. I am a founding member and keyboardist of the reggae band The Simpkin Project, and Hughes Drive has recorded several full-length reggae albums and dozens of songs in that genre. That experience has deeply shaped how I think about rhythm, space, low end, and feel, even when working outside of reggae.

I have a deep love for vintage and analog recording equipment, not only as nostalgia but also as a creative tool. I am drawn to the way analog gear responds to performance, encourages commitment, and adds depth and character that feels musical rather than corrective. The studio blends carefully chosen vintage and modern analog equipment with digital tools that provide flexibility without getting in the way of the music.

In parallel with my audio work, I am a college mathematics professor, and the connection between math and recording is central to how I think. Signal flow, gain structure, timing, frequency relationships, and acoustics all rely on the same problem-solving mindset I use in the classroom. Teaching has sharpened my ability to communicate clearly, work methodically, and stay calm and focused in creative situations. That balance of structure and creativity shapes every project I take on.

Hughes Drive Productions is a personal, collaborative practice rather than a high-volume studio. I regularly work alongside other engineers and producers and value the shared process of making better records.
 

If you would like to discuss your next recording project, whether you are working on a single, an EP, or a full-length album, I invite you to get in touch and start the conversation.