This week, I went from talking to the artists and bands that you hear on the recording. But what about the person controlling the process from behind the desk? The all important producer. The individual responsible for not only converting the bands ideas and vision into the actual studio and onto a recording?

Mark Opitz is Australian Music Royalty having started his career with the ABC and then in-house at Albert Music under the watchful eye of Vanda & Young producing AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and The Angels.

In a very short time, Mark became the most in-demand producer in the music industry, being invited to work with INXS. Mark spent many years with the band and discussed his process in his recordings with the band including time spent close with Michael Hutchence during his dark days, being backstage at Wembley for the bands iconic 1991 performance.

Mark reputation spread quickly to America where he was sent an invitation on fax to work with a new emerging band called Guns N' Roses. Mark was asked to produce the bands first album, Appetite For Destruction.

Mark continues to produce today and is now passing on his skills to the next generation of artists coming through. You can catch him in action on ABC's The Recording Studio as well as an Honorary Fellow at the ANU in Canberra.