Mike Patton & The Avett Brothers Debut AVTT/PTTN — Produced & Mixed by Dana Nielsen
The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton have teamed up for a groundbreaking new project, AVTT/PTTN. I had the honor of co-producing and mixing the album, and the first single ‘Eternal Love’ is out now. Listen below, then keep reading for the story of how a kid mowing lawns with a Walkman ended up in the studio with one of his musical heroes.
Listen to "Eternal Love"
From Mowing Lawns with a Walkman to Co-Producing with Mike Patton
A Full-Circle Moment in My Music Journey
If you’d told my high school self that I’d one day co-produce and mix an album with Mike Patton, I never would’ve believed you. Back then, I was just a kid hustling for video game money by mowing lawns and babysitting. Always the little entrepreneur, I even had business cards printed up that read: “Dana Nielsen: Lawn & Child Care.” 😂
But behind all that, music was the real obsession.
The Soundtrack to My Teenage Years
With my trusty yellow Sony Sports Walkman clipped to my side, I blasted Mike Patton’s legendary voice above the roar of my lawnmower. Whether it was Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, John Zorn, or the Judgment Night soundtrack, Patton’s fearless creativity fueled my teenage summers.
When I finally got my driver’s license, my friends and I would rush to our favorite all-ages Chicago club, The Metro, to catch Mr. Bungle live. Those nights cemented a lifelong admiration for Patton’s work.
Connecting the Dots: Slayer, Fantômas, and The Avett Brothers
Years later, in 2009, I recorded Slayer‘s World Painted Blood album with my dear friend, producer Greg Fidelman. And yes — I couldn’t resist pestering drum icon Dave Lombardo with fanboy questions about his time with Mike Patton in Fantômas.
Fast-forward to 2015: I met Scott and Seth Avett while working on The Avett Brothers‘ True Sadness. We clicked instantly and have been collaborating ever since. Over the years, one of our recurring conversations has been our mutual admiration for Mike Patton — the kind of “What if someday…” dream talk you never expect to come true.
The Dream Project Becomes Reality
And then it happened. Together with Mike and Scott, I had the honor of co-producing and mixing the AVTT/PTTN album. To say I’ve been giddy with excitement from day one would be an understatement.
The album’s first single, Eternal Love, is out now — and it’s been surreal to finally share it with the world. The full album will be released on November 14, 2025, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Gratitude and Collaboration
A huge thank you to Mike Patton, Scott Avett, and Seth Avett for trusting me with this incredible music. Big love also to the amazing teams at Ramseur Records, Ipecac Records, 30Tigers, Marcussen Mastering, The Bakery, and Deep Feel Talent Co.
This project has been one of those rare, full-circle moments where the kid with the Walkman meets the grown-up mixer in the studio. And I’ll never stop being grateful for that.
If you're an artist, manager, producer or A&R, I'd love to learn about your project and how I can help!
