Minneapolis' hottest producer

It was all too commonplace to hear John Fields recount the making of the Melismatics' new album at Flowers Studio, the recording hideaway in Uptown Minneapolis owned by Ed Ackerson and used by countless local bands.

It was, however, a bit shocking to hear the burgeoning producer also talk about working there on records by mega-famous tween-pop acts the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

"Oh, yeah, I've done a lot of work there," said Fields, who used to play in the Twin Cities funk-rock band Greazy Meal and now splits his time between here and Los Angeles.

Still basking in the glow of the Jonas Brothers record "A Little Bit Longer" -- which debuted at No. 1 a month ago and got an unlikely four-star review in Rolling Stone -- Fields said he brings his work to town as often as he can. He doesn't actually bring the stars to town, but he brings their recordings here to mix and to add parts, often enlisting his local stable of friends such as Michael Bland and Ken Chastain to perform on them.

"What can I say? I know a lot of great players here," he said.

Talking about the Jonases, he said, "It's only been 18 months since I first met them, and we've already churned out like 18 tracks, with many more to come. They're amazing songwriters, and I think they will be around for a long, long time."

Funny to think that just three years ago, Fields' pet act was R-rated sex-me-up singer Har Mar Superstar, whom he actually recruited to rap on a Jonas Brothers song (alas, his part was scratched). In between, he produced tracks for such pop-rock bands as Jimmy Eat World and Rooney (he plans to start recording with the latter this week). And he earned a wholesome pedigree producing for the semi-Christian band Switchfoot and singer/actress Mandy Moore.

Fields produced Cyrus' latest hit single, "7 Things," as well as the new album by another teen starlet, Demi Lovato, which debuted at No. 2 last month. He said he has no qualms appealing to teen and pre-teen girls.

"When the Beatles appeared on 'The Ed Sullivan Show,' who was there screaming in the crowd?" he said.

But he still wants to work with rowdy and rude local bands, too, like the Melismatics.

"Who's the next big thing in Minneapolis?" he asked. "I want to work with them."

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER