For a young band about to make a record, make sure you get the vocals right.
Normally when I work with bands I'm trying to refine and improve what's already there.
Some artists want a producer to be a kind of svengali - someone who actually creates a sound for them.
I think being eclectic is bad when you're just starting out.
Brian Eno taught us how to use the Recording Studio as an instrument.
Most bands have a sound that they're already identified with, so for the producer it becomes a process of helping them find their muse in the studio to make a record that will not only satisfy them artistically, but will also do something in the marketplace.