It is a realy interesting interview. Jeff answers some questions about working with Dowd. I wont go into details here but a couple of things from Dowd were about how panning subtracts from the other side of the sound field and also a bit about where they were at a console and Tom got up about something and turned monitors off and mixed with the meters. Jeff said that the result wasn't really good but the lesson was and it was something that he played with and learned from. I am going to re-read it and I really don't re-read a lot of magazine articles... but this one has some nuggets and subtle things. I think Tom was trying to instill confidence and teach that it is good to get out of your comfort zone and try different things. To think outside the box maybe.
One thing I'll share is how Jeff says Tom would deal with lead singers. He said if the singer was struggling Tom would turn off all the monitors, get up, go into the room with the singer and talk to them with no one listening in and would do whatever he had to do to get them confident and comfortable with whatever talk or substance, lol. I guess singers do need different treatment in the studio sometimes. I can see where they might struggle without the crowd they are used to having. I think he was referencing the Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991 sessions.
Anyway, if you don't get Tape OP you should... it is free both hardcopy and online:
http://www.tapeop.com/subscriptions/us/create/ J