Beavan started his career as a musician and engineer in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. He played bass and sang in various local bands and also played fretless bass with Clevelander Eric Carmen on the song "Hungry Eyes" on the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack. From 1989 to 1990 he was a member of Humble Pie featuring Jerry Shirley. While working as an engineer at The Right Track Studio in downtown Cleveland, Beavan met Trent Reznor who worked as the in-house programmer. Reznor also played keyboards in several local bands that Beavan mixed. Reznor asked Beavan to mix the demos of what would eventually become Pretty Hate Machine, which had received multiple offers for record deals. Beavan mixed sound during Nine Inch Nails' live concerts for many years, eventually becoming an unofficial member of the live band, and even singing live backup vocals from his place at the mixing console. Reznor invited him to work on The Downward Spiral as well as mix several songs on Marilyn Manson's debut record Portrait of an American Family. After contributing to several Nine Inch Nails remix releases, Beavan mixed and co-produced Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar. In 1996, after 8 years, Beavan left the Nine Inch Nails camp to mix front of house for the "Antichrist Superstar" world tour. In late 1997 Beavan and Manson moved into the Hollywood Hills and started production on Mechanical Animals. Beavan went on to produce and mix records for artists as diverse as Guns N' Roses, God Lives Underwater, System of a Down, Depeche Mode, No Doubt, Slayer, Kill Hannah, HYDE, P.O.D., Paloalto, Thrice, Unwritten Law, MOTH, Kidneythieves, Tommy Stinson, Tiger Lou, Hypernova, and Chronic Future. He also returned to work with Manson, mixing Eat Me, Drink Me. In 2005 Beavan travelled to Chile with 8mm for 2 concerts. Also to record the second album of the Chilean band E-MEN. He joined Rod Sáez Chávez, Diego Sagredo and Daniel Cartes for the recording of the album at Agharta Studios. Beavan is currently involved in his own band with his wife Juliette Beavan, called 8mm. 8mm has an album entitled Songs to Love and Die By which was released in late 2006. Having supported Sean Lennon on the west coast leg of his North American tour the dynamic Trip hop band are currently regulars in the Los Angelesmusic scene and have toured the US and Great Britain. After recently producing and mixing Denver Colorado favorites Meese for Atlantic records, Beavan worked in the studio with Marilyn Manson on his forthcoming album with Chris Vrenna and Twiggy Ramirez at Sage and Sound in Hollywood, then mixed "The High End of Low" at his home studio, The Blue Room. This March found Sean Beavan mixing fellow Clevelanders THIS IS A SHAKEDOWN!'s debut record on the newly formed Reversed Image Unlimitedrecord label. Produced by Multi-Platinum producer Michael Seifert and recorded at Michael's Ante Up Audio located in the heart of downtown Cleveland, Sean mixed the record in their new SSL suite. Beavan recently Mixed 4 songs for Japanese-American Sony Records artist Kylee produced by Jeff Turzo of God Lives Underwater fame, and is currently starting production and mixing duties with Long Island indie faves Envy on the Coast.
Selected discography
Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails – Mixer
The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails – Mixer
Portrait of an American Family by Marilyn Manson – assistant producer, programming, digital editing
Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson - Producer, programming, engineering, digital editing
Mechanical Animals by Marilyn Manson – Producer, programming, engineering, digital editing
When Pure Is Defiled by Jerk - producer
Provisions, Fiction and Gear by MOTH – Producer
Up Off The Floor by God Lives Underwater - Producer, Programming, Bass, Guitar, Noises.
Faith by HYDE - Mixer
Eat Me, Drink Me by Marilyn Manson - Mixer
A Partial Print by Tiger Lou - Mixer
Chinese Democracy by Guns N' Roses - Recording and digital editing, arrangements, initial production, additional production