Decline of the studio

[Asterix]

A lot of mine would include other musicians who would probably prefer not to have some of their antics revealed on a public forum

Here's the sort of classic thing that would always surprise (and delight) me.

Rockfield - would have been the summer of 97 or 98, I can't remember exactly as we did two sessions in Wales, the other being at Mono Valley just down the road.

Anyway, we're in the Quad studio for a number of weeks and we've all got our own little accommodation 'units'. One day I go back to mine to find that a number off my Playstation games had gone walkies. I find out that the new 'guest' in the Coachhouse studio has requested them. I was getting into Wipeout so I go over to see if I can get it back.

Knock, knock - 'Come in' - Oh! Hello, Can I have my game back please Mr. Iommi. We hung for a bit and I got my game back.

Not worthy etc...

[GetCarter]

ReaderScars said:

Would love to hear any anecdotes from the recording industry (either side of the glass) from any of you guys who work/have been involved in recording/engineering/production...

A few that may entertain. First up some pain in the arses...

A VERY famous singer (who'd better remain nameless) arrived at Battery Studios in her 4x4 and manage to hit not one, but three cars whilst trying to reverse park. She stormed into reception (where I was standing), threw the keys at the chap working there and said 'You park it!'

One of the Spice girls demanded Earl Grey Tea whist in Angel, which the assistant bought up, placing it next to her. He then went back to continue his Pro Tools work. She waited a minute then said "Isn't anybody going to pour this for me?"

I was playing in Ronnie Scots supporting Nina Simone for the best part of three months in the late 1980s. She was a right Prima Donna demanding more money almost nightly. One heated argument (before the gig had started) saw her throw a chair at Ronnie, storm out and not return that night. That left about 300 Nina Simone fans crammed into the club with only us to play 4 sets instead of two. That's 5 hours of material to people who hadn't come to see the support band! [snarl]

I have endless stories of engineers behaving badly. A chap I used many times name of Brian New locked a tape op in the machine room and left for the night as he'd pissed him off. (Isn't that unlawful imprisonment?). We had a producer who kept fiddling with the desk whilst we were trying to mix, so the techie guys made a box with faders with a lead connected to the desk and told him he could now fiddle as much as he liked as he had overall control of the EQ. The box was, of course, empty, and I kid you not... it took him the best part of two hours to figure it out.

I could go on... but won't.

[Jazzy Jefferson]

Raygun said:

In recent years a good percentage of the top studios have closed, Townhouse on Goldhawk Rd, Master Rock on the Kilburn High Rd, Mayfair in Primrose Hill, Maison Rouge in Fulham plus loads more here and in America.
Everything seemed to go downhill around the turn of the new millennium with record companies not giving huge advances, the rise of pro-tools for cheap recording, the downgrading of music in general all played their part in the demise of the studio.
Bearing this in mind I can thoroughly recommend Dave Grohl's film Sound City if you get chance to watch it,the film is based around the Neve 8028 console which was used to record some of the great albums of all time, a beautiful sounding analog console.

It's simply that the technology has become available to the "mass market." Of course, you don't get the skills and experience included... that's a different conversation

I've just spent a week in a London Studio, recording on what they claim to be a top end SSL set up with pro tools, the works. And lovely it was too.
However, for less hassle and money I could have got the same result in my studio. These days, the equipment is so good, if you've got the right stuff, you'll be doing good work. There is still scope for music and recording studios, but the traditional "model" if you will is long gone. That said, our studios seem to be getting more business as time goes on, so perhaps not. Who knows.

Edited by Jazzy Jefferson on Tuesday 12th May 12:11

[Jazzy Jefferson]

GetCarter said:

We had a producer who kept fiddling with the desk whilst we were trying to mix, so the techie guys made a box with faders with a lead connected to the desk and told him he could now fiddle as much as he liked as he had overall control of the EQ. The box was, of course, empty, and I kid you not... it took him the best part of two hours to figure it out.

I lol'ed
We have the DFA Switch/button for that. (DFA - Does F All)

[DanoS4]

Yep, we had a DFA button on our old console too. Also did the "deaf engineer mixing by spectrum analyser" joke to a client......

TBH, most of my stories are a little bit close to the bone, and certainly not for public forums

However, we did convince one chap that there was a smell in the bottom of the swimming pool, and could he go in and check it out....

The was one chap who was billed for the "soiling of an SM57"...... we found him on top of the building roof with it inserted where the sun doesn't shine.....

Lovey moment - one singer who shall remain nameless refused to sing because the carpet (scrap) she was stood on was the wrong colour.

One assistant got the sack off a project for making the wrong shade of hot chocolate...... re-hired instantly, of course.

One session I was relaxing with a game of pool, and the local lap-dancing club girls were invited back to the studio..... just as I'm about to pot a ball, I'm asked, "Do you like my cl1t-ring?" as she proceeds to flap it out on the corner pocket.....

Many many others but I think I'd better stop there

Edited by DanoS4 on Tuesday 12th May 13:03

[Miguel Alvarez]

Jazzy Jefferson said:

GetCarter said:

We had a producer who kept fiddling with the desk whilst we were trying to mix, so the techie guys made a box with faders with a lead connected to the desk and told him he could now fiddle as much as he liked as he had overall control of the EQ. The box was, of course, empty, and I kid you not... it took him the best part of two hours to figure it out.

I lol'ed
We have the DFA Switch/button for that. (DFA - Does F All)

Have another Lol. I've done a little studio work, nothing on the scale of you guys but I can rest assured even down the bottom end of the totem pole you still have idiots fiddling with DFA button thinking they're P.Diddy and they've reinvented your wheel.

I remember one guy adding a cow bell sample to a track I'd produced as I wasn't at the mix. A one hit mind. Not a pattern. A one hit. He then proceeded to demand co-production credits. Lol.

[Jazzy Jefferson]

Miguel Alvarez said:

I remember one guy adding a cow bell sample to a track I'd produced as I wasn't at the mix. A one hit mind. Not a pattern. A one hit. He then proceeded to demand co-production credits. Lol.

That's kinda what I do

[Asterix]

Jazzy Jefferson said:

Miguel Alvarez said:

I remember one guy adding a cow bell sample to a track I'd produced as I wasn't at the mix. A one hit mind. Not a pattern. A one hit. He then proceeded to demand co-production credits. Lol.

That's kinda what I do

Yeah, but... if that cow bell hit is exactly the right thing at exactly the right time, it can be one of those little things that us musos absolutely love.

Trevor Horn does stuff like that all the time.

[Jazzy Jefferson]

Asterix said:

Yeah, but... if that cow bell hit is exactly the right thing at exactly the right time, it can be one of those little things that us musos absolutely love.

Trevor Horn does stuff like that all the time.

It was more take the entire credit for a single hit

Usually... needs more cowbell. Standard.

[Asterix]

Jazzy Jefferson said:

Asterix said:

Yeah, but... if that cow bell hit is exactly the right thing at exactly the right time, it can be one of those little things that us musos absolutely love.

Trevor Horn does stuff like that all the time.

It was more take the entire credit for a single hit

Usually... needs more cowbell. Standard.

or... 'nearly got the cowbell right in the mix, nearly, just a few more hours...'

[Jazzy Jefferson]

Asterix said:

or... 'nearly got the cowbell right in the mix, nearly, just a few more hours...'

hehehe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Rhh_4GZmU

[anonymous-user]

Jazzy Jefferson said:

It's simply that the technology has become available to the "mass market." Of course, you don't get the skills and experience included... that's a different conversation

I've just spent a week in a London Studio, recording on what they claim to be a top end SSL set up with pro tools, the works. And lovely it was too.
However, for less hassle and money I could have got the same result in my studio. These days, the equipment is so good, if you've got the right stuff, you'll be doing good work. There is still scope for music and recording studios, but the traditional "model" if you will is long gone. That said, our studios seem to be getting more business as time goes on, so perhaps not. Who knows.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 12th May 12:11

I tend to agree with you,you may have the same results in your home studio as with a top end SSL console and all the pro-tools you could ever want but it you will never get the same sound as going through some Neve 1073's, Neve 8078 and onto a Studer A800.
The late Big George Webley who I admired for his musical knowledge once said music started going downhill in the early 80s and we've ended up where we are today, a far cry from the mid to late 70s when music was at it's peak, we were spoilt in all genres at the time whether you liked the west coast sound Aja by Steely Dan, Rumours by Fleetwod Mac or punk with The Clash, dance music with Chic, the choice was endless and all good quality.

[GetCarter]

Raygun said:

...the west coast sound Aja by Steely Dan...

Bringing these two bits of thread together. I was talking to an engineer who worked with Steve Gadd (90% of you will know, but if not, he is a bit of a drummist and played on Aja), and ...

...bear in mind it was in the days of 2" tape: The sound check had been done, and they played the track down, so he could get a feel and do his thing. Steve was then told that it sounded great and they'd do a take - to which he responded:

"What?"

"We'll take one Steve"

"You didn't take that?"

"No"

"Listen guys, when I play you take, got it"



Almost as good as a sax player (that also played with Donald Fagen - you may know who I mean) who asked for the lights to be turned off in the studio so that he could get more of a feel for the third take of a solo... and then promptly left during the take!

[Bebee]

GetCarter said:

Raygun said:

...the west coast sound Aja by Steely Dan...

Bringing these two bits of thread together. I was talking to an engineer who worked with Steve Gadd (90% of you will know, but if not, he is a bit of a drummist and played on Aja), and ...

...bear in mind it was in the days of 2" tape: The sound check had been done, and they played the track down, so he could get a feel and do his thing. Steve was then told that it sounded great and they'd do a take - to which he responded:

"What?"

"We'll take one Steve"

"You didn't take that?"

"No"

"Listen guys, when I play you take, got it"



Almost as good as a sax player (that also played with Donald Fagen - you may know who I mean) who asked for the lights to be turned off in the studio so that he could get more of a feel for the third take of a solo... and then promptly left during the take!

Gadd is a god! I've been watching this over and over, listen to the roll he does at 1:15, just brill, he has the most natural feel.
Here he is paying homage to the great Buddy Rich who died a year or so before this concert was performed. Rich played 'keep the customer satisfied' in his set for years, and Gadd played on the original, so this is fitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=181-cW9FNTU

[Jazzy Jefferson]

Raygun said:

you will never get the same sound as going through some Neve 1073's, Neve 8078 and onto a Studer A800.

True. But I find for modern recordings, such loveliness is not required. I'd bet most decent studios have the above equipment, gathering dust in the corner, I know the one I've frequented recently has.
No one can be bothered anymore when the computer does it all for you. And arguably, at a better quality.

I'm not sure I agree with Webley. The 80s and 90s etc has some amazing music.

Edited by Jazzy Jefferson on Wednesday 13th May 10:20

[Jazzy Jefferson]

GetCarter said:

Bringing these two bits of thread together. I was talking to an engineer who worked with Steve Gadd (90% of you will know, but if not, he is a bit of a drummist and played on Aja), and ...

...bear in mind it was in the days of 2" tape: The sound check had been done, and they played the track down, so he could get a feel and do his thing. Steve was then told that it sounded great and they'd do a take - to which he responded:

"What?"

"We'll take one Steve"

"You didn't take that?"

"No"

"Listen guys, when I play you take, got it"



Almost as good as a sax player (that also played with Donald Fagen - you may know who I mean) who asked for the lights to be turned off in the studio so that he could get more of a feel for the third take of a solo... and then promptly left during the take!

Awesome. Steve Gadd is great

[anonymous-user]

Bebee said:

Gadd is a god! I've been watching this over and over, listen to the roll he does at 1:15, just brill, he has the most natural feel.
Here he is paying homage to the great Buddy Rich who died a year or so before this concert was performed. Rich played 'keep the customer satisfied' in his set for years, and Gadd played on the original, so this is fitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=181-cW9FNTU

Don't forget 'the Purdie shuffle'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ZbmU6aR98

[Bebee]

Raygun said:

Bebee said:

Gadd is a god! I've been watching this over and over, listen to the roll he does at 1:15, just brill, he has the most natural feel.
Here he is paying homage to the great Buddy Rich who died a year or so before this concert was performed. Rich played 'keep the customer satisfied' in his set for years, and Gadd played on the original, so this is fitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=181-cW9FNTU

Don't forget 'the Purdie shuffle'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ZbmU6aR98

Have you heard JB doing it in the studio?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14GYov0EdyQ

Edited by Bebee on Thursday 14th May 23:27

[anonymous-user]

Bebee said:

Have you heard JB doing it in the studio?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14GYov0EdyQ

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 14th May 23:27

Excellent!
Interesting that you mention JB's playing and his half-time shuffle on Fool In The Rain, recorded at Abba's Polar Studios, a year later Genesis went there to record Duke and I reckon Collins listened very closely to FITR when he wrote Misunderstanding!

[Elderly]

Asterix said:

Those Neve desks were fantastic