Tech only

Some of you will know I can't lay anything except the fool. I do a bit of tech sound and lights mainly in theatrical settings, but have also mixed live sound on many occasions. Caught the bug as an apprentice for EMI including spending time at Abbey Road Studios in the late 60's. Claim to fame is swapping out the mics for the Beatles going back to Reslo ribbons as the 'new' dynamics were too harsh according to George Martin. Said Gaffer also told me that the best instrument you have boy are your ears, so look after them.

Have played tracks at previous Thetford and Swaffham Bashes as well as NYE at Shrewsbury. Also have mixed and/or been the ears in the audience for various combinations of Funster bands.

Pet likes;
Any music, especially if live.
Giving kids the opportunity to perform and making them look and sound great.
Taking an average singer and making them sound great.
Analogue sound.

Pet hates:
Compression. It should be very rarely needed.
Over driven gear.
Deaf museo's who have destroyed their own ears and want to destroy mine.
Poor total soundstage.
Music that is simply too loud for a venue this becoming an assault on the hearing.
Those that do not understand sound propagation and believe the gain control and ever bigger amps is the answer to everything.

Sorry, that's quite a list.

That's an interesting list.

In a previous life I drove the sound desk at live gigs and theatre concerts, thoroughly enjoyed it and met some great people along the way.

Just being inside Abbey Road is a dream for most people, but having a Beatle connection and meeting George Martin is off the scale..!

Did you get to meet the band during that time..?

George Martin is quiet rightly regarded as a genius when it came to production. We owe him a lot and his son Giles is continuing to bring us Beatles material in a new light.

I did sound for a Beatles tribute band for a few years, met so many aficionados who knew the most detailed things about the band.

Love your likes/dislikes. I worked with a lot of excellent musos who really understood their gear and knew what they wanted from me. That was great, all on the same page.

But there were also a few who just turned everything up to 11 and expected me to make them sound amazing.

Unfortunately for me, many years of loud music has left me with a tinnitus issue. If only I knew then....!

The Saints said:

Did you get to meet the band during that time..?

Click to expand...

Only as "the boy'. George Martin ran a very tight ship and you did not get to engage with the acts. You went in when told, did what was needed and came out. Taught me a lot about disciplined working though.

Interesting career you have had. I assume you must play as well.

I have come across a couple of museo's with 'all the gear and no idea'. Not Funsters I would add.

Many times I have wished I could actually play an instrument, but apart from being OK on a violin while at school I have never mastered anything.

Best wishes .. Robin

I can imagine George doing exactly that..!

I've been playing around with guitars since I was a teenager, way back in the last century. But it was only when we moved to France in 2012 that I had the time to actually form a band. We were quite busy and if I say so myself, we weren't half bad..!

But covid took my bass player and I never really got over that so Alison and I have only ever played as a trio with a friend, also on guitar.