‘It is inherent in the nature of this business to hoard equipment’ – this business being equipment rental and the speaker being Chris Headlam. Specifically, high-end theatre equipment rental, as dispatched by Headlam’s London-based Orbital Sound operation.
Clearly, any rental company’s inventory is essential to its operation. But what happens when the inventory begins to handicap the company?
‘Almost from the beginning, there were students who were interested in learning in the studio, so an apprenticeship programme developed. Music technology courses developed and we added – to our knowledge – the only Master of Music Jazz Studies Degree with a Major in Music Production in the US.’
From the outset, Jazz Lab Recording Studio Director Brian Gorrell was central to the action and to recent developments...
John Leckie has produced or engineered records for everyone who’s anyone in rock’n’roll. He’s picked up countless awards and accolades along the way, and been inducted into the Record Producers Hall of Fame by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page.
He has also been in the front line of just about every technological change to impact on the way music is recorded…
‘I hate the term audio postproduction. I hate it!’
The head count at the table of the very agreeable Soho restaurant has temporarily been reduced to two, as the smokers take a break outside.
That leaves Hackenbacker head Nigel Heath making a confession he might have found less easy in front of studio staff and PR.
Anywhere there is a mixing desk, engineers have seen digital systems pulling ‘outboard’ processing inboard – in just the same way guitarists have seen their custom pedalboards challenged by digital multi-effects.
For some this is progress but for others it’s a loss of individuality and control. All agree, however, that it’s inevitable. All want to know what’s coming next – and the guitarists are ahead…
