What's on Issue 81

REGULARS

Got any news about the happenings in your studio or venue? Email Brad at [email protected] or go to the AT website and register online: WHAT’S ON www.audiotechnology.com.au Text: Brad Watts

As always, more is de!nitely more, and the adage mixed an EP for Sydney instrumental rockers, utilises the depth camera technology used in the certainly applies to the studio circuit this autumn. Solkyri. Dax is planning to build a dedicated pro- XBox Kinect where players use their bodies as a "e east coast has been abuzz with recording and level mix and mastering room in Canberra later controller. Jim also mastered a compilation for mixing action. Here’s but a sample: this year – no doubt he’ll keep us all posted. Hopscotch Records and an EP for Melbourne- based electronic out!t, Circuit Bent. Recent Despite the Queensland climate edging back Also amongst New South Wales’ southern studio purchases include a Crane Song HEDD toward what the Northerners call ‘winter’, provinces, the previous month’s frenzy of activity and a Great River MP-2NV stereo preamp. DOMC Mastering is apparently hotting up. at Pirate Studios has been anything but usual, Sounds like Jim’s doing alright… Coming in this month is the !rst single, Tigers, with tracking and mixing completed on Daniel for a soon to be released album from Words Champagne’s album release, Pint of Mystery, for At Crystal Mastering, metal band, Alarum, have Versing Verses. Andy O’Hare returns to DOMC Pirate Records, tracking and mixing for Sydney’s, polished o# their follow-up album. Engineered with some slamming instrumental rock ’n’ roll, "e Lurkers, as well as transfers for Fun Machine by "eron Rennison, the album was mixed on surprisingly well mixed (on cans), while R&D and Rebecca Moore, demos for Ester Jamieson, "eron’s newly acquired SSL E-series console. On records are back with some beautifully produced and a remastering of Matt Southon’s original the hip-hop front, Joe Carra has mastered albums pop tracks. Dom’s new bit of gear – his son – Pirate release, Hollerin. Live videos of Daniel for Pegz, Chance Fitzgerald, and Melbourne seems to be going well, and like all bits of gear Champagne were recorded in Pirate Studios hip-hop legend, Bias B. Producers on the Bias B takes a bit of time to warm up. But when he gets for ABC South East. On the live scene Pirate album, Bias Life, included Doc Felix, Lazy Grey, going, ouch! Dom’s looking for a repro head for provided production for South Coast Shows for and turntable wizz, DJ Bonez. Drapht has also a Studer/Revox C270 – drop DOMC a line if Daryl Braithwaite, Ross Wilson, and Ali Penny been at Crystal with his latest release, !e Life of you’ve got one you can part with. and "e Money Makers. Finally, Captain Dave Riley – the album scored a big number one on Sparks stepped up for guitar duties with "e the ARIA charts. Other cats on the couch include Not quite so far north, Darren ‘Jenk’ Jenkins is Lime Spiders at Monster Session Sydney – an Fortnight Jumbo, Xenogra$, Grumpy Neighbour, in pre-production mode with hard rock out!t event to raise awareness and funds for Multiple HMAS Vendetta, Zen, Harmonic Generator, Polo Shinobi (Eric Grothe Jnr. from the Parramatta Sclerosis. Club, and DJ Havana Brown. Eels), recording "e Strawdogs and mixing an album for progressive metal band, Paradigm. Across the border and into the deep south, Pony Music’s new studio additions include Coloursound Recording Studio in Altona, installing a Neve 542 summing console! "e Heading south, 2011 has been a busy year for Melbourne, saw engineer Tim Johnston hard studio also picked up a second Distressor, producer and engineer, Dax Liniere, at Puzzle at work tracking drums with Brent Deboer a Vintech X81 mic pre/EQ and an Orban Factory Sound Studio. Dax recently completed for a new Dandy Warhols album. Meanwhile, Optimod. Damien Young has !nished an eight-day location recording in the NSW proprietor Mat Robins is in the middle of tracking Mark Seymour’s album with some Southern Highlands with Sydney post-rockers, recording an EP for Melbourne band, One. "e great musicians including: Peter ‘Maz’ Maslen Sleepmakeswaves, while concurrently producing new facility is quickly !nding its feet, with recent (Boom Crash Opera) on drums, Cameron the debut release for fellow Sydney up-and- recordings for "e Complimentary Headsets, McKenzie (Horsehead) on guitar and John comers, Beau!elds. Both records are due this Chinatown Angels, and "e Run Run. Favaro ("e Badloves) on bass. Damien is back year, alongside other Puzzle Factory projects such on the road doing live shows and recording as the debut album from world-fusion group, Also in Melbourne, Jim Moynihan of Spoon Mr Leo Sayer using Avid/Digidesign consoles Takadimi. Dax also recorded, produced and Studios has completed the sound design and and multitracking everything. Troy Mckosker composition for a game: Beat Booster – that

Jaminajar Music Production is Paul overtones’. Paul is also proud of his Najar – conservatorium trained pianist barista skills, and will happily tzujz up and composer, master synthesist, a killer espresso whenever the need recording and mix engineer, producer, presents. Sup your short black and Logic Pro Master trainer, and university take in the ocean view cameos through lecturer. With close to three decades of the trees when you’re not within the working with the local and international acoustically treated control room and music industry under his belt, Paul has recording area (courtesy of Mike Fronzek worked with (and for) many of the best. of Sound Spaces). Jaminajar North is Paul’s third and most The philosophy behind the Jaminajar ambitious incarnation of the Jaminajar equipment is: ‘it’s all about the Studio entity, and has been operational capture’. There’s an ever-growing list of for just on six months. microphones and preamps by Neumann, The opening of Jaminajar North Rode, Shure, Sennheiser, Avalon, API, represents a new chapter for Paul. It’s RME and Focusrite. DAW platforms the first time the facility has been made include Logic Pro, ProTools and Cubase. available for hire purely as a studio. Paul prefers to mix in-the-box with a full By the sea but elevated with views, it’s complement of UAD$ plug-ins, alongside remarkable such a natural location exists his very ‘out-of-the-box’ Prophet %". a mere #! minutes from the Sydney CBD. Jaminajar North: (%$) "%&! '&&& The feel of the space is a combination or www.jaminajar.com JAMINAJAR NORTH of ‘hi-tech minimal zen’ with ‘classical

AT !" recently !nished tracking Ne Obliviscaris’ debut that has already proven to be a valuable asset with is Neve-style with a twist – causing many a album, which is scheduled to be mixed by Jens recent orchestral and classical recordings. grin amongst the SpaceJunk crew. "e band’s Bogren from the Panic Room in Sweden. Troy sweet vocal melodies were captured through an Back to Sydney, and Bob ‘I’m really not that has also !nished an album for State Of East AEA 92 ribbon and JZ Black Hole SE via the dodgy’ Scott has been recording the ‘Gallipoli London – currently sitting at number !ve on aforementioned audio chain. While in USA a Symphony’ music for Anzac day at Studios 301. the iTunes alternate chart. Other studio projects ‘Kickport’ was acquired, which has been to !tted Strings came courtesy of the ACO, brass from include Defryme, Beverly Fraser, and Brook to timEbandit’s 18-inch Mapex $oor-tom, then the SSO, and Turkish instruments were recorded Chivell. converted to auxiliary kick drum duties – we’re by the composer in Turkey. Bob’s been using still waiting to hear back from Tim to see if the At Deluxe Mastering in Melbourne, they’re the ever reliable dropbox.com for swapping claimed louder fundamentals and pure low-end celebrating !ve years in their new digs. Tony collaborative !les. Bob’s also completed a CD gain are realised. ‘Jack the Bear’ Mantz has been keeping out of mix with Dave Symes for Scarlett A#ection, trouble mastering releases for Ganga Giri, Matt live ampli!cation for the Australian Chamber Sydney monolith, Studios 301 , has played host Van Schie, Feenipawl, Tonite Only, Matt Sonic, Orchestra’s for their live music to picture project, to Duran Duran, Angus & Julia Stone, Bertie Dinkybike, "e Scarlets, Kid Kenobi, Bass Kleph, !e Glide, at Angel Place and the Playhouse Blackman, Miami Horror, Jonathan Boulet, Kids Cave Of "e Swallows, Dead Lovers Lane, Josh theatre in Melbourne. Bob rekindled his love of 88, Icehouse, Dash & Will, Wim, Jasmine Rae, Ra#aut, Polar Nation, Dead City Ruins, PurEnvy, for Meyer MSL-4s in Melbourne, claiming they Boy in a Box, and Belles Will Ring all attending and Jane Walker. Projects mastered by Adam sound way sweeter than any line array. He also for mastering. "e Sydney studios have been Dempsey include an EP for Owl Eyes mixed by recorded "e Church at 301 with a 70-piece doing sessions for Mark Ronson, Cold Chisel, Jan Skubiszewski (Jackson Jackson, Kate Vigo, orchestra, then did the FOH for the live show at "e Herd, "e Necks, "e Church, "e ACO, and including bass by Jet’s Mark Wilson), tracks the Opera House. Horrorshow, Paris Wells, Zowie and Dialectrix, for "e Fearless Vampire Killers, an album for while the Byron Bay arm had the Living End "e original Trackdown Studios at Vague Cuts engineered by Jez at Hothouse, moving in for most of March to record an album. Camperdown is vibing along as a full time music singles for New Saxons, Dead Parties (Etienne In Sydney’s 301, the crew have been putting studio, with producer Sean Carey (ex-"irsty Mamo of "e New Black), a seven-inch for some time toward the SSL room, with additional Merc) operating as in-house producer and Raoul McLay, albums for Mushroom Horse and gear arriving including API preamps and EQs, engineer. "e rooms include a vast selection of Fixed Error, and an EP for Indigo & the Bear, Vintech preamps, Universal Audio LA-2As, and vintage guitars, amps, microphones, and a great engineered by Dave McCluney at Atlantis. even more ELI Distressors. Studio 6 is almost piano – all at the artists’ disposal. Aussie son, completed and 301 has welcomed Simon Cohen It’s also been a busy !rst quarter at Oaklands Chris Bailey from "e Saints is in there now! At to the team. Simon’s spent the last few years Recording Studios. "e studio recently hosted Trackdown, Moore Park, the score for !e Killer at East St Studios and has been working with the ladies from Channel Ten’s !e Circle when Elite (starring Clive Owen, Jason Statham and Wanya Morris (Boyz II Men), Jessica Mauboy, the crew recorded a special song for their new Robert De Niro) composed by Johnny Klimek Horrorshow, Spit Syndicate, Hugh Sheridan, compilation album. Written by Claire Bowditch and Reinhold Heil was recorded and mixed by Urthboy, Alphamama, and Dialectrix. and produced by Rockcandy’s James Kempster, in-house engineer, Daniel Brown, assisted by the song has been a hit with the show’s viewers James Ezra, Ewan Mitchell and Nick Rowse. Finally, Blair Joscelyne of Nylon Studios has and fans. "e Oaklands gang were also privileged Trackdown’s Tim Ryan, Craig Beckett, and !nished a hip-hop track for Wrigleys Gum to work with Australian composer, Adam Starr, Jason Fernandez have been music editors on the (featuring Blair himself on vocals) and has also on the feature !lm, Life Before Death. "e studio project. completed a track for Touchstone USA. Blair was the ideal facility for the project and in just recently created the new theme for Dr LeWinn’s It’s been a whirlwind e#ort from the SpaceJunk- under a week captured a vast array of musical skin-care by recording all instruments through meister this year, with the timEbandit absent for $avours – from Middle Eastern instrumentalists a 1960s circuit-bent telephone. Also on air at the most of February beating skins with "e Church through to a full-scale orchestra. Engineer, moment is Blair’s theme track for the Sydney for a 12-date tour of the USA. On his return Damien Charles, has also become a familiar Writers Festival, which was created using an Tim promptly completed and mixed two tracks face at the studio working with acts such as "e old record player and boxes of old records, towards the debut EP for Sydney crooners, Hey Moroccan Kings, ME, Tatu Rei, Cathoel Jorss, which were manipulated with di#erent speeds Big Aki, using his new Phoenix Audio DRSQ-4 and "e Red Eyes. Oaklands recently purchased a and sampled to create an original theme for the mic pre/EQ through an Empirical Labs Fatso Sound!eld SPS200 surround sound microphone festival. Jr as the predominant tracking chain. "e EQ

Pirate Studios is the lovechild of Dave Sparks: Pirate Studios is also home to an obscene amount musician, producer and sound engineer. Founded of musical equipment – to suit an obscene variety in #""$, the studio features a huge live room of recording artists. The guitar collection ranges with two isolation booths, all with double-glazed from the ’!"s right through to current Fender, windows to the control room. Outdoors, the Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, PRS, Martin, Gillet and bush meets the sea, offering visiting artists the Jerry Jones instruments. creative backdrop of Pirate Studios’ acreage Walls of vintage guitar amps make the studio feel bordered by national park, lake and beach – all like heaven with a rock twist. There’s an original on the lush far south coast of NSW. There’s band &(!! Plexi and JTM )'/&"" Marshall, Hiwatt, Vox, accommodation in the studio loft and a private Fender, and Orange amps, along with modern wing in the main house. classics from Reynolds Valveart and Matchless. Centred around a Toft %# console, the facility The &(!! Ludwig drum kit, upright bass, Sho-Bud features a wealth of outboard gear from the pedal steel, Hammond organ and ancient pump likes of Universal Audio, Avalon, Neve, Lexicon, organ offer a unique sonic edge. Drawmer, TC Electronic, and the often called The studio also features a Spinal Tap nativity upon Roland #"& and '"& tape echoes. The studio scene incorporating action figures in sealed offers recording to Otari &!-track one-inch and boxes and the famous Nigel Tufnel Marshall MTR-&" two-track tape, as well as Cubase on poster. a Mac Pro. The mic cupboard is endowed with niceties from Neumann, AKG, Rode, Sennheiser, Pirate Studios: ")"" "#* ')' or Sontronics, Shure, and Audio-Technica. www.piraterecordingstudios.com PIRATE STUDIOS

AT !"