FEATURE

A SURFING SAFARI

AT 34 The story behind the Say, one morning, you were moved by the The morning I came to pay my respects, spirit – swept up in a wave of religious fervour, GANGgajang were assembling down one end recording of Delightful Rain you might say – to record a choir of monks of the room while Mick was busying himself performing a Gregorian chant. How would over his recording rig, resplendent in his Delightful Rain is a you proceed? Would you book a studio and ‘Nothing Sounds Like Tape’ T-shirt. ‘celebration of Australian send a bus to the monastery to pick up the Not just the session’s engineer, Mick is one monks for a recording and overdub session? ’, recorded over a of the key protagonists behind this inspired Or, would you assemble a rig and record the enterprise and a good person to explain its two-week period on location monks in their environment – soaking up genesis: the atmosphere of the chants as they resonate at the Freshwater Surf Life throughout a glorious gothic cathedral? Surely “David Minear, who runs Bombora Creative, Saving Club on ’s the decision is obvious – giving the music and Kerryn Tolhurst [onetime prime mover its sense of place and capturing authentic in seminal Australian rock band The Northern Beaches. For the atmosphere is far more desirable. Dingoes, now a NYC-based music producer] musicians involved it was came up with the brainwave of doing a record There is another religion in this nation girt by and a film celebration of Australian surf all good times and good sea, of course – surfing. And surf culture has its music and culture from the ’60s through to vibrations. own hymns, and recently a few of its disciples the present. From Bombora by embarked on a project to record them in the (probably one of the first really big hit Text: Mark O’Connor & Christopher Holder nearest thing they could find to a ‘cathedral’ surf culture songs – The Atlantics are still – the Freshwater SLSC. The project is together and one of the first bands in on this Delightful Rain a ‘celebration of Australian surf project), through Tamam Shud, Midnight music’ and itself a reference to a lyric in Pete Oil, The Celibate Rifles, Richard Clapton, Howe’s song, I’m Alive, from the soundtrack The Cruel Sea, GANGgajang, Pete Howe of Morning Of The Earth – “I spend a lot of and , then throw in the Pigram time inside the world of delightful rain”. An Brothers and young guys like Beau Young appropriate description of surfing, and the and Andrew Kidman, and you have one project’s producers figured it also seemed to be hell of an interesting blend of coastal music. a perfect description of surf music. Not a re-hashed, re-mastered compilation of SURF CLASSIC previously recorded tracks, but a whole new To accommodate the recording, the surf fresh recording, bringing in new material, club’s Freshwater Room was transformed with a bit of a glance back as well, doing into a temporary studio, an exercise pulled some of those old songs but in a more together by recording engineer, Mick Wordley. contemporary sort of way.”

AT 35 Mick, by the way, downplays his own surfing As I sat back listening to GANGgajang put prowess: “I tried… but I was more the guy the appropriately titled Surfing Around The up on the beach keeping the fire going and World through its paces, it’s quickly apparent making up cassettes.” Nevertheless his passion that this is indeed live recording. There are for the project is obvious. “These are mostly no headphones for the band. All the band set artists who were very much a part of the up in onstage gig formation on a huge rug at backdrop to all of my ‘hanging out’ years. The one end of the room, beneath a huge 16-foot opportunity to record them and work with surfboard suspended from the ceiling. Mick them in one location away from the studio is informs me later that this is the original bloody amazing, to say the least. We booked surfboard on which someone called ‘The this hall out for two weeks. It’s on the beach, Duke’ [Duke Kananamoku! – Ed] – sorry, the doors are open, the waves are crashing in, I’m no surfer – demonstrated the first ever the surfers are out there – that’s the backdrop exhibition of surf board riding in against which the record’s being made. It’s in 1915, right on Freshwater Beach. To revisit quite exciting. Every day’s a new project – we my original metaphor, the ‘monks’ on this gig set up for it, record it and then Kerryn and I should have no trouble catching a wave in this go through all the takes and work out what holy place of surfing. The vibe can’t help but we’re gonna use. By and large it’s all live, find its way into the grooves of this recording. there’s very little overdubbing going on.”

ROB HIRST – MIDNIGHT OIL/THE ANGRY TRADESMEN Midnight Oil stalwart we’ve now co-opted Martin, RH: We didn’t actually see together with a sizzle drummer, , so it’s become a three it as a nostalgia project. We cymbal and a pair of hi-hats. recorded a track with piece… turning into a twin wanted to take that surf That’s the only kit I used… his new band, The Angry guitar/drummer assault. It’s drumming from the ‘60s really stripped down. So, Tradesmen. sounding fantastic. for sure, but we actually you’re right, they were AT: Looks like you were AT: So you obviously found wanted to kick it up the vintage instruments, and having fun Rob! the location conducive. arse with guitars. And I they were all sounding hope that’s what we’ve got pretty amazing on the track Rob Hirst: It was a fantastic RH: I loved the sound of the on the record. as well. afternoon – one of the most room, the air around it, and enjoyable days of recording just the atmosphere of the AT: But you obviously AT: Has the experience I can remember. And part old Freshwater Surf Club, dusted off some vintage kit influenced any future of that was because Martin with its vintage surfboards for the sessions. direction of the band? [Rotsey] from The Oils and memorabilia… It’s a RH: Martin was using his RH: It spawned an entire dropped by as well and I very inspiring place to play, vintage Gretsch Duo Jet album! It’s an album that haven’t played with Martin particularly when you’re through a Vox AC30, and was already on the way, on any project since Pete recording a song called Big Dom had his National but we were so happy with left Midnight Oil. Dom Wave! slide guitar with a Fender that day’s recording we [Turner] and I play regularly AT: Did you get into a Bluesman amp. I set up an thought, let’s finish this off with the Backsliders, and it mindset of that era when old Leedy piccolo snare and make this a project. was Dom and I that worked The Oils were playing pubs drum from the ‘40s, a So it’ll be launched on an up the idea of our band, in Sydney’s north and the [Ludwig] Down Beat bass unsuspecting public later The Angry Tradesmen. But, surf community was getting drum from the ‘50s and this year – as a three piece. amazingly, since recording on board? a Slingerland floor tom that track at Freshwater from the ‘60s… all thrown

AT 36 LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION RECORDING an audiophile experience, and performances going, but that’s been pulled down. Mark O’Connor: Freshwater SLSC is an that have years of depth behind them and a I probably looked at 10 or 15 halls along the inspired and an inspiring location, Mick. confidence that you just can’t miss. And they beaches, and eventually we stumbled across I’d imagine its choice was by no means an have incredible longevity – they just get better the Freshwater SLSC. The original surf hall accident. with age. is hidden in the front of a whole new club Mick Wordley: Well, that’s sort of my passion So as the idea for this project evolved, complex. It’s been tastefully renovated, and it’s really, to get out and record in different thoughts of reverberant beach halls, wooden built literally on the beach. The hall itself is locations, and to take a bit of the sound of sandy floors, sand, waves, loud guitars, and magnificent. The moment you walk into the that location – and more so the spirit of the crusty old PAs started to cement themselves building it sounds exactly like what it is – a location – away in the music. To capture a in our minds – the sound should connect surf hall with a polished wooden floor. A bit of sense of the space we’ve chosen to work in. I’ve the artists, the theme, the hall, and the sibilance, but nothing a few human bodies, amps always loved the connections of the music and performances all together. Kerryn, David, and rugs wouldn’t tame. Perfect. sounds in records that are obviously recorded Chris Moss [another party to the project] and MO’C: What sort of factors do you consider as in one space – recent records such as Willie myself came to Sydney to find a location; you make the transformation from surf club to Nelson’s Teatro or Dylan’s Time out of Mind, basically looking for an old surf club hall, on recording environment? and even oldies like ’ Get the beach, with a wooden floor that had good your Ya Ya’s Out and Neil Young’s Tonight’s the pictures and good sound – somewhere where MW: I trucked all my gear over here from Night. These aren’t slick sonic records and the we could take the whole project and make it Adelaide. My choice of equipment was pretty performances aren’t necessarily tight, but they a journey, an event. We originally wanted to clear. Essentially it was my ‘travelling rig’, which seem to capture a time and place rather than use the Royal Antler hotel where the Oils got I’ve built up over many of these types of projects,

MICHAEL SMITH – THE ATLANTICS Michael Smith offers a exercises the preceding I’m in a doco! Not bad for in the fortnight ahead. personal account of his two nights prepares me a non-surfing kid from We play a seven song set Delightful Rain experience for the punishment my London! (all this lineup knows!) after getting the call-up to hands are getting as we go Monday 15 May and the for a small invited crowd step in for The Atlantics’ over the songs for three recording is now in earnest. of surfers and for The bassist Bosco Bosanac: solid hours. The energy of My hands are throbbing, Atlantics. It’s a wrap. So here I am, Saturday Peter Hood in particular is the band sounds fantastic 13 May, at [The Atlantics’ amazing – those rumbling and everyone’s just so drummer] Peter Hood’s trademark drums never chuffed we’re here. Long rehearsal/recording studio missing a beat. day though, 10am till after in Earlwood, learning five Sunday 14 May and 8pm. new surf instrumentals we’re setting up at Tuesday 16 May: overnight – Riff-a-go-go, Rio, One Freshwater Surf Club for the producer decided we More Summer, Night Star a soundcheck/rehearsal. should do a version of and the ‘Russian’ tune (the Though it’s not officially the Oils’ Wedding Cake guys still hadn’t decided a recording day, engineer Island! Four hours of on a name by the time we’d Mike Wordley is already rehearsing/recording and finished) – as The Atlantics’ taping us as we wobble it sounds like The Atlantics! contribution to Delightful around the tunes, pushed We do a quick version of Rain, and boy am I out of along by an energetic Bombora, so the drums condition! I haven’t played Tolhurst and an excited and bass tracks can be in over two months and no Minear, with the film crew overdubbed by a few of the amount of ‘warmup’ finger never far away. Look Mum, other guitarists coming

AT 37 and balancing their own volume, with just a bit of vocal monitoring through monitor speakers where necessary. The monitors were Genelec 1029As – they’re very compact, and when you’re travelling with your studio in the back of a wagon every piece of real estate is important. The emphasis was on flat recording through great microphones, with plenty of room mics, which I think is the most important ingredient and tool for this type of recording. The mics were all set up, so there was no sound-checking as such. But while they were working their songs and finding comfortable volumes, everything was recorded and levels basically found themselves in seconds. When the players sound good and the hall sounds good and everyone is comfortable, the most important thing is to be in ‘Record’ – fiddling at the receiving end will never make much of an impression on the source.

SEA 12 D re ss e d to i m p re ss : M ic k and it works a treat. It all packs into road Wo r d ley w a s r e s p o n si ble MO’C: What about you, how did you monitor fo r t h e ‘s o u n d ’ o f Delig ht fu l cases and fits into the back of my old Merc what was going to ‘tape’ with all that volume R a i n, f r o m c h o o si n g t h e wagon (just) and can be set up in a few hours. ve n u e a n d e n g in ee r in g t h e around you? t r a c ki n g s e s sio n s (a s w ell With minimal sound-checking, it hopefully a s play i n g h i s Bi n d a r a b ass enables the band to just step up and play. We MW: I set the ‘studio’ up at the other end o n B l u e B a y B l u es w i t h of the hall and was monitoring through T h e P i g ra m B ro t h e r s) to recorded to 24 tracks of RADAR with Nyquist m i x in g t h e alb u m b a c k a t converters, in my view the best sounding and Extreme Sound Isolation headphones… hi s Mi x m as te r s s t u dio in which are exactly that. But there were no A d e l a i d e . most solid recording engine going – unless of course you can load your two-inch machine secrets or surprises as to what was going to into a ute, with a second vehicle loaded up tape – the sound of the hall was inescapable. with tape (which I’ve done many times!). I’m pretty used to recording sounds in a room and I set up four stereo pairs of room mics Each band set up as if playing a gig. We set up all around the room to pick up the ambience, a ‘stage’ – basically a huge red rug on the floor so there’s eight tracks of room noise in in the most comfortable part of the room, everything – and that’s the main driving with a view out to the beach and the waves. force of the sound. Once I’ve got that it’s Everyone recorded without headphones, really just a matter of recording everything everything live, basically mixing themselves – everything’s close-miked as well…

GEOFF STAPLETON track at Freshwater beach warm up, plugged in the liberating and important – GANGGAJANG where the first surfer took Strat, and, mate, it was just about getting the sound GANGgajang’s five original to Australian waters… the most beautiful sound. right first and then just (and only) members laid well, it was one of those Kerryn was just fantastic. recording it. down a couple of tracks. AT magic moments where all He didn’t impose himself, he AT: That elusive spoke to the band’s Geoff the planets were aligned. just had ways of suggesting excitement and verve in Stapleton, for more. Amazing. things that almost made recording is impossible to you think it was your idea. AT: How was your day at AT: It sounds like Mick and manufacture… Freshwater, Geoff? Kerryn’s approach suited AT: And obviously there GS: When you go to record, the band and the session? weren’t days and days to Geoff Stapleton: It was an there’s got to be bit of truth noodle around… incredible experience on a GS: Mick’s a fantastic in it. If the vibe isn’t there number of levels. First of engineer. When we first GS: That’s right. We did it and it’s manufactured, it all, GANGgajang has long walked in I was expecting the old fashioned way. We sounds phony and people been associated with the to see a huge desk, huge went into a rehearsal room won’t buy it. But that’s surf culture all around the monitors and all that, and a couple of days prior to where Kerryn came into world – in fact, more so instead it looked like the the session. We learnt the his own. He created an overseas than in Australia. gear had just come out of a song and made sure we atmosphere that was quite And coincidentally we had briefcase… very Spartan. could all play our parts and magical. this song called Surfing And I thought… geez is this that’s how it was recorded. AT: Sounds like you were Around the World, which going to work? But sure It reminded me of those quite energised by the we’d written together on enough… not a problem. sessions in the past where whole experience! the road as part of our it cost so much to go to a Kerryn Tolhurst’s very good GS: It was a bit of a shot in encore, which had never studio that you had to have as well. I recall that the the arm. Over the last 12 been recorded. So we had your shit together. amp I brought in was just months the band has been only recently been talking not doing my old Fender And Mick’s a real ‘sound working on a double DVD about recording it, and Stratocaster justice. And from the source’ guy – he ‘Complete GANGgajang’ I was keen to get Mick then Kerryn pulls out this wants it to sound awesome release, so we’ve been very Wordley to engineer it. So little all-valve amp – I kid before you even start. focused on the past, and when Mick rang and told you not, it was the size of There’s no ‘fix it in the this project really gave us about the project, and a little radio. We turned it mix’ with Mick. So there us some relevance to the to then actually record the on, gave it five minutes to was something incredibly present.

AT 38 MO’C: Can you take us through that in a bit These picked up the resonance of the wooden more detail? floor and added a ‘boom’ that was subtly MW: Okay, starting with the room mics – at very cool. And being figure-eight, all the rear the front of the stage was a Royer SF24 stereo information from the walls behind the mics ribbon mic, set about six feet in front of the wasn’t missed. and about two feet from the ground. Then way back, right up high against the This picked up the energy from the stage walls, set to omni, were a pair of Studio beautifully, and reflected the stereo spread Projects B-3s – a very cheap mic, but they of the stage set up. All the guitar amps were manage to catch the ‘clash and splash’ of the exactly where they were placed in the image, room just right. but still very tight. That’s eight mics for the room, which was About 12 feet back and at head height was the very much a player in itself and so deserving of Calrec Soundfield mic, set to a 90˚ Blumlein. much attention. When you get the right blend This picked up the more distant energy of the of these it all just comes alive. room, from the centre. I first saw this mic used MO’C: And close miking? “Kerryn pulls out this little like this with Steve Albini in my own lounge all-valve amp. We turned room in front of a drum kit and band, and was MW: For the amps it was always AEA R-92 amazed at how much of the overall sound in or Royer 121 ribbons, with maybe a Neumann it on, gave it five minutes the mix eventually came from this microphone. U47FET every now and again for a bit more to warm up, plugged in the I very quickly spent my Christmas money on crunch. A Beyerdynamic M380 on the bass one, and I’ve used it ever since. Even when you cabinet, through an Avalon 737. Josephson C- Strat, and, mate, it was just wind in just a little of this mic the energy of 42s for overheads and hats, E-22s for toms, and the most beautiful sound.” the room comes through instantly, and like all an Audio-Technica AT25 in front of the kick, great things you don’t need a lot for it to have though not too close. an effect. Preamps were predominantly Neve 1064s, a On the floor at about 45° to the kit and about rack of eight of them with very little or no 10 feet back I had a pair of Coles 4038 ribbons, EQ. Chandler Germaniums and TG-2s, with placed almost on the floor, one on each side. some Universal Audio 6176s and Avalon 2022s

DELIGHTFUL RAIN’S PRODUCER The whole idea for play and produce, even a surf life saving club on blessed by the fact that KERRYN TOLHURST SPEAKS Delightful Rain came about though I’ve spent most of a beach in Sydney where many of the more ‘mature’ from conversations I had that time living in America. each act would come for acts were still playing with David Minear during For many years I think I a day’s recording and vintage instruments (Jim the recording of John was looking in the wrong hopefully we would capture from The Atlantics played Schumann’s Lawson album direction – instead of the some magic. I wanted that the actual red Strat he’d in Melbourne last year. We bush I should have been booming, ambient sound recorded Bombora with way were talking about Hank B looking at the coast where with the pounding of the back then) and amps (Voxs Marvin and ’ most of the population and surf in the background, like and Blackface Fenders). possible influence on culture lives. where the music began. One of the many joys in Australian bands of the With this in the back of Since so many artists were the process of making this early ’60s, particularly the my mind and with David’s involved I figured the room album was re-connecting pre-Beatles surf bands. unbridled enthusiasm, I sound would also serve as with old friends, some of By no accident, David’s started to look at 45 years a unifying factor – a central whom I hadn’t seen for 30 company is called of music from a coastal character. years or so, and finding Bombora, so of course The perspective, starting with After some ‘gruelling’ them to be still on fire. Tim Atlantics were paramount the early surf bands like The location searching by Mick Gaze, Richard Clapton… in our discussion – they Atlantics. Of course, they Wordley and Chris Moss, The Atlantics and Tamam epitomised the bands of got wiped out by the British Freshwater Surf Life Shud both came with a that era. We talked about invasion in ’63 and it wasn’t Saving Club was found to lot of new material, thus doing an album in vague until around 1970 that surf be more than we could have allaying any fears that terms in the near future culture reappeared with dreamed of – semi-isolated, anyone would perceive this based on some of the things its bongs and kombis. Tully, scenic, historic and, best of album as nostalgic. I came we’d discussed. Tamam Shud and surf films/ all, it had that sound. away with the impression I returned to New York and soundtracks like Morning Mick and I have done that every artist involved over the next few months I of the Earth captured the about 10 albums in as many really appreciated the got to thinking about what era, while Richard Clapton years, so we both knew the experience and relished the sort of an album we should so eloquently defined roles we would play. He’d challenge of live recording. do. The last thing I wanted the northern beach scene take care of the tech side It became apparent during was a ‘trip down memory – ‘Sittin’ out on the Palm – after all, he owns the the recording that we’d lane’. I hate nostalgia. It’s Beach Road / I’m so drunk stuff – leaving me free to set up a situation where always been clear to me and my car won’t go’. We interact with the artists and the parallel worlds of that the kind of music we followed the trail through concentrate on the musical surfing and recording make is largely a product early Midnight Oil to The side of things. In a situation came together. When the of where we live, whether Celibate Rifles, to The Cruel like this I wouldn’t work with wave comes you catch that it be the Mississippi Delta, Sea and beyond. We thought anyone else but Mick. moment or you don’t. That maybe we were on to the Appalachians, the urban Mick set the room up in wave is gone forever, but ghettos or, dare I suggest something. The thing was, you come back tomorrow to how to do it? such a way that optimised it, the Northern Beaches the ambience and made try again anyway… of Sydney. Since the early My first prerequisite was for the best way to ’70s I’ve been interested in to record and film it as live accommodate so many acts, finding something uniquely as possible ‘on location’ a day at a time. We were Australian in the music I – meaning we had to find

AT 40 always for vocals if there were any. Almost no compression into the DAW – this kept the whole thing very open, and even in the board mixes this shows. Vocals were mainly through Shure SM58s and an UA 1176, one of my U47s or a re-issue AKG C12. Acoustic guitars were mostly with a Shure SM69, or the C12.

WAVE FILE MO’C: This style of recording would seem to require a degree of flying by the seat of your pants. MW: On the one hand it can be daunting and a bit intimidating because you only get one chance at it – then after all the artists have gone home you pack it all up and go home and then see what you’ve got. But the exciting part is that you’ve captured something in a KENT STEVENS – CELIBATE RIFLES space that you’ll probably never go to again, and you take away with you a documentation The Celibate Rifles started KS: We left the technical life playing surf clubs just stuff to Mick and Kerryn, of that time and place. It’s been a real journey, like Freshwater. Guitarist, which was relaxing for me. and I’m sure when everyone involved looks Kent Stevens, tells us And they knew what they back on that time it’ll have something special more. were doing. It was well about it. And of course, hopefully this will be AT: Playing a surf club must recorded. It all went pretty reflected in the final record. have brought back a few fast and easy. memories Kent? We recorded a new song For me, it was an amazing two weeks. Every Kent Stevens: Yeah, well we had lying around for time I do these projects I want to get out a couple of us grew up ages that we actually wrote of the studio more and more and capture playing in surf clubs. The for a surf compilation about 10 years ago that performances in spaces that invite you in. band did some of its first gigs just down the coast never got used. Then you all pack up and go home. Sort of at North Steyne. But one It was a fun experience and like a picnic really – maybe on the beach. thing’s for sure, Freshwater a good project. I always sounded a damn site better respect people who are Editor’s note: As well as being an than those clubs used to… prepared to take a punt on accomplished recording engineer, Mick because they sounded like an idea. Hopefully people Wordley owns an audio distribution company shite. will support it. There’s a that imports some of the gear he’s mentioned AT: So a pretty relaxed bunch of good musicians and bands on there. in this article. We in no way believe this experience? compromises the interest of this story, but it’s something we feel needs to be disclosed.

“Jim f rom T h e Atlan tics

String ‘em up: ‘Cal’ played t h e ac t ual red St ra t Callaghan preps his Fender for the GANGgajang h e’d recorded B o m bo ra session. w it h way back t h e n”

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