New Monday #137

Happy Monday!

Today, let's hear some Richard Thompson.

Richard Thompson

If Richard Thompson is a new name to you, ya got some catching up to do. He's a great great guitarist and songwriter. Now in his late 70s, he started his career with Fairport Convention in 1967. He went solo, then partnered up with singer Linda Pettifer—better known as Linda Thompson. They divorced in the early 80s after releasing a relatively successful album, Shoot Out the Lights, and a successful tour... if you don't count the couple not talking to each other, leaving opposite sides of the stage, and all that "We're a band that hates each other" touring behavior.

Richard's first album was Henry the Human Fly in 1972. Here's a track off it with an incredibly dextrous tapped guitar solo.

Roll Over Vaughan Williams

https://youtu.be/gw43Wqt8Oio?si=bkS29VuvxdVL9Z4d

Henry the Human Fly, and all the early Fairport Convention records, and a lot of Richard and Linda Thompson's albums, were cut at Sound Techniques Studio in Chelsea on... the Sound Techniques A-Range console. I'm guessing this is an an 8-track recording. The Sound Techniques midrange and "pop" is really pretty obvious on this.

Here's another thing to listen to, more Richard Thompson, but more modern.

The Storm Won't Come

https://youtu.be/-55ZWPIVXT4?si=PKBBAPKnpedW07mg

This was tracked and mixed in Los Angeles, at Boulevard Recording, on 24-track analog tape using a Sound Techniques ZR console, by Clay Blair.

Not as bright as Henry the Human Fly, but there's that forward midrange that is characteristic of Sound Techniques. There's a TON of room sound on this recording, which is what you get when you have a really good sounding room in which to record. Boulevard has a really good sounding room.

Boulevard Recording

Boulevard Recording is a fabulous studio that began its life in 1967 as Continental, and then became a major player in the LA Studio scene as Producers Workshop. Steely Dan's Aja, The Wall... Rumors was mixed there. Great records were made there.

It's owned now by a wonderful producer/engineer, Clay Blair. Great records are still made there. The video below came out a few days ago on Agartha Studio Tours. Clay leads a tour of Boulevard, dipping into its history, the gear, the acoustics of the room. And of course, there's a moment with the Sound Techniques ZR console, which is an absolute beast.

Clay shows you Boulevard Recording

https://youtu.be/i4y6Q3U5tyU?si=ys5i1ZkszO7RHP9z

Clay Blair

Clay was one of our Alpha Range beta testers. He's a lovely guy and knows his BBQ. He also, obviously, knows his engineering (Best Rock Album Grammy in 2017 for The War on Drugs' A Deeper Understanding), as well as audio and engineering history. I interviewed him a few weeks ago. Read it at the link below:

A conversation with Clay Blair

I owe a lesson on the ElektraComp on the Sound Techniques Alpha Range Channel, but that will have to wait until next week.

In the meantime, get into the studio!

Warm regards,

Luke