PHOTO : JOSHUA FURMAN
The Beatles recording alongside it . We proceeded down the famous wooden staircase and into the massive live room . As soon as you step foot in the room , you feel the history . Any time I came back into the live room , I could feel the tiny hairs on my neck stand up . The creative energy in this space was absolutely incredible . The room seemed untouched other than the two new isolation booths they just had installed , located directly underneath the control room .
AKB : The band consists of five members : Darren Gooder , the vocalist and guitar player ; Matt Huddleston , the lead guitarist ; Phil Eastman , the bass player ; Matt Anthony , the drummer ; and TJ Wiltshire , who plays percussion . The crew who assisted included filmmaker Joshua Furman as well as two photographers , Lisa Overholt and Belinda Clements , and Chris Langlois , who helped move gear and assisted with anything else needed . So it was 10 of us from the project that travelled to London to record for eight days .
I should also add that my main engineer , whom I trust and often collaborate with on most of my productions , Tal Vaisman , was a big part of the making of this record . Born in Israel , Tal is a master when it comes to the technical side of our productions . He also plays guitar for a band that coincidentally originated from London , England , called Ascot Royals , who currently are signed with Sony Music Canada . We ’ ve been working on records together for nearly five years , so he understands my needs when tracking and I understand his .
PS : So which of the three studios at Abbey Road did you end up choosing and why ? How long were these sessions going to be ?
AKB : Abbey Road consists of three main studio suites . We chose Studio 2 , where the majority of The Beatles ’ songs were written and recorded .
After physically being in all three studios , I ’ m confident the band chose the right room . The walls alone in Studio 1 are about 40 ft . high and about the size of three basketball courts long , and it ’ s mostly used for recording film scores and orchestral pieces . Studio 3 was recently completely
Neve 88RS console in Abbey Road Studio 2 control room
reconstructed , making the choice to record in Studio 2 an easy one . We spent 36 hours tracking half the record at Abbey Road . Since time was limited , we decided to track all the remaining guitars and vocals in a private studio back in Toronto to make sure we captured anything we missed without feeling rushed .
PS : Tell me about the feeling you got first walking into the studio itself , and then when you actually checked out your temporary home within Studio 2 .
AKB : As soon as I walked through the crowded gates full of tourists taking photos , I instantly felt the magic that surrounds Abbey Road Studios . Half a million visitors a year sit outside for hours trying to catch a glimpse of inside the studio doors . The building itself seemed much bigger from the inside , having its own restaurant , which served the healthiest foods I ate during my eight days in London , along with a bar that served many different beers on tap .
After signing in at the front desk , we proceeded down the halls , which seemed untouched over the decades , unlike the modern design that greets you at the front desk area . Hung on the walls beside stern warnings against any photography were autographed plaques and records of artists who have graced the studio , including The Beatles , Pink Floyd , Elton John , Green Day , U2 , Radiohead , Oasis , and Adele . Countless film scores , too – Star Wars , Raiders of the Lost Ark , and Lord of the Rings .
When I walked into the control room , I was surprised at how small the area was in comparison to the live room . In the corner sat one of the old EMI MKIII consoles in all its glory with a photo propped above it of
PS : How did you find the experience of recording on Studio 2 ’ s 60-channel Neve 88RS , which has had some truly legendary music flow through it ?
AKB : In the past , I ’ ve produced records using other vintage Neve consoles , including an 8063 as well as an 8026 , but this was my first time recording on an 88RS . I found this console to stand out from the others I ’ ve used . The sound from this particular Neve was unbelievable – very clean and quiet without losing warmth . Nice , smooth top end , no harshness whatsoever … It was most definitely one of the best-sounding consoles I ’ ve ever recorded with .
It was pretty inspiring hearing stories told by the Abbey Road engineering staff about the recording of certain albums by massive artists like Paul McCartney , Oasis , Foo Fighters , and Adele on that exact 88RS console .
Back across the pond in Canada , I also often record albums out of another beautiful studio in Ohsweken , ON , called Jukasa Studios . They currently now own the 8072 G Series vintage analog console that spent 12 years of its life in Abbey Road ’ s Studio 3 and has also been used to mix culturally massive albums including The Bends by Radiohead . There is also an old inscription down inside the 8072 that reads : “ RIP John Lennon .”
PS : Were there any other classic pieces of gear or microphones you put to use on the record that you found particularly exciting ?
AKB : The microphone selection at Abbey Road Studios is absolutely second to none – anything from large diaphragms and ribbons to dynamic microphones and tube condensers . Most of the mics that we chose were from the EMI Studio era . Before The Beatles ’ Abbey Road album was released in
40 PROFESSIONAL SOUND