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Producer · Engineer · FOH

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Chris Fullard

FOH Engineer

Chris Fullard is a Front of House sound engineer with a preference for live and loud. He has worked with a host of top artists including the likes of Tim Hecker, IDLES, SUNN O))), Ulver, Chk Chk Chk and many more.

Boris, Chrome Hoof, Goatsnake, Ulver, IDLES, Art Brut, Kelis, Neneh Cherry, Autechre, Squarepusher, This is Not This Heat, Factory Floor, Chris & Cosey,

Chris Fullard

Starlight

Spirit

Origin

It's close to midnight...

At an early age Chris was exposed to music by his parents. Their influence helped him to expand and develop his interest in the art as well leading him to explore instruments including the guitar and keys. The first concert Chris went to was to see the late Michael Jackson, performing his Thriller tour. This formative musical exposure developed into a love of music and an interest in the craft of audio engineering,

He got a degree in audio engineering, studying at the SAE Institute in Brisbane, Australia, and learned both the old and new ways of recording:

“It’s good that I know about tape and how to work with it. Of course, then I had to learn Pro tools… its cool though”.

He decided to concentrate his time on live sound over studio recording. “It was easier to get a job as a live sound engineer than in a studio. I mean everyone wants to be in a studio. I started working in live venues, just really small ones… then moved into touring.”

Finally, a real guitar band

“My first tour was with a band called Art Brut, I worked with them quite a lot. That was my first proper touring. We did loads and loads of touring. Years…"

Since then Chris has built a stellar credits list with a wide range of major venue-filling acts including, most recently, the UK punk rock band IDLES, who scaled the album charts in September of 2018 with their album Joy as an Act of Resistance.

“Their Manager called me up and was like ‘I got a band you’d be interested in I think you’d be perfect for them, it’s your kind of thing. I checked it out and on my first show I mixed them, and I thought ‘this is a good band! A proper guitar band."

Chris’s ear for good and loud music, combined with his technical knowledge, has led him to a point in his music career where he can be a bit more selective on his projects, and the kit he uses for capturing the artists he works with…

Top to Bottom, Quality

Spending most of his time in a live sound environment there are certain pieces of equipment that Chris can’t go without. When it comes to touring set ups he prefers a line array by D&B or L’Acoustics, with the Midas Pro series desk also making it onto his essentials list. His set up for guitars includes the Palmer DI at the top end, Seinnheiser e906, and an Aston Spirit for the bottom end.

“With IDLES, I used the Starlights on the overheads, which are great. Amazing. I use them on the modern setting, which is great. I love that setting. I can hear the difference, when I flick them on, like really clearly. It’s really cool you can actually hear the sound changing… We used the Origin for live recording as well, faced into the audience for ambience. Really cool.

For Tim Hecker, I used the Starlights, he plays with a traditional Japanese ensemble, I used them on the wind instruments and the vocals … It works perfectly”.

The challenges facing an IDLES sound engineer...

Out-takes

Q: Who are your favourite artists?
A: Slayer, early Metallica, AC/DC, Midnight Oil.

Q: If you weren't working in music, what would you be doing?
A: God knows, I don't.

Q: What would your fantasy mic?
A: An indestructible vocal mic, the amount of vocal mics I go through, you wouldn't believe. I need something that can be dropped, handle sweat, water, the lot.

Q: Could you use 4 words to describe Aston, or your experience with the team?
A: Helpful, reliable, excellent, awesome.

Q: What was the first song that made you cry?
A: Mad World - Tears for Fears.

Credits

Idles rock Glastonbury

Aston artists Idles fulfilled a lifetime ambition by playing to a packed crowd at Glastonbury.

Aston artists triumph at Kerrang Awards

Aston mics continue their ascendency at the major rock and metal awards ceremonies, with more recognition for our artists, producers and users at this year’s mega-influential Kerrang Awards

Aston band Idles scoop Best Album at Ivor Novello Awards

Aston band Idles have had their critically acclaimed second album ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance’ honoured at the prestigious Ivor Novello Awards.

Tim Hecker’s epic shows captured with Aston Starlights

FOH engineer extraordinaire Chris Fullard is on the road with Canadian electronica wizard Tim Hecker, a traditional gagaku ensemble and his collection of Aston Starlight mics...

Idles guitarist Lee Kiernan on sick mics and sh*t keyboards

After a short-lived relationship with a ‘shitty’ Casio keyboard and an even briefer encounter with the bass (which he ‘hated’), Lee Kiernan arrived at the guitar, the instrument he now wields for raucous megaband, Idles.

Live and loud with FOH engineer Chris Fullard

Chris Fullard is Front of House Sound Engineer of choice for some of the biggest acts around. His credits include Boris, Chrome Hoof, Goatsnake, Ulver, IDLES, Art Brut, Kelis and many other major venue-fillers.

Aston mics survive IDLES attack

Q Awards Best Breakthrough Act winners, and Aston favourites IDLES, are on the road in the midst of their world tour, and anyone who has seen one of their high-octane live shows will know the venues the band plays, and their equipment, can take a right hammering…

IDLES scoop Q Awards gong

Our friends IDLES have won ‘Best Breakthrough Act’ at this year’s prestigious Q Awards, sharing top spot with fellow UK punk band Goat Girl. The band also performed at the Q Awards awards ceremony at the Roundhouse in London, along with ‘Best Live Act’ winners Wolf Alice. Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller were among the other artists to be honoured at the event.

Adulation and outrage as IDLES steal show on Later with Jools

Aston mics’ favourite post punks IDLES caused a storm on last night’s Later with Jools Holland with a high-octane performance of their single, Danny Nedelko.

Aston punks IDLES straight in at no 5.

Congratulations to IDLES! The Uk punks’ latest album, Joy As an Act of Resistance, has entered the official charts at no.5.

IDLES Announce New Album and World Tour

The critically acclaimed Punk rock band have been using the Starlight and Spirit on their current European tour.

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