Q. Who are your favourite artists?
A. I would absolutely love to mix a Deftones record, they have always had a massive influence on the way I hear drums and the way I effect vocals. Ever since their first record, I grew up with them and bands like Korn. That whole scene was something that really stood out for me.
I did eventually get to work with them but, Machinehead’s first record! I realised later that Colin (Richardson) had mixed and produced that. It was the heaviest thing I’d ever heard so I just had to know how it was done!
I mixed two records for ‘Gunship’ and they are just a fantastic band that was a step away from what I’d normally do. They’re really pioneering a new synth wave thing. It just gets you right in the feels! To work with them is a privilege and a real contrast to the bands I have previously worked with.
Q. If you weren’t working in music what would you be doing?
A. I love cooking, so possibly something to do with food. A different kind of mixing I guess!
Sometimes my favourite part of the day is going home and cooking the evening meal for me and my wife!
Q. What would your fantasy mic be? (i.e. not one currently in existence!)
A. I like the idea of a modelling mic where you can tell the mic what to do profile-wise and it would output what you dialled in. The problem with the modelling mics at the moment is that they aren’t really committing to anything and you need the software after the recording etc etc….. almost like a DI that needs re-amping. But if you could dial something in and that’s what you got out straight to tape, now THAT would be great!
Q. What are the 4 words you’d chose to describe Aston or your experience with the brand?
A. Great Sounding (Kinda cheating but they do!), Robust & Sassy
Q. What was the first song that made you cry?
A. A recent one, which was actually really hard to mix, it choked me up a lot. I had to keep coming back to it.
Gunship’s ‘When you grow up, your heart dies’.