Coach House, Rockfield

Upon leaving high school, my dream was to work in a recording studio, so I decided to approach local studio owner ‘Kingsley Ward’ for a work placement. It was extremely difficult to get work in this field, but after a patient autumn, I eventually received a call, asking me if I could start for a trial.

The day of my interview, the singer from Neds Atomic Dustbin walked across the courtyard, eating a banana, I knew this was the place to be! I was also shown the piano that Freddie Mercury composed Bohemian Rhapsody on while ‘bumming’ around the studios during the 1970s.

The place was rambling, and the outside farmyard views could not prepare you for the ’state of the art’ studios inside. To a 16 year old lad, It was like being inside a space control centre.

The Charlatans

The Charalatans (With Rob Collins)

I started off as a trainee tape operator, with one of my favourite indie bands of the time ‘The Charlatans’. I can remember sitting in awe of the band, being asked to make tea & coffee for band members and the producer. I was a bit panic stricken as I couldn’t remember all the different requests; some with sugar, some without, white, black, strong, weak, and so on. I delivered the tray shaking slightly, sitting there watching them drink my brew.

It was like a dream working those early days, moving the lead weight tape reels around, narrowly escaping getting crushed by the portable sound proof walls, setting up microphones, watching and listening to the endless rehearsals and band banter.

In Between 10th & 11th

In Between 10th & 11th

It’s still one of my all time top albums, I just love the lyrics and memories it brings back, seeing Tim singing with his jumper sleeves pulled over his hands, perched on a chair, not to mention watching Rob Collins hammering the Hammond organ.

These were the people I’d spent my school days emulating. So to have Tim Burgess ask me where I bought my shirt and jeans from, was slightly surreal – especially when I had to reply “the Bullring Shopping Centre Tim!”.

I remember one time, being totally bollocked by FLUD, for playing my own dance music demo over the studio speakers, just as the band were rolling in for a days recording. It was my first effort at ‘Rave music’ created on a Commodore Amiga, that track ended up getting played on Radio.

Black Sabbath Practical Joke

Black Sabbath

By the time Black Sabbath came to work at Rockfield I had reached seventeen, the L.A. riots had kicked off and Freddie Mercury had died. Both events were watched in the studios by bands recording there at the time.

I don’t think I really understood the importance of Black Sabbath back then, and being into rave, indie and techno music, heavy metal was not something that really inspired me. Their eerie sounds would drift out of the studios, as I waited in the winter darkness for my brother to collect me in his battered old Ford Escort.

I wasn’t supposed to be working with the band, however, on this occasion, I was lounging on the sofa while the band were telling dodgy stories of their hedonistic days. I had gained a reputation as a ‘space-cadet’ by the band, as I didn’t really say much and often drifted into my own little world.

Tony Iommi asked me if I could go and check the large, powerful speakers in the sound proofed studio in front of the mixing console. I trotted down and my voice came over the main studio speakers, “what do you want me to do?”  Tony’s voice came back over the monitor speakers, “there’s a buzz coming out of that speaker, can you check it please mate?”

Paris Angels – Not From Paris And Not Angelic

Paris Angels

Some of the bands I worked with at Rockfield were: The Charlatans, Black Sabbath, The Damned, Crush, Naked Truth, Clannad, Kinky Machine, Paris Angels, Pop Will Eat Itself, Saw Doctors, X.T.C., Rumblefish and various other soloists.

The Paris Angels were another favourite band of the time, these guys were from the “MadchEster” indie scene and we got on really well, there were a lot of them, and certain band members were often up to mischief, the ‘NME acclaimed’ drummer was usually after Marlboro Reds!

They were often back and forth to Manchester. The sad thing is, that E.P. they were working on never made it to release, they were really very talented but a little unorganised, much to the frustration of the Sound Engineer at the time. I seem to remember him puffing on a lot of roll ups.

Their track ‘Perfume’ is possibly one of my all time top songs from that era.

Captain Sensible & The Damned

The Damned

I knew about one Damned song but not much else, so when I was told I would be working with them I couldn’t really relate at the time.

I walked into the living quarter early one morning to discover pellet holes in the walls. The clock on the wall had pellet holes in the plastic cover too. I took the clock off the wall and the pellets rolled around inside like a cheap travel game, I think Mr Sensible had gone crazy with a ball bearing gun the night before. This kind of behaviour was normal for some bands. He must have been quite bored, or maybe angry (I remember PWEI smashing up a guitar for fun).

Music Calling

Towards the end of my time at Rockfield, I found myself drifting into my own music more and more, I ended up day dreaming about being in the band rather than behind the mixing desk.

The Stone Roses

After I left, Oasis and The Stone Roses recorded some of their best material at the studios, and I still keep an eye out for albums being recorded there now. We often saw Ian Brown and The Gallagher’s around Monmouth.

In my opinion, Rockfield is one of the finest recording studios in the world. It is in an idyllic location, has warm friendly professional staff and boasts a rich musical heritage. I hope that the studios remain popular and stay vibrant and ‘used’, they have already helped shape Britain’s audio identity, and the bands just keep rolling in through the doors.