An honor to be able to speak with you.

A few questions, if it's not too much trouble. I'm very curious about your years at Abbey Road and how that's influenced the way you approach engineering (and producing) today.

It's a bit of an impossible question, but could you possibly share with us one or two of the more revelatory experiences you gleaned there, from when you were first starting out, whether it's about something as ordinary as how one mics a guitar, or perhaps a general conception about the way sounds fit together, etc. -- just a couple of "aha!" moments, ideas you picked up there that were important insights for you?

I imagine that in that space of time at Abbey Road, you got to know and possibly learn from at least a few of the "old guard," as well as watch a new generation come in, which must have been a tremendous experience. Do any of those mentors stand out for you now, and do you think we could get you to share one or two of the lessons or perhaps attitudes that they passed on that's important to you today?

And lastly, I imagine you have all sorts of feelings about the recent sale of that institution. Could we get you to share your thoughts on that?

Hope all these questions aren't too burdensome! Thanks very much for taking the time to hang for a bit here at Gearslutz.


Cheers.

Good to see an Old Essex boy like yourself here. I had a great time with you at Abbey road with the Climie Fisher record. You were a dream to work with!!
Best,
DB

Thanks very much for your kind words. I believe that the most valuable lesson that I learned from that truly wonderful place was the importance of the music and the musician. One of the first albums that I mixed had been recorded (badly) in New York. I was really struggling to get the thing to sound good and my lack of experience didn't help at all. However on some of the multitracks there were incredible stereo bounces of fantastic guitars. I assumed that they had been recorded elsewhere or with a different engineer/producer. No they had been recorded in the same place, by the same team. Only after a few days did I realise that these guitars had been played by Dave Gilmour! That's why they sounded fantastic! There was a wonderful lesson demonstrating that the artist/musician is really the most important element in the studio. That's why I have tried to spend most of my career making musicians feel as confident, comfortable and as safe as possible. Of course I also care very much about the sort of equipment that I utilise however this is really of secondary importance. As far as Abbey Road being sold, I don't know anything about it neither does Abbey Road - I was there yesterday with David Foster and Josh Groban.

I appreciate your taking the time to answer.

The sale I referred to is that of EMI itself -- detailed here....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6677875.stm

Thanks again and best to you.


Cheers.

Ah, I see what you mean....... I think that there is a sadness that Abbey Road is no longer owned by a music company but then again EMI hasn't really been a music company for many years.