A loving work that is always in progress … My aim is to create a world-class studio. 

At its core is a Neve 1073 DPX, one of the most famous mic preamps in the history of music, with two Neve 1073 Class A design microphone preamps with 3-band EQ. For compression I have a Neve 33609/N Discrete Precision Stereo Limiter/Compressor. Onboard effects are a little light as I currently only use a Lexicon PCM91 Digital Reverberator. All other effects are plugins from vendors like: brainworx, Eventide, FabFilter, IZotope, Melda, Soundtoys, Valhalla and Waves.

All this is running into a Metric Halo ULN-8 Mk IV Audio Interface with 8 boutique mic preamps and premium AD/DA conversion. For additional inputs I’ve got an SSL Six 6-channel SuperAnalogue Desktop Mixer.

I’m an Apple evangelist (I bought my first in the 1970s) and am currently running a 2023 Mac Studio with 128 GB of Ram, a 2 TB solid state hard drive, and a 27-inch Apple Studio Display. I’ve also got a brand new Mac Air M3. My Digital Audio Workstation of choice is Apple Logic Pro X which I highly recommend! I’ve also got virtual instruments galore …

I’ve downsized my studio a bit but still own over 20 synths (you can never have too many…) I’ve got an 88-key Nord Stage 2 keyboard with beautifully weighted keys fitted into a custom-made studio desk. I also have an incredible Hammond XK3C dual manual organ in a beautiful wooden stand and a couple of analogue synths including the Dave Smith Prophet 08 and the Moog Sub 37. My other keyboards include: Yamaha MODX6, Behringer Vocoder VC340, Arturia Keylab 49 Mk II, Roland Jupiter XM, Novation Bass Station II, and a Roland A-49 controller. I have a bunch of rack synths including:  Yamaha Motif-Rack ES,  Roland Super JV 1080 (previously owned by Strange Advance’s Drew Arnott), Korg Wavestation SR, E-Mu Orbit 9090, Roland MKS-50 (with PG-300), Yamaha TX81Z, Yamaha TX-7, Korg M3R, Korg Minilogue XD, and a bunch more in storage…

My microphone locker is a little bare but includes a few gems: AKG C414, Neumann TLM 103, Advanced Audio CM 47, Advanced Audio CM 12, two (2) Advanced Audio CM 54‘s, Aston Stealth, Shure MV7, and a Shure SM 57. The sound is greatly improved using my GIK Acoustics Portable Isolation Booth when recording either vocals or instruments.

For mixing and mastering, I’ve got an acoustically treated room and a pair of Adam A7X reference monitors with an Adam Sub7 subwoofer, and two surprisingly accurate pair of smaller reference monitors, the IK Multimedia MTM studio monitors and the iLoud Micro Monitors which I use mostly for mobile recording. For headphones I use the remarkable Sennheiser HD650 for mixing and a pair of audio-technica M50xs for recording.

For guitars I’ve got a Fender American Professional Stratocaster, an Odyssey Joe Keithley JK200, and a Fender Jazz Bass.

For a guitar amp, I’ve got the remarkable Positive Grid Spark 40 with a bunch of cool pedals.

You have to make some concessions in a small studio so my drums are strictly digital. I’ve got a Roland V-Drums kit with a TD-15 sound module and a Roland Octapad SPD-30. I’ve got a couple of drum machines including the Roland TR-8S, a classic Roland TR-707, Roland TR-09, the Yamaha RX-5, and Roland TB-03 for bass lines.

I am surrounded by inspiration in my studio – in part because I am surrounded by those who inspire me. I am surrounded by autographed photos of some of my heroes including John and Yoko (holding their War is Over poster–Yoko signed it), Muhammed Ali (towering over Sonny Liston), and the father of EDM, Giorgio Moroder, his muse, Donna Summer, and the Pointer Sisters.

I’ve also got signed albums, photos, or lyrics by some of the greatest keyboardists (and most often songwriters and vocalists) of all times including Elton John, Rod Argent (Zombies/Argent), Robert Lamm (Chicago), Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals), Rick Wakeman (Yes), Gary Brooker (Procol Harum), David Stone (Rainbow), Sarah McLachlan, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Tony Banks (Genesis), Dennis DeYoung (Styx), and Carole King.

As a huge fan of electronic music, I have a patchbay and photo signed by Moby from his studio that sits beneath my patch bay.