| Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 11:59 AM Subject: The Diks Demo tape Nov 78-Jan 79
I'm Paul Hutley, The Diks, We did a demo session at Spaceward and I'm trying to get hold of a copy of the 4 tracks on CD. Please would you be able to help me? Thanks in advance Paul Sorry Paul, neither Gary nor I have a copy of this. Perhaps some kind person with a copy will see this and get in touch. |
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Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 1:26 AM
Hello whoever runs the Spaceward site, Jim Abbiss here, the photos really take me back, very nostalgic. I'm still making records & remember my brief time at Spaceward, as an assistant engineer in 1986, very fondly. I learned a great deal from Owen & Mark best, Jim. Hi Jim, great to hear from you and that you are still in the biz. Please be sure to send over any sessions you engineered that I may have missed and I'll add them to the discography. Stay well! Best regards, Mark |
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Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 12:09 PM Dear Spaceward Heilo to Gary Lucas. Thank you for the Rabbits (Kitchen Parties) , The Gangsters (the album) and Stortbeat. 1977-1979. Just putting this material on a website: www.thethreeradicals.co.uk/audio . Ten or so Spaceward recordings on there. In a week or so they'll be up Neville Laing was the artist by the way. Great site
Thanks Shane :) Please be sure to send us full details of those sessions so we can update the discography. |
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Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 10:55 PM My name is Barry Considine and I have done a lot of research about Iron Maiden around that time and can provide him with further information and perhaps a couple of photographs (although not from that session).I am not sure if you have his email address or not but if you do I was wondering if you could forward this message to him. To give an example of the research that I have published on line so far I have been working on a tribute web page for the band Urchin (Iron Maiden guitarists Adrian Smith and Dave Murrays old band) which can be found at the following location http://evilways-urchin.webs.com/ and have been in contact with the band members including Adrian Smith. I have started work on pages for the related bands Blazer Blazer, Broadway Brats, Headlights, Berlyn. I am also working on a web page which will list as many recordings made by Iron Maiden members past and present (including Hughs brother Paul) which can be found here http://maidenrelations.webs.com/ (Note: work in progress). On a Spaceward Studios aside. During some research I came across Tony Miles who used to play guitar in the band Gibraltar (fronted by former Maiden singer Dennis Wilcock). Gibraltar recorded there demo at Spaceward around 1979/80. I will have to tell him to drop a note on the forum. Dennis Wilcock also recorded here in 1978 with the band V1 (which he formed after leaving Maiden). Maiden Bassist Steve Harris was so impressed with the V1 recording that he chose Spaceward for his demo. Would appreciate any help you can give me. Kind Regards Barry Considine Hi Barry - many thanks for your email - absolutely brilliant info! |
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Sent: Saturday, December 26, 2009 2:55 PM Hi, I have a12” vinyl – Raindance by Mike Smith recorded at Spaceward Studios in 1979 engineered by Mike Kemp and produced by Mike Smith and Gary Lucas. I knew Mike in the late 70’s after he returned from the Middle East and lived in Levenheath, Suffolk. Does anybody know what became of him? Clive |
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Sent: Saturday, November 28, 2009 10:23 AM Hi there, I am Werner from the German punk outfit called the AHEADS. We did the recording for our only album at Spaceward about the end of July 1981. I remember that I choose Spaceward because I liked the Mekons Single "Where were you" . It is still one of my alltime favourites. By that time there was no affordable Studio in Germany that could deliver that kind of sound. You just had installed the 24-track. We recorded 16 songs in 6 days with Joe Bull. We had a great time in the studio and great Kebabs in the evening in Cambridge. And we had a really great sound in the studio. Then it came down to the cutting process at Porky’s. Porky immediately found out that there was something wrong with that recording and after a phone call with Spaceward it was that the Dolby System did not work properly. As we did not have the time to do it all over again Porky tried his best to make it sound. But it never was the sound we had in the studio and we were unhappy with things all our live. The Record later sounded like there were 2 blankets above the speakers. Never the less the Record was received very well in Germany and is still an object for collectors. You can buy it at ebay for 75 euros. As there is still so much interest in the Band and the music we are trying to bring it out on CD now. I remember that we took the 24 track and the master tape to Germany. The 24 track was used for other productions later - I think. Our record Company “ Aggressive Rock Produktionen” was sold to “Sanctuary Records” some years ago and than later to “Universal”. I did a request at “Universal” but there is no such thing as a “AHEADS” mastertape. We are about to remaster the album from Vinyl – but now I had the idea to ask you if you probably have an original or copy of that mastertape we took down to Porky’s? That would be unbelievable! Anyway – I enclose some pictures from the AHEADS at Spaceward. You can find out more about the AHEADS – we broke up in 1983 – under www.myspace.com/thosefuckingaheads. I hope to hear from you have a nice day
Werner Hi Werner, many thanks for your post and also for the photos and sound sample all of which I have now posted in the discography here |
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Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 1:15 AM A bit presumptuous maybe but I was blown away with the production back then thanks to Gary Lucas. Released on Clay Records from Stoke on Trent. The second single before Discharge inexplicably took off and arsed everything up. It was myself who insisted on draggin' the band to a cold and windy Cambridge back in April 1980 (I was 16!). Played a lovely old Gretsch kit I remember - with a sublime warm analog sound to the other instruments - including some pretty primitive synths.. Crucially the recording made us sound a hell of a lot better than we were. I hated the label, logo, the sleeve artwork and probably the rest of the band but loved this recording. Can't get a drum sound like it today even on my TD12. Mike Stone who started Clay took a few others there after us. Love to see more pics of the old place - I wish it were still there. What became of Gary post Strangled?
Thank you for the very kind compliments - ah, those were the days! |
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Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 5:11 PM Hi, Hi Dean, many thanks for your email - great to get all the info for the discography and photos of your session in 1982 - see here. |
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Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 1:02 PM hello from the disco students - we recorded three singles at spaceward - and on 23.10.09 we're supporting 'stiff little fingers' at friars club, aylesbury. |
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Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 2:58 PM Hi, I’m Bill Brown, the sound man in the Krakatoa picture taken in Majorca. No longer with glasses or hairstyle, but have replaced them with an equally memorable appearance. (check out www.handlebarclub.co.uk) Unfortunately I had split from the band by the time they recorded at the studio. I am still in constant touch with Nigel and have met Roger and his wife on several occasions. In fact we all got together once again last night to celebrate 4th of July (yeh strange one) but Nige’s new missus is from the US of A, I am still in touch with Pete Hadrill, the original ‘roadie/driver’ for the band. ‘Roadies’, such an old terminology now. They’re all ‘guitar/keyboard drum technicians’ these days. It probably still amounts to the same, over-worked and under paid! Nige is still playing well and his talents have been grossly under recognized, Roger is still performing and still pulls a mean face. I’m still ‘doing’ sound and have been an engineer since, flitting between rock’n’roll to theatre to corporate events over the years. (Check out my website www.libraaudio.co.uk) Sorry to hear about Terry’s health, he was such a good performer. I wonder what happened to Elana Harris, his predecessor. If anyone picks this up, it would be interesting to hear back. William Brown sound@libraaudio.co.uk Libra Audio 01892662700 |
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Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 5:03 PM Hi my name is Steve Lewis and we recorded our welsh language record at your studio on Feb 5th 1979 have sent you a copy of our sleeve showing us outside your studio then I am the one in the white trousers,We were from Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley and recall meeting you in the Pontardawe Festival Which you did the P.A and sound one year do you have any badges as i lost mine during many moves. Do you have any archives or any recollection of us being there as i am trying to make up a scrap book. The record company was set up by a guy called Geraint Williams the single was his first and being a friend of Richard [Morsie] Guitarist ,We were his first venture and the company was called Buwch Hapus[Happy Cow records] number of the record was MW1[Moo 1]I still play but now 6 string at a local venue we have a guitar workshop every tuesday night.our english band name at the time was Vortex and the song was an interpritation of our song called Journey .Trobwll is a storm or trouble in welsh hence vortex. Cheers Steve Great to hear from you, Steve! I've added your session (and photo) to the Discography for which, many thanks :) |
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Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 12:37 AM Hello, I recorded with some friends at Spaceward 13th November 1983 and mixed the two tracks we recorded (a flute-led instrumental called 'Green Lanes' and a poppy 'Changing Faces') a few days later with Joe Bull. We weren't a band as such, though we all played together on various other projects, so the session went under my name. I played bass, spanish guitar and recorder and did the vocal on the pop song; then there was Mike Williams on flute and alto sax, Andy Thomson, who now runs Gighouse Studios in Leamington Spa, on electric and acoustic guitars, Dick 'Buzz' Burrows on drums (he had been drummer for Coventry-based ska band 'The Swinging Cats' ), and finally Magali on clarinet. The session went well after a late morning start, I remember seeing a very tired Gary Lucas there, who had been up all night on a session with Jean-Jacques Burnel ......... best wishes |
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Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 7:14 PM hi, we recorded at spaceward in October 1978 with our band stepping stones.. our guitarist glynn dug out the last remaining cassette of the session and fortunatly it is in really good nick.... i can still picture us all falling down the stairs with a hammond C3 hot on our tails glad to say that no one was hurt... and then there was the moment when this lovely looking red head strolled past us all with just a towel round her and proceeded to take a bath in the room across from the mixing room the lads where all excited when they took turns looking through a fairly big hole in the wall..... cheap thrill's but good times of being 17 and not a care in the world.... if you like i will e mail you a couple of trax hope to know if anyone remebers this?? cheers tony |
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Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 6:14 PM
Hi Guys!
So glad I found you, I recorded at the Basement in ' I think it was Victoria Street '.. in 1978-79ish..I'm sure Mike Kemp was the engineer... what a guy... he made us sound terrific...
We were a band from S.Wales by the name of DAYS of GRACE... www.showcaseyourmusic.com/daysofgrace we recorded four songs with you, and came back the following year to remix some others..
Great time, great memories, a supurb studio, and crewe..... I would love to send you mp3's of the songs, also some then and now Pix........
So good you've resurfaced......
Keep the faith, and KEEP THE FLAME ALIVE...
Yours... Dave Evans |
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Sent: Sunday, March 29, 2009 12:09 AM
Hi I remember those early days when I was going out with Clive Wells and came to Cambridge to sing folk music with him and others. Heather Woodhead (Was Heather Cross) http://www.myspace.com/heatherwoodheadmusic |
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Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2009 9:45 AM
Hi there, Anyway, I wondered if you had any photos from that session - probably around 78/79. No, sorry Hugh, we have no previously unseen photos of the Iron Maiden session. But great to hear from you! |
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Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 1:25 PM
Hi Mike/Gary |
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Sent:
Thursday, February 12, 2009 12:37 PM Hi Mark, You may know this as you have worked with Billy (Gray) but I saw a few of your replies on various sites with regard to Syd (Roger) Barrett in Stars and some Spaceward recordings and some Corn Exchange gigs. Billy was
the drummer in The Last Minute Put Together Boogie Band when MC5, Satrs
and Skin Alley were on the bill back in 1972... I was at that gig and
I also saw Stars play at Fisher Hall despite internet Billy also had previously played drums in a band called The Smoke. The pre Billy joining line up had had a hit with my Friend Jack eats Sugar lumps... check the link out http://makemyday.free.fr/72/mc5_posters_1972_1.htm Cheers Ted PS... Still have the Spaceward Boxes for The lonely Sessions and Chris Hamburger Spaceward Sessions and some of the printed Spaceward cassettes of old Waves 1976 demos!!! Plus I have several Gold Rabbit Spaceward badges and the white Rabbit badges... and the old Spaceward track listing 24tr sheets
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Sent:
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 6:28 PM Hi Mike, Gary, Ted and anyone else who has been involved with the legendary Spaceward. During the late 70's I had heard of the studio through musician friends and ads in the music press and was particularly impressed by a demo which my old friend Phil Campbell (now of Motorhead) had . Phil had been an avid fan of Terry Bennett & Sassafrass and had managed to avail himself of a copy of Krakatoa's latest demo which contained such delights as "palm of your hand" We laughed when the meaning of the song was explained. I was impressed not only by the musicianship but also the quality of the recording and made a mental note to visit the studio if I ever got the chance and the cash! I moved to Cambridge in 1982 and fell in with a dubious bunch called “Seven Fifty Four” (see Honey for Tea album) Pete Whelan (vox,) Pete Harris (guitar), Andy Clarke (drums) and bass player, Alan Cheney who occasionally did tech work for "studio time in lieu" and recorded a track a self penned ditty entitled "Give it to Me" (sorry Alan but to me, your guide vocal sounded like 4 cats locked in a cellar)! He asked if I would provide some keyboards to liven it up a bit. Always the “ligger”, I leaped at the chance to record without paying. Ted Hayton engineered and was an absolute pleasure to work with and taught me a lot about both engineering and patience. I remember toiling late into the night a number of times using my trusty Yamaha SK 20 and the house Minimoog. Was it really true Ted, that Dave Stewart wanted to know how I got the choir sound on that track or were you just boosting my confidence? On my birthday I remember Ted allowing me to sleep over so that we could work later even though I had to get to work in Cambridge early the next day.….no crabs involved though! Mike was always on hand with his friendly advice and wise words especially when at the pub! I was quiet in those days and didn't say a lot!
I went on to join/form Cheap Sneakers see www.btinternet.com/~stuart.pledger/history/cheapsneakers. I then formed Camera Shy with Graham “Honey Tonsils” Buxton, Bob Winch, Bill Terry, Paul Foulsham and later, the talented Chris Maitland where we took most of the the prizes (except First Prize – a day at Spaceward) at the infamous First Cambridge Rock Competition. Graham and I went on to have endless free recording time at Chris Dennis’s Metronome studios in Chatteris where we honed our recording skills working with Steve Brooks and (briefly) Julian Dawson amongst others. Camera Shy (Mk2) fronted by Graham ended up being mentored by no less than Don Airey of Whitesnake and Gary Moore fame. With damaged hearing I moved back to Wales in 1987 and have been involved in many projects including working with Phil Campbell and his very talented sons. Refurbishing and finding good homes for old Hammond Organs including a L100 for Coen Molenaar of Jan Akkerman’s Band. Unfortunately Spaceward’s missing C3 was not amongst them. I’ll never forget those formative experiences which led me into such interesting musical territory and taught me so much about the business. Chris Bartlett Sent:
Sunday, August 31, 2008 2:39 PM Hello Mark, I worked at Spaceward in 1987 as a tape-operator/assistant engineer. I worked with Owen, Mike, Rachel, Dean and (You on some voice-overs). It was a very interesting job for an 18 year old! Here are some of the sessions and artists I worked with: Jacko Jakszyck & the Dizrythmia album. The Art of Noise album - In No Sense? Nonsense! (Ted Hayton and I recorded the boy’s choir in Ely Cathedral) Katrina & the Waves - With Alex's very load Drumming! The Stranglers - All Day and All of the Night 7" VICE1 Jack the Bear - Bearfootin The Fatback band - rehearsed in the studio before a live gig. Gaye Bykers on Acid - rehearsed with us for a week after they were signed with Virgin. Steve Breeze - Demo Tony Leonard (glitter band) – Producer
Owen Morris introduced me to sound engineering; my job was to calibrate the Studer A80 24 track Tape recorder and the Dolby A system with test tone tapes and an audio oscillator. The Mixing desk was very advanced at the time, with a computer to store and recall settings. The desk could be controlled via SMPTE time-code which was recorded onto track 24. It was my job was to clean the spilled Vodka & Lemonade and cigarette ash out of the faders every week! Later I engineered on night sessions. Everyone I worked with at Spaceward were very encouraging and I learned a lot in a short time. It was in 1987 when the studio was burgled, whilst I was asleep in one of the back rooms at the studio. The control room was broken into and outboard equipment was taken from the racks. We lost our Lexicon reverb, the AMS sampler and other kit. It was a real shock to me as I had been sleeping whilst the burglary took place. In fact it was probably a bit of good luck that I didn't wake up and go to investigate! That’s how good the sound proofing was there. After Spaceward I worked at Heathrow Airport in radio repair, travelled around Asia for a while, then worked in the cellular telecoms industry during the 1990's. Today I live in Cape Town, South Africa, were I have investment properties and work in the Film industry. Thanks for putting up the Spaceward web site. Attached herewith is a photo of myself at that legendary desk - note the "crappy AM wireless" monitor speaker used for checking the sound through a low-grade speaker. Best wishes to all my old friends from Spaceward 1987. Patrick Scott Hi Patrick! Fantastic to hear from you!!! I've added your sessions to the discography and I just love that hat! |
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Sent:
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 2:39 PM Hi there. A long shot, I know, but I found a fleeting reference on your site to Ivy Todd Farm, Ashdon (it's in the "stories" section, in an email from Jim Gillespie.) I'm trying to find out historical details of this farm for a book about the Riding for the Disabled Association camp which took place there every summer between (about) 1973 and 2002: the current owners moved in in about '73, and claim that before they owned it, it was some sort of hippy commune. Do you or any of your musician mates know any more about it? Any information would be extremely gratefully received. With kindest
regards, |
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Sent:
Thursday, April 03, 2008 10:01 AM Hi..great to stumble across your site..brought back lots of memories..still have the tracks we recorded there and they are now on cd along with lots of other stuff, including rare Spriguns tracks that were never released! Wayne Morrison is back in Australia but most of the band are still gigging round Cambridge. A really informative site and much appreciated. Dick Powell Hi Dick, great to hear from you - please send me the dates and other details of the sessions for the discography here :) |
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Sent:
Sunday, March 30, 2008 10:42 PM Hi Dve
,& all you guys. Sorry Terry, I've lost Roger's email but he should read this here eventually and then I'll put you both in touch :) Thanks for your kind comments. Best wishes! |
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Hi Mark, As promised a thousand years ago, here's The Higs at Spaceward in a nutshell + a couple of photos. We've spoken a little in recent months about doing a reunion show or two, but availability of all 5 members and a large dose of cold feet about it all means that it remains somewhere near the back burner...
Best wishes, Terry Many thanks Terry - there's a place for you guys in the Hall Of Fame :) |
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Sent:
Monday, February 18, 2008 10:55 AM Hello, Hi
Neil, The Pink Fairies were definitely on top form that night and played
a blinder! We hope to see this released one day but, so far, we haven't
found a label who'll release it. Thanks for the info re the book BTW
:) |
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Sent:
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 3:36 PM Roger Dave Oakes here, your effects and keyboard roadie of old. Seems you are doing OK, not as well as Hans but who is? (who'd of thought such a pretentious keyboard player would do so well). I'm now involved in software - indoor work/no heavy lifting, not as much fun as being on the road, but it pays a tad more. Spaceward looks good, do you remember the Maison Rouge studio? I really liked that place, or was it the babe on reception I really liked? it was such a long time ago. Anyway it's good to know you are fine, do you still hear from beefy, I imagine he's not aged particularly gracefully - I know I haven't! Best Wishes
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Sent:
Saturday, January 26, 2008 12:14 PM Wow this site brought back memories. From the feverish aniticipation once we had stuck the pin in the Spaceward ad in the back of Melody Maker, to our arrival in the very posh town of Cambridge. Even the Berni inn was dauntingly upper crust. April 1979. We were "The Big Bad Nasty Band", three hopefuls from deepest rural Yorkshire who managed to record at least one track at Spaceward, "Flying Cats", that made it to the playlist of a NY rock radio station. Why Jimmy Page cannot reconcile himself with the fact that his creative juices may have simply dried up and borrow it (as I have suggested on many occasions) escapes me. Gary was the engineer - a real trooper who despite the fact we had only booked the sudio for the day kept going until gone 2 in the morning, and tidied up some loose ends the next day. I believe he may have started to regret having installed the false window and curtains with artificial daylight behind intended to offset the permanent seasonal affective disorder that comes from working in a basement all day. Unfortunately it had the same effect on us as fresh oxygen and free poker chips in a Las Vegas casino. As it turned out this was probably the start of the middle of the beginning of the end for us - there's no more subtle message than the desperate look in the eyes of a seriously sleep deprived engineer to tell you that your 12 string intonation stinks, and that adding ever more eventide harmoniser (didnt you just love that thing!) to dodgy vocals won't fool the A&R types. So we had no option but to move on from the rock n roll dream and become the presidents of international stockbroking firms etc. As I sit here down the road in Saffron Walden all these years later holding the mastertape with Gary's hand written track list there's just one thing that continues to erk me, especially being unable to play the tape. I simply can't remember playing anything called "Equaliser azimuth 12 decibels below din level" or somesuch - sounds way too Floydy for us.
Hi Richard, many thanks for this welocme addition to the discography :) your email made me laugh out loud! |
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Sent:
Thursday, January 03, 2008 4:41 PM dear jim, i am doing various bits of research about the halcyon daze of yore and am possibly going to do a website for formerly fat harry - hux records are about to release a cd of unreleased recordings by them in feb 08. goodbye for good is steve brink still around? if not who would be good to corroborate all those live gigs, dates, line-ups from 70/71 at the dorothy etc? been huge fan/supporter of the soft boys since 1977 and still good mates with mr rew best wishes nigel cross |
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Sent:
Saturday, December 29, 2007 11:27 AM
Best Regards ... Peter Robinson
Absoulte gold!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! :) Sent:
Sunday, December 09, 2007 4:34 PM Remember
Spaceward when it was in a front room off parkers Piece, before they
got all posh. Was always fascinated by Mike`s homemade kit & how amazingly well it all performed. Highlight for me was sticking the front of my enormous 2x15" bass cabinet into the chimney in the basement live room to record it on one occasion. Bit
hazy on titles but mine was "Me and you", Wayne Morrison had
"Sunrise in South Australia" and "Suzy Girl" Happy days! Wow! Fantastic, thank you!I've updated the discography with your info :) |
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Sent:
Friday, November 09, 2007 2:44 AM Hello Spaceward Studios, My name is Caleb, I run a NYC based record label called Sacred Bones. I am working with the band 13th Chime from Cambridge on re-issuing there music. There first single "Cursed" was recorded at your studio in 1981 by one Joe Bull. Since then the band has lost the masters for there music, and at this stage we are forced to use the vinyl as the master. I know that this is a total shot in the dark, but they wouldn't still be kicking around there would they? Even if not, I would love to know if you have any information or any stories from the sessions. I am trying to compile any and all information that I can. I would really appreciate any help. Thank you so much for your time! All
the best P.S.- Holy shit, what a discography you have!!!! Hi Caleb, I don't have this but I've emailed Joe in the hope that he may a personal copy. Hello to 13th Chime and good luck with the re-issue! |
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Sent:
Monday, October 08, 2007 8:30 AM
Hey also it'd be great to link The Users myspace page !!!!!
Thanks Chris - got it! :) |
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Sent:
Tuesday, September 18, 2007 11:23 AM Hello
... I've just discovered the Spaceward history site, very interesting
... especially as I used to help out Mike and Gary in 1975 and 1976
while they were at Victoria Street, and took a couple of the photos
that you've posted on the site (the Lewes castle ones). I'm in the process
of scanning many more old pictures from those years, are you interested
? Fantastic!!! Please, please, PLEASE - send those scans :) |
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Sent:
Tuesday, September 04, 2007 6:26 PM Love looking at the site and remembering my time there when I was recording with Spiritwalk after winning the great Cambridge rock comp in 1998 .. Now back playing again with some friends in my village, having a great time and finally making the move from endless covers to own material. I was on
the guestbook earlier and said I'd return when we had a myspace page.
Well, its still very much a "work in progress", and the songs
are basically live takes, but give a clue as to where we're at. What
I'd really like is some quality studio time! http://www.myspace.com/cambsshed feel free to check it out. We will be improving song versions, adding new material, videos and maybe a few gig listings if we can generate some interest. cheers |
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Sent:
Wednesday, August 01, 2007 12:13 AM
The master lost was recorded in the 'Mark Two' studio in Victoria Street and featured the 'new' (I think it was called). ADT which basically automatically double-tracked the vocals or whatever. Bang up to date, i am playing now with a great St Albans based singer-song writer called Pete Waters and his band - Ballyhooley - with me still on mandolin as in the Spaceward days down in the basement!! He's just
cut a new album and is looking for pressings etc so have passed your
details onto him. All the best to all out there and Mike Kemp, you still owe me that pint from the pub near the Victoria Street studios! Bruce Fursman
of Bruce & Dave |
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Sent:
Friday, July 13, 2007 4:25 PM Hiya, stumbled across the site. We did lots of pressings for Spaceward Studios "back in the old days! I was a young girl then!! I have found a Master Tape 1/2 " of "Legend". Does it belong to anyone there? Does anyone want it? It is dated 17/6/84. If I come across any others (doubtful now) I will let you know. SRT is still going strong but all CD or DVDs now. Anyone wanting any quality Mastering work with Print & Pressings then please look us up. www.soundrecordingtechnology.com
Fantastic
news, thanks! Glad to know SRT still going strong :) |
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Sent:
Friday, June 08, 2007 10:05 PM I'm the
gormless one peering over the edge of the Hammond - C3 wasn't it ? Hi Steve, great to read your post :) Yes, it was a C3. Delighted to see the recent release of "Money & Time" by The Great Divide on Gott Discs btw - so many good tracks there! |
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Sent:
Saturday, May 19, 2007 7:14 PM Hi can you help? I am trying to track down a guitarist caled Roger Adams. He played with Krakatoa and The Desperate Dan Band. Back in the late sixties I played with Roger in a couple of local Brighton bands but have lost touch over the last few years. I would be grateful for any contact info or details of any gigs he may still be doing. Hope you can help Mick Fardell |
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Sent:
Thursday, May 03, 2007 2:26 PM Hi
there Hi Richard, thanks for the heads-up. Ezio is great! Good luck with the band :) |
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Sent:
Sunday, April 15, 2007 2:20 PM Just found the Spaceward page and thought you might want a couple of pictures I took of Julian Cope during the recording of Fried at Spaceward up at Streatham. I went there with Jon Lewin who was interviewing him for Making Music magazine. I should also have some pictures of the Radio Cambridgeshire broadcast which I'll send on when I can find them. Also played harmonica on the 2nd Fish Turned Human ep, didn't know there was a 3rd one, and harmonica on the Hearthrobs, as well (same label as FTH I think, but not in your discography, I've got a copy and sleeve somewhere and can scan these if you want them). Regards, Wow! Fantastic!!! Many thanks for this info David :) I am delighted to add these lost items to the discography |
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Sent:
Friday, March 30, 2007 2:31 AM Dear Spaceward It's not tooooooo late to give us a contract. We've been waiting (nigh on) 20 years. Folks are starting to do cover versions of our stuff! Well I hope this finds you well. You'll have NO idea who I am but have a look here, please: http://www.myspace.com/theoriginalhippies
Don't matter if not! All the best Matt NB: Definitely
get yourself onto the old MY SPACE. Is easy and fun and strangely life-affirming. |
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Sent:
Monday, February 05, 2007 11:13 PM Hi Mark, What a great site, a real blast from the past etc! I saw Ali's comments and just wanted to expand on/echo them a bit. We used a lot of different studios in the '80's and none came close to the unique vibe or the sound of Spaceward (not even a famous EMI studio in NW London). Our first sessions there with you were easily the best and even now sound great. To answer your question, no, none of The Brotherhood stuff made it to vinyl and perhaps its just as well considering how horrible the music business is. I have a large selection of photos from the various times we recorded, there are equipment shots, Spaceward personnel pics, cat shots etc. If you'd like to include any of them on the site I can pop 'em in the post. Good memories. Best wishes Duncan
Ferguson |
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Sent:
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 6:58 AM Hi we recordered at Spaceward in spring 1980 Chelsea Girl and I Remember on this link, no idea who did what engineer etc, lol!! http://myspace.com/thezerosband Great to find the Spaceward thingy, you should 'myspace' too! THE ZEROS Many thanks for the heads-up - The Zeros session now added to the Discography :) |
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Sent:
Sunday, December 10, 2006 11:08 PM Hi 'Space' men and women! We/I am still trying to locate a stereo master that the Boyo, Dave Dut and myself recorded 'down' in Victoria Street in the late 1970s. It featured tracks such as 'Nothing Really Matters', and probably the best song we ever wrote and recorded called, " Love Me Forever". I only have an old cassete, (Mike's copy) and would love to get hold of the quarter inch master again. Hope to
get some pics on the site as soon as this old PC dies and I get a half
decent one! Great stuff! The session has now been added to the discography. Please, please, PLEASE send those pics! :) |
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Sent:
Saturday, November 25, 2006 8:43 PM Hi Many thanks Richard - yes please let us have that pic of the cover art :) |
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Sent:
Sunday, October 22, 2006 9:19 PM Hello. I hope this information is of interrest to you and your site. Best regards |
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Sent:
Wednesday, October 18, 2006 11:09 PM Hi, Noticed you've listed the Diamond Lil single on your site and thought you might be interested to know the full recording date, it was the 27th September 1976. Would have been nice if the band had told me this BEFORE the sleeves got printed.... Take care, malc Thanks malc - exact date now added to Discography :) |
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Sent:
Tuesday, October 17, 2006 6:19 PM Hi Mark, Just to let you know, the book's finished now (some info attached). One day we'll crack the mysteries of Raw Records! Anyway, thanks for your help. Alex PRESS RELEASE NO
MORE HEROES Release Date: October 2006 Cherry Red Books Punk rock: it’s a well-worn subject, but this new book extends the searchlight beyond the King’s Road, Roxy and West London – though that crucial scene is by no means neglected. It also encompasses some of the truly fantastic music (and sometimes truly less than fantastic records) that emerged in the wake of the Sex Pistols. The idea has been to give the progenitors their due, but to listen to the reverberations around the UK, from Exeter to Inverness. Participants (musicians, fanzine writers, observers) recount first-hand stories of flea pit gigs, desperately financed singles and local rivalries – punk as it was understood and lived on the ground. The enduring impact of punk belonged to the shires of Britain as well as the celebrated urban gene pool of the capital, where it played out, with a mixture of indomitable personal courage and amoral teenage mischief-making, amongst the alienated of shitsville UK. In the process punk is revealed as a much broader church than other histories have depicted, an entry point for young men and women (and a significant helping of old codgers) from differing backgrounds, with widely ranging sensibilities and aspirations. The book assesses each of the major ‘punk artists’, candidly, on their output, following their development to the present day. There’s an effort to redress perceived wisdom about the value of those careers as the 70s turned into the 80s, when many of the original punk bands actually made their best records. While many names will be familiar others will not. Hence time is devoted to punk’s splintered personality post-1977. From those bands that took it as an inviolate template, to those who embraced it as a rebirth for the original spirit of rock ‘n’ roll to those, finally, who judged it the end of rock music and a jumping off point for something completely new. There is no unifying view or theory behind these accounts, instead the book serves as an attempt to capture the beautiful chaos engendered by competing voices as the walls came tumbling down. The idea is to be inclusive and celebratory rather than cynical. Therefore opinions are sought from outside the tight huddle of usual suspects and would-be elitists, drawing on bemused and bewildered non-participants to events, as well as those who served in the trenches. There is no attempt to locate the ‘meaning’ of punk, nor to run a slide rule over qualifications for its status. The author has instead, in the majority of cases, let the protagonists make their own cases. Where possible the bands concerned have exercised the right of reply, leading to a more balanced account of their own history. Some 200 interviews were completed in the course of researching the book, leading to a plethora of first-hand insights and anecdotes. A secondary aspect of the book is the comprehensive documentation of the releases, both contemporary and retrospective, of the bands of the era. It’s an attempt to address the jungle of retrospective CDs and box sets, the sheer volume of which indicates the continued fascination around this period in British musical history. •
Over 300 individual band/artist biographies http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/nomoreheroes.htm
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Sent:
Thursday, October 05, 2006 3:31 PM Hello ,
first off I'd like to say what an intresting site you have there. so for
the sake of completion they are : Fantastic news! Very many thanks for this info on an Obscure Gem :) |
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Sent:
Sunday, September 24, 2006 11:07 PM Hi all, Can't believe
I found this site, after all these years, and have just spent a highly
nostalgic evening reading through the pages. The sessions in Cambridge were a pure delight, with some hilarious and emotionally charged moments. Funny how you remember the trivia though, innit.... like Mike and Gary's delight, when my girlfriend cooked everyone a blinding "roast dinner", at the end of a particularly long (and stressful) day! Keep up the good work, and I'll keep looking in. Stewart Booth Hi Stewart, many thanks for your post :) I'm particularly pleased we were able to furnish Shadoks Music with the master tapes from these sessions so that a high quality CD could be released. If you happen to find any old photos... |
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Sent:
Tuesday, August 29, 2006 7:40 PM Hi guys, I ahem. stumbled on this website. Actually, I received an email from J W Middendorf II from whom I had not heard for like 10 years, and I started to sort of google around. I've got some original 10" masters here done by you! If only I could put them onto DAT, or something, I could probably do a lot more with them ... maybe I can donate them to your archives in exchange for a fresh, nice digital copy? Well ... miss you all
Somtow
Sucharitkul Hi Somtow, many thanks for this kind offer :) We gladly accept! |
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Sunday, July 30, 2006 5:29 PM Hi,
Hi
Kevin |
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| Sent:
Sunday, July 02, 2006 5:46 PM Stumbled
on your site............ My 1st
band The Disrupters recorded our 2nd single at Spaceward back in 83.
Joe Bull fucking hated us if I remember correctly :) Strangely enough the single did OK and the A-side has just been reissued on a "best of...." CD from Overground Records. Was cool
browsing your site and we felt back in 1983 that using the same studio
that recorded "Inflammable Material" by SLF was a bit like
entering hallowed ground. Regards BS Hi Steve, many thanks for your email - I've added an entry for The Disrupters in the discography |
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| Sent:
Monday, June 05, 2006 9:09 PM Stumbled across your site whilst web-searching for somewhere to record my curent band. It was nice to be reminded of the short time I spent at Spaceward c1981. I recorded with a band called Nightclass from Nottinhgam. It was only one session to do a 4 song demo but the quality and sound engineering were top quality...tape still sounds great. Patrick
Gallagher Hi Patrick - many thanks for your kind words and the low-down on your session which I've added to the Discography :) |
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Monday, May 15, 2006 3:30 PM Hi there, I came across your web site and found it interesting.. I used to know Graeme many years ago (I'm Toni from ATV Music) and was wondering if you still see him..if you do can you please let me have his contact details, if you are uncomfortable with that you could perhaps tell him that I was enquiring after him. Thanks and regards Toni |
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| Sent:
Saturday, April 01, 2006 11:37 AM hello all We all miss Graz - he was magic. A retrospective Great Divide CD is scheduled for release later this year on Gott Discs. Graham Fuller features on several tracks. Watch out for it.
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| Sent: Sunday,
March 19, 2006 10:01 AM Subject: for the record
http://www.algonet.se/~iguana/DRAKE/PW.html best wishes
Paul Wheeler Hi Paul! I've added your session to the Discography thanks for the heads-up and kind words.
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| Sent:
Saturday, January 28, 2006 7:12 AM hi there, this is Ita here. I'm working punk records shop called Nat records Tokyo, Japan. I checked SPACEWARD studio site, am very interested in! I love RAW records, and some punk band recorded by SPACEWARD studio. I started
some '77 punk band interview for our web-site. so I want to talk with
legendary producer/mixer I hope
to hear from you soon! Ita NAT records Hi Ita! Many thanks for your email - I'll pass on your requests to Mike & Gary :) Which is your favourite Raw Record? |
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| Sent:
Monday, January 23, 2006 6:58 PM
Kevin Harrison
Many thanks Kevin - that's a VERY young Joe Bull! |
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| Sent:
Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:13 PM Hi people, Just found this site, very good too. I remember recording a few things at the old studio as bass player for Johnny Curious and the Strangers - my first time in a 'real' studio (apart from some stuff somewhere else with a band that included Charles Smith, later Sal Solo out of Classix Nouveaux), and I loved it. I seem to remember playing with a finger and thumb heavily bandaged due to a drunken punkrock accident with a knife the night before - ok I was trying to make a new hole in my guitar strap. As Johnny Phillips notes elsewhere, those first sessions and gigs were our high point, we weren't really vut out for da biz. I've been in and out of bands, played solo etc ever since (it's my art, man, I can't not do it), currently mucking around with jazz musicians playing alto sax. Great to see you're still about, love to you all. Cheers, Bob Green Hi Bob, great to hear from you :) I rescued some Johnny Curious & The Strangers tapes from Gary Lucas's attic recently. Lee Wood has written... "The one regret I have. I visited Spaceward studios one day and they played me a tape of a band called Johnny Curious & The Strangers. The recordings were STUNNING. Especially "Back In Pissheadsville Again". I approached them but they had a manager called Sue Black who only wanted them signed to a big label. In the end they re-recorded the four songs and released them on Miles Copeland's label. The re-recordings are total shit compared to the originals." Maybe it's time the originals were released? Would anyone be interested do you think? Anyway, it looks like we have them :) Hope to hear, |
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| Sent:
Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:28 PM I stumbled across your website and found mention of a lost tape. Can this be true? It was 1972 I think and we were TERRIBLE (we were called Tramp. Female singer, flautist, lots of rhythm changes, complete rubbish). But I'd love to hear it. I think we recorded it in Fisher Hall. I don't think anything survives from the 1980s live Radio Cambs show but I remember that Dave Stewart (the other one) was with us. best
Trevor Great to hear from you Trevor but sorry, no Tramp tapes exists :( |
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| Sent:
Wednesday, January 04, 2006 3:33 PM
Just surfin and found the studio page. Fantastic!! we recorded our first single at the old school house in 82 we had a great time as far as I remember : ) . just sorry we never thought to take any photo's of Gary doing the work The single
was "Sheralee" b/w Force (reached no3 in Italian metal charts)
cat number HEAVY 12 We are still around - we have just released a new album on Heavy Metal Records! getting a bit long in the tooth now though : ) Heavy Metal is getting nearer to zimmer frames : ) One thing
I do remember about the session was the on the track "Force"
I wanted some reverse echo on a part of the vocals and poor Mike had
to set it up by turning the tape round to run and record backwards,
a lot of work just for an effect to last a second or two! (dont think
he ws too impressed!) but it still sounds great in fact better than
we can produce today with all the new technology ! Regards
Brill! Many thanks Garry for the info and picture :) Now added to the Discography |
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| Sent:
Saturday, December 03, 2005 6:25 PM hi
spaceward: just a note to let you know the disco students have just
released a new 7 track CD - "My Black Girlfriend". If
you visit the website: discostudents.com
you'll find a photo of a youthful Gary Lucas.
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| Sent:
Friday, December 02, 2005 3:45 PM Dear Mike & Gary,
Stumbled upon your site by accident while doodling around at work this afternoon. Many happy memories of Spaceward and of pints between takes in the Clarendon! Funny enough, as I write a box of Spaceward reel to reels lies in my hallway at home as I ponder where to store them. Dave and me self recorded in Victoria Street a couple of times in the 70s. Once in the very old studio mattress in the hallway job etc and where there was a cry of cut as I think either Mike or Garys chair collapsed in the control room during a take!
Ill have a look at the tapes when I get home for track listings of the other session and email back. But just for your info, Dave Dutfield years later played and recorded with the Elaine Morgan Band who I think knowledge a bit rusty here! were linked to the Albion Band who were in tern linked to Spaceward etc etc. My strange link was that as a schoolboy of 15/16 I had supported with my band, the Folkomnibus the (now) famous Nick Drake at his first gig at the Goodwill to All pub in Harrow. I played an old Neapolitan round back mandolin at that gig that Nick - in the break - very much admired. I recorded with that mando (& slept overnight in the studio!) about 5 or 6 years later at Spaceward. It was in the new expanded basement studio that I think was under the corner house? I was unaware that Nick Drake had himself been at Cambridge not long before I just wonder if he had any connection with Spaceward?. Will be in touch,
Bruce Fursman
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| Sent:
Thursday, November 24, 2005 3:34 PM
Well, what
a wonderful thing this interweb is...
Hi Robin. Fantastic information - many thanks :) I've added your session to the Discography here and will be pleased to reward your proposed tape submission with... ...a replacement gold Lame Bunny badge! :) |
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| Sent:
Monday, November 21, 2005 9:22 PM
How nice to find this site - brings back some good memeories from years past... I was a budding musician/songwriter/producer/sound engineer as a young teenager and wrote to about every studio in the south east of England whilst still at school asking for work experience. Spaceward was the only one that replied and the only one that let me go to to the studio and get involved. I remember Owen, Rachel the office manager and the tape op Patrick with whom I spent most weekends on sessions making tea or sweeping the leaves in the car park!! However good times! Got to assist on sessions with The Bible (still one of my favourite bands) and played about on JJ Burnels steinberger bass while no one was looking! After school went to work in The Master Room then onto Livingston studios then a spell in a band called Please signed to Polydor for one single which sold about 6 copies then after all illusions of pop stardom had evaded me went into aviation (my second love after music). Now live in Sofia, Bulgaria where I have my own aircraft handling company - funny old game life ain't it!! Anyway, once again a great site and I'm sure a great trip down memory lane for anyone involved in the studio - however insignificant... Cheers, Dean Jones Hi Dean! Welcome to you in Sofia, Bulgaria - trust you're still finding time to play some music! :) |
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| Sent:
Saturday, October 08, 2005 5:15 PM
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| Hi Mike, Mark, etc.. My heart is racing, it was really exciting to see so many memories in such a short space of time. Mike, Gary and Joe gave me my dream job straight out of school but I was too young to appreciate it at the time. Slightly dissapointed that I didn't get a mention, as I was tape op there in 1980 at Victoria Street, helped build the new mixer and the new studio in Stretham (if the accoustic panels ever come off the walls you'll find self-piteous teenage angst, poems and cries for help from me scribbled on the bare walls!), recorded at both studios with the Sinix and also the Friendly Hopefuls ("Tribute to the Punks of 76" medley which got to number 29 in Sounds alternative chart in 1982 when I naively left Spaceward thinking I was about to hit the bigtime!) AND later returned to work at Spaceward Microsystems from 1985-86. Oh I also got credited as "assistant producer" with Gary on an albumn by a band called Grace on MCA records. Nowadays I live in Streatham (South London, not Ely) and play in a modern jazz band called The Goodbye Look, how times change..... Hope you are all well. Love Dan MEA CULPA! I'm ashamed to admit that these oversights were entirely my fault and I'm delighted to rectify them :) It's great to hear from you, Dan :) |
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| Sent:
Thursday, September 15, 2005 7:57 PM Hi Mark
Many thanks John! I'm delighted to add your session to the Discography :) |
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| Sent:
Monday, September 12, 2005 12:10 AM
Thanks for the excellent info. Sadly no protection or other copy remains in our archive. If I do hear of one, we will of course let you know - good luck with your release :) |
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| Sent:
Wednesday, August 31, 2005 2:55 PM please
could you supply on CD a copy of a session by The Carburretors recorded
approx 1980 which included Roman Jugg an Bryn Merryck both of whom later
joined THE DAMNED.I was with the band at thje time. Unfortunately my Please ring me on 07711 280770. Regards |
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| Sent:
Sunday, August 28, 2005 7:23 AM Hi there
(Alex ?) best wishes
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| Sent:
Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:11 PM i'm completely obsessed with a band called the jellies who released one 7" on jelly records in 1981. i've tried desperately to find out the story about it, but have found 0. it appears to be the only release on jelly records, and i heard it once in 1998 at a thurton moore concert and became obssessed with it. I spent five years tracking down my copy and have since got it pretty populuar with a variety of underground music snobs, band members & record collector geeks. i'm not sure if you're familiar with wfmu, but it is a world reknowned underground radio station station which i d.j. on. you can check it out at www.wfmu.org. if you do an artist search for the jellies, i think you'll see the ridiculous frequency which i play this track. also, btw, i play lots of other spaceward things, as does most of my station, ranging from mandy morton to the limit. Michael Goldstein
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| Sent:
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 5:03 PM Hi there at Spaceward studios I'm from Compost Records / Angora Steel in Germany and we are interested in licensing the Fish Turned Human Song "The International". Since you
released the made the Record I wanted to ask if your own the rights
for this track or from where can We license it from? Thanks
in advance and cheerio from Germany...
Sorry, we can't help :( but maybe someone will read this... |
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| Sent:
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 12:24 PM I was a trainee tape-op / teaboy / receptionist at Spaceward @ 81 -82 / 3 ?
Hiya Mark! Good to hear from you :) |
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| Sent:
Sunday, July 24, 2005 7:01 PM
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| Sent:
Wednesday, February 09, 2005 6:17 AM Greetings
Mr Kemp!
Sadly we can't remember exactly what kit the band brought with them :( - there were no special secrets beyond the acoustics of the room itself and, of course, the in-house designed and built mixing desk and equalisers. |
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Sent:
Thursday, June 16, 2005 6:02 PM Greetings. Thanks Paul - I've started a Hondo page here |
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| Sent:
Tuesday, April 19, 2005 6:32 AM
Thanks. Rosina Rhodes Hi Rosina, For "The Englishman" cover etc please see here and for "The River" see here Here is the track listing for "See The Morning"... 1.
Smile Again |
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The Ray Morgan Quartet
Subject:
Old tape Hi,
Sorry Dave, no old tapes remeain :( but great to hear from you :) Your (sadly lost) session has now been added to the Discography. Hopefully your're still making plenty of that HOT & THIRSTY music!!! |
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| Subject:
Group called Needles Hi, i wonder
if you can help me. Thanks
George |
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| Subject:
Re: How long do keep old 2" tapes? Date: 16 February 2005 17:09 To Whom it may concern,
I recorded there in '86 with Owen Morris and J.J. Burnel as the Dave Howard Singers. The 2" multi-track would've been left there and I wondered if it had survived over the years? We were recording the song Rock On, as well as a couple of original songs. I'm sure this is a bit of a reach, however I really am anxious to know and I would look forward to discussing it with you. Sincerely,
Hi Dave, great to hear from you :) Sadly, when the studio closed, all master tapes (2" and 1/4") were either returned to their respective record companies or were thrown away :( |
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| Subject:
The River, Mick Stevens Date: 11 February 2005 00:45 What
a gas to come across this site! I was the drummer on Mick's album and
remember enjoying it immensely - I got on with Gary really well, I remember
getting home at 5.00 am and my dad being cross with me for not getting
up for work 3 hours later! And
I think Gary and I worked together later with a singer called Louise
Fox and her manager Steve Black?? But not at Spaceward. If
Gary or Mick ever read this, well, hi guys, it really was great fun,
visit www,drumsense.com to find out what I did next! ps I still have the album, sounds good to me...............
Colin Woolway Great to hear from you Colin :) What with interest in this album from Korea (see kolkie Jin below) and the fact that a copy sold recenlty on Ebay for £90, this is truly an 'Obscure Gem' |
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| Sent:
Thursday, January 27, 2005 9:09 PM
Some of you may remember hearing from me at some point last year when I was looking for material for a Syd Barrett article for Mojo magazine. You may even recall that the article was about Syd's activities around the period 1972/73, and in particular his band Stars, and I was looking for anyone who had any recollections or materials relating to Syd around this time. Six months later, and while progress on the article hasn't been as swift as I'd anticipated, I've been able to turn up some great stuff. I've been able to speak at length with a number of people who knew and/or worked with Syd around the Stars period, including Jack Monck, Steve Brink, Mick Rock, Clive Wellham and Bernie Elliot (the latter of whom, for those who don't know, jammed with Syd during the Stars period and ultimately replaced him in the band), and a number of people who were able to give eyewitness accounts of the band's performances. I've also done sufficient amounts of digging to be able to say what happened with the various recordings that have been rumoured to exist of the band, and why they've never surfaced, and I'm moving close to being able to categorically say whether or not Syd ever actually recorded, as is alleged, with Steve Took. So, it's shaping up to be a good story - and, unusually for a Syd Barrett piece these days, one that for the most part hasn't been told before. However, I'm facing one major difficulty: the lack of ANY useable Stars photos, or indeed any photos of Syd Barrett at all from the years 1972, 1973 or 1974. Without these, the article cannot go ahead, so finding some pictures is pretty crucial. Pictures of Stars definitely exist somewhere. Not only is it an absurd notion that nobody took a photograph of Syd Barrett, a well-known public figure, between 1972 and 1974, but I know of two sets of photos that were definitely taken. These are: 1. A set of pictures of Stars playing an outdoor gig in Cambridge Market Square in February (?) 1972, taken by an unknown Australian photographer. These were briefly circulated shortly after the performance and both Twink and Jack Monck (independently) remember them being excellent quality. 2. Pictures taken by the American photographer Victor Kraft. Victor Kraft was a professional photographer who had previously worked with Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland before settling in Cambridge in the early 1970s. He attended most of Stars' performances, and would have taken photographs and made tape recordings of the band. Unfortunately, he died in 1976 and his wife tells me that any possessions that were left in his Cambridge flat were taken (with her permission) by his landlords. Whether these include the Stars material, and what became of it if so, is unknown. The only picture that I have seen, or even heard of, from either of the above two sources is the one attached to this email. Although poor quality, this shows Syd performing at the Market Square gig and strongly suggests that more photos were taken at the same time.
Another possible source of photos would be if there were any photographers present to photograph the other performers at any of Stars' performances. These would be as follows: Eddie
'Guitar' Burns - Kings College Cellar, Cambridge, January 1972 If any photos exist of those bands on those dates then I want to know about it. In short, I would urge anyone who has any suggestions, however unlikely, as to possible sources of Stars or Syd photos that would be suitable for this Mojo article, to contact me. Anyone who comes forward with material will be paid if it is used; anyone offering other assistance will be credited in the finsihed piece. Webmasters - if you'd be willing to put this appeal on your website I'd greatly appreciate it. Feel free to use the photo as well. Sorry for going on!
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Sent:
Monday, January 03, 2005 7:51 AM
Hi
Spaceward studios!! folkie Jin Hi, folkie Jin and welcome to you :) |
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Sent: Thursday,
December 23, 2004 6:29 PM The Disco
Students have just released " 9/8-9-10-11 - Live in New York"
- an 8 track live CD recorded in New York in September 2004. One of
the songs is a version of "South Africa House" - originally
recorded at Spaceward in 1979. |
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Sent: Wednesday,
December 08, 2004 2:46 PM Hi, as you rightly state Krakatoa recorded a demo at Spaceward back in the Seventies. I remember it well as I was the guitar player! However I would have thought you might have wanted to include our keyboard player in your Hall of Fame as he's probably making more money from music nowadays than everybody else who recorded at Spaceward put together. And that's not an exaggeration. I refer of course to Hollywood's top composer Hans Zimmer. Nice to talk to you- I still play our excellent demo recordings. Roger Adams, guitarist and founding member of Krakatoa. Wow! That's great news. Maybe we should add an entry for Hans in the HoF as you suggest :) |
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Sent: Thursday,
November 18, 2004 3:39 PM Hi Guys - I was in a band from Ely called Herod's Race and we recorded a single in 1980 at Victoria Street with Gary Lucas at the controls. It was double A side featuring "Something's Not Right" and "Wind Me Up". John Peel actually played the single once announcing it with "And now another facet of the burgeoning Cambridge sound. "What sound is that?" I hear you ask. This is Herod's Race and "Something's Not Right"". Last year some guy now living in Amsterdam tracked me down wanting to buy as many of the singles as he could. He actually bought 10 copies, which we managed to find, for £10 each! He reckoned that he liked it so others would to. He was some kind of dealer I think (records not drugs). He also later put "Something's Not Right" onto a compilation of obscure 80's guitar bands. Nostalgia eh? Anyway - I have attached a pic of the single for your interest - the label mentions Spaceward and Gary Lucas. Thanks for the website and for some great memories! Lee Gillett
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Sent:
Saturday, September 4, 2004 3:30 PM Hello all!
The Wibbley Brothers, Ronnie and Terry, first came to Stretham in 1981 to record the 4 tracks which would appear on our e.p. "Dark Side of the Mune" (sic). For some reason we were signed to a Midlands label which specialised in punk and thrash stuff; I don't think they knew what to make of our more... er... individual approach to music-making, but I persuaded them to book Spaceward as I'd been a great Soft Boys fan. The tracks were engineered by Gary Lucas and "Dan" (according to the sleeve) and produced by Guy Jackson and the band. I think I realised I was entering an unfamiliar world when I was stopped on the platform at Ely station by a porter, helpless with laughter because I was carrying a Walkman. "Look at him; 'e's wearing headphones!" he shouted in disbelief to everyone in sight.. Later on in the year we came back to do the album "Go Weird" (with Joe Bull engineering, and making a vocal apperance at the start of side 2) and were generously allotted 40 hours to do everything - slightly tricky as I was playing all the instruments, overdubbed one at a time in these pre-sequencer days. Amazingly we managed to record and mix about an hour's worth of material in that time, but the real story of the week was the accomodation we enjoyed. This was before the studio had residential facilities, and we were put up in the guest house across the road. It was October and freezing cold yet our hostess refused to put the heating on because "it's too expensive this time of year". We slept every night shivering, fully dressed, with coats over the bedspreads. There was also a yappy little dog that would take chunks out of your ankles given half the chance. Consequently we did everything possible to put off our return until bedtime, which normally meant darts in the nearby pub, even joining in with a women's darts league match on one particularly desperate night. An evening out to Ely was like the bright lights of New York. The whole experience is related in a song on our forthcoming album "Mornin' Jack", together with a description of the fabled Stretham telephone box piled six feet high with leaves. A few months later, the album still unreleased, we somehow got agreement to return for 2 8-hour days to remix and do a couple of new songs. Fortunately this time there was a room at the studio we could sleep in, although most of the night was spent with the first Roland TR606 and TB303s I'd ever seen, and their instruction manuals. This creative frenzy produced "The Wonderful World of Terry Wibbley" the following morning, along with hours of fun with yards of tape loops running round the control room supported by pencils held aloft. Samplers? Who needs 'em? Then we got our bicycles and pedalled back to Cambridge to catch the train home. The album eventually came out about a year later, by which time the record company was about to go bust... I noticed a copy sold on Ebay last month for £104, which is exactly £104 more than I ever saw from it. Thanks for a great site - if you want I'll upload scans of the album and e.p.
Cheers Wonderful stuuff! An Obscure Gem indeed!Full details here |
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Sent: Saturday,
May 15, 2004 3:29 PM Hi
Hi Dave, really great to hear that the Lorries are back in action :) and thanks for the new url. BTW I found this old clipping from Sounds recently...
What a FANTASTIC review!
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Sent: Thursday,
May 13, 2004 4:50 PM
ps What year was the Morecambe and Wise Show at Kelsey Kerridge recorded? Cheers Simon Lindsay
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Sent: Thursday,
May 06, 2004 12:30 PM Hi Mark Thanks for your interest. At the time I was a naive student with no real idea of the developing fandom of Syd Barrett. However with a passionate interest in recording music (and I was of course into Pink Floyd and Hawkwind) I was pleased to get the opportunity to help Gary Lucas in recording the event (whichever one it actually was - more below). Gary was approached by the promoter - and yes, the name Steve Brink sounds about right but I wouldn't be able to swear to it - who saw Gary arriving at college complete with Revox and asked him to come along to make a recording. Gary came to me (we had not met before) as I was guardian of the university tape recording society's (CUTRS) collection of microphones, mixer and tape recorders. Unfortunately the collection was so small that we were limited to a pair of stereo Calrec mics across the top of the stage to get the backline and the drums, and a single mic to stick in front of the PA to get the vocals and whatever they put through it. As far as I was aware from the ivory tower I occupied (the dustsodden roof of some concessionary booth by the side of the stage) the band and roadies were relatively unaware of us. The overhead mics were fairly small and all that was apparent was the one mic on a stand that Gary ended up guarding in front of the PA. It is likely it was considered too amateur to remember. Also we didn't interacted at all with the band or roadies as we were a bit wet behind the ears and either in awe or rather scared of the tough guys in the biz. (I may just be speaking for myself here). I was also unaware of the fight as I believe it took place in one corner near a PA stack and I got the impression was not too remarkable an occurrence for the squalid venue the Corn Exchange was then. Gary recall it vividly of course as he was almost in it protecting the valuable and fragile STC4038 mic that hitherto had only experienced the gentle sounds of the baroque. (Insert any puns about being between baroque and a hard place here). This means that the fight may not have registered on the band or the roadies as a memorable event. As to which event: It was not MC5: I recall hearing them playing another night (possibly two) when on the way to a local pub - they were loud - audible from half way down Downing / Pembroke Street - peraps all the way to Emmanuel (my college). It was not Hawkwind: I was a fan and I would have remembered this clearly. However Nektar rings clear bells - a name I have not heard for many years. I had not heard of them prior to the gig. I also believe I can picture the name Nektar on the tape box afterwards along with "Syd Barrett's All Stars" and "The last minute put together boogie band". Content: There was a lot of rambling instrumental with uncoordinated untogether guitar work (I recall it appealed to some sense of anarchy). There was some vocal stuff but it was appalling. I recall a long instrumental that collapsed slowly into various incoherent sounds and some shouting. Most of this is my memory of listening to the recordings afterwards. (BTW, " unstructured jamming" would be a generous description of parts) Tapes: I cannot recall whether we used Gary's quarter track Revox or the CUTRS half track. I have feeling the tapes were quarter track and thus we couldn't listen to them after we converted all the machines to half track as we got more professional. Attempts to do so would reveal the second half of the event playing backwards over the first. The tapes languished on shelves until they appear to have vanished. Being 1/4 track they may have ended up with Gary's private collection of all his favourite albums which he had assembled into long playing tapes. I have a vague recollection of there being both a 10&1/2" reel and a 7" reel so there may have been a copy. Recording: The overheads were very clear and stereo especially of the top-kit. The mic feed from the PA had a problem that the CUTRS mixer had never experienced anything so loud before so the correct setting was between off and almost off. Breathing heavily on the control was sufficient to alter it from overload to off. I think we got some feed in for most of the tape. There was quite a lot of instrumentation through the PA adding a distorted mono overlay to the whole thing. Eventually the PA mic was destroyed by the event. Gary Lucas would no doubt add a lot ot this but I'm rather out of touch now. Good luck if you can track him down.... All the best Mike
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| Sent:
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 5:11 PM Hello Mike,
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Sent: Friday,
April 09, 2004 6:43 PM Just to show that there is life after Spaceward - The Disco Students (who recorded three records at Spaceward - versions 1 &2 - in the early 1980's) - have just released their first record since then.
Simon Cheetham |
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Sent: Wednesday,
March 24, 2004 3:39 PM THE DESK
is back up and running but in a purely analogue mode now. Anybody with
a bunch of Intel SDK85 boards for free please let us know!
Alex Cooper
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| Sent: Wednesday,
March 10, 2004 11:36 AM Subject: Strange Coincidences So there I was yesterday evening sorting out my vinyl collection when I get an email from a friend with a link to this site. Nothing strange there except that the album I'd just been looking at was the Fruit Bats Seven Sisters. I'd also spotted Jack the Bear, Julian Cope, some Stranglers 12" mixes and other stuff besides. Strange? It gets stranger... At the weekend I'd been sorting out the spare bedroom; under the bed I found a computer printout folder which, amongst other things, contains the source code listing for the Spaceward mixing desk. It's a pity that the computer section has just died. I guess Intel SDK85 boards are a bit difficult to get hold of now.
Hi
Brian, great to hear from you! There's a page here at this site just
waiting for you - please come back and tell all :)
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| Sent: Friday,
March 05, 2004 9:50 AM Subject: More Ancient History I was digging through a pile of old papers in my cellar last night and came across a file of letters from 1978. They were rejection letters form virtually every recoding studio of note in the UK. At the time I was a student with desperate aspirations to become a recording engineer.
I wrote endless letters in the hope of gaining experience during the holidays.
The very last letter in the file was from Gary Lucas he was about to leave for Switzerland for a few weeks and thought that Mike might need someone to answer the door and make tea. For me it was a life determining moment!
Throughout my student breaks I progressed at Spaceward from door opener to carpet cleaner to being allowed to untangle the mic cables at the end of the session. The best bit was being allowed to have a bash at mixing sessions in the early hours after Mike or Gary had done it properly.
Without getting over slushy Mike and Gary made the experience unforgettable.
After graduation they offered me a full time job but their offer of £2,500pa was topped by the BBC (just) where I got onto the Studio Managers training course (but only because of my experience at Spaceward.)
Wont bore you with further detail but suffice to say without the influence of Mike and Gary, life might have been very different.
Thanks (belatedly)
Rob Hodgson
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Sent: Thursday,
February 26, 2004 10:42 AM Mark It has taken a long time to get there but I think this is tue? Spaceward in Victoria St was in the house opposite the pub with the two room basement - at the end of the St nearest Parkers Piece? This house was the Henry Cow house - then in 1971 I took it over with one of my less impressive bands - most famous member Dag Small who played with the Movies who helped launch Joan Armatrading. My best memory is of the night we played Jack Johnson through Henry Cow's new Altec Lansing PA - o yes and I have jammed a lot with F Frith there.
Iain Cameron Yup, that was the house - small world, eh?
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| Sent:
Friday, Feb 13, 2004 08:5AM Neither could I believe this site exists! Talking about a blast from the past. Anyway,
for those remotely interested........we, The Waves/Katrina and the Waves...bought
the entire contents of Spaceward and installed it all in our own studio
(which still exists) NW of Cambridge just off the A14. The famous desk
eventually got replaced and it went to our engineer, Steve Stewart (of
The Enid fame) at his place. Unbelieveably the computer section of the
desk has only finally given up the ghost in the last couple of weeks!!!!!
BUT - Steve will be rebuilding it so he can use it as a straight in/out
desk. Thing is, it definitely has a sound of its' own - pretty rock
n' roll snare and vocal sounds - and in these days of digital recording
it's even more useful than ever. Great to learn that the old girl still rocks! Many thanks for that info Alex :)
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| Sent:
Friday, October 17, 2003 8:35 PM You're
right it was - I remember Strangers on the Shore as well. Incidentally
it was the same night the police caught the Cambridge rapist. Peter |
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| Sent:
Thursday, October 16, 2003 10:01 PM Not exactly
involved. I was an undergraduate at Trinity from 1973-1976 and knew
about the University Tape Recording Society and heard various bands
around at the time. I played a bit of guitar with Mad Hatter at one
point but that didn't get beyond a few rehearsals (no decent guitar/equipment
and too many other priorities not to mention the usual musical differences).
I remember Morris Windsor and Charlie Lucas practicing in Charlie's
rooms in Neville's Court,Trinity with Sheboygan in 1975. Also remember
Rob Lamb playing guitar with Mad Hatter and Rob Kelly who sang with
them and remember hearing Kimberley Rew play Jigsaw Puzzle Blues at
an open air concert in 1975 on a Strat through an Ac30 (very good!)
but that was all a bit later than the First Lame Bunny. Can't remember
exactly where I bought the album. Left Cambridge in '76 for London and
lost touch with all this so it was interesting to find your website
- it jogged my memory a bit after 30 years. regards Peter
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| Sent:
Thursday, October 16, 2003 12:13 AM
Great! :) Were you involved/connected? |
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Tuesday,
September 16, 2003 8:28 AM
From the
original DS guitarist Hi Simon, sounds like you'll need a really looooong lead! ;) Great to hear from you :) |
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07 September
2003 00:58 hi there, had the amazing experience to visit your studios and watch Sad Lovers and Giants record there. the memories are still so vivid. i was wondering if you have any photos or anything in regards to Slag floating around the office that i could add to my collection. thanks in advance, Nik Brasier Hi Nik, thanks for the kind words - maybe Joe has some photos - I'll ask :)
Sent: Saturday,
August 02, 2003 12:38 PM Hello from
the Disco Students. We recorded three singles at Spaceward - all with
Gary Lucas. Simon. Fabbo! 3 Disco Students singles now added to the Discography :) Be sure to let us know when the new single/album is released - good luck!
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| Sent:
Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:27 I
came across your website by chance and it reminded me of the great time
we had recording there with The Brotherhood. We always thought the studio
was fantastic and its difficult to think of a nicer place to spend a
few days ( on someone elses money ) A
belated thanks to Mark Graham for turning a shambles into a silk purse
and for making us feel so much at home. All the best
Great to hear from you, Ali :) did any of thoses sessions ever make it to vinyl or CD? Sent:
Wednesday, 08 July 2003 22:53 Mike
Mick Venning That's a great looking studio, Mick :) btw please send details of those Hazard sessions for the discograpy :) Sent:
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 11:14 PM Hi
Mark,
Only too happy to oblige! :) Good luck with the album! :) |
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Sent: Tuesday,
April 22, 2003 3:54 PM Hello Spaceward Many thanks Steve, I've added The Now single to the Discography :) |
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Sent: Friday,
April 18, 2003 6:53 PM I've just spent a great evening listening to the remastered CD of Gary Numan's Tubeway Army album and, on reading the sleeve notes I am thrilled to learn that it was recorded a few hundred metres away from where I live. The Spaceward recording sessions played a crucial role in rock history in that it was there that Gary Numan first found, tried and fell in love with the synthesizer sound that he would use to influence what is now becoming thirty years of recording artists. In the top 40 charts this week, an Italian dance band (Junkie XL or something) have a hit built upon a sample of one of Numan's 70s synths riffs; in the last three years there have been three top three singles built on music he recorded at Spaceward (to say nothing of the impact his synths sounds had on hip-hop in the New York music scene). Good luck with the site, and with your new projects. best wishes Paul S Right on! Many thanks Paul :) |
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Sent: Saturday,
April 12, 2003 8:56 AM Some of my bricklaying went into the Victoria Street studio (the fireplace, which I and Alex Cooper bricked up before plastering), and a lot of my blood, sweat and tears went into Stretham (I still remember conversations with Ted as we were doing the ventilation traps: "Hey, you f___ing f___er." "F___ing what?" "F___ing f___er's f____ing f___ed again!"). And the first session when we were still soldering the headphone sockets in the studio when the band turned up. And then the pad blew on the snare input channel as soon as the drummer hit the snare drum, if I remember rightly. I had some good times there recording and mixing, learning how to play Sylvain's MiniMoog, and I still coil my cables the way Mike taught me! Without my experience at Spaceward, I wouldn't be doing what I am now (which is living in Japan, writing pro audio user manuals). By the way, the "Experts" b/w "Choke" SRS 33A/B, was eng. Mike, prod. Mike and me. The label was Leisure Sounds (as was the 2nd Ersatz single) - Mark, I think you and the Rapiers found their way onto a compilation tape on there. There were also a couple more Ersatz sessions which made their way onto Leisure Sounds cassette compilations. John Peel said the Dogma Cats single was "kooky to the nth degree", which is praise of a sort, I suppose. I could go on for longer, but it would bore the living daylights out of you all. But thanks for putting up all the information, Mark - great to see the old place again.
Hugh Ashton Great to hear from you Hugh :) and thanks for the info which I've added to the discography. Please tell me more about Sylvain's MiniMoog! |
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Sent: Tuesday,
April 08, 2003 3:35 PM Hello Spaceward, I used to be the guitarist with OMIT. I see we finally got a mention in the history books! Do you have the email addresses of either Dave Tailby (Bass & vocals) or Mark Southam. They both have written comments in the guest book. Thanks. Ian Email addresses on their way. Isn't it great? Bands Reunited R Us! |
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Sent: Thursday,
February 27, 2003 8:55 PM Hi to all at Spaceward, I first
visited Spaceward Studios in February 1977 with the midlands rock band
Supanova. We did three tracks with you over a hectic and tiring 24 hour
period. The band have been meeting up again to dig out old pics etc and we found the paperwork and receipt for this recording session. 80 quid for 3 tracks....bet it's gone up a tad since then eh? Mind you, we were allowed to sleep on the studio floor in with the price.!! I was also
part of another midlands band the Killjoys with Kevin Rowland (of Dexy's
Midnight Runners fame). Nice to see your still doin' the biz'.
Keith Rimell RealSmooth
Music. Great to hear from you Keith and many thanks for the Supernova info - please tell us when the tracks are released and we'll be sure sure to link :)
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| 24th January 11:10 From: Gary Lucas You can't
believe how weird it is for me to type a word I invented 40 years ago
- "Spaceward" - into a search engine and find a whole site
with stuff I was involved in so well documented. (Mike, I must have
told you the name started as "Spaceward Trading International"
as my imaginary business as a strange child of 11 at school in Gibraltar...) Yes!!! This is what the internet is FOR!!! Great to hear from you Gary after so long and I look forward to filling a lot of gaps in the discography from your recollections :) BTW for any Photoshop-hating design students who care, the story of the creation of this website using Spaceward Graphic Ltd's Satori software is told here - http://www.satoricentral.pair.com/tutorials/Button_Slice/tutorial.htm |
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| 20 January 2003 16:36 From: Tim Vine-Lott Hi, Many
thanks for awakening the dormant tech weenie in me, and my best wishes
for the future,
Wow! Thanks Tim! :) |
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| 14
January 2003 15:37 From: Nick Ralph Hi - Mike?, Just stumbled on your website and thought you'd like to know that Sad Lovers & Giants made a 2nd album at Spaceward - "Feeding The Flame" (Midnight Music CHIME 00.03). There was also a 12-inch of "Man of Straw" (DONG 5) and the title of the first LP was "Epic Garden Music", not "Epic Gardens". If you want a scan of the "Man of Straw" or "Feeding The Flame" sleeves, let me know size/quality preferred. It might take me a little while to get done as I don't have "Man Of Straw" easily to hand (it's in storage), but if you want them, just let me know. I think I might be able to dig up sleeves of some Hitchcock/Soft Boys releases I was involved with that had Spaceward material as well ("He's A Reptile" on 7" single in 2 different sleeves comes to mind...). Of course more has been released since on other labels. The session you refer to as Soft Boys demos ("Tonight I'm In The Mood For Love", "Unpleasant Stain" etc), Robyn always referred to as by Maureen and the Meatpackers and he wrote it as "Ruh Duh Duh Duh Duh". This came very close to being released - it reached test-pressing stage before Robyn changed his mind... Are you still in touch with Joe Bull? If so, say hello to him from me... Regards Nick Ralph
Great info Nick! Many thanks for it - please see updated discography :) Please email me scans if you are able as I really want as many as possible.
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| 07 January 2003 14:09 From: David Parker Hello
There, I recently found the website for Spaceward Studios, and was amazed to find listed amongst the recordings: Syd Barrett All Stars 21/2/1971 Live at Cambridge Corn Exchange (NB - the last ever appearance of Syd Barrett on stage) engineered by Mike Kemp & Gary Lucas There have been many rumours over the years that the show was recorded, but this is the first time that I've heard that Spaceward were responsible. I am currently working on a revised edition of the book, and if possible I would be eternally grateful for any details you might be willing to give me about the above recording - particularly as to the numbers recorded and any technical details you may recall about the session/show (does the recording still exist?). I would also be grateful for any recollections you may have about the show (was it as bad as the stories claim? Did you speak to Syd?). A final
question - are you still in contact with Gary Lucas, and would he
be the same Gary Lucas that played guitar for Captain Beefheart in
the mid-1970's? David
Parker ~ Hi
David ~ Hello
Mr Kemp, ~ *Postcript by Mark Graham: I can report that I surrended the tape to EMI in 1985. For the full story see here. ~ Hello
Mark,
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| 05 January 2003 17:28 From: JeffI
saw the page for Spaceward, and it stated in the discography section,
"Syd Barrett All Stars 21/2/1971 Live at Cambridge Corn Exchange
(NB - the last ever appearance of Syd Barrett on stage) engineered by
Mike Kemp & Gary Lucas". It also gave this as the current location
of Mr. Kemp. Anyway, no one that I have seen over the past 30 years
has proven to have this concert. Is it available for trade? ~ Hi
Jeff ~ Mike, Thanks
for replying. I have heard that Twink, who originally had the original
tapes, lost them years ago. I'm afraid we may never hear this. :( But
if by some miracle you do find anything out, please keep me in mind.* Thanks again for getting back to me. The best
also to you, ~ *Postcript by Mark Graham: I can report that I surrended the tape to EMI in 1985. For the full story see here. ~ Mark (and Mike), Oh, what a sad tale! I am sure it was as bad as you remember it. Of course, those of us with a historical interest would still have loved to have heard it, but I certainly understand the situation. There were things that I myself passed on or let go in the past that I wish now I had kept, good or bad, but that's how it goes. I'm sure that tape was destroyed. But I really appreciate your telling me. I guess this makes it finally clear that Syd truly had nothing left to offer by then. I know that I, and undoubtedly most other Syd fans, were hoping to hear something to make us think that there was still something "buried in the weeds"; but it's pretty obvious that there wasn't, and Syd did the right thing by just letting it go, rather than embarrassing himself further. In fact, it's at least a little less painful to know that he had enough insight left to realize it just wasn't going to work anymore. May Roger Keith Barrett find peace and contentment the rest of his days - and may "Syd" rest in peace. Thanks
again, and the best to you and yours. |
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| 01 January 2003 01:22 From: Mark SouthamRecorded at Spaceward on 11th December 1981. The set up E.P by Our Man In Tokyo. Tracks include 'Dont Let It Drop', 'Does It Really Matter' and 'Do The Concrete Block'. Engineered by Gary Lucas, if my memory serves me correctly. Played by John Peel who announced it as' More hot teen pop from Shaky Joes Records'. Not exactly a household name, but one of your past conquests!!!
~ Many thanks Dave, discography and Links pages now updated :) Good luck! Webmaster |
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| 10 November 2002 22:13 From: Elliot Wheeler Hi Mark Graham,
Regards, ~ Elliot, Many thanks for that - I've added it to the discography. Many thanks Mark |
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