Tenant Talk with Start Together Studio
You can be sure if there is a band in Oh Yeah’s reception, they are booked in for some time in Start Together Studio.
Located on the first floor, Start Together is a truly incredible space where artists are free to create in an environment that inspires. It’s cosy, it’s funky, with a 70s charm that has never left it since the days of Good Vibrations.
On a normal Tuesday you can hear the next best thing laying down their new track, with the likes of Problem Patterns, Sprints, Gender Chores and so many more passing through.
I sat down with founder Rocky to ask about studio origins, how it got it’s fantastic look and what local music he’s excited about right now.
Why did you set up Start Together Studio?
Start Together opened as an alternative recording space for Northern Ireland. One where artists were welcome to share their creative ideas, visions and work together as a collaborative partnership with us as engineers & producers. I was lucky to tour extensively and be in a lot of inspiring studios across the world. The approach was different than what I’d experienced before that. We wanted a place filled with cool instruments, immersive surroundings and a studio where our friends wouldn’t get their hands slapped off the mixing desk if they tried to turn a drum up.
Why did you set up in Oh Yeah?
I was in a band at the time and I wanted to self-produce our second album. We had a good budget and wanted to spend three months recording. There wasn’t another option anywhere where we could do that. During the search I saw the Oh Yeah Centre on BBC ATL TV just before they opened. Stuart Bailie was touring the show through the building and as soon as I saw the brick walls of the studio live room a light bulb lit in my brain. Within a few days, I took a short lease and now over 17 years later we’ve grown into something I’m truly proud of.
Over 17 years later we’ve grown into something I’m truly proud of.
I suppose you are most well known for your recording facilities but you offer loads more don't you?
Yes, the growth from being a recording space to a multi studio set up has been a long one. We offer pre-production, arrangement, writing, session musicians, remote drum recording, additional production. I’ve got a beautiful sounding old SSL console for mixing, a room full of classic synths and we also are about to launch more mastering services. We can do mixes to analog tape. We’ve also got a writing & production room available for artists to collaborate, recording vocals or mix in a space outside of their homes.
The studio itself is absolutely beautiful. How important was it to have that curated space?
Over the years it’s becoming more important to us. Now that the sonics and the equipment set up are perfect we’re focusing in on all of the other levels of immersion, inspiration and of comfort. Soothing people away from the pressures of every day life, from the distractions of the outside world is key to really connecting their musical performances to the recording. If it takes 10,000 fairy lights, hypnotic backdrops and a neon sign, then it’s a pleasure to make it happen!
What local music are you loving at the minute?
So much! I genuinely think that in the world right now there’s more incredible new artists than there’s ever been. I’ve been working closely with artists I’m truly excited by. That’s people including The Florentinas, Susi Pagel, Oisín, TRAMP, Slomatics, Strange New Places, Lemonade Shoelace, Lauren Ann as well as some Southern artists Affection, HAVVK, Maria Kelly and The Rosecaps.
Michael’s been absolutely flying with so many new artists. Every time I pass by his speakers I can’t believe how good the songs are. I’ve heard Lorcan Nelson, Lauren White, Moon Landing and so many others that I struggle to keep up!
That’s added to the other artists who are out there doing magic things. Brand New Friend, Problem Patterns, Reevah, Lucy Gaffney, Ethan Hollan, Mark Hegan, Parker, Lord Jane, Sister Ghost, Martha Dark, HYLY, Gender Chores. Arco Party, Dark Tropics, Space Shepherds, Casual Riots, Realta, OR:LA. I could easily name another 30 if my brain was keeping up!
We’ve also got longstanding, world-changing artists including Hannah Peel, Snow Patrol, Therapy, Ash, Robocobra Quartet, David C Clements, Ciaran Lavery & ...And So I Watch You From Afar continually twisting and inspiring audiences all over the place. I also think that Dani Larkin is genuinely one of the most special artists I’ve ever heard from this whole island. I can’t wait to hear what comes next.
To find out more and book a session go to https://www.starttogetherstudio.com/
