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Luck Lane Studios

Having mastered the new Highest Frequency LP we talk to the managers of Luck Lane studios about the various projects & artists they’ve handled, the Luck Lane sound and much more in this insightful interview.

Saving Grace 8 years ago

Good evening gents how’s things, can you introduce yourself?

Lee: Hi my names Lea I’m  one of the studio managersMatt: I’m Matt Worsley for those who are filling tax returns, I’m also one of the other studio managers

How long have you guys been running the studio?

Matt: Luck lane has existed for about 2 years, but it was previously know as Performance studios that was previously run by Alan Smith, He was a really good old school hands on type of producer working with local bands. When we took over we kind of modernised moved the studio into the digital domain but still keeping the ethos on quality performances you know getting good takes. Also focusing on editing & mixing. Getting a good balance between analogue process & new digital techniques.Nowadays people want different things, they want editing capabilities and a more clean cut sound.

Lea: Yeah production standards a have changed and moved forward.Yeah like a kid on his laptop with a really good knowledge of his software could rival a mix from an older less equipped studio.

Matt: Yeah that’s it, however and our skill-set is newer and in more connected to music being released nowadays.

So old values new school knowledge?

Matt: Yeah I guess so..

Lea: We been approaching work in a new way and have an approach we bring to projects. We’ve actually been quite lucky with artists we’ve been working with, I cant really think of anyone that hasn’t allowed us some creative licence.So its fair to say there a Luck lane sound?

Matt: Yeah I’d say that, obviously the clients gets to decide on exactly what they want though.So who have you been working with?

Matt; Well with worked with Kassassin Street, Savvy, Ferals, DJ Q, Rural Roots…..Jack Flash recorded his first demo here. predominately we’ve been working with local artists, You look over in Leeds there’s soooo many studios you’ve gotta have something really unique to stand out, so a now were just building up our portfolio up with a range of artists.

Hows that going?

Lea: Really well!! its really taking off at the moment and we’re real busy.Yeah i’m hearing alot about, 3 day studio sessions & no sleep,

I guess that’s how it should be for a busy studio right?

Lea: Yeah well it has taken a bit of time only in terms of building trust with artists and them understanding how we work…

Matt; Its a difficult game as we’ve been switching stuff you know around bringing in new equipment & techniques to make sure we get the best possible sound, we might lose some of the people that came purely because its cheap.

So you’ve got the approach of raising the bar really?

Matt: Yeah we always take the outlook of every track has the potential to be great and something that alot of people will enjoy given the right guidance. We’re never dismissive with anything.

Do you have a particular genre you handle?

Matt: I think to a certain extent a good song is a good song, from working with lots of different genres I started in Hip hop, but I’ve also worked with blues, indie and metal. Basically is just a process or appropriating my sound to there work.

Lea: Not really I started at a really early age working on my dads 4 track, then played in a band then went onto university to study music.So I guess the key to your success is down to your own actual musical ability and experience.

Matt: Yeap thats it, we have have quite a few interns and the main thing we teach to them is to get as much experience programming and making music as possible. We also work in a producer sense for example a singer songwriter can come in with just a guitar and song and we’ll build the track around them..

Techniques aside I also noticed your studio just looks good, how important do you think that is?

Matt: I gotta just say that’s all Lea, I wanted to keep it as a disgusting pit…but Lea showed me the way there…From an external point of view you come into the studio thinking your gonna spend 3 days there and you literally don’t know what’s going to happen in regard to the results, so its all about trying to convey the quality of the sound and the level of professionalism they’ll get via the design, studio layout, facilities, the website etc.

What’s the first track you engineered, what was the experience like good or bad?

Matt: I was about 14 working with a rapper that had found me on the internet, and had done a mixtape with he wanted mixing and mastering, It was motivation in the sense of I enjoyed it, I didn’t have to worry about the musicality my only concern was just making sure it sounded good, and I liked that, it was a process that appealed to me.

Lea: Mine was fresh out of University and I went for an interview at the cutting rooms (Manchester) but i didn’t think I was going to take a session, I got ushered down a corridor and the next thing I know this band walk in…It was a good eye opener really, as good as uni was it made me see that I wasn’t the finished article and still had things to learn.What’s the best thing about working at a studio?

Both: For us we get excited about the songs that come through I hear and I think THAT could be a hit I know what they need to do in order to make the song amazing ie: adjustments to make a hook sound great or X, Y and Z will make the song amazing.

What’s the worse thing about working at a studio?

Both: A combination of poor artist attitude & I guess the money side of things, whether it be an “artist” wanting to just knock out a track as quickly and cheap as possible with no concern of the quality or just the day to day concern money wise…I never came into this as a businessman I came in as an artist….

Who’s your dream artist to work with?

Matt: Well I’d say myself!“LAUGHTER BREAKS OUT”Matt: If there was two of me I would be WELL happy! lol You can say I love to work with whoever but end of the day any band you work with you’ll have you ups and downs whether is a band good or not.Lea: Just anyone prepared really, it gets frustrating when artists/bands aren’t .

Matt: If I had a to name a person I’d go for Rayla Montay just due to the fact the song writing is soo good and her voice is beautiful pretty much anything I do would sound great, well apart from throwing a Techno beat over the track.

Right random question, if you could go back in time and talk to a 10 year old version of yourself what would you say?

Matt: Stay off the weed, you know you do that in your teens, and I reckon I’d like to know if i be different without it

Lea: Smoke more weed…

Is there anyone you like to give a shout out of thank you to?

Matt: I guess the main person I’d like to give some thanks to is Alan, he brought me into the “game” as it were he gave me a chance which is often difficult to to get in the music industry at times, he taught me a lot about working with band, and music production, I worked very closely with him, brilliant guy. He now lives in Bulgaria and works on a farm nowadays, I’ve been speaking to him recently and I think he’s getting back into music, He cant stay away from music too long.

Lea: I think some of the different artists we’ve been working with at Saving Grace Music have allowed us to put our stamp on things which has enabled us to develop our sound.

Well thanks for your time guys its been great chatting to you

Both: No problem our pleasure

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