2. THE SET UP MAN

 

Confessions of a Studio Rat

One mans journey through a world of recording studios and musicians in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s – without a net!

NEW YORK (1973?):  There’s something magical about getting a studio ready for a recording session. If you’ve ever been a Set Up Man, Assistant Engineer, Second engineer, whatever title you’re given you’ll know what I mean. You’re in a position of trust to ensure the session gets started smoothly without a hitch.

I’ve always regarded the recording studio as very special space, kinda like a temple, a sacred space, where an artist will come and potentially perform magic. Sometimes it’s easy for a studio rat to take that for granted. Where we studio rats spend our year recording one project after another, for these artists it can be like making a baby. This session could be their one chance to create something that they will sustain and support, (and hopefully will sustain and support them) for the rest of the year, or maybe even their entire career. It’s my opinion the space they are in matters. 

In the quiet time I’m alone getting the room ready I’m making sure everything is the way it’s supposed to be, as ordered by the senior engineer, the person who is ultimately responsible to ensure that the whole thing works. Not much happens by chance- Every element is selected and put into position deliberately. We all took that shit seriously. However, there moments to smile about.

One time, I’m getting studio A2 at A&R Studios ready for a rhythm section session. Into the quiet room strolls Paul Simon with an acoustic guitar around his neck. He’s doing an album (It was “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon”, as it turns out). He’s recording in the big room next door with Phil Ramone, but obviously taking a break to clear his head or something, so I leave him alone with his thoughts while I carried n with what I was doing. Paul looks over at me, and for some reason suddenly he belts out the chords to “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” on his guitar. Not singing, just the chords, but in my mind I burst out laughing. It was as if he was like “Don’t you know who I am?” Maybe that’s not how it was meant, but that’s the thought I had at the time. I still remember it. Well of course, I called out to him “Hey Paul”, got a “Hey” in return and that was it. Episode over.

Not long after, the studio is ready. I’ve got time to kill, and I’m sitting out on the piano bench having dinner- some fried chicken I ordered up from the deli downstairs probably. In from the hallway walks Donny Hathaway- (it’s his session I’ve been getting ready for), and he’s turned up early. (We always LOVE when that happens!) Donny is hungry, and the smell of the fried chicken is just killing him, so I invite him to take a seat on the piano bench beside me, and we shared a great pre-session moment (and some New York Chicken!).

I still consider it a privileged moment, sitting on that piano bench eating chicken and bullshitting with Donny Hathaway. Later that evening during the session, I was treated to a vocal performance of “Some Day We’ll All Be Free” which just floored me. I don’t know if that particular vocal “take” is the one they went with in the end but it doesn’t matter. What a beautiful song, and beautiful singer, and I was there in the room watching it happen. It doesn’t get any better than that!


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