I would hazard that if you asked the public where some of Northern Ireland’ s most important releases were recorded, the main answers would be in Belfast or Derry. While both of our major cities have some great studios (Start Together, Half Bap, Blast Furnace etc) and produced some phenomenal records, there is a studio out in the wilds of Moneyglass that has more than left its mark on the scene here.
That studio is of course Manor Park Studio and its head honcho Neal Calderwood has credits on releases from Fighting With Wire, A Plastic Rose, General Fiasco, Rams Pocket Radio, Mojo Fury, Making Monsters, Ed Zealous and The Answer to highlight just a handful of his impressive portfolio.
Manor Park Studio celebrates its 25th anniversary this year which is a remarkable achievement but it started out on a much smaller scale than its current iteration as Neal relates; “We actually started out with a studio in the bedroom of my detached house in Magherafelt, which became very busy, and we soon outgrew the space. Much to our neighbours’ relief, and our good fortune, the right property came up in rural Moneyglass, not too far away; so we made the move.”
Neal’s experience playing in Scheer and his personal experiences of working and visiting different recording studios meant that he knew exactly what he wanted to create at Manor Park. “The new property had the perfect empty shell of an outhouse, over two floors, providing me with an ideal canvas to craft the perfect studio and accommodation from the ground up. It really was a dream project for me.”
One of the key lessons from those experiences was that Scheer and Neal himself thrived in studios that had a rural setting, “Moneyglass offered a similar vibe to Rockfield, in a picturesque, rural setting, while remaining practical for visiting bands, being located just 25 minutes from the Airport. It is an inspiring place to make music.”
The concept and inspiration of the rural setting of the studio is encapsulated by the choice of the studio mascots, the Moneyglass Cows. “our accommodation downstairs looks out onto fields, where the cows have been a source of entertainment for bands staying here over many years. Credit for the logo itself goes to Jamie Welles, a local artist, who came up with the concept.”
The sleepy rural location belies the fact that Calderwood and Manor Park have a reputation for working predominantly on rock and metal records. This reputation and experience can be attributed to his own background as a guitarist in heavy bands like Scheer and his own personal tastes in music. It is not a description that Neal shies away from, “I have spent decades meticulously seeking out and dialling in the perfect guitar tones, enabling me to find other bands their desired sounds very quickly. That’s what I do best here; I’d unashamedly declare that if any band wants an epic rock guitar, drum, or vocal sound on their record, then Manor Park is the place to be!”
When asked if he could host & work with any artist at Manor Park, the response is unsurprising given his background, “I’m an unapologetic Mark Tremonti nut, so it would have to be him from any era – but preferably with either the Alterbridge or Tremonti band line-ups. As a guitarist myself, I have massive respect for his ability to blend technical dexterity, powerful melodies, brutal heaviness and tone into something so pleasing sonically. Tremonti is someone I’ve always admired and keep an eye on.”
Similarly his choice for working with a deceased musician, falls into those familiar and well loved genres. “It would have to be the late, great Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. I loved the raw power in his vocal performances; that blend of vulnerability and emotiveness in his voice that offered us a glimpse into, what we now know was, an often tortured soul. There is a tremendous sense of melody and a genuine authenticity in Chester’s performances that is unparalleled in modern rock music, I believe. I don’t think he gets enough praise as a vocalist to be honest.”
That said Calderwood is keen not to pigeonhole the studio or his own skills into those genres. “We’ve cut records spanning virtually every genre down the years, from vocal choirs to traditional Irish folk – I’m recording a harpist tomorrow for example!” He is also keen to point out the studio’s rather surprising credentials working for some of the world’s biggest DJs. “I’ve recorded all of Audrey Gallagher’s vocals on trance records here. which meant working with the likes of Armin Van Buuren and Agnelli&Nelson. No. 1 dance hits like ‘Big Sky’ and ‘There Will Be Angels’ were vocal tracked in Manor Park. I believe great music, is great music, and our true mastery is in capturing the perfect sound regardless of genre.”
I put Neal on the spot and asked him to choose the most memorable session. After a period of contemplation he pointed to working with Welsh rockers, Left Side Brain, who stayed with us to cut their debut album back in 2005. “We had just built the new Moneyglass studio and accommodation; the paint was barely dry on the walls! They were the first band to record in the new place, so we all benefited from the celebratory mood in the studio. It was really gratifying for me to finally be there working after so much stress and hard graft. The guys from the band were big personalities and great fun to be around as well.”
With hundreds of people through the studio doors over the last twenty five years, there was bound to be a few challenging experiences to go alongside the many positive ones. “No names, but there was a band many moons ago visiting that I had to cut their session short, as the vocal was just indescribably bad – it was neither singing, growling, shouting, nor screaming. It was the one time I had to throw diplomacy out the window and be brutally honest with the band as I couldn’t get anything usable from the vocal.” While it was an uncomfortable moment for Neal personally, it turned out to be a worthwhile experience. “The band returned two weeks later with a new vocalist and we ended up cutting a decent record; so perhaps honesty is the best policy after all!”
I was intrigued at how Calderwood found himself running his own studio in the first place and whether that was a conscious choice. “It really wasn’t a deliberate career path by any means; rather, it stemmed from the necessity of achieving the sound I envisioned for the Scheer records. During the recording of our second album, I found myself dissatisfied with the sound we were getting on some tracks. So it sparked an idea that, with some effort, I could take on the role of producer and get the sound I wanted.”
He was lucky to have worked in some legendary studios in his time and been able to watch our engineers/producers first hand. This was vital in getting him to the position he is in now. “I was lucky as a musician as I learned so much from the outstanding people we worked with; the likes of Clif Norrell, who had already engineered some of the most iconic records of the 90s, including Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’ and REM’s ‘Automatic for the People’ before Scheer. Another inspiration was, “Head”, who produced our first album ‘Infliction’ – he worked on PJ Harvey’s records. I absorbed a great deal from those experiences.”
Manor Park is a treasure trove of great equipment and instruments so I challenged Neal to pick out a few of his favourites. “It’s pretty ridiculous how much gear we’ve acquired down the years! I’m primarily an amp-nerd, so we have quite the arsenal of great vintage and modern classic amplifiers. Some are used more than others. The Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier is a joy to crank-up, with a gutsy sound that sits in any heavy mix so well. We have various vintage Marshalls, perfect for classic gain tones, and AC30s for the sparkly tones, that also take pedals really well. We also have a lot of pedals, many of which are old analogue treasures acquired during my Scheer days. Another prized possession is our Pearl drum kit, which is exquisite and drummers working here just adore it. When we built the place, I tried so many expensive kits to find he perfect one, but none offered the tuning precision of the Pearl.”
I was convinced that he’d be on the hunt for even more gear so was surprised when he commented “we’ve reached a zenith for gear for now! I’m blessed to have so much great equipment to work with. Although, it’s important to strike a balance and not let the plethora of options stifle creativity – decision fatigue is very real.” Yet while musical gear is off limits for now, he is in the market for a “a nice new studio coffee machine!”
That said, you can have the best equipment in the world but you still need the right person with the knowledge and skills to operate them. I asked Neal what he attributes and qualities made for a good studio producer. “Fundamentally, a good ear – one that can discern the input and anticipate the output – sounds confusing I know, but, early in the recording process, it’s vital to dial-in the perfect sounds, because once you reach the end of the process, changing the initial input becomes impractical or impossible.”
“Yes, you have post production, but these processes often degrade the fidelity of that initial natural sound. The instinct of knowing when you have the perfect snare sound, for example, at the outset, is critical and can take years to develop. It’s an instinct that has saved me and many bands countless studio hours in achieving the perfect sound.”
While you would assume that working in music would be a dream job for many, Calderwood shared that there is always one component that proves stressful; time. “The biggest challenge has always been time constraints, because most bands I’m working with have tight budgets. However, I never use that as an excuse for not delivering a great end product. I always guarantee a release worthy recording regardless of the time available, within reason of course. If a band have one day in the studio to record a song, then I have developed an approach for getting results comparable, or even better, than bands who’ve spent a full week in the studio to record a song.”
“If bands put there trust in me and my methods, then I can deliver incredible results for them; but of course, they need to be well prepared, and tight to begin with, before stepping into the studio.” The preparation point is reiterated again when I circle back to advice he would give to bands or musicians thinking of coming into a studio.
“Preparation is key of course with a capital P! For bands, it’s critical to actively listen to what your bandmates are playing in rehearsals; know each others parts and how they fit together. Sometimes bands arrive at the studio only to realise the bass and guitar are playing conflicting chords or notes, which aren’t cohesive to the sound. This issue can be avoided by ensuring the songs are well rehearsed with solid arrangements beforehand. Also, familiarise yourselves with the dreaded click track before making it to studio. These points will save valuable time and money during the recording process.”
Turning away from the studio I asked Neal to reflect on his band Scheer, and the experiences that came with signing to a major label and touring internationally. “It was the time of our lives really. We were so young and passionate about what we were doing, and totally driven with so much to say back then. Signing with the 4AD label, alongside iconic bands, and our heroes, like the Pixies, was incredible, considering we were still practicing in an old barn outside Maghera at the time.”
“Personal highlights for me included our 6 week North American tour, when we played shows at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco and The Whiskey on Sunset Strip in LA… just magical. Also the month spent recording at Rockfield Studio in Wales, where Queen had recorded ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was a trip. There was also an incredible night at London Astoria, when we shared a bill with Korn on their first UK tour. In my humble opinion, we managed to make our mark that night, proving we could not only hold our own, but outplay the very best at our peak”.
It was clear that Calderwood had fond memories of his time in Scheer and I had to ask whether there was a part of him that misses being a full time musician and whether under the right conditions, there could be one final show. “I do miss getting on those big stages and letting rip, especially at festivals where the atmosphere could be electric. I do believe in “never say never”, so anything is possible. Funny, I just recently rekindled my passion for playing guitar and writing again, after a hiatus of many years, and I must say, the new riffs sound heavier than ever and are reminiscent of Scheer’s brutal sound, so who knows!”
Having been involved in the industry for so long as both an artist and as a producer, I asked Neal what Northern Ireland needed to invest in to produce more success stories. “There has never been a lack of talent in Northern Ireland – we’ve always punched well above our size internationally – but yet we are so disproportionately funded as a country inside the UK, and this problem is only exacerbated for artists and venues during the current downturn.”
“News this year of more cuts from ACNI, Tourism NI among others, without consultation, are devastating and short-sighted. The powers that be continually fail to realise the value and potential of the arts in this part of the world. I could rant eternally on this, but I’ll spare you the paper! More practical investment at grass-roots level is needed for the youth, in particular; to make more practice rooms and instruments available in schools for example.”
The focus though is of course Manor Park and with 25 years down, I asked what he thought the next 25 might hold for the studio. “At the risk of sounding cliché, I believe every day is a school day. So I remain eager to learn,and openminded enough, to collect new ideas. What’s most important for me, is that Manor Park continues to maintain it’s high standards of excellence in recording great music and supporting local artists – that’s my job and it’s still fun. Of course, I will always continue gunning for the local bands in the hope one of them can make a major breakthrough, as this would open so many more doors for all of us on the scene. Without the bands, I couldn’t do what I do – it’s all about them really.”
If you are interested in recording in Manor Park Studio you can find our more and contact Neal via the official Manor Park website.
We are thrilled that the winner of our 2023 Kickstart competition will be recording their new single with Neal Calderwood in Manor Park Studios. You can find out more about Kickstart 2023 here.