Equipment details Park Gates Studio Catsfield

supplied by Pete Prescott

Martyn Baker… We recorded as Missing Persons there in 1980. Here is a playlist of Missing Persons recordings from 1980. Some wonderful songs! Written and sung by Steve Winterbottom, and played by Martin Luckhurst Ashley Pepper, Martyn Baker and Kevin Hoad.
https://soundcloud.com/martyn-baker/sets/missing-persons

supplied by Martyn Baker

Pete Prescott… It was an amazing studio. Recorded my first single (shine it on me) there. Ray Fenwicks white lightning. Pete Shaw Terry Pack Ray and Andy Qunta. Did leaving on a jet plane there and Smoke on the Water with Ray Neil Murray and Cozy Powell. I had one or two nice times there but I often felt uncomfortable. A studio is like a pub to me. You like being in it or you don’t. I preferred other studios. It may have been that the Ray’s sessions were always tense.  Lovely buildings. So many amazing musicians.
As we left after jet plane Wings had it for a month. Macca was there the day after Lennon was killed, they said it was a strange day. He was heartbroken. I was told Marillion were there.  Andy Knight saw Billy Cobham in a nearby pub, John Ewen meet Paul Rogers there. They have been turned into private houses now. Carole and I viewed one. Brought back some memories.

Terry Pack… I agree with Pete. A great facility, but a negative ‘vibe’. I never enjoyed working there, though I wanted to do so. I usually love being in the studio, but it felt ‘cold’ there.

Phil Thornton… ! I did a couple of sessions there but it never felt like a good place to make music ! – I guess the price might have been a factor – haha !

Pete Prescott… I remember Cozy playing drums on Smoke, there were workmen working on the floor. They were banging nails in to the rhythm of his playing. I said to Ike and Ray “is his room soundproofed !? “

Terry Pack… The original track had a drum machine playing four on the floor and 16s on the hats, with me playing a Teena Marie style bass part! Ray’s idea of commercial. When he asked Cozy to put some drums on it, he insisted (quite reasonably) that the bass be removed!

Pete Prescott… I had to sing to that bloody racket ha ha !
The drums were put on after the vocals (and the bass).you played (ithink) the bass part which was removed so Neil Murray could be put on (Ray needed names to sell it ) Completely arse about face. But I did get to meet and work with the adorable Barry St John, she was wonderful ! And later on the album Mo Foster. He was brilliant and hilarious !

Alan Esdaile… Daily Mail 2010… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1282885/Why-developing-homes-new-rocknroll.html