In The Studio Focus: The Victims

Answered by: Dave Faulkner - lead singer & guitarist

In what studio did you record your most recent release? Rada Studios, West Perth and Damien Gerard Studios, Balmain.

What made you choose it in the first place? I've recorded at Damien Gerard many times and Russell Pilling is a brilliant engineer and mixer. Dan Carroll at Rada was recommended to me by a friend.

When anyone with a computer can record something of studio quality, what made you still go into a studio? Expertise and atmosphere. Also, there's more to recording than just having a medium to store your data. It's what happens to the signal between the performer and the recording device where all the magic happens.

Was there any piece of equipment or instrument in particular that the studio had that you enjoyed using? The kettle, of course. Gotta have tea and bickies. The rest I left up to the judgement of the talented engineers (and my ears).

Who was working with you on the recording (producer, engineer) and what did they bring to the table? Dan Carroll and Russell Pilling were both extremely adept behind the desk. On top of that they were efficient, friendly - and they stayed sober.

Did you record pretty much live to tape or did you use some studio trickery? Out of necessity, we had to overdub guitars and bass after tracking the drums because the three members of the band live on opposite sides of the country.

Do you aim for perfection in the studio or more feeling or vibe when deciding to use a take? What do you think?! Has anyone ever answered this question saying they only seek perfection? Hah!

Do you prefer analogue or digital? I prefer analogue but digital has made leaps and bounds in recent years so that I don't really miss tape. There's no denying the flexibility of digital.