F*CK TECHNOLOGY.

Technology is a powerful tool, but it's only as strong as the hand wielding it. If we don’t know "WHY" then technology won’t know "HOW".

Technology has without a doubt, been the single biggest obstacle to progress in my adult life. (Well, technology combined with excessive alcohol consumption, crippling self-doubt, and my inability to maintain an open and honest long-term relationship. But I’ll cover that in my next report). But bloody hell, I love technology. I love reading about it. Learning to use it. Talking about it. Technology is awesome! But if this Masters Degree has confirmed one thing, it’s that Technology will only work if you have your WHY.

Rewind. London. 1992. At the ripe old age of 21 I decided it was time to learn the piano, so off I popped to Denmark Street in Soho and bought myself a chord book, a Beatles song book and the Billy Joel Anthology. The only thing missing was a piano, but thanks to my chosen profession I had 24 hour access to one in the theatre. Day after day, I would get to work a couple of hours early, sit at the keyboard under the stage and learn every chord known to man and every single possible inversion and variation thereof. Before long I could play (or rather fake) any piece of music put in front of me. I couldn’t read the notes but as long as I had the chord chart I sounded like Liberace. (With my mink coat and slippers on, I even looked a bit like him.) But that got very boring very quickly. What I really wanted to do was write my own songs. And record them.

In the early 90’s the Atari ST personal computer was not only the industry standard music-making device, but also the main player in the democratisation of music production; and it was my introduction to the world of tech and everything it could offer. The Atari ST, combined with a Tascam 4 track tape recorder and the internal sounds of my Roland RD500 Stage Piano gave me a complete recording solution. Well, almost complete. I’d also need a quality valve microphone for vocals. And of course a Compressor and 19” rack-mounted Reverb. I had the songs and now I had the gear: it was time to produce my masterpiece. But something was missing… No matter what I did, nothing sounded quite as polished and professional as the music I had in my extensive CD collection. I needed a new sound source that could take things to the next level.

The Roland JV1080 external sound module was just the ticket. Bought! But just as I was about to get to work, Roland decided to release the VS880 Hard Disk Recorder - an 8 track, digital powerhouse and just what my music needed! No. What my music DEMANDED. It would also demand an external zip drive for storage…and a CD burner so I could play my compositions to the world… I think you see where this story is going…

25 years later, I have a library of cassettes, floppy discs, zip discs, Mini-Discs, CD’s, external harddrives and CD-Roms containing literally hundreds of songs nobody has ever heard and I’ve most likely forgotten. Thanks a lot technology. As liberating as technology was, it became a prison of possibilities. And it was a rabbit hole I would fall into again and again.

Rewind. Back in 1998 I set up a company called Invitation Innovation Ltd. At the time, I was responsible for organising invitations to my own imminent nuptials, and to my future Mother-in-Law’s horror, I refused to put my name to anything embossed, scented or requiring of parchment. I wanted something revolutionary! So all our guests received interactive CD Rom invitations. It included maps, a list of local accommodation, and to top it all off, a fully produced song with lyrics telling you everything you might possibly need to know about the day. The invitation was a hit! And with lyrics like this, how could it not be...?

"IF YOU DON'T EAT MEAT THEN LET US KNOW, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHOICE. GET IN THE CAR AND FOLLOW US, WE'RE IN THE WHITE ROLLS ROYCE. YEAH!"

Off the back of that invitation, I was asked if I could produce something similar for the MTV Europe Millennium Xmas Party! Hell Yes!… …But I’d need time. I’d have to upgrade my system first… The Focusrite Platinum VoiceMaster Pro for starters...

I didn’t end up doing it. While technology offered unlimited possibilities and endless opportunities, it has also provided me with an excellent excuse to never risk failure.

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT EMMA PRIEST.

I met Emma about the same time that I was doing everything in my power NOT to produce an invitation for that MTV Party. Emma’s agent, Jacqui Nicholson had got my number through a mutual friend who had received the wedding invitation. Jackie contacted me one day asking if I could record Emma singing a couple of songs. Although our paths had never crossed, Emma had been in show business forever and had recently been playing a lead role in the UK Tour of "Cats". I couldn’t think of anything worse; a peer and industry-pro coming over to my house to be recorded for some vanity project? No chance. And I knew for a fact that Emma was a belter with a massive voice. My AKG SolidTube Microphone would be no match for her. I’d need a better compressor. On top of that, my room wasn’t correctly insulated… Absolutely not!

A couple of days later, Emma arrived with her Mum and her 6 month old daughter for the first of two sessions. We sat around having a chat and a cuppa before Emma and I were left on our own. We got straight to work. Emma wanted to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from "Les Miserables" (long before Susan Boyle butchered it) and “Maybe This Time” from "Cabaret". Big songs for a big voice. We didn’t waste any time. Emma was well prepared and just ran through the songs a couple of times to warm up. We were ready to record. God help me.

Each song was recorded quickly and with as few takes as possible. Even for a singer at the top of their game, these are difficult songs, so for Emma it was a massive struggle. Her cancer was very aggressive and she was exhausted almost immediately, but we managed to record what we needed.

Emma died a few months after our sessions. She was 29. The recording we made was for her young daughter. Emma’s parents got in touch and asked whether I’d attend her funeral. There was a big turn out; lots of industry people including half the cast of Eastenders and the band All Saints; all Stage School friends of Emma’s. At the end of a beautiful service, the musical introduction to “Maybe This Time” rang out through the church. It was Emma and the song we'd recorded. For about 3 minutes everyone sat in stunned silence before instantly erupting in applause giving her the longest and most heartfelt standing ovation I’ve ever been part of.

Was the recording perfect? Well, if my digital EQ had been more responsive… Oh shut up Matthew.

Yes. It was f*cking perfect. I had my WHY.