Andy Jackson - SSL Product Manager

Andy is a Product Manager for Solid State Logic. In this episode we chat about his influence on the 'SSL Fusion' (amongst other units), building gear in China and the puff of blue smoke from Real World studios console !

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Chapters

• 0:45 CLA Party
• 1:56 Itchy Feet
• 3:51 Fresh (re)Start
• 5:00 The Audiotonixs era
• 6:26 Pre SSL
• 9:32 First Pro Audio Job
• 10:43 Gearspace and Jim SSL
• 11:38 The Chris Jenkins legend
• 13:06 The Phil Collins Drum Sound
• 15:16 Fingerprints on SSL products
• 20:23 Designing 'Fusion'
• 24:33 The 'C' word
• 31:20 Feet Up?
• 32:26 Plugins

Transcript

Andy Jackson

Paul: We met, I think for the first time in real World Studio. At thing, wasn't it?

Andy: Oh God. Yeah.

Track 1: I think that was 2012. Was it?

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yeah. That was a while ago.

Track 1: It was a while ago.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: I remember that day quite vividly.

Was, I was thinking of the the console setting on fire as well.

Track 1: Oh, yes, indeed. I'd forgotten about that. Yeah. The puff of blue smoke at the back. Yeah. That was classic as well.

Yeah,

Yeah, yeah, 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: It was eventful.

Track 1: it was. So what, what was your role then? I.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: My role then, I think I had not long taken on the role of product manager at S S L for studio equipment. So yeah, that was pretty new. Pretty new into that at that point.

Track 1: And had you worked, you know, had you come up, come up to the ranks in ss, SS L or, or how did it work?

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yeah, I, well, I'd come up through one rank, which was I think, oh, I initially joined as a product specialist, so I'd been doing that for about 18 months. Then the opportunity came up to to fill the product manager role. And I, I mean, I jumped at it really as quite a fortunate, fortunate timing, so, yeah.

Track 1: And . You, you, I, I was surprised to meet you in London a few years later. Was it 2014 or something like that

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yeah,

Track 1: when you obviously left Ss s l and were working as an engineer, is that correct? 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: that's right. Yeah. I got there came a point, I got itchy feet and I thought I wanted to Have another crack at walking the walk rather than sort of talking the talk about using the equipment. So I, I took what I now refer to as a bit of a two year sabbatical, let's call it, where I, yeah, moved to London and did various things you know, recording live sound. Teaching just a whole raft of things to get back into engineering and stuff like that for a while. So, yeah, that was, that was 2014. Yeah, you're right. Yeah.

Track 1: And then discovered that it wasn't for you.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Well, I, yeah, I dunno. I mean I, I mean I really enjoyed it. I, I definitely, it was definitely I'm glad I scratched the itch, I guess is the saying,

Track 1: Yeah.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: And yeah, I mean, I got involved with such a range of things. From so a bit, a bit of production. Some assistant engineering, really a whole spectrum. Some, you know, great people like Wes Clark who does a lot of pop pop mixing. Um, but it just got to the point where I think a bit of reality check and I thought I could carry on doing this for 5, 10, 15 years, maybe not have a lot to show for it at the end of it. So, I think the itch was scratched and just so happened S ss l were sort of having a bit of investment in the product team, so they sort of had a conversation with me and said, was I interested in going back?

And and, and I was so so that, was that really?

Track 1: Yeah, I remember chatting to, oh, what's his name? . Oh, it's, it'll come to me anyway. And he mark Ron's engineer, and

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yeah. Yeah. 

Track 1: he was on 300 quid a week in London.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: yeah, yeah, 

Track 1: I mean, 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: I forget his name as well, but I do know who you're talking about. 

Track 1: It, it'll come 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Italian guy. Yeah. Lovely, lovely guy. Showed me round once, 'cause one of the people I was working with was based at tire yard. Um, yeah, great guy. Great engineer. But yeah, I mean that, I mean that tells you everything. I think that tells you everything you sort of need to know about, well, the state, state of the industry really at that time, so

Yeah, 

Track 1: Yeah, so you went back to S SS L

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: yeah,

Track 1: on your own terms.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: yeah 

Track 1: the, the, the same position or.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: yeah. The same position. But I guess with a bit of a, a, fresh, a fresh start, so to speak. And I think basically the company were. Beginning to really take the product the role of like product management and the product team, the really stepping up their efforts in that regard and wanted the product team to become a lot more of a central sort of driving force to, to the business. So it was sort of with renewed spirits and yeah, it was, I think with, with good effect and sort of it's, yeah, it sort of really. Taken off from that position. So really glad I went back.

Track 1: Was this still what's his name? The owner of the company.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Peter

Gabriel? 

Track 1: Gables. 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yes. Yeah, 

Track 1: it, was still his Right. Okay.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yeah, what, when I went back it was still under Peter's leadership. And then it was about, if I remember correctly, about a year after I joined Rejoined the audio tonics acquired the company. So there was a little bit of the old management and, and then it was straight into the sort of audio tonics era.

Track 1: And. How did that affect the company

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: I mean, it's, it's affected it hugely really. 

Track 1: Positively or negatively, 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: yeah, the, by, by, I mean by weighing afar really positively. I think, you know, always situations like that, there's always some skepticism. But it's, I think, proved to be. You know, a vital, a vital, move really for SS s l I mean, particularly with the products I'm involved with, with some of the smaller products as well, we've really been able to start building the products we always wanted to make, but, but could never, could never get to for the right price. So you know, I think it's sort of really helped S S L. Fulfill what it was trying to do for years and years, and that is still in conjunction with the big desks as well. So, you know, there's, there's sort of four verticals that we, we call them. There's studio, the sort of big studio consoles. The, there's the live, the live market. There's the broadcast market as well, which features io and Digital consoles. And I can't remember whether I got to the, there's sort of the smaller studio equipment we call audio CRE creation products. And we've got plugins now. So yeah, it was really know, it was really a great move.

There's no, there's sort of no doubt about that really.

Track 1: Ricky, Damien

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Ricky, Damien, yes. That's the one

Track 1: It, it, it came back to me there in, in the middle of the chat. Yeah. He's Mark Ronson's engineer. We should point that out. Yes, indeed. Now so I. What, what, what is your, what's your pre S SS L, education interests, all that sort of.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Sure, sure. Yeah. Yeah, pre s s l I guess I studied at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts back in, when was that? 2007 to 2010. Mean, I'd always sort of When I was at school, I literally couldn't wait for the opportunity to, to do music tech. So even before that, you know, at secondary school, I sort of was always interested in recording, being able to record myself all of that stuff.

I think my dad

helped me put go on. 

Track 1: you, you, you, you never had the I'm gonna be a rock star

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Oh, I mean, God. Yeah, but I mean, I think, I think I got that outta my system.

Track 1: Right.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: really early on. So I think, you know, early teens doing, doing the usual thing you know, playing in a rock band 

Track 1: Which you still do as far as I recall.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: well, a little, a little bit of wedding band stuff now. But,

um, .Yeah, no, the, the whole, that whole thing. Yeah, I that was definitely the fascination, but I think a, as I went through my teens wanting to record myself playing stuff, just getting music in and out of a computer, my, my dad sort of helped me build a little di so I could get sort of signals in on my PC and, and all of that really.

So,

Track 1: So, was your dad an influence then 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: only in terms of facilitating the the method of recording when I literally knew nothing.

Um, 

Track 1: Look, is he a musician?

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: No, he's not at all.

No, it's, Really bizarre. But he is really he's, he's very practical, a lot more practical than I am. So he used to sort of repair TVs in the days where TVs would be repaired instead of just

Track 1: Right. Okay.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: So 

lec, bit of 

Track 1: Belts and braces,

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So,

uh, so yeah, he helped me do some very bad recordings initially, but yes, so it's always, I've always had a sort of passion for recording and. And stuff like that. So it really just progressed. Obviously being able to study at university was in Lipper was was great.

And then post that I did the usual thing of interning around a few studios before I swiftly ran out of money and stayed on too many people's sofas. So so yeah, I did sort of walked all that walk I guess.

Track 1: And Lippo was it, it, wasn't a, a music course, it was a, a tech technical course. 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: yeah, yeah. Not the one that I did, so I did sound technology. But the, the great thing about Lipper is it is a performing arts university. So you are, you know, around you, you have got musicians who are studying music. Uh, you've also got dancers and actors and, and, and light, you know, theater technicians. So it's a, a good space for, for all those people to collaborate really.

Track 1: And you'll always have a, a, a a bunch of musicians readily available?

Yes, 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Ready, ready and willing. So, yeah, no, it was a, it was a brilliant place. And there, there've been, you know, loads of, you know, really great people come out of it. You know, Mike, Mike Crossey being probably the most memorable name. Um, John Gilmore, who's done a lot of the 1975 stuff. So,

Got a, it's got a a reputation for,

Track 1: For real.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: some real, real talent and Yeah.

Track 1: So w was s s L your first job then?

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Not right. I mean, I worked in a call center,

so, 

Track 1: Yeah, but I mean, like

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: two months.

Track 1: within the industry,

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yeah. Within, well, yes, I think before I joined SS s l i'd, as I mentioned, I'd done, I'd done various stints of, you know, two weeks in turning here. A month of, you know, assisting here, like I'd done, I, I, I began the studio stuff. I did. I had done a studio internship over between second and third year down at Modern World Studios,

Track 1: Yes.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: sort of over that summer learning from people like Clint Murphy.

Track 1: Ah, 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: but yeah, absolutely. I mean, I mean, SS s l I was lucky enough that it was my first, you know, real, real job. Yeah.

Track 1: Yeah. And, and what a, what a company to join really

you know,

where do you go from there? Like

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: well, that's the difficulty, isn't it?

It's, O o often people sort of, sort of work their way towards that. But yeah, that was a funny one actually because my first contact with s ss l, so my third year research project university was focused on analog compressors and you know, why certain types are used for. X Jo. You know, y every time I walk in the studio, is there an 1176 on the lead, vocal, blah, blah, blah. So, so funnily enough, part of that research I had to do an element of primary research and, the time the, the forum now known as gear space I, I remember before a lecture I, I posted quite innocently, a few of my burning questions about why people use certain compressors. Anyway, I went off to the lecture. I came back from the lecture and my inbox was just full of You know, responses from the forum, which is just people, you know, just, just go, how can you possibly ask that question? What a stupid

question X, y z, dah, dah, dah, dah. This forum has been, you know, closed. So basically just got, got a lot of abuse in a, in the space of an hour. Um, but Jim who, who's still atl Vice President, oh, international sales. He, he sort of was the voice in the s s l voice in the, in the forum, and he saw what was going on and very kindly sort of said do you want to come along to S SS L and ask A guy called Chris Jenkins, who is probably the closest person you get now to Mr. Ss s l him some questions about the bus compressor. So so I had, even before I joined properly, I had a foot in the door, I guess. So I was I was very grateful for that.

Track 1: And that, that initial meeting, I guess, was a sort of a, not, not really a trial run, but it was introducing you to,

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yes.

Yes, totally. Yeah. 

There was, I mean, there was no, you know,

Track 1: Did you know who Chris was?

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Well after Jim had asked if I want to go and speak to him, I thought, I better, I better,

find out who this person is,

And, And yeah, I mean, Chris is in, in, he is a, well, he is, he's, he's, he's retired now, but um, a, he was sort of incredible driving force behind the company. And yeah, you know, it's sort of the man behind the design of like the duality, the a w s consoles, the C series consoles. So, yeah, I think, I think I was a bit a rabbit in headlights. He sort of marked up some blocked diagrams of. And talk to me a bit about technically the bus compressor and how it worked and why it was different.

A lot of which was over my head at the time, but you know, it's, I've, I think I've still got the folder some somewhere with all of it marked up. So yeah, that was so appreciated at the time. And yeah, I'm grateful for Chris and ended up working with him closely over, over the years before he retired.

So, Definitely gained a lot of valuable knowledge from him

Track 1: Right.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: now.[00:00:00] 

Track 1: And also the man who wired the compressor for 

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yes. Yes. On the exactly.

Yeah. 

Track 1: drum sound. Yes.

squadcaster-f5ca_1_09-21-2023_200156: Yes, yes. On the, on, on the intruder. So yeah, Chris was before he was with esl, he was engineer at the Townhouse studios in London. So, so yeah, that, that record, he was yeah, as you say, he was the man who rewired the desk so that the listen mic signal could be recorded.

The tape, because up until that point, it came through into the monitoring section, but had no way of being recorded on tape. So literally overnight, he . Got underneath the desk and, and, and sorted it so that it could be recorded. So he has his own, uh, sort of, uh, you know, place in music history,