Cafe Music Recording Studios

Mackie interview with Mark Sutherland of Café Music


What do Bruce Forsyth’s ‘Elephants Can Fly’, Culture Club, Brett Anderson, Coldplay, and a previously unheard Hendrix master tape have in common? Or “Who?” is the question really. The answer - one Mark Sutherland, owner of Café Music Studios in London’s infamous East End. And Café Music ‘the studio’ is as extraordinary as its intriguing owner. If you didn’t know where Café Music is, you’d walk straight past it. In fact, even if you do know where it is the chances are you would probably would walk past it too, so understated is the exterior to this most endearing of studios. It looks all in the world like your average East London house until you reach the door and study the 100 year old looking sign on the front door which reads: “Official Receiver In Companies Liquidation, 2nd Floor”. Mmmm. Curiouser and curiouser.

So, I knock on the door, still wondering if I am actually in the right place. I am, I am told, as the man who introduces himself as Mark opens the creaking door. Before I’ve even got a chance to get my Dictaphone out, Mark has already espoused on a myriad of subjects, some related to music and others not, but all with great aplomb. Dictaphone now on [which conveniently also doubles as a mobile phone] I start asking some questions and try and gain an insight into this hidden gem of a studio.

“I bought it in 1981 after getting some money from a record label” Mark says nonchalantly. “It used to be a Café, hence the name”. Before I can ask under which circumstances this money came from, he’s already off onto the next point. This man can talk! And to my relief, what he has to say gets ever more interesting (and and occasionally bizarre) as the conversation progresses.

“My Mum bought me ‘Elephants Can Fly’ when I was a kid. I loved it. Then I used to record Eagles songs on a tape recorder and play them back over and over. That tape player got me hooked on recording”.

We are sitting in the chill out area, which incidentally [corporate studios take note] really IS a place to chill out - a bit like your Grandma’s living room would be if she listened to Royksopp. From there Mark leads me down a steep set of stairs to the basement where the business end of the studio resides. It’s a small control room, big enough to swing a medium sized cat - compact and bijou springs to mind in Estate Agent speak.  The control room in turn leads to a larger live room where one of those fantastic and equally weird looking Peavey drum kits sits amongst old valve amps and such like. I’m momentarily distracted tapping on the kit’s heads, and come round after a few seconds to realise Mark is busily pointing out bits of gear to me left right and centre and I quickly cotton onto the fact that he’s raving about Mackie. In fact he’s quite obviously so taken with the Mackie gear he’s acquired, his previously understated demeanor makes way for markedly more animated gesticulations in all directions.

“Greg Mackie is a genius!” he declares. “He knows what the people want!”.  And before I get the chance to pin him down on his reasons, he’s off again:

“Mackie revolutionised the whole studio concept with the low cost multi-track mixing recording console, so that your average band, musician, writer or DJ could get a fantastic result with a minimal financial outlay. Whereas before you’d need a Nieve or SSL desk costing $10’s or $100’s of thousands, suddenly the whole package was made affordable to the people who really needed it. I’ve used everything in the past, from tape machines to samplers – you name it.

But when Mackie brought out the D8B – that was it!” It did the job -  ****** perfectly!  Suddenly you could even take your set-up on location or to gigs. It was a turning point in recording history. I’ve never looked back and Mackie are still pushing the boundaries today. Let’s go to the pub” he adds abruptly.

Well, I’m not adverse to a decent pint of old brewers toenails myself and it is hot in the studio, so I readily accept. It somehow doesn’t surprise me however, that we do not head directly to the pub, and I find myself on a detour with Mark as self appointed tour guide. He is eager to point out the “Banksy’s” on the brick walls of the area. It is without doubt a vibey part of town. No surprise to me that Mark chose this area for Café Music. Then, as we walk through the doors of this seemingly traditional London pub, I feel that there something a bit odd about the place. A feeling that is confirmed when I step into the gents and the urinal is actually in the shape of two giant red female lips. This isn’t your average evening out. We find a table in a dimly lit corner and the conversation turns quickly to Mackie again.

“I’ve recently got Mackie Control running Logic” Mark says with a tone that suggests pure satisfaction and even a certain amount of pride. “It makes the whole recording process quicker and simpler so I can concentrate on what’s really important – the music.”

Ah, the music! A great segue into finding more about the man.

“Well I was in loads of bands, way back - one of them turned into Culture Club!” he laughs. “ I was always about the music first, but when it came to recording I always thought ‘I can do this better than these guys’ – that’s when I started Café Music. When a band are coming in, I always get a tape first so I know before they arrive what I’m going to be dealing with. The more pre-production the better I reckon, but a lot of young bands don’t seem to realise that. They always seem to be grateful for our input though - that’s what we’re all about. We’re the diametric opposite of the archetypal ‘corporate’ studio. We get all sorts coming in and things going on here, there’s never a dull moment. Brett Anderson’s just been in and my partner in the studio John Hopkins is the ‘sound texturist’ for Coldplay.”

About 3 pints in and the evening drawing to a close, I ask Mark a predictable but important question, ‘What is your favourite bit of gear’? As I see his lips forming a ‘Ma….’ looking sound I shake my head and he knows what I mean.

“Ok. The U87 then”.

Mark gives me a lift to the tube and we shake hands and bid our farewells. As the car pulls away and as I step off into the cold, damp London night I hear Mark’s fading voice as he shouts from the open car window – “Oh! I didn’t tell you about the Hendrix master tape I own!”.

I’m already half way down the steps into the tube station, but ‘Hey’ I think to myself. A great excuse to meet again!

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