Toe Rag Studios is an analogue

Analog recording

Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback.Analog recording methods store signals as a continual wave in or on the media...

 recording studio

Recording studio

A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...

 located in Hackney

London Borough of Hackney

The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....

, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, UK.

History

The studio was founded in 1991 by Liam Watson

Liam Watson

Liam Watson is a Grammy Award-winning British record producer and owner of Toe Rag Studios. Watson is perhaps best known for his work engineering and mixing the White Stripes' Elephant, receiving the 2004 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album...

 and Josh Collins in the Shoreditch

Shoreditch

Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...

 area of London. In 1997, the business relocated to Hackney due to rising overheads. Although the studio didn't open exclusively in the analogue market, it was formed to eventually only use analogue equipment (despite the cost), as "there were loads of [cheap digital studios] opening up all the time and then closing down every week because they didn't really offer anything unique".

Facilities

Toe Rag offers clients music production using eight-track multitrack recording

Multitrack recording

Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...

 technology, and all recording media is magnetic tape

Magnetic tape

Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording. Devices that record and play back audio and video using magnetic tape are tape recorders and video tape recorders...

.

Equipment

Recording is centred around an EMI

EMI

The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

 mixing console

Mixing console

In professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...

 (originally from Abbey Road Studios

Abbey Road Studios

Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...

) and Studer

Studer

Studer is a Swiss manufacturer of professional audio equipment, founded in Zurich in 1948 by Willi Studer. It is known primarily for the design and manufacture of analog tape recorders and mixing consoles. Studer also produce other technology solutions, such as telephony management systems and...

 A80 tape machine, as well as microphones by Neumann

Neumann

Neumann may refer to:*Alfred Neumann, German writer*Alfred Neumann, East German politician*Bernd Neumann, German politician*Bernhard Neumann, German-born mathematician...

, Reslo and STC

STC

- Education :* S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia, a private school in Sri Lanka* South Texas College* South Thames College* Sha Tin College, Hong Kong* Saint Theresa's College, Philippines- Organizations :* Scarborough Town Centre* Space Transport Corporation...

. Monitoring

Studio monitor

Studio monitors, also called reference monitors, are loudspeakers specifically designed for audio production applications such as recording studios, filmmaking, television studios and radio studios where accurate audio reproduction is crucial....

 is performed through Tannoy

Tannoy

Tannoy Ltd is a Scottish-based manufacturer of loudspeakers and public-address systems. The company was founded in London, England as Tulsemere Manufacturing Company in 1926, but has been based in Coatbridge, Scotland, since the 1970s...

 loudspeakers. Vintage backline

Backline (stage)

The term backline used to refer just to audio amplification equipment that stands behind the band on stage, including amplifiers for guitars, bass guitars and keyboards. In the US, backline has expanded in recent years to include the instruments that the musicians play, from guitars and bass...

 includes Vox

Vox (musical equipment)

Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...

 and Fender amplifiers, and instruments include Farfisa

Farfisa

Farfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy.The Farfisa brand name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organs, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizers. At the height of its production, Farfisa operated three factories to produce instruments, in...

 and Hammond

Hammond organ

The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...

 organs

Electric organ

In biology, the electric organ is an organ common to all electric fish used for the purposes of creating an electric field. The electric organ is derived from modified nerve or muscle tissue...

, as well as a 1965 Ludwig

Ludwig-Musser

Ludwig-Musser is a drum and percussion instrument manufacturer that is part of the Conn-Selmer division of Steinway Musical Instruments.The first product made by the Ludwig brothers, William and Theobaldner , was a bass drum pedal capable of playing faster beats than was typical of products of the...

 drum kit

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

.

As well as hardware, the studio's live room was specially built to maximise the acoustic properties

Acoustics

Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...

. In addition to this, the studio makes use of echo chamber

Echo chamber

thumb|right|Echo chamber of the Dresden University of Technologythumb|right|Hamilton Mausoleum has a spectacularly long lasting unplanned echoAn echo chamber is a hollow enclosure used to produce echoing sounds, usually for recording purposes...

s.

Notable clients

• Nic Armstrong
  Nic Armstrong
  Nic Armstrong is a British singer-songwriter, musician, painter and public artist. After writing and recording The Greatest White Liar album he founded the band Nic Armstrong & The Thieves ....
  
  
• Billy Childish
  Billy Childish
  Billy Childish is an English artist, painter, author, poet, photographer, film maker, singer and guitarist...
  
  
• Clocks
  Clocks (band)
  Clocks were an English indie pop band, formed in Epsom & Ewell in 2000. After deciding in 2005 to take music seriously, they spent their university vacations gigging and recording. They have recorded with Liam Watson and on 14 August 2006 released their debut single, "That Much Better" on Hungry...
  
  
• Hugh Cornwell
  Hugh Cornwell
  Hugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...
  
  
• Country Teasers
  Country Teasers
  Country Teasers is a Scottish art punk band formed in 1993.Early Country Teasers albums were characterised by illiterate, scathingly satirical lyrics and discordant, repetitive sound – like William S...
  
  
• The Cribs
  The Cribs
  The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
  
  
• Dan Sartain
  Dan Sartain
  Dan Sartain is an American rock and roll musician from Birmingham, Alabama. His music encompasses a variety of genres including rockabilly and blues. After releasing two self-produced albums through independent record labels, his first commercially-available studio album Dan Sartain vs. the...
  
  

• The Datsuns
  The Datsuns
  The Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 2000. To date they have released four albums and several singles, most of which have charted in New Zealand and/or the United Kingdom...
  
  
• Electric Wizard
  Electric Wizard
  Electric Wizard are a stoner metal band from Dorset, England that formed in 1993. The band have since recorded seven albums, at least three of which are now considered to be landmarks of their genre: their self-title debut, Electric Wizard, Come My Fanatics..., and Dopethrone...
  
  
• The Flaming Stars
  The Flaming Stars
  The Flaming Stars are an English underground garage punk band. The Flaming Stars can be compared to artists such as the Tindersticks and The Bad Seeds.-History:...
  
  
• Fire Dept
  Fire Dept
  The Fire Dept was a British punk rock group. The main core of the band over the years comprised Neil Palmer on guitar and vocals, Neale Richardson on bass and Robin Taylor on drums...
  
  
• Holly Golightly
  Holly Golightly
  Holly Golightly is a British singer-songwriter. Her mother christened her after the protagonist in Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. Her musical style ranges from garage rock to R&B.-Musical career:...
  
  
• Bobby Long

• James Hunter
  James Hunter (singer)
  James Hunter is a Grammy Award-nominated English R&B musician and soul singer.-Career:Hunter's career began with a band called "Howlin' Wilf and the Vee-Jays," who released their first album in 1986 entitled Cry Wilf. Later he released three more with his own band...
  
  
• The Kills
  The Kills
  The Kills is a rock band formed by American singer Alison Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince . Their first three albums, Keep On Your Mean Side, No Wow, and Midnight Boom, have garnered much critical praise...
  
  
• Madness
  Madness (band)
  In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
  
  
• Supergrass
  Supergrass
  Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
  
  
• The Ettes
  The Ettes
  The Ettes is a garage rock revival band consisting of Lindsay “Coco” Hames, Maria “Poni” Silver, and Jeremy “Jem” Cohen. The band formed in 2004 in Los Angeles, California and is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee.-History:...
  
  

• Shy Nobleman
  Shy Nobleman
  Shy Nobleman is an Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist, guitarist and Actor.He is one of Israel's leading indie musicians, whose English language psychedelic and power-pop albums have been hits in Israel and enjoys increasing popularity in a number of European...
  
  
• Spitfire
  Spitfire (UK band)
  Spitfire are a British band from Crawley, West Sussex, England whose ever-changing line up revolved around brothers Nick and Jeff Pitcher. Other members included Steve White, Justin Welch, Steven Walker , Matt Wise and Scott Kenny.Two early EPs on Eve Recordings saw the band linked to the...
  
  
• Tame Impala
  Tame Impala
  Tame Impala are a psychedelic rock band from Perth, Australia. They are signed to Modular Records. The band came to prominence in 2010 with the release of their first debut album, Innerspeaker. Their name refers to the impala, a medium sized antelope...
  
  
• Television Personalities
• The White Stripes
  The White Stripes
  The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
  
  
• The Zutons
  The Zutons
  The Zutons are an English indie rock band from Liverpool. They were formed in 2001 but did not release their first album, Who Killed...... The Zutons?, until May 2004. They achieved their biggest hits with "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?" and "Valerie", both taken from their second studio album...