Pleasure Palaces: Errors

To begin with, can you describe the space you play music in and tell us how long you've been using it?
We've just moved into a new studio space in the centre of town, but for the recording of the most recent record we mostly used Simon's living room in his flat in the West End. We set up our equipment in the corner of the living-room behind one of his sofas so it kind of functions as a recording space and relaxing space where we would watch TV and have dinner when taking breaks. This isn't the first time we've used this space;  some of the last record was also recorded here.

How do you feel the environment affects the outcome of the music you make?
I suppose because the place is also a functioning living space it makes everything pretty relaxed which probably has an effect on the outcome. Also because it's not set up for a full band most of the recording we've made are more made for listening to on headphones, this was often the way we listened to tracks because we couldn't make noise after 10pm. Recording with headphones definitely changes the type of music we make, I think we are more detailed with what we do and perhaps there are quite subtle things going on. The room is pretty bright with plenty of sunshine coming in during the day which tends to put us in a better mood obviously I think this feeds into the music we've made in there. I can't really see us recording in a proper studio, unless it's to record drums. We recorded our first record in the Castle of Doom that belonged to Mogwai but we spent a lot of money and were quite aware that any time we were in there and not getting things done was wasting more and more money.

What is the surrounding outdoor environment like? Does the space feel very separate from that?
The good thing about this space is it is close to shops and the outdoor environment is actually one that is nice to be out in. Often if I was sitting staring at the computer for hours without anything coming to me I would go out to the shops and suddenly on my way there I'd have a realisation that would only occurred if I had left the recording space. I think it's quite important to take little breaks like that, particularly when some of the sessions we'd be doing would last for 12 hours.

What is the building's history? What did it used to be?
It's a tenement flat with lots of other people living in it. Quite often we could hear other people in the rooms downstairs. Theres a girl that we could hear playing Frightened Rabbit songs on her acoustic guitar.

Have any other bands used the space before, to your knowledge? If so, who? Any records been made there?
As I mentioned before we recorded bits of our old record in there. I've got a memory of recording feedback using a microphone and practice amp in the living room, Simon's flatmate is very understanding so we get to make a lot of noise in there without him bothering too much. His flatmate makes music in his bedroom also, quite often we'd be recording in the living room and he'd be rehearsing in the next room with his band mate.

How did you find the space?
Simon's been living there for a few years now. Halfway through the recording of this most recent record the ceiling of the studio we were in in Bridgeton collapsed so we had to move all the equipment up to his place. It was more out of necessity but in the end it worked out really well for us.

Where else have you rehearsed/made music?
We had that studio down in Bridgeton and I've got a set-up in my bedroom in my flat, we recorded the first EP How Clean Is Your Acid House in his bedroom in his mum's house in the Southside. I think each space has an effect on the outcome. The bedroom spaces still seem to be the most productive spaces for me as I tend to get lost in the music I'm making and forget that there is an outside world, I seem to work better when spaces have low lighting and are warm. The space in Bridgeton was really cold, even in summer. It was often warmer outside than it was inside which made it difficult to spend much time down there. We nick-named the space The Freezer for that reason. I think a lot of the music coming out of there was quite dark because it was pretty depressing being in there and the surrounding environment was pretty grim.