Someone who might describe their career exactly as they imagined when younger, is someone like Grant Henderson. Having carved out his unique path, time has allowed him to develop many old and new ways of working within a recording studio environment. Known locally as a renowned studio engineer, producer and driver of the creative hub at Lovers Lane Studios in Dumfries, this former aspiring hardcore dance DJ took over the studio from his father during the early part of the millennium. With an admirable sense of tradition and romance towards the industry, Grant carried through all the various hand-me downs of kit from the 1980s, so that Lovers Lane Studio could offer a well equipped recording facility for the south-west of Scotland.

When asked the appropriate question of: ‘how did it all begin?’ Grant was keen to expel: “I did not have much of a choice. Having come from a very musical family, the exposure to music, and the creativity pushed behind it is what helped route my path towards the sound design industry.”

Finding his interest, at a very early age, Grant began fiddling with various pieces of studio equipment that had the capabilities of producing all sorts of noise. Grant fondly remembers his days slapping the keys of an old Juno keyboard, which created really undefined soundscapes that would, “quite frankly, terrify me”. The allure of conjuring up imagery with noise meant that there was already something very addictive about the mixing and bending of sounds. Noted for his interest in music making, Grant’s parents made the obvious move and signed him up for piano lessons, but Grant admits: “I soon fell out of love with that. The same went for guitar and drum lessons.” Grant was keen to note that as soon as he was textbook instructed on how to do something musically, he disbanded it. He much preferred investigating the instrument personally and using innovative ways to produce a sound from it.

“I actually think I have always been better at telling people how to do it rather than doing it myself”, Grant explains. That was certainly the case when he and his teenage “partner in crime”, Leo Horsfield, aspired to become the next new sound within the Scottish hardcore dance scene. “It’s actually something I didn’t really like, hardcore dance music, but I knew that if I was to make it as a prospering sound engineer/producer, I needed to have an open mind”.

With that training in place, Grant took on his first D.I.Y. independent project and recorded an EP using bars and pipes software via an old Amiga 200. Sent out to various small underground and major Scottish record labels, including Scott Brown’s famed, Evolution Records, for two young teenage aspiring artists, the unimaginable happened. Scott Brown, the ‘Lord of Hardcore’ signed the duo. “Looking back at it, it was terribly embarrassing. Although short, we managed to bring out four records on vinyl and were featured on the Bonkers compilation record – that was the rage during the 90s”. Grant at this point took the leap out of Dumfries and began working on material with the likes of happy hardcore artists such as DJ Sharkey, DJ Dougal and further projects with Scott Brown. “Looking back at it, I suppose I took away a better appreciation of dance music, particularly hardcore.”

But Grant was ready to root and settle down with the family home prodigy, Lovers Lane, and make a start at recording specifically more organic instruments downstairs at his parent’s house. With intentions to open up the studio to more local upcoming artists, Grant decided to bite the bullet and draw on from his experience in recording and producing, and open up to all kinds of genres. Grant quickly found that, “The dream is to capture exactly what is there”, but saying that, Grant was quick to further explain that: “Sometimes some people don’t want you to capture what’s there, because they want their music to sound better or improved.”

A very simplified picture of a sound engineer is that it’s someone who is told to just record, whether it by the band or by a record label. In reality, it’s become a job of many roles, Grant explained, “The lines are blurred between a producer and an engineer, really the responsibilities have become much more. You have to be an engineer, a producer and be involved within the mixing, because the budget is not there for artists to pass it through the hands of various creatives.”

Recording at the original location for Lovers Lane, Grant’s parents living room, it could be said that it was very much a D.I.Y. home-recording set-up. When asked what the most important tools were for that set-up Grant confessed: “The most important tools are not necessarily the most obvious ones, I have always considered my years of experience the best tool, but it is important to have a good sounding room, good sounding speakers, a good mixing desk and good microphones.”

However, Grant also admitted that it does not always come down to the sound engineer: “You need good sounding instruments. That catered for, one microphone put in a particular place in a room can capture something truly special.” It certainly is a collaborative effort when working within a recording environment. A sound engineer needs as much as they can get from an artist, just as much as taking strong initiative. “Ideally artists just need to run away with ideas and ideas just take over.” Grant stresses how much of a great feeling it is when artists let him try out new ideas: “One time I tried three amplifiers on a bass, with one out in the car park off the studio picking up slap from the stone walls of the building.”

However, as in every job there are challenges to be faced and although Grant advocates that when starting out building a recording studio, you want to get the best equipment and invest all your time into the project. What is disheartening is that when it does not come out in practice. Grant has found that when you don’t have the world’s best musicians doing the best they can, it proves to be one of the biggest challenges. Grant explained: “Sometimes the hardest part is trying to make something not good, good. I most certainly do not want to offend anyone, but it is reality. When you have a studio open to the general public you can’t just turn away those who are not the best of musicians.” Although controversial, it must be very difficult to get a promising sound out from a guitarist who doesn’t have good technique or a drummer who cannot hit the drum kit in the right way.

All that said, Grant stressed that every new recording artist has to start somewhere and their first time in a studio is always a tricky one, but it helps if you do come prepared. “You never really know how it is going to go.” Grant further explained: “You need a good chunk of time to suss out the artist’s attitude, their ability to play and their commitment towards what they are about to create”.

When asked what would be his best piece of advice that he would give to an artist who is pondering over the idea of making that move into a recording studio, Grant empathetically noted: “Don’t be shy or embarrassed to make any mistakes in front of me. I have heard it all. Be relaxed, and my job is to make you relaxed. Really keep your eyes and ears open to the engineer and everything will be okay. Trust me, nothing creative is ever going to come out of the worried and the uptight”.

In 2016, Lover’s Lane Recording Studio moved into the old school of St John’s on Rae Street and has become hugely centric to locals as a rehearsal and recording facility. An area which has been a hot-bed for musical innovation over many years, Grant was quick to admire that: “I feel there is something really special about the town of Dumfries and its music community. Sometimes I think my business would not survive anywhere else. The Dumfries music scene has kept me going for years and I am forever grateful for it.”

At Lovers Lane, start-up artists benefit from the use of hiring out reasonably priced rehearsal spaces, especially those who don’t have a lot of budget to play with, However, Grant also admitted that: “The best thing about having both facilities is that when a band upstairs are recording and a band downstairs are rehearsing, and when they mingle outside, evident networking is made.”

Now sat amid some rather worrying times for our music industry, Grant was keen to share his thoughts on the impacts of COVID-19 in new light: “I think there is a silver lining to all of this. Let’s face it, we have not been making money from the music industry like we used to. A lot of the un-necessities will be washed out and for the better we can hopefully see a return to some simplicity.”

With a hopeful surge in new artistry, it is inevitable that the ramifications of lockdown will bring about some incredible new music from artists as well as producers. Coming out of lockdown there is no doubt that some artists will have found new innovative ways to sustain their music, in case they are faced with another crisis like this. When asked what his advice would be to someone who wanted to D.I.Y. home records, as for some first steps, Grant suggested: “Get yourself a good microphone and start recording. You can easily start recording - use different positions, in different rooms, and mess around. Just train your ears”.

It is Interesting to note that music professionals who identify themselves as ongoing pro-active learners, regardless of their years of experience, tend to be more capable of catering and sustaining a career within this highly competitive industry, and that is something very fitting to say about Grant. His work and his fairness will remain one of the greatest assets to our music community here in Dumfries, and for that we must remain forever grateful.

Find out more about Lovers Lane Studios by clicking here.

In Conversation With.. Grant Henderson of Lovers Lane Studios