IAN DILLON
Recording, engineering, mixing and producing are in Ian Dillon’s blood. At the tender age of 12, he was already spending his free time at Blue Room Studios in Edmonton, where he’d wrap up chords and “helped record… albums as much as a 12-year-old could” with his musician father.
“So I was born into it, really. And then when I was in high school, the school I was attending bought a recording studio but didn’t know how to set it up,” recalls the Calgary-based owner of Electric Park Studio. “I got in trouble in class and [it] came out [that] I came from a recording family, and so I actually set up the studio and helped them work on their curriculum. It was pretty cool. So I’ve just been doing stuff like that my whole life.”
Dillon’s business just celebrated its two-year anniversary in September and has been continuously gaining momentum due to its owner’s impressive skills and resume, based on a lifelong passion for the art. Aside from his work as a studio head, Dillon works as a sound technician at live shows, most notably working the boards for September’s Noctis Metal Festival. He works via contract for the Distillery and engineered your eardrum experience for all of the Sled Island shows at the venue in June. He’s continuously seen success throughout his career, despite dropping out of recording school. Undeterred, he went straight to work at Calgary’s Music Center Canada (MCC) Studio. Under the tutelage of Johnny Gasparic, the engineer/producer who worked with Saskatchewan metal act Into Eternity (as well as Snoop Dogg, Gord Bamford and Static in the Stars) he “really got to see how metal production was really done.” Dillon’s own experience as a musician – he fronted local metal acts Adverse Reaction, War Eagle Rising and Cerberus – gave him contacts and, with some experience and a potential client list, he opened Electric Park. Located at 2115 30 Ave. N.E., the studio boasts an impressive array of boutique instruments.
“I have a nice collection of Gibson guitars,” says Dillon. This includes two Gibson Super Jumbo acoustics, a Chet Atkins SST, an SG and others. Also available are an American made Fender Telecaster, an Ibanez RG, several basses, a drum kit and some retro, ‘70s-era amplifiers, along more modern, solid state amps.
“You need good instruments and you need good recording equipment” to make a strong recording, says Dillon. “What I really stress that’s really important is you need good talent. All three of those things if they’re added together, it’s a step in the right direction.”
Correspondingly, Dillon’s recorded output is varied, though his crystalline recording techniques – done with Pro Tools and a “clean signal chain” – ensure they have one major thing in common: rich, dense sound with no muddling. His clients include Attack Addict, Black Mountain Outlaws, Scorched Banditos, Lordosis, Bloated Pig, The Promethean Labyrinth and The Electric Revival. His role on each record varies.
“I like to provide good quality recordings for bands, whether it be a small demo where the band already has their tracks together and written and they just want to get out to their audience. I want to help them sound good so they can build their fan base… so that’s one part of it,” he describes. “Or, the production part is kind of what I do for Bloated Pig. We work together on their albums and it’s about a six-month process. We scratch record everything and get the tracks down and do all that kind of stuff. That’s more of a director/producer based role.”
Whether you require your music be recorded crystal clear, or need some advice on how to perfect your band’s sound, Dillon will provide. With his rates being available on a siding scale, he’ll likely accommodate your budget.
If you’re interested in having Ian Dillon record your album, or mix your live show, check him out online at www.iandillon.com. You can also email him atelectricparkstudio@gmail.com.
By Sarah Kitteringham
This month we were pleased to wrap up the mixes for attack addict and we look forward to a release very soon! We also have Blades Of Steel returning to track for an upcoming single. Keep posted for some crazy news in the new year including the start of production for the upcoming Bloated Pig sessions in January! And There is still time available to get your sessions recorded before the new year, give Ian Dillon @ Electric Park Studio a shout! 587-888-5453 or www.IANDILLON.COM
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ELECTRIC PARK STUDIO
CHEERS!
