Interview: Neil Gray
Who are you currently touring with/mixing?
Hanni el Khatib and Florence & the Machine.
What are some other bands you’ve worked with?
Swervedriver, Supergrass, Ash, The Verve and Razorlight.
How long have you been doing live sound?
I have been doing live sound for 22 years now, I got started working for a supply company called Star Hire Sound.
What is your favourite console and why?
My favourite analogue console would be the Midas XL200, and for digital I’d stick with Midas and say the Pro9; it sounds great and is intuitive.
Favourite microphone or any other piece of kit?
The Shure KSM32 would be a favourite microphone, and the Avalon 737 is a great piece of outboard.
Most memorable gig or career highlight?
Probably some of the Verve shows, oh, and the three nights I did with Florence at Ally Pally in London.
Any tips/words of wisdom for someone starting out?
Don’t be afraid to try something out.
Describe your mixing setup now, compared to what it was in 1998.
It’s switched from analogue to digital — no more racks upon racks, and cables.
What are three mixing techniques you regularly employ that you’ve learnt in the last 15 years?
Valve compressors on drums, using quality reverbs, and lots of analogue delays.
Three game changing pieces of gear from the last 15 years?
Avalon outboard gear, Sennheiser clip mics and Midas digital consoles.
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