Recording/Live Sound Consoles

Helen Culleton recalls with a smile attending her first concert. The live event took place in London with AC/DC (with their original band members) and the opening act was Def Leppard’s first tour. It was the first of many for her as she lived close to several popular venues in an era of cutting-edge and popular bands such as Pink Floyd and Rush. With a love for audio, Helen began working in the industry in 1982 as a PA at Soundtracs. The small company focused on developing innovative mixing consoles and recording studio gear. Helen left the industry only to return 8 years later wh

Joshua Curlett was enlisted as a stage hand for his church when he was a kid. That experience led him to pay close attention to the inner workings of stages and live performances. While in college he promoted many concerts and soon opened his own consulting firm. One of his customers was SoundPro located in Irving, Texas. The company was established by Charles Kitch in 1973 as Sound Production Inc. and was assisted in its growth and development by the late Jeff Humphrey. Joshua officially joined the team in 2010 and became the CEO. The original goals of the company created by Mr.

Dan Dugan is a pro lighting and pro audio engineer who invented an automixer that he first presented at AES in 1974. With a rich background in theater, both in lighting and sound, Dan created several automations that improved the quality and efficiency of production processes. His innovations were used in many products including Yamaha’s Dugan MY-16 card, and he was awarded an Emmy for technology in 2020. While working for theaters in San Francisco in 1968, the now commonly known title of sound designer was first used to describe the work Dan was doing.

Jono Manson is the owner of The Kitchen Sink Recording Studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As a record producer and engineer, he has collaborated on projects ranging from national advertising campaigns and motion pictures to working with a host of recording artists. Jono is also a performer and songwriter, a passion that goes back to when he received a Kent guitar when he was six years old. His mother was a modern dancer who performed with Martha Graham and during his NAMM interview, Jono made some interesting observations regarding the trends in modern dance and how they were echoed

Michael Marquart established Windmark Recording Studio in Santa Monica, California in 1983. The studio was the location for countless landmark albums including several featuring Michael on drums. He toured with several bands over the years (including Flock of Seagulls) before coming off the road to focus on studio work. He sold the studio to The Neptunes ten years later, yet the studio is still a part of his legacy in music. With his home studio, Michael has recorded nine albums for his own band, A Bad Think, including Simple Rhymes in 2009, Medicine in 2012 and The Savior in 2019

Ron Mesh is a tour manager for some of the biggest names in Live Sound. Ron cut his teeth as an audio engineer for touring bands such as Uncle Sam and the Chesterfield Kings, a Punk Rock band that enabled Ron to tour Europe for the first time. Over the years he developed skills in logistics and fell into the role of Tour Manager, working with bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Tower of Power, and Billy Gibbons. Along the way, Ron also formed and ran his own audio equipment rental company for over 25 years called Advanced Audio Services.

This audio only interview was conducted by David Schwartz and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Colin Sanders began building sound systems for churches when he was still a teenager. By the age of 22, Colin formed Solid State Logic (also known as SSL) and at first focused on electronic controls for church organs. The company introduced the innovative SL 4000B console in 1977, which many felt ushered in a new era of audio technology. The console is believed to be the first to include computer automation. Over the years, Colin and his team of engineers created several advance

Arturo Vicari is the founder of AEB Industrials which he established in 1974 in Bologna, Italy. He is also the CEO of RCF Spa which is based in Reggio Emilia (Italy). Both companies design and manufacture pro audio gear and belong to the industrial group, RCF Group. Arturo is proud of the growth of both companies and gives credit to his hard-working staff. He always felt the drivers were the keys to the success of the product line, which he continues to build. He acquired EAW and DPA Microphones in 2018, which falls in line with Arturo’s goals of providing leading and innovative p

Marc Whitmore is an award-winning recording engineer, renowned for his mastery of both analog and digital sound. Nestled in the picturesque foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, Marc's studio serves as a haven for artists seeking top-tier mixing, mastering and overdubs.