Pattison is a freelance sound engineer based in Paris who has worked with a host of big bands and artists. For years he worked as Kula Shaker's FOH engineer and when the band reformed recently they asked him to work with them at their reunion gigs.
"The gigs were really good," he says. "I didn't know whether to get involved again to be honest. It was kind of like going out with an old girlfriend! I turned up and mixed the first show and it went great."
Pattison has a long list of other bands on his CV too. "I've worked with Spiritualized and, over the last couple of years, I worked with Gomez who are now very big in America. I also work for Joseph Arthur who is a New York based singer/songwriter rising to acclaim right now. I also release my own music which is a kind of contemporary English folk."
And for that music he enlisted the help of a couple of old friends from Kula Shaker: "When the band broke up the bass player and drummer became really good friends of mine and I used them on my album and Joseph Arthur also needed a band so they toured with him around Europe. Kula Shaker's rhythm section became his rhythm section!"
For years now, Pattison's brand choice of microphone brand has been sE Electronics, which came was a result of sE's policy where they let you to try before you buy.
"James Young from sE sent me a load of mics to try and I bought all of them!" he remembers. "What I really wanted was something like an old 60s Neumann U67 or FET 47, that kind of thing, but they are so expensive to buy. I wanted something specifically of that quality, a really nice condenser. James told me about the Gemini, especially how good it is on acoustic guitars and vocals, and then how much it was going to be... and I honestly thought it wouldn't be any good for the price. In fact I thought it would be impossible for it to be any good! But when it came through and I started using it I was really blown away and have used it on everything since. I also use a Z5600a for tracking other artists backing the lead.
"I use the Gemini on main vocals a lot. It's also really good on any string instrument. I'd say it's very warm and very flattering; a very nice warm and dense sound that I really love in a mic."
It's a busy time for Pattison and the future looks just as hectic. "Gomez are just about to release a new record which is going to be really good and I'll be doing the live sound on that. sE have just launched their new H1 which I've yet to try out, but I'm looking forward to getting my hands in that too... it's a stage condenser that should be great for live vocals / drums / guitar cabs etc... we'll see!
"I work with a lot of French bands as well. I've just produced a band in London and used all sE mics with them. I've also recorded French singers Elista Joseph, d'Anvers and Herve Paul with a Gemini and have also just done a film soundtrack on which I only used the Gemini for the whole thing."
Which proves that not only is Pattison in demand but the Gemini is a great all rounder too!
(Chris Henry)
