vhf sound

helm · Post by **helm** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 3:55 pm

due to problems on the birmingham-northampton line yesterday i ended up driving through rugby yesterday morning and i got to thinking about the vhf sound studio. does anyone have any information on it? i know that spacemen 3 and spiritualized recorded there (and i'm guessing darkside did, too) but did anyone else record there and what became of it? pretty dull question, but if anyone has any information...

slim · Post by **slim** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:58 am

I think Pete Bain bought it and it's called Alphastone now. Phone number is in the phone book if anybody is that interested.

Spiby · Post by **Spiby** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:48 pm

Hey, something I know something about.

It was owned and run by Paul Adkins (who is credited on several SP* releases). Paul closed the business to work on a new project (designing corrugated cardboard counting machines - if you wanted to know!), but has most of the contents of the studio in his garage. I live just round the corner from Paul, and a few New Years eves ago, we had great fun recreating the 'ecstasy symphony' sound with all the kit.

Pete Kember has used Paul's stuff in the meantime too. I'm sure he could give more of history of VHF then and now.

ps Saw Mark Refoy's new band 'Sunshine Valley Dance Band' last Saturday. They were fantastic!

clewsr · Post by **clewsr** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:03 pm

Is he not content with Slipstream? [I'm not getting confused with someone else am I - it is Mr Refoy who left to form Slipstream?]

where did they play? - In Rugby? what Venue? Any more info? Where's good to go out in Rugby these days? I haven't really been out there since the Saracens Head was turned into the ye old courthouse bollocks.

helm · Post by **helm** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:17 pm

thanks for the info!

the only time i went for a drink in rugby was at the globe pub. i think that was 1991!

slim · Post by **slim** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 10:02 am

clewsr wrote:Is he not content with Slipstream? [I'm not getting confused with someone else am I - it is Mr Refoy who left to form Slipstream?]

where did they play? - In Rugby? what Venue? Any more info? Where's good to go out in Rugby these days? I haven't really been out there since the Saracens Head was turned into the ye old courthouse bollocks.

I think Mark is doing both bands.

Where did he play?

Oh and if VHF is currently sat in a garage, Alphastone must be next door to where it was then.

Spiby · Post by **Spiby** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 9:54 pm

clewsr wrote:Is he not content with Slipstream? [I'm not getting confused with someone else am I - it is Mr Refoy who left to form Slipstream?]

where did they play? - In Rugby? what Venue? Any more info? Where's good to go out in Rugby these days? I haven't really been out there since the Saracens Head was turned into the ye old courthouse bollocks.

No, it was at the Spitz club in London (Spitalfields Market). We'd love to get Mark to play outside of London, especially Northampton or Rugby - but he's not having any of it!

Mark's got both Slipstream and SVDB on the go. For more info visit http://www.sunshinevalleydanceband.com or http://www.slipstreamweb.com

If you'd like to be notified of any future gigs (either SVDB or Slipstream), please email me and I'll be sure to let you know.

The best venue to go to in Rugby right now is... London (1 hr on the train, or an hour and a half in the car in the evening. If you live in Rugby and want a lift, there's usually a few of us who'd be willing to share a car).

andyblacktoo · Post by **andyblacktoo** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 5:23 pm

if you pass through rugby on the train, you will see just behind the station, the arches lane industrial estate in which vhf studios was located

( a small industrial estate of red roofed buildings on the right hand side if the land as you head towards birmingham (or left hand side if you are returning from brum).