RICH TURVEY – CRAFTING SOUNDS AND SHAPING LIVERPOOL’S NEXT WAVE

From playing piano in Stoke-on-Trent to co-owning Liverpool’s Kempston Street Studios, Rich Turvey has become a key figure in the city’s music scene.

With production credits including Blossoms and The Coral, Rich’s journey into music production was driven by curiosity, collaboration, and a love for the technical craft behind great records. In this interview, he reflects on his path into production, shares insights into his studio philosophy, and talks about the next generation of Liverpool talent he’s helping to nurture.

Can you tell us about your journey into music production? What initially sparked your interest and led you to pursue it as a career?

My Dad played drums and guitar and I started playing piano at the age of 7 playing in many bands around Stoke-on-Trent as a teenager. After studying Sound Technology at LIPA I decided to stay in Liverpool, playing piano around the city to make ends meet. Eventually I ran into a friend from LIPA who was interested in taking a lease on a recording studio to start a business and had seen that Studio 3 at Parr Street was available, I jumped at the opportunity to be one of the in-house engineers. One of the first sessions at the studio was a band called ‘The Wild Swans’ (who I went on to produce and play piano/keys in), Paul the singer mentioned that a bass amp in the studio belonged to (the late, great) Alan Wills (Deltasonic) and that I should ring Alan, tell him we had his amp and had had the studio refurbished and he should book in. About a year later Alan rang back and booked the studio, one thing lead to another and he introduced me to James Skelly, singer from The Coral who was making a solo album. From there on myself and James worked on several records including two The Coral albums and Blossoms’ debut album and I became a full time producer.

I was always fascinated by the sleeve notes of album covers and the technical side of things from the first time I went into a studio at around 13. Going to LIPA and working in Parr Street  really solidified my knowledge of recording. I always knew I wanted to work in music and being a producer is kind of something I fell into but it’s the perfect fit.

You’ve worked with a range of incredible artists, including Blossoms and The Coral. What’s your approach to collaborating with artists, and how do you adapt to different styles and personalities?

I think the main thing is being honest when asked what you think and being open, not dismissive, of any idea that an artist wants to try.

Many producers are known for having a ‘signature sound.’ Would you say you have one, and if so, how would you describe it?

It’s probably my WEM copicat. You can put anything through there and it’ll sound like you’re a genius.

As co-owner of Kempston Street Studios, how does the studio environment contribute to your work and the creative process of the artists you collaborate with?

It’s massively important. Natural daylight is a big thing for me in the studio, just a connection to the outside world. Parr Street had really big windows which allowed a lot of natural light in so it was really important when we were designing the new studio that it had windows. 

What have been some of the most memorable moments of your career so far, and what challenges have you faced in the ever-evolving music industry?

I’d say the biggest highlight was working with a young musician who had lifted some bass parts from Charlie Salt of Blossoms. He’d grown up listening to their first album and it had been an influence for him, for me that was pretty mindblowing.

Being based in Liverpool, how do you feel the city’s rich musical heritage influences your work, and what excites you about its current music scene?

I always remember coming to Liverpool with my band when I was about 17 and the standard of musicians in the city was above anything I’d heard before. I’m really excited about the Music Futures project which has brought significant funding into the city and how this can generate the next wave of talent from Liverpool. We recently ran a project at Kempston Street called ‘The Future Fund’ which saw us fund 6 musical projects to create a body of work and employ an engineer at the studio for 6 months to train with us and work on these projects. I was blown away by the standard applications we received and we are hoping to run this on a permanent basis as part of the Music Futures project.

What advice would you give to aspiring producers looking to make their mark in the music industry today?

Keep going.

Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re particularly excited about and can share with us?

There’s an up and coming singer I’ve been working with called Ruby J who is great.

Check out Rich’s playlist picks and don’t forget to stay updated by following him here.