Mark Bell / The Blakkat / Shaboom

Now Living in LA, a sadly missed great friend. Great memories of hanging out in his Blackpool Studio, I learned so much and he gave me more confidence than he’ll ever know. Also, introducing me to Ian Kirkham, Takka Boom, DJ Sneak etc. A great mentor, top guy, and so modest of his awesome talent as an Artist ( Blakkat / Shaboom / M People ), Musician, Singer and Producer. A big direction change, and self belief came from this man !  If you want Deep House and one hell of a producer, singer and bass player he is the real deal ! I’m lucky to say he’s a friend of mine that I met through music but found to be a great guy and mentor !

Dave Pensado ( L ) / Warren Huart ( R )

Two World Famous, Grammy Winning/Nominated, LA based Producer / Mix engineering influences. The modern use of Pro Academies and online expert tuition from these guys and Mix with the Masters was, and is, without question, a big help as I am always learning and building my craft and you might as well learn from the best.

Propaganda / A Secret Wish / ZTT Label

A real Game changer for me. Propaganda's song creations were incredible classical masterpieces from Michael Mertens, Ralph Dorper, Andreas Thein ( Dr Mabuse ), and beautiful haunting vocals from the two coolest women around, Claudia Brucken and last but by no means least, Susanne Freytag. Meld that with  Steve Lipson  / Trevor Horn at ZTT, a Synclavier, PPG, Fairlight and oodles of gear, and you got me big time ! - Also Frankie goes to Hollywood, 12" Welcome to the Pleasure dome ! and other FGTH stuff, the production was the best !

Kraftwerk

Another German, hugely influential electronic band. This was ground zero for the love of synthesisers for me, true pioneers and a massive musical stamp on history for what we now take for granted. I met Wolfgang Flur, and he fist bumped me while signing a poster !

Beastie Boys - Gratitude

I Love these guys, they were the best, and Gratitude says it all really, R.I.P Adam ( MCA ) Yauch..

Musical influences

This is the eclectic mix of music I love and am so passionate about. 

Some Bands/Artists in my iTunes - in no particular order.

FKA twigs, Fanny, Edith Piaf, Space, Herb Albert, Kraftwerk, Propaganda, Doja Cat, Royal Blood, Depeche Mode, Beastie Boys, New Order, ELO, Yello, Barry White, Hans Zimmer, Mark Bell ( aka Blakkat ), DJ Sneak, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Happy Mondays, Underworld, The Time, Rod Wave, The The, Deee-Lite, De la Soul, Talking Heads, The Police, Tech N9NE, Sugar Hill Gang, Doc Martin, The Beach Boys, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Bee Gees, Dionne Warwick, Led Zeppelin, Michel Kiwanuka, Michael Jackson ( Off wall / Thriller era + XScape ), George Benson, Shaboom, Scissor Sisters, David Bowie / Ziggy Stardust, Queen, Prodigy, Prince, Amy Whinehouse, Claudia Brucken, Goldie Lookin Chain, Sia, Yves V, Peter Gabriel, Pharell Williams, Pet Shop Boys, Mammas and Pappas, Guns n Roses, Detroit CYDI, Shakira, Everything Everything, Patrick Cowley, SuperTramp, Paul Young, The O' Jays, Young MC, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Calvin Harris, Carl Craig, The Cars, Neil Diamond, Muse, Foo Fighters, Felix da Housecat, DJ Onionz, Donna Summer, Alphaville, Mohamed Hamaki, Mike Oldfield, Chris Cornell, The Beatles, Roy Ayers, The Killers, Radiohead, Nirvana, Wilco, Sisters of Mercy, Amii Stewart, Massive Attack, The Cramps, Gregory Porter, Human League, The Cure, The Cult, Billy Idol, La Roux, Kula Shaker, Chemical Brothers, Tangerine Dream, Yousef, Childish Gambino, Kriss Kross, Sister Sledge, Alice in Chains, Cold Men Young, Shamen, Sparks, Kool and the Gang, Five Finger Death Punch, Sound Garden, Cypress Hill, Jay Z, John Foxx, Jody Wisternoff, ‘A’, Jeff Wayne, Daft Punk, Black Eyed Peas, Michael Buble, Fugees, Beach Boys, Beyonce, Rose Royce, Yousef, Tears for Fears, Front 242, Yazoo, Jean Michele Jarre, Jazzanova, Japan, Silk Sonic, Shalamar, Herbie Hancock, Usher, Roxy Music, Audioslave, Grace Jones, 10cc, Groove Armada, Goldfrapp, Giorgio Moroder, Gorillaz, Gary Numan, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Stevie Wonder, Chic, Nile Rogers, Fleetwood Mac, Earth Wind and Fire, Joeski, Frank Zappa, Sting, Ed Sheeran, Sonic Youth, Daryll Hall & John Oates, Duran Duran, Jimmi Hendrix, Dire Straits, Outkast, Tubeway Army, Bruno Mars, Toni Braxton, Chick Corea, Carpenters, Caberet Voltaire, Bony M, Bob Sinclar, Sia, Joey Negro, Bob Marley, Blondie, OMD, Abba, Aha and Zero 7, Little Simz, Shaybo

Classic Albums - in no particular order.

Stella - Yello

A Secret Wish - Propaganda 

No Parlez - Paul Young

Exedus - Bob Marley

Out of the Blue - ELO

Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

Island Life - Grace Jones

Construction time Again - Depeche Mode

Dare - Human League

The Score - Fugees

The Police - Zenyetta Mondatta

Sonic Highways - Foo Fighters

Midnight Express - Giorgio Moroder

Soundgarden - Telephantasm

A Broken Frame - Depeche Mode

Ill Comunication - Beastie Boys

Fat of the Land - Prodigy

1000 Forms of Fear - Sia

1999 - Prince

Chris Cornell - Songbook Volume 1

Electric Ladyland - Jimmi Hendrix

Tin Drum - Japan

In Between - Jazzanova

So - Peter Gabriel

Shaboom - Shaboom

Purple Rain - Prince

War of the Worlds - Jeff Wayne

Electric Cafe - Kraftwerk

Radioactivity - Kraftwerk

K - Kula Shaker

In Between - Jasanova

Exit from Planet Dust - Chemical Brothers

Blue Lines - Massive Attack

Xscape - Michael Jackson

Discovery - Daft Punk

Delta Machine - Depeche Mode

99 Problems - Jay Z

Dance, Dance, Dance - Chic

The Jazz Singer - Neil Diamond

Kaya - Bob Marley

Parallel Lines - Blondie

Songs of Faith & Devotion - Depeche Mode

Liquid Spirit - Gregory Porter 

Low Life - New Order

Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys

Thriller - Micheal Jackson

Off The Wall - Michael Jackson

Forever Young - Alphaville

Welcome to the Pleasuredome - Frankie goes to Hollywood

The Producers / Mixers / Engineers / Remixers / Mentors- Massive respect for all producers, mixers and engineers, but these have made their mark on me  -  in no particular order.

Trevor Horn - Buggles / Propaganda / Frankie goes to Hollywood / Grace Jones

Giorgio Moroder -  Donna Summer / Sparks / Scarface / Cat People / Midnight Express

Jeff Lynne - ELO

Mark Bell - Blakkat / Shaboom / DJ Sneak / M People / Chaka Khan / Takka Boom

Michael Brauer - Dionne Warwick / Daryll Hall & John Oates / Grace Jones 

Ken Caillat - Fleetwood Mac

John McClain - Michael Jackson 

Daniel Lanois - Peter Gabriel / Dune

Benny Anderson - Abba

Lexicon Avenue - Science Dept / Depeche Mode

Daniel Miller - Depeche Mode / Goldfrapp

Keith Forsey - Billy Idol

Matt Forger - Michael Jackson / Herb Albert / Donna Summer

Bob Clearmountain - Kool and the Gang / David Bowie / The Cure / Chic

Rick Rubin - Jay Z / Red Hot Chili Peppers / Beastie Boys / Adele / Audioslave

The Dust Brothers - Beastie Boys / Young MC / Fight Club

Dave M. Allen - The Cure / Depeche Mode

Chris Lord-Alge - Hans Zimmer / Sade / Muse / Michael Buble / Rocky IV

Dave Pensado - Beyonce / Jill Scott / Micheal Jackson 

George Martin - The Beatles

Paul Savoy - Aha

Martin Hannett - New Order / Happy Mondays

Jason Perry - A / McFly / Busted

Fab Dupont - Shakira / Jennifer Lopez

Alan Wilder - Depeche Mode / Recoil

Dr Dre - Snoop / Tupac / Dr Dre

Barry Leng - Amii Stewart

Adran Bushby - Muse / Foo Fighters

Ryan Mitchell - Headlight Syndrome

Mick Guzauski - Daft Punk / Prince / Earth Wind & Fire / Neil Diamond / Toni Braxton / Hans Zimmer

Mike Chapman - Blondie

Alan Meyerson - Hans Zimmer / Daft Punk / Pharrell

Brian Bacchus - Gregory Porter

Timberland - Usher / Jay Z / Michael Jackson / Beyonce

L.A  Reid - Usher / Toni Braxton / Outkast

Stephen Hague - Pet Shop Boys / OMD / New Order

Pharrell - N.E.R.D / Pharrell / Snoop Dog

Tom Lord Alge - OMD / Blink 182 / Supertramp

John Creamer / Stephane K - iiO / Kosheen

Manny Marroquin - Bruno Mars / Toni Braxton / Usher

Steve Carter - Steve Carter / Willacy

Tor & Mikkel (Stargate) - Michael Jackson / Beyonce / Shakira

Joey Negro - Joey Negro / Takka Boom / Chic 

Jazzanova - Jazzanova

Mario G Caldato Jnr. - Young MC / Beastie Boys

Butch Vig - Foo Fighters / Muse

Steve Nye - Roxy Music / Frank Zappa / Japan / Sakamoto / Boney M

Johnny Dollar - Massive Attack

Kraftwerk - Schneider/Hutter - Kraftwerk

Jeff Wayne - War of the Worlds / Jeff Wayne

DJ Swivel - Beyonce / Amerie / Jay Z

Al Schmitt - Dionne Warwick / Michael Buble / Earth Wind & Fire / George Benson

Karl Pitterson - Bob Marley

Roy Thomas Baker - Queen  / The Cars

Vince Dicola - Rocky IV

Stephen Harris - Kula Shaker

Tony Maserati - Beyonce / Black Eyed Peas

John Fryer - Depeche Mode

Alex Sadkin - Grace Jones / Talkin Heads / Duran Duran / Thompson Twins

Hans Zimmer - Batman / Pirates of the Caribbean / Black Hawk Down / Gladiator

Boris Blank - Yello

Liam Howlett - Prodigy

Eddie Kramer - The Beatles / David Bowie / Jimmi Hendrix

Laurie Latham - Paul Young / Echo & the Bunnymen / The Police

Glenn Brooks - Glenn Brooks / The Pearl Works

Andy Wallace - The Cult / Front 242

Steve Lipson - Propaganda / Frankie Goes to Hollywood / Grace Jones / Grooove Armada

Nile Rogers - Dianna Ross / David Bowie / Duran Duran / Sister Sledge / Chic / Grace Jones

Quincy Jones - Michael Jackson

Bruce Swedien - Michael Jackson / Herbie Hancock / Donna Summer

Prince - Prince

Young Guru - Jay Z / Beyonce

John Barry - Game of Death / Bond

Bill Conti - Rocky

Colin Pearson - Alphaville

Warren Huart - The Fray / Aeorosmith

Andrew Scheps - Adele / Jay Z / Hozier

Jody Wisternoff - Jody Wisternoff

Konrad "Conny" Plank - Kraftwerk

Mark "Flood" Ellis - Depeche Mode

Of course, Bob Moog, Dave Smith, Wolfgang Palm and Tom Oberheim are huge influences on my life... For the Synths they changed the world with, plus Roland, Korg and Yamaha corporations...