Dr Bon Holloway.

After studying Music Production and Sound Engineering at Spirit Studios between 2016 and 2018, Dr Bon Holloway continued to develop his passion for music, sound and education through a diverse range of creative and professional pursuits. With extensive experience in recording, mixing and mastering, he now owns and runs High Peak Recording Studio in Hazel Grove, providing recording, production and rehearsal services to musicians and artists.

Alongside his studio work, Bon has been a lecturer in Human Geography at MMU since 1998, where his interests in music and sound inform his teaching and research. He also continues to explore music through performance, sound design and sound art projects, combining technical expertise with creative experimentation.

We caught up with Bon to discuss his journey into audio, the realities of running a recording studio, and how his interests in music and geography continue to shape his work today.

Could you tell us a bit about your current work and the different roles you balance across music, studio engineering and academia?

I’m currently juggling two jobs – one as a lecturer at Man Met, the other as the owner of High Peak Recordings which is a recording studio and multi-room rehearsal space in Hazel Grove.

I went part-time at Man Met after the opportunity to buy the studio business came up. And I haven’t regretted it! Yes, there are some very long days and I have to be hyper-efficient in terms of my time management, but luckily I have a very supportive (or possibly long-suffering) wife.

My research and my teaching at Man Met is about sonic geographies, so sound and music encompasses most of what I do and think about.

What first inspired you to get into music production and sound engineering, and what made you choose to study at Spirit Studios?

Music has been part of my life since I was very little.

Given that I’m in my mid-50s that’s a long time now. Most people know me by my nickname, Bon – after the late lead singer of AC/DC. I was so upset when he died in 1980 that a friend started calling me it and it’s stuck.

My brother was and still is a big music fan. When we were young I used to borrow his records when he went out. At the time this was mostly NWOBHM, Prog and Ska, so his music taste and passion influenced me a lot and still does.

I was in bands in the 1980s, then I ‘graduated’ to a techno DJ in the 90s (I wasn’t very good at it as this was before beat detection) and then in the 2000s myself and some friends made a band – Flange Circus.

I then tried to record and mix our first release with the help of some books, but mostly YouTube videos. This made me realise quite rapidly I needed to learn sound engineering properly and after my Mum and Dad passed away I thought ‘you’re not getting any younger’ so I enrolled. It was a massive step, but it seems to be starting to pay off.

Looking back, what did you enjoy most about your time studying with us?

I enjoyed everything really! The staff, the facilities and the way in which the course took you from the fundamentals to the more advanced techniques.

But most of all I remember how accepting the staff and my fellow students were of some old bloke having what seemed like a mid-life crisis. I was very nervous of hanging out with people the same age of those I usually lecture, but nobody seemed bothered at all. I soon realised it was me that was hung up about it, so I dealt with it.

You now run High Peak Recording Studio in Hazel Grove. How did the journey to owning your own studio come about?

My band used to rehearse at the place, which was previously called Great Image Studio. The previous owner, Ali, had set the place up for recording (sound proofing, control room, tie-lines, etc.) but in recent years had given up that side of the business. I heard he was selling the business so after some number-crunching and long discussions with my wife, I went for it.

The desire from day one was to keep my loyal and lovely rehearsal clients, but to re-start the recording side. I already had some clients from my previous home studio in New Mills, especially for mastering. Thankfully they have continued to work with me.

Of course, and this is important, given my age I was in a financial position to do this. I realise that not everyone is going to be as privileged as me. However, if you want something enough you will find a way to do it financially or otherwise.

Alongside your work in music, you have been a lecturer in Human Geography at MMU for many years. Have your experiences as a musician and producer influenced the way you teach?

In some ways its the other way round. Having spent so many years working with people aged 18-21, I think I know how to relate to them (although the line-up at Parklife every year confuses me, so I make the effort to go listen to the headliners at least). So when a young band comes through the door to record their first release and they’re nervous it’s not a problem for me.

I think the most important thing about studio life is the relations and the atmosphere you generate during the session.

Being welcoming, helpful, and trying to keep it professional and, most of all, fun at the same time is what I strive for in every session. In some ways, that’s how I teach as well, so there is a crossover.

You’ve worked across recording, mixing, mastering, sound design and performance. What projects or collaborations have been particularly memorable or rewarding?

On the sound design and performance side of things, it has to be the Flange Circus album ‘Rural Eerie’. I’ve always been fascinated by the stranger and weirder side of the countryside (not the idyllic chocolate box image). So I came up with the idea of doing field recordings and then asking various poets and writers (including people like Andrew Michael Hurley) to perform as we as a band accompanied them with soundscapes derived from the field recordings.

We did this live with only some key words sent in by the writers to guide our sounds. It could have been rubbish, but by all accounts it was a success. We then made this into an album, and it’s had airplay on Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone on 6 Music.

I have a passion for mastering (although I can’t afford the high end gear so it’s in the box for me) and get asked to do a lot of it. Mastering the two ‘Sing Yonder’ albums has been a highlight on that front. It opened a world of alt-folk that I only had minimal knowledge of. And those albums have done really well with some strong reviews in places like The Guardian.

I’ve started producing with clients more recently. Working with bands and artists like Falling Frank, Jack Norbury and Mary Bolt has been so rewarding.

Do you have a favourite piece of equipment, instrument or software that you particularly enjoy using?

My API and AML preamps (thanks for the recommendation Steve Boyce-Buckley!). My Vanguard Audio Labs V13 tube mic. So far, I’ve not had a client who doesn’t love it on their voice. And of course my precious Sequential Circuits Prophet 6 which is just beautiful.

Beyond the gear, having my control room acoustics designed by Room Sonics means that I can get mixes and masters that translate. That’s worth more than any expensive gear, as any engineer will (or should) know.

What has been your biggest career highlight so far, either as a musician, engineer or studio owner?

It sounds a bit trite, but I’d have to say when a band gives you really positive feedback after an intense recording day and the subsequent love I get for the mix I deliver. Every time that happens it constitutes another ‘career highlight’.

Oh, and going on ‘tour’ (well, three dates) with Flange Circus – that was big fun.

What advice would you give to students hoping to build a career in music production?

It’s a tough one to get into and make a living from, but if you keep pushing and you’re a nice person (arrogance will get you nowhere) you stand a better chance of making it.

Don’t ever think ‘I’m too old for this game’.

I’m getting on a bit but I’m sort of “living the dream” (although I have to remind myself of this after a 14 hour day when I’m cleaning the studio toilet)

How can we find you and your services online?

You can email me at bon@highpeakrecordings.com for any service enquiries regarding audio and sound engineering.

My website is: highpeakrecordings.com – where you can find examples of my work.

Instagram – @high.peak.recordings

Facebook – High Peak Recordings