Bloom time at mill studios

CHRIS PEARCE

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AS owner of the increasingly successful Sub-Pressure Studios set-up at the Warth Mill in Diggle, it's no wonder Chris Pearce is a busy guy.

However, that's only half the story. A totally clued-up music man through and through, Pearce is also a sound technician for none other than Stockport-based chart superstars Blossoms, the Virgin EMI darlings who are currently taking the UK and the world by storm.

Pearce (29) has just been home for Christmas and New Year, giving him time to shine some focus on Sub-Pressure, and it's a unit which houses a booming business.

Some terrific bands and musicians home their craft there, including Cupids, Gardenback, the Smashing Lads, Blackballed and local guitar legend Marshall Gill.

"We're doing really well," said Pearce. "We've built up a selection of great bands here. "They just keep coming. Word of mouth is important up here, and that's working for us, we're busy.

"We've got 12 contract studio rooms full right now, and I've just had to build another one for a friend of mine (Jake Fletcher from Cupids, no less).

"It says a lot for the music scene that a place like this, in Diggle, should be packed out.

"We're not in the centre of Oldham or anywhere like that. We're in the middle of nowhere really, and bands come from all over the place.

"We've got one guy who comes from Anglesey to rehearse in a band here."

More recently Pearce has hooked up with Blossoms, and last year he worked at the likes of Glastonbury, the Manchester Arena, the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, as well as taking in trips to America, Australia, South Korea and Japan.

"My career started in brass band world, up in Saddleworth," added Pearce, when asked to reflect on his recent successes.

"I had a tuba, but got rid of that and put the money towards some decks.

"I started DJing and running the Sub-Pressure night (hence the business name) at the Castle in Oldham, that got knocked down so we moved to Tokyo's.

Grew

"I eventually grew out of that, and it's gone from there really.

"I rented a room at Warth Mill myself, before eventually taking the place on myself. That's just grown ever since.

"My sound-teching career started with the Inspirals. I just advised Clint to change his keyboard from analogue to digital so it made life easier for him when touring, and I just jumped on with them after that.

"In their early days, Blossoms supported the Inspirals, so I get talking to them then, bought a touring van, so after that a sound man with a touring van must have appealed as quite a package.

"That was just over a year ago, maybe 18 months, and to be honest it's gone crazy since then.

"It helps with Blossoms being a great band of course, they sound great live, and they're all great lads.

"We're all like a big family to be honest, there's no separation between us, we're all just together. We go out for meals together, socialise together. It's fantastic."

Now, Pearce will be in Japan with Blossoms, before Russia, Europe, the USA and the world famous Coachella Festival in the Colorado Desert also beckon.

So who watches over Sub-Pressure while he away globe-trotting?

"Luckily I've got a great mother who comes and opens up for me when I need her to," said Pearce of mum Gill.

"People still text me wherever I might be in the world, asking if they can book in and stuff, but they get relayed to my mum and she sorts it all out. The studios will stay fully operational no matter where I am."

Check out www.subpressurestudios.co.uk for contact numbers and availability details.