About Marco Perry
Perry is a pioneer of spatial audio and immersive audio visual
experiences, delivering indoor and outdoor large scale sound
installations, exhibits and performances, working with artists globally
to produce some of the most exciting and engaging audio Visual
experiences on the planet.
He first became expert in both studio and live recording before
specialising in 3D audio and spatial sound design as world leading 3D
and spatial audio content and production specialist since 2009
Recent work includes a major retrospective at the Museum of Modern
Art in New York for Bjork. The ViVid exhibitions in Sydney, Tokyo,
London. Headlining at Dark MoFo arts festival Tasmania with Rob Del Naja
and Chris Levine as "Eye project" Eden Project festivals of light and
sound, Dolby Atmos & spatial audio design for producers Chris
Kimsey, (Rolling Stones) Boris Grebenschikov, Gruff Rhys (Super Furry
Animals) Bjork Digital world tour, Fashion shows New York, Iceland,
Ibiza.
His recent work includes:
- A major retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York for Bjork
- ViVid exhibitions in Sydney, Tokyo, London, The Eden Project
- EdenLab and Bjork digital globally where Perry is
responsible for the critically acclaimed spatial sound designs and 3D
audio installations thoughout.
Mission
"I’m a pioneering sound artist /designer/composer. With recording
studio and live production background, using my ears and some
imagination, I specialise in designing and creating 3 dimensional audio
visual experiences for audiences globally. I deliver concepts in sound,
engaging individuals and the general public simultaneously as world
leading 3D and spatial audio content and production specialist since
2009"
A partial history of audio engineering work and credits from studio
& live: Bjork, Depeche Mode, Kinks, B52’s, Steve Hillage, Chris
Issacs, Dennis Brown, Pogues, King Brillo, Pressure Zone, 2TEK. Eden
Project. RG Jones, Kingsway Recorders, Gooseberry, Konk, Record Plant
CA, Harbour Sound, Cherokee, Fiddler, Hyde Street SF, Beat Farm London,
Fashion shows New York, Iceland, Ibiza. Membership: Audio Engineering
Society (AES) Music Producers Guild (MPG) Musicians Union (MU).
Marco continues to “push the envelope” collaborating with other
ground breaking artists. Headlining the original lazer & spatial
sound installation at Dark MoFo arts festival Tasmania with Rob Del Naja and Chris Levine as eye project.
A partial history of audio engineering work and credits from
studio & live: Bjork, Depeche Mode, Kinks, B52’s, Steve Hillage,
Chris Issacs, Dennis Brown, Pogues, King Brillo, Pressure Zone, 2TEK.
Eden Project. RG Jones, Kingsway Recorders, Gooseberry, Konk, Record
Plant CA, Harbour Sound, Cherokee, Fiddler, Hyde Street SF, Beat Farm
London, Fashion shows New York, Iceland, Ibiza.
Membership: Audio Engineering Society (AES) Music Producers Guild (MPG)
Musicians Union (MU).
Seeing Sound
I thought everyone could perceive sound as shapes and forms as
well, then quite early on .. I realised that not everyone did. We
physically hear frequencies, vibrations, reflections. It’s your
imagination that allows you to also see sound.
Mono is mighty fine but using Two Loudspeakers in stereo creates a
sound space, I was captivated by “The bit in the middle“ I was
fascinated by all music and sound and the equipment used to record it
and play it.
Father Ray was an audio/telecoms engineer by profession but also a
keen amateur singer and a radio and hifi enthusiast. He built audio
electronic kits and repaired talking books for the blind. I was aged 12
when Dad presented me with my first open reel tape recorder and a
microphone. This was the start of my Sound boy journey.
I soon discovered the art of salvage and so began building my own
loudspeaker enclosures and experimenting with sound generating devices
and DIY synthesiser circuits
I played in groups, on leaving school I already knew I wanted to
work in a recording studio but first I’d have to go to college. When the
opportunity came to work at formerly De Lane Lea that was now Deep
Purple Ian Gillan’s Kingsway Recorders in central London I jumped right
in.
Sound engineers Louis Austin, Martin Birch, John Acock, Chas Watkins
showed me how to record. I was also djing live for the Sunday band
nights at the Croydon Greyhound and other London live sound jobs helped
me to gain experience.
Working at Gooseberry Hillside and a Soho basement in Gerrard Street
London allowed me to discover the art of original reggae recording and
the great Dennis Bovell ..through clouds of smoke. Heady days” I then
worked at RG Jones before heading to California.
I was now engineering recording sessions around the clock at Fiddler
studios on Melrose Ave in LA. I married my girlfriend and moved up to
San Francisco to work at Harbour Sound in Sausalito Marin County. We all
lived in a warehouse by the Oakland Bay bridge, a painter a
photographer a film maker and Jeff Trott who’s first band “The Lifers”
rehearsed in our loft. I recorded them and other acts on the local
scene. I joined Nick Grahams “Screen Of Dreams” and we toured.
I played and recorded and collaborated and also worked at Dan
Alexander’s Hyde Street Studios (Formerly Wally Heiders) I mixed live
for various mainstream and alternative acts who came through those local
clubs and venues. When I moved back to the UK it was supposed to be
only temporary but then I found work at Ray Davies Konk studios and in
down time” I was able to produce my own sample based album. Using my
editing skills I had created something that was catching attention.
I had a record deal first with Morgan Khan’s Street Sounds” and then
signed to Island records Fourth and Broadway label. The management
changed and I was dropped but I still had the desire to record and
create so set up my own studio in Portobello.
This rapidly became a commercial operation as “Beatfarm“
then moved to a warehouse at London Bridge Clink Wharf then to Berwick
Street Soho and then to Boundary Row in Waterloo.
I continued to make records on our own Beatfarm Recordings label
with BFR production partner Dave Clayton and also for other major and
also independent labels : EMI, Sony, East West, Tam Tam, Creation, etc.
The studio was busier than ever so I had to build a second studio to
work in with creative partner and Sonic Wizard Dave Clayton in our
studio collectives Pressure Zone, Unitone Rockers, 2TEK, King Brillo,
Mighty Monks and for all our record company and artist remix work
together.
When greedy landlords and property developers tried to force us out
of the premises I decided to stand my ground and this ended up in the
high Courts at vast expense. I won in court but lost everything nearly
including my sanity. I somehow managed to pull it together and completed
my 9th album of tracks for King Brillo which is an outlet for my
eternal love of Reggae and Swing Jazz. I was also composing and
producing a lot of original library music in the Naughties. As a result
of a motorbike accident I went into a Coma for 6 weeks.
In the middle of this episode I was 100% on life support systems and
was not guaranteed to survive at all. My partner was told to prepare
for the worst and also that she was pregnant. I remember choosing to
live, I remember choosing to breathe, I remember so many things that
happened around me and to me in that coma and this is what basically my
life is now about. My Son was born in 2009 ) Coming slowly back to life I
had time to make sense of it. What’s it about when you’re on your
deathbed and about to check out? What did you experience in your life,
who were you with? what really matters?
Using my knowledge of spatial audio and bringing all my various
skills to bear I decided that I’d now create audio experiences for
people to share in their lifetimes so also in 2009 I founded Immersive
Audio Ltd to deal with the artistic and commercial application of 3D and
spatial audio in all its various forms.
Marco Perry 2023
