We record all over the place mate, With Colin Richardson producing he likes Chapels Drum room a lot, but then guitars get done at Rob Caggiano's place in New York state sometimes. I have been working for the band engineering from about when they signed their first deal and did loads I am credited for. Even some vocals on the new Andy Sneep produced album where tracked at Springvale and Dan Filth was in today and again on monday. My big problem is that my local college charges £25 per day in their Audient desk equipped studio as long as a student gets to do the work.
BMPro BurySOUND 2009
This is yet more UK government sponsored illegal price fixing and has to stop one way or another.
The office of fair trading think this.
>Mr Mark Fairfax-Harwood
>By email:
springvalestudios@btinternet.com
>Our ref
>Epic/Enq/E/39921
>Direct line
>(020) 7211 8511
>Date
>13 August 2008
>Fax
>(020) 7211 8391
>Email
>Enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk
>Dear Mr Fairfax-Harwood,
>Thank you for your email of 6 August regarding your concerns about the competition >that you face from publicly funded recording facilities.
>By way of background the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is responsible for making >markets work well for consumers. We achieve this by promoting and protecting >consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and >competitive. Our primary duties include the enforcement of competition law, and the >application of consumer protection legislation in respect of matters that adversely >affect the collective interests of UK consumers. We also have a role in educating >consumers, government and business, and taking informal action where appropriate. >For more information on the work we carry out please visit our website at >
The Office of Fair Trading: making markets work well for consumers.
>The main law covering competition in the UK is the Competition Act 1998 (the Act). >In brief, the Act contains two main prohibitions. The Chapter I prohibition prohibits >price fixing or other anti-competitive agreements which prevent, restrict or distort >competition. The Chapter II prohibition prohibits conduct by companies which >amounts to an abuse of a dominant position.
>The type of situation you refer to could potentially be considered under the Chapter >II Prohibition. Under the Act, a company is considered dominant if it can operate >independently of its competitors and customers. In assessing this we consider >whether there are any constraints on the company’s behaviour such as the strength >of existing competitors in the market. However a company is unlikely to be dominant >if its share of the relevant market is less than 40 per cent.
>Based on the information provided, it does not appear that any of the organisations >offering studio services that you refer to would be dominant on a relevant market, so >it is unlikely that their actions significantly effect competition.
>Finally, I must stress that the OFT has limited resources and must prioritise its work. >We receive thousands of complaints a year and we are unable to pursue them all. >We therefore must consider whether the issues raised falls within our administrative >priorities. In order to reach a view, we have developed a framework for the >prioritisation of competition cases which includes a number of different criteria, these >are available on our website.
>If you continue to be concerned about the effect of publicly funded recording facilities >we would recommend that you contact the Audit Commission (AC) which is >responsible for issues of corporate governance in local authorities. The AC can be >contacted in writing at:
>Audit Commission
1st Floor, Millbank Tower
Millbank
>London
>SW1P 4HQ
>We appreciate the time you have taken in bringing this matter to our attention. Our >intention, at this time, not to make further enquiries into this complaint does not >preclude the OFT from revisiting the matter should further information come to our >attention.
>Yours sincerely
>Philip Butcher
>Philip Butcher
>Enquiries and Reporting Centre
It may come as a complete surprise but what do you know!? the audit commission
haven't replied yet.
Perhaps the original poster in this thread would like to be honest enough to contact the office of fair trading and join their little bust your self scheme to avoid prosecution.
The Office of Fair Trading: Confess your cartel to the OFT
As nobody in government appears to be at liberty to explain to me what is going on
exactly and more importantly why they think that UK law does not apply to them.
The council I pay my business rates to have employed 30 music teachers and seven
pier mentors in a scheme to provide subsidized rehearsals and demo recording
in community centers funded of course by the rate payers.
9 years ago there was 0 involvement in contemporary music by government, but now you can even get a degree in being a punk.
The worst thing about all of this is I know these people, they are all the also rans who never had the skills or determination or had earned the capitol for investment to run a studio and now the government just hands them one and a living wage to run it. just as long as they remove the sex and drugs from the rock and roll bit. Oh and no expletives or anything politically incorrect in the lyrics will be tolerated.
Go on grass up your local Education Dept "Dirty gear pimp" then get your own gear and premises and feel like the genuine article for a change. I dare you.
