Mick asks for memories of recording studios and adds some of his below – he’s right about Bob Ross, while Steve Hoff ran Crystal opposite Kings up to the late 1990s (Reet Petite & Gone did an album there in 1998). Paul Hardcastle was at same school as me (Pompey Grammar) and a member of Pevensey Brown Melon (there’s a pic on website)
Here’s Mick:
“The earliest known recording facility was Southern Sound Recordings, a ‘mobile’ outfit run by Peter Taylor, now retired and living in Spain, from a room over Avenue Artistes office in The Avenue, Southampton. He hired Hamble Village Hall, and the For-tunes recorded about 15 songs in a day in about 1962.
Later in the 1960’s we me up with a couple of guys who went under the name of MBC Recordings, and one lived at 20, Beaconsfield Road Fareham. The For-tunes had several sessions with them. Again a mobile outfit and one
session at The Grove Club, and another at Hillside Youth Club
Other local fixed studios included;- Toucan Studios, pretty sure it was based at Finchwood Farm. I believe the person behind it was a Mr Paul Hardcastle and Engineer – David Hardcastle. They were around in 1981/2.
Also wasn’t there a BOB ROSS who had a studio? At Drayton/Farlington? and later in Kingston Road. in 2011 Address: 86a
Kingston Road City: Portsmouth Postcode: PO2 7PA 023-9279-1706, I have tried this number today, but it seems disconnected?
And Crystal Studios? In central Portsmouth at the west end of Church Road just south of Lake Road? Also in a building up an alley opposite the Kings Theatre?”
Any more?
POMPEY POP 
July 13, 2011 at 6:08 pm
I remember Steve Hoff running a studio in the same building as the very much missed Hoagy’s in Elm Grove (now Big Ernies I think). The live room was in the basement and the control room upstairs. I recorded in there about 1979 I guess.
Of course Telecomms had a studio above the shop in North End, can’t remember the engineer although the name Roger comes to mind.
Dave will recall the Reds recording at Denmead in the studio run by Johnny Gordon (the ex bass player from Johnny Kidd and the Pirates).
July 13, 2011 at 7:57 pm
I’m pretty sure my cousin Peter Lush had a recording studio built in the Fox & Hounds, Denmead, where he recorded his single with the Peter Lush Band. I don’t know if anybody else used the facility though.
July 14, 2011 at 12:19 am
Blue Sand recorded an EP at Hayling Island Recording Studios in May 69 released under the Saturn Records Label. The Studio was pretty crude but effective and I think was on Manor Road. The Disc says it is HAY/EP006 so there must have been some other EPs by local bands I am sure. I went with the Engineer to watch it being mastered in London by a guy who was drunk when we got there and continued to consume wine as he worked. The results were pretty poor. It did get BBC airplay in September that year but then oblivion. Just pulling out a copy today I noticed on the sleeve that it is handwritten that the wrong vocal track was used on one on the songs. I think the studio had been there for at least a year and seemed to be well know at the time.
July 14, 2011 at 12:25 am
Well Wow! just googled it and look what came up. So the Studio was still there in 1971 http://www.45cat.com/label/saturn-hayling-island-recording-studio
July 14, 2011 at 7:59 am
Thanks to all!
Anyone know where Bob Ross is these days? web address/phone not answering! so where are these guys now? Steve Hoff? ‘Roger’ at Telecoms/Nevada? Johnny Gordon now deceased? Paul/David Hardcastle? any others?
I had found the 45cat page for another session, but well done Pete!
.Mick.
October 11, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Steve Hoff is still around (a friend of mine), although he doesn’t engineer or even own a studio now. He currently lives away from Hampshire. As in 200 miles away.
Great times at Crystal Studio’s though. He was in The Coop building at first (Fratton Road), then Opposite Kings Theatre, before moving to the olf Cubs building in Stamshaw.
Ah! Yes, Crystal Studio’s. Many friends made and much good music gone.
August 18, 2012 at 8:32 am
Gosh, I remember Steve Hoff – I was a synth player in the early 80s around Portsmouth area known as Andy Lee Robinson – I worked with Johnny Gordon helping out in his studios sometimes and doing some of my own recordings in spare time, around 1983-85. He would be nearly 80 now – hopefully still going!
Met Frank Dunbar and Gary Rose there, and wrote a theme tune for them for a pilot radio show called “Hip and Square”. I got married and lost touch, and now live in Hungary. I have tried for decades to find them again without any luck. Happy memories of parties in Southsea!
Perhaps Steve or anyone might know what happened to Gary Rose? I think he did some work with the King’s Theatre. I also remember Trumpton and Ali in Cockatiel Twins if this jogs any memories…
May 7, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Heiio trumpton here. From the cockatial twins didn’t think any one rememberd us . Real name iain treptow.Xxxxx
May 7, 2013 at 9:00 pm
Gary rose is in portsmouth and so is frank Dunbar he has music on I tunes . John Gordon passed away years ago now. Playing the double bass til the end. The song fantasy man you can down load on I tunes from franks musical the prodigal. You can always throne me on 07908198783.Xxx
September 14, 2016 at 5:36 am
John Gordon’s studio was in a bungalow in Denmead, called … The Bungalow. Literally a home studio, there was no line of sight between the studio proper and the control room. I’m pretty sure Davy Jones (ex-Monkees) did some recording there, and I know that John G.’s business partner (John Sellars, AKA John Xavier) recorded a demo of two of his own compositions there, with Martin Keel and Mark Andrews, amongst others. The two tracks were, I believe: “Maggie & the Ravers”, and “Man at the Top”.
The Bungalow was also the registered office of their publishing venture Seldon Enterprises, which managed to upset quite a few people at one point with their shrink-wrapped classic the Jet Set Private Address Book.
Happy days, and a bit more lively than sitting in your bedroom playing with GarageBand.app.
September 14, 2016 at 6:38 am
I remember recording in J Gordon’s studio with an R&B band called Steel Mill – circa 1981. Still got the stuff somewhere. When I was a kid and watched Pompey they had a player called John(ny) Gordon. Different bloke though
September 14, 2016 at 8:33 am
A-Ha! Now I do believe that the ex-landlord of The Milton Arms was said Johnny Gordon (footballer), and that John Gordon (bass player, studio owner, and Denmead’s answer to Paul Raymond) persuaded him to open the Barn for live music, and to let the bands pick their own setlist. This allowed John Gordon’s band to play a ‘progressive’ set as a welcome break from constantly Tying Yellow Ribbons and Knocking Three Times on the chicken-in-the-basket circuit.
The Barn also frequently hosted Southern Rock combo The Rats, featuring Mr Tench on drums and ad lib observational comedic bylines.
Little known fact: J Gordon built his own bass out of a coffee table: much to his wife’s chagrin.
December 5, 2016 at 12:38 pm
‘For the record’ – It was Chris (not Paul) Hardcastle at Portsmouth Grammar School and The Pevensey Browne Melon.
And Dave & Jon Hardcastle and Steve Beck created Toucan Recording Studios on Hayling Island (and again – no connection with Paul Hardcastle). Hope that clarifies things a little.