A true musician, lover of audio and student of sound, Nik Fairclough took a moment to share with Pro-Systems readers how it all began and what keeps it going…
Nik, please give us a little background of how you got into audio?
Fairclough: In a galaxy far, far away, way back in the mid 80s…. Like many others in this industry I started out playing guitar and fronting a band in my teens and fell in love with all things audio. I was blessed to meet a few older studio owners when I was 18 who took an interest in me and mentored me in a manner.
I saw these guys, how they lived, they had stable families, a nice home, making a great income and loving what they did every day. That’s what I wanted. I wanted to spend my working hours doing something I loved.
Over time, I asked questions, watched closely, sat in on sessions, listened to advice and made some life decisions based on that.
Tell us a bit about your company Northwind, including its history.
Fairclough: Northwind started as just a studio 17 years ago and was a slow progression from a small facility growing to a mid-size setup where it is today.
During that growth period I was often asked by architects to get involved in auditorium design and I finally relented seven years ago. The reason for my reticence was that, generally speaking, the South African audio mindset was dominated by a budget mindset. The net effect of this was inadequate sums of money being allocated to projects with clients wanting Rolls Royce results from a ’Tazz” budget. A lose/lose situation. The world view of “the punters won’t notice’ is a serious insult to the paying public.
People might not be able to articulate why they do or do not like something but they certainly know when they have had a great time at a gig and not been agitated or frustrated by poor sound or acoustics.
I have spent 20 years in performance and recording spaces in Europe and the US either mixing, working, playing or just attending. This is ongoing and part of my continued education. I am very well aware of what it takes to produce a space worth being in and functioning to its intended purpose. Understanding the function and the culture that the space needs to serve is critical. Miss that and you are like an architect delivering a supermarket for a client who wanted a slick office complex.
My experience of SA at the time left no space for me to work in. I started by retaining my LA contacts and clients.
You have been involved with auditorium design for some time now. How did you get into that?
Fairclough: I have always been involved to some degree but formally accepting appointments for the past eight years. My background in working with architectural/contracting teams really has helped me forge a clear bridge of understanding between architect and the client as far as design goals are concerned.
Did you study acoustical science?
Fairclough: My education never ends. After completing college I have continued to attend further courses in the US, UK and Scandinavia. This is a critical and, for me, a vital and on-going requirement allowing me to stay in tune with current design trends and new solutions to age-old problems.
What has been your favourite and most challenging installation that you’ve done so far and why?
Fairclough: I was involved in the design of a 4 000-seat auditorium in Trianon, Mauritius. The required functionality of that space required a high design spec and a realistic budget to achieve the stated goals. The location and engineering logistics were challenging and rewarding. Working with a team from Paris and Mauritius was great and called for very clear guidelines, goals and objectives with good communication skills.
What do you consider to be the greatest audio innovation of the past 10 years?
Fairclough: ProTools Mix systems. It’s like the box of a thousand paint colours you got as a kid. The possibilities!
But it has also been a curse, enabling many to access and enter an industry having little or no musical skill/gifting or engineering chops.
A great tool in the right hands has become a cut-and-paste sausage machine to many a bedroom artist. It has made guys mix without using their ears, relying on plug-in presets to get a sound with little or no understanding. I am not certain this has been helpful in the long term.
What does the future hold for Niklas Fairclough and Northwind?
Fairclough: For me, it is to continue to work on albums and projects from all over, to keep growing and learning. I will continue to take projects that allow one to reach high standards that the client demands. In the end, all involved parties will be happy. Average or ’that will do” does not work for me.
I hope to continue to respect and learn from the pioneers of the recording industry and to uphold the standards and skills that have stood the test of time. In a nutshell, to be forward thinking without losing the roots of audio or what is real and tactile in music.
