Burnley firm’s key role in iconic charity song

The award-winning sound engineering firm is once again mixing it with the stars, this time on the BBC’s huge Children in Need charity single.

The official new recording of the 1966 Beach Boys classic “God Only Knows” was unveiled last week to mark the launch of BBC Music.

Featuring a wealth of star power – Sir Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, Kylie Minogue and Dave Grohl all appear – the song will also be released as a single to raise money for the BBC’s Children in Need appeal.

The orchestral score was recorded and mixed at Air Studios in London, who use the Neve 88R and also the AMS Neve DFC (Digital Film Console) while the TV promo video, which has been airing across BBC channels, was mixed at Soho-based GCRS by Munzie Thind, on one of four of their AMS Neve DFC Gemini consoles.

In recent years the vast majority of Oscar-winning films have been recorded and/or mixed using products created by AMS Neve, transforming the sound of film and resulting in managing director Mark Crabtree receiving a second personal Oscar in 2000.

Speaking about the BBC single, Mr Crabtree said: “It’s at times like this it makes you proud to be British when our National Broadcaster can produce such a masterpiece of a music video – it was hard to top their “Perfect Day” production from a few years back, but they have certainly done that.

At AMS Neve in Burnley we are absolutely delighted that at all stages of the production, our equipment was chosen for the recording and mixing of the music, and at some of the world’s best studios.”