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Guy Chambers & Simon Todkill Bring The 1073OPX To Sleeper South

Legendary songwriter Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue) and his chief engineer Simon Todkill (Post Malone, Holly Humberstone) reveal how the 1073OPX has become the cornerstone of their new studio setup.
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Legendary songwriter Guy Chambers has built a new home studio, Sleeper South, nestled in a quaint national park village in East Sussex.

From this space, Guy is working with chief engineer Simon Todkill on new projects, from original albums to soundtracks.

Their relationship began through Moloko, the studio agents, where Simon was working as an engineer. As Simon explains, their collaborative approach focuses on efficiency and results:

“What I love about working with Guy is that we don’t mess around. We’re here to work, and we work quick and at the end of the day, we leave with something done. I think that’s the powerful thing with music, to not be messing around with ideas but completing them.”

Guy Chambers working with chief engineer Simon Todkill

A History with Neve

Guy’s relationship with Neve stretches back to the 1990s, when he was at the height of his career working with Robbie Williams. Back then, Neve VR consoles were his preferred choice. As Guy recalls:

“In the 90s, when I started making records, you’d pick a Neve. It would be Neve VRs back then. So all the Robbie records, pretty much, were recorded on Neves.”

Even when he was offered an EMI console from Abbey Road for his own studio, Sleeper Sounds, Guy maintained his connection to Neve: “I always had Neve outboard. Even when I had the EMI board, I always had the 1081s,” he says.

Simon’s introduction to Neve came through working with the Neve 88R at a large studio in Sydney, Australia. As Simon remembers:

“I always say to people, it was the most flexible console I’ve ever worked on, in that it was really hard to mess up getting sounds. It has headroom for days, and the EQ is incredibly musical.”

Sleeper South is Guy Chambers’ new home studio, nestled away in a quaint village in East Sussex

The Evolution of Sleeper Sounds Studio

Guy’s original Sleeper Sounds studio in London, established in 2002, houses 25 years’ worth of carefully curated equipment.

As Guy explains: “It’s got an amazing array of gear. And, it sounds really great and people love it. I’m really pleased that it’s used by such an array of different musicians, from Frank Ocean to Jack Antonoff to 1975. You know, it’s an amazing alumni of people who have used it.”

However, success brought its own challenges. As Guy notes: “As its reputation has grown, it’s become increasingly difficult for me to get into my own space because people block book it. I needed somewhere else. And that’s why I’m here.”

Building Sleeper South

The new studio presented unique challenges. Located in a national park, planning restrictions meant the building had to blend in with existing architecture.

As Guy describes: “It’s got a bit of a chapel feel, but I also wanted it to be multi-use, so it’s got a stage. I do little gigs in here with about 20 people in the audience. It’s also a nightclub if you take everything out, which I did the other day for a big party. So it’s got three different uses. A studio, venue and a nightclub.”

Two 1073OPX units provide 16 channels of the iconic preamp

The 1073OPX Decision

When it came to choosing the recording chain for Sleeper South, both Guy and Simon knew they needed something reliable and familiar. As Simon explains: “The brief was to keep it simple. We don’t have all the extra instruments filling up a room here. It’s about the space being clean and quick. We wanted to get that top quality front end, and the Neve 1073OPX had just come out and checked every box.”

The two 1073OPX units they chose provide 16 channels of classic 1073 sound, with each 8-channel unit delivering the familiar character they’ve worked with throughout their careers. Simon notes the importance of having reliable equipment:

“Without that high quality front end that’s reliable and familiar, you start to guess the sounds instead of being able to listen to something you know and trust.”

Legendary songwriter Guy Chambers with two 1073OPX units

Modern Neve, Classic Sound

What impressed both Guy and Simon most about the 1073OPX was how it delivered the familiar sound they knew. As Simon recalls: “The moment we put them in here and did the test recordings, everything sounded familiar. Immediately, it was like okay, these are doing everything I would expect from a classic 1073 or 1081, but with the clarity of a modern Neve.”

The practical benefits are just as important as the sonic ones. As Simon notes, the 1073OPX offers features that other high-end units don’t:

“Beyond the recall element, which no one else has on a top quality front end unit, it’s the fact that we can then access everything from the front panel.”

The recall functionality means they can set up their preferred settings and return to them instantly, while the front panel gives them immediate access to the full range of inputs and controls without running additional cables around the space.

The Sound of Success

For Guy and Simon, the 1073OPX represents reliability and familiarity in their workflow. As Simon puts it: “They just work. And that’s the highest compliment I can pay to the design. You plug them in and on everything you’re like, that’s great, it works, no question.”

Guy Chambers and Simon Todkill’s journey continues to evolve. With the 1073OPX at the heart of Sleeper South, they’re ready to create the next chapter of their partnership. As Guy concludes: “I’ve made a record here, we’ve done a whole album here, so I’ve been doing that and I plan to do more of that.”

Experience the 1073OPX for Yourself

Ready to elevate your recording setup? Neve’s professional-grade equipment delivers the sound that legends trust. Contact your nearest Neve dealer today.