Filming a Music Video in a World-Class Studio - Interview with Shivers
Timmy Porter (Left), Adrian Win (Right) - Photo by Alex Hallag
In conjunction with Tiny Triumph Recordings and KOG Studio, we ran a competition late last year to find and support new talent in the music industry. The prize was a $10,000 package which included 2 days in Wellington’s biggest and best studio with acclaimed producer Toby Lloyd (Hollie Smith, Shapeshifter to name a few), the track being mastered by Chris Chetland (Marlon Williams, Troy Kingi & many more), and a music video created by us at Studio Halfgray.
There were 213 entries, but we managed to narrow it down to two incredible winners. In this piece, we’re going to be talking about the first winning artist – Shivers with their track ‘Runaway’.
Shivers is a project from vocalist Timmy Porter and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Win. These guys first met in 2018 through drummer Rick Cranson, and spent the next few years honing their sound and jamming with some of Wellington’s finest musicians.
Toby Lloyd was stoked to be working on the project. “Shivers have been an absolute blast to work with. Not only are they incredibly talented and amazing musicians/songwriters but they are also absolutely awesome human beings! Every time I jump in the studio with Shivers; it's an absolute joy! When you get talented and humble people in the studio; the possibilities are endless, and the weekend we recorded their single ‘Runaway’ was no exception! The ego was left at the door and we all got stuck into the track doing our absolute best to bring the best version of the song out of the speakers!”
We also were lucky to bring some amazing musicians onboard - “I had always wanted to record Rick Cranson as I was a massive fan of Little Bushman; so that was such a joy to bring him into the studio for this track. He absolutely nailed the vibe we were going for! We worked a bit on the structure, tempo, arrangement and then got to work on trying to capture some musical gold. Both Timmy and Adrian really brought their A-Game, and bringing Louisa Williamson and Jack Harre in to lay down some horn parts felt like the final missing piece to the puzzle. It helped us really drive home that Mo-Town Soul feel whilst still staying in 2021.” - Toby Lloyd.
I had a chat with Timmy and Adrian about their experience recording ‘Runaway’.
In the control room - Photo by Sophea Ngoun
B: Kia ora guys! What was it like recording in the big studio at Massey?
A: It was incredible! What recording dreams are made of really. Such a beautiful space & sound, feels magical in there so it’s very easy to be inspired to perform well & to make great music.
Besides the room, it was also filled with incredible gear, killer desk, outboard gear, synths, amps - you name it, they’ve got it. If I had my way I’d be in there recording everyday!
T: Recording at Massey was an actual dream come true for me. So many amazing musicians have been in that building and to get to experience a studio of that calibre was pretty mind-blowing.
B: How did you find working with Toby from Tiny Triumph Recordings?
A: I can’t say enough good things about Toby, the saying brother from another mother truly feels right here. He is the most genuine, humble & talented Recording engineer/Producer I have ever had the pleasure to work with. Such a perfect experience that I don’t see myself ever working with anyone else ever again.
If you want to make great music Toby is the guy you want.
T: Toby has helped to take our music and sound to a whole new level and we'll never be able to thank him enough. He has an amazing ear and vision, he works tirelessly and puts all of his energy into making peoples music the best it can be. Toby is a very talented engineer and producer that we highly respect and value. Toby is a bit like a big brother to 'Shivers' he took us under his wing and has helped us fly. that may sound cheesy but Toby is our guy! We're already working on lots more with the man himself and this will go on and on!
B: What does this song mean to you?
T: The song is about reaching out to our friends in times of need. Supporting each other through the toughest of times. It's about gaining strength from your friends and whanau. It's about being brave and asking for help when you're low. it's about struggling and pushing through the worst of the worst because it can get better. In its heaviest/deepest sense it's actually about my mate who tried to commit suicide, and my brother and sister who both lost very close friends to suicide.
A: It means a lot as it was so great to have that belief & support given to us.
As an artist it’s easy to question yourself & wonder if you’re on the right path. This is probably the only song I’ve ever written that I have been 100% on, with zero doubts, and it’s extremely rare to ever have that at least in my experience. It also carries a lot of mana due to it’s strong lyrical message & story.
Adrian tracking guitar - Photo by Ben Stewart
B: What was it like working with Studio Halfgray on the video side?
A: Ben was fantastic - so easygoing, and great to work with. The hardest thing about being on camera is knowing you’re on camera it can feel very awkward, but Ben made me feel very at ease. He was there without being invasive & conducted himself as a true professional.
Communication afterwards was great, getting back edits and taking on feedback with no drama at all, leaving us with a great product at the end. And did I mention he also played Keys/Piano/Organ on the recording - how many other people can multitask like that, truly impressive.
T: Working with Ben was brilliant. He's incredibly hard-working, creative and enthusiastic. He uses his vast skill set to create clever content, he knows when to put ideas forward and when to step back, let things happen organically or be driven by the artist. He's humble, fun, down to earth and a blimmin’ nice guy to be around. He's an exceptional keys player and his talent and experience in music is invaluable. We are very grateful to Ben for all of his work, playing keys, capturing the recording process and turning it into a sweet clip! We have built a pretty special bond with Ben and he's become part of our 'Shivers' family.
B: And how did having video content help your release, and the reception of the song?
T: The video has been crucial in getting our song and message out there. It's a celebration of all of the awesome people involved and a piece of art in itself, the clip has already created lots of interest and continues to, the responses have been amazing and pretty heartwarming indeed.
A: The video was amazing for the release, almost too good as it kind of overshadowed the audio release. But the reception was fantastic, extremely positive and a great debut showcase for us.
B: Thanks so much for your time, and all the kind words! So what’s next for Shivers?
A: At the moment we have a lot in the works, we’re back into the studio recording new music so keep your eyes & ears open for that. We’ll be following up with videos as well, a bit of behind the scenes & eventually a narrative one. Growing & creating is the number one priority at the moment, but I am getting itchy & excited to get out performing!
T: Next up for us, all sorts! We’re already finishing our next single, and doing pretty much everything in our power to get our music out there to the people. We’ve got lots of new songs on the go - starting some, finishing others. We have built an amazing team around us and we're putting our heart and soul into this journey.
Toby also said some kind words about working with Studio Halfgray; “As far as the filming side of the project which was an incredibly vital part of the process; Ben was a dream to work with! I have done a lot of work in the studio with people filming and often it can be incredibly stressful having a camera in your face when you are trying to create art. But because Ben is an accomplished musician himself; he understands the sensitivity and light touch needed to keep the music flowing whilst still capturing the process. I couldn't have thought of anyone better to be there capturing us in our endeavour of trying to capture sonic excellence. The results came out incredibly well in my opinion and anyone who listens to the track or watches the video I believe can feel the amazing vibes that we captured with sonically and visually that weekend!”
When asked about his vision for the future of Shivers, Toby replied “I have great hopes for Shivers as a band; they are so driven in their desire to get their music out to as many people as possible and they are equally matched with their attention to detail in the songwriting process. Every time I work with Shivers; I look forward to the whole process and know that whatever happens; we are going to come out with something we will be proud to show the world!”.
Shivers has everything going for them – great musicianship, music with meaning, and support from those around them to keep the momentum going. We can’t wait to see what they do next, and be a part of the journey!