We caught up with Caspar Sutton-Jones from Gearbox to find out more about what he’s been up to these past 7 years at Tileyard.

– For those who are new to the community, could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about Gearbox?

Hello! I’m Caspar, I’ve been working at Gearbox Records the last 7 years now… scary how time flies!

Gearbox is a vinyl-led record label and analogue mastering / vinyl cutting studio. The label specialises mostly in jazz music, from contemporary recordings to previously unreleased vintage tapes. We also release some ambient electronica, americana folk, soul and some weird and wonderful field recordings. The thing that ties these genres together is the use of analogue equipment in the recording, mixing and mastering stage, which I believe offers the best sound quality and presentation possible. We like to record direct to reel-to-reel tape or direct to disc if possible and keep the musical signal as pure as it can be without digital conversion on our finished vinyl products.

Gearbox offers its mastering services using an extensive collection of vintage analogue equipment to other artists and labels who want to get their music sounding as best as it possibly can.

– What is your role at Gearbox?

I’m the mastering engineer at Gearbox and I work on all of our label’s releases as well as mastering singles, EPs and albums for anyone who wants to take advantage of our amazing and one-of-a-kind analogue equipment. I’ve had the privilege of mastering albums and cutting master discs for the likes of The Prodigy, Kali Uchis and rock legends like Ronnie Wood and Bryan Ferry to name a few.

I also run a vinyl production consultancy here, so if you’re looking for your tracks to be pressed on wax please let me know!

– What are some of your favorite highlights from your 7 years at Tileyard?

The real highlight for me is getting a chance to hang out with all of the lovely people in the Tileyard community, usually congregating in and around the Vinyl Cafe! Nothing can beat being part of such an amazing community, whom after such a long time I now consider family. Every day is a highlight when you have such wonderful friends around.

Work-wise there are far too many incredible moments that have occurred but if I had to pin it down to 3 highlights they would be the following (in no particular order)…

• Having the opportunity to remaster 11 legendary albums from one of my all-time favourite saxophone players Tubby Hayes, who was one of my biggest inspirations when I was studying as a jazz musician many years ago. The original tapes arrived at my door and it was one of the most exciting moments for me but also the responsibility and trust put in me to look after these tapes was terrifying as they are literally priceless.
• Recording Butcher Brown’s ‘Camden Sessions’ EP direct-to-disc from Mark Ronson’s old studio which was next door to our mastering room at the time but unfortunately no longer there. Our two rooms were tied together and we recorded the entire record live in one take. We had the amazing Riccardo Damien at the controls with Darrel Sheinman studio producing and I was having to operate the record cutting lathe on the fly while I was communicating with the control room over skype, cuing the band in etc. The whole session was so involved and intense but incredibly enjoyable. They are one of the tightest and most energetic jazz funk bands around and their performance was electrifying. I think we managed to capture that feeling on the record.
• When Lenny Henry came to visit our studio back in 2019. He was one of my childhood heroes and I think it’s the only time I’ve been properly star struck!

– Out of work, what are your hobbies / interests?

Unfortunately I have far too many hobbies. I actually don’t know how I find the time to do all of these but somehow I manage!

• I’m a saxophone player and my funk/hip hop band Space Ghetto has been going since 2016. You can follow us at @spaceghettofunk
• I love cooking! I have a small hot sauce business and you might see Loose Booty mango hot sauce for sale, adorning the shelves at the Vinyl Cafe when it’s in stock. It’s in high demand though… follow @loosebootysauce for updates and availability.
• I’m borderline addicted to collecting vinyl records and hifi equipment. This has been a bit of an obsession since I was a very young age, so I guess ending up working at a place like Gearbox was inevitable for me!
• I’ve been really getting into film photography over the last few years. I find the whole process fascinating and somewhat magical.

– Does Gearbox have any exciting projects bubbling away under the surface that we can keep an eye out for?

There are some great releases coming out on the label this year that I’m very excited about… Look out for Emanuel Harold’s ‘We Da People’, Dwight Trible’s ‘Ancient Future’ and Johnny Griffin live at Ronnie Scott’s in 1964.