Recording studios in Warrnambool

Howling Success -- Written by Kevin McCarthy. Originally published in The Blarney Bulletin Sept. 2003 - reproduced with permission.
Pete Bird's Yelp Studio in Warrnambool is attracting some of the country's top musicians - and for good reason. Albums by artists like Shane Howard, Neil Murray, Andy Alberts, Oriel Glennen, Marco Goldsmith, Caoilte O'Suilleabhain, Blueheat, Kavisha Mazzella, Dalriada, Slap n the Cats, Salty Dog, Moonee Valley Drifters, and the Dead Livers have all benefited from Pete's attention to detail, caring attitude and considerable recording experience. "Yelp Studio is more like Sun Studios than your glitzy recording palace," says Pete. "Although we use the latest digital equipment at Yelp, I think the vibe is the most important element in a great recording. And musicians seem to thrive in the rootsy atmosphere down here at Yelp." So if you are looking for a recording studio that combines that laid-back atmosphere only found in the country with the latest digital recording technology, contact Pete Bird on 03 5562 5374 or email yelp@iprimus.com.auYou will find Yelp Studio at 9 Redford St Warrnambool.

No need to leave town --Warrnambool Standard 19th Aug. 2004 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard  2004.  All rights reserved
The South-West has long been regarded as a musical hot-spot, so it's no surprise the region has always been well catered for when it comes to recording. Go back about 3 decades or more and there was Tower Hill Records in Warrnambool and Western District Recordings at Panmure, where Warrnambool bands such as the Ghost Riders and Nevada would go to make their albums. These days south-west musos are just as fortunate, having two high quality recording studios in Warrnambool. Between them both, Motherlode Studios and Yelp Studios have recorded just about every worthwhile artist ever to pick up an instrument in Warrnambool. Since the early '80s, Peter Bird and Tony Peel have been recording local and national artists. Bird, who runs Yelp studios, began making recordings for his own bands and friends under the Criterion Hotel in a space that would go on to be occupied by 3WAY-FM in its formative years. Soon after, Bird and Peel combined forces, running a studio together before going their separate ways. The pair remain good friends, and if one is unable to take on a project, they are quick to send it up the road to their friend's studio, Peel said. "There's enough work out there to keep us both going", the Motherlode Studios Producer said. Bird said that in the early days of Motherlode and Yelp, Peel took on the rockier and heavier bands around town, while Bird worked on more blues and rootsy style music. "We've both crossed over now", Bird said, with Yelp recording the likes of Slap 'n' the Cats and Tukan Sam and Motherlode hosting local solo artists such as Maree C and Greg Logan in recent months.
Bird and Peel agreed both studios pride themselves on keeping up with technology, while maintaining old equipment for those warmer vintage sounds, giving Motherlode and Yelp a flexibility missing from some Melbourne studios. "There's nothing you can do in a Melbourne studio that you can't do here in Warrnambool",  Peel said.