Toward the end of the eighties Paul Redmond pulled together a small group of people interested in setting up a project studio. They were Colm Sexton, Tim Boland and myself Fran Hegarty. These were the days before computer based DAW’s became available and it was difficult for any aspiring musician to get access to a reasonable recording facility. That was certainly the experience of the four founding members of the Tunnel. Many of us had small home recording set ups. At Paul’s suggestion we all pooled our equipment and instruments and built the Tunnel in Paul’s back garden. While Tim, Colm and I configured and set up the recording equipment, Paul and his brother (another Fran) literally constructed the building! From the beginning the Tunnel was a low to no budget project, with the focus on making a creative space rather then a profit. It broke even every year but never once made a profit, and every cent made was immediately invested back into more and better equipment. When it was set up, Tunnel gave unsigned musicians from any musical background access to an 8 track studio with sequencing via the then revolutionary Steinberg Pro 24 (forerunner of Cubase). It had the early samplers (Mirage and Akai S1000), digital synths (Korg DW 6000, Yamaha DX-7 & Roland D-110), analogue synths (Mini Moog) and an acoustic upright piano. It soon progressed to 16 track and finally ProTools 24. It always managed to be able to offer the latest technology to musicians at an affordable price. Unsigned acts used it for demos and signed acts used it for preproduction. Tunnel also had an open door policy to those wishing to try their hand at becoming a recording engineer. It was a difficult space to work in, but as Tim would say, “if you can get a good sound here, you can get one anywhere”. Tunnel wound up in 2001 because the four founding members had all moved on in life and pressures from other projects and careers took over. It was a happy ending and timely as the explosion in home computing soon put affordable DAW’s into everyones hands and the need for the project studio declined. However, looking back now I think the the most important aspect of the Tunnel was the informal community of creative people who tended to congregate around it. Everyone was guesting on each others recording, helping out, loaning gear etc. It was probably more of a co-operative than we realised at the time. A special mention also to Paul’s mother Philomena Redmond in whose back garden the studio was built. Mrs Redmond was so supportive of the studio all through the years and welcoming to all who used it.

Bands / Individuals / Session Musicians / Producers / Arrangers who used the space over the years include:

Perfect Stranger, Unbelievable Children, Wilde Oscars, Method Acting, Apparent Pictures, Shimpu Zig Zag, Lir, Engine Alley, Eleanor McEvoy, The Trust Company, Veritas, Francie Conway, Dick Farrelly, Keith Donald, Paul McAteer, Jim Corr, Ann Marie Cullen, Winters Reign, Richie Buckley, Paddy Cullivan, Mr Nice Guy, Essence, Eileen Fleming.

(mail me if you want me to add you to this list).

Engineers who tamed the difficult recording rooms include:

Ashley Wootten, Thomas O’Connor, Sinead Buckley, Meabh Flynn, Cathi Weldon, Fran Hegarty, Tim Boland, Colm Sexton & Philip Harnett.