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If the Melbourne music industry was a town, Quincy McLean would surely be mayor. As the founder, owner and head honcho of Bakehouse Studios, the industry veteran has helped everyone from the world's biggest rock stars to Melbourne's youngest bands within his rehearsal and recording complex's walls. More recently, Quincy's moniker may be one to make politicians quake in their boots, as one of the primary organisers behind Melbourne's groundbreaking SLAM Rally to protect the Victorian music scene from downright ridiculous claims from the government and over-the-top liquor licensing practices.
Paper-Deer managed to have a chat to the busy man about how his Bakehouse, his tips for young industry kids and his work with SLAM.
What do you do at Bakehouse Studios?
I set up Bakehouse as a small, single-room rehearsal studio in 1991 and it gradually evolved into a recording/rehearsal complex. The staff call me Quincy but you can call me the boss.
How did Bakehouse become to be?
I started it when I was in a band that needed somewhere to rehearse and record. Then we had a son, Angus. I had to feed a family so I had to find a way to make a buck and it had to grow. The birth of our daughter Lola seven years later ramped up the pressure so I've had to keep improving the place and expanding it to keep the bands coming and happy.
Weirdest shit to go down at Bakehouse?
This is the entertainment business, you could write a sit.com about the stupid stuff that happens here but I don't know whether you have the space for the character development to do it justice. Names would have to be changed to protect the innocent, ignorant or down right thick headed. You'll have to wait for my biography.
Bakehouse has seen some pretty awesome musicians within its walls, like Nick Cave, The Drones, Beasts of Bourbon and Beth Orton. Do you ever get star struck, and by who?
I'm Stranded was the first Australian album I ever bought. It was punk. Its genesis was independent and totally self-funded although the album ended up coming out on EMI. It was the major turning point for my preferred styles and mind sets in music and it changed my life. So when the original Saints were gearing up for their first gigs outside of Brisbane in over 30 years, it was a massive few days for me. Q: Star struck? A: With not a hint of shame.
What else have you done in the music industry? You were obviously a musician, but have you filled the roles of band manager, venue booker and other assorted titles?
Yes, have dabbled in all of the above. 95% of my staff are very creative people on their own missions. All of them are passionate, connected and very much involved in Melbourne’s musical soup with many of them taking breaks to tour the world with their bands or to undertake solo expeditions.
Another aspect of the “music industry” that we have tackled was the SLAM Rally, which my wife Helen and I organized in February this year. It blew out to require lobbying of liquor licensing and the government for the last 8 months and a resulted in some very positive changes to the LLC's procedures. Most importantly, live music will never be deemed to be a contributing factor in violent behavior in Victoria again.
In your opinion, what’s the single most irritating thing a band can do while recording?
Whatever it takes to get the result they require is their prerogative but "it's your dime". If bands don't respect the process, that's pretty dumb. You can have a healthy or anarchistic handle on it and great art can come from apparent chaos, but even the Pistols and Edgard Varez respected their process.
Any advice for bands on how to get the most out of their recording time?
In the words of Chris Bailey of the Saints, “know your product”. Study the classics, learn how to edit yourself and cut the shit, practice heaps and make sure you do as much of this as you can before
The tape starts rolling (so to speak), the clock starts ticking and the debtometre starts to explode.
Any tips on starry-eyed kids interested in getting into sound engineering, production and recording?
Immerse yourself in your area of passion thick locally. The bands you are likely to get your first gig with are more likely to be playing at the Tote than Etihad Stadium so frequent the Tote, Old Bar, and other small venues. More truly great inspired music happens in little venues than the over-polished tired old crap made by hacks going through the motions to sheep with binoculars in stadiums.
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BY PAIGE X. CHO 
Great interview with a great man! DON'T KILL LIVE MUSIC
ReplyDeleteQUINCY!!!
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