Last week, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, Cllr Paulette Lappin, paid a visit to Litherland’s renowned Soundhouse Recording Studio.

The K’s

During the visit, Cllr Lappin was able to chat with owner Shaun Hunt and house sound engineer and producer, Russ Cottier. She also met members of local band The K’s, who are currently Number 1 in the official UK charts, and this Friday night’s headliners at the Salt and Tar music weekender in Bootle.

InvestSefton, the Council’s business support and inward investment service, has worked closely with Soundhouse since 2022 to strengthen the studio’s marketing and digital presence. This has included a comprehensive website audit and strategy support. 

Russ and Grace provided Cllr Lappin with a tour of the studio whilst Shaun was able to tell her about the studio’s impressive 30-year history as well as discussing the challenges currently facing the music industry.

Direct, measurable impact

When asked about the support Soundhouse has received through InvestSefton, Shaun said: “Jamie Hannaway’s support through InvestSefton has had a direct, measurable impact.

“Culture-driven economic development works on both macro and micro scales, and Jamie’s guidance helped make the studio part of that ecosystem that sees local restaurants, taxi services, Airbnbs, and shops benefit from the studio. 

“The impact goes far beyond the studio walls.”

Pivotal

He continued: “Jamie’s guidance has been pivotal to continued innovation and relevance in an evolving creative sector.

“From attracting global talent to the region, to helping shape a product which is now poised for national and international rollout, his involvement has enabled outcomes no funding pot or standard metric would have predicted. 

“His impact has extended beyond me to countless others earning freelance livelihoods through my business, and to a digital product with the potential to reshape a major industry.”

Members of Earlestown band The K’s were at Soundhouse celebrating the launch of their new album Pretty on the Internet, which reached number one on the UK album charts on Friday 1st August. Recorded over a four-month period at Soundhouse, the album’s success has further cemented the studio’s status as an iconic world-class recording facility.

Great experience

Dex Baker, The K’s bassist, said: “It was a great experience recording at Soundhouse. The studio gave us a different level of sound compared to our first album, and everyone there really looked after us. It’s great to be back to meet fans and promote the album.”

The band’s manager, David Cameron-Pryde, praised Soundhouse as “a little gem” and highlighted its combination of traditional tape recording and modern technology as a unique asset.

He said: “Being involved in the music scene around Manchester, we’ve always heard of Strawberry Studios where The Smiths and Stone Roses recorded. Soundhouse has that same magic – a high-spec studio outside of a major city, proving you don’t need to be in the centre to make it happen.”

Inspiring

Cllr Lappin said: “It was inspiring to see and hear firsthand from Shaun the incredible story of Soundhouse Recording Studio and to see the levels of talent and innovation here, which have helped The K’s achieve their chart success this week.

“I am proud that through InvestSefton, the Council has been able to support this venture and I look forward to seeing Soundhouse continue to thrive.”

InvestSefton

InvestSefton is Sefton Council’s enterprise, business support and inward investment service.  It offers free information and advice and access to a wide range of services. It is there to help any business, of any size, in any sector.

People wanting to find out more about how the InvestSefton can help support their business, can visit www.investsefton.com or contact the team on 0151 934 3452 or investsefton@sefton.gov.uk.