Ace, lead guitarist and songwriter of UK rock band Skunk Anansie recently got himself an Audient iD24 audio interface, replacing his well-loved ten-year-old iD22. “I actually had no desire to change my audio interface, as iD22 worked perfectly for my needs and always sounded great. Yet when I heard the new architecture of the iD24, I could pinpoint more clarity in my listening material and that prompted me to move over.”
“a more enhanced listening experience” with iD24
The iconic band Skunk Anansie has sold over 6 million physical records and clocks up countless million streams a year, thanks in no small part to being “out there tearing up stages all around the world for the last 30 years,” according to Ace. He’s been playing guitar for over 45 years now and producing records for the last 20, honing his studio space to perfection over that time.
“My setup in my home studio is very basic as I really like to get the maximum out of short run signal flow from basically the computer to the monitors,“ he explains. “I use IKmultimedia iLoud precision MTM as my large nearfield monitors for playback, mix and mastering, and also the IKmultimedia MTM standard speakers as a second go to monitor for recording and tracking.
“The computer is a normal iMac with a little bit more RAM etc for music creation. I use a mix of IKmultimedia software i.e. MixBox, T-Racks, Tonex and Amplitube, as well as hardware which is the new IK Tonex Anniversary pedal and the X gear series of hardware effects pedals. I do have a Sequis Motherload and a TLA Compressor hidden in a rack in case I want to run valve heads straight into the system.
“I don’t really record track vocals in my studio, mainly guitar and bass, but when I am doing a voice over or podcast, I will use an old Rode NT1 and if I do a live acoustic guitar recording, I use the Austrian audio OC18.”
“[iD24] adds a little more dimension and clarity when I’m listening back to mixes”
Ace contemplates the added benefits of his new iD24. “I think it adds a little more dimension and clarity when I’m listening back to mixes, and I feel the real full body and warmth of the tracking that I am doing with precision and detail as I am setting it up and physically playing. That may sound small, but a more enhanced listening experience is quite a huge thing for me!”
Describing it as “a modest fixed space”, Ace’s studio is simply “the room in his house that sounds good”, where he works on all of the many projects he has on the go. His own solo projects, guesting on other people’s tracks, recording parts for Skunk Anansie demos, mixing and mastering his own music and of course “listening back to really good music for pleasure.”
It’s also in this studio that Ace recorded and played demos for the forthcoming Skunk Anansie album which is due for release mid-2025. “I also did a lot of listening back to mixes, masters and vinyl cuts after we had recorded the album in LA with producer, Dave Sitek and the mixes were coming back from Matty Green for us to approve.”
“easily portable with my laptop”
With the Skunk Anansie European and UK tour kicking off in March this year, the fact that the iD24 is bus-powered is a real bonus to Ace. “This means it’s easily portable with my laptop and is on/off when the computer is on/off.” The added JFET Instrument Input – designed to replicate the input stage of a classic valve amplifier – has also sparked his interest. “I’ll be able to record straight in with the IKmultimedia software that I use and still get the same amp-like response from my guitar.”
Ace has also kept himself busy working intermittently in music education over the last 25 years and full time for the last ten. He is Head of Industry & Brand Partnerships at AD Education UK – Europe’s leading platform in the independent higher education market focused on the creative arts – which encompasses ICMP and SAE UK.
As well as being proud of his contribution to music education, Ace also sets great store by “actually being in a band with the same people for 30 years – and still being successful doing it!” Looking back at the highlights, he mentions headlining Glastonbury, Polish Woodstock and meeting iconic figures such as Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama.
Impressive! To find out more about Skunk Anansie – including info on the tour – visit the website: https://skunkanansie.com/
