Robin Hugh Spurgin

Robin Hugh Spurgin
File:Robin Spurgin in Larry Hennessey's studio with Jamie Anstey.jpgRobin Spurgin in Larry Hennessey's studio with Jamie Anstey.jpg Robin Spurgin in Larry Hennessey's studio with Jamie Anstey.jpg Robin Spurgin in Larry Hennessey's studio with Jamie Anstey
Born	(1929-10-16)October 16, 1929
💀Died	May 29, 2013(2013-05-29) (aged 83) Vancouver, British ColumbiaMay 29, 2013(2013-05-29) (aged 83)
💼 Occupation	Audio engineer, Record producer, Production sound mixer

Robin Hugh Spurgin (October 16, 1929 – May 29, 2013) was a Canadian audio engineer, producer and pioneer of recording who opened one of the first recording studios in Western Canada called "Vancouver Recording Studio Ltd" in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Spurgin was a pioneer in recording and recording techniques and is responsible for the vast majority of Vancouver's recorded music that exists from the 1960s, although he recorded artists well into the 1980s. The artists that he worked with in the 1960s were some of the best, and many records from these bands are highly collectible and revered among collectors. Spurgin was very dedicated to his work, and often helped bands record even when they had no money.

Spurgin was actively involved in the Vancouver music industry for more than 30 years and during his later life he taught his recording and engineering skills at Trebas Institute, Stylus music School in New Westminster, and at Pacific Audio Visual Institute (PAVI) in Vancouver.

His life in the entertainment business in the 1960s through the 1980s included recording, engineering, production, film work, and managing his own recording studio.

Spurgin owned and raced motorcycles in his early years and had an avid interest in motorcycles. [more info needed].

Trebas Institute Award plaque presented to Robin in March 2000

CARAS (Juno Awards Society) Plaque presented to Robin

Recording career

Spurgin began as a Chief Studio Engineer at CHQM Radio from 1959 to 1963, doing all the in-house recording at the station.

He was also on the Vancouver Jazz Society board from 1958 to 1963 and recorded artists for projects related to the society.

In the early 60s, Spurgin opened "Vancouver Recording Studios Ltd" at 2714 west Broadway, one of the first major recording studios in Vancouver. Initially, the Studio was very basic, with only a two track reel to reel recorder. Despite only working with two tracks in his studio, the recordings he made were extremely impressive considering that other artists of the era such as The Beatles, were already working with four and later eight-track recording technology.

Initially, his business was mostly vanity projects and commercial jingles, but as the early 1960s music scene rolled around bands and artists flocked to his studio to record their songs. The only other studio in town was Aragon Recording at 1234 west 6th Ave, run by Al Reusch. Aragon was also a record label that specialized mostly in Scottish and country recordings that started in 1948 and Robin was a bit more 'hip' and interested in all genres of music.

The Sanddwellers Acetate disc - One of the first rock n' roll recordings done at Robin's Studio

One of the first rock n' roll bands that approached him in 1963 to record was a surf group called "The Sanddwellers", which featured a young Terry Jacks on guitar. They recorded two songs; one of them, "Build your castle higher" written by Jacks was later covered by an American Capitol Records recording group "Jerry Cole and his Spacemen with the title changed to "Midnight Surfer". Jacks soon left the group and formed another band with his friend Guy Sobell called The Chessmen. Jacks returned to Spurgin's studio with The Chessmen in 1964 and 1965 to record two singles for London Records, the instrumentals "Meadowlands" b/w "Mustang" as well as a second vocal release "The Way You Fell" b/w "She Comes By Night". Jacks would return again in 1967 to record several demos with his friend Bonnie Huber. After forming a new group The Poppy Family with then wife Susan Jacks, they returned to Spurgin's again in 1968 to record their first single for London Records "Beyond The Clouds" b/w "Free From The City".

The Chessmen Acetate Disc Demo cut at Robin's studio

The Chessmen, recorded at Robin's 1964

Stan Cayer recorded two Christmas songs in November 1963, one of which he released on his own label SGM Records.

Acetate Disc cut at Robin's Studio for Stan Cayer's Letter to Santa Nov. 1963

Vancouver band "The Nocturnals" recorded two singles for Regency Records in 1964. The Vancouver Playboys, Tom Northcott.

Spurgin produced Rolf Harris, with whom he produced 5 different LPs for Capitol Records including the million selling "Live at the Cave Supper Club" album in 1965.

Spurgin was very dedicated to his work, and often helped bands record even when they had no money. One of these groups, Mother Tucker’s Yellow Duck which he recorded, engineered and produced was signed to Capitol Records for two albums in 1969. Spurgin spent countless months completing the project but he didn't get paid for any of the work he had done. He believed so much in the project the money didn't matter.

In the early 1970s he changed his studio's name to PSI-Chord and moved to West 3rd Avenue, where today it still stands under new ownership as Ocean Sound, now solely a film production studio.

Throughout the 1970s, Spurgin worked with both Folk and Punk artists, including: Young Canadians, Vancouver Complication, DOA and The Subhumans

Death

Spurgin passed away May 29, 2013 at the age of 83.

Robin Spurgin with Jamie Anstey at Larry Hennessey's studio

Selected Discography

Audio Engineer

Artist	Label	Year	Notes	Format
The Sanddwellers	Demo	1963	Build Your Castle Higher/Sandstorm	45
Stan Cayer	SGM /Demo	1963	Letter to Santa / Christmas and You (Unreleased)	45
The Chessmen	London	1964	Meadowlands/Mustang	45
The Nocturnals	Regency	1964	Because you're gone	45
The Chessmen	London	1965	The Way You fell/She comes by night	45
The Nocturnals	Regency	1965	This Ain't Love	45
Rolf Harris	Capitol	1965	at The Cave Supper Club	LP
Live! from The Grooveyard	New Syndrome	1967	Various Artists Double Album: The Shockers/The Nocturnals/The Epics/The Shantelles/The Stags	LP
The Painted Ship	London	1966	Frustration/Little White Lies	45
The Centaurs	demo	1966	Five tracks were recorded at Spurgin's studio in 1966	-
The Painted Ship	London	1967	Audience Reflections/She Said Yes	45
Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck	TCP	1967	I / Funny Feeling	45
Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck	London	1967	I / Funny Feeling	45
The Poppy Family	London	1968	Beyond the clouds/free from the city	45
Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck	Duck	1968	Pot of gold/Little Pony	45
Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck	Duck	1968	I/ Funny Feelng	45
Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck	Duck	1968	One Ring Jane	45
Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck	Duck	1968	Self Released first Album	LP
Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck	Capitol	1969	Homegrown stuff	LP
The Collectors	demo	1966	Spurgin recorded their first demo tape which got the band their record contract in the US in 1966.
John Lee Hooker	-	1967	Recording Session for major label circa 1967, with Mike Taylor (piano).
Tom Northcott	Warner Brothers	-	4 singles for Warner Brothers. Spurgin also recorded several other singles for Tom's New Syndrome Label for artists Mike Campbell & Gillian Russell
The Eternal Triangle with Susan Jacks	-	-
The Northwest Company	-	-	Managed by the late disc jockeys Daryl B and Tom Peacock
The United Empire Loyalists	(no label)	1966	No No No/Afraid of the dark
Sandalspring	demo	1968
J.K. and Company	White Whale	1968
Meddys People	Quality	-	3 singles
Hydro Electric Streetcar	-	-
Terry Jacks	-	-	Multiple demos
Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck	Capitol	1969
Pacific Salt	-	-	with Jazz guitarist Oliver Gannon
Denise Larson and Friends	-	-	Recorded and produced 2 LPs for this folk artist.
The Melodic Energy commission	Energy	-	Late 1970s Psychedelic band, recorded 2 LPs on Energy Records.
Young Canadians	–	-	2 LPs/EPs, mid to late 70s - well known punk group with Art Bergman and his band.
Vancouver Complication	-	-	punk compilation, 1979. Bands include DOA, The Subhumans, K-tels, Active Dog, The Dishrags. Re-issued on CD in 2005.

Film

Title	Year	Role
The_Bitter Ash	1963	Sound engineer
Sweet Substitute	1964	Re-recording mixer
City Under Pressure	1965	Sound engineer

External links

• Robin Spurgin on Discogs
• Canadian Film Online: Robin Spurgin
• Robin Spurgin on IMDB

This article "Robin Spurgin" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Robin Spurgin. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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