Cameron Blackwood
The last few years have seen Cam becoming the go to producer for emerging British talent. Having cut his teeth as a guitarist and multi instrumentalist in a multitude of successful bands in Scotland and then London, Cam is fast becoming a producer and mixer of real significance. His production work on the gorgeous George Ezra debut album “Wanted On Voyage” has catapulted him into the leagues of the heavyweight producers!
While studying engineering at university in Glascow, Cam joined various bands on the indie scene and began a lifelong love of guitar playing and performing. This led him to London where he studied guitar performance and composition at the Musicians Institute at Wapping. He quickly became known amongst bands of the era as an axeman of great talent and had a very successful few years as a session guitarist and touring player. Highlights of this time were worldwide tours with everyone’s favourite Brazilian nutters CSS and the madness that is Alabama 3.
Looking for a more ‘manageable’ lifestyle saw him accept a job as engineer at the Mill Hill Recording Studio in Mill Hill and so began the tried and tested method of becoming a great producer, watching, learning and making great tea! Three years here led to a job at legendary Roundhouse Studios in 2004 where the calibre of producers and artist skyrocketed. Cam assisted a hugely eclectic bunch of producers such as Mike Spencer, Boz Boorer, Danton Supple, Gil Norton, Talvin Singh and Bob Sargeant, picking up a myriad of production tricks along the way. Cam built a reputation as a quality mix engineer and during this time he mixed records for Tim Deluxe, Smadj, Mattafix, and Adam F, as well as assisting on mix sessions with Danton Supple for Coldplay’s XY record.
When the Roundhouse closed in 2007, Cam decided it was time to set up on his own and took over the helm at David Gray’s old studio in Clapham – Voltaire Studios. Since then his production capabilities have gone from strength to strength. Over the last few years he has quickly built up an impressive discography, cutting tracks with We Are Scientists, CSS, Apples, Cee-Lo Green, Ten Men, One Day and Jon Allen. He has produced and mixed albums for Alabama 3, Tom Tyler, Huw Lloyd Langton (of Hawkwind fame), Jon Lawton (of Uriah Heap fame),
In 2011 he began to capitalise on his previous experiences. A definite highlight of that year was developing Brother, producing and mixing the band’s early recordings which got Radio 1’s Zane Lowe so hot under the collar. The band quickly became the focus of an intense bidding war and signed a deal with Geffen Records, before embarking on numerous successful US tours.
Also that year Cam has mixed records for Lucy Silvas, more tracks for Brother, Loick, Good Cop, Jamiroquai, Bluebell, The Hotelles, Vello and pop act Up. He has also added to his mix credits by mixing albums for Alabama 3 off shoot project – The Mountain of Love and Ben Taylor’s debut album in America.
By 2012 he has doing early recordings for the hugely tipped London Grammar, fresh from their signing to Ministry of Sound, before being drafted in by fellow Big Life Youth to mix the Reverend & The Makers LP. His early work with Brother caught the attention of a few American rock bands and he spent a very successful few months of 2012 producing and mixing the debut album for Super Water Sympathy.
Also this year Cam began his collaborations with the hugely talented Tom the Lion. Over three intensely creative recording sessions, Cam and Tom crafted “Sleep”, his debut album for Decca Records. It’s delicately crafted acoustic pop with a splash of programming and has garnered Tom a loyal fanbase.
2013 was a defining year for Cam. he has played an intrinsic role in the early career of buzz band Darlia, three young kids from …. Who have exploded onto the UK rock scene with energy and captured many fans across the media. In three sessions this year, Cam produced two EPs for the band that spawned their first singles – the raucous “Queen Of Hearts” and “Candyman”, both featured on Radio 1 specialist shows, with Zane Lowe and Fearne Cotton showing early support for the band.
Also in 2013, Cam began working with George Ezra. Over three months the pair of them created the stunning LP “Wanted On Voyage” due out in June 2014. The first single from the album “Budapest” has exploded onto the international scene and exceeded everyone’s expectations by reaching top 10 in 11 different European countries, including 4 European Number 1s! Cam produced the album at his Voltaire Road studios.
Cam also produced and mixed tracks for a number of other exciting emerging talents in 2013 including Zuzu, Gabriella Cilmi, Leaders Of Men, Franco Bollo, Lovelife and Wax Queen Standard.
2014 has got off to an amazing start for Cam. So far this year he has produced and mixed tracks for Parolphone’s hot new signing from New Zealand, Ezra Vine, produced the debut single for Atlantic’s new signing Will Joseph Cook and produced and mixed the debut EP for The Yurs. Cam is currently working with Hudson Taylor.
Cam is also an experienced and highly respected live sound engineer and has toured extensively doing front of house for Florence and the Machine, The Horrors, Hurts, CSS, Goldhawks, Paulo Nutini and Alabama 3.
Discography
| Title | Artist | Label | Credit |
| Wanted On Voyage | George Ezra | Columbia | Produced/Mixed |
| TBC | Ezra Vine | Parlophone | Additional Production/Mixed |
| Daisy Chains, Hearse, July | Will Joseph Cook | Atlantic | Produced/Mixed |
| Candyman | Darlia | Ignition | Produced/Mixed |
| Knock Knock EP | Darlia | Ignition | Produced/Mixed |
| 1 LP | Good Cop Good Cop | TBC | Written/Produced/Mixed |
| Sleep | Tom The Lion | Decca | Co-produced/Mixed |
| Race EP | The Yurs | Big Life | Produced/Mixed |
| Alexander House EP | Leaders of Men | TBC | TBC |
| Forthcoming Tracks | Zuzu | TBC | Produced/Mixed |
| @rev_makers | Reverend And The Makers | Cooking Vinyl | Additional Production/Mixed |
| We Share A Ghost | The Wolfnotes | Pledge | Produced/Mixed |
| Silence | Tom Tyler | Produced/Mixed | |
| Hydrogen Child | Super Water Sympathy | Warner Music/IMWT | Produced/Mixed |
| Listening | Ben Taylor | Iris Records | Additional Production/Mixed |
| MOL | Mountain Of Love | One Little Indian | Additional Production/Mixed |
| GOAL! England | We Are Scientists | Virgin | Produced/Mixed |
| How We Roll | Loick Essien | RCA | Mixed |
| First Kiss | Nick Harrison | RCA | Mixed |
| In Your Light | Jon Allen | Mixed | |
| Never Know | Primary 1 | Atlantic | Additional Production/Remixed |
| Good For Nothing | Hard-Fi | Atlantic | Additional Production |
| Crazy TV | Jamiroquai | Mercury | Mixed |
| Stong (EP) | Bailey Tzuke | Big Moon Records | Produced/Mixed |
| Theo | Apples | Universal Publishing | Produced/Mixed |
| Bad Before Good | Day One | One Little Indian | Produced/Mixed |
| La Liberacion | CSS | Sub Pop | Mixed |
▶ George Ezra | Budapest