Date & place of birth:
September 14 1949; Vereeniging, South Africa. Subsequently, a nomadic childhood resulted in an education (of sorts) at 11 schools in five countries.

Profession:
Technical Director of Audient plc, formed with Gareth Davies. Prior to that, in 1980, we had founded console manufacturer DDA (Dearden Davies Associates), which became part of the Klark Teknik Group, and subsequently part of Telex EVI.

What was your first professional job?:
Working in a large studio in Johannesburg that belonged to David Manley, who later moved to the US to form the Manley company in Encino, California. The studio occupied six floors of a building, with a different facility on each floor. This provided experience in music, commercial, drama and film recording, as well as disc cutting. I was cutting 78 RPM records until 1968, for the acoustic gramophones still being used in the townships. The studio was at that time building a mixing console (valves of course, using Telefunken V72 modules) and because I knew which was the hot end of a soldering iron, I was seconded to help in its construction. This was the start of my involvement with mixers.

What brought you to the UK?
I came to England in 1970 to further my work experience in the recording industry. I never intended to stay for too long because it was too cold, but I'm still here (and still cold). I arrived with £5 in my pocket and spent most of that on a taxi from Heathrow. Two weeks later I was working at Advision Studios as junior maintenance engineer earning £15 per week. Tape ops were only paid £12 per week, hence the sudden career change!
I worked there for five years with bands such as ELP, Yes, and many others, and was also involved with Eddie Veale in building the console and home studio for John Lennon for the Imagine sessions, and later for George Harrison and Ringo as well. I was rejected by the BBC because I was slightly colour blind, although they weren't at all concerned at all about my hearing!

Who or what has influenced you?
David Manley for giving me a start in the industry and showing me that it is possible to burn the candle at both ends! Eddie Offord (engineer for Yes and ELP amongst many others) for being the best engineer I have ever worked with. Dag Fellner and Eddie Veale at Advision, whose technical arguments showed me the benefits of looking at both sides of any situation. Jeep Harned (President/Founder of MCI) for his incredible technical knowledge and support.

What's been your biggest professional achievement?:
This must be split between designing, while part of the EVI Telex Group, the Midas XL200 console which was one of their most successful products, and the incredibly lightweight Audient Aztec live sound console both of which broke new ground in cost/performance. Also winning two Queen's Awards for Export Achievement.

How about your worst professional disaster?:
Designing a four-channel portable ENG mixer. Everybody wanted something different and we could never reach a final specification, which turned the project into a nightmare.

What was the last record/CD you bought?:
Norah Jones... what a voice!

The last live show you attended as a punter?:
Bryan Adams at Wembley Arena - good rock'n'roll, a fantastic sound, a simple set-up, hardly any channels being used on the mixer and a band who were obviously enjoying themselves.

What's your current passion?
Restoring and running a 52 ft wooden Victorian steam launch on the River Thames. It's available for hire if anyone's interested.

If you were to meet up with the teenage David Dearden, what advice would you give him?
Become a lawyer, accountant or a plumber. They all earn more money, although they probably don't enjoy their jobs as much as I've enjoyed mine.

mail David