Ray Staff

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Ray Staff
Birth nameRay Staff
OriginUnited Kingdom
Occupation(s)Mastering Engineer

Ray Staff is a British mastering engineer, best known for his work with a diverse mix of artists including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Clash and Black Sabbath. Most recently he has mastered albums for Muse.

Biography and career[edit]

Joining Trident Studios (a recording facility originally located at 17, St. Anne's Court in London's Soho district) in 1970, Ray Staff became part of the newly formed Mastering Department contributing to projects such as: David Bowie, Aladdin Sane, Ziggy Stardust and Elton John. Staff moved on to become Trident's first Chief Mastering Engineer.[1]

For Monty Python, Staff created the world's first three-sided album by cutting two spirals on one side of the disc, creating the "hidden" third side. This was topped later with a Johnny Moped album for Ace Records, where the first track on the A-side was double cut, the two spirals then joined to play the remaining side of the album.

Whilst Senior Mastering Engineer at Sony's UK Studios, Staff became part of the international team developing Sony's proprietary archiving system.

Other classics mastered by Staff include Physical Graffiti and Presence by Led Zeppelin, Crime of the Century by Supertramp, It's Only Rock 'n Roll by The Rolling Stones and Hemispheres by Rush.[2]

Recent years[edit]

He is regularly featured in Hi-Fi publications for his work on audiophile vinyl releases. He is also much sought after by labels Alchemy Soho[3] from the worlds of jazz, world music, classical and crossover. Staff is also building an increasing number of surround mastering projects to his portfolio, including Gary Moore, Deep Purple, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Alice Cooper released during the past few months.

Discography[edit]

Year Album Artist Role
2016 Use Less U Mosquito-B Mastering
2012 Life as a Routine
Classical 		Hakan Yurdakul Mastering
2002 24 Hour Party People
Soundtrack 		Various artists Remastering
1997 Sueños en tránsito Nicole Mastering
2001 37 Brits 2001 Hits: Brit Awards Various artists Mastering
2005 Adam Ant Remasters
Remastered, limited edition box set 		Adam Ant Remastering, digital remastering
2000 African Fantasy Trilok Gurtu Mastering
1988 African Typic Collection Various artists Mastering
2004 Afterlife Joe Jackson Mastering
2004 Afterlife
Bonus CD 		Joe Jackson Mastering
2000 The A-List A1 Mastering
1996 Alive at Ronnie Scott's Carol Grimes Engineer
1972 All The Young Dudes Mott the Hoople Mastering
2006 Amaral
Christmas edition 		Amaral Mastering
2004 AM-FM The Gift Mastering
2001 Aura Asia Mastering
1996 Authentic Tim Whitehead Mastering
2000 Balengu Village Brice Wassy Mastering
1997 Beautiful World Paul Carrack Mastering
2002 Becoming Something Else Sugarcoma Mastering
2004 Belle-Issima!: Sweet Memories... The Belle Stars Mastering
1993 Benga Blast! Daniel Owino Misiani Mastering
2007 Betcha Bottom Dollar The Puppini Sisters Mastering
2006 Betcha Bottom Dollar
UK edition 		The Puppini Sisters Mastering
2001 Biografias Do Amor Sérgio Godinho Remastering
2001 Bitter Suites to Succubi Cradle of Filth Mastering
1970 Black Sabbath
Japan bonus tracks 		Black Sabbath Remastering
1972 Black Sabbath Vol. 4 Black Sabbath Remastering
1998 Black to the Future Hugh Masekela Mastering
1995 Blue Valentine Sarah Jane Morris Mastering
1983 Born Again Black Sabbath Remastering
2001 British Steel
Bonus tracks 		Judas Priest Cut
2002 California Perry Blake Mastering
1998 The Cappuccino Songs Tanita Tikaram Mastering
1976 Child in Time Ian Gillan Band Mastering
1991 Clash on Broadway The Clash Remastering
2004 Clash on Broadway
2004 reissue 		The Clash Remastering
2002 The Clash / London Calling / Combat Rock The Clash Remastering
2000 Code: Brasil - Target: Recipe Various artists Mastering
2001 Coincidências Sérgio Godinho Remastering
2005 The Collection: British Steel / Point of Entry / Screaming for Vengeance Judas Priest Cut, mastering
2004 The Collection: The Clash / London Calling / Combat Rock
2004 long box set 		The Clash Remastering
2005 The Collection: The Clash / London Calling / Combat Rock
2005 small box set 		The Clash Remastering
1982 Combat Rock The Clash Remastering
2005 Concrete and Street Lamps Jake Searson Mastering
2003 Conversations with the Unseen Soweto Kinch Mastering
1998 Convocatoria Claudio Gabis Mastering
2007 Trinity Revisited
Vinyl 		Cowboy Junkies Mastering
2006 The Cradle of Filth Box Set Cradle of Filth Mastering
2003 Crossing the Stone Catrin Finch Mastering
1996 Cuando te vi Partir Claudia Puyo Mastering
1995 The Curse of the Cat People: The Film Music of Roy Webb Roy Webb Supervisor
2005 Dakshina Deva Premal Mastering
2003 Damnation and a Day Cradle of Filth Mastering
2003 Damnation and a Day
Japan bonus tracks 		Cradle of Filth Mastering
2006 Desafio Malú Mastering
1991 Direction Ov Travel PTV3 Engineer
1978 Disguise in Love John Cooper Clarke Mastering
2005 Disguise in Love
Bonus tracks 		John Cooper Clarke Mastering
1990 Don't Fret Martin Taylor Mastering
2007 Double Trouble
Bonus tracks 		Gillan Mastering
2003 Dream Soldier Des'ree Mastering
1980 Duke Genesis Mastering
1998 Dum Dum Baby Baby Fox Mastering
1998 Dum Dum Baby
Japan 		Baby Fox Mastering
2006 The Early Years
Bonus CD 		The Early Years Mastering
1998 Educating Rita
Soundtrack 		David Hentschel Mastering
2006 "Eighteen" ¡Forward, Russia! Mastering
2007 Eighteen
6 tracks 		¡Forward, Russia! Mastering
2000 El Alquimista (The Alchemist) Juan Martín Mastering
2003 The Essential Clash
UK bonus track 		The Clash Remastering
2003 Estrella de mar Amaral Mastering
2004 Estrella de mar
Bonus tracks 		Amaral Mastering
2003 Evolution: The Hits Dead or Alive Remastering
2003 Evolution: The Hits
Limited edition 		Dead or Alive Digital remastering
2005 Exits The Boxer Rebellion Mastering
1995 Exuberancia Irakere Engineer
2001 No More Shall We Part Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Mastering
2002 Film Works Ryuichi Sakamoto Mastering
2000 "Freedom"
Australia CD 		Erasure Mastering
2000 "Freedom, Pt. 1" Erasure Mastering
2005 Friend or Foe
Bonus tracks 		Adam Ant Remastering
1998 Fruit Cocktail Various artists Engineer, mixing
2007 Future Shock
Bonus tracks 		Gillan Mastering
2004 Gaze The Beautiful South Mastering
1944 Get with Cab Cab Calloway Cutting engineer
1992 Ghostsongs Ian Shaw Mastering, mixing
1984 Give Daddy the Knife Cindy Naz Nomad and the Nightmares Post production, post producer
1978 Give 'em Enough Rope The Clash Remastering
2006 Give Me a Wall ¡Forward, Russia! Mastering
2007 Glory Road
Bonus tracks 		Gillan Mastering
2004 Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs The Beautiful South Mastering
1992 Groovin' Zachary Breaux Engineer, mastering
1990 Guitar Paradise of East Africa Various artists Mastering
1999 Healing Angel Touched by an Angel Mastering
1978 Hemispheres Rush Mastering
2004 Heroes
Sony 		Various artists Remastering
2000 Highland Cathedral Phil Coulter Mastering
2001 History Penguin Cafe Orchestra Remastering
1989 Home Ground Battlefield Band Mastering
1996 Hot Roy Ayers Engineer, mastering
1994 Hot House Reykjavik Jazz Quartet Mastering
1996 I Gotta Right to Sing Marion Montgomery Engineer, mastering
1999 I Gotta Right to Sing / Nice and Easy Marion Montgomery Engineer
2007 I Love the Future Caufield Mastering
2004 I Only Wrote this Song for You: A Tribute to Johnny Thunders
Diesel Motor 		Various artists Duplication
1995 I Only Wrote this Song for You: A Tribute to Johnny Thunders
Essential 		Various artists Mastering
1965 In a Mellow Tone Ben Webster Mastering, preparation
1996 In Memory of Thunder José Neto Mastering
1986 The Indestructible Beat of Soweto Various artists Mastering
1995 Indestructible Beat of Soweto, Vol. 3: Thunder Before Dawn Various artists Mastering
2005 It Was Not Here The Afterthought Mastering
2005 Jazz Warrior Abram Wilson Mastering
2001 Kilas o Mau da Fita Sérgio Godinho Remastering
1991 The Kings and Queens of Township Jive: Modern Roots of the Indestructible Beat of Soweto Various artists Mastering
1996 Kon'ko Man Madala Kunene Mastering
1997 Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space Spiritualized Mastering
2001 Lake of Shadows Phil Coulter Mastering
2006 Last Dance The Alps Mastering
2003 Let Freedom Ring! Denys Baptiste Mastering
1979 Life on the Ceiling Michael Chapman Editing
2000 Linn Box One Martin Taylor Mastering
2000 The Linn Box: 3 Claire Martin Mastering
2006 Live at Montreux Rory Gallagher Mastering
2006 Live at Montreux 1996 Deep Purple Mastering
2007 Live at Montreux 2002 UB40 Mastering
1991 Live at Ronnie Scott's Irakere Mastering
2007 Live at the Budokan
Special Edition 		Ian Gillan Band Mastering
1994 Live at the Point Christy Moore Mixing
1998 Live Evil
Remastered 		Black Sabbath Remastering
2007 Live in Asia Asia Mastering
2004 London Calling
25th Anniversary Legacy Edition 		The Clash Remastering
2002 Love Is Here Starsailor Mastering
2006 The Love that Whirls (Diary of a Thinking Heart)
Import Bonus Tracks 		Bill Nelson Mastering
2000 Loveboat Erasure Mastering
1996 Lozko Maanam Mastering
2007 Magic
Edsel Bonus Tracks 		Gillan Mastering
1997 Majoun Richard Horowitz Mastering
2000 Maroon The Webb Brothers Mastering
1971 Master of Reality Black Sabbath Remastering
2002 Me Without You: Music from the Motion Picture
Original Soundtrack 		Various artists Remastering
2003 Mediterraneo Marc Antoine Mastering
2004 Meets Scientist in a Midnight Rock Dub, Vol. 1 King Tubby Mastering
2004 Melek Candan Erçetin Mastering
1989 Mettle Hugo Largo Mastering
2006 Mettle
Bonus tracks 		Hugo Largo Mastering
1999 Michael Flatley's Feet of Flames Ronan Hardiman Mastering
1979 Mick Taylor Mick Taylor Mastering
2000 Midian Cradle of Filth Mastering
2002 Mods Mayday '79
2 Disc 		Various artists Cutting engineer
2001 "Moon & the Sky" Erasure Mastering
1977 Moroccan Roll Brand X Mastering
1977 Motörhead Motörhead Post production
1990 Motörhead
Bonus tracks 		Motörhead Post production
2007 Mr. Universe
Bonus track 		Gillan Mastering
2005 MTV Unplugged Giorgia Mastering
2005 Multitudes Illapu Engineer
1996 Murder Ballads Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Mastering
2007 Music for Astronauts and Cosmonauts Húbert Nói and Howie B Mastering
2005 Music for Films III
Bonus tracks 		Brian Eno Mastering
1995 Naked Flame Tony O'Malley Mastering
1994 Nebuchadnezzar Alec Dankworth Mastering
1978 Never Say Die! Black Sabbath Remastering
1996 N'ga Funk Brice Wassy Mastering
2005 Nice Guy Jake Searson Mastering
1963 Night and Day Tubby Hayes Mastering, preparation
1986 A Night at Ronnie Scott's, Vol. 3 Various artists Mastering
2002 Nil Dünyası Nil Karaibrahimgil Mastering
2006 Nine ¡Forward, Russia! Mastering
2001 No More Shall We Part Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Mastering
2001 No More Shall We Part
Bonus tracks 		Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Mastering
1996 A Normal Family Baby Fox Mastering
2005 Nova Latino, Vol. 4 Various artists Mastering
2006 Now Listen Shakin' Stevens Mastering
2005 Nude Iconcrash Mastering
2000 Obsession Tony Hadley Mastering
2010 Oh Vanille/Ova Nil
180g audiophile vinyl [2010 Reissue] 		Diane Cluck Mastering[4]
2000 Open Mind Glen Matlock Mastering
2001 Origin of Symmetry Muse Mastering
2006 Out in the Sun
Bonus track 		Patrick Moraz Cut
1979 Over the Rainbow Trevor Watts Cutting engineer
2003 Overgrown Eden
Japan bonus tracks 		InMe Mastering
1971 Paranoid Black Sabbath Remastering
2004 Pastora Pastora Mastering
2001 De Pequenino Se Torce O Destino Sérgio Godinho Remastering
1998 Perfect Time Moya Brennan Mastering
1980 Permanent Waves Rush Mastering
1998 The Philosopher's Stone Van Morrison Mastering
2005 Picture Kino Mastering
2007 The Pirate Queen
Soundtrack 		Claude-Michel Schönberg Mastering
2007 Platinum Collection
EMI Bonus Tracks 		Lesley Garrett Mastering
1978 Pleasure Signals Wilding-Bonus Mastering
2001 Point of Entry
Bonus tracks 		Judas Priest Mastering
2001 Pré-Histórias Sérgio Godinho Remastering
1979 Product Brand X Mastering
2007 Prog The Bad Plus Mastering
2001 À Queima-Roupa Sérgio Godinho Remastering
1997 Quiet Nights Django Bates Mastering
2015 Reaching For The Light King King Mastering
2015 Reflections The Mentulls Mastering
1996 Rocket Primitive Radio Gods Mastering
1996 Rocket
Edited, clean 		Primitive Radio Gods Mixing
1977 Round the Back Café Jacques Mastering
2005 Rush Hour Sean Hargreaves Trio Mastering
1973 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Black Sabbath Remastering
1996 Sabotage
ESM 		Black Sabbath Remastering
1993 Sabroso! Various artists Mastering
1989 Sabroso!: Havana Hits Various artists Mastering
2001 Salão de Festas Sérgio Godinho Remastering
1982 Scatterlings Juluka Mastering
1981 Scientist Meets the Space Invaders Scientist Mastering
1999 Searchin' / Hot Roy Ayers Mastering
1986 Seventh Star Black Sabbath Remastering
1990 The Sheltering Sky Ryuichi Sakamoto Mastering
1991 The Sheltering Sky
Capitol 		Ryuichi Sakamoto Mastering
1976 Shouting and Pointing Mott Mastering
1990 Shumba Thomas Mapfumo Mastering
1998 Silence Between Waves Tim Whitehead Mastering
2004 Sixties Rebellion, Vol. 7: The Backyard Patio Various artists Mastering, cutting engineer
1998 Slain By Urusei Yatsura Urusei Yatsura Mastering
2001 Smiling & Waving Anja Garbarek Mastering
2001 Os Sobreviventes Sérgio Godinho Remastering
1991 Solo Piano Chucho Valdés Mastering
1983 Sonero Henry Fiol Mastering
1964 Sonny's Blues
Live st Ronnie Scott's 		Sonny Stitt Mastering, preparation
2005 Soul Providence Carleen Anderson Mastering
1995 Spirit of the Eagle Various artists Mastering
2005 Standard Issue Liane Carroll Mastering
1978 Stižemo Laza & Ipe Cutting engineer
2006 Stranger on the Sofa Barry Adamson Mastering
2005 Strip
Bonus tracks 		Adam Ant Digital remastering
1997 Sueños en tránsito Nicole Mastering
2006 Superbi The Beautiful South Mastering
1996 S'Wonderful Elaine Delmar Engineer, mastering
2004 Thank You for the Years Shirley Bassey Mastering
2007 The Elements
Standard version 		Second Person Mastering
2007 The Elements
Limited Edition version 		Second Person Mastering
1977 The Clash
UK version, [UK 		The Clash Remastering
1979 The Clash
US Version, US 		The Clash Remastering
1995 The Violin Player Vanessa-Mae Mastering
2007 Live at Montreux 2006: They All Came Down To Montreux Deep Purple Mastering
2007 Live at Montreux 2006: They All Came Down To Montreux
DVD 		Deep Purple Mastering
2004 Timeless: Daniel O'Donnell and Mary Duff Daniel O'Donnell and Mary Duff Mastering
1997 To Have & to Hold
Soundtrack 		Various artists Mastering
2000 Trabendo Les Négresses Vertes Mastering
2006 Truth and Lies Jake Searson Mastering
2005 "Truth and Lies"
Single 		Jake Searson Mastering
1996 Under Wheels of Confusion: 1970–1987 Black Sabbath Remastering
1994 The Unspoken Word Chico Freeman Engineer
2006 Until the Next Time Daniel O'Donnell Mastering
2002 Up the Bracket The Libertines Mastering
2002 Up the Bracket The Libertines
US Bonus Tracks 		Mastering
1998 Victim of Circumstance David Newton Mastering
1999 The Violin Player
Limited Edition Bonus CD-ROM 		Vanessa-Mae Mastering
1993 Virunga Volcano Samba Mapangala Mastering
2005 Vive Le Rock
Bonus tracks 		Adam Ant Digital remastering
2007 Wait for Me The Pigeon Detectives Mastering
1995 The Waiting Game Claire Martin Mastering
2003 War Child: Hope Various artists Mastering
2002 Warriors
Bonus tracks 		Gary Numan Original mastering
2001 Welcome to the Madhouse Shy Mastering
1997 Welcome to the World Psycho Motel Mastering
2003 The Well's on Fire Procol Harum Mastering
2007 When I Fall in Love Lesley Garrett Mastering
1999 Whisper to the Wild Water Máire Brennan Mastering
2004 Wide Eyed And Legless: The A&M Recordings Andy Fairweather Low Mastering
1983 Work for All Juluka Mastering
2007 Xitintoday
Bonus track 		Nik Turner's Sphynx Mastering
1978 Zimbabwe Frontline, Vol. 2: Spirit of the Eagle Various artists Mastering

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ray Staff Biography". Air Mastering. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  2. ^ "Ray Staff". Discogs.com. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  3. ^ "Alchemy Soho's website". Alchemysoho.com. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Oh Vanille / ova nil 180g audiophile vinyl". Dianecluck.info. Retrieved 17 August 2020.

Further reading[edit]

  • "Mastering: How the pros do it...". Sound on Sound. Cambridge, UK: SOS Publications Group. October 2005.
  • "Preparing your tracks for mastering". Sound on Sound. Cambridge, UK: SOS Publications Group. September 2005.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ray_Staff&oldid=1191102153"