David Richardson (audio engineer)

David Richardson (born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England) is an English music producer, audio engineer and musician. In 1968 he founded Sky Studios with rock band Jethro Tull, the studio later became leading facilities house, Sound Recording Technology (SRT).

Richardson learned piano from the age of four and developed a passion for electronics and sound recording. By his teens, he was already recording top Jazz artists of the day; this included names such as, Kathy Stobart and Ian Carr. As a young producer he had production contracts with major labels like CBS (now Sony Music) and George Martin's Air label, distributed by EMI. Apart from early roots in Jazz and Rock music he also produced Pop records with artists that included Jet Harris and The Tornados, the SRT label was founded as an independent in the early seventies. Many of Richardson's productions as vinyl pressings are much sought after, such as Grannie, which according to Record Collector is one of the most valuable original pressings of all time.

The original SRT Studios were based in Guildford Street, Luton, where bands such as McGregor's Engine recorded. It was this band, with local guitarist Mick Abrahams, drummer Clive Bunker and bassist Andy Pyle that formed the foundation of Jethro Tull which, with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson, went on to sell over 60 million albums. Andy Pyle featured on many early SRT recordings and later became a member of Wishbone Ash.

The SRT studios moved from Luton to Shefford, Bedfordshire where facilities included mastering lacquers for vinyl manufacture. Local folk rock bands that recorded there included Back Alley Choir, and Halcyon, the drummer of which was Nigel Pegrum, who went on to join Steeleye Span. The Shefford studios closed in the mid-seventies. SRT had offices in North Finchley and for many years the SRT production company used many different recording studios.

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