Island Studios - Mixing Live Legends

It was at the second of these previews, on July 27, that I first shook hands with Paul Alexander Boothroyd, also known as ‘Pab’, Paul McCartney’s new front-of-house sound engineer. He would not only soon embark on a world tour — the first of many with the later-to-be-knighted icon — but also go on to mix AC/DC, Michael Jackson, the Eurythmics, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, P!nk and country star Faith Hill.

More than 20 years on, Pab continues to push the faders for his fellow native Merseysider, a length of unbroken, loyal service that few professionals have equalled, let alone surpassed. Given McCartney’s status, it’s easy to see how the hysteria surrounding each stop on a tour schedule often compares to that of a state visit.

While Pab is completely aware of the frenzy his employer’s presence induces, he remains 100 percent focused on the job in hand: to deliver world class sound to the audience and, in one instance, the crew aboard the International Space Station. All in a day’s work. After McCartney completed his recent On The Run tour of American stadium shows, Pab returned to Blighty for a well-earned rest, and spoke of his enviable career trajectory.

“Around 1978, someone asked me to fix a van that belonged to a local group, The Dick Smith Band,” Pab recalls. “They had a gig in Scotland and weren’t too confident that the van would make it there, so they asked if I’d mind going with them. It turned out to be a bit of a boozy affair. Pretty soon, I was hanging out with them on a regular basis, and I ended up running their lights.”

Three years later, after the demise of The Dick Smith Band, Pab met the man he describes as his mentor, Peter Granger. Peter was the sound engineer for Dire Straits from their earliest days until 1986 when he was tragically killed by a hit and run driver. He was closely involved with Luton sound rental company, Concert Sound, and together they would steer Pab towards a career few could even imagine.

“I was riding my motor bike past the New Brighton Floral Pavilion one day and noticed some road crew tipping some very familiar Martin Audio bass bins and horns that they were using for a gig by the pop act Tight Fit, who were backed by Paul Young and the Q-Tips,” he remembers.

“So I asked if I could help them with the load-in. That was not only my first encounter with the lads from Concert Sound, but also Peter, who later offered me some work when one of his crew left.

“Peter invited me to a few gigs, like Leo Sayer at Blazers nightclub in Windsor, and also some Dire Straits shows, including one at Hammersmith Odeon. It was at this gig in July 1983 that Mick McKenna recorded their live album, Alchemy, in the Rolling Stones Mobile studio. I studied Mick at the console very closely, observing how he would reach for the EQ on a particular channel and raise a fader at a certain moment. It was fundamental stuff, but watching someone at that level operate a desk was a real eye-opener.

“If there was any turning point for me it was that gig. I’d done a bit of homework and got to know Peter’s pals at Concert Sound: Geoff Hooper and Robert Collins who, like Peter, have inspired me over the years. They gave me my first real touring work, with Tom Jones and Leo Sayer. I ended up mixing Leo when Geoff caught chicken pox! Peter also got me on Dire Straits’ crew as the PA tech for the European leg of their Brothers In Arms tour in 1985, which was great experience.”

Pab moved behind the monitor console for a brief period with Julian Cope, Big Audio Dynamite and The Psychedelic Furs, but it was through promoter Barrie Marshall that he received his major career break. Marshall, a partner in Concert Sound — now Concert Sound Clair, following its acquisition by the giant American rental corporation — was an influential force behind persuading Paul McCartney to go back on the road for the first time since the break-up of Wings. Marshall recognised Pab’s potential as the Fab One’s future front-of-house man.

“There were two preview gigs at the Playhouse Theatre — one for the fan club and one the next day for international promoters and special guests. After the first, Barrie told me that Paul’s engineer from Showco had to fly off to the States to work with Mike & The Mechanics, and asked if I would step in the next day.

“I was a bit taken aback, because, you know, this was Paul McCartney! But I just did my thing and the band were very happy. They said, ‘We’ll see you in America then’, but I didn’t want to assume anything. Some time later, Paul was having a board meeting with Barrie and the tour director, Gerry Stickells, and they remembered this little Scouse git, and offered me the next tour — I was gobsmacked. Breaks like that don’t grow on trees.”