I made my first professional recording in 1964 for a couple of local lads who needed a recording so they could enter a BBC folk music talent contest. Later I bought a Brenell tape deck and built my own tube electronics for it. This was used to record my friends’ bands and all through my college years to record jam sessions. Also while at college I helped out on the college radio programme by recording music in the local Open University studio.

After graduating with an honours degree in Electronic Engineering, I got married, got a job in the aerospace industry and settled down. That was when I started Ruff Records, aimed at providing bands with affordable demos to promote themselves (see ruffrecords web site). Initially my trusty twin track Brenell was used, but over the years it was replaced by a 4 track Teac, an 8 track Fostex and finally 12, 16 and 24 track AKAI digital workstations.  During this time I built lots of my own recording gear including mixers, DI boxes and effects units using both tubes and semiconductors.

In the mid 70s I was lucky enough to get a job a Neve designing custom consoles. I designed consoles for the Kinks (Konk Studios), The Who (Ramport Studio), Pete Townshend (Eel Pie sudio), ABC FM, Radio Kennet and Radio Brunei to name just a few.

In 1987 I joined a group of over 20 colleagues in starting a new business (TTP). This was so successful we were able float part of the company on the stock exchange in 1999 and soon after I was able to retire comfortably to the North Norfolk coast at the ripe old age of 50.

Since retiring I have divided my time between family, charity work, recording, and building tube audio gear. In the last few years I have recorded five albums for my friend and neighbour Bob (The Song Factory Ltd) as well as contributing to the work of the Norfolk Central Panel of the charity REMAP that makes specialised aids for the disabled.

Ian Thompson-Bell

My interest in electronics began in the late 50s when I was about 7 years old. I asked my Dad how an electric light worked and he duly went to the garage and got a lamp-holder, battery, a bulb and some wire. He wired it together and, after a lot of fiddling and the odd mumbled curse, he turned it on and........ it didn't work! I have been trying to find out why ever since.

I soon got interested in audio and tape recording in particular. I built my first audio amplifier using 6J7 and 6V6 tubes in the early 60s. Getting parts in those days on a schoolboy's pocket money was next to impossible. At 14 I joined the local Radio Amateur Society. The club secretary ran a TV and wireless repair business. To encourage young lads to build our own gear he invited us round to his house. In his back garden was a 10 foot tall pile of old TV and wireless chassis. “Help yourselves, lads”, he said and we all came away with armfuls of components.