PORING over the sound desk at his own studio is Seamus Heffernan's day-to-day work. But even after a decade of recording other people's songs, the East Lancashire sound expert still finds music is his best form of relaxation - playing with no fewer than three bands. CLIVE LAWRENCE went to meet him:

IN the pleasant Ribble Valley setting of Balderstone, Seamus Heffernan's studio, neatly situated in the family's bungalow, has become a second home to artists whose musical styles span thrash metal, punk, indie, jazz and folk.

But despite spending his working week sweating over the sounds of others, Seamus spends his spare time playing with a hat-trick of groups whose styles are as diverse as those who visit the studio.

Having recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of setting up Shamrock Studio, Seamus is drawing on the experience of the past decade as he works with his own band Slim.

Seamus takes up guitar and backing vocals duties with the four-piece pop outfit, who boast an infectious, uptempo summertime feel with a '60s-influenced guitar sound.

The line-up is completed by singer and bassist Dave Grady, lead guitarist Craig Benyon and drummer Howard Facey. The band made their debut performance last summer, opening for the Milltown Brothers at the Brooks Club in Accrington. Since then, they've collated over a dozen tracks, with over half written this year.

Seamus describes the next stage for the group as an acid test. He said: "We want to gauge the public's response. If it is good, we will gig more but, if not, we'll head back to the drawing board."

Judging from their first three-track demo, we should expect to see more of the lads, whose warm tunes would be well suited to the area's open air events.

Away from Slim, Seamus also finds time for a three-piece folk outfit, Klarion. But the most unlikely of his chosen acts is 35-strong Darwen choir, The Ashleigh Singers.

Seamus can't hide his enthusiasm for the choir. He said: "It's helped my sight reading no end and I just love the spooky religious music."

The future seems bright for the producer, in and out of the studio.

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