Mike + The Mechanics (1985 self-titled album) gear

This page discusses the Mike + The Mechanics album, the first album by Mike Rutherford as part of Mike + The Mechanics, released in October 1985. The album yielded the commercially successful hits "Silent Running" (Paul Carrack singing) and "All I Need Is A Miracle" (Paul Young singing), both of which reached top 10 in the US Charts.

The album was written in 1984 by Mike Rutherford with the assistance of producer Christopher Neil and B.A. Robertson. He made demos of musical ideas in varying states of completion, and Neil would help draft these into full songs (except "Silent Running", written by Rutherford and Robertson). Recording work was initially done at The Farm Studios in Surrey, but was interrupted frequently by building work which was being done to the control room. So work instead moved to AIR Studios (both in London and in Montserrat) to complete the album.

Mike Rutherford
Guitars Basses
 * Fender Stratocaster - likely Mike's main guitar on this album
 * Gibson SG custom - possibly used
 * Hagstrom H8 8-string bass - sampled into Emulator for bass notes on some songs
 * Steinberger L2 - possibly used

Misc.
 * Roland CR-78 drum machine
 * Roland GR-500 guitar synthesizer /w GS-500 guitar

Adrian Lee

 * E-mu Emulator II
 * Roland Jupiter-8 (serial no. 00009, modified by Rick Canell)
 * PPG Wave 2.2
 * Moog Minimoog (for bass)

Sources: Keyboard, June 1986

Alan Murphy (additional musician)

 * Fender Stratocaster (assumed)
 * Fender Super Champ amplifier

Sources: Home & Studio Recording 1989, Alan Murphy equipment page

Recording & Studio equipment
Mixing desks:
 * Neve A4792 52-channel - at AIR Montserrat

Tape machines:
 * MCI JH-24 24-track - at AIR Montserrat
 * Studer A800 24-track - at AIR Montserrat (assumed) and Fisher Lane Farm

Outboard gear: