Williams and Nolan hit Dubai

He's worked with some of the biggest names in the business from Fergie of Black Eyed Peas fame to Bruce Springsteen but ask Josh Williams about his star-studded collaborations and you'll soon discover that he is probably one of the most modest record producers in the business.

In fact Williams, who moved to Dubai 12 months ago and soon set up his own state-of-the-art recording studio, is reluctant to brag about his many A-list accomplishments with nearly all of the 28-year-old's Hollywood tales needing to be patiently pried out of his personal vault.

Take his involvement with the animation hit Shrek: "I worked on the soundtrack for a popular cartoon with a big green ogre," he says hesitantly, referring to the multi-million dollar blockbuster.

"I was only an intern at a company in LA and I just happened to be able to work certain pieces of equipment because they happened to be the same as ones we had in college.

They asked if I could use the decks and told me to set all the sound effects in proper time and link them all together without gaps. I could see the cartoon and hear all the noises but didn't have any voices, so I had no idea of the famous cast behind the movie."

Big

"I honestly thought it was a cool cartoon and didn't think much further than the role I'd been asked to perform. It was only months later when the voices were added it started to dawn on me how big the animated movie was going to be."

Williams left LA a year ago after being wooed by Dubai company Creative Kingdom — a themed-architecture firm that specialises in theme parks. His new gig left him the evenings free to work with local artists and musicians.

And local artist Paul Nolan happened to be lucky first.

Nolan, 22, has been singing for as long as he can remember — a family attribute required to get you through family pantomimes every Christmas and Easter.

"Our family is pretty musical but not in a Royal Associated Board of Music kind of way, more like a everyone just gets involved and sings along style. My cousin Sean O'Shea is now my manager, my sister-in-law is a singer and my uncles all dabble with the guitar so I grew up surrounded by music."

Nolan, a real estate advisor during the day, played with a cover band in the north of the UK for around 16 months before going solo with an acoustic set. But faced with the endless competition in the UK, Nolan arrived in Dubai ready to make it big and he had only one man in mind — Williams.

The pair are now working on six tracks which Nolan, who is gigging all around Dubai, plans to release in the hope of eventually being signed to a reputable label.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I'm privileged to be working with Josh," says Nolan. "I had worked with a few different producers at different studios around the city and nothing felt quite right. Then I met Josh and we just hit it off from the start."

Although Williams enjoys working with local artists, it's a far cry from the celebrity acts he's brushed instruments with in the past. But he hasn't ruled out the possibility that some of those big names will be coming to his plush Dubai studio.

"The first time I met Fergie I remember being absolutely terrified of her. She was having a row with one of the senior engineers at the studio and wasn't going to back down. They were talking about Eminem who had just released My Name Is and was doing well.

"But the engineer was convinced he would be a one hit wonder but Fergie disagreed and it was getting very heated. This was back in the days of her being with Wild Orchid the first band she was in and it was common knowledge she had a drug problem which was slightly worrying.

"But she was wonderful to work with and we had a great time. She always promised to come to me if she ever went solo – but I'm still waiting."

Working with US legend Bruce Springsteen was one of Williams' career highs.

"When I met Bruce Springsteen it was the first time I ever really remember being totally star stuck. I couldn't get my words out and I was really nervous.

"Once we were sat in a recording studio and he was just throwing some chords around on the guitar on the couch next to me.

"The guitar head kept hitting me on the arm and he would look over and say ‘sorry man' every time. I was thinking ‘no worries, hit a little harder will you and leave something I can show people."

Found home

"I have found my home behind the decks now. I am quite an introverted person and was never completely suited to being on the stage in the limelight. The real music is back here sometimes and I love what I do. The best part about my job is being surrounded by music 24/7 — that is all I ever wanted."

The tracks Williams is now working on will make up a second EP, a follow up to Nolan's original EP Steamtrain.

"It's been fun working with Paul and he is very talented. We are all hoping the tracks help to catapult him into the forefront of both the local music industry and abroad," says Williams.

Quick fire with Josh williams:

Who are your music idols?

Rick Ruban and Danny Elfman.

Who has influenced you most?
My dad – both in a musical and life sense.

Breakfast?
Coffee, coffee and more coffee.

What's your idea of superpower?
Invisibility – so I could escape from it all once in a while.

Your one wish.
For everybody never to worry.

Desert island items.
iPod, water purifier and fishing rod.

Fly anywhere right now.
Rome — because I've never been and it looks great.