High fidelity

Audio engineering lecturer Andrew Ward tells Nitin Nair about the five albums he would have loved to work on.

Andrew Ward may be the unassuming senior lecturer for Audio Engineering at SAE Institute in Dubai, but the industry veteran worked with some top artists before taking on his new assignment.

Ward was the mix engineer on Craig David's single Seven Days, he was the assistant engineer on the Faithless album Sunday 8pm and Dido's No Angel. The 33-year-old Ward tells 4men about the five albums that he would have loved to have been a part of:

Animals by Pink Floyd

Long ago, I once read in the CD inlay that this album was recorded on my side of London at Britannia Row studios. So I went and asked for a job, but they said "no". Later I sent my CV and they said "no". I sent my CV again, phoned, went back – they said "no, no, no".

Some years later I managed to get a session there and the studio was in disarray. I'm sure when Pink Floyd recorded there it was an amazing place. I would love to have been around to witness the magic being recorded. Not many bands can get away with animal sounds being used and woven into classic tunes. Animals is one of my favourite Floyd albums.

Velvet Underground & Nico

This album really does feel like the musicians just turned up at the studio and played. No swanky production or fancy engineering tricks here, just simple songs – mellow and played with very few overdubs and featuring the distinct voice of Lou Reed. Sadly, not many albums are made this way any more. Technology is amazing but it can overshadow the simple element of songwriting. It would have been great to work on this timeless recording.

Anything by Bob Marley

Some of his recordings are of a poor quality, but the later stuff is fantastic. I would love to have been a part of anything he recorded, his work is legendary and played all over the world. I've heard stories of his sessions from an engineer who worked with Marley – it sounds like it was a lot of fun.

IV by Led Zeppelin

A true classic among classics, with arguably the best rock song in the history of music (Stairway to Heaven), revolutionary drum sounds performed, in my opinion, by the best drummer ever (John Bonham)... Led Zeppelin was a talented and secretive lot with a 'work-hard, play-hard' ethic. To have been a part of this album is a dream that can never come true.

Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik by Red Hot Chili Peppers

It's unusual to find an album with 18 songs that are all good – no album fillers here; every song's great and has such simplistic production. This album is wonderfully recorded and mixed. I saw a documentary about the recording, which was done in a closed environment; only the relevant people were allowed in. The whole thing looked so professional and so full of fun.