Colin Abrahams has been in the industry from the early 70s and got his start setting up PAs at everything from the Royal Randwick Racecourse to the Sydney Town Hall while working for electronics giant AWA. 

“It was a fantastic experience,” Mr Abrahams said. “I learnt how to do sound, learning from the ground up.

“It was valuable training.” 

He then worked for John Burnett, the man behind Lenard guitar amps building mixers. This was followed by four year gig in the film industry, working in the sound department of APA Leisuretime International on films like Picnic at Hanging Rock.

His big break came when he mixed the sound for the stage play That’s The Way It Is.  He got a "tap on the shoulder” which led to a job at Albert Productions during its glory years. 

“My first job was to install this automated console, the first of its kind in the country,” he said. 

“I started on the Friday night and it was meant to be on air on the Monday morning. I worked all weekend, and late into the night … and right through the night on the Sunday.”

On the Monday morning it was used to record Words Are Not Enough by Jon English.

“I worked on a lot of albums there, I did a lot of recording,” he said. 

The one he is most proud of is The Reel’s Quasimodo’s Dream – it has repeatedly been ranked as one of Australia’s best albums.  

“It was pretty underestimated, I think,” he said. “They were the odd ones out, pretty different and they didn’t really accept them at the time.” 

He also worked on Billy Field’s Bad Habits. 

“There were four studios at Alberts and they pretty much worked 24/7,” he said. “They were the number one studio at the time.

“They had AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, John Paul Young, TMG, The Angels and a million and one other bands.”

Many other outside bands also recorded there including Dragon and Cold Chisel.

In about 1982 he left Alberts and opened his own business focused on the technical side of recording.

“I have basically been working in studios every since,” he said. “In studio installations and that sort of thing.” 

However, he is still involved in production of live music and is the man behind the sound at The Stag and Hunter Hotel. Mayfield, on as many as four nights a week.

“We have been pretty privileged here,” he said. “We have had some awesome bands play here.”

“They are trying to put the emphasis on original music and it has attracted an audience that appreciates it.”