The following is the archive feature from way back in the year 2000:
The early tape 'op years
The PWL years
The Present
Phil Harding's Biog
Phil Harding started as a Tape-Op at Marquee Studios, London in 1973 aged 16 years old. Phil was engineering by the age of 19.
Having engineered for acts as diverse as The Clash through to Dead or Alive - including Toyah, Killing Joke and Matt Bianco. Phil began to earn a reputation as a specialist remixer and in the early eighties teamed up with Stock, Aitken, Waterman at the beginning of their association. In 1984 Phil left the Marquee Studios to be chief engineer at PWL Studios which soon became nicknamed 'The Hit Factory'.
Phil went on the engineer and remix most of the early SAW hits including Princess, Mel and Kim, Bananarama, Rick Astley etc etc. Phil formed a production and remix partnership with Ian Curnow at that time and went on the produce and remix hits for Pet Shop Boys, Jesus Jones, Climie Fisher, Donna Summer, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan.
In 1992 Phil and Ian set up their own studio at The Strongroom Studio complex in London and under the guidance of manager Tom Watkins produced and wrote many hits for East 17 (including No 1 single 'Stay Another Day') and Deuce.
Since then Phil and Ian have produced and written hits for Boyzone (including No 1 single 'Words'), and 911, also providing all the music for the Channel 4 series 'Boyz Unlimited' in 1999. Phil has recently been recording tracks with 'Jamie Shaw' - a Decca Records signing, and he is also enjoying a sabbatical from Studio work after 27
years constant work.
Many thanks to the Strongroom Studios, London, for the kind use of their studios and many thanks to Phil for taking the time out to be interviewed.