Stingray, a UK based Reggae recording studio and label that emerged as one of the leaders in the music field since it was founded in 1994 by the McLeod brother's. Based in the West London suburb of Perivale, Stingray own a fully equipped and advanced 24-track professional recording studio.
Carlton "Dillie" McLeod and his younger brother Raymond "Sting" McLeod have steadily built a reputation for producing unique "Yard Style" mixing technique outside Jamaica.
In the past Stingray had worked and produced some of the best UK finest performers such as Peter Hunningale, Sylvia Tella, Lloyd Brown and many more. On the other side of the globe Stingray have also worked and produced high profile artist from Jamaica such as Dennis Brown, Luciano, Freddie McGregor, Bushman, Morgan Heritage, Mykal Rose, Sanchez, Tony Curtis, Lukie D and many more names to mention.
Dillie, as an ex soundman (Lord Koos, Savannah, Love Injection and Intimate Connection) and a radio DJ (Time Radio, WLR, Skyline) as well as a drummer with the I-lects band, Dillie contributed to the recent success of Saxon Records, where he worked closely with the renowned Saxon selector "Musclehead" to record gems like Peter Hunningale's Genuine album etc etc. Under Stingray label, the production with Don Campbell (I-lects guitarist & lead singer) Never Burn Your Bridges, was the first LP released and Luciano's album Visions stands out as one of Dillie's finest engineered production
The characteristic sound on Stingray's production is fairly traditional and filled with classic 70s Reggae feel, but built with all the advantages of modern studio technology. Besides the production and engineering talents of Dillie, Stingray use musicians of the finest calibre such as Mafia & Fluxy, Sly & Robbie, Computer Paul, Firehouse Crew, Gumption Band, Jazzwad, Carlton Bubblers Ogilvie (another former member of the I-lects band), Ernie Wilks, Daltone Browne, Dean Fraser and Tan Tan, with the mixing expertise from Dillie which provides the very important finishing touch.
Reggae experts often ignore tunes made outside Jamaica, but there's no excuse for overlooking the consistently and breath taking production style of Stingray unless it's the criminal underexposure it received on the radio.
Dillie recalls at an early age he was into music, from the days when the Blue Spot gram used to run tings. His mother used to have difficulty keeping him away from her records and she always knew that he would end up working within the music industry, to encourage him with his ambition and passion she made an investment into his future career by buying Dillie a drum kit at the age of 15. While still at school Dillie and his friends formed a group called the I-lects along with Don Campbell, Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie and Kenneth Mckenzie
Stingray continues to aim higher and higher by venturing into new horizons
what's in store?.watch this space to find out.
