Chris Lusby

Music has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have early memories of sitting in an armchair at around the age of three, with my feet barely reaching the front of the seat, and my Dad’s headphones practically encapsulating my entire head and the likes of Gene Clarke, Don McLean, Mike Oldfield, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits playing. It was tricky to explain to my Mum what I wanted to listen to with my limited vocabulary and even less clue what any of the songs or artists were actually called. It didn’t matter, once a song was playing my mind was a whirl of shapes, colour and curiosity. A curiosity that has continued and followed many different paths of discovery and experience from picking up instruments (that all fell by the wayside once a pair of drumsticks were in my hands), to discovering a love of electronic music through clubbing and festivals.

The drum kit was my main focus throughout my teens and twenties and this led me to acquiring an HNC and HND at Jewel and Esk College in Edinburgh (studying with Jim Walker), before taking a Bachelor of Arts degree at Brighton Institution of Modern Music (BIMM). I followed this by having private lessons in applied technique with the head of drums at BIMM, Pat Garvey. In more recent years my focus has shifted into electronic music production, something working in hi-fi has assisted with in relation to focused listening, set up and placement, system optimisation and a better understanding of sound.

One thing that rivals the length of time I’ve been involved in music is my long history of having an inability to sit still (perhaps drumming was an inevitability). That said, I bring energy, passion and genuine love for all things music to a job that seldom feels like one. My curious nature ensures that I learn and understand the individual nuances of each product we stock and this ensures that I can give our customers the best possible advice.

In my job interview with John Carroll (owner of Loud & Clear Edinburgh) he said that I would naturally fall into my appropriate role within the company, which was a little uncertain as I had no idea what that would be. Roll on four years and the job has become more varied than I could have ever hoped for. I particularly enjoy hand-picking and developing two-channel systems for our customers and helping them position them to achieve the optimal performance. I also love servicing and upgrading our customers’ turntables – I’m a huge vinyl fan. Lastly, my understanding and hands-on experience of both music making and performance allows me to offer a fresh outlook and a fresh pair of ears when advising which products our clients should choose.