From Pop Royalty to Village Vibes: George Michael’s Legendary Mixing Desk Lives On

In the quiet village of Leebotwood, Shropshire, a remarkable piece of music history now sits in a local recording studio. Anthony Shorter and James Revitt, co-owners of Moose Records, came into possession of a mixing desk that once belonged to the legendary pop star George Michael. The story of how they acquired the desk is almost unbelievable. They bought it second-hand from a man who needed money for a flight, not knowing its famous past. It was only when they took the desk to be serviced that a technician revealed its original owner. The news left Anthony and James stunned, and they immediately decided to keep the desk as a centerpiece for their studio.

The mixing desk, which had been stored for a year before being set up in their new studio, is now surrounded by photos of George Michael using it. They even have the original purchase receipt from when George Michael bought the desk, adding to its historical value. The studio is filled with other music memorabilia, including a guitar signed by UB40 and a master tape from The Kinks. Anthony and James are a bit nervous about using the desk because they do not want to damage such an important piece of equipment. However, they know they must use it if they want to help new musicians, which is the main goal of Moose Records.

Moose Records was created after Anthony's stepdaughter, Macy O, suggested they could run their own studio instead of traveling to London. Macy, who is a singer, finished her music degree and helped bring the idea to life. James, who used to be a bus driver, now works full-time producing music and is much happier in his new career. Music runs in Anthony's family, as his father, Robert Shorter, was a drummer for the Spencer Davis Group in the 1960s and played on their hit song 'Keep On Running. ' Anthony keeps his father's original tapes safe in the studio. Moose Records aims to support musicians who cannot afford studio time, and they hope to get funding from the Arts Council to expand their efforts. The team was recently invited to George Michael's house by the George Michael Foundation, where they will spend a weekend writing songs and even swim in the pool with the famous pink flamingos from the 'Club Tropicana' music video. Moose Records is dedicated to helping local musicians and preserving music history in their unique studio.