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Jeremy Harding is an engineer, producer, musician, DJ and manager whose 2 Hard recording studio (and label of the same name) has a prominent hold on the music scene in his native Kingston, Jamaica. Perhaps best known as Sean Paul’s manager, Harding initially made a name for himself as a producer, behind such hits as Beenie Man’s “Sim Simma (Who Am I),” Mad Cobra’s “Pet & Pamper,” along with Sean Paul’s “Infiltrate” and “Baby Girl” to name a few. Harding’s production credit and phone number were printed on Paul’s early 45s, which led to interested booking agents getting in touch with Harding to set up the artist’s first live shows. It wasn’t until Sean Paul’s first full-length album, however, that Harding officially jumped on board as manager. Over six years later, Harding has become one of the most respected and prominent managers in dancehall, all the while working steadily as a producer and engineer at 2 Hard.
A graduate of the Trebas Institute’s audio program in Montreal, Canada, Harding returned to Kingston with an expansive knowledge of production and recording. Partnered with an interminable work ethic, he carved out a name for himself on the Kingston music scene by producing on projects like the Dancehall 101, Reggae Gold and Strictly the Best CD series’ as well as albums by Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Devonte & Tanto Metro, Elephant Man and more. He opened 2 Hard Recording in 2008, which was acoustically designed by Francis Manzella of FM Design Ltd. With so many roles in the industry, Harding needed a space that would provide ample flexibility to cater to engineering, producing and recording. Manzella designed a modular setup where racks loaded with different types of gear can be wheeled to and from the main workstation based on Harding’s project at that moment. 2 Hard is centered around a Pro Tools HD rig and 24-fader D-Command set-up.
Vintage King’s Jeff Leibovich recently worked with Jeremy Harding on a package of outboard gear including two Neve 1081 Mic Pre/EQ’s a Neve 33609 stereo compressor, a Purple Audio MC77 and a Retro Instruments Sta Level. “Jeremy has set a standard for other studios in the area by staying current with today’s digital technology but also maintaining a classic analog feel at 2 Hard,” says Leibovich. “The package that we put together creates that legendary sound often associated with items like the Neve compressor, which is hand built to its original 1970’s specs, and the Retro Instruments Sta Level, a Gold Edition replica of the 1967 Gates Sta-Level.”
Says Harding of his relationship with Vintage King Audio, “My very first purchase from Vintage King was a lunchbox of API 512c preamps in the late 90's - my ‘secret weapon’ that made my digital rig sound bigger than everyone else's at the time in Reggae.” Harding continues, “Living and working in Jamaica means that we don't have access to rental houses or a great deal of studios with well maintained vintage gear. I really have to rely on Vintage King to provide me with well-informed advice before I make purchases, as more often than not I've never gotten a chance to test or a/b any of the gear I'm interested in. So far, their batting average is 100% with service, not only from a business standpoint, but also in helping me tailor my sound to my needs by always pointing me in the best direction, straight up."
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