Joeri Saal – Recording Engineer and Producer, Studio 150 (Amsterdam)

In this episode, recording and mixing engineer Joeri Saal shares a behind-the-scenes perspective on working with Paul Weller during the creation of the Studio 150 and As Is Now albums – capturing the collaborative Amsterdam sessions and the transition to mixing Weller’s original material.

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From Studio Tech to Trusted Collaborator: Joeri joined the original Studio 150 in Amsterdam in the late ‘90s, becoming part of a creative hub just steps from Weller’s favourite local haunts. When Paul Weller decided to record his covers album in 2003, Joeri was tapped to engineer the sessions, initially not knowing the full scale of what was to come. Their collaboration steadily grew, with Joeri mixing not only Studio 150 but later working closely with Weller and producer Stan Kybert on As Is Now – both in London’s Wheeler End and back at the Amsterdam studio.

Inside Studio 150: Located in a triangle of hotels, pubs (Chaos, Cafe de Koe), and the Paradiso venue, Studio 150 became the epicenter of an intense, but efficient, musical process. While the city outside buzzed with nightlife, sessions in the studio were focused and ran until early evening – contrary to the “all-night-jazz” stereotype. The band, Dutch horn and string players (including Benjamin Herman and friends from the New Cool Collective), and the UK crew created a cosmopolitan, communal atmosphere where experimentation was encouraged but guided by Paul Weller’s strong, clear vision.

Weller’s Approach in the Studio: Joeri describes Weller as both fun (“he’d make you a cup of tea”) and uncompromisingly dedicated, with a collaborative yet decisive working style – always open to ideas but quick to move on if something didn’t fit the track. Weller’s willingness to embrace happy accidents (like microphone crosstalk, or spontaneous overdubs) and his ability to generate creative momentum left a strong impression on Joeri, refreshing his approach to recording and mixing for years to come.

Mixing As Is Now and Beyond: For As Is Now, Joeri traveled to Wheeler End in England to track the core band live, then brought the project back to Amsterdam for final overdubs and mixing. He recalls memorable sessions, such as recording ‘Roll Along Summer’ on a sunny day, or Weller’s hunger for new sounds – like using a spring reverb for unique effects on tracks like ‘Wild Blue Yonder,’ foreshadowing the sonic experimentation of later albums.

Community and Lasting Connections: The Studio 150 chapter forged lasting friendships not only with Weller but also with musicians throughout Amsterdam’s vibrant scene. Joeri played a key role in bringing together local brass and string players, with links running deep through bands like New Cool Collective and key arrangers like Willem Friede.

Legacy: Today, as head of the new Studio 150 – now relocated in a stunning converted church – Joeri continues to draw on those creative lessons and keeps in touch with Paul Weller, crediting the experience with raising his own game as an engineer and deepening Amsterdam’s reputation as a destination for world-class music-making.

Dancing Through the Fire

Joeri Saal is one of over 250 contributors to my Sunday Times Bestselling book, Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire, which is available now.
Click on the image below to grab your copy…