Iain & Kirsty McKinna have worked together in the recording studio business since 1982.
Iain's recording career began even earlier, in 1976 as the co-owner of Southside Studios, a 4-track analogue studio in Edinburgh's Simon Square. He recorded early demos for The Scars, TV21, Freeze and The Valves.The Rezillos used to rehearse in the studio in their original lineup.
They have been recording studio owners together since 1987 when they started Sonic Studios in Edinburgh. At Sonic they worked for many major labels including Sony, Polydor, Rough Trade, Virgin, Chrysalis, EMI , Circa Records, Silvertone and Zomba Records as well many indie labels.
They started Offbeat Studios & Productions in Edinburgh's Royal Mile 30 years ago in 1994, Iain as a producer and Kirsty as a musician & studio manager.
Offbeat Audio Ltd was formed in 2019 and that arm of the company is predominantly involved in voice-overs, voice commentaries, Podcasts, ADR Dubbing, programme making & audiobook production.
Through Offbeat Audio Ltd, Iain is currently an audio producer for Voquent, BBC Radio 3 & 4 and BBC World Service, Penguin Random House, Hatchette Publishing, Bonnier Books, STV, Channel 4, Canongate Books, Saraband, Haunt Publishing, Profile Books, Harper Collins, Edinburgh International Festival and many other major broadcasters, production companies & publishers as well as for self funded artists and authors.
Over the years they have been professionally involved in many aspects of the recording industry including audio production, film & tv, sound engineering, live performance, music publishing, record labels, artists development and music production.
As session players and instrumentalists they have toured Internationally and played on too many albums to mention here in a diverse range of Offbeat musical styles.
As artists they make music under the name Harmonic Overdrive and are currently featured on BBC Radio 6 and the BBC Music website. Their album of the same name reached no1 in the iTunes UK New Age Chart in 2019. They are currently in the final stages of recording an album entitled 'Along The Timeline' which is due for release to conincide with Offbeat's 30th Anniversary in 2024. The album features songs written back in the 80's up until the present day.
