James Alexander McGregor Watson

James Alexander McGregor Watson (born June 3rd 1954), known professionally as Badger, is a Canadian born Scottish music producer and musician, who founded the Edinburgh-based Chamber Recording Studio in 1986 and has worked with a number of acclaimed indy rock bands, including Snow Patrol, Idlewild, Mogwai and The Vaselines..
==Personal life==
Watson was born to the Scottish geographer and cartographer James Wreford Watson and his wife Jessie Wilson Watson in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada The family moved back to Scotland the same year where J. Watson became Edinburgh University’s chair of Geography.
==Early Musical Career==
Watson attended Edinburgh College of Art where he obtained a degree in Craft and Design. He then started teacher training at Moray House but left a year later to join his first band The Monos. Following some local success, the band was signed by EMI Records and changed their name to The Solos. The band released their first single Talking Pictures in 1980 and supported the British rock and pop band The Tourists on a four week UK tour. Watson then joined The Persian Rugs releasing a 7 inch single Burning Passion Pain in 1981 under the Edinburgh based record label Phoenix. The band went on to record an album titled Drowning Pool a year later before signing with the label Plus 1 Records. Watson recorded another single with the band called She Said in 1984 Discogs Website. The Persian Rugs Profile. (Accessed 18 October 2021) before becoming a representative for EMI Records. 
==Chamber Recording Studio==
In 1986, Watson founded Chamber Recording Studio in the basement of a record shop on Lady Lawson Street in Edinburgh . After moving to a more spacious location on Westfield Road, Watson teamed up with fellow musician Paul Thomsen Kirk to form the record label Human Condition Records . Chamber Studio then moved to its current location on West Granton Road in 1991 where Watson went on to record many bands. He retired in 2010 and sold Chamber Studio to Graeme Young, the current owner.
==Bands==
Watson has worked alongside a number of indie rock bands including: 
1987
* The Thanes - Hey Girl +3 (7”, EP)
* The Thanes - Thanes of Cawdor (Album)
1989
* Dog Faced Hermans - Everyday Timebomb (LP)
1990
* Shop Assistants - Here It Comes (Single, CD, Mini)
* Shop Assistants - Big E Power (7”, CD, Single, Cass)
* Jesse Garon and the Desperados - Grand Hotel (7”, S/Sided)
* The Thanes - Don’t Let Her Dark Your Dooragain/In God I Trust (7”, Single)
1991
* The Vaselines - Dum Dum (LP, Album, RE, Blu)
* The Vaselines - Dying for it (CD, Single)
1992
* Eugenius (band) - Oomalama (CD, Album)
* Captain America - Flame On (Single)
* The Vaselines - The Way of The Vaselines, A complete history (Cass, Comp)
1993
* Forkeye - P.I.G (CD, Album)
* Dog Faced Hermans - Hum of Life (Album)
1995
* Long Fin Killie - Houdini (CD, Album)
* Long Fin Killie - The Heads of Dead Surfers/Hollywood Gem (Single)
1996
* The Kaisers - A Seasonal Greeting From (7”, Single, Red)
* Long Fin Killie - Valentino (CD, Album)
* Long Fin Killie - Hands and Lips (CD, Single)
1997
* Long Fin Killie - Amelia (CD, Album)
* Mogwai - 4 Satin EP (12”, EP)
* Idlewild - Queen of the Troubled Teens (EP)
1998
* Snow Patrol - One Hundred Things You Should Have Done in Bed (7”, Single)
* Snow Patrol - Songs for Polarbears (CD, Album)
* Ganger (band)|Ganger - Hammock Style (CD, Album)
* Ganger (band)|Ganger - With Tongue Twisting Words (CD, EP)
1999
* Snow Patrol - Starfighter Pilot (CD, EP)
* Ganger (band)|Ganger - Canopy (CD, EP)
2000
* Foil - Never Got Hip (CD, Album)
* Foil - I’ll Take My Chances (CD, Single)
* Foil - Superhero No.1 (CD, Single)
* External Menace - The Process of Elimination (Cass, Album, RE)
2001
* Mogwai - EP + 6 (CD, Comp, RM)
* El Hombre Trajeado - Saccade (CD, Album)
* Snow Patrol - Songs for Polarbears (CD, Album, RE)
* Snow Patrol - When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up (cd, Album)
2009
* Snow Patrol - Up To Now (CD, Comp)
* The Vaselines - Enter The Vaselines (Comp)
2010
* Idlewild - Everything Ever Written (LP, CD, Album)
Category:Scottish record producers
Category:Scottish musicians
Category:1954 births