Kick Horns are a UK horn section with our own studio in SE London, The Tall Place. We have played on over fifty top 10 albums and over fifty top 20 singles.
Credits include Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Beyonce, Blur, The Who, Dr John, Baaba Maal and Stereo MCs. Members include Simon Clarke and Tim Sanders, who write the arrangements. We’ve recorded horns at The Tall Place for hits including Sax (Fleur East), Changing (Sigma featuring Paloma Faith), If I Go (Ella Eyre), Never Been Better (Olly Murs), Salute (Little Mix). We offer a complete package: arrangements, musicians, studio. A three-piece section will cost $950, four-piece $1200, 5-piece $1400. We can also offer prices for solos, and for both smaller and larger ensembles. And we’ll always try to work something out for an interesting project on a limited budget. (See the interview below for more about the way we work.)
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Credits
AllMusic verified credits for The Kick Horns- Dodgy
- Dodgy
- Little Mix
- Little Mix
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- Menswear
- Supergrass
- Supergrass
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- L2M
- Eric Clapton
- Fleur East
- Suede
- Rufus Wainwright
- Olly Murs
- Pixie Lott
- Rufus Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- Hard-Fi
- James Arthur
- Gabrielle
- Little Mix
- Blur
- Little Mix
- Supergrass
- The Rolling Stones
- Deacon Blue
- Kula Shaker
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- DeNniS
- David Gray
- Suede
- The Magic Numbers
- Christie Hennessy
- Marc Moulin
- Oumou Sangaré
- Rod Stewart
- Michael McDonald
- David Gilmour
- Masayuki Suzuki
- Michael McDonald
- Michael McDonald
- Michael McDonald
- Michael McDonald
- David Gray
- David Gray
- Art Brut
- Art Brut
- Art Brut
- Hard-Fi
- Hard-Fi
- David Ford
- Groove Armada
- Victoria Hart
- Victoria Hart
- Alesha Dixon
- Sugababes
- a-ha
- Jamelia
- Jamelia
- Westernhagen
- Eric Clapton
- Eric Clapton
- Eric Clapton
- David Gray
- Darius
- Darius
- Darius
- Dave Stewart
- Mick Jagger
- The Beautiful South
- Rufus Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- Supergrass
- S Club 7
- S Club 7
- S Club 7
- Jamiroquai
- Rufus Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- The Rolling Stones
- Hooverphonic
- Hooverphonic
- Pretenders
- Echobelly
- Stereo MC's
- Stereo MC's
- Gabrielle
- Deacon Blue
- Carole Fredericks
- Jean-Jacques Goldman
- Jacknife Lee
- Geri Halliwell
- Geri Halliwell
- Geri Halliwell
- Faudel
- Rachid Taha
- Khaled
- S Club 7
- S Club 7
- Deep Purple
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Khaled
- Khaled
- Khaled
- Toploader
- Toploader
- The Animalhouse
- The Animalhouse
- Pocket Size
- Pocket Size
- Pocket Size
- S Club 7
- Ace of Base
- Jamiroquai
- Princess Erika
- Groove Armada
- Dr. John
- Midget
- Midget
- Eric Clapton
- The Beautiful South
- The Dandys
- The Dandys
- Maryam Mursal
- Supergrass
- Sleeper
- Spice Girls
- Stiff Little Fingers
- Kula Shaker
- Right Said Fred
- Right Said Fred
- Suede
- Fito Páez
- Jimmy Somerville
- Jimmy Somerville
- Papa Wemba
- Gregory Gray
- Gregory Gray
- The Pogues
- The Soup Dragons
- Jay Owens
- Jay Owens
- Suede
- Suede
- Suede
- Menswear
- Menswear
- Blur
- Blur
- Galliano
- Galliano
- Ride
- Helloween
- Eric Clapton
- Eric Clapton
- Eric Clapton
- The Levellers
- Blur
- Blur
- Blur
- Suede
- Suede
- The Verve
- Horse
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- Blur
- Blur
- Not Drowning, Waving
- Pete Townshend
- Tony Martin
- Stereo MC's
- Sarah Jane Morris
- Sarah Jane Morris
- Cathy Dennis
- Jeff Wayne
- Chris Rea
- Chris Rea
- Mort Shuman
- Mort Shuman
- Deacon Blue
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- Jean-Jacques Goldman
- Paul Young
- Paul Young
- Alison Moyet
- Thee Hypnotics
- Thee Hypnotics
- Thee Hypnotics
- Thee Hypnotics
- Beverley Craven
- Carmel
- Howard Jones
- Howard Jones
- Terence Trent D'Arby
- Jimmy Somerville
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones
- Frazier Chorus
- Frazier Chorus
- Fish
- Voice of the Beehive
- a-ha
- a-ha
- James
- Erasure
- The Communards
- The Communards
- Limited Warranty
- China Crisis
- Alexei Sayle
- Pete Townshend
- Pete Townshend
- Pete Townshend
- David Gilmour
- David Gilmour
- David Gilmour
- John Parr
- Dead or Alive
- The Levellers
- Supergrass
- Supergrass
54 Reviews - 8 Repeat Clients
Endorse Kick Horns- check_circleVerified
Did two new songs with the 4 piece horn section. Parts were superbly written by Tim and Simon and performed to perfection. Fantastic results and a pleasure working with them again.
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This was the third song of the album on which we collaborated and as with the previous two, Kick arranged and recorded the parts impeccably. Satisfied with the first version, it was exactly what I wanted. As far as I'm concerned we will work together again in the future!
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Brilliant players and sensitive arrangements. friendly and helpful. Really excellent results, I would highly recommend Simon and Tim if you need a horn section.
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I could rename "the Tall Place" as "the Lovely Place" because I thoroughly enjoyed spending a recording day there. The work is very serious and professional. The various preliminary exchanges with Tim and Simon helped to prepare for this session in the best possible way. It was a real pleasure to work with them, and I look forward to calling on this wonderful team again for my future songs.
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Working with these guys was a dream come true. True professionals and we hope to work with them again in the future!
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What a true pleasure it was to work with Tim and his crew. From the arranging to the communication, to the delivery, they are a first rate operation and I Highly recommend. I look forward to the opportunity to work together again. Horns are tricky - they don't sound right stacked most of the time, so you really need a core group of guys who can play well together. They have a tight group, great feel and artistry and high level recording. I'm very pleased with my investment in Kick Horns.
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Kick Horns kicked things into high gear on our latest collaboration! Fast, organized and talented with great communication. This ensemble is an absolute pleasure to work with. I highly recommend them! I'll definitely continue to work with them. Thank you Tim and Simon!
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Tim was amazing to work with. Very available to chat and he really understood exactly what the horns are that I was going for. I'd absolutely recommend him.
Very Fast! Has good instincts. Super feedback, great energy and great communication. - check_circleVerified
Kick are the real deal! What an honour working with these guys. It was so easy to collaborate with them and the final result is just amazing. They made my tracks come to life and I can't thank them enough. I will (hopefully) be working with them again soon.
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Once again: "signed, sealed, delivered" in no time and without changes because the arrangement was perfect right away, exactly what I had in mind. Always a pleasure working with these guys.
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Tim and Simon delivered exactly what I was looking for. I would definitely recommend Kick Horns to anyone who needs a great horns section. Their career is a guarantee of excellent work.
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An absolute pleasure to work with. They killed it! We couldn't be happier with the performance and their professionalism. Thank you Kick Horns!!
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It was an absolute thrill to work with such a professional, from the arrangement to the final product, the communications and the horns - did I mention the horns?? Just an outstanding experience all around!
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Tim is an incredibly talented musician and arranger, his ear for serving the composition is immaculate. After our first collaboration, I knew that in working with horns I couldn't go to anyone else. I felt I was in very goods hands, even when it came to my odd requests. Our correspondence was lovely, and his communication was clear, friendly and very professional. I very much look forward to working with him again :)
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Working with Kick Horns was great! I was concerned how I might get live horns on my track, but Tim & Simon at Kick Horns made it work seamlessly by creating midi tracks first and then booking a live session where I participated through Soundbetter’s posting during the session. I got everting I needed to make my song shine. Definitely will work with them again.
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Tim did some saxophone work for us on an upcoming release. What a pro! Great communication, fast turnaround, and absolutely killer parts. Would work with him a again in a heartbeat!
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Tim & Simon are excellent musicians, and responded to all questions or concerns promptly. They provided detailed feedback on the charts provided to them and suggested revisions. Tracks were recorded in high quality with excellent room characteristics, and for the instruments that they don't personally play, they handled hiring additional session musicians and bringing them into their recording space to ensure a consistent tone. I would absolutely work with them again in the future!
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Tim and Simon are so easy to work with and give you exactly what you're looking for. I would definitely recommend Kick Horns to anyone who needs a great accompaniment to their music. As a matter of fact, my producer has just added them to his arsenal to recommend for his other clients.
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As always, it's an honor to have Kick Horns play on my songs. They are so talented and extremely professional - it's such a pleasure!
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What an incredible experience, these guys are the best. They took a seed of a horn section I played, and arranged it into a masterpiece! The final performance was fantastic and exceeded my expectations in every way. Highly recommened Tim and the guys! Thanks
Interview with Kick Horns
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: We started out individually playing with whatever bands would have us, for whatever money was on offer. Everything else came from the people we met and the things that we learned in those early days. The name Kick Horns was coined in 1983, around the time trumpeter Roddy Lorimer worked on early sessions for Wham! (Club Tropicana) and the Waterboys. Many other sessions and gigs came from that work and by 1984 the Kick Horns were picking up a solid reputation. We worked on David Gilmour’s 1984 solo album About Face, and with Walter Becker on Flaunt the Imperfection by China Crisis. In 1985 Pete Townshend brought us in to play on the White City album and for shows with Deep End (featuring David Gilmour, Simon Phillips and John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick) at Brixton Academy. From all this, mostly by word of mouth, came other high profile work: The Who’s 1989 25th Anniversary tour, Steel Wheels with The Rolling Stones, sessions for Chris Rea, Primal Scream, the Stereo MCs, many pop acts great and small. Then in 1993 we got the call to join Eric Clapton’s band for his blues-only concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, and somehow stayed in that band for the next few years. Then there was Brit Pop – Blur, Dodgy, Suede and all – then there was Spiritualized and the Spice Girls, Baaba Maal and Dr John: it all just keeps going…
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: The people matter more than the equipment
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: The Tall Place is a two-storey open-plan space with maple floor, high ceiling and natural light. The acoustic is warm and live, but well controlled. Equipment includes Neumann U87 mics and API preamps. More info and pictures at www.thetallplace.co.uk
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Be as clear as you can about what you would like to hear and then trust us.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Where possible, we try to arrange the session at a time when the artist or producer can attend. That way it’s easy to make choices about details – phrasing, note-lengths etc – on the spot. Sometimes too new ideas can crop up and be explored. We like that collaborative process. But often that’s not possible, so we try at least to have a briefing conversation with the client in advance, preferably face to face, by phone or email if necessary. We get as clear a picture as we can of what’s needed, the job the horns should do, any reference points or existing ideas the client may have. Then we agree the budget and the line-up and start work on the arrangements. In the studio, we record the three, four or more players as a section, each instrument with its own mic, together with a stereo pair of room mics, then add any overdubs that may be needed. If the artist/producer is at the session, they can simply take the audio files away on a hard drive. Or we can do all the necessary comping ourselves and then send the audio files via WeTransfer or similar. We usually send individual audio files of each instrument; plus two stereo pairs of a balance that sounds good to us, one with and one without the room; plus a stereo pair of just the room. No compression, eq or reverb on anything. We also send a rough mix of the whole song with the horns mixed loud for reference.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: We help the song work as a whole by playing only what’s needed. We spend a lot of time working at the arrangements, often crossing out quite cute ideas because they’re distracting, making sure everything serves the dynamics and structure of the song as a whole. The point is always ‘what a great song’, not ‘what great horns’.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: We will work as hard for your music as you do.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: Eric Clapton’s From the Cradle was recorded entirely live with no overdubs: Jim Keltner (drums), Dave Bronze (bass), Andy Fairweather Low (guitar), Chris Stainton (piano), Jerry Portnoy (harmonica), Eric and the Kick Horns all playing together in the same room. Every day we’d go into Olympic Studios, play two or three takes of any song we hadn’t yet nailed, have some lunch, then play some more. One time, Eric wanted to record Sinner’s Prayer. We listened to the original Ray Charles version in the control room, made a few notes, went into the live room and played the song twice. Take two went on to the album: from empty tape to complete performance in about half an hour.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Jay Stapley, Simon Edwards
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Memphis Horns, Tower of Power Horns, Seawind Horns, Little Feat, Dr John, Ray Charles, Steely Dan, Quincy Jones
I was the horn section and arranger in this production
- Sweet Home New Orleans by Dr John
- Never Been Better by Olly Murs
- Greenlight by Beyonce
- One Track Mind by Eric Clapton
- HornContact for pricing
- Pop-Rock ArrangerContact for pricing
- Recording StudioAverage price - $400 per day
- Neumann U87s
- AEA R88
- AEA R84
- Coles 4038s
- API preamps