With Martins Saulespurens and Juris Dimiters speaks Inese Pētersone
Blue Microphones is among the leaders of refined design and technological innovation in the field of sound recording.
How It All Began
Martins Saulespurens:
“Everyone has their own road to travel, to discover who they are. It wasn’t as if I suddenly woke up one day and decided, “I have to work with microphones.” I grew up with sound, in a family of professional musicians. My father, Oscar, was a working musician – playing popular music of that time, where equipment is very important. He was crazy about creating a good sound.
I heard good quality recorded sound for the first time in 1956 when I was 13. The radio engineer, Jånis Lîcîtis, son of the composer Paula Lîcîte, was working in the Riga Radio Factory at that time. He took part in the world exhibition in Brussels and from there he brought back the first stereo stylus and records. Jånis did up a turntable with speakers from a Sakta radio. All of the real music lovers gathered at his place: Egils Ívarcs, the composer and, later, the director of the Rîgas Estrådes Or˚estris (REO), composer Edmunds Goldßteins, artists Gunårs Kirke, Latvian Radio sound engineer Juris Zemitåns, and many more music enthusiasts.
My grandfather, Arnolds Cålîtis, was one of the founders of Latvian Photography. I still have his business catalogue, which was designed by artist Jånis Voldemårs Ansons. The shop was on Elizabetes Street, where Gerkens un partneri is now located, and my grandfather lived where Guntis Ulmanis’ apartment is now. The shop continued to operate during German occupation; it was then that my father got to know my mother, Lîvija, as they both worked in the Radio orchestra. The family still owned cameras from my grandfather’s shop – amateur cameras. I reconditioned them, improved this and that, and then sold them. Perhaps this was the impetus for my current activities.
The basis of everything must be passion. In 1959 I was already corresponding with others throughout the world – even with people in New Zealand. I received records from overseas, music magazines and other information. In Moscow I traded my first car, the Lada, for a whole pile of records, because compared to the wage at that time, of 120 roubles, the price for one album, 50 roubles, was a big investment. I am referring to the late 1960s.
I was also playing percussion with the pop group Jokdari (Jokers). You can see us in a painting by Maija Tabaka from 1969. I was also responsible for sound – microphones and the rest of the setup.
From 1968 on, I worked at the Latvian Conservatory (now the Academy of Music) in the sound recording studio. Through my reading (I had access to many pro magazines from West), I stayed in touch with the international development of professional sound technology. I took business trips to sound recording studios in Moscow, and had interesting discussions with our own sound luminaries – Aleksandrs Grîva, Vilnis Kaksis, Aldis Ermanbriks from Melodija, Latvian Radio sound engineer and pianist Valdis Krastiñß and the best “underground” recording engineer, Juris Lapinskis. I gained a diploma in electrical engineering in 1974 from the Riga Polytechnical Institute (today the Riga Technical University).
Travelling to America
In 1988 I prepared to go to America for the first time – to Santa Barbara, to visit people with whom I had corresponded for many years. My idea was to earn money through microphone restoration. The USSR radio stations and movie studios bought up foreign microphones, mainly German and Austrian, which later were written off and thrown away. I collected them to restore and deliver them to the USA in some unique ways. Let me explain: At that time, the Soviet Union did not allow anything valuable to leave the country to go abroad. But I had friends from a Latvian choir that was touring the USA, and members of the choir were not checked as carefully as individuals when leaving the country (nor questioned as readily about carrying equipment necessary for their performances). So my friends delivered three old Austrian studio mics to an address I gave them. Upon my arrival in the US, I was able to offer those mics to recording studios, and that was the beginning of my work in America.
Before arriving in USA I already sent three restored Austrian microphones to my friends in Santa Barbara. Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics – Blue
Many people in Latvia laugh at the name. Its origins are this: My partner Skipper and I were sitting around trying to decide on a name. Skipper said, “It has to be easy to remember,” and I said, “We have to include Latvia in the name.” Being a typical American, Skipper doesn’t know much about world geography and suggested the totally absurd Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics. I said that it didn’t go together, but he said that the acronym BLUE sounded very good. So the author of our name is Skipper, because I would have never suggested this combination. We also considered other names, such as the Missing Communists.
I met my partner, Bernard Wise – known as Skipper – in the late 1980s (www.skipperwise.com). At that time his group Windows had a couple of hits in Europe. I saw his picture on the wall in a cafe in Amsterdam; our generation has not forgotten Windows. Skipper tested all of my microphones in his studio in Los Angeles and helped me to sell them, because he knew the market. From 1995 to 1998 I was the sole owner, but then he became my partner, and now we are a strong team. You need to know the environment and culture – those qualities that attract the buyer. I could not discern this, because I have not grown up in America. Now Skipper is in charge of the corporate side, and I am responsible for research and development.
Ironically, the bankruptcy of Pan American Airlines and its takeover by Delta really helped to establish our business. Delta offered a wonderful opportunity – travellers who bought a ticket for an overseas flight could buy a monthly ticket for flights within the USA for only $200. If there was an available seat, then you could use your bargain ticket! I travelled across all of America with those reconditioned microphones, to all of the recording studios that interested me, and saw that the microphones were valued. I gained self-confidence and new friends in the American studios I visited.
We have never produced everything in our own factory, because that requires a huge capital investment, which is a big risk. For example, many famous brand specialists design everything in their engineering lab but locate their production in China. I came to understand the process of manufacturing in China about three years ago, when Blue collaborated with ElectroVoice, which is the leader in professional sound equipment. We designed two microphones for them, both of which are produced in China. If you know what you want, you can make anything in China, but if you want outstanding quality, you have to supervise production.
At this time, all Blue products priced at less than $100 are made in China, but the rest are made in Latvia and the USA.
Conflict in Latvia
In the beginning we made almost everything ourselves, or had it made in Latvia. One of our suppliers was a small medical instruments manufacturer, which began producing individual parts for us, but in time was able to produce entire microphones. Talented specialists work there, who have contributed a lot of expertise to the metals and plastics side of our project.
Unfortunately, our collaborative relationship began to crumble when big money appeared – when a number of industry giants became interested in buying Blue. In the event of the sale of Blue, we offered compensation to our partners. While this sale did not occur, the talks had consequences nevertheless. Suddenly, there was an attempt by a third party to market microphones with the brand ParaBlue on the world market. This seriously cooled our relationship with this manufacturer and, when our relationship broke off completely, microphones made in Latvia appeared on the market that were identical to Blue microphones – not just in form, but also in content. Our clients and marketing partners began to receive letters claiming that we didn’t produce anything, but were merely distributors. It was all meant to destroy our company and to take over the market. Our partners asked us, “What’s happening over there in Latvia?” Ultimately, our good reputation helped us weather the conflict. Our biggest problem was not dealing with the legal proceedings, the letters or their consequences, but in relocating our production.
The Blue Brand
In order to create a brand, you can’t just sit at home with a good idea; you have to build personal relationships. We won our struggles because our name carries with it a guarantee of quality. Do we feel competition? I’ve got to say that in terms of quality, no.
Today our logo is synonymous with quality. Of companies that produce studio microphones, I believe we are among the best three in the world. People turn to us as microphone designers. Our responsibility is our product, and we stand and fall on the issue of functionality. Sales and market prices are in the hands of the middlemen. The reason for our success is that Blue began its activity in the market with the most advanced – and yes, most expensive – microphone models. And we won, because the name Blue comes with a guarantee of quality. Later, we began to develop mid-level, less costly choices, but even though the price for the Snowball is low (because it is made in China), the quality has still been retained.
The Snowball has allowed us to explore a completely new avenue. It is not a microphone for studio recordings, but is meant for use with the computer, connecting via a USB port. The electronics built into the microphone ensure a high-quality sound recording, so this product offers a very comfortable and simple recording process, while still maintaining quality. The Snowball has led Blue from a narrow sound studio market to the wide computing market. We have sold over 20,000 Snowball microphones, and the demand is constantly increasing.
In January we successfully participated in the USA’s biggest international exhibition, which is organized by the NAMM – National Association of Music Merchants. And our other company, Red, successfully continues to offer restoration services and accessories for vintage microphones.
Who Uses Blue?
"We are well known – just look around!"
What do you see in the TV and newspaper ads for Bob Dylan’s new CD, Modern Times? The Baby Bottle! This summer in Christina Aguilera’s popular music video from her last album, Back to Basics, you could see the Blue logo clearly on the microphone. Sting uses a Bottle microphone. Rod Stewart and Norah Jones use our microphones. We found at least 10 Bottle microphones in the famous London Studio Air. We made a special custom-ordered pink Bottle for Pink, who recently performed in Riga. In Latvia, you will find Blue products in studios belonging to Kaspars Dimiters, Raimonds Tigulis, Kaspars Rolßteins, the Visual Communications Department of the Latvian Academy of Art and elsewhere. If you know something about microphones, you recognize them instantly. We are well known.
Blue and Design
"I never really know how the microphone will look."
After the collapse of the USSR, an East German microphone company invited me as a middleman in talks with Russian partners. We met at an exhibition, ate dinner and spoke about everything, including design – how to do things better and more effectively, how we need non-traditional ideas etc. My partner Skipper commented, “You could even take a Greek vase and put a microphone in it.” He sketched it on his napkin. At the next exhibition, we saw Skipper’s idea realized, at this company’s stand. The conversation occurred in 1995, and the new microphone was produced in 1996. We had a good talk with them – they admitted to us that we originated the idea, and bought us a beer. This is how it happens in reality.
For all Blue designs, we create our own sketches to record our ideas, designing the microphones to be attractive and comfortable. Once we have a really clear idea, we hand over the concept to professionals. They do their job and receive payment, not in tens or hundreds, but in thousands. I never really know if the microphone will look the way I thought, or a bit different. We draw what we need, and how we envision it, on a chalkboard, and the professionals take it from there.
The next mic will be very small. At the moment we are collaborating with a design company, Global Design Works (www.globaldesignworks.com), that has designed for Porsche and Nokia. If I took the time to tell you about the evolution of each microphone – how it was made and how it is used, what has been adopted from elsewhere, what has been changed and how the new quality was reached – it would become even more clear that one individual can’t do it alone.
Ken Niles designs catalogues, packaging and advertisements. Even the very first black and white magazine advertisement was his (a small $25 ad). He is also the author of the Blue logo.
And speaking about advertising, I have to mention Juris Dimiters, who has played a special role.
Juris Dimiters and Blue
"The first painting I ever sold was to Martins."
Juris Dimiters: I got to know Martins when he was working in the conservatoire’s sound recording studio, where the most notable music lovers of Riga went for information. He introduced me to the world of jazz with the freshest Downbeat magazines and many albums from his massive collection. The first painting I ever sold was to Martins. In reality, I swapped it for records – I could order anything in the Schwann catalogue, popular with record collectors, within the boundaries of our barter, of course. You could say that Martins discovered me before I was officially recognized. That was the beginning of our collaboration.
Now, about working together. When Blue decided to make a new microphone, Skipper suggested that we think of something sexy, phallic. Martins ordered a poster to put on the web page, and gave me some sketches of the design of the microphone. I painted a monument, with a form similar to the Blueberry (a mic that did not yet exist). The first Blue advertisement I created was on my first computer – last century! My surreal paintings, in combination with Blue microphones, were an unusual dialogue between traditional oil painting and high-tech visions of the future. These works were used in many advertisements for Blue.