Based in Reading, UK, Readipop are a music and arts charity with a long track record of innovative, participatory arts projects. They believe that creativity is vital to a fulfilled life, and work particularly with those who need it most — including many young people who have been referred through schools.
Their latest endeavour centres around their XOX programme, which began as a Heritage-funded project to explore the birth of modern dance music. The grant allowed them to buy a collection of classic instruments sourced by Creative Director Gavin Lombos and the wider Readipop team, and rather than locking them away in glass cabinets, they’ve decided to make them readily available for people to come and use!
Officially launched on 909 Day 2026 (9 September), the all-new XOX Studios houses all of the instruments and equipment gathered for the project. Rather than simply having the gear on display, everything is set up and available to use — the public can book a session, play the instruments and capture everything to an SD Card to take home.
The Gear Collection
The studio’s collection of gear includes an array of sought-after vintage synths and drum machines, all of which are in good working order and available to play. Here’s a quick look at some of the highlights:
- Roland TR-808 (1980) and Roland TR-909 (1983) — together, in one room, both playable. Rare to see side by side anywhere, rarer still where the public can use them. The 808 built hip-hop and R&B; the 909 helped to create house and techno.
- Roland TB-303 (1982) — the machine that created acid house. This one still wears the smiley sticker a previous owner put on it in the 1980s, and its cutoff knob is worn smooth from decades of use.
- E-mu SP-12 (1985) and Akai S612 (1985) — early sampling from the birth of hip-hop.
- Oberheim DMX (1980) — the drum machine behind New Order's “Blue Monday" and Run-DMC.
- Two Roland Space Echoes (RE-301 and RE-501) — the tape delays behind countless classic records.
- Plus: SH-101, MC-202, Juno-6, Juno-106, JX-3P, TR-606, TR-707, TR-727, TR-77 (Roland's first-ever drum machine, 1972), two vocoders (Roland SCV-350 and Korg VC10), Yamaha DX7, Korg MS-10, Casio CZ-101 and a Moog Rogue.
The collection also includes a pair of turntables signed by Grandmaster Flash — they were bought for a Readipop keynote he headlined, and signed on the condition they'd never hit eBay!
Access
XOX Cafe
Free (donations welcome) Sunday 11 October & Sunday 8 November 2026. A relaxed open day to meet other electronic musicians and producers. All ages welcome to see the studio, get a demo and watch live performances from EMOM (Electronic Music Open Mic) artists.
XOX 101
Beginner session: £25 per person, 1–3 people, 90 minutes, 12:00–13:30 on the XOX Cafe days (11 Oct & 8 Nov). Hands-on introduction: create a melody on the SH-101 step sequencer, programme acid basslines on the TB-303, learn TR-rec beat programming on the TR-808, build a groove on the TR-909 and add pads or the famous Stranger Things arpeggiator on the Juno-6.
XOX Studio Hire
Half-day £150 (3 hours) / full-day £300 (up to 7 hours) Saturdays or by availability. A bespoke session with access to the complete XOX vintage collection, supported by an XOX studio tech. Record up to 22 separate tracks of live audio to an SD card to take away, remix or edit; sync to Logic Pro or Ableton — or just get a jam going!
Young People
Readipop’s AAA programme gives young people free access to a variety of instruments and production equipment at its studios. This includes one-to-one sessions, referrals from schools and group sessions on Fridays and during holidays.
"The work Readipop does with young people and musicians at all experience levels is truly admirable. You could come into the XOX Studio knowing very little about electronic music and leave utterly inspired, with a head full of creative possibilities.” — Rod Brakes, Contributing Writer, Roland Articles
What’s Next?
The next phase of Readipop’s project is already in the works, with a new National Lottery Heritage Fund grant funding research into 1990s project on rave, jungle and drum & bass, centred on Reading's Record Basement/Basement Records story and told from a non-London perspective. The organisation say that the project will include a podcast series, YouTube content and a series of talks and events, all created alongside music journalist Marcus Barnes.
More information, including details on how to book a visit to XOX Studios, can be found via the link below.
