Music Industry Gateway: Legendary Recording Studios
by Sheldon Rocha Leal
People often confuse a Recording Studio to a Recording Company. Whilst many of the biggest Recording Companies own their own Recording Studios, it’s not a given.
The job and function of a Recording Company is to find talent, promote, market and sell the product that Recording Studios produce. This therefore means, that Recording Companies do not record albums, that is the job of a Recording Studio, they just make sure people buy the product created by Recording Studios.
Recording Studios were very important places, where musicians, producers, engineers, artists and various other technicians congregated in the 1950s to 2000s. The recording process was a very expensive one, which required exorbitantly expensive equipment and facilities, to which few artists had access. This therefore resulted in artists and recording companies booking countless hours at recording studios, for prohibitively expensive rates, in order to complete albums.
This all changed at the turn of the century. Because of technological developments, artists could achieve almost studio quality albums, without necessarily booking into expensive Recording Studios. The equipment was no longer as expensive or as big as it once was, which made recording something that was more accessible to a bigger audience. Artists like the Gorillaz even recorded an entire album completely on an iPad: The Fall (2010).
Whilst this was awesome for artists in general, it made the old recording studios of yore redundant. The result has been that many of these old studios have started closing down, which is quite sad, because not only were these places where people recorded albums, but they were places where people shared ideas, relationships were formed, talent was discovered, content was created and even musical collaborations were born.
I have therefore decided to highlight some of the most iconic recording studios in music history as a way to preserve and remind people of their legacy.
Electric Lady Studios
Jimi Hendrix bought the space in which the studios now reside in 1968. It had previously been a club in Greenwich Village, New York, called The Generation, at which Jimi did the occasional performance.
When Jimi bought the club it had not been functioning as a club for many years and he decided that he wanted to turn it into his own private recording studio, as he found recording studio rates exorbitantly high and wanted a space that would suit his own needs.
The project was paid for by Warner Bros. and contained atmospheric lighting and a few other mod cons, on which Jimi insisted. The space was designed by Architect John Storyk and South African sound engineer, Eddie Kramer. The project went completely over budget and Jimi became the first artist in history to own his own recording studio. Jimi started recording in the studio before it was even complete. He only ever spent 4 weeks in the studio before passing away.
Since Jimi’s passing the studio have become a commercial venture and anyone who is anyone has recorded at the studio: J Cole, Prince, Adam Levine, Blondie, Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Beck, Lorde, Santana, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, D’Angelo, A-Ha, Christina Aguilera, Led Zeppelin, Daft Punk, Gwen Stefanie, U2, Blake Shelton, David Bowie, Gun ‘n Roses, AC/DC, Kiss, Arcade Fire, The Clash, Van Halen, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Erykah Badu, The Roots, The Dave Matthews Band and Foreigner to mention but a few.
The venue still operates as a Recording Studio.
Cheiron Studios
Cheiron Studios were situated in Sweden and became the epicenter of Popular music in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The studios were founded in 1992 by Denniz Pop and Tom Talomaa. They were two producers and songwriters, who started off as DJs/Remixers.
After Denniz Pop’s passing in 1998, the studios were renamed The Location by new owners Tom Talomaa and Max Martin.
In 1992, the DJs and Remixers at the company started producing bootleg work that was so good, that artists in the industry started approaching the company to remix their works. The guys eventually started creating their own works and became so successful that they needed to hire additional songwriting talent to assist in the fulfillment of all the work they were getting, specially from Zomba/Jive Records. The studios became so successful that they were nicknamed The Hit Factory.
The company struck a recording/publishing/production deal with South African born Clive Calder (owner of Zomba/Jive). The studios produced the recording company’s biggest talent: Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and *NSync.
The company housed some of the Pop World’s most successful songwriters and songwriting teams: Denniz Pop, Max Martin, Andreas Carlsson, Herbie Crichlow, Kristian Lundin, Per Magnusson, David Kreuger and Jörgen Elofsson.
Some of the biggest talent to have recorded a Cheiron Studios original song include: Céline Dion, Dr Alban, Ace of Base, Gary Barlow (of Take That), Robyn, Bon Jovi, BoyZone, Michael Jackson and Westlife.
Since then the songwriters that worked at Cheiron have gone on to become some of the world’s most successful Pop music songwriters and producers.
Motown
Motown was a studio, in Detroit, Michigan, started by Berry Gordy, in 1959, with $800 he got from his friend Smokey Robinson. Berry had this idea that he could use the Ford Motor production line concept (his previous employer) in creating superstars and that’s exactly what he set out to do and achieve. The company became so successful that it was nicknamed Hitsville USA.
The studios were housed in a residence that Berry bought. The studios themselves were built in an old photo studio, housed at the back of the property, the rest of the house contained different departments: A&R, finance, distribution. Berry lived on the second floor of the property. The studios became affectionately known as The Alligator Pit.
Motown created such a distinctive sound, that broke black musicians and talent into the mainstream of US society. The Motown team consisted of songwriters, producers, musicians, engineers and anyone else you would need to create a star.
The band that played on all the songs were known as The Funk Brothers and the most famous songwriting teams at the company included The Corporation, Holland/Dozier/Holland and the husband and wife team of Ashford & Simpson. Together they scored with over 110 hit singles on the USA charts between 1961–1971 creating some of the most memorable artists in music history and defining the sound of the 1960s. Some of the mega icons created at the company included: Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie and The Commodores and Gladys Knight and The Pips.
Muscle Shoals
The studio was started in 1969 by four musicians known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section in Alabama. They were looking for their own recording facility, after falling out with the owner of the facility they had previously used, FAME studios.
It is now a listed building and operates as a museum. In 2013 Beats Electronics (owned by Apple) donated $1million to the Muscle Shoals Foundation (now the owners of the studios) for much needed restoration work, acknowledging the significance of the studios in music history.
The studios originally occupied a building that operated as a coffin factory. The facility operated as a studio for 10 years, then relocated. The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section were one of the best known session musicians and house bands in the USA in the 1960s and played on many major artists’ albums and live shows. The distinctive sound created by the band was desired by many artists and became known as The Muscle Shoals Sound.
Bands travelled from all over the world to Alabama to try and assimilate their unique sound onto their albums. The distinctive sound was created in conjunction with Rick Hall of FAME Studios. After falling out with Rick Hall they got start up capital from the legendary producer Jerry Wexler to start up Muscle Shoals Studios.
Some of the biggest names to record at the facility included: Cher, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Joe Cocker.
Chess Records
Chess was both a recording company and a recording studio. The company was started in Chicago in 1950, by two Polish immigrant brothers of Jewish descent: Leonard and Phil Chess. They originally acquired a record company (going concern) by the name of Aristocrat Records, which eventually became Chess.
The brothers were considered pioneers of blues and soul music and but were also heavily involved in the popularization of Rock ‘n Roll music in the mid-1950s. Initially they were associated with Sam Phillips and his studio, Sun. Which meant that Chess did not, initially, get involved in any of the recording of music at all, just the promotion of the music recorded at Sun. Sam used to send the brothers various artists to promote and release.
They eventually decided to do it all on their own and hired Willie Dixon and Ralph Bass to produce and organize sessions for their blues artists. Like most of these big companies, Chess had their own in-house band and set of musicians, that played on all their recordings. Two of the members of their house band, Maurice White and Louis Satterfield, went on to form the band Earth, Wind and Fire. In 1969 the Chess brothers sold the company to GRT (General Recorded Tape) for $6.5million. After experiencing some financial difficulties, GRT was sold to Universal Records in the 1980s. Universal still own the brand Chess Records, but the label is now dormant.
Some of big names that recorded and released material through the label included: Willie Dixon, Etta James, Muddy Waters, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, Fontella Bass and Chuck Berry.
Sun Records
Sun Records was started by Sam Phillips in 1952, in Memphis, Tennessee, with money he had acquired from Jim Bulliet, a record executive for whom Sam had scouted talent previously.
Sam was a big fan of Rhythm and Blues music and set out to discover artists in this genre, but became famous for discovering and pioneering a new genre of music, Rock ‘n Roll.
Sun Records was responsible for discovering and recording the biggest Rock ‘n Roll artists in history: Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, including Conway Twitty, Howlin’ Wolf and Charlie Rich.
Sam Phillips eventually sold the Elvis Presley contract to RCA in 1955 for $35000 in order to pay off some company debt. It was at RCA that Elvis launched his career into the stratosphere, dominating the remainder of the 1950s and becoming known as the King of Rock ‘n Roll.
In 1969 Sam Phillips sold the company to an ex-producer at Mercury Recorded, Shelby Singleton. Shelby converted the company into Sun Entertainment Corporation. The company is today situated in Nashville and consists of various recording companies: Amazon Records, Plantation Records, Blue Cat Records, SSS International Records and Red Bird Records. It still releases past Sun Record back catalogue to this day.
Sun Records is considered one of the top recording studios in Rock ‘n Roll history.
Abbey Road Studios
This is a recording studio established in 1931 in London by the Gramophone Company, which is the company that preceded EMI, now owned by Universal.
The studios are located in, St John’s Wood in London in an old nine bedroom Georgian townhouse built in 1831, near Kilburn Abbey. The house was later converted into apartments and was eventually bought by the Gramophone Company who converted the house into recording studios. The neighboring house was also purchased by the company to house visiting musicians.
The Beatles recorded most of their albums at the studios between 1962–1970, eventually naming their 1969 album after the road in front of the studios. The Abbey Road album cover was shot at the zebra crossing in front of the studios. The studios were eventually renamed Abbey Road studios, after the album, in 1970.
In 2010 it was reported EMI were trying to sell Abbey Road Studios, trying to stave off mounting debts. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is reported to have bid £30million for the Studios. Property developers were also keen to re-develop the site into luxury apartments. EMI eventually confirmed that they had no intention of selling the studios and the national trust declared the studios a Grade II listed building. In 2011 the pedestrian crossing, was listed as a national heritage site.
Since it’s establishment anyone who is anyone has recorded at the studios, it has almost become a badge of honor to record at Abbey Road Studios. Some of the talent that has recorded at the studios include, but are not limited to: Kylie Minogue, Adele, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Robbie Williams, Florence and The Machine, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Amy Winehouse, The Gorillaz, Sting, Take That, Radiohead, Muse, Coldplay, Chaka Khan, U2, Kanye West, Paul McCartney, Oasis, Pulp, Travis, Andrea Bocelli, Leona Lewis, Blur, Depeche Mode, Jamiroquai, Alanis Morissette, Kate Bush, Duran Duran, Cliff Richard, John Lennon, Connie Francis and Rod Stewart.
The studios are still active to this day and there is even an Abbey Road Institute operating at the facility, where students can enroll to study the art of production and sound engineering.
Sunset Sound
This is a recording studio located in Hollywood, California, USA. The studios were started by Walt Disney’s director of Recording, Tutti Camarata in 1958. He had been employed by Disney to start their first recording studios in 1956, Disneyland Records. The studio complex was built in an area occupied by old abandoned residential and commercial buildings. The first studio was built in an old garage. Because of Tutti’s relationship with Walt Disney, the studios were originally booked to record the sound for many of Walt Disney’s animated movies: 101 Dalmatians, Bambi and Mary Poppins.
Many iconic albums have been recorded at the facility and over 200 albums, recorded at the studios, have attained Gold status in the USA.
Some of the most iconic albums to have been recorded at the studios include: Purple Rain by Prince; Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys; Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones; Don’t Cry Now by Linda Ronstadt; Chinese Democracy by Guns ‘n Roses; Strange Days by The Doors; Pearl by Janis Joplin. Other famous acts to record at the studios include Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Roberta Flack, Elton John, Sheryl Crow, Van Halen, Paul McCartney, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, The Bee Gees, Macy Gray, Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Carly Simon, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Sly and The Family Stone, The Smashing Pumpkins, Earth, Wind and Fire, Tom Jones, Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin.
In 1981, Tutti bought another famous recording studio in Los Angeles called The Sound Factory. The two studios are operational to this day.
Château d’Hérouville Studios
The Château was built, off the remains of a 16th century château, in 1740 by Gaudot and is situated in the village of Hérouville, which is near Paris. It is reputed that the famous Polish composer, Chopin, once stayed at the mansion.
In the 19th century the château was used as a courier relay station between Versailles and Beauvais. Vincent Van Gogh painted some of his last artworks in the region and is buried nearby.
The house is situated on 17,000 hectares and consists of 30 rooms. In 1962 the château was purchased by a composer by the name of Michel Magne. After a fire destroyed the left wing of the house, he turned the house into a residential recording studio.
The Grateful Dead were one of the first acts to record at the studio in 1971, after a festival they were supposed to be playing at, in the vicinity, was rained out and they landed up staying at the Château. They decided to utilize their time constructively whilst staying at the château and recorded an album, whilst enjoying some of the facilities the residence has to offer, like the luxurious pool.
Many legendary acts have resided and recorded their albums at the facility, especially in the 1970s. In 1972 Michel married and moved to the South of France, leaving a manager at the studios. In 1984 Michel committed suicide and there was a dispute over the property. The studios were eventually shut down in 1985.
In 2015 a group of audio engineers purchased the property and reopened the studios for business. Today one is able to book a studio for as little as €800 a day and stay in the Château for €100 a night. The Mastering suite alone will cost €700 for per day.
Elton John recorded three albums at the Château: Honky Château; Don’t Shoot Me I’m the Piano Player and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Other famous patrons included: David Bowie (who claimed to feel super natural powers whilst recording at the studios); Pink Floyd; Joan Armatrading; Jethro Tull; Cat Stevens, Uriah Heep; Buddy Guy; Lulu; Lenny Kravitz; Bee Gees; Iggy Pop; Fleetwood Mac.
AIR Studios
AIR (Associated Independent Recording) Studios were founded in 1965 by Sir George Martin (the Beatles’ producer) and his partner, John Burgess, after they had left EMI.
The recording complex was officially opened in 1969. The studios originally occupied the 4th floor of a building on Oxford Street in London. They operated in the building between 1970–1991, at which point the lease expired and new facilities were procured. In 1991, the studios moved to a Grade II listed building, the Lyndhurst Road Congregational Church in North London. The building was built in 1880, by architect Alfred Waterhouse. The studios are operational to this day. The studios specialize in film scores, television post-production, sound effects and music for video games, classical music and popular music.
AIR also opened a facility in Montserrat in the mid-1970s. Sir George Martin bought a house on the island and spent time on the island recording and working on various projects. In 1989 the island was struck by Hurricane Hugo, which devastated 90% of the island and brought the operations at the studios to an abrupt end. Sir George Martin spent the rest of his life raising money to help rehabilitate the people on the island.
Some of the legendary names to record at the studios include: Jamiroquai; Katy Perry; Chrissie Hynde; Emile Sandé; Adele; Mumford & Sons; Coldplay; David Gray; Van Morrison; Birdy; Muse; Sir Paul McCartney; Jessie J; Paloma Faith; Florence and The Machine; Mark Ronson; The Black Eyed Peas; Ellie Goulding; Joni Mitchell; James Morrison; James Blunt; Katie Melua; Peter Gabriel; Mary Chapin Carpenter; Robbie Williams; U2; Placebo; The Red Hot Chilli Peppers; Susan Boyle; Paul Weller; Rumer; Keane; George Michael; Jamie Cullum; Kaiser Chiefs; The Stereophonics; Michael Bublé.
The Record Plant
The Record Plant was a series of three studios located in different parts of the USA: Los Angeles, New York and Sausalito (California).
The studios were started by two friends, Gary Kellgren (sound engineer) and Chris Stone (businessman). The two met when mutual friends felt that Chris Stone and his wife could help Gary Kellgren and his wife, with her impending pregnancy. The two men became close friends. Chris in witnessing Gary’s recording style and attention to detail convinced Gary that he should be charging more money for his engineering services. He was also impressed with the homely atmosphere Gary created in his sessions, which encouraged and promoted creativity. Gary was soon charging $1000 a week for his services versus his original fee of $200 per week.
Chris eventually convinced Gary that they should start their own business in which Gary could use his genius for production to its fullest extent. Chris was, at that time, working as a national sales person at Revlon and approached Johanna Revson, the wife of Revlon founder, Charles Revson, for a $100,000 loan, which they used to start up the first Record Plant in New York.
The aim of the first studio was to move away from the stark environments to which artists had been exposed and to move toward a studio system that was more homely, with the aim of encouraging greater creativity. Chris and Gary changed the studio system to one which most people are now familiar: the more loungy, laid back, atmospheric lighting and creative environment. The idea really hit off and the studio became super popular. Many other studios copied their concept. The guys eventually went on to open studios in Los Angeles and Sausalito.
Each studio had its own unique twist. The New York studio was obviously the original and introduced the living room concept to recording studios. At the Los Angeles studios, after the completion of Studio C, Gary introduced a weekly Sunday night jam session, which featured various celebrity cameos: John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Billy Preston, Ronnie Wood and George Harrison to mention but a few. A radio show was broadcast from the Sausalito facility. The show was called Live from the Plant. The studio also included the services of a chef and a chauffeur transporting musicians and artists to and from the studios.
In 1972 Gary and Chris sold New York to start up Los Angeles. These studios were eventually bought by Sir George Martin and ultimately shut down in 1987.
In 1977 Gary and his girlfriend were found dead in their swimming pool. Ronnie Wood said that Gary probably drowned trying to install a sound system in the pool. After Gary’s death Chris found it difficult to keep motivated and eventually sold Sausalito and Los Angeles. Sausalito eventually closed down in 2008 and the only remaining studio is the Los Angeles facility which is considered one of the top recording studios in the world.
Some of the big artists to record at the studios include: Jimi Hendrix (Electric Ladyland 1968), Stevie Wonder (Songs in the Key of Life 1976), Sly and the Family Stone, John Lennon (Imagine 1971), Aerosmith, KISS, Fleetwood Mac, Blondie, Prince, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Queen, Guns ‘n Roses, Journey, U2, Black Sabbath, BB King, Bee Gees, Billy Joel, The Eagles, Rod Stewart, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Elton John, Robbie Williams, Beastie Boys, Crosby Stills and Nash, Kanye West, Christina Aguilera, Will.I.Am, Lady Gaga, Ayumi Hamasaki, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey (Music Box 1993), Metallica, Santana (Supernatural 1998).
Jazzworx
This is a recording studio started about 15 years ago by one of my college classmates, Robyn Kohl in Randburg, a suburb in South Africa. Robyn went to Pretoria Boys High and from a young age he was always interested in music. He originally started off as a guitarist, but eventually his musical interests changed to tinkering with “high tech” musical technology. With his knowledge of music technology and music theoretical concepts, he started creating and selling tracks to whomever would buy them. We eventually met at Allenby Campus. Whilst at the college, interest in his tracks grew and he decided to formalize his business interests. He opened up his own recording studio, and used a similar ethos as that utilized at the Record Plant: creating a living room like atmosphere where creativity could be nurtured.
Initially Jazzworx consisted of one studio and today the studios have grown to include 3 studios and they provide a multitude of services, not only in music, but also in completing work for advertising and motion pictures as well as writing jingles, production, mixing and mastering.
Jazzworx eventually became one of the top recording studios in the country, specializing in recording local urban Popular music. Robin and his colleagues have recorded some of the most talented artists in Africa: Lira, ProVerb, RJ Benjamin, Mandoza, Tamara Dey, Flash Republic, Skwatta Kamp, Selaelo Selota, Karen Zoid, DJ Cleo, Thadiswa Maswai, Slikour, Zamajobe, Lloyd Cele, JR, Malaika, HHP, Chiano Sky and Zubz to mention but a few…
The studios are still operational to this day and the employed engineers and technicians continue to deliver award winning product, making Jazzworx one of the top recording studio facilities in South Africa.
DownTown Studios
As a kid, brought up in Johannesburg, I had always heard about this recording studio at which many of the most legendary South African artists recorded their albums. DownTown studios were and are a legend in South African music history.
The studios were started in 1979, when RPM Record Company bought a building in the Johannesburg city center. The two visionaries behind the venture were the owners of RPM, Matt Mann and Dan Hill. RPM was eventually bought by Gallo records (SA’s biggest record label) and with it they purchased the studios.
In the 1980s the studios were a sanctuary for many local and international artists and a place where many ground breaking sounds were created. Genres like Kwaito and Bubble Gum were born at the studios.
In 1988 Joburg City center started experiencing a downturn and the studios became less popular. In 1991 the studios became known as DownTown Studios, because Gallo was using it as a site where anyone could record and not only Gallo artists, and therefore didn’t want the venue to be too closely associated with Gallo therefore possibly deterring prospective clients. The Department of Arts and Culture eventually showed interest in the studios and bought the studios from Gallo in 2010 with the aim of preserving the site as an important part of our national music heritage.
Today it is a space where music entrepreneurs and musicians interact and make music. It is now known as the DownTown Studios Hub.
Some of the iconic artists that have recorded at the studios include: Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masakela, Lucky Dube, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, Don Laka, Duran Duran and Simply Red. Paul Simon recorded his Grammy Award winning album Graceland at the studios in 1987, which launched the careers of a South African music institution, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Recording studios are clearly a part of our culture and our musical heritage and to many they were the gateway to the ever elusive music industry. There will always be a place for these amazing institutions and hopefully there will be many more relationships and careers formed in their hallowed halls.
