- Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near
Monmouth inWales and just outside the village of Rockfield, are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.The studios were founded by brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward in 1963, by converting an existing farmhouse.Jeff Collins, "Rock Legends At Rockfield", 2007, ISBN 978-0-7083-2097-6] In 1965, they became the world's first-ever residential studio, set up so that bands could come and stay in the peaceful rural surroundings to record. They have two studios, the Coach House and the Quadrangle.
The first big hit recorded in the studios was
Dave Edmunds ' "I Hear You Knocking " in 1970. Following that success, the studios were used in the early 1970s to record seven albums by Budgie, several byHawkwind ,Peter Hammill 's second solo album "Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night " in 1973, Ace's hit single "How Long? " in 1974, and Queen's album "Sheer Heart Attack ". In August 1975, Queen returned to Rockfield to begin recording the album "A Night At The Opera", including the first vocals for "Bohemian Rhapsody ". Later in 1975,Motörhead made their first recordings at the studios.Other acts using the studios in the late 1970s and 1980s included Rush,
Ian Gillan ,Black Sabbath ,The Stranglers ,Iggy Pop ,Simple Minds , Bad Manners,Echo & the Bunnymen ,Adam and the Ants ,Robert Plant , [cite news
title=Zep singer returns to solo roots |date=2006-05-20 |work=BBC News
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/4997082.stm
accessdate=2008-08-06]Clannad , andThe Stone Roses . Since 1990, other leading acts using the studios have includedXTC , TheBoo Radleys , Oasis,Black Grape , Ash,The Bluetones ,Oceansize ,Julian Lennon ,Coldplay ,New Order ,Big Country ,Starsailor ,The Darkness ,Supergrass ,The Pogues , Paul Weller,Manic Street Preachers ,Sepultura ,KT Tunstall , andKasabian .During a 12-month period in 1996-97, Rockfield sessions resulted in five UK Number One albums, by Oasis,
Black Grape , The Charlatans and theBoo Radleys .References
External links
* [http://www.resolutionmag.com/pdfs/FACILI~1/ROCKFI~1.PDF 2003 article]
* [http://www.rockfieldmusicgroup.com/ The Official Site]
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