| |||
 | |||
| |||
 | |||
| |||
| |||
The Albums
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
The Albums
| |||
|
Wessex Sound Studios 106 Highbury New Park - London philsbook.com
|
 |
< Brief FONT>
A Brief History
Wessex Studios was originally situated in Old Compton Street in London’s Soho. It was founded by the Thompson family, sons Robin and Mike being the original engineering team. Wessex moved to it’s “Classic” location (behind St Augustine Church on Highbury New Park in North London) in 1966. The building, a church hall, was previously used for Boy Scout and Guide meetings and sometimes served as an extension for the school opposite.It’s original incarnation was of one large recording room with a fairly live acoustic, but had some problems with isolation from the outside world and couldn’t really work full time. It was run at this time by the Thompson’s in association with Les Reed (British songwriter who wrote “Delilah” amongst others) and had a reputation for big orchestral sessions and recorded the cream of British variety; Des O’Connor, Tom Jones, Morecambe and Wise, Clodagh Rogers, Tommy Steele and Frankie Vaughan were all regular visitors. The principal equipment was a Neve desk with Studer tape machines.
A video of Chelsea Football Club recording their 1972 hit “Blue Is the Colour” with producer Larry Page can be viewed at Here Amusing
to see which players are singing into the U67 pointing away from them!
In 1970 the Neve 1073 mic pre is designed for the Wessex A88 Console.
Wessex quickly became popular with rock groups of the time, the biggest being King Crimson who recorded their first three albums there, the Moody Blues were regular visitors too. Queen started a long association with Wessex by recording part of their 1974 album “Sheer Heart Attack” at the studio.
1975 - Cadac
In 1975 Chrysalis records purchased Wessex and made it a sister studio to AIR studios in Oxford Circus, Air Staffers Bill Price, Gary Edwards and John Walls all transferring to Wessex. A major rebuild occurred at this time, the roof was soundproofed, the control room was enlarged and fitted with a new desk and a remix room was built.
Both studios were identically equipped with Cadac mixing desks and 3M multitracks. Monitoring was by Tannoy speakers with HH, Studer and Turner amplifiers. Major albums recorded in this period were “London Calling” by the Clash and “Never Mind The Bollocks” by the Sex Pistols. Queen were also much in evidence, recording “A Day at The Races” and “News of the World”, the latter featuring the sound of a hastily gathered crowd stamping on the Wessex drum risers to provide the drum track for “We Will Rock You”.
The Queen Video for 'Somebody to Love' filmed at Wessex in October 1976 in between sessions for the 'A Day at the Races' album.
In October 1976 the Sex Pistols entered Wessex to record demos and then with producer Chris Thomas to record the single and album version of 'Anarchy in the UK'.
1977
at Wessex
 | By 1984 studio 1’s Cadac desk had been replaced by an SSL, the multitracks were Studer A800s and a Mitsubishi X-850 32 track digital recorder. Studio 2 retained it’s Cadac and now had Otari MTR-90 multitracks. Monitors in both rooms were UREI 815s. Studio 1’s acoustics were augmented by the addition of tuned resonators attached to the walls (these can be seen clearly on the cover of the album “in the Studio” by the Specials). | ||
By 1987 Studio 2’s Cadac was also replaced by an SSL. Although generally considered sonically excellent the Cadac desks had a steep learning curve and as the eighties saw the transition from studios having staff engineers to predominately a freelance culture the SSL was seen as more “user friendly”. To give another option for recording in studio 1 a Focusrite “sidecar” was added with 8 channels of mic pre/eqs.
In
1987 Wessex saw the recording of another seminal album in the shape
of Talk Talk’s “Spirit of Eden” produced by Wessex old boy Tim Friese-Greene.
A detailed recounting of these sessions can be found in Phill Brown’s
marvelous book “Are We Still Rolling?” (ISBN 978-0-9779903-1-3), which
also details the recording of Talk Talk’s next album “Laughing Stock”
also at Wessex.
 |
The Studio 1 recording area features in this 1988 video by Rick Astley, the control room window is screened off and has backlit dancers silhouetted against it. The striking pillar box red staircase and control room window frames can be clearly seen. The staircase led up to the lounge above studio 1’s control room.
| ||
In 1993 the studio was put up for sale by Chrysalis as they decided to invest more heavily in the newly built AIR Lyndhurst complex. The studio was eventually bought by Nigel Frieda and was rebranded as Matrix-Wessex to fit in with his chain of existing studios (Matrix Little Russell Street, Matrix Struddridge Street and Maison Rouge). The studio was given a few modifications, the reception area was moved from the South end of the building to between the control rooms of studios 1 and 2, a spiral staircase was added to link this area to the “hang out” lounge upstairs. The studio remained popular, one of the last major albums being part recorded there was “Parachutes” by Coldplay.
 |
In 2001 Sony sampled the impulse response of the live room for use in their DRE S777 sampling reverb, the attached picture of this process shows one of the “We Will Rock You” drum risers standing on it’s side on the right. In the last year of the studio’s existence it was sub-hired to producer Mike Hedges who installed his ex-Abbey Road EMI desk into studio 1 to augment the SSL. | ||
The End Finally in 2003 the studio was closed for good and sold to a developer who gutted it (see photo left taken by ex Wessex engineer “KK”) and rebuilt it as a block of 8 flats called (depressingly!) ... 'The Recording Studios'.
|
No history of Wessex studios would be complete without a mention of Betty Edwards. She worked at the studio from 1968 until 1993 after answering an advert for a cleaner/tea lady. Her own children had attended Scouts and Guides functions in the building before it became Wessex. Betty was a fund of stories about the many bands that came through the doors at Wessex, she was particularly impressed by meeting Frankie Vaughan and spoke highly of Freddie Mercury. When the Sex Pistols were in recording Betty entered into the spirit of the thing by dressing up in black bin liners and safety pins. She always lived just a stones throw away from the studio and remained interested in news from the place even after her leaving, keeping in touch with many ex staff members. Betty sadly died in 2007.
|
| ||
Article © Tony Harris 2011. Contact: tony@philsbook.com
Recorded at Wessex.
A1 : MAKE IT GOOD
ADVENTURES : THE SEA OF LOVE
ALAN TEW ORCHESTRA : LET’S FLY
ALMAMEGRETTA : LINGO
ANDROMEDA STRAIN : IDOL EP
ANDY BOWN : COME BACK ROMANCE
BARRY ADAMSON : OEDIPUS SCHMOEDIPUS
BETH ORTON : TRAILER PARK
BLACKWATER JUNCTION : LOSING YOU SINGLE
BLESSED VIRGINS : BLESSED VIRGINS’
BOB JOHNSON AND PETER KNIGHT : THE KING OF ELFLAND’S DAUGHTER
BOOMTOWN RATS : A TONIC FOR THE TROOPS
BRETT STEVENS : BEAUTIFUL WORLD
BRIAN KENNEDY : THE GREAT WAR OF WORDS
BRONSKI BEAT : THE AGE OF CONSENT
BRYAN CHALKER : BRYAN CHALKER’S NEW FRONTIER
BRYAN CHALKER : BRYAN CHALKER
CATHERINE WHEEL : FERMENT
CENTIPEDE : SEPTOBER ENERGY
CHORDS : TURN AWAY AGAIN
CITY BOY : BOOK EARLY
CLASH : LONDON CALLING
CLASH : SANDINISTA
CLODAGH RODGERS : CLODAGH RODGERS
CLOVER : UNAVAILABLE
COCTEAU TWINS : TWINLIGHTS SINGLE
COLDPLAY : PARACHUTES"
COLLAPSED LUNG : COOLER
CONNIE FRANCIS : CONNIE FRANCIS SINGS THE SONGS OF LES REED
COOPER TEMPLE CLAUSE : KICK UP THE FIRE, AND LET THE FLAMES BREAK LOOSE
COUSTEAU : SIRENA
CRESSIDA : CRESSIDA
DAMNED : MACHINE GUN ETIQUETTE
DANTA : DANTA
DAUGHTERS OF THE CROSS : GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
DAVE BALL : IN STRICT TEMPO
DAVID KNOPFLER : CUT THE WIRE
DIDO : LIFE FOR RENT
DIRTY LOOKS : DIRTY LOOKS
DOCTOR FEELGOOD : PRIVATE PRACTICE
DODGY : FREE PEACE SWEET
DOLL BY DOLL : REMEMBER
ELLEN FOLEY : THE SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS
ELVIS COSTELLO : B-SIDES
EMF : STIGMA
ENYA : WATERMARK
EQUATORS : HOT
FANTASTICS : THE FANTASTIC
FARMER’S BOYS : IN THE COUNTRY SINGLE
FIRST GEAR ft LARNELL HARRIS : FIRST GEAR
FISCHER Z : WORD SALAD One Song
FREDDIE DAVIES : MR PARROT FACE
FUN BOY THREE : WAITING
FURNITURE : FOOD, SEX AND PARANOIA
GANG GREEN : CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IT
GENERATION X : VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
GENTLE GIANT : CIVILIAN
GEORGE HATCHER BAND : DRY RUN
GEORGE HATCHER BAND : TALKIN’ TURKEY
GERRY MONROE : BRING BACK THE GOOD TIMES
GERRY MUNROE : GERRY MUNROE
GERRY MUNROE : SALLY-PRIDE OF OUR VALLEY
GRAHAM KENDRICK : FOOTSTEPS ON THE SEA
HANOI ROCKS : SELF DESTRUCTION BLUES
HAWKLORDS : HAWKLORDS
HELEN MCARTHUR : HELEN MCARTHUR SINGS
HERBALISER BAND : THE SESSION 1 & 2
HORSE : THE SAME SKY
IAN HUNTER : SHORT BACK AND SIDES
IDLEWILD : HOPE IS IMPORTANT
IZZY STRADLIN : 117 DEGREES
JACK THE LAD : JACKPOT
JAMESTOWN SHEIKS : LENNON AND MCCARTNEY REGGAE STYLE
JASON REBELLO : A CLEARER VIEW
JESUS AND MARY CHAIN : DARKLANDS
JIM CAPALDI : FIERCE HEART
JIM CAPALDI : SOME COME RUNNING
JOE BREEN : MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
JOHN COUGAR : A BIOGRAPHY
JOHN McLAUGHLIN THE PROMISE
JOOLZ LOVE IS (SWEET ROMANCE)
JUDAS PRIEST : SIN AFTER SIN
KEITH MANSFIELD ORCHESTRA : FACE ON THE WIND
KIM WILDE : CATCH AS CATCH CAN
KINESIS : HANDSHAKES FOR BULLETS
KING : BITTER SWEET
KING CRIMSON : COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING
KING CRIMSON : IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON
KING CRIMSON : LIZARD
KISS : THAT KISS AND TELL
KULA SHAKER : K
KURSAAL FLYERS : THE GOLDEN MILE
LENE LOVICH : NO MANS LAND
LENE LOVICH : STATELESS
LENE MARLIN : ANOTHER DAY
LES REED AND HIS ORCHESTRA : THE HIT MAKING WORLD OF LES REED
LIGHTNING RAIDERS : PSYCHEDELIC MUSIK SINGLE
LURKERS : FULHAM FALLOUT
LUSH : SWEETNESS AND LIGHT SINGLE
MANDALABAND : MANDALABAND
MATCHBOX : MATCHBOX
MELANIE : CANDLES IN THE RAIN
MELANIE : BACK IN TOWN
MICHAEL SCHENKER BAND : MICHAEL SCHENKER BAND
MIKE BATT : SCHIZOPHONIA
MIKE BATT : TAROT SUITE
MIKEY DREAD : WORLD WAR III
MOODY BLUES : A QUESTION OF BALANCE
MOODY BLUES : TO OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN’S CHILDREN
MOTORHEAD : LOUIE, LOUIE SINGLE
MOTORS : THE MOTORS
MOTT : SHOUTING AND POINTING
NARNIA : ASLAN IS NOT A TAME LION’
NATACHA ATLAS : GEDIDA
NEW MODEL ARMY : GHOST OF CAIN
NEW MODEL ARMY : NO REST FOR THE WICKED
NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS : MURDER BALLADS
NIK KERSHAW 15 MINUTES
NINE BELOW ZERO : THIRD DEGREE
NYMPHS : THE NYMPHS
O RING : FIELDS AND WAVES
PALAIS SCHAUMBURG : PARLEZ-VOUS SCHAUMBURG?
PAT TRAVERS : MAKIN MAGIC
PEARL HARBOUR : DON'T FOLLOW ME I'M LOST TOO
PERE UBU : WORLDS IN COLLISION
PETE TOWNSHEND : ALL THE BEST COWBOYS HAVE CHINESE EYES
PETE TOWNSHEND : EMPTY GLASS
PETER STRAKER : CHANGELING
PHILIP GOODHAND-TAIT : PHILIP GOODHAND-TAIT
POPES : HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD
PRETENDERS : PRETENDERS 2
PRETENDERS : PRETENDERS
PROFESSIONALS : THE PROFESSIONALS
PUBLIC IMAGE : PUBLIC IMAGE
PUNISHMENT OF LUXURY : ENGINE OF EXCESS SINGLE
QUEEN : NEWS OF THE WORLD
QUEEN : A DAY AT THE RACES
QUEEN : SHEER HEART ATTACK
RACING CARS : DOWNTOWN TONIGHT
RECORDS : THE RECORDS
REGULAR FRIES : FREE THE REGULAR FRIES E.P.
RICH KIDS : GHOSTS OF PRINCES IN TOWERS
RICKY BEAUMONT : HOW SMALL WE ARE, HOW LITTLE WE KNOW
RIVER CITY PEOPLE : THIS IS THE WORLD ONE SONG
RORY GALLAGHER : AGAINST THE GRAIN
RPLA : FULL METAL HIJACK
RUMOUR : FROGS, SPROUTS, CLOGS AND KRAUTS
RUMOUR : MAX
SAINTS : PREHISTORIC SOUNDS
SAINTS : ETERNALLY YOURS
SAMURAI : SAMURAI
SANDY NELSON : LET THE GOOD TIMES ROCK
SANNE SALOMONSEN : INGEN ENGEL
SCRITTI POLITTI : CUPID AND PSYCHE 85
SEX PISTOLS : NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS’
SHANE MACGOWAN AND THE POPES : THE CROCK OF GOLD
SHIRTS : THE SHIRTS
SHOWADDYWADDY : RED STAR
SINCEROS : THE SOUND OF SUNBATHING
SINEWAVE : STARS AND GUITARS
SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES : THE RAPTURE
SLINGBACKS : ALL POP, NO STAR
SOFT CELL : THIS LAST NIGHT IN SODOM
SOFT MACHINE : CENTIPEDE" 16-19 JUNE 1971
SOUTH : FROM HERE ON IN
SPECIAL AKA : IN THE STUDIO WITH SLEEVE PHOTO
SPECIALS : MORE SPECIALS
STAN CAMPBELL : STAN CAMPBELL
STEELEYE SPAN : ALL AROUND MY HAT
STEELEYE SPAN : LOVE AT LAST
STEVE HACKETT : DEFECTOR
SWANS WAY : THE FUGITIVE KIND
TALK TALK : SPIRIT OF EDEN
TALK TALK : LAUGHING STOCK
TALK TALK : THE COLOUR OF SPRING
TANTRA : TANTRA II
TEA SET : KEEP ON RUNNNG SINGLE
THEATRE OF HATE : TEN YEARS AFTER
THREE DEGREES : NEW DIMENSIONS
TINA TURNER :PRIVATE DANCER
TINA TURNER : FOREIGN AFFAIR
TOM ROBINSON BAND : POWER IN THE DARKNESS
TOPPER HEADON : LEAVE IT TO LUCK SINGLE
TREVOR RABIN : TREVOR RABIN
TUCKY BUZZARD : ALLRIGHT ON THE NIGHT
TWELFTH NIGHT : XII
TYCOON : TYCOON
UFO : FORCE IT
UFO : THE WILD, THE WILLING AND THE INNOCENT
WALL STREET CRASH : EUROPEAN AFFAIR
WATERBOYS : DREAM HARDER
WEB : I SPIDER
WEDDING PRESENT : PEEL SESSIONS
WILDHEARTS : EARTH VERSUS
WOMBLES : KEEP ON WOMBLING
WOMBLES : REMEMBER YOU'RE A WOMBLE
WOMBLES : WOMBLING SONGS
WOMBLES : SUPER WOMBLING
XENTRIX : GHOSTBUSTERS SINGLE
XTC : THIS IS POP
ZONES : UNDER INFLUENCE
ZUBOP : HIPTODISIAC
FILM SOUNDTRACKS : THE COURIER
DISCOGRAPHY BY TONY HARRIS, 2011
