Mayfair Studios: Difference between revisions
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'''Mayfair Recording Studios''' was a [[recording studio]] in London, England, which was in operation from the 1960s until 2008. |
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== Background == |
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Prior to 1975, the studio was called '''Spot Studios''' owned by Ryemuse Ltd and was located at 64 South Molton St, Mayfair, above the chemist shop. John Hudson<ref name="mayfairstudios.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.mayfairstudios.com |title=John Hudson: Mayfair Studios |publisher=Mayfairstudios.com |date= |accessdate=2012-12-04}}</ref> worked there as chief engineer joining the company from [[BBC Television]], where he was employed in presentation broadcasting live sound for programmes such as ''Jimi Hendrix Color Me Pop'' and ''[[Match of the Day]]''. Through the early 1970s, Hudson was the engineer on many hit records to come out of Mayfair Studios including "[[Vienna (Ultravox song)|Vienna]]" by [[Ultravox]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultravox.org.uk/ |title=Ultravox Official Website |publisher=Ultravox.org.uk |date=2012-09-25 |accessdate=2012-12-04}}</ref> "[[Fade to Grey (Visage song)|Fade to Grey]]" by [[Visage (band)|Visage]] and "[[Making Your Mind Up]]" by [[Bucks Fizz (band)|Bucks Fizz]]. A fuller list of Mayfair's 30 years of hit records is available.<ref name="mayfairstudios.com"/> |
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The studio, located at 64 South Molton Street in the [[Mayfair]] area of the [[West End of London]], was originally established in the late 1950s by jazz composer and saxophonist [[John Dankworth|Johnny Dankworth]] as '''Ryemuse Studios'''. In 1968, a company called Spot Productions opened offices in the same building and began using the studio extensively, leading to the studio sometimes being referred to as '''Spot Studios'''.<ref name="MasseyH">{{cite book |last1=Massey |first1=Howard |title=The Great British Recording Studios |date=2015 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |location=Lanham, Maryland, US |isbn=978-1-4584-2197-5 |pages=236-238}}</ref> John Hudson worked there as the chief engineer, having joined the company from [[BBC Television]], where he was involved in presentation, broadcasting live sound for programmes such as ''[[Colour Me Pop]]'' and ''[[Match of the Day]]''. Throughout the early 1970s Hudson served as the engineer for numerous hit records produced at the studios.<ref name="mayfairstudios.com">{{cite web |title=John Hudson: Mayfair Studios |url=http://www.mayfairstudios.com |publisher=Mayfair Studios |access-date=4 December 2012}}</ref> |
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== History == |
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In 1977, John Hudson and his wife Kate took over the management of the studio |
In 1971, Ryemuse/Spot officially changed its name to Mayfair Studios.<ref name=MasseyH/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://onthehill.info/2016/03/mayfair-recording-studio-primrose-hill/ |title=What's Primrose Hill got to do with it? |date=3 March 2016 |work=On the Hill |publisher=Primrose Hill Community Association |access-date=18 December 2022}}</ref> In 1977, John Hudson and his wife Kate took over the management of the studio, and bought the company two years later. In 1980, faced with the impending sale of the studio's current location on South Molton Street, the Hudsons found a new site on Sharpleshall Street in the [[Primrose Hill (district)|Primrose Hill district]], to where they relocated the studio. The new studios were designed primarily by John Hudson, with input from other studio designers such as [[Eddie Veale]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vealea.com/ |title=VA - Sound Studio Design: Music, Recording, Radio, TV, Post Production |publisher=Vealea.com |access-date=4 December 2012}}</ref> and [[Ken Shearer]], acoustic consultant for the [[Royal Albert Hall]]. Additionally, [[Jim Crockett]] of Crockett Associates calculated and planned the sound isolation for studio one and reception. Initially the new complex consisted of just two studios, but eventually grew to six studios over Mayfair's 30 years in business. |
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[[File:Purple sofa logo.jpg|width200|border|right|alt=alt text|Mayfair's iconic logo]] |
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During the first week of Mayfair Studio's operation in its new location in April 1980, there were five records in the ''[[Music Week]]'' chart that had been recorded by Hudson at the studios' previous location.<ref name="Music Week">{{cite news |title=Music Week singles charts April 1980|url=http://www.musicweek.com/|newspaper=[[Music Week]]|date=16 April 2011}}</ref> That success carried over to the new studio complex at Primrose Hill and was the beginning of a 30-year success story. The business eventually expanded to become a {{convert|12,000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} complex housing Mayfair's Studio 1, Studio 2 and Studio 3, as well as three writing/production rooms. These rooms were occupied by writers, producers and artists such as Matt Rowe ([[Spice Girls]]), the writing/production team of [[Robbie Williams]]/[[Guy Chambers]], and [[Herbert Grönemeyer]], a successful German singer, actor and composer. A long list of hit records were recorded by an array of producers and artists over the years. |
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The studios closed in December 2008. A book titled ''What’s Mayfair Got to Do With It?''<ref>{{cite web|url= |
The studios closed in December 2008. A book by Kate Hudson titled ''What’s Mayfair Got to Do With It?''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Mayfair-Got-Recording-financial/dp/1449977731 |title=What's Mayfair Got to do With It: Mayfair Recording Studios' journey through the financial meltdown: Kate Hudson: 9781449977733: Amazon.com: Books |publisher=Amazon.com |access-date=2012-12-04}}</ref> was written about the reasons for the closure. These included insurance companies not paying legitimate claims, plus lawyers and accountants not meeting responsibilities, with the net result being chaos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prosoundnewseurope.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1036 |title=whoops | Sound & Audio Industry News | PSNE |publisher=Prosoundnewseurope.com |access-date=2012-12-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.recordproduction.com/mayfair-recording-studios.html |title=Mayfair recording studios in London England |publisher=Recordproduction.com |date=2006-10-14 |access-date=2012-12-04}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Notable artists and musicians such as [[Bucks Fizz]], [[Gary Glitter]], [[Tina Turner]], [[Cliff Richard]], [[The Clash]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[Bee Gees]], [[Blur (band)|Blur]], [[Nigel Kennedy]] and [[Kroke]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Nigel-Kennedy-And-Kroke-Band-The-East-Meets-East/release/1054025 |title=Nigel Kennedy And Kroke Band, The* - East Meets East (CD, Album) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2003-06-10 |access-date=2012-12-04}}</ref> and [[The Smiths]] recorded music at Mayfair. A list of Mayfair's 30 years of hit records is available.<ref name="mayfairstudios.com"/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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* {{Official website|http://www.mayfair-studios.co.uk/}} |
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[[Category:Recording studios in London]] |
[[Category:Recording studios in London]] |
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Revision as of 19:56, 26 December 2023
Mayfair Recording Studios was a recording studio in London, England, which was in operation from the 1960s until 2008.
Background
The studio, located at 64 South Molton Street in the Mayfair area of the West End of London, was originally established in the late 1950s by jazz composer and saxophonist Johnny Dankworth as Ryemuse Studios. In 1968, a company called Spot Productions opened offices in the same building and began using the studio extensively, leading to the studio sometimes being referred to as Spot Studios.[1] John Hudson worked there as the chief engineer, having joined the company from BBC Television, where he was involved in presentation, broadcasting live sound for programmes such as Colour Me Pop and Match of the Day. Throughout the early 1970s Hudson served as the engineer for numerous hit records produced at the studios.[2]
History
In 1971, Ryemuse/Spot officially changed its name to Mayfair Studios.[1][3] In 1977, John Hudson and his wife Kate took over the management of the studio, and bought the company two years later. In 1980, faced with the impending sale of the studio's current location on South Molton Street, the Hudsons found a new site on Sharpleshall Street in the Primrose Hill district, to where they relocated the studio. The new studios were designed primarily by John Hudson, with input from other studio designers such as Eddie Veale[4] and Ken Shearer, acoustic consultant for the Royal Albert Hall. Additionally, Jim Crockett of Crockett Associates calculated and planned the sound isolation for studio one and reception. Initially the new complex consisted of just two studios, but eventually grew to six studios over Mayfair's 30 years in business.
During the first week of Mayfair Studio's operation in its new location in April 1980, there were five records in the Music Week chart that had been recorded by Hudson at the studios' previous location.[5] That success carried over to the new studio complex at Primrose Hill and was the beginning of a 30-year success story. The business eventually expanded to become a 12,000 sq ft (1,100 m2) complex housing Mayfair's Studio 1, Studio 2 and Studio 3, as well as three writing/production rooms. These rooms were occupied by writers, producers and artists such as Matt Rowe (Spice Girls), the writing/production team of Robbie Williams/Guy Chambers, and Herbert Grönemeyer, a successful German singer, actor and composer. A long list of hit records were recorded by an array of producers and artists over the years.
The studios closed in December 2008. A book by Kate Hudson titled What’s Mayfair Got to Do With It?[6] was written about the reasons for the closure. These included insurance companies not paying legitimate claims, plus lawyers and accountants not meeting responsibilities, with the net result being chaos.[7][8]
Notable artists and musicians such as Bucks Fizz, Gary Glitter, Tina Turner, Cliff Richard, The Clash, Pink Floyd, Bee Gees, Blur, Nigel Kennedy and Kroke,[9] and The Smiths recorded music at Mayfair. A list of Mayfair's 30 years of hit records is available.[2]
References
- ^ a b Massey, Howard (2015). The Great British Recording Studios. Lanham, Maryland, US: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 236–238. ISBN 978-1-4584-2197-5.
- ^ a b "John Hudson: Mayfair Studios". Mayfair Studios. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "What's Primrose Hill got to do with it?". On the Hill. Primrose Hill Community Association. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ "VA - Sound Studio Design: Music, Recording, Radio, TV, Post Production". Vealea.com. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Music Week singles charts April 1980". Music Week. 16 April 2011.
- ^ "What's Mayfair Got to do With It: Mayfair Recording Studios' journey through the financial meltdown: Kate Hudson: 9781449977733: Amazon.com: Books". Amazon.com. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "whoops | Sound & Audio Industry News | PSNE". Prosoundnewseurope.com. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Mayfair recording studios in London England". Recordproduction.com. 14 October 2006. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Nigel Kennedy And Kroke Band, The* - East Meets East (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 10 June 2003. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
External links
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