Real World Studios
51°25′08″N 2°15′09″W / 51.4189°N 2.2525°W
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio founded by Peter Gabriel and situated in the village of Box, Wiltshire, England, near to the city of Bath. It is closely associated with the Real World Records record label and WOMAD music festival.
History
In 1986, when Peter Gabriel had finished the album So, he decided it was time to move from Ashcombe House to a permanent recording facility. The most important thing about the location for Gabriel was to be close to water. Gabriel, David Stallbaumer and Mike Large looked at several sites - usually old mills - in the Bath area. The Real World site had the size and space they wanted, a river and was situated in a beautiful part of the world, accessible from London with the city of Bath less than 8 miles (13 km) away.[1]
The 200 year old Box Mill (also known as Pinchin's Mill) is a water mill on the By Brook. In 1864 it was part of the Box Brewery owned by the Pinchin family who in that year closed their Northgate Brewery at Pulteney Bridge in Bath. In 1867 it was described as a corn mill and malthouse. The mill was bought from Spafax in 1987 by Gabriel. It was converted and an additional building ('The Big Room') was added. The architects were Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. The new complex provides both studio and accommodation space.[2][3]
Description
The studio's 2,000 sq ft Big Room houses an SSL XL 9000 K mixing console, with additional outboard equipment surrounding the room. The Big Room is, unusually for a recording studio, designed to be one big collaborative recording space, without dividing walls and also houses two isolation booths. Adjoining the Big Room and within the old mill building is the Wood Room. This room features a more lively acoustic and a booth, mezzanine floor and movable acoustic screens. The rooms can be booked together for a larger recording space, or independently for smaller or more budget-friendly projects.[4]
The Big Room was later equipped to accommodate re-recording mixing for film and television projects. With a foley stage and ADR room, Real World Studios has been host to film and TV projects including Quantum of Solace, The Golden Compass, Green Zone and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The complex also houses a large rehearsal room, a foley studio, surround-sound 7.1 mixing studio with dubbing facilities, kitchen/dining room (with an on-site chef) and accommodation including a production cottage.
Artists
Artists including Björk, Fuat Güner,[5] Marillion, Super Furry Animals, Manic Street Preachers, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Muse, Laura Marling, Crowded House, Take That, Sade, New Order, Tom Jones, Starsailor, Stereophonics, Kylie Minogue, Patrick Wolf, Placebo, Ludovico Einaudi, Anna Calvi, Paloma Faith, Robert Plant, Birdy, BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Young Guns, Van Morrison, Brian Eno, Loreena McKennitt, Ray LaMontagne, Rudimental, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Vanessa Carlton, The Wanted, Natasha Bedingfield, Marina and the Diamonds, Dappy, The Beautiful South, Joss Stone, Bløf, The B-52s, Natalie Duncan, A-ha, Bernard Fanning and Elbow have used the studio complex.[6] Guy Garvey also recorded his debut solo album Courting the Squall at the studios.[7]
References
- ^ "Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios clean up with iZotope's RX". timespace.com. 2015-05-21. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
- ^ http://fcbstudios.com/work/view/real-world-studios
- ^ https://thespaces.com/2015/05/02/striking-a-chord-recording-studios-that-sync-design-and-function/
- ^ "Home". Real World Studios. Retrieved 2017-03-17.
- ^ "Fuat Güner...YOLCU... İNGİLTERE`DE HEM ALBÜM YAPACAK, HEM KONSER VERECEK!." magazinkolik (in Turkish). Retrieved 2015-10-11.
- ^ "Clients". Real World Studios. Retrieved 2017-03-17.
- ^ Mesure, Rob (31 October 2015). "Guy Garvey – Courting The Squall". musicOMH. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
External links
