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Battery Studios

Battery Studios is an independent recording studio complex in Willesden in northwest London originally established in 1980 when Zomba Group acquired Morgan Studios 3 and 4. The studios were later purchased by Flood (producer) and Alan Moulder and operated as Assault & Battery Studios. The studios have since assumed their original name and, since 2021 have been managed via a joint partnership between Miloco Studios, Flood and Moulder.

History[edit]

Zomba Group era (1980–2001)[edit]

Originally established in the early 1970s as Morgan Studio 3 and 4, the studios were purchased in 1980 by Zomba Group and re-named Battery Studios,^[1][2] initially catering to Jive and Zomba artists, but later also open to outside projects.^[3] Battery Studios in London featured a 32-track Mitsubishi recorder and Fairlight CMI sampling synthesizer workstations,^[3] and was the first of what would eventually become multiple Battery Recording Studios facilities operated by Zomba in London, New York City, Nashville, and Chicago.^[4] The new owners hired a team of "in-house producers" which included Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Martin Birch, Tony Platt,^[5] Chris Tsangarides and Nigel Green.^[6] Birch recorded such albums as Iron Maiden's Killers (1981),^[7] and The Number of the Beast (1982), as well as portions of Whitesnake's Saints & Sinners (1982) at the studio.^[7] Platt recorded Krokus' One Vice at a Time (1982). Lange recorded such notable albums as Def Leppard's High 'n' Dry (1981) and Pyromania (1982), as well as The Cars 1984 hit album Heartbeat City at the studio.^[3] Other albums recorded at Battery Studios in the 1980s include A Flock of Seagulls eponymous debut album, Whodini's self-titled album, Joan Armatrading's Secret Secrets (1985), Talk Talk's The Colour of Spring (1986),^[8] and The Stone Roses' debut studio album^[9][10]

In 1984, Billy Ocean and recorded his international breakthrough album Suddenly at Battery for Zomba subsidiary Jive Records. Ocean would return to the studios to record "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" hit song from The Jewel of the Nile Soundtrack, Love Zone (1986), and Tear Down These Walls (1988).^[2]

In 1991 Bryan Adams worked with Mutt Lange at the studio to produce Waking Up the Neighbours, and the following year The Tragically Hip worked with Chris Tsangarides to produce Fully Completely^[11]

In 2001, Zomba Group announced withdrawal from the recording business in the U.K., citing the growth of project studios and decreased demand from record labels for commercial studio services.^[12]

Assault & Battery (2005–2020)[edit]

In 2005, Flood and Alan Moulder purchased the former Morgan Studio 4, which they re-named Assault & Battery 1, outfitting it with a 72-channel Solid State Logic SL 4000 G+ acquired from Trent Reznor that had previously been in use at his New Orleans recording studio.^[2] Three years later, they purchased the former Morgan Studio 3, which they re-named Assault & Battery 2.^[13][14] This studio was remodeled and outfitted with a 60-channel Neve VR60 mixing console.^[15]

In 2012, Foals recorded Holy Fire at the studio with Flood, Moulder, and engineer Catherine Marks.^[16]

In 2019, Studio 2 was refurbished and equipped with the Cadac recording console used by Radiohead to record OK Computer.^[17]

Return to Battery Studios (2021–present)[edit]

In 2021, Miloco entered a joint partnership with Flood and Alan Moulder to manage the studios going forward, and returned the facilities to the original Battery Studios name.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Battery Studios official website