Other than private recording studios in the hands of music legends like UB40 and Ocean Colour Scene, Birmingham Studios have never really featured as a destination for the serious London recording musician. Circle Studios facility, with it’s four large live rooms, two control rooms featuring API and Neve desks and mastering room has well and truly changed all that. In the last year alone, for example, the complex has seen music industry legends such as Henry Rollins, Manowar, Mr Hudson and The Enemy working in the studio, has played host to three projects who have travelled from the US especially to use the facility, and undertaken music projects from the score of a Play Station Game to a Grammy nominated production! At the same time of course much maligned second-city Birmingham has itself, changed its look and it’s reputation with the opening of boutique retail outlet, The Mailbox, and The Bullring shopping centre. Not to mention the redevelopment of the canals area into a buzzing bar and restaurant area.
So, from ugly duckling to vibrant buzzing second city, Birmingham now attracts shoppers from London as a weekend destination. Given all of this, the thriving local music and arts scene, the increasing number of Michelin starred restaurants, the 60-80 minute train journey from London (dependent on the service you catch) it was no surprise to us to read the latest article from the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jan/06/lets-go-to-birmingham-city…
Question is, given all of the above, the renewed enthusiasm for good old fashioned ethos of recording in rooms that sound great and need no sample replacement with top of the line equipment and skilled engineers who know how to make a record sound truly great, how long before anyone from London other than the major labels wants to jump in on the action. Watch this space!