Odyssey Studios
Encyclopedia
Odyssey Studios was a recording studio based near Marble Arch
in London and opened in 1979. It was set up by Wayne Bickerton
as an extension from State Records
, the label he had set up with Tony Waddington and John Fruin in 1975. The studio closed in 1989 and the building was subsequently sold to Jazz FM
.
, Paul McCartney
, Kate Bush
, George Michael
and Spandau Ballet
. Below is a list of some albums recorded either in part or entirely at Odyssey Studios.
had an SSL 6000 52 Channel Desk which offered up to 48-track recording. It was constructed on the "floating" principle to ensure total sound insulation. Studio Two, which was a mixing suite - with capacity for 8 musicians - it had an SSL 6000 48 Channel Desk which offered up to 48 tracks of recording, or the capacity to mixdown. Upstairs there was a radio facility, which offered a studio and separate control room plus a lounge area.
Odyssey was one of the first studios to install a satellite link up which effectively turned the studio into a miniature radio station allowing the studio to broadcast any session live around the world.
Marble Arch
Marble Arch is a white Carrara marble monument that now stands on a large traffic island at the junction of Oxford Street, Park Lane, and Edgware Road, almost directly opposite Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park in London, England...
in London and opened in 1979. It was set up by Wayne Bickerton
Wayne Bickerton
Wayne Bickerton is an English songwriter, record producer, and music business executive. He became well known, with Tony Waddington, as writer and producer of a series of UK chart hits in the 1970s for The Rubettes, and is now a leading figure in SESAC, the Society of European Stage Authors &...
as an extension from State Records
State Records
State Records is a record label established by Wayne Bickerton, Tony Waddington and John Fruin in 1975. The label released hits by many successful artists including The Rubettes, Mac & Katie Kissoon and Delegation.-History:...
, the label he had set up with Tony Waddington and John Fruin in 1975. The studio closed in 1989 and the building was subsequently sold to Jazz FM
102.2 Jazz FM
102.2 Jazz FM was a local jazz and soul music station for London run by GMG Radio. The station was based and broadcast from Castlereagh Street in London to around 15.5 million people within the broadcasting area...
.
Albums Recorded at Odyssey
Through the 1980s many artists recorded at Odyssey Studios, these included Cliff RichardCliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
, George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
and Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
. Below is a list of some albums recorded either in part or entirely at Odyssey Studios.
| Artist | Title |
|---|---|
| Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range.... |
In Our Lifetime |
| Roger Daltry | Under A Raging Moon |
| Fashion | Twilight Of Idols |
| The Who The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction... |
Face Dances |
| Alison Moyet Alison Moyet Alison Moyet , is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her bluesy voice.Her UK album sales have reached a certified 2.3 million, with 800,000 singles sold, all in the UK, where all seven of her studio albums and three compilation albums have charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart,... |
Alf |
| Philip Lynott | The Philip Lynott Album |
Set-Up and Equipment
Studio One in Odyssey was 1,400 square feet and had room for 50 musicians, which meant it could facilitate orchestral recordings and could be used for other activities such as video shoots. The control roomControl room
A control room is a room serving as an operations centre where a facility or service can be monitored and controlled. Examples include:*in television production, the master control is the technical hub of a broadcast operation common among most over-the-air television stations, television networks...
had an SSL 6000 52 Channel Desk which offered up to 48-track recording. It was constructed on the "floating" principle to ensure total sound insulation. Studio Two, which was a mixing suite - with capacity for 8 musicians - it had an SSL 6000 48 Channel Desk which offered up to 48 tracks of recording, or the capacity to mixdown. Upstairs there was a radio facility, which offered a studio and separate control room plus a lounge area.
Odyssey was one of the first studios to install a satellite link up which effectively turned the studio into a miniature radio station allowing the studio to broadcast any session live around the world.