Trident Studios
Encyclopedia
Trident Studios was a British
recording facility
, originally located at 17 St. Anne's Court
in London
's Soho
district. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield a drummer of former 1960's group The Hunters
and his Brother Barry.
The first major hit recorded at Trident was "My Name's Jack" by Manfred Mann
in March 1968, which launched its reputation. One of the many famous albums recorded at Trident was Lou Reed
's Transformer
, produced by David Bowie
, who in turn recorded many albums there including The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. Rick Wakeman
was the in-house session keyboard player at the time and can be heard on many recordings, including the classics "Life on Mars?
" and "Changes
".
The Sheffield brothers' relaxed attitude to audio engineering
and the studio's state-of-the-art recording equipment encouraged many artists to record there. In other studios, such as EMI/Abbey Road Studios
, the engineers still did most things "by the book".
, and employ an eight-track reel to reel
recording deck.
While Abbey Road still only used four-track, Trident's Ampex
eight-track machine drew The Beatles on 31 July 1968 to record "Hey Jude." (Abbey Road had taken delivery of a 3M
eight-track machine earlier in the year but declared it not yet suitable for use.) The White Album
tracks "Dear Prudence
", "Honey Pie
", "Savoy Truffle
" and "Martha My Dear
" were also recorded there. On 22 February 1969, The Beatles first recorded "I Want You (She's So Heavy)
" for the album Abbey Road. John Lennon
and Yoko Ono
later returned with The Plastic Ono Band
to record "Cold Turkey
" featuring Eric Clapton
on lead guitar.
Many Apple Records
artists used Trident Studios, including Billy Preston
, Mary Hopkin
, and James Taylor
. Some of George Harrison
's triple album, All Things Must Pass
, containing the hit "My Sweet Lord
", and Ringo Starr
's "It Don't Come Easy
", were also recorded there. Harry Nilsson
recorded "Without You" at Trident, and portions of several of his 1970s albums.
Other artists who were sent from Apple Records
to Trident, considering the limitation of the Apple studios at the time, were Harry Nilsson, Billy Preston, Mary Hopkin and James Taylor, as well as the four members of the Beatles for their solo projects.
. In 1972 Trident Studios started two record production companies, one of which (Neptune Productions) initially signed three artists, Mark Ashton, Eugene Wallace and Queen. The agreements with the artists were for recording and publishing but Queen had no management, so they insisted that Trident also took on that responsibility. Queen signed an agreement with Trident Recording, Publishing and Management, on 1 November 1972. Over the years there has been speculation regarding the Trident paying the band incredibly low wages and forcing the band to use studio time out of hours. According to Sheffield, the band was paid an initial advance of £6000 (£43,000 today) along with wages to each member of £25 a week in 1972 (£250 a week each today) rising to £60 a week in 1974 (£430 a week each today) plus tour expenditure, expenses, and costs.
Sheffield also claims the Management deal allowed the band full access to the studio's cutting edge facilities and supported them by providing the best producers and engineers - so long as the foundations of the bands first album Queen
were recorded 'off peak'. Although this turned the process of the recording into a longer process than everyone wanted, it allowed Queen access to the best of everything whilst balancing the risk to Trident.
After the album was completed the Sheffield brothers had great difficulty finding a record company to take on the album and release it due to Queen's very different sound at the time, and the fact that the band was called Queen and consisted of four men - something that was considered extremely edgy at the time. Finally, eight months later the brothers decided to take on the risk themselves and Queen released their self-titled first album under the Trident label in a license deal with EMI in the U.K. and Elektra in the USA. Trident subsequently released Queen II
, Sheer Heart Attack
and A Night at the Opera
under this arrangement. After the band left Trident they signed directly to EMI and Elektra.
consoles were originally built by and for Trident Studios. When word spread about this revolutionary new multi-track recording console design, other studios placed their orders and Trident Audio Developments was formed. Cherokee Studios
in Los Angeles was one of the early recipients of one of the first production models, and ultimately purchased three new from Trident and one from a broker at a later time. David Bowie
, Rod Stewart
, and Frank Sinatra
are among the early artists who first recorded hit records on Cherokee’s first 'A' Range console. With only 13 consoles ever built of this model, the Trident A Range has attained a near mythical status in the professional recording industry.
“Though it had a very limited run, the Trident A Range console gained a reputation for its very distinct and pleasant sound with a very “musical” EQ section. Along with channel strips from early Neve and Helios consoles, original Trident A Range modules have kept a healthy resale value and are much sought after by engineers who like to combine old-school analog gear with bleeding-edge digital recording technology.”
Trident also gained a reputation for the sound of its piano, which can be heard on The Beatles
' "Hey Jude
", Elton John's "Your Song
", and many other tracks. It was a handmade C. Bechstein
concert-sized instrument that was over one hundred years old. Its classic sound was much sought after, but after being restrung toward the end of Trident's history, the piano sounded 'brighter' and was not to everyone's taste.
at the studio, the single "My Name's Jack", launching Trident as a top professional studio. During the early 70s, some of the most reputed artists used the studios for their recordings, including Black Sabbath
, Elton John
, Marc Bolan
/T.Rex, Carly Simon
, Frank Zappa
, The Rolling Stones, Free
, The Plastic Ono Band, Lindisfarne
, Dusty Springfield
, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Krisma
, Jeff Beck
/Rod Stewart
and Joan Armatrading
, (with Pam Nestor
).
This period coincided with the incorporation of a young engineer called Ken Scott
, who would become one of the most reputed engineers and producers in the history of rock music with his involvement in David Bowie's albums Hunky Dory
(1971) and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972). Scott later gained an international reputation with numerous works, including Supertramp
's Crime of the Century (1974), Lou Reed
's Transformer
(1972), Devo
's Duty Now for the Future
(1980) and Jeff Beck
's There and Back
(1980).
Tony Stratton-Smith's Charisma Records
was also one of the most regular clients of the studios during the 70s. Genesis
recorded at Trident several of their most renowned albums there, including Trespass
(1970), Nursery Cryme
(1971) and A Trick Of The Tail
(1976). Other artists from the label who recorded at Trident were Van der Graaf Generator
, Peter Hammill
, Lindisfarne
and Peter Gabriel
. Charisma's first Van der Graaf Generator release The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other
was recorded at Trident 11-14 December 1969. Most of the album was recorded on 8 tracks
, but the last song "After The Flood" was recorded on 16. Trident was yet again among the first studios in the UK to obtain a 16-track machine.
Trident Studios was sold in December 1981. It was bought by its senior engineer, Stephen Short
, along with three other investors. In 1986, Short bought out the other investors and opened Trident 2.
The current residing business, Trident Sound Studios, was named in recognition of the original Trident Studios. Trident Studios originally occupied the whole five floors of the building, but today's studio comprises only the ground floor and basement.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
recording facility
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, originally located at 17 St. Anne's Court
St. Anne's Court
St. Anne's Court is an alleyway that connects Dean Street and Wardour Street in London's Soho district. Parts of it can be dated back to the late seventeenth century....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
district. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield a drummer of former 1960's group The Hunters
The Hunters (instrumental band)
The Hunters was a British instrumental, band from the early 1960s.The first major hit was Sweet Dreams" which reached No.29 in May 1960. The follow-up and most famous track "Teen Scene", their new Fontana release appeared during the same year and more recently found new success when featured as a...
and his Brother Barry.
The first major hit recorded at Trident was "My Name's Jack" by Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
in March 1968, which launched its reputation. One of the many famous albums recorded at Trident was Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
's Transformer
Transformer (album)
Transformer is the second studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in November 1972.-Background:Unlike its predecessor, Lou Reed, eight songs of which were written during his Velvet Underground days, Transformer contains mainly new material...
, produced by David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, who in turn recorded many albums there including The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
was the in-house session keyboard player at the time and can be heard on many recordings, including the classics "Life on Mars?
Life on Mars?
"Life on Mars?" is a song by David Bowie first released in 1971 on the album Hunky Dory. The song—which BBC Radio 2 later called "a cross between a Broadway musical and a Salvador Dalí painting"—featured guest piano work by keyboardist Rick Wakeman. When released as a single in 1973,...
" and "Changes
Changes (David Bowie song)
"Changes" is a song by David Bowie, originally released on the album Hunky Dory in December 1971 and as a single in January 1972. Despite missing the Top 40, "Changes" became one of Bowie's best-known songs. The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality, sexual ambiguity,...
".
The Sheffield brothers' relaxed attitude to audio engineering
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
and the studio's state-of-the-art recording equipment encouraged many artists to record there. In other studios, such as EMI/Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
, the engineers still did most things "by the book".
The Beatles and Apple Records
In mid 1968 Trident Studios were among the first in the UK to use Dolby noise reductionNoise reduction
Noise reduction is the process of removing noise from a signal.All recording devices, both analogue or digital, have traits which make them susceptible to noise...
, and employ an eight-track reel to reel
Reel to Reel
* For the audio technology, see "Reel-to-reel audio tape recording"Reel to Reel is the debut album by Grand Puba. It was Puba's first solo venture, following group projects with the likes of the short lived group Masters of Ceremony and Brand Nubian. Both of the group’s albums were critically...
recording deck.
While Abbey Road still only used four-track, Trident's Ampex
Ampex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
eight-track machine drew The Beatles on 31 July 1968 to record "Hey Jude." (Abbey Road had taken delivery of a 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
eight-track machine earlier in the year but declared it not yet suitable for use.) The White Album
The Beatles (album)
The Beatles is the ninth official album by the English rock group The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is also commonly known as "The White Album" as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed on its plain white sleeve.The album was written and recorded during a...
tracks "Dear Prudence
Dear Prudence
"Dear Prudence" is a song written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released by The Beatles as the second track on their 1968 double-disc album entitled The Beatles, commonly known as The White Album.-Composition:...
", "Honey Pie
Honey Pie
"Honey Pie" is a song by the Beatles, from their 1968 eponymous album The Beatles, also known as The White Album. Although credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was composed solely by Paul McCartney.-Interpretation:...
", "Savoy Truffle
Savoy Truffle
"Savoy Truffle" is a song written by George Harrison and performed by The Beatles on their album The Beatles, also known as The White Album.-Origin:...
" and "Martha My Dear
Martha My Dear
"Martha My Dear" is a Beatles song written by Paul McCartney , which first appeared on the double album The Beatles . McCartney is the only Beatle to appear on this track.-Style and form:...
" were also recorded there. On 22 February 1969, The Beatles first recorded "I Want You (She's So Heavy)
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
"I Want You " is a song by The Beatles, from their album Abbey Road. It was written by John Lennon, although credited to Lennon–McCartney....
" for the album Abbey Road. John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
later returned with The Plastic Ono Band
The Plastic Ono Band
The Plastic Ono Band is a conceptual supergroup formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 before the dissolution of the Beatles. Among the various other members of the band were Eric Clapton, artist Klaus Voormann, future Yes drummer Alan White, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, & friends, the Who's...
to record "Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1969 by the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records, catalogue Apples 1001 in the United Kingdom, Apple 1813 in the United States. It is the second solo single issued by Lennon, and it peaked at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #14 on...
" featuring Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
on lead guitar.
Many Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
artists used Trident Studios, including Billy Preston
Billy Preston
William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
, Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin , credited on some recordings as Mary Visconti, is a Welsh folk singer best known for her 1968 UK number one single "Those Were The Days". She was one of the first musicians to sign to The Beatles' Apple label....
, and James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
. Some of George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
's triple album, All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass is a triple album by George Harrison, recorded and released in 1970. The original vinyl release featured two LPs of rock songs as well as Apple Jam, a third LP of informal jams...
, containing the hit "My Sweet Lord
My Sweet Lord
"My Sweet Lord" is a song by former Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison from his UK number one hit triple album All Things Must Pass. The song was written in praise of the Hindu god Krishna...
", and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
's "It Don't Come Easy
It Don't Come Easy
"It Don't Come Easy" is a song by Ringo Starr released as an Apple Records single in April 1971, reaching number four in both the U.S. and UK singles charts. It was Starr's first solo single in the UK, but his second in the US , following the breakup of the Beatles...
", were also recorded there. Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
recorded "Without You" at Trident, and portions of several of his 1970s albums.
Other artists who were sent from Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
to Trident, considering the limitation of the Apple studios at the time, were Harry Nilsson, Billy Preston, Mary Hopkin and James Taylor, as well as the four members of the Beatles for their solo projects.
Queen
The history of the Sheffield brothers and Trident Studios is also linked to the early discovery and success of the band QueenQueen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
. In 1972 Trident Studios started two record production companies, one of which (Neptune Productions) initially signed three artists, Mark Ashton, Eugene Wallace and Queen. The agreements with the artists were for recording and publishing but Queen had no management, so they insisted that Trident also took on that responsibility. Queen signed an agreement with Trident Recording, Publishing and Management, on 1 November 1972. Over the years there has been speculation regarding the Trident paying the band incredibly low wages and forcing the band to use studio time out of hours. According to Sheffield, the band was paid an initial advance of £6000 (£43,000 today) along with wages to each member of £25 a week in 1972 (£250 a week each today) rising to £60 a week in 1974 (£430 a week each today) plus tour expenditure, expenses, and costs.
Sheffield also claims the Management deal allowed the band full access to the studio's cutting edge facilities and supported them by providing the best producers and engineers - so long as the foundations of the bands first album Queen
Queen (album)
Queen is the eponymous debut album by British rock group Queen, released in July 1973. It was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker , John Anthony and Queen....
were recorded 'off peak'. Although this turned the process of the recording into a longer process than everyone wanted, it allowed Queen access to the best of everything whilst balancing the risk to Trident.
After the album was completed the Sheffield brothers had great difficulty finding a record company to take on the album and release it due to Queen's very different sound at the time, and the fact that the band was called Queen and consisted of four men - something that was considered extremely edgy at the time. Finally, eight months later the brothers decided to take on the risk themselves and Queen released their self-titled first album under the Trident label in a license deal with EMI in the U.K. and Elektra in the USA. Trident subsequently released Queen II
Queen II
Queen II is the second album by British rock group Queen, released in March 1974. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London in August 1973 with co-producers Roy Thomas Baker and Robin Cable, and engineered by Mike Stone....
, Sheer Heart Attack
Sheer Heart Attack
Sheer Heart Attack is the third album by the British rock group Queen, released in November 1974. It was produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker and distributed by EMI in the United Kingdom, and Elektra in the United States....
and A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera may refer to:* A Night at the Opera , a Marx Brothers comedy film* A Night at the Opera , by rock band Queen...
under this arrangement. After the band left Trident they signed directly to EMI and Elektra.
The Legendary Trident 'A' Range Console
The legendary Trident A RangeTrident A Range
Trident A Range consoles were originally built by and for Trident Studios. When word spread about this revolutionary new multi-track recording console design, other studios placed their orders and Trident Audio Developments was formed. Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles was one of the early...
consoles were originally built by and for Trident Studios. When word spread about this revolutionary new multi-track recording console design, other studios placed their orders and Trident Audio Developments was formed. Cherokee Studios
Cherokee Studios
Cherokee Studios was a recording facility in Hollywood, founded in 1972 and closed in August 2007 to make way for a new building, after 35 years of operation under the Cherokee name as a well-renowned studio...
in Los Angeles was one of the early recipients of one of the first production models, and ultimately purchased three new from Trident and one from a broker at a later time. David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
are among the early artists who first recorded hit records on Cherokee’s first 'A' Range console. With only 13 consoles ever built of this model, the Trident A Range has attained a near mythical status in the professional recording industry.
“Though it had a very limited run, the Trident A Range console gained a reputation for its very distinct and pleasant sound with a very “musical” EQ section. Along with channel strips from early Neve and Helios consoles, original Trident A Range modules have kept a healthy resale value and are much sought after by engineers who like to combine old-school analog gear with bleeding-edge digital recording technology.”
Trident also gained a reputation for the sound of its piano, which can be heard on The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "Hey Jude
Hey Jude
"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song widely accepted as being written to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce—although this explanation is not...
", Elton John's "Your Song
Your Song
"Your Song" is a ballad composed and performed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by his long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin. It appeared on John's self-titled second album in 1970....
", and many other tracks. It was a handmade C. Bechstein
C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik
C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik AG is a German manufacturer of pianos, established in 1853 by Carl Bechstein.-Before Bechstein:...
concert-sized instrument that was over one hundred years old. Its classic sound was much sought after, but after being restrung toward the end of Trident's history, the piano sounded 'brighter' and was not to everyone's taste.
Other recordings
In March 1968 Manfred Mann recorded Trident's very first number oneHit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
at the studio, the single "My Name's Jack", launching Trident as a top professional studio. During the early 70s, some of the most reputed artists used the studios for their recordings, including Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
/T.Rex, Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
, Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, The Rolling Stones, Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
, The Plastic Ono Band, Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne (band)
Lindisfarne were a British folk/rock group from Newcastle upon Tyne established in 1970 and fronted by singer/songwriter Alan Hull. Their music combined a strong sense of yearning with an even stronger sense of fun...
, Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Krisma
Krisma
Krisma is an Italian musical New Wave - electronic group founded by Maurizio Arcieri and Christina Moser in 1976.- 1976-1979 :...
, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
/Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
and Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE is a British singer, songwriter and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee and has been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist...
, (with Pam Nestor
Pam Nestor
Pam Nestor is a former singer and lyricist who was active in the entertainment industry during the 1970s.-Early days:Pam Nestor was born in Berbice, Guyana, on 28 April 1948, and came to England in 1961. She auditioned for the musical Hair in 1969 and landed a part in it...
).
This period coincided with the incorporation of a young engineer called Ken Scott
Ken Scott
Ken Scott is an English record producer and recording engineer.-Career:Scott started at the age of 16 working in the tape library at Abbey Road Studios. He became a recording engineer working with such acts as The Beatles, Jeff Beck, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Procol Harum...
, who would become one of the most reputed engineers and producers in the history of rock music with his involvement in David Bowie's albums Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory is the fourth album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1971. It was Bowie's first release through RCA, which would be his label for the next decade...
(1971) and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972). Scott later gained an international reputation with numerous works, including Supertramp
Supertramp
Supertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...
's Crime of the Century (1974), Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
's Transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
(1972), Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
's Duty Now for the Future
Duty Now for the Future
-Compact disc releases:* The 1993 UK CD issue on Virgin paired this album with New Traditionalists and included Devo's cover of Allen Toussaint's "Working in the Coal Mine" from the movie Heavy Metal that was included in the original LP album release of New Traditionalists.* The 1995 US CD issue...
(1980) and Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
's There and Back
There and Back (Jeff Beck)
There & Back is an album by English guitarist Jeff Beck, released in 1980 on Epic Records. The first three tracks of the album featured keyboardist Jan Hammer, while the remaining tracks feature Tony Hymas on keyboards. Both keyboardists contributed compositions to the album, though Hymas shared...
(1980).
Tony Stratton-Smith's Charisma Records
Charisma Records
Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
was also one of the most regular clients of the studios during the 70s. Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
recorded at Trident several of their most renowned albums there, including Trespass
Trespass (album)
Trespass is the second studio album by Genesis and was recorded and released in 1970. Their last with guitarist Anthony Phillips, Trespass had a folk-flavoured progressive rock sound that was a marked departure from their earlier work....
(1970), Nursery Cryme
Nursery Cryme
Nursery Cryme is the third studio album by Genesis and was recorded and released in 1971. It is also the first album to feature the classic five-piece line-up of Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins and Steve Hackett; the latter two replacing John Mayhew and Anthony Phillips, on...
(1971) and A Trick Of The Tail
A Trick of the Tail
-B Side:*This is the first song in the Genesis catalogue to feature an ellipsis in its name, used to convey the mysteriousness of the track. All future issues of this track omit the elipsis, however....
(1976). Other artists from the label who recorded at Trident were Van der Graaf Generator
Van der Graaf Generator
Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester. They were the first act signed to Charisma Records. The band achieved considerable success in Italy during the 1970s...
, Peter Hammill
Peter Hammill
Peter Joseph Andrew Hammill is an English singer-songwriter, and a founding member of the progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. Most noted for his vocal abilities, his main instruments are guitar and piano...
, Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne (band)
Lindisfarne were a British folk/rock group from Newcastle upon Tyne established in 1970 and fronted by singer/songwriter Alan Hull. Their music combined a strong sense of yearning with an even stronger sense of fun...
and Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
. Charisma's first Van der Graaf Generator release The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other
The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other
The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other is the second album by the British progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. It was released in 1970. The album was reissued in re-mastered form, with two bonus tracks, in 2005....
was recorded at Trident 11-14 December 1969. Most of the album was recorded on 8 tracks
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
, but the last song "After The Flood" was recorded on 16. Trident was yet again among the first studios in the UK to obtain a 16-track machine.
Trident Studios was sold in December 1981. It was bought by its senior engineer, Stephen Short
Stephen Short
Stephen Short is a Grammy Award–winning record producer and operates Ping Pong Music, an artist management company. Many songs he has worked on have gone on to become chart-topping singles that have won Grammy Awards, Academy Awards, and Golden Globe Awards....
, along with three other investors. In 1986, Short bought out the other investors and opened Trident 2.
The current residing business, Trident Sound Studios, was named in recognition of the original Trident Studios. Trident Studios originally occupied the whole five floors of the building, but today's studio comprises only the ground floor and basement.
Discography
The Following list is a sample of work either recorded, mixed or mastered at Trident Studios between 1968 and 1981.| Artist | Title |
|---|---|
| Manfred Mann | My Name is Jack |
| Beatles | Hey Jude, White Album |
| James Taylor | James Taylor |
| T-Rex | Unicorn, Aerosol, T-Rex |
| David Bowie | Aladdin Sane, Space Oddity, The Man Who.., Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust |
| Jeff Beck | Beck-Ola, Wired |
| Queen | Queen, Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, A Night at the Opera |
| Elton John | Elton John, Tumbleweed, 17-11-70, Honky Chateau, Dont Shoot me.., Goodbye Yellow…, Rock Of The Westies |
| Genesis | Trespass, Nursery Cryme |
| T-Rex | T-Rex, Electric Warrior |
| Lindisfarne | Nicely Out Of Tune |
| Rolling Stones | Alladin Story |
| George Harrison | All Things Must.. |
| Harry Nilsson | Nilsson Schmillson, Son Of... |
| Lou Reed | Transformer |
| Carly Simon | No Secrets |
| Mot the Hoolple | All the Young Dudes |
| Joan Armatrading | Whatever's For.. |
| Bee Gees | Life In A Tin... |
| Free | Fire and Water |
| Billy Cobham | Spectrum |
| Chris Du Burgh | Far Beyond... |
| Supertramp | Crime of the Century |
| Thin Lizzy | Nightlife |
| Various | Peter & The Wolf |
| Genesis | A Trick Of The., Wind And…., Seconds Out, And Then... |
| Charlie | No Second CHance |
| Judas Priest | Stained Class |
| Peter Gabriel | Scratch (2) |