Sol Studios

Sol Studios (also known as The Mill or The Sol) is a recording studio located in Cookham, Berkshire, England. The recording studio and control room are part of the complex property, along an old watermill and residential wheelhouse in the countryside.^[1] The property was bought in 1975 by Gus Dudgeon, and the recording studio was built in the early 1980s.^[1] It was temporary acquired by the Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, when the studio reverted to its old name "The Sol",^[1] and finally in the late 1980s was sold to Chris Rea, which he owned until 2006.^[2]

History

Artists known to have recorded and records been produced at Sol Studios include:^[3]

In 1977, the first music artist to record in the studio was the Dutch band Solution with Fully Interlocking (produced by Dudgeon). In the same year was recorded the single "Almost Gone" by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. In 1978 was recorded one song by Larry Smith, and the album Back and Fourth by Lindisfarne. In the same year there was recorded the Elton John's album A Single Man and some unreleased tracks, as well the Chris Rea's debut album Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? and in 1979 the second Deltics. In 1979 was also recorded the Shooting Star's self-titled debut album, and two Voyager's albums Halfway Hotel (1979) and Act of Love (1980).

In 1980, the Irish band The Boomtown Rats, as well Mary Wilson, recorded several unreleased tracks, Elkie Brooks her best-selling album Pearls, Gilbert O'Sullivan album Off Centre. In 1981 Mick Fleetwood mixed his solo album The Visitor, and Bill Wyman his soundtrack Green Ice and single "Je suis un rock star". In 1982 the band Vandenberg recorded their debut album, Wishbone Ash their album Twin Barrels Burning, and Twisted Sister their 1983 major label debut You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll.^[4]

The Led Zeppelin songs "Poor Tom" and "We're Gonna Groove", which were originally recorded in 1970, were produced by Page at Sol Studios for release on the 1982 album Coda.^[5] Page also recorded the soundtrack for the film Death Wish II at the studios.^[6] Page's band The Firm recorded its self-titled debut album there in 1984, the album being released the following year. The Firm's subsequent album, Mean Business, was also recorded at Sol Studios, as was Page's 1988 solo album, Outrider.

Elton John there recorded Ice on Fire in 1985, as well his subsequent album Leather Jackets released in 1986. In 1989, Jeff Beck recorded and rehearsed the album Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop, for which he received a Grammy award. Since 1989 or very early 1990s, the studio was in the property of Chris Rea until 2006, and there he co-recorded many of his songs and albums until 2006. In 2006 a Bonhams auction sold the Yamaha C7 piano which was used for the The Road to Hell, The Blue Cafe, Stony Road, La Passione and Blue Guitars.^[7]

References

Sources

• "The Mill Recording Studio". Retrieved 26 March 2015.