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| Battery Studios | |
|---|---|
| Name | Battery Studios |
| Location | New York City; London |
| Founded | 1970s |
| Founder | Andy Kershaw; ??? |
| Notable clients | see article |
Battery Studios is a recording studio complex with notable locations in New York City and London that served rock music and hip hop artists, producers, and engineers across several decades. The facility became associated with landmark sessions by acts connected to Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Records. Battery Studios' facilities hosted collaborations involving prominent figures from Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Jay-Z, Nirvana, and Adele-era networks.
Battery Studios opened amid the expansion of commercial recording infrastructure in the late 20th century, intersecting with the rise of punk rock, disco, hip hop, and alternative rock. Its New York and London sites developed alongside studios such as Electric Lady Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Sunset Sound, and Trident Studios. Over time the studio worked with labels like Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, Atlantic Records, Columbia Records, and Universal Music Group, while engineers connected with Grammy Awards nominations and collaborations involving Tony Visconti, Rick Rubin, Phil Spector, and Brian Eno-associated projects. The studio's lifespan intersected with industry shifts driven by the proliferation of Pro Tools, the rise of compact disc distribution, and the later dominance of digital audio workstations favored by artists signed to RCA Records and Sony Music Entertainment.
Battery Studios furnished multiple control rooms and live rooms comparable to those at Abbey Road Studios and Sunset Sound, equipped with analog consoles influenced by designs from Neve Electronics and SSL (Solid State Logic). Microphone collections included models from Neumann, Shure, AKG, and Sennheiser, while outboard gear featured units by Universal Audio, API, Lexicon, and Eventide. Tape machines from Studer and Ampex were used during the analog era, complemented later by digital setups running Pro Tools hardware and software alongside instruments such as Yamaha grand pianos and Fender and Gibson electric guitars. The studio maintained isolation booths and dedicated spaces for orchestral sessions used by producers working with London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and session players associated with Motown Records and Blue Note Records.
Battery Studios hosted sessions for artists spanning genres and labels, including performers who collaborated with Def Jam Recordings, Island Records, Epic Records, and Virgin Records. Acts who recorded there ranged from Madonna-era pop acts and The Rolling Stones-adjacent rock bands to Jay-Z-linked hip hop artists and Nirvana-era alternative groups. Pop and R&B figures with links to Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group also used the facility for tracking, overdubs, and mixing. The studio was a choice location for soundtrack work tied to films from Warner Bros. Pictures and Universal Pictures, and for television themes aired on BBC and HBO.
Producers, mixers, and engineers who worked at Battery Studios included professionals associated with Rick Rubin, Phil Ramone, Tony Visconti, Brian Eno, and Mark Ronson-style networks. Staff engineers often had credits on records released by Atlantic Records, Columbia Records, EMI, and Island Records, and collaborated with session musicians from unions linked to Musicians' Union (UK) and American Federation of Musicians. Management and technical teams coordinated with instrument technicians from Gibson, Fender, and amplification specialists tied to Marshall Amplification for guitar-centric sessions. Mastering engineers who prepared final masters often worked at facilities related to Abbey Road Studios' mastering suites and independent mastering houses serving Warner Music Group and independent labels.
Battery Studios' ownership and business arrangements shifted over time in line with consolidation trends seen at Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment. Leasing agreements and client relationships reflected partnerships with major labels such as Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, Atlantic Records, and independent imprints connected to XL Recordings and 4AD. The studio engaged in commercial licensing for synchronization deals with film studios like Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures and negotiated session rates influenced by unions including the American Federation of Musicians. Investment and refurbishment rounds paralleled capital projects undertaken by peers like Electric Lady Studios and Abbey Road Studios to accommodate digital recording workflows.
Recording projects at Battery Studios contributed to releases that charted on lists compiled by Billboard and that received accolades such as Grammy Awards, BRIT Awards, and placement in retrospectives by Rolling Stone and NME. The studio's sessions influenced production techniques later discussed in texts from Sound on Sound and Mix Magazine, and its engineers participated in workshops at institutions like Berklee College of Music and Royal College of Music. Battery Studios' role in bridging analog recording traditions with digital production workflows paralleled developments at Abbey Road Studios and Electric Lady Studios, shaping output for artists associated with Def Jam Recordings, Island Records, Universal Music Group, and independent labels.
Category:Recording studios