Olympic Studios, London, UK
Olympic Studios is one of those names which doesn’t conjure up images of a famous recording history in the same way that Abbey Road does, for example. However, for forty or so years before it finally closed in 2009, Olympic Studios was one of the most prolific and successful production facilities in the UK.
The studios location in Barnes, South West London, has been the best known home of Olympic, but for several years prior to that it had been located in a disused synagogue in the West End. Angus McKenzie was the owner and driving force behind the project and together with Richard Swettenham and Keith Grant, ensured that the studio equipment was top notch. Much of it they hand built themselves and the in 1960 the studio featured the world’s first transistorised music desk.
During the period between 1960 and the move to Barnes in 1965, the list artists who recorded at the facility reads like a roll call of all the most famous contemporary figures. The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Jimi Hendrix Experience all recorded here during this period,as did The Troggs with Wild Thing.
With the expiration of the lease in 1965, McKenzie’s involvement with the studio ended after he was bought out by Keith Grant and Cliff Adams. Everything was moved to the new location at Barnes and recording recommenced with an equally impressive list of performers. The Rolling Stones continued to record there. producing their next six albums at the facility. the Beatles also made an appearance during a break from Abbey Road. From the late sixties into the seventies, some of the artists working there included The Small Faces, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Queen. Scores were also recorded for The Italian Job and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, amongst others.
Virgin Media acquired the studio in 1987 and refitted the out-dated venue with a new setup. Throughout the 1980s, many if the new romantic bands recorded there as well as other contemporary artists such as Fine Young Cannibals and The Cult. The 1990s and 2000s continued in much the same way, featuring artists such as Transvision Vamp, Simple Minds and INXS.
In 2008, following the merger of EMI and Virgin, the studio announced it was shutting down and in February 2009, it locked its doors for the last time, marking the end of piece of UK recording history.