Rockfield Studios facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Industry	Music
Founded	1963; 62 years ago (1963)
Founder	Kingsley and Charles Ward
Headquarters	Rockfield , Wales

Rockfield Studios is a famous place where musicians go to record their songs. It's a special kind of recording studio because bands can also live there while they work. It's located in the beautiful Wye Valley in Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Wales. Two brothers, Kingsley and Charles Ward, started it in 1963.

Recording Studios: Where the Magic Happens

Rockfield has two main recording areas, called The Coach House and The Quadrangle. Both of these studios used to be old farm buildings made of stone. Rockfield was one of the very first recording studios in the world to offer a place for musicians to stay. This means bands could live and work there without needing to find a separate hotel.

The Coach House: A Place for Big Sounds

The entrance to the studios

The Coach House was built in 1968. It has a large room with stone walls and a wooden ceiling, perfect for recording. There's even a Yamaha grand piano inside. It also has special rooms for drums and other instruments to make sure the sound is just right. Many famous artists have recorded here, including Oasis, Bullet for My Valentine, Sepultura, Simple Minds, and Opeth.

The Quadrangle: Home of a Rock Anthem

The Quadrangle was built in 1973. It's even bigger than The Coach House, with lots of space for recording. It has a Bösendorfer grand piano and special drum rooms. This studio is super famous because the band Queen recorded their legendary song "Bohemian Rhapsody" here! Other amazing artists like Manic Street Preachers, Robert Plant, and Coldplay have also used The Quadrangle.

History: How a Farm Became a Music Hub

Starting Small: The Ward Brothers' Dream

The Ward family bought Amberley Court Farm in Rockfield in the early 1950s. It was a regular farm with pigs and cows. But brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward loved music. Charles bought an acoustic guitar for £5 and started playing rock and roll.

In 1960, they formed a band and even tried to get a record deal. They met a famous producer named George Martin (who later worked with The Beatles!). He didn't sign them, but he was impressed because they brought their own tape recorder.

The brothers later set up a small studio in their attic. They called it Future Sounds Ltd and recorded local bands for just £5.

First Big Hits and Famous Bands

In 1963, the Ward brothers turned an old farmhouse into a proper recording studio. They used special equipment and even lined the walls with feed bags to make the sound better! In 1965, Rockfield became the world's first "residential" studio. This meant bands could come, stay, and record in the peaceful countryside.

The first huge hit recorded at Rockfield was "I Hear You Knocking" by Dave Edmunds in 1970. In the 1970s, many rock bands came to Rockfield. Queen recorded parts of their album A Night at the Opera and the famous song "Bohemian Rhapsody" here in 1975. This album became a massive success! Other bands like Motörhead and Flamin' Groovies also recorded their music at Rockfield.

Keeping the Music Alive

As music changed in the 1990s, with more electronic sounds, recording studios faced new challenges. Rockfield also had more competition. The Ward brothers decided to split the farm, with Kingsley keeping Rockfield and Charles starting another studio nearby.

Rockfield faced tough times financially. But then, a friend suggested recording a new band from Manchester called The Stone Roses. They stayed at Rockfield for 14 months to record their first two albums. This helped save the studio! Their success brought even more bands, including Oasis.

Between 1996 and 1997, Rockfield was incredibly busy. Five albums recorded there became number one hits in the UK! These included albums by Oasis, Ash, and The Charlatans.

In 2020, a documentary film called Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm was shown on BBC Four, telling the amazing story of the studio. Sadly, Charles Ward, one of the founders, passed away in 2022.

Artists Who Recorded at Rockfield

Many, many artists have recorded their music at Rockfield Studios over the years. Here are some of them:

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s/2020s

See also

In Spanish: Estudios Rockfield para niños