Roundhead Studios facts for kids
Roundhead Studios is a cool place in Auckland, New Zealand, where musicians go to record their songs. It's a special sound recording studio owned by the famous singer-songwriter Neil Finn. The studio officially opened in June 2007. But even before it was fully finished, many artists from around the world had already started using it!
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What is Roundhead Studios?
Roundhead Studios is a professional place where music is made. Think of it like a super high-tech room where bands and singers can record their voices and instruments. They use special equipment to make the sound perfect for their albums.
Who Records Music Here?
Lots of amazing musicians have recorded at Roundhead Studios. Some big names from other countries include the Australian band Augie March, American rapper Kanye West, and the British band Foals.
Many talented artists from New Zealand have also used the studio. These include Neil Finn's son, Liam Finn, along with Herriot Row, Eddie Rayner, Goldenhorse, Jan Hellriegel, the Topp Twins, and Tim Finn.
Special Live Shows
On July 13, 2007, Neil Finn brought his own band, Crowded House, to Roundhead. They played a live show for New Zealand radio right from the studio!
Charity Albums and More
Roundhead Studios was also where a special charity album called "The Sun Came Out" was recorded in 2009. This album helped Oxfam, a group that fights poverty. Many artists joined in, like members of Wilco, Johnny Marr, KT Tunstall, Phil Selway, Ed O'Brien, and Sebastian Steinberg. New Zealand artists like Don McGlashan, Bic Runga, and Neil Finn were also part of it.
After working on the charity album, members of the band Wilco stayed at Roundhead. They recorded the first songs for their seventh album, called Wilco (The Album), right there!
Inside the Studios
Roundhead has two main recording areas, called Studio A and Studio B.
Studio A's Special Console
Studio A has a very famous piece of equipment called a Neve console. This console was first built for the legendary band The Who! It used to be in a studio called Bearsville Studios in New York. This shows that Roundhead uses some really cool, historic gear.
Mixing Old and New Technology
At Roundhead, musicians can use both old-school and new-school recording tools. They have vintage analogue equipment, which uses older technology to capture sound. They also have modern digital recording equipment, which uses computers and new tech. This mix helps artists get exactly the sound they want.
The Name Roundhead
The name "Roundhead" has a cool history. Before this big studio opened, Neil Finn had a smaller home studio in Parnell that he also called Roundhead. Bands like Garageland and The Stereo Bus used that studio in the late 1990s.
The name and the logo for Roundhead Studios are inspired by something called the Round Head period. This was a time in history when people made special art with round-shaped heads.
