5 Legendary Recording Studios

1. Abbey Road - London, UK

Probably the most famous recording studio in the world due, in no small part, to the fact that The Beatles named an album after it. They recorded almost all their albums and singles there between 1962 and 1970 and are synonymous with the studio and it's nearby zebra crossing. But it wasn't just The Beatles who recorded here. Other famous recordings made here include;

• "Living Doll" - Cliff Richard
• "Apache" - The Shadows
• "Ghost Riders In The Sky" - The Scorpions
• "The Dark Side Of The Moon" - Pink Floyd
• "Duran Duran" - Duran Duran
• "The Bends" & "Kid A" - Radiohead

2. Hitsville USA - Detroit, Michigan, USA

In 1959 Berry Gordy bought this former photographer's studio and converted it into the headquarters for his Motown label along with the label's own studio. At it's peak it would stay open 22 hours a day, closing between 8am and 10am for maintenance. The house band known as "The Funk Brothers" are said to have played on more number-one records than The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined. Artists to have recorded here include Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson.

3. Muscle Shoals - Sheffield, Alabama, USA

Formed in 1969 when legendary session musicians Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson and David Hood, known as "The Swampers" left FAME Studios to create their own studio. Their distinctive accompaniments and arrangements have been heard on a number of legendary recordings, including those from Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Lynyrd Synyrd and more recently, The Black Keys. If you're wondering where you've heard about Muscle Shoals and The Swampers before then have another listen to Sweet Home Alabama

4. Studio One - Kingston, Jamaica

Studio One was founded by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd in the late 1950's and became known as the "Motown of Jamaica". It was hugely responsible for the catapulting of Jamaican music into the world scene. Through innovative producers like Dodd, Prince Buster and Lee "Scratch" Perry the studio oversaw the evolution of Ska to Reggae to Dancehall. Almost every Jamaican musician of note recorded here including The Skatalites, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Burning Spear, Toots & The Maytals, Delroy Wilson and Sugar Minott.


5. Hansa - Berlin, Germany 

Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin became legendary in the 1970's when David Bowie went there to record his album, "Heroes", with the help of Brian Eno. It became known as "Hansa by the Wall" or "The Great Hall by the Wall" in reference to the fact that it was right beside the city's infamous partition. It wasn't long before many of the big names in music flocked there to record. Some of those included Iggy Pop, U2, Nick Cave, Depeche Mode and in more recent years, Snow Patrol, Supergrass and REM.

Top 5 Bass Playing Lead Singers

#1

Sting (The Police)

His mother christened him Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner but we call him Sting. He got the name "Sting" from a member of one of the many jazz bands he played with in his pre-Police days. One day Sting came to a rehearsal in a black and yellow striped top which led to him being called "Stinger" - which eventually became "Sting." He was a ditch digger, a bus conductor and an English teacher before being invited to join The Police by Stewart Copeland. He's been known to play a fretless bass on occasion but is also the proud owner of a 150 year old upright bass.

#2

Paul McCartney (The Beatles)

Easily the most famous bass player on the list, if not the world, Paul shared lead vocals in The Beatles with John Lennon. It's doubtful that any non-guitar players would have heard of Hofner if it wasn't for his signature use of their 500/1 violin bass which has since become known as a "Beatle Bass". 

#3

Gene Simmons (Kiss)

Kiss's music never was or never will be as famous as their image. Four fully grown men dressed in studded leather and platform shoes with their faces painted to varying degrees of campness (their copyrighted makeup designs include The Starchild and The Catman). So what could Gene Simmons do to counter-balance this effeminacy? He had fake blood pouring out of his mouth and played a bass guitar that was in the shape of a huge axe!

#4

Lemmy (Motorhead)

Facial warts? Mutton chops? Huge Nazi memorabilia collection? Apparently none of these things have stopped Lemmy from sleeping with over 2000 women. As far as I can tell, the trick seems to be playing your bass guitar at the loudest possible levels through your amps which you have named "No Remorse", "Killer" and "Murder One".

#5

Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)

Have a listen to "Dancing In The Moonlight" below and try tell me that this man wasn't cool. This song completely encompasses everything that this list is about. When everything goes right, you can't get better than a bass-playing singer. In this song we hear one of the all time great opening basslines followed by absolutely perfect vocals.