Rock Legends at Rockfield

Opening in the 1960s on a farm in the Welsh countryside, the music recording studio Rockfield has seen rock legends record some of the best-known albums of the past 50 years. Black Sabbath, Queen, Rush, Motörhead, Robert Plant, Simple Minds, Oasis, and Coldplay are just a sampling of some of the artists who recorded there. Music journalist Collins (Stuart Cable: From Cwmaman to the Stereophonics and Beyond) documents the history of this venerable studio through extensive reminiscences from musicians, producers, and studio workers. Known as a residential studio—one that band members can live in while they work—Rockfield’s rural setting contrasts with studios in metropolitan areas, with its very atmosphere sometimes aiding in the creative process. This book includes many oral remembrances of artistic creation, along with tales of the hijinks and the internecine dramas that occurred in the studio over the decades.

CORRECTION: This review originally listed the wrong publisher; the book is published by Calon/University of Wales Press. LJ regrets the error.