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AUDIO ONE RECORDING STUDIOS (FORMERLY TRIDENT)

  

THE SSL DESK IN STUDIO1
THE SSL DESK IN STUDIO1  PHOTO:RICHCOLOUR

 

After all these years, here it is. A webpage about Audio One recording studios :) Spread over six levels, Audio One was tucked away down an inconsequential Soho alleyway, between Wardour Street and Dean Street. The full address was Trident House, 17 St Annes Court, London W1V 3AW. Phone number 01 734-9901.

 

Trident House... you can't mention Audio One without adding the suffix 'formerly Trident'. It was in these studios that many classic albums and songs were recorded: David Bowie - Space Oddity & The Man Who Sold The World, The Beatles - Hey Jude, Elton John - all his 1970's albums, Queen - their first three albums. Plus many other respectable artists made music here, including Marc Bolan and T-Rex, Lou Reed, Supertramp, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, The Boomtown Rats, and The Rolling Stones.

 

Trident Studios were founded by Barry and Norman Sheffield, and opened in 1968. Here's a photo of the brothers, taken in the Marquee Cafe on 30th March 1990. We gathered here for drinks and chats on the final day of Audio One. Left to right: Audio One boss and co-owner Barry Ainsworth, Barry Sheffield, Roger Wake, Norman Sheffield, and Audio One co-owner Bill Foster (click for bigger).

 

BARRY AND NORMAN SHEFFIELD 30TH MARCH 1990
BARRY AND NORMAN SHEFFIELD 30TH MARCH 1990  PHOTO:RICHCOLOUR

 

TEABOY WANTED: £2 AN HOUR

 

8/8/88 was a special date for me. It's Monday morning and, after a brief interview with Barry Ainsworth, he hands me the keys to his recording studio. I start work straight away and make him a cup of tea. For the next few months I made a lot of tea and ran all round Soho. Occassionally they let me press the play and record buttons.

 

STUDIO3 - MIDI PRODUCTION ROOM
STUDIO3 THE MIDI PRODUCTION ROOM  PHOTO:RICHCOLOUR

 

1989 BROCHURE

 

Here's some good reading - the 1989 Audio One sales brochure. Everything you need to know about the place, and the talented people that worked here, in one handy PDF.

 

AUDIO ONE SALES BROCHURE 1989
CLICK FOR PDF

 

STUDIO TWO

 

STUDIO 2 APRIL 1990
STUDIO 2 APRIL 1990 PHOTO:RICHCOLOUR

 

Studio Two was located on the first floor. Exit the exciting lift into the seating area, turn left, walk past the loos and tape store, and through to the studio. The room is home to the Trident Series 80 desk, kept over from the Trident days. Continue through to the recording booth; here you'll find the usual mic stands, a Trinitron, and a Wurlitzer electric piano tucked away in the corner. The Trident Bechstein is well-known, but it's intriquing to know if this little keyboard was featured on any noteworthy records.

 

A familiar sight here would be Rowan and Tim working the console and Studers, in session with commerical music maestros Charlie and Tony from Candle Music. It was impressive how fast and focussed these guys worked together. In the time it's taken me to write this paragraph they would have recorded the jingle and VO, edited it down to 29.5 seconds, and it would be playing on Capital at drivetime.

 

STUDIO2 AUDIO ONE BROCHURE 1989
STUDIO2 AUDIO ONE BROCHURE 1989  PHOTO:TREETOP DESIGN

 

BONUS VIEWING

 

There'll be more recollections on this page soon, so pop back around March and have a look. Would be great if you can add some of your own thoughts - please do get in touch. But for now, here are some bonus views of Audio One / Trident. Cheers! - Rich

 

A clip from the BBC's One Show in May 2011, showing St Annes Court, and the front of the studios. Credits: BBC and TridentSoundStudios

 

From the same clip, a view inside the Studio One room. Credits: BBC and TridentSoundStudios

 

A view of the staircase down to the live area, which a piano fell down. Credit: Er Indoors

 

ME AT THE SSL
ME AT THE SSL  PHOTO:TIM LITTLE

 

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