Studio Tour

Metropolis Studios

15 exclusive video features

Grammy winning engineer Liam Nolan shows us around Studios A and B at Metropolis Studios, London. These two studios are the main recording rooms at the complex that many more associate with mixing and mastering studios.

Special thanks to everyone at Metropolis for giving us the tours, Emma Townshend for helping set this up and to Liam Nolan for being our guide!

Metropolis Studios website

Liam Nolan joined Metropolis as an assistant engineer in 2009 learning his trade with some of the greats including Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. In 2015 he engineered tracks from Adele’s chart topping album ‘25’ including the single ‘Hello’ which he won 2 Grammy’s in 2017. More recently, he’s been working closely with Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne and Calvin Harris.

Metropolis was possibly the last great recording studio be built in London. Featuring four main / large recording studios and mix rooms it's one of the most impressive mastering studios in the UK too with several leading mastering engineers based at the facility. A large number of smaller and private studios makes this one of the major studio hubs in Europe. Studio A, has a large live room , a dead room and a stone room (modelled on the classic Townhouse Studio Two stone room).

The control room is over 80 square meters with separate machine and amp rooms. The studio has been designed by Sam Toyashima to maximise sight lines and communication with floor to ceiling glass between all areas including control room and studios and large daylight windows. The studio also features an exclusive private lounge complete with kitchen and bathroom looking down on to all of the studio areas so even the most reclusive artists can be able to work in privacy. Studio A is the largest of the two main tracking rstudios at Metropolis. The bordering on huge control room houses an SSL 9072 J series console with PMC main monitors.

Studio A has been popular with the industry’s biggest most private stars such as Queen and George Michael who recorded Innuendo and Listen Without Prejudice albums. The live room is also used for concerts and album playbacks. Studio B is based around the classic SSL 4064 G Series console and features Genelec main monitoring. It has a very private feel and has its own private lounge and bathroom. The lounge can form an extension of the control room by opening the rear doors. The live area comprises a central live area surrounded by two spacious isolated areas that offer more controlled acoustics.

As well as being a great tracking room, Studio B is one of the most sought after mix rooms in London. Notable clients include; George Michael, The Stone Roses, U2, Elton John, The Verve, Rihanna and will.i.am. The facilities include an iconic range of dynamic tracking and mixing studios, the best mastering suites found anywhere in the world, a series of new writing and production rooms available for short and longterm lease, and other serviced spaces for rent currently occupied by the likes of Roland and Spotify.

Mastering Engineers featured at Metropolis Studios

Archive videos shot at Metropolis

Metropolis Studios Video Features

Studio A

Studio A features in a unique A/D converter shoot out with Cenzo Townshend, Stephen Street, Donal Hodgson, Sam Okell and many other leading producers and engineers.

Studio A

Shows the original Focusrite console - now replaced with an SSL J Series console but the room is pretty much as it is shown here - shot 1999. The Focusrite shown is now here. Low quality video.

Studio A

Record producer Richard Rainey is featured in Studio A which shows the room as it currently is equipped with an SSL J Series

Studio A

Record producer Tony Visconti video interview shot in Studio A in HD, coming soon.

Studio B

Adrian Hall features in a video shot in Studio B in October 2004. The SSL G Series console etc can be seen.

Studio C

The Neve VR Room. Low quality video.

Studio C will be featured in a new video interview here soon....

Studio D

Legendary record producer Gary Katz interviewed in Studio D, the SSL 4000E Series room - shot 2001, the room has since changed. Low quality video.

Studio D

Gary Langan, one of the founders of Metropolis Studios is interviewed by George Shilling in Studio D which shows the Icon that replaced the old SSL - shot in 2005. The Icon has now moved out of Studio D and the room is now a mastering suite.

Studio E

 

Legendary producer and engineer Ken Scott is interviewed in Studio E, this room is shown with the latest SSL K Series console - shot August 2004.

Studio E video 2

Shows the original J Series SSL console, now replaced with the K Series. The room is pretty much as seen here - shot 2000.

Studio E video 3

Interview with leading (and Grammy winning) Matt Howe - set in Studio E with the original J Series console - shot 2001/2.

Studio E video 4

Interview with Kevin Shirley, a legend in rock! Interview shot in Studio E August 2007.

The complex has featured in many TV programmes due to it's unique design and there have been stacks of pop videos shot in the studios too. The five main studios and mastering facilities are constantly evolving and our video tours and producer interviews recorded at Metropolis are getting left behind so a new guided video tour of the complex is planned for the Summer.

Metropolis studios london - Chief tech John Glodstraw seen in one of the mastering studios

Ex-Technical Manager, John Goldstraw, in one of the mastering studios

Metropolis Studios are located in Chiswick, West London, in a converted power station, space is therefore not a problem and in the days when this huge building was constructed, power stations were built to look good, impressive even! The studios were built in the late '80's to much amazement and industry 'buzz' due to the sheer scale of the new complex. Now, over a decade lader, the studios still retain a freshness and character unique to the UK's recording scene.

The videos below feature some of the industries greatest names, Gary Katz, Matt Howe and Ken Scott. The older videos are lower quality but are being re-edited to stream as broadband quality over the coming months.

Watch the Adrian Hall video interview shot at Metropolis Studios

Pictured above is engineer and record producer Adrian Hall seen in Studio B, the SSL G Series studio downstairs. Warch Adrian's video interview.

As a house engineer at Metropolis Studios from 1997 until 2004, Adrian had been a valuable member of the production team on many high-profile releases and coped with many demanding sessions. In addition, he has worked on a number of independent releases, producing the band involved, as well as handling tracking and mixing duties. Since going freelance, Adrian has formed a new production company, Chosen One Productions, to develop and nurture new talent.

Ken Scott - record producer - photo taken at Londons Metropolis Studios 2003

With a vast track record that spans engineering for the Beatles and Elton John to producing Supertramp and David Bowie, Ken Scott has an enormous wealth of experience. Possibly one of his best talents is to be sympathetic to an artists needs and this combined with his great personality suits both the established and young band or artist seeking a special and unique sound that will make them stand out from the crowd. Watch his archive video shot at Metropolis Studio E.

record producer tony visconti behind the ssl mixing desk at metropolis

Legendary record producer Tony Visconti talks on camera while at Metropolis in 2007.

record producer richard rainey at metropolis recording studios london

Richard Rainey featured in Metropolis Studio A talking about working with U2.

record producer gary langan video interview at metropolis recording studios london

Gary Langan pictured in Studio D - Gary was one of the founders of Metropolis Studios.

Metropolis studios entrance

For bookings call +44 (0) 208 742 1111 to arrange a visit.