Music Labyrinth Episode 100
CAPITOL STUDIOS - ROB
Angie Baby / Helen Reddy (1974)
Hello Listener, and welcome to the 100th episode of The Music Labyrinth! As you may have gathered from our opening song, we have something a little different for you tonight to celebrate episode 100 of our program. Don’t panic! Next episode we will swing back into our usual format and kick of the program where we left episode 99. But for now, lets sit back, relax and enjoy a slightly different aspect of The Music Labyrinth.
It will come as no surprise to the occasional listener that I have been greatly supported in delivering this program over the journey, so tonight we are going to actively involve some of my closest collaborators in the presentation of this show - and we’re starting off with Rob from Buderim.
Now you will have noticed that our first song this evening was Angie Baby by Helen Reddy, recorded in 1974 at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California which is relevant because each of our contributors tonight have been asked to focus on three songs from a couple of the great recording studios and to tell us a bit about the studio and the songs. Now I can tell you that Capitol Studios opened in 1956, and were initially the primary recording studios for the American record label Capitol Records.
Rob: A certified star in the United States and her home of Australia by 1974 with I Am Woman and Delta Dawn dominating the world-wide charts, Helen Reddy’s first UK Top 40 hit was the story of a young girl living her life through songs. Angie Baby was recorded at Capitol Studios in November that year. Reddy’s, at the time husband and manager, Jeff Wald, related the story of hearing the demo of the Alan O’Day hit at 11am and by 3pm he and Reddy were putting an arrangement together. The song was released 8 days later. The contributor of this song has an extensive past history of coming to an artist late. It is sometimes too difficult to separate the “act” from the “artiste”. Thus is the case of singer who contributed the next song to the Pixar behemoth that was Finding Nemo. Swinging along with the End Credit's soundtrack they were certain that it was either Frank, Michael or Harry but was surprised to find that this rendition of Beyond The Sea was by a little known crooner, Robbie. Frank Sinatra was the first artist to record at Capitol Studios and so it is appropriate that this English rendition of the French classic, Le Mer by Charles Trenet appears here. This is Robbie Williams with the hidden track from his mega-album Swing When Your Winning and the film Finding Nemo.
Beyond The Sea / Robbie Williams (2002)
On episode 100 of The Music Labyrinth we are exploring Capitol Studios with Rob from Buderim, and we just heard Beyond The Sea by Robbie Williams, recorded at those studios in 2002 for the soundtrack of the animated film Finding Nemo - which has its own special place in my heart - but thats another story.
Rob: Susan Horton, the cousin of Linda Ronstadt, has been at the centre of a number of Jimmy Webb classics. In the case of the next song it is inspired, in part, by his breakup with Horton. Originally recorded in 1965 by Johnny Rivers this version of the the song is his first collaboration with a Capitol Studios favourite, Glen Campbell. The subsequent collaboration included many classic “geographically” themed songs, such as Wichita Lineman, Galveston and MacArthur Park. The previously mentioned Frank Sinatra called it "the greatest torch song ever written”. This is the 1967 version of By The Time I Get To Phoenix.
By The Time I Get To Phoenix / Glen Campbell (1967)
MOTOWN STUDIOS - DAN
This is The Music Labyrinth and can I offer a great big vote of thanks to Rob From Buderim for getting us underway tonight with his tour of Capitol Studios. Rob will be back with us later to take us on another part of this journey, but I suppose for now it is time I earned my keep. We’re crossing an entire ocean now (the North Atlantic) to arrive at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan, which is the address of the legendary Motown Record Corporation, also known as “Hitsville, U.S.A”. Motown was founded by Berry Gordy, Jr in January 1959. The word itself - Motown - is a shortened pronunciation of “motor town”, which was a nod to Detroit’s reputation in the 50s and 60s as a producer of motor vehicles. The studio in turn gave its name to the hugely popular style of soul music that it created. During the 1960s Motown’s roster of artists included Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Mary Wells, The Miracles, The Temptations, The Marvelettes, and this group.
Dancing In The Street / Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (1964)
That was Martha Reeves & The Vandellas with Dancing In The Street, recorded at Motown Studios in 1964. It has since been covered and released by The Grateful Dead, The Kinks, Little Richard, and - famously for Live Aid in the mid 80s - by David Bowie and Mick Jagger. One of the songwriters of Dancing In The Street went on to be one of Motown’s biggest stars, and one of the major architects of modern music. Here he is from early in his career. This is, of course, Marvin Gaye.
Can I Get A Witness / Marvin Gaye (1963)
From 1963 that was Marvin Gaye with Can I Get A Witness, recorded and released by the mighty Motown Records in Michigan. One of Motown’s most enduring and loyal artists was a singer/songwriter and particularly gifted pianist, Stevland Hardaway Morris, who happened to be blind. He was a child prodigy, and was signed to Motown Records at the age of 11 in 1961, where he recorded under the professional name Little Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder eventually left the Motown Records stable in 2020, and we are all familiar with his career trajectory in the 59 years he is associated with Motown. Here’s a reminder.
Master Blaster (Jamming) / Stevie Wonder (1980)
TRIDENT STUDIOS - ELLA
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we have been enjoying (I hope) a tour of Motown Records in Detroit. Now, lets shift back across the Atlantic to London and the wonderful Trident Studios in Soho. I’ve been especially looking forward to going to Trident, firstly to see the famous, 100 year old Bechstein grand piano upon which so many of the great modern songs were performed and recorded, but also for the prospect of hearing some of the great songs - particularly by Genesis. And to guide us through Trident Studios we are joined by Music Labyrinth Elf, Ella.
Cosmic Dancer / T Rex (1971)
Recorded at Trident Studios in 1971, that was T Rex with Cosmic Dancer. We are being guided through Trident by Music Labyrinth Elf Ella.
Ella: From the album Electric Warrior (1971) alongside their most well-known track Get It On. Get It On was the first song by the band to reach the top 10 in the United States, which is a significant milestone for many UK artists. Another UK artist released an album in 1973 which afforded then their first number one single. Although, unlike T. Rex, this artist went on to achieve many more. This is Elton John.
Crocodile Rock / Elton John (1973)
That, of course, was Crocodile Rock by Elton John, selected by us as part of her guided tour of Trident Studios by Music Labyrinth Elf Ella. I have to say, Elf Ella, that not only was that a great selection, but it also displayed a solid understanding of The-Music-Labyrinth-Elton-John/Rod-Stewart-Rule. So well done on that
Ella: From the 1973 album Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, that was Elton John with Crocodile Rock. I don’t have a link between this song and the next but I do have some fun facts: The title of the album comes from a moment at a party where comedian Groucho Marx pointed a finger gun at Elton, to which he raised his hands and said “Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player!” Elton was also apparently a huge fan of the song Eagle Rock by Australian band Daddy Cool, which was a huuuuge source of inspiration for Crocodile Rock. The next track is probably one people have been waiting for if they know anything about the bands that have recorded at Trident, and it’s one of those songs that once you see it, you obviously have to play it. Secondly, I’m in absolute disbelief that it hasn't already been played. This is Killer Queen by Queen.
Killer Queen / Queen (1974)
ASSOCIATED INDEPENDENT RECORDING (AIR) STUDIOS - ROB
This is The Music Labyrinth and, because it is a special episode, we’re doing something a little different and taking a tour of some of the great studios of modern music. We spent the last three tracks with Music Labyrinth Efl Ella at Trident Studios in London. Now its back to Rob From Buderim who is whisking us across town to Associated Independant Recording (AIR) Studios. As a taster, I can tell you that classic albums recorded or engineered at AIR in its first decade include Meddle by Pink Floyd, Queen’s Sheer Heart Attack, Roxy Music’s For Your Pleasure (and their three following albums), Paul McCartney’s soundtrack to Live and Let Die, the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks, Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush, and The Pretenders’ eponymous debut album. T Rex, Genesis, Supertramp, ELO and a host of other big names all worked on new releases at AIR Studios.
Rob: If London was the centre of the musical Earth in the late 60s early 70s then the AIR Studios, Oxford Circus is located at the veritable antipodes of the St Mary Le Bow Church, the bells of which determined your Cockney status. Nevertheless, a 22 year old Steve Harley and band Cockney Rebel recorded their second album The Psychomodo there in 1974. Released as a promotional single in 1975 the song Tumbling Down with its heavily orchestrated backing is a fine example of production values pioneered by AIR founder, Sir George Martin.
Tumbling Down / Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel (1974)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel with Tumbling Down, recorded at AIR studios in 1974.
Rob: Bryan Ferry was a regular visitor to AIR in the mid 70s. In his guise as the lead vocalist for Roxy Music, Ferry and fellow song writer Andy Mackay penned a song that was to be described by The Wall Street Journal as "the swaggering love song that launched New Wave”. Coming in at number 26 in the 2005 Stylus Magazine list of the "Top 50 Bass Lines of All Time”, this is Roxy Music and Love Is A Drug.
Love Is The Drug / Roxy Music (1975)
That was Roxy Music with Love Is The Drug, recorded at AIR Studios in London in 1975. Rob From Buderim is now about to reveal the final track he has chosen for us from AIR Studios.
Rob: A rare Pretenders song not to have been written by Chrissie Hynde, Hymn To Her their first “power ballad", has been described as both a "hymn to the eternal feminine” and a "timeless love song about a life-long love” was penned by Meg Keene, a high school friend of Hynde, for the bands fourth studio album, Get Close, released in 1986.
Hymn To Her / The Pretenders (1986)
SUNSET SOUND STUDIOS - DAN
This is episode 100 of The Music Labyrinth, and in celebration of that little milestone we are on a whirlwind tour of 8 of the world’s great recording studios. We’ve just been guided through AIR Studios by Rob From Buderim, and now its my turn to take up the tour leader’s banner and welcome you, The Listener, to Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood. Sunset Sound Studios were established at 6650 Sunset Bvd in Hollywood in 1958. The studios were purchased and set up by the Disney Company, and primarily intended to record music for Disney movies, but, as we know, it became so much broader than that. Over 200 gold records have been recorded at Sunset Sound Studios, by artists such as the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Alanis Morrisette. It is also the last venue where all of the Beatles played together, for Ringo Starr's 1972 album Ringo. Also in 1972, a largely unknown young performer entered the studio to record his debut album. That album was called Closing Time and the artist responsible for it was Tom Waits. And from the album, this is Martha.
Martha / Tom Waits (1972)
Recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in 1972, that was Tom Waits with Martha. About a decade after Martha was recorded there, Sunset Sound Studios hosted the audacious new talent, Prince Rogers Nelson who was recording material for his fourth album, which was intended to take advantage of the breakthrough success of his previous album, Dirty Mind. That new album, partially recorded at Sunset Sound, was called Controversy, and here is Prince with the title track.
Controversy / Prince (1981)
That was Prince with Controversy, partially recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood in 1981. Two decades after that, a relatively unknown Melbourne band were riding a smallish but significant wave of success after their debut EP, Dirty Sweet, sold out its 1000 copy print run in a very short time. The band were whisked off to Sunset Sound Studios where they recorded one of the great Australian rock and rolll albums, Get Born. That band is Jet, and from the album, this is Rollover DJ.
Rollover D.J. / Jet (2003)
SOUND CITY STUDIOS - MOLLIE
Welcome back to a special moment in the 100 episode history of The Music Labyrinth. One of the greatest influences on this show and the music that does and does not get played is Music Labyrinth Elf Mollie who, until this very moment, has not appeared in the front of this particular house. Elf Mollie will be our tour guide for Sound City Studio which was founded in 1969 in an industrial park in Van Nuys, California. We’ll be hearing 3 tracks recorded at that studio as chosen for us by Elf Mollie, but can I offer you a taste of what might be to come by telling you that Fleetwood Mac‘s self-titled album, Nirvana‘s Nevermind, and Weezer‘s Pinkerton, among others were all recorded at Sound City.
Mollie: We’re kicking off our time at Sound City with Cheap Trick’s Surrender from the 1978 album Heaven Tonight, recorded at both Sound City and the Record Plant. Heaven tonight combined elements of Cheap Trick’s previous albums to produce a hook-filled pop-rock album with a little bit of attitude. It was also the first album ever recorded with a 12-string electric bass!
Surrender / Cheap Trick (1978)
That was Surrender by Cheap Trick, recorded at Sound City Studios in 1978. Our Sound City tour guide has managed to find a link from that Sound City track to our next.
Mollie: Surrender was used in the 2017 film Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2, and the soundtrack was nominated for the Top Soundtrack award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. Also featured on that soundtrack was The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, and while that particular song doesn’t fit our criteria, my next pick from their previous album Fleetwood Mac sure does. This was the first Fleetwood Mac album with Lindsey Buckingham as guitarist and Stevie Nicks as vocalist, after the band’s relocation to California and Bob Welch’s departure in late 1974 left Mick Fleetwood in need of a new guitarist and a recording studio. It was Sound City Studios producer Keith Olson who played Fleetwood an album he recently engineered titled Buckingham Nicks and Fleetwood decided to hire the pair.
Landslide / Fleetwood Mac (1975)
That was Fleetwood Mac with Landslide, recorded at Sound City Studios in 1975. Music Labyrinth Elf Mollie has been guiding us through Sound City, and has one more song for us from that studio, before she will join us again later in the show.
Mollie: I have little to connect these two songs except for both bands taking hiatuses and members leaving to pursue solo careers, but I thought it was time we jumped forward a few decades. Last Night on Earth was the third studio album released by the English indie-folk band, Noah & The Whale, and L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, it’s first single, debuted at number 37 on the charts and spent a total of 8 weeks in the top 40 before reaching a peak of number 14; marking the band's second most successful single. It also featured heavily on my own playlists from 2012-present. After multiple changes in the band’s line up, they called it quits in 2015 and many of the members went on to pursue solo ventures or join new bands. Notably, Tom Hobden, the guitarist and pianist, went on to join Australian band Gang of Youths. I guess life really does go on…
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N / Noah and the Whale (2011)
ELECTRIC LADY STUDIOS - ELLA
On The Music Labyrinth we have just departed Sound City Studios where we were guided around by Music Labyrinth Elf Mollie, and we have made our way to Electric Lady Studios where Elf-Ella is waiting by the door for us. By way of introduction, let me tell you that in 1968, Jimi Hendrix bought a newly defunct nightclub called The Generation located at 52 W 8th Street in New York’s Greenwich Village. Instead of renaming the club and continuing with the live venue business model (Jimi’s original vision for the project), advisors convinced Hendrix to convert the space into a professional recording studio.
Ella: Killer Queen by Queen was the last track we heard from Trident Studios earlier in the show. Reviewer Greg Prato suggested Killer Queen is about a high-class call girl sipping champagne and living her best life. In similar subject matter, the song by this next artist, recorded at Electric Lady Studios, tells a tale of sugar daddies, Cristal, and horse races. Here’s Lana Del Rey.
Off To The Races / Lana Del Ray (2011)
That was Lana Del Ray on The Music Labyrinth with Off To The Races. We are currently at Electric Lady Studios with Elf Ella, who has more for us from that iconic studio.
Ella: From her 2012 album Born to Die, that was Lana Del Rey with Off to the Races. Lana has actually recorded most of her albums at Electric Lady Studios, which made picking just one song of hers very difficult. And, even after I went through all that deliberation, I almost gave up on finding a link to the next song, but I found one!! Lana had a guest appearance on the Weekend’s 2016 album Starboy, which also included guest features and a couple production credits from this duo.
Instant Crush / Daft Punk (feat. Julian Casablancas) (2013)
That was Daft Punk, featuring Julian Casablancas with Instant Crush, proving that Elf Ella has artfully acquired the skill of introducing her personal favourite acts into The Music Labyrinth.
Ella: The song we just heard, Daft Punk and Julian Casablancas with Instant Crush, is from the album Random Access Memories, which was released in 2013. Random Access Memories is some of the finest work put out by Daft Punk; the production is impeccable, their singles were all well received, with Get Lucky stayed at number 2 on the Billboard charts for over five weeks. The entire album pays loving homage to house, funk, disco, and pop and blends each genre expertly. Hey! Speaking of genre blending, wanna hear something cool? From the 2022 album Motomami, this next track is the Spanish singer Rosalia with Saoko. The word saoko is a Puerto Rican slang word which translates to ‘outstanding rhythm’, and I think it’d be pretty hard to argue that this is not outstanding. Saoko features a fusion of reggaeton and cyberpunk sounds that give it such a distinct flavour.
Saoko / Rosalia (2022)
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS - MOLLIE
Welcome back to the final part of our tour of the great studios to celebrate episode 100 of The Music Labyrinth. Our tour will end tonight at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London which has been around so long that production techniques date back to when recordings were still being made acoustically through a large wooden horn and a wax disc. I think I know what I would expect from Abbey Road, but Elf Mollie, our tour guide, might have different ideas.
Mollie: We start our Abbey Road adventure without a single Beatle in sight! This next track, recorded at Abbey Road in 2011 is Leave My Body by Florence & the Machine.
Leave My Body / Florence + The Machine (2011)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Leave My Body by Florence + The Machine, from their second album, Ceremonials.
Mollie: Ceremonials is the band’s second studio album, taking a step away from the indie sounds of their debut album to create a more soulful, Baroque collection of work. Florence Welch revealed she originally wanted to call the album Violence, stating she. “wanted to make an album that sounded like the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, the violence mixed with the classical Shakespearean drama mixed with the pop and the pulp, extreme neon stuff." Baroque influences seem to be a theme across our time at Abbey Road, and they clearly pay off as Ceremonials was nominated for the Brit Awards Album of the Year in 2012, and our next song won the category in 2020.
Location / Dave (feat. Burna Boy) (2020)
That song was Location by Dave, featuring Burna Boy, from Dave’s 2019 debut album, Psychodrama.
Mollie: Psychodrama was executive produced by both Dave and Fraser T. Smith. Dave is a Grade 7 pianist and plays on the album while Smith assisted with strings, brass, harps, as well as more contemporary music using drums and the synthesizer. Psychodrama is a concept album, following the narrative of a therapy session and primarily details Dave’s brother’s prison conviction, his mental health, and the poor social conditions confronting poor black youths. The Album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and became the most-streamed first-week British rap album in the UK with a total of 23.6 million streams.
And that, Dear Listener, brings us to the last track of this special episode of The Music Labyrinth. Elf Mollie has chosen a terrific finish for us, and we will get to that almost immediately, but first can I say a big thanks to my collaborators for their support over the journey. Can I also say thanks to Coast FM, who were brave enough to take a risk on a strange and unknown format for a radio program, and have continued to be brave in letting it run this distance. And most of all, thanks to the patient and understanding Listener for sticking with us.
Mollie: My last song is a little bit of a cheat and just included because it’s one of my all-time favourite recordings. Here is Nothing But Thieves and the Orchestral Version of their song Impossible, recorded live at Abbey Road.
Impossible (Orchestral Version) / Nothing But Thieves (2020)
Angie Baby / Helen Reddy (1974)
Hello Listener, and welcome to the 100th episode of The Music Labyrinth! As you may have gathered from our opening song, we have something a little different for you tonight to celebrate episode 100 of our program. Don’t panic! Next episode we will swing back into our usual format and kick of the program where we left episode 99. But for now, lets sit back, relax and enjoy a slightly different aspect of The Music Labyrinth.
It will come as no surprise to the occasional listener that I have been greatly supported in delivering this program over the journey, so tonight we are going to actively involve some of my closest collaborators in the presentation of this show - and we’re starting off with Rob from Buderim.
Now you will have noticed that our first song this evening was Angie Baby by Helen Reddy, recorded in 1974 at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California which is relevant because each of our contributors tonight have been asked to focus on three songs from a couple of the great recording studios and to tell us a bit about the studio and the songs. Now I can tell you that Capitol Studios opened in 1956, and were initially the primary recording studios for the American record label Capitol Records.
Rob: A certified star in the United States and her home of Australia by 1974 with I Am Woman and Delta Dawn dominating the world-wide charts, Helen Reddy’s first UK Top 40 hit was the story of a young girl living her life through songs. Angie Baby was recorded at Capitol Studios in November that year. Reddy’s, at the time husband and manager, Jeff Wald, related the story of hearing the demo of the Alan O’Day hit at 11am and by 3pm he and Reddy were putting an arrangement together. The song was released 8 days later. The contributor of this song has an extensive past history of coming to an artist late. It is sometimes too difficult to separate the “act” from the “artiste”. Thus is the case of singer who contributed the next song to the Pixar behemoth that was Finding Nemo. Swinging along with the End Credit's soundtrack they were certain that it was either Frank, Michael or Harry but was surprised to find that this rendition of Beyond The Sea was by a little known crooner, Robbie. Frank Sinatra was the first artist to record at Capitol Studios and so it is appropriate that this English rendition of the French classic, Le Mer by Charles Trenet appears here. This is Robbie Williams with the hidden track from his mega-album Swing When Your Winning and the film Finding Nemo.
Beyond The Sea / Robbie Williams (2002)
On episode 100 of The Music Labyrinth we are exploring Capitol Studios with Rob from Buderim, and we just heard Beyond The Sea by Robbie Williams, recorded at those studios in 2002 for the soundtrack of the animated film Finding Nemo - which has its own special place in my heart - but thats another story.
Rob: Susan Horton, the cousin of Linda Ronstadt, has been at the centre of a number of Jimmy Webb classics. In the case of the next song it is inspired, in part, by his breakup with Horton. Originally recorded in 1965 by Johnny Rivers this version of the the song is his first collaboration with a Capitol Studios favourite, Glen Campbell. The subsequent collaboration included many classic “geographically” themed songs, such as Wichita Lineman, Galveston and MacArthur Park. The previously mentioned Frank Sinatra called it "the greatest torch song ever written”. This is the 1967 version of By The Time I Get To Phoenix.
By The Time I Get To Phoenix / Glen Campbell (1967)
MOTOWN STUDIOS - DAN
This is The Music Labyrinth and can I offer a great big vote of thanks to Rob From Buderim for getting us underway tonight with his tour of Capitol Studios. Rob will be back with us later to take us on another part of this journey, but I suppose for now it is time I earned my keep. We’re crossing an entire ocean now (the North Atlantic) to arrive at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan, which is the address of the legendary Motown Record Corporation, also known as “Hitsville, U.S.A”. Motown was founded by Berry Gordy, Jr in January 1959. The word itself - Motown - is a shortened pronunciation of “motor town”, which was a nod to Detroit’s reputation in the 50s and 60s as a producer of motor vehicles. The studio in turn gave its name to the hugely popular style of soul music that it created. During the 1960s Motown’s roster of artists included Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Mary Wells, The Miracles, The Temptations, The Marvelettes, and this group.
Dancing In The Street / Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (1964)
That was Martha Reeves & The Vandellas with Dancing In The Street, recorded at Motown Studios in 1964. It has since been covered and released by The Grateful Dead, The Kinks, Little Richard, and - famously for Live Aid in the mid 80s - by David Bowie and Mick Jagger. One of the songwriters of Dancing In The Street went on to be one of Motown’s biggest stars, and one of the major architects of modern music. Here he is from early in his career. This is, of course, Marvin Gaye.
Can I Get A Witness / Marvin Gaye (1963)
From 1963 that was Marvin Gaye with Can I Get A Witness, recorded and released by the mighty Motown Records in Michigan. One of Motown’s most enduring and loyal artists was a singer/songwriter and particularly gifted pianist, Stevland Hardaway Morris, who happened to be blind. He was a child prodigy, and was signed to Motown Records at the age of 11 in 1961, where he recorded under the professional name Little Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder eventually left the Motown Records stable in 2020, and we are all familiar with his career trajectory in the 59 years he is associated with Motown. Here’s a reminder.
Master Blaster (Jamming) / Stevie Wonder (1980)
TRIDENT STUDIOS - ELLA
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we have been enjoying (I hope) a tour of Motown Records in Detroit. Now, lets shift back across the Atlantic to London and the wonderful Trident Studios in Soho. I’ve been especially looking forward to going to Trident, firstly to see the famous, 100 year old Bechstein grand piano upon which so many of the great modern songs were performed and recorded, but also for the prospect of hearing some of the great songs - particularly by Genesis. And to guide us through Trident Studios we are joined by Music Labyrinth Elf, Ella.
Cosmic Dancer / T Rex (1971)
Recorded at Trident Studios in 1971, that was T Rex with Cosmic Dancer. We are being guided through Trident by Music Labyrinth Elf Ella.
Ella: From the album Electric Warrior (1971) alongside their most well-known track Get It On. Get It On was the first song by the band to reach the top 10 in the United States, which is a significant milestone for many UK artists. Another UK artist released an album in 1973 which afforded then their first number one single. Although, unlike T. Rex, this artist went on to achieve many more. This is Elton John.
Crocodile Rock / Elton John (1973)
That, of course, was Crocodile Rock by Elton John, selected by us as part of her guided tour of Trident Studios by Music Labyrinth Elf Ella. I have to say, Elf Ella, that not only was that a great selection, but it also displayed a solid understanding of The-Music-Labyrinth-Elton-John/Rod-Stewart-Rule. So well done on that
Ella: From the 1973 album Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, that was Elton John with Crocodile Rock. I don’t have a link between this song and the next but I do have some fun facts: The title of the album comes from a moment at a party where comedian Groucho Marx pointed a finger gun at Elton, to which he raised his hands and said “Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player!” Elton was also apparently a huge fan of the song Eagle Rock by Australian band Daddy Cool, which was a huuuuge source of inspiration for Crocodile Rock. The next track is probably one people have been waiting for if they know anything about the bands that have recorded at Trident, and it’s one of those songs that once you see it, you obviously have to play it. Secondly, I’m in absolute disbelief that it hasn't already been played. This is Killer Queen by Queen.
Killer Queen / Queen (1974)
ASSOCIATED INDEPENDENT RECORDING (AIR) STUDIOS - ROB
This is The Music Labyrinth and, because it is a special episode, we’re doing something a little different and taking a tour of some of the great studios of modern music. We spent the last three tracks with Music Labyrinth Efl Ella at Trident Studios in London. Now its back to Rob From Buderim who is whisking us across town to Associated Independant Recording (AIR) Studios. As a taster, I can tell you that classic albums recorded or engineered at AIR in its first decade include Meddle by Pink Floyd, Queen’s Sheer Heart Attack, Roxy Music’s For Your Pleasure (and their three following albums), Paul McCartney’s soundtrack to Live and Let Die, the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks, Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush, and The Pretenders’ eponymous debut album. T Rex, Genesis, Supertramp, ELO and a host of other big names all worked on new releases at AIR Studios.
Rob: If London was the centre of the musical Earth in the late 60s early 70s then the AIR Studios, Oxford Circus is located at the veritable antipodes of the St Mary Le Bow Church, the bells of which determined your Cockney status. Nevertheless, a 22 year old Steve Harley and band Cockney Rebel recorded their second album The Psychomodo there in 1974. Released as a promotional single in 1975 the song Tumbling Down with its heavily orchestrated backing is a fine example of production values pioneered by AIR founder, Sir George Martin.
Tumbling Down / Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel (1974)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel with Tumbling Down, recorded at AIR studios in 1974.
Rob: Bryan Ferry was a regular visitor to AIR in the mid 70s. In his guise as the lead vocalist for Roxy Music, Ferry and fellow song writer Andy Mackay penned a song that was to be described by The Wall Street Journal as "the swaggering love song that launched New Wave”. Coming in at number 26 in the 2005 Stylus Magazine list of the "Top 50 Bass Lines of All Time”, this is Roxy Music and Love Is A Drug.
Love Is The Drug / Roxy Music (1975)
That was Roxy Music with Love Is The Drug, recorded at AIR Studios in London in 1975. Rob From Buderim is now about to reveal the final track he has chosen for us from AIR Studios.
Rob: A rare Pretenders song not to have been written by Chrissie Hynde, Hymn To Her their first “power ballad", has been described as both a "hymn to the eternal feminine” and a "timeless love song about a life-long love” was penned by Meg Keene, a high school friend of Hynde, for the bands fourth studio album, Get Close, released in 1986.
Hymn To Her / The Pretenders (1986)
SUNSET SOUND STUDIOS - DAN
This is episode 100 of The Music Labyrinth, and in celebration of that little milestone we are on a whirlwind tour of 8 of the world’s great recording studios. We’ve just been guided through AIR Studios by Rob From Buderim, and now its my turn to take up the tour leader’s banner and welcome you, The Listener, to Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood. Sunset Sound Studios were established at 6650 Sunset Bvd in Hollywood in 1958. The studios were purchased and set up by the Disney Company, and primarily intended to record music for Disney movies, but, as we know, it became so much broader than that. Over 200 gold records have been recorded at Sunset Sound Studios, by artists such as the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Alanis Morrisette. It is also the last venue where all of the Beatles played together, for Ringo Starr's 1972 album Ringo. Also in 1972, a largely unknown young performer entered the studio to record his debut album. That album was called Closing Time and the artist responsible for it was Tom Waits. And from the album, this is Martha.
Martha / Tom Waits (1972)
Recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in 1972, that was Tom Waits with Martha. About a decade after Martha was recorded there, Sunset Sound Studios hosted the audacious new talent, Prince Rogers Nelson who was recording material for his fourth album, which was intended to take advantage of the breakthrough success of his previous album, Dirty Mind. That new album, partially recorded at Sunset Sound, was called Controversy, and here is Prince with the title track.
Controversy / Prince (1981)
That was Prince with Controversy, partially recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood in 1981. Two decades after that, a relatively unknown Melbourne band were riding a smallish but significant wave of success after their debut EP, Dirty Sweet, sold out its 1000 copy print run in a very short time. The band were whisked off to Sunset Sound Studios where they recorded one of the great Australian rock and rolll albums, Get Born. That band is Jet, and from the album, this is Rollover DJ.
Rollover D.J. / Jet (2003)
SOUND CITY STUDIOS - MOLLIE
Welcome back to a special moment in the 100 episode history of The Music Labyrinth. One of the greatest influences on this show and the music that does and does not get played is Music Labyrinth Elf Mollie who, until this very moment, has not appeared in the front of this particular house. Elf Mollie will be our tour guide for Sound City Studio which was founded in 1969 in an industrial park in Van Nuys, California. We’ll be hearing 3 tracks recorded at that studio as chosen for us by Elf Mollie, but can I offer you a taste of what might be to come by telling you that Fleetwood Mac‘s self-titled album, Nirvana‘s Nevermind, and Weezer‘s Pinkerton, among others were all recorded at Sound City.
Mollie: We’re kicking off our time at Sound City with Cheap Trick’s Surrender from the 1978 album Heaven Tonight, recorded at both Sound City and the Record Plant. Heaven tonight combined elements of Cheap Trick’s previous albums to produce a hook-filled pop-rock album with a little bit of attitude. It was also the first album ever recorded with a 12-string electric bass!
Surrender / Cheap Trick (1978)
That was Surrender by Cheap Trick, recorded at Sound City Studios in 1978. Our Sound City tour guide has managed to find a link from that Sound City track to our next.
Mollie: Surrender was used in the 2017 film Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2, and the soundtrack was nominated for the Top Soundtrack award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. Also featured on that soundtrack was The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, and while that particular song doesn’t fit our criteria, my next pick from their previous album Fleetwood Mac sure does. This was the first Fleetwood Mac album with Lindsey Buckingham as guitarist and Stevie Nicks as vocalist, after the band’s relocation to California and Bob Welch’s departure in late 1974 left Mick Fleetwood in need of a new guitarist and a recording studio. It was Sound City Studios producer Keith Olson who played Fleetwood an album he recently engineered titled Buckingham Nicks and Fleetwood decided to hire the pair.
Landslide / Fleetwood Mac (1975)
That was Fleetwood Mac with Landslide, recorded at Sound City Studios in 1975. Music Labyrinth Elf Mollie has been guiding us through Sound City, and has one more song for us from that studio, before she will join us again later in the show.
Mollie: I have little to connect these two songs except for both bands taking hiatuses and members leaving to pursue solo careers, but I thought it was time we jumped forward a few decades. Last Night on Earth was the third studio album released by the English indie-folk band, Noah & The Whale, and L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, it’s first single, debuted at number 37 on the charts and spent a total of 8 weeks in the top 40 before reaching a peak of number 14; marking the band's second most successful single. It also featured heavily on my own playlists from 2012-present. After multiple changes in the band’s line up, they called it quits in 2015 and many of the members went on to pursue solo ventures or join new bands. Notably, Tom Hobden, the guitarist and pianist, went on to join Australian band Gang of Youths. I guess life really does go on…
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N / Noah and the Whale (2011)
ELECTRIC LADY STUDIOS - ELLA
On The Music Labyrinth we have just departed Sound City Studios where we were guided around by Music Labyrinth Elf Mollie, and we have made our way to Electric Lady Studios where Elf-Ella is waiting by the door for us. By way of introduction, let me tell you that in 1968, Jimi Hendrix bought a newly defunct nightclub called The Generation located at 52 W 8th Street in New York’s Greenwich Village. Instead of renaming the club and continuing with the live venue business model (Jimi’s original vision for the project), advisors convinced Hendrix to convert the space into a professional recording studio.
Ella: Killer Queen by Queen was the last track we heard from Trident Studios earlier in the show. Reviewer Greg Prato suggested Killer Queen is about a high-class call girl sipping champagne and living her best life. In similar subject matter, the song by this next artist, recorded at Electric Lady Studios, tells a tale of sugar daddies, Cristal, and horse races. Here’s Lana Del Rey.
Off To The Races / Lana Del Ray (2011)
That was Lana Del Ray on The Music Labyrinth with Off To The Races. We are currently at Electric Lady Studios with Elf Ella, who has more for us from that iconic studio.
Ella: From her 2012 album Born to Die, that was Lana Del Rey with Off to the Races. Lana has actually recorded most of her albums at Electric Lady Studios, which made picking just one song of hers very difficult. And, even after I went through all that deliberation, I almost gave up on finding a link to the next song, but I found one!! Lana had a guest appearance on the Weekend’s 2016 album Starboy, which also included guest features and a couple production credits from this duo.
Instant Crush / Daft Punk (feat. Julian Casablancas) (2013)
That was Daft Punk, featuring Julian Casablancas with Instant Crush, proving that Elf Ella has artfully acquired the skill of introducing her personal favourite acts into The Music Labyrinth.
Ella: The song we just heard, Daft Punk and Julian Casablancas with Instant Crush, is from the album Random Access Memories, which was released in 2013. Random Access Memories is some of the finest work put out by Daft Punk; the production is impeccable, their singles were all well received, with Get Lucky stayed at number 2 on the Billboard charts for over five weeks. The entire album pays loving homage to house, funk, disco, and pop and blends each genre expertly. Hey! Speaking of genre blending, wanna hear something cool? From the 2022 album Motomami, this next track is the Spanish singer Rosalia with Saoko. The word saoko is a Puerto Rican slang word which translates to ‘outstanding rhythm’, and I think it’d be pretty hard to argue that this is not outstanding. Saoko features a fusion of reggaeton and cyberpunk sounds that give it such a distinct flavour.
Saoko / Rosalia (2022)
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS - MOLLIE
Welcome back to the final part of our tour of the great studios to celebrate episode 100 of The Music Labyrinth. Our tour will end tonight at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London which has been around so long that production techniques date back to when recordings were still being made acoustically through a large wooden horn and a wax disc. I think I know what I would expect from Abbey Road, but Elf Mollie, our tour guide, might have different ideas.
Mollie: We start our Abbey Road adventure without a single Beatle in sight! This next track, recorded at Abbey Road in 2011 is Leave My Body by Florence & the Machine.
Leave My Body / Florence + The Machine (2011)
On The Music Labyrinth that was Leave My Body by Florence + The Machine, from their second album, Ceremonials.
Mollie: Ceremonials is the band’s second studio album, taking a step away from the indie sounds of their debut album to create a more soulful, Baroque collection of work. Florence Welch revealed she originally wanted to call the album Violence, stating she. “wanted to make an album that sounded like the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, the violence mixed with the classical Shakespearean drama mixed with the pop and the pulp, extreme neon stuff." Baroque influences seem to be a theme across our time at Abbey Road, and they clearly pay off as Ceremonials was nominated for the Brit Awards Album of the Year in 2012, and our next song won the category in 2020.
Location / Dave (feat. Burna Boy) (2020)
That song was Location by Dave, featuring Burna Boy, from Dave’s 2019 debut album, Psychodrama.
Mollie: Psychodrama was executive produced by both Dave and Fraser T. Smith. Dave is a Grade 7 pianist and plays on the album while Smith assisted with strings, brass, harps, as well as more contemporary music using drums and the synthesizer. Psychodrama is a concept album, following the narrative of a therapy session and primarily details Dave’s brother’s prison conviction, his mental health, and the poor social conditions confronting poor black youths. The Album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and became the most-streamed first-week British rap album in the UK with a total of 23.6 million streams.
And that, Dear Listener, brings us to the last track of this special episode of The Music Labyrinth. Elf Mollie has chosen a terrific finish for us, and we will get to that almost immediately, but first can I say a big thanks to my collaborators for their support over the journey. Can I also say thanks to Coast FM, who were brave enough to take a risk on a strange and unknown format for a radio program, and have continued to be brave in letting it run this distance. And most of all, thanks to the patient and understanding Listener for sticking with us.
Mollie: My last song is a little bit of a cheat and just included because it’s one of my all-time favourite recordings. Here is Nothing But Thieves and the Orchestral Version of their song Impossible, recorded live at Abbey Road.
Impossible (Orchestral Version) / Nothing But Thieves (2020)