Gooseberry Studios
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Gooseberry Sound Studios, also known as just Gooseberry Studios, were
recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for Sound recording and reproduction, recording and Audio mixing, mixing of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home proje ...
s at 19 Gerrard Street,
Chinatown Chinatown ( zh, t=唐人街) is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, O ...
, London, located in a cellar underneath a
dental practice Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of ...
. The studio was owned by Peter Houghton and was known in its early days for its particularly cheap rates. This affordability made it popular with
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
artists and
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
bands wanting to make cheap demos.


History

It originally opened in around 1968 as 'Studio 19' as a 4-track demo recording studio, before becoming an 8-track demo recording studio in mid-1972. By 1976, the studio had moved to 16-track and then moved to 24-track in 1980. One of the first successful recordings at Gooseberry was in 1974 by 15-year old
Louisa Mark Louisa Lynthia Mark, also known as "Markswoman" (11 January 1960 – 17 October 2009), was a British lovers rock singer, best known for her work between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Her 1975 single "Caught You in a Lie" is regarded as the f ...
with a cover version of "Caught You in a Lie" by Robert Parker. The song, seen as the first
lovers rock Lovers rock is a style of reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London in the mid-1970s.Larkin, Col ...
single, was a hit with reggae audiences and sold 10,000 copies in the first week of its release in June 1975. Between 17 and 28 January 1977,
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
band
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
recorded some demos at the studio which were the last recordings together by the original members of the band. These demos include "
Pretty Vacant "Pretty Vacant" is a song by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released on 1 July 1977 as the band's third single and was later featured on their only album, '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'', released during ...
", "
God Save the Queen "God Save the King" ("God Save the Queen" when the monarch is female) is '' de facto'' the national anthem of the United Kingdom. It is one of two national anthems of New Zealand and the royal anthem of the Isle of Man, Australia, Canada and ...
" and " E.M.I." One of the most well-known albums recorded at Gooseberry was ''
Replicas A replica is an exact (usually 1:1 in scale) copy or remake of an object, made out of the same raw materials, whether a molecule, a work of art, or a commercial product. The term is also used for copies that closely resemble the original, without ...
'' by
Tubeway Army Tubeway Army were a London-based new wave music, new wave band led by lead singer Gary Numan. Formed at the height of punk rock in 1977, the band gradually changed to an electronic music, electronic sound. They were the first band of the elect ...
, with their hit single "
Are "Friends" Electric? "Are 'Friends' Electric?" is a 1979 song by the English band Tubeway Army. Taken from their album ''Replicas'', it was released as a single in May 1979 and reached number one in the UK Singles Chart, staying there for four weeks. It was writte ...
". The album was recorded between December 1978 and January 1979. Robert Plant in the 2025 documentary "Becoming Led Zeppelin", revealed that Gooseberry was the location of the band's first ever rehearsal where they played "Train Kept A-Rollin" among other songs over a 2-hour session, however, they did not record there. The studios closed in around the mid-1990s.


Notable recordings

Note: dates indicate when the recordings were released.


Albums


1970s

* '' Spunk'' –
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
(tracks 7–12) (1977) * ''Tradition in Dub'' –
Tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...
(1977) *''Clash'' – Dillinger verses
Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...
(mixing only) (1977) *''Harvest Uptown, Famine Downtown'' –
Soul Syndicate Soul Syndicate, originally called the Rhythm Raiders, were one of the top reggae session bands in Jamaica from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. History In the first half of the 1970s the band from the Greenwich Farm area of Kingston recorded ...
(not all tracks recorded at Gooseberry) (1977) * ''
Dread Beat an' Blood ''Dread Beat an' Blood'' is the debut album by British reggae band Poet and the Roots released in 1978 on the Front Line label. It was produced by Vivian Weathers and Linton Kwesi Johnson. The "Poet" is dub poet Johnson and "the Roots" are Denni ...
'' –
Poet and the Roots Poet and the Roots are a reggae band formed to record dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson's poems with dub backing tracks. The recordings were on the Virgin Records label.
(1978) * ''Strictly Dub Wize'' –
Blackbeard Edward Teach (or Thatch; – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known about his early life, but he ma ...
(1978) * ''Moving On'' – Tradition (1978) *''Win Some Lose Some'' –
Junior English Lindel Beresford English (1951 – 10 March 2023), better known as Junior English, was a Jamaican reggae singer who began his career in the early 1960s before relocating to England. Biography English was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1951.Larki ...
(1978) * ''Truth'' –
The Blues Busters The Blues Busters was a vocal duo from Jamaica formed in 1960, consisting of Philip James (9 March 1941 – 1989) and Lloyd Osbourne Campbell (31 December 1941 – 1992).Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, ...
(1978) * ''On the Other Hand There's a Fist'' –
Jona Lewie Jona Lewie (born John Lewis; 14 March 1947) is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his 1980 UK hits "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" and "Stop the Cavalry". Career Early career Jona Lewie ...
(1978) * ''Country Boy'' –
Harry Mosco Harry Mosco Agada was the lead vocalist of the band '' The Funkees'', when the band split up after FESTAC 77, Mosco released solo albums under his name. Between 1966 and 1969 and prior to the Funkees formation, Mosco was a musician with Celestine ...
(1978) * '' Public Image: First Issue'' –
Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band formed by lead vocalist John Lydon (previously, as Johnny Rotten, lead vocalist of the Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene (a founding member of the Clash), bassi ...
(tracks 6–8) (1978) * ''
Replicas A replica is an exact (usually 1:1 in scale) copy or remake of an object, made out of the same raw materials, whether a molecule, a work of art, or a commercial product. The term is also used for copies that closely resemble the original, without ...
'' –
Tubeway Army Tubeway Army were a London-based new wave music, new wave band led by lead singer Gary Numan. Formed at the height of punk rock in 1977, the band gradually changed to an electronic music, electronic sound. They were the first band of the elect ...
(1979) * ''In Person'' – Samantha Rose (1979) * ''Peace & Harmony'' – Harry Mosco (1979) * ''
Metal Box ''Metal Box'' is the second studio album by Public Image Ltd, released by Virgin Records on 23 November 1979. The album takes its name from the round metal canister which contained the initial pressings of the record. It was later reissued in s ...
'' – Public Image Ltd (only "The Suit") (1979)


1980s

* ''Black Slate'' –
Black Slate Black Slate are a reggae band based in the United Kingdom, formed in 1974. They toured heavily around London and backed Jamaican musicians such as Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson, and Ken Boothe when they played in the UK. They toured the UK in the ...
(1980) * ''
Bass Culture ''Bass Culture'' is an album by the Jamaica-born, British-based dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, released in 1980 on the Island Records label. It was produced by Linton Kwesi Johnson and Dennis Bovell (credited as Blackbeard). Bovell, Lloyd ...
'' –
Linton Kwesi Johnson Linton Kwesi Johnson Order of Distinction, OD (born 24 August 1952), also known as LKJ, is a Jamaica-born, British-based dub poetry, dub poet and activist. In 2002, he became the second living poet, and the only black one, to be published in th ...
(1980) * ''Amigo'' – Black Slate (1980) * ''1980 Art. 1 Die Würde Des Menschen Ist Unantastbar'' – Big Balls and the Great White Idiot (1980) * ''I Wah Dub'' – Blackbeard (1980) *''Whap'n Bap'n'' –
I-Roy Roy Samuel Reid (28 June 1944 – 27 November 1999), better known as I-Roy, was a Jamaican deejay who had a very prolific career during the 1970s. Biography Born in 1944 in Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica, Reid graduated from Dinthill Technical C ...
(as Roy Reid) (1980) * ''Rasta Festival'' – Black Slate (1980) *''Tribute to Sam Cooke'' – The Blues Busters (1980) * ''Ogima'' – Black Slate (1981) * ''Six Plus One'' – Black Slate (1982) * ''Full Circle''
Holger Czukay Holger Schüring (24 March 1938 – 5 September 2017), known professionally as Holger Czukay (), was a German musician who co-founded the krautrock group Can. Described as "successfully bridg ngthe gap between pop and the avant-garde", Czukay a ...
, Jah Wobble and
Jaki Liebezeit Jaki Liebezeit (born Hans Liebezeit; 26 May 1938 – 22 January 2017) was a German drummer, best known as a founding member of experimental rock band Can. He was called "one of the few drummers to convincingly meld the funky and the cerebral". ...
(only "How Much Are They?") (1982) *''35 Years From Alpha'' –
Deadly Headley Felix Headley Bennett OD (29 May 1931 – 21 August 2016), also known as Deadly Headley, was a prolific Jamaican saxophonist who performed on hundreds, possibly thousands, of recordings since the 1950s. Biography Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Ben ...
(1982) *''Satisfaction Feeling'' –
Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of l ...
(only remixing) (1983) *''42°F'' –
Rubella Ballet Rubella Ballet are an English Gothic rock, gothic anarcho-punk band formed in 1979, who released several albums before splitting up in 1991. They reformed in 2000. History The band was formed by drummer Sid Truelove (born Grant Carol, 18 April ...
(1984) *''Songs of Praise'' –
Poison Girls The Poison Girls were an English anarcho-punk band from Brighton. The singer/guitarist, Vi Subversa, was a middle-aged mother of two at the band's inception, and wrote songs that explored sexuality and gender roles, often from an anarchist pers ...
(1985) *''The King and I'' – Eek-A-Mouse (not all tracks recorded at Gooseberry) (1985) *''Going, Gone'' –
Richard Strange Richard "Kid" Strange (born in January 1951) is an English actor, writer, musician, and curator, who was the founder and front man of mid-1970s protopunk art rock band Doctors of Madness. Music 1975–1990s Richard Strange's first band Doct ...
and the Engine Room (only "Banco Celestial") (1986) *''
Dawnrazor ''Dawnrazor'' is the debut studio album by English gothic rock band Fields of the Nephilim. It was released on 4 May 1987, through record label Situation Two. Background The introductory track contains a sample of the Ennio Morricone theme "Ma ...
'' –
Fields Of The Nephilim Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in 1984. The band's name refers to a biblical race of angel-human hybrids known as the Nephilim. Career Early years (1984–1991) The band's debut 1 ...
(only "Blue Water" mixed at Gooseberry) (1987) *'' Young and Crazy'' –
Tigertailz Tigertailz are a Welsh glam metal band from Cardiff. Their 1990 album '' Bezerk'' made the Top 40 on the UK Albums Chart and contained the hit singles "Love Bomb Baby" and "Heaven". The band reformed in 2005. History Formation and early year ...
(1987) *''Tarka'' –
Anthony Phillips Anthony Edwin Phillips (born 23 December 1951) is an English musician and composer who gained prominence as the original lead guitarist of the rock band Genesis, from 1967 to 1970. He left in July 1970 and learned to play more instruments, bef ...
& Harry Williamson (not all tracks) (1988) *''Ghana Mba'' – C.K. Mann (mixing only) (1988) *''Through the Veil'' – Claytown Troupe (some mixing only) (1989)


1990s

*''The $hit Factory'' –
Peter and the Test Tube Babies Peter and the Test Tube Babies are an English punk rock band, formed in Peacehaven, Sussex in 1978, by Derek "Strangefish" Greening and Peter Bywaters. Due to their humorous tongue-in-cheek lyrics, they have been considered part of the Punk p ...
(mixing only) (1990) *''
Freedom and Rain ''Freedom and Rain'' is a 1990 album by British folk rock band Oysterband and singer June Tabor. The album features a mixture of traditional material and contemporary covers including "Lullaby of London" by Shane MacGowan, " All Tomorrow's Part ...
'' –
June Tabor June Tabor (born 31 December 1947 in Warwick, England) is an English folk singer known for her solo work and her earlier collaborations with Maddy Prior and with Oysterband. Early life June Tabor was born and grew up in Warwick, England. ...
and
Oyster band Oysterband (originally The Oyster Band) is a British folk rock and folk punk band formed in Canterbury around 1976. History Early history The band formed in parallel to Fiddler's Dram, and under the name "Oyster Ceilidh Band" played purely as ...
(mixing only) (1990) *''Hanging Gardens'' –
Nico Christa Päffgen (; 16 October 1938 – 18 July 1988), known by her stage name Nico, was a German singer, songwriter, actress, and model. Nico had roles in several films, including Federico Fellini's '' La Dolce Vita'' (1960) and Andy Warhol's ...
(1990) *''The First of Too Many'' –
Senseless Things Senseless Things were an England, English pop punk band, formed in 1986 in London. The band released four studio albums and achieved two UK Singles Chart, UK Top 20 hit singles before splitting up in 1995. Senseless Things reformed in 2017 to p ...
(1991) *''
Lazer Guided Melodies ''Lazer Guided Melodies'' is the debut studio album by English space rock band Spiritualized. The album was recorded by the inaugural line up of the band, consisting of Jason Pierce (vocals, guitars), Mark Refoy (guitars), Will Carruthers (bass ...
'' –
Spiritualized Spiritualized (stylised as Spiritualized®) are an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire, by Jason Pierce (often known as J. Spaceman), formerly of Spacemen 3. After several line up-changes, in 1999, the band centred on Pie ...
(some mixing only) (1992) *''
Whirlpool A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Small whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). ''Vo ...
'' – Chapterhouse (only "Pearl") (1991) *''
Nurse Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
'' –
Therapy? Therapy? are a Northern Irish rock band from Larne, formed in 1989 by guitarist-vocalist Andy Cairns and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing. Therapy? recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar. To complete the lineup, the band ...
(mixing only) (1992) *''
Deserters Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or Military base, post without permission (a Pass (military), pass, Shore leave, liberty or Leave (U.S. military), leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with u ...
'' – Oysterband (mixing only) (1992) *''Angel Tiger'' – June Tabor (mixing only) (1992) *''The Return of Honk!'' – Joe Houston and
Otis Grand Fred Bishti (February 14, 1950 – June 2023), known professionally as Otis Grand, was a Lebanese-born American blues musician, best known for his album, ''Perfume & Grime'' (1996) and his exciting live performances. He was honoured with the Pre ...
(mixing only) (1994)


Non-album singles and EPs


1970s

* "Caught You in a Lie" –
Louisa Mark Louisa Lynthia Mark, also known as "Markswoman" (11 January 1960 – 17 October 2009), was a British lovers rock singer, best known for her work between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Her 1975 single "Caught You in a Lie" is regarded as the f ...
(1975) *"I Am a Levi" – Ijahman Levi (1976) *"Zimbabwe" – Dambala (1978) *"Rebel" – Dambala (1978) *''FBI, Wish You Could See Me Now'' - Shakedown (1978) *''Steel Leg V The Electric Dread'' –
Don Letts Donovan Letts (born 10 January 1956) is a British film director, disc jockey (DJ) and musician. Letts first came to prominence as the videographer for the Clash, directing several of their music videos. In 1984, Letts co-founded the band Big Au ...
,
Keith Levene Julian Keith Levene (18 July 1957 – 11 November 2022) was an English musician who was a founding member of both the Clash and Public Image Ltd (PiL). While Levene was in PiL, their 1978 debut album '' Public Image: First Issue'' reached No. 2 ...
, Steel Leg and
Jah Wobble John Joseph Wardle (born 11 August 1958), known by the stage name Jah Wobble, is an English bass guitarist and singer. He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL) in the late 1970s and early 1980s; ...
(EP) (1978) *"Ambition" –
Subway Sect Subway Sect were one of the first British punk bands. Although their commercial success was limited by the small amount of recorded material they released, they have been credited as highly influential on the Postcard Records scene and the ind ...
(1978) * ''
Turn to Red ''Turn to Red'' (sometimes known as ''Almost Red'' or ''Nervous System'') is an EP and the debut release by English post-punk band Killing Joke. It was released as a 10-inch EP on 26 October 1979 by Malicious Damage and re-released as a 12-inch ...
'' –
Killing Joke Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...
(EP; re-released as ''Almost Red'') (1979)


1980s

* ''V.I.E.P. Featuring Blueberry Hil''l – Jah Wobble (EP) (1980) * " Wardance" – Killing Joke (1980) *'' Long Live the Past E.P.'' – The Pack (1982) *"The Title Track From 'The Whip'" –
Carcrash International Carcrash International was an English post-punk band associated with the Batcave scene, formed by Dave Roberts (aka Dave Sex Gang), original bass player of Sex Gang Children, who used the name for two projects. History The band made their in ...
(1983) *"Terry" – Cindy & The Saffrons (1983) *''1978–79 Volume 2'' –
Gary Numan Gary Anthony James Webb (born 8 March 1958), known professionally as Gary Numan, is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He entered the music industry as frontman of the New wave music, new wave band Tubeway Army. After releasing two st ...
and Tubeway Army (EP) (1985) *"Hot Doggie" –
Colourbox Colourbox were an English electronic musical group on the 4AD label, releasing a number of records between 1982 and 1987. The band was formed by brothers Martyn and Steve Young, Ian Robbins, and vocalist Debbion Currie. Currie and Robbins left ...
(features on 1987 compilation album ''
Lonely Is an Eyesore ''Lonely Is an Eyesore'' is a compilation on the 4AD label. Released in June 1987, it features artists signed to the label at the time. The tracks were recorded between 1985 and 1987 with the exception of "Frontier" by Dead Can Dance, which was a ...
'') *''Dirt Demo '86'' –
Satan Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...
(demo) (1986) *''Into the Future'' – Satan (EP) (1986) *"There She Goes Again''"'' –
The Quireboys The Quireboys are an English rock band formed in 1984 in London, with strong ties to Newcastle. Originally known as The Choirboys, then The Queerboys, billed as The London Quireboys in the United States and Canada, settling at last with their ...
(1988)


1990s

*" Mesmerise" – Chapterhouse (1991)


References

{{reflist Recording studios in London Former recording studios