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The Bakery (recording studio)

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Coordinates: 51°33′11.437″N 0°9′31.011″W / 51.55317694°N 0.15861417°W / 51.55317694; -0.15861417
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The Bakery
Main entrance of the Bakery in white
Map
Address4A Fleet Road, Hampstead, London, England
Coordinates51°33′11.437″N 0°9′31.011″W / 51.55317694°N 0.15861417°W / 51.55317694; -0.15861417
Public transit
OwnerColdplay
TypeRecording studio
Opened2006; 19 years ago (2006)
Closed2024; 1 year ago (2024)

The Bakery was a recording studio located at 4A Fleet Road, Hampstead, London, England. It was established in 2006 by British rock band Coldplay, as they wanted to have a place where they could "rehearse, write, work on artwork or just relax", following the release of X&Y (2005). The studio's name came from being set inside an old bakery. Its foundation coincided with Phil Harvey rejoining the group for Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). Two years later, Coldplay arranged the Beehive, a complementary building located at 17 Fleet Road. Both facilities were used in ensuing albums, though the Bakery closed in 2024.

Foundation

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After the release of X&Y (2005), Coldplay decided to build their own recording studio.[1] Chris Martin commented their former workplace felt dirty, bleak and the band were not properly talking to each other.[1] They rented an old bakery in 2006 to help them recalibrate and established it as their headquarters.[2] The building was located at 4A Fleet Road, Hampstead, London,[3] with the entrance intercalated between an estate agent and a restaurant.[4] Will Champion described it as a bigger version of Jonny Buckland's bedroom,[4] from the time the group studied at University College London.[5] Producers Dan Green and Rik Simpson converted the ground floor into a studio, which was good for overdubs, but difficult for full band recordings.[6] Management offices were placed right above.[6]

Recording

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The first Coldplay album to be recorded at the Bakery was Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, starting from November 2006 until April 2008.[7] Champion stated the group would visit the building every day with no pressure and simply work on their music, marking a significant contrast with the experiences they previously had on a studio, when most recordings ended up getting scrapped or had to be redone because more rehearsal and writing sessions were needed.[8] Meetings coincided with Phil Harvey's return to the lineup.[9] The creative process was supported by producer Brian Eno and violinist Davide Rossi.[5] Coldplay learned brand-new songwriting, recording and experimentation techniques under the former.[8] After Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends was released, the Bakery remained fully functional, particularly for programming and editing.[6] It only closed in 2024 due to reduced usage.[10]

The Beehive

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Opened in January 2010,[11] the Beehive is a former church hall at 17 Fleet Road which got converted into the Bakery's sister building.[12] Simpson claimed that it has a large space where he can record the entire band properly and, since they are all in the same room, it is better for communication.[6] The studio was originally designed to be a more contemporary facility, since its equipment include a Pro Tools HD system, a Slate Raven MTi touchscreen controller, racks full of outboard gear and an SSL Matrix console.[6] Moreover, Coldplay's best gear was said to be kept at the Beehive.[6] NME mentioned that the group rehearse every Thursday there.[13] Other musicians have used the building for recording as well, these include Ash,[14] Eno,[15] the High Wire,[16] and Peter Gabriel.[15] Between 2021 and 2023, the Beehive underwent a number of technical and structural renovations commissioned by Coldplay and handled by Green, who partnered with a specialized team from Miloco Builds, a subsidiary of Miloco Studios.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Coldplay on a Mission to Connect with Fans". Reuters. 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Coldplay: 20 Facts You Need to Know About the Band". Hits Radio. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Coldplay, Il Concerto a Roma: 30 Curiosità Su Chris Martin (e Soci)" [Coldplay, the Concert in Rome: 30 Curiosities About Chris Martin (and Associates)]. Il Messaggero (in Italian). 9 July 2024. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Step Inside Coldplay's Private Studio The Bakery with NME". NME. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b Wild, Debs; Croft, Malcolm (2018). Life in Technicolor: A Celebration of Coldplay. ECW Press. p. 119. ISBN 9781787391093.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Inside Track: Coldplay Hymn for the Weekend". Sound On Sound. March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends: Behind Coldplay's Sonic Revolution". Dig!. 12 June 2023. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Viva la Vida Biography". Coldplay. 24 May 2008. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  9. ^ "We're About to Be Fed to the Lions". The Observer. 31 May 2008. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  10. ^ Coldplay [@coldplay] (9 August 2024). "I'm afraid we never actually owned the Bakery. And, as a recording facility, it got superseded by the Beehive" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 28 December 2024. Retrieved 28 December 2024 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "The Beehive's Clean Slate". Coldplay Timeline. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Coldplay: 2011 Album Preview". Billboard. 21 January 2001. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  13. ^ "50 Geeky Facts You Didn't Know About Coldplay". NME. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  14. ^ Ash (2012). Little Infinity EP (liner notes). United Kingdom: Noyes Records. NR-031.
  15. ^ a b "Peter Gabriel Shares New Song The Court (Dark-Side Mix)". Clash. 6 February 2023. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Premiere: The High Wire – LNOE". Complex. 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  17. ^ Miloco Studios [@milocostudios] (8 August 2023). "Another inspiring studio finished by the Miloco Builds team, this one for legendary band Coldplay" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023 – via Twitter.
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