Latest news with #AbbeyRoadStudios
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Asa Butterfield performs The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
The actor shares a poem in celebration of peace. The film is part of a series to mark Celebration Day 2025 – a new annual moment, held on the last bank holiday Monday of May, to honour and celebrate those who have shaped our lives but are no longer with us. Directed by Oliver Parker at Abbey Road Studios, curated by Allie Esiri and published exclusively by the Guardian. On Celebration Day, join in by sharing your memories using #ShareYourStar
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Kaiser Chiefs announce 20th anniversary reissue of seminal debut album Employment
Kaiser Chiefs announce 20th anniversary reissue of seminal debut album Employment undefined (Image: Terry Blackburn ) Kaiser Chiefs are releasing a 20th anniversary edition of their seminal debut album 'Employment'. As 20 years is typically celebrated with china, Ricky Wilson and co have announced the 'China Anniversary' formats. The 1LP edition is pressed on white vinyl, and includes 'bonus' track 'Take My Temperature'; the 2LP set features 15 additional tracks, including a selection of B-Sides and CD single bonus tracks, plus two previously unreleased songs, exclusive to this format. On the 3CD set, alongside the original album, the band have added 40 tracks, including previously unreleased demo recordings, remixes, radio sessions, and a selection of live tracks that chart their rapid rise from small club dates in Leeds, to festival headline act. The album - which spawned the hits 'I Predict A Riot', 'Oh My God', and 'Everyday I Love You Less And Less' - was remastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. The group commented: "20 years ago, a brand-new song by a brand-new band was released. 'I Predict A Riot' was the start of something really special for some musicians from Leeds. "And the album that followed, 'Employment', changed our lives and has soundtracked the lives of millions of others since 2005. In 2025 we are saluting 20 years of that album and everyone is invited. Come celebrate the 2000's, loving everything less and less and stripey blazers taking over the world.." Article continues below Kaiser Chiefs are also celebrating the milestone with a series of shows, including Port Talbot on May 23, and huge outdoor concerts in Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, London, Brighton, Cumbria, and Newquay. On the 18th anniversary of 'Employment', Ricky, 47, quipped on Virgin Radio: "I mean, I don't think I've changed too much. I do get a Hello Fresh box, and I brush my teeth at least twice a day, but apart from that, I haven't changed at all. I promise you that!" 'Employment' peaked at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. It spent over 17 months in the Official Top 40 and was eventually certified 7× Platinum. Kaiser Chiefs 2025 shows: May Thur 22ndLive at Argyle Home Park Stadium,Plymouth, UK Fri 23rdIn It Together Festival, Port Talbot, UK Sat 31st Temple Newsam, Leeds, UK June Sun 22ndPinkpop Festival, Amsterdam, NL Thur 26thBristol Sounds, Bristol, UK Sat 28th Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, UK July Fri 4thEdinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, UK Thu 10thWeekend Beach Festival, Malaga, ESP Fri 11th Mad Cool Festival, Madrid, ESP Sat 12th Cruilla Barcelona, Barcelona, ESP Sat 19th Alexandra Palace Park, London, UK Sun 20thSplendour Festival, Nottingham, UK Mon 21stTall Ship Races, Aberdeen, UK Sat 26th Latitude, Suffolk, UK Sun 27th Brighton Beach, Brighton, UK Thu 31st Kendal Calling, Cumbria, UK August Sat 2nd Suikkerock Festival, Tienan, BE Sun 3rd Ronquieres Festival, Braine-la-Comte, BE Fri 8thBoardmasters, Newquay, UK Article continues below Sun 10thThe Weekender, Belfast, UK Sat 23rd The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, ROI Sun 24thLive at the Docklands, Limerick, ROI
Extra.ie
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Kaiser Chiefs announce 20th anniversary re-release of debut album, Employment
Kaiser Chiefs have announced the re-release of their debut album Employment for its 20th anniversary, out July 18. The band will embark on a tour across the UK and Europe this summer, with shows in Belfast, Dublin and Limerick set for August. The album will come in three expanded formats, including two LPs and a CD set. '20 years ago, a brand new song by a brand new band was released,' said Kaiser Chiefs. 'I Predict A Riot was the start of something really special for some musicians from Leeds. And the album that followed, Employment, changed our lives and has soundtracked the lives of millions of others since 2005. In 2025, we are saluting 20 years of that album, and everyone is invited. Come celebrate the 2000s, loving everything less and less and stripey blazers taking over the world..' The first LP edition will be on white vinyl and includes the bonus track Take My Temperature. The second LP contains 15 additional tracks and two exclusive unreleased songs. The CD set includes 40 added tracks, ranging from demos, remixes, radio sessions and live recordings. The album was remastered at Abbey Road Studios. Originally released in March of 2005, Employment peaked at No. 2 on the UK album chart, and spent 17 months on the Official Top 40 chart. Over two million copies were sold, and it was certified 7x Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. See Kaiser Chiefs' upcoming tour dates below: May Thur 22nd Live at Argyle Home Park Stadium, Plymouth, UKFri 23rd In It Together Festival, Port Talbot, UK Sat 31st Temple Newsam, Leeds, UK June Sun 22nd Pinkpop Festival, Amsterdam, NLThur 26th Bristol Sounds, Bristol, UK Sat 28th Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, UK July Fri 4th Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, UKThu 10th Weekend Beach Festival, Malaga, ESPFri 11th Mad Cool Festival, Madrid, ESPSat 12th Cruilla Barcelona, Barcelona, ESPSat 19th Alexandra Palace Park, London, UKSun 20th Splendour Festival, Nottingham, UKMon 21st Tall Ship Races, Aberdeen, UKSat 26th Latitude, Suffolk, UKSun 27th Brighton Beach, Brighton, UK Thu 31st Kendal Calling, Cumbria, UK August Sat 2nd Suikkerock Festival, Tienan, BESun 3rd Ronquieres Festival, Braine-la-Comte, BEFri 8th Boardmasters, Newquay, UKSun 10th The Weekender, Belfast, UKSat 23rd Collins Barracks, Dublin, ROI Sun 24th Live at the Docklands, Limerick, ROI
The Independent
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The delicate dance to preserve the magic of Abbey Road's legendary Studio One
In Abbey Road 's Studio One even a lick of paint could ruin everything. Famous for hosting Adele, Harry Styles and U2, it's where the scores of 'Star Wars,' 'Harry Potter' and 'Wicked' were recorded, as well as the soundtracks of blockbuster games like 'Call of Duty,' 'Halo' and 'Final Fantasy.' It's also where Ryan Gosling delivered his memorable 'I'm Just Ken' for ' Barbie.' Nearly a century after its opening, Studio One underwent a six-month multimillion-pound refurbishment, with the main priority being the preservation of one very important thing: the sound. 'What we don't want to do is change the acoustics, so every minute detail in the room has been conserved and preserved, so the sound doesn't shift,' said Sally Davis, managing director of Abbey Road Studios. The reverb of the 4,844 square-foot (450 square-meter) room has been maintained at 2.3 seconds, the same as it was in the '70s, so there's been no redecorating or style makeover, leaving the original Art Deco wall panels untouched. 'We have simply washed down the walls to preserve that sound," said Davis, adding that the floor was re-sanded and oiled, but not varnished. Most of the upgrades, she explained, are technological upgrades in the control room. 'This room is just about preserving that magic.' A pilgrimage for music fans Opened in 1931, this hallowed hall — once a nine-bedroom house on a grand suburban street in London's St. John's Wood neighborhood — became the world's first recording studio. It's where stereo was invented and it's visited every day by music fans from around the world, who are happy just to stand on the street outside. Davis says that more than a million people a year make a pilgrimage to the crossing outside, many to recreate the cover of The Beatles' 'Abbey Road' album — and that number could increase after Sam Mendes' upcoming biopic starring Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson and Joseph Quinn as the Fab Four over four films. And while Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr are famously known for using Studio Two, they also made history in the larger Studio One, which they used for the world's first global live performance, a rendition of 'All You Need Is Love' that was beamed to television sets around the world in 1967. Before The Beatles, Studio One had already cemented its place in music history, when it was opened by British composer Sir Edward Elgar, who recorded his 'Land of Hope and Glory' with the London Symphony Orchestra. It's also hosted other music greats like Maria Callas, Igor Stravinsky, Daniel Barenboim, Fats Waller and Glenn Miller. Due to its huge size, more than double Studio Two, you can fit a 110-piece orchestra and 110-person choir at the same time – which is perfect for recording film soundtracks, and explains why six to seven out of every 10 Hollywood films are scored at Abbey Road. History being made Standing on the balcony, overlooking the 40-foot-high (12-meter-high) room, Davies points out the original screen that was used to show 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981) while musicians played along to record the soundtrack. Since then, everything from 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy and Marvel's 'Black Panther' to 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and 'Barbie' were scored in Studio One. For the latter, all the musicians came in with something pink, whether it was a pink instrument or piece of clothing. Oscar-nominated composer Daniel Pemberton has been recording in Studio One since 2009 and calls his 'creative home' a 'spectacular space.' 'Outside, it just looks like a normal house. And then you come in and you find this space in it that's like almost the size of a football pitch. In fact, I have played football in there once,' he laughs. Pemberton is known for scoring 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse,' 'Ferrari,' 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' and creating the 'Slow Horses' theme song and 'Strange Game,' with Mick Jagger. 'What's so exciting about a room like Studio One is what happens on the day is what happens for the rest of time," he said. "It's like history is being made, whether it's good history or bad history or whatever, you're making a moment then.' Pemberton notes the stories, whether personal or musical, that have unfolded within the walls of Studio One. 'The ghosts are insane in there,' he said. Davis agrees that the history adds to the enchantment. 'You walk into this room and you can feel it … There is a magic in the sound. It sounds phenomenal. There is a spirituality in who has been here, who has performed here. So when we see artists come through, you know that immediate reaction of, 'Oh my gosh. I'm in Studio One.'' To celebrate the reopening this week, Abbey Road Studios showcased an unusual art form for the space: dance, which incorporated Pemberton's scores, remixed by resident artist Jordan Rakei and choreographed by Joseph Toonga. 'It kind of like threw me back a bit like, wow, it really is big,' said Toonga of the first time he saw the studio. He then incorporated that feeling into a dance which spanned hip-hop, krumping and ballet. Up next, the first client to record in Studio One since the refurbishment is a hush-hush Hollywood franchise. But there are lots of secrets at Abbey Road. One of them is Pemberton's plan to record the unique rattling sound of the new railings for a movie soundtrack. There was concern that the hollow Art Deco style bars would upset the acoustics of the room, and a backup plan was made to fill them with sand if they messed with the reverb. Luckily, the empty bars were allowed to stay because Pemberton is delighted by the noise they make when you run past them with keys — it's another dramatic sound that can only be created in Studio One and will make its way into theaters around the world, via a film score.
The Guardian
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Abbey Road, aliens and Withnail: London fashion week autumn/winter 2025
Steven Stokey-Daley's AW25 outing was a celebration of all things British, from his take on the donkey jacket, duffle coat and trench through to British milled heritage checks. Daley's hallmarks, such as a dog motif on a T-shirt, played against a burgundy cardigan embroidered with salt and spice shakers interspersed with 'Marianne Faithfull' jumper. Bursts of colour were inspired by the work of Scottish colourists, Francis Cadell and John Duncan Fergusson, whose influence was seen in the felted image of a woman on a smock dress and a watercolour-infused men's trench coat Daniel Lee turned in a vintage Burberry collection for AW25, with a casting of actors from iconic British films and TV: Richard E Grant, Leslie Manville and Ṣopé Dìrísù, alongside catwalk legends Naomi Campbell and Erin O'Connor. Focus was on outerwear, from versions of the house trench in heavy tartan and check, with scarves attached, to embossed leather creations belted at the waist to oversized patchwork shearling bombers. Women's trenches that spliced into fringing and swayed from the hips were interspersed with devore smock dresses. This was Lee at his best Every season, Labrum's creative director Foday Dumbaya celebrates immigration and its cultural importance. This time, he looked to London's rich music history for inspiration – showing at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. He worked with the Mercury award winning jazz quintet, Ezra Collective, who played the backing music for some of the UK's pioneering grime artists, including Akala and Ghetts. In between their sets, models walked on stage in the brand's signature pieces, such as boxy tailoring and denim shirting, as well as the latest accessories designed in collaboration with Adidas In just two years, Paolo Carzana has established himself as a LFW hot ticket. Following last season's showcase in his back garden, Carzana showed the final part of his Trilogy of Hope in a tiny Clerkenwell pub to an intimate audience of 60, including Sir Paul Smith (whose foundation provides free studio space in nearby Smithfields to young designers, including Carzana). The 14 handmade looks took Toulouse Lautrec as a reference point on silhouette and the delicacy of line and colour. Natural dyes were applied by Carzana using paint brushes and spraying and rolling techniques For AW25, Jawara Alleyne explored the principals of construction in both architecture and clothing. Construction is Alleyne's jam; his held-together-with-safety-pins déshabillé signature look was still evident in the shredded jersey looks, but the production levels were slicker. A triple-layered men's polo and T-shirt look cleverly spliced stripes to appear as checks when the model moved. While the womenswear evolved to include red carpet-worthy draped gowns in heavier fabrications that Alleyne's fanbase, which includes Rihanna, Charli XCX and Shakira, will no doubt adore Gemma Collins front row in a ruffled coat at 9am on a rainy Monday morning wasn't on our London fashion week bingo card, but it was a welcome addition. The TV star was up early for sequin king Ashish's show. Ashish always brings the sparkle underscored with a wry commentary on the state of the world. Tops emblazoned with the slogan 'It's a shit show' and a stripy jumper declaring 'Up Yours' put two fingers up at the state of the world with some much needed light relief through sequins and dressing up. 'It's an expression on how apocalyptic the world feels right now,' he said Showing off schedule on Thursday evening – supported by Hi-Fi, a non-profit programme run by creative agency Hidden that nurtures emerging talent – Central Saint Martin's graduate, Maximilian Raynor's fashion week debut displayed accomplished craftsmanship for a fledgling designer. Titled Welcome to the Un-United Kingdom , the collection imagined a world in 3025 run by self-serving billionaires. 'Design is an indispensable art form that allows us to escape and/or reflect our times. I hope my storytelling, has the power to incite genuine reflection.' he said in his show notes Tolu Coker is becoming one of the buzziest designers in London. For this collection, she was taken with how dress codes within the African diaspora have evolved with migration. She honoured the Aldura churches from Lagos to London and the ritual attire of Black spiritual traditions in Louisiana and Haiti as well as the ceremonial dress of communities across Brazil and Cuba, which she blended with British trademarks like white poplin shirting and tartan which draw on her London roots. A sophisticated and empowered presentation which leaves us excited for what the designer does next Roksanda took inspiration for her masterfully sculptural collection from the work of British artist Phyllida Barlow, whose pioneering approach to form and sculpture resonated with Ilinčić. Prints were created from a fusion of techniques, such as scanning objects like leftover plastic materials, mirrored surfaces and cardboard, overlaid with bold painted strokes, replicating the late artist's use of fabrications such as cardboard, tape and paint. Highlights came as enveloping oversized evening coats, vivid coloured slim satin asymmetric dresses and voluminous silhouetted tailoring Entitled Venus from Chaos, AW25 was inspired by the proverbial home of women – the planet Venus. Though we were sitting in a Bergein-coded club in Angel – which is home to one of London's most famous goth nights, Slimelight – the other-worldly models stalking the runway took us to another dimension. From Lara Stone who opened the show in head-to-toe hyper-corsetry to Hannelore Knuts in a body-skimming second-skin mesh dress, the girls were like an army of alien romantics sent to hypnotise the audience into joining their witchy feminist sect – eye contact, included A starry line-up of actors from Fiona Shaw to Andrea Riseborough walked the runway under the chandeliers of the grand Goldsmith's Hall for Simone Rocha's latest show. Aesop's fables The Tortoise and the Hare and School Days Haze were the inspiration, brimming full of signature design details including bold-shoulders, tiered volumes, pearl edging and floating ribbon. A tougher edge came with denim jackets, utilitarian trenches and oversized leather bikers, faux fur was in abundance from fluffy jackets to models carrying stuffed hares instead of handbags The peacockery and pageantry of British heraldry was the starting point of Denzil Patrick's collection. The husband-and-husband designer duo, Daniel Gayle and James Bosley, took inspiration from archaic British nobility and jousters inspired by cult classic movie Knightriders, as well as speedway racers and medieval clergymen, but gave them a soft touch – be it a feather fluttering behind a strong lapel or a sheeny duchesse satin which was transformed into an XL trench coat. Shield-shaped bags and silver breastplates worn as vests bolstered the archaic military-coded aesthetic Though it's true that Chet Lo is always one of the most exciting slots on the LFW schedule, AW25 felt like a step up for the Asian American designer. While some of his trademark tropes were present – namely mini spikes in merino wool – he introduced more tailoring and outerwear in a toned down and elevated colour palette of navy, burgundy and grey. The motifs which adorned ties, knitwear and dresses were a reinterpretation of misrepresented Western depictions of Asian culture, like tiger prints or cloud motifs, which the designer rehashed in an authentic way Erdem collaborated with artist Kaye Donachie for his AW25 collection. Whom he previously commissioned to paint his late mother's portrait; a version of which appeared on the opening look, a slashed-neck column dress. Donachie's portraits are not literal depictions but abstractions, based on research and instinct. Erdem used the ethereal paintings on organza dresses, bodices, full skirts and voluminous coats. Trousers were notably absent from the collection silhouette, giving way to archetypal feminine shapes that included skirt suits with sculpted bubble skirts and nipped waist jackets Talent incubator Fashion East's line-up kicked off with Olly Shinder, now in his fourth season. Shinder played with his interpretation of utilitarian and military with a twist on the traditional gender-coded aesthetic. Louther's designer Olympia Schiele drew on the spirit of underground London, utilising deadstock fabrics to create unusual silhouettes. Meanwhile, Nuba founders Cameron Williams and Jebi Labembika blended their jersey suiting with cleverly layered and wrapped garments, while flashes of satin blue cobalt added fluidity
