Ridge Farm Studios

Ridge Farm Studio was one of the very first residential recording studios in the United Kingdom. The studio operated for over twenty five years, and had artists, musicians, and producers from all over the world record and produce their music there.

The studio was established in 1975 by a lighting technician named Frank Andrews, who had toured across the UK with bands such as Queen, Abba, and the Rolling Stones. Andrews returned home from tour to discover his parents had moved to a different place, which is where Ridge Farms Studio was born. He started the studio with his brother, Billy, as a quiet place for bands to rehearse. Ridge Farm Studio did well enough that Andrews was eventually able to buy the property from his parents. It remained a popular location well into the 1990s, after the surge of Britpop. However, bookings eventually dwindled. Joe Jackson was the last person to record there in 2002.

It was located in the village of Rusper, England near the Surrey and Sussex border. The oldest part of the building, originally a mediaeval farmhouse, and what was to become Ridge Farm Studio was built in the mid-17th century and additions to the building were added over the centuries. The studio was surrounded by 12 acres (49,000 m²) of land that included gardens, orchards, meadows and woodland.

With a client list that ranged from The Smiths, Bad Company,Queen, Peter Gabriel, Ozzy Osbourne,Pearl Jam, Oasis, The Three Tenors and more, Ridge Farm Studio closed in early 2003. It is now used as a facility for weddings, banquets and meetings.

The studio rose to popularity when The Smiths recorded their second album Meat Is Murder. The album then caught the attention of Joe Jackson. Jackson was the last to record in 2002 at the studio.

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