Over 40 years of making music great!
Trident Studios was originally started in 1967 by Norman and Barry Sheffield as the in house studio for the Centredisc label. Following the first major hit to come out of the studio, “My Name is Jack” by Manfred Mann, Trident Studios would establish itself as one of the few top studios in the world.
In 1970, the in-house Trident engineers built a small 6×2 desk for the tape copy room which would be the start of much bigger enterprises.
Space was a problem in the control room at Trident, with the console location being next to a lift housing. They needed a 16 track desk that would fit in a space of 1.5m but also be able to be upgraded to accommodate 24-track in the near future. After lengthy discussions with various manufactures Trident decided to build the console themselves. A room was set aside on the top floor of the studios and after a year of experimentation, design and building, the first desk was finished and installed.
The Trident A-Range was born.
That sound was created through painstaking listening tests by the engineers at Trident; people like Ken Scott, Roy Thomas Baker, Malcolm Toft, Barry Sheffield and designer Barry Porter would get together and literally change components until they got the sound they wanted. The A-Range was crafted more by ear than anything, which ultimately makes its sound stand apart from all others.
The Trident B Range.
Before the installation of the first A Range, word had spread and Trident was asked to build a scaled down version for musician and producer John Congas in early 1972. This would become the Trident B range. When a second order came in from Chipping Norton Studios, Trident Audio Developments or TRIAD was officially formed as a manufacturing company.
With the newly formed Trident Audio Developments initial success of both the A-Range and B-Range consoles, development began on new console designs to expand the company’s offerings. Trident quickly experienced even more success with the Fleximix and TSM consoles both being released in 1979.
The Trident Series 80
In 1980 the first Series 80 Console was released and quickly because Trident’s most successful console. The Series 80 was followed by the Trimix and then the revered Series 80B console was released in 1983. The 80B’s became one of the most popular consoles at the time. Offering many options and configurations at a price point that made Trident console the most competitive option of the time.
The Series 80B established itself as a world renowned console not only because of its features, but especially because of its EQ. The 80B EQ is considered one of the best EQ’s, especially for rock. The list of artist and album’s cut on 80B’s is so extensive we hardly even have a complete list ourselves. As a testament to the consoles, the 80B’s still remain in demand and working to this day.
Trident has always strived to bring the best of what you’ll get from expensive consoles in an affordable package for all studios. This still remains true today, we will continue to make the best gear for everyone to enjoy.
The Beatles White Album – including ‘Hey Jude’. David Bowie’s albums, ‘Space Oddity’ ‘Hunky Dory’ ‘Ziggy Stardust’ and ‘Aladdin Sane’. George Harrison’s ‘All things Must Pass’ Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ ‘Blue Moves’ ‘ and ‘Single Man’ . Carly Simon’s ‘You’re so Vain’. ‘ Mary Hopkins ‘Those Were the Days’ and Harry Nilsson’s ‘Without You’. Queen – ‘Queen’ ‘Queen II’ ‘Sheer Heart Attack’. Supertramp’s ‘Crime of the Century’. All of these and many more were recorded at Trident Studios.
Console Chronology
1971 — A-Range – First console made with a split design.
1973 — B-Range – Second split design console
1979 — Fleximix – Live sound console
1979 — TSM – First Quad console, split design
1980 — Series 80
1981 — Trimix – Split design, rear panel patching, mobile
1983 — Series 80B
1983 — Series 70 – Hybrid Trimix, on board patchbay, studio version
1984 — TIL – First “Trident In Line” console
1984 — Series 65
1985 — Series 75
1986 — Di-An – First digitally controlled analog console.
1987 — Series 80C
1989 — Series 16/24
1989 — Vector 432
1992 — Series 90
1994 — Ventura
2015 — Trident 88 – Split design, 8 buss, analog console
2017 — Trident 78 – Split design, 8 buss, analog console
Studio Highlight: EastWest Studios
One of the most famous of the three studios at EastWest is Studio 3. It was in this studio that acts like The Mamas and The Papas, The Beach Boys, and The Turtles were catapulted into the annals of music history.
Some of the most iconic hits of the 60s were born in Studio 3. The Mamas and the Papas recorded “California Dreaming” and “Monday, Monday” in this studio, along with Scott McKenzie’s classic “San Francisco”. But one album recorded here stands above all the rest – The Beach Boy’s 1966 masterpiece Pet Sounds.
Studio 3 is equipped with a classic Trident “A” Range Console (40 Channel with Neve Flying Faders Automation), the “original” and one of 11 surviving in the world.
1963 — The Beach Boys “Surfin USA”
1964 — Jan and Dean “Everybody Loves Somebody”
1964 — Barry McGuire “Eve of Destruction”
1965 — The Beach Boys “California Girls”
1965 — The Beach Boys “Sloop John B”
1965 — The Mamas & the Papas “California Dreamin’”
1965 — The Turtles “It Ain’t Me Babe”
1966 — Scott Mackenzie “San Francisco”
1966 — The Mamas & the Papas “If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears”
1966 — The Mamas & the Papas “Monday, Monday”
1966 — The Mamas & the Papas “I Call Your Name”
1966 — The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations”
1966 — The Beach Boys “God Only Knows”
1966 — The Beach Boys “Pet Sounds”
1966 — The Beach Boys “Smile Sessions”
1966 — Johnny Rivers “Poor Side of Town”
1966 — The Mamas & the Papas “Dancing in the Street”
1966 — The Turtles “You Baby”
1966 — The Sunrays “Andrea”
1966 — The Association “Renaissance”
1967 — The Association “Windy”
1967 — Johnny Rivers “Baby I Need Your Lovin’”
1967 — The Grassroots “Feelings”
1967 — The Mamas & the Papas “Deliver”
1967 — The Mamas & the Papas “Creeque Alley”
1968 — The Association “Time for Living”
1968 — 5th Dimension “Stone Soul Picnic”
1968 — The Cowsills “Hair”
1969 — The Grassroots “Leaving It All Behind”
1971 — Hamilton Joe Frank & Reynolds “Ain’t No Woman”
1973 — America “Goodbye, Goodbye”
1974 — The DeFranco Family “Save The Last Dance For Me”
1976 — Herb Pedersen “Southwest”
1979 — Herbie Hancock “Monster”
1980 — Blondie “The Tide is High”
1980 — Blondie “Rapture”
1980 — Dolly Parton “9 to 5”
1983 — Bow Wow Wow “When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going”
1984 — Donna Summers “Cats Without Claws”
1985 — Stevie Nicks “Rock A Little”
1997 — The Rolling Stones “Bridges to Babylon”
2001 — Blink-182 “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket”
2001 — Natalie Merchant “Motherland”
2001 — System of a Down “Toxicity”
2002 — Muse “Absolution”
2002 — AFI “Sing the Sorrow”
2003 — The Mars Volta “De-Loused in the Comatorium”
2003 — Jimmy Eat World “Futures”
2004 — Ryan Adams “Love Is Hell”
2009 — Rihanna “Rated R”
2009 — Band of Horses “Infinite Arms”
2010 — Rihanna “Loud”
2011 — Frank Ocean “Channel Orange”
2011 — Nas “Life is Good”
2011 — Jimmy Cliff “Rebirth”
2012 — Richie Sambora “Aftermath of a Lowdown”
2012 — Kelly Rowland “Talk A Good Game”
2012 — Kate Nash “Girl Talk”
2012 — Behind the Candelabra “Music for the film”
2012 — American Horror Story “Music for the TV Show”
2012 — Demi Lovato “Demi”
2012 — The New Normal “Music for the TV Show”
2012 — Ariana Grande “Yours Truly”
2013 — Janelle Monáe “The Electric Lady”
2013 — Oblivion “Music from the film”
2014 — Lea Michele “Louder”
Studio Highlight: Cherokee Recording Studios
Another of the legendary studios to use the A-Range consoles was Cherokee Recoding Studios in Hollywood. Cherokee studios owned at one time 4 A-Range consoles. Many bands and artists have recorded on A-Range consoles at Cherokee over the years including the following;
David Bowie: With Cameron Crowe documenting the recording sessions for Rolling Stone, David Bowie came to Cherokee Studios in 1975 to record his platinum album Station to Station.
Motley Crue: Mötley Crüe recorded the platinum selling albums Theatre of Pain and Shout at the Devil at Cherokee Studios.
Harry Nilsson: Harry Nilsson recorded his final album Flash Harry at Cherokee Studios between 1978 and 1980. Produced by Steve Cropper and engineered by Bruce Robb, the album has a very clean, soulful sound and features a who’s-who of collaborators including Ringo Starr, Paul Stallworth, Eric Idle and Mac Rebennack.
Bonnie Raitt: While living in one of the West Hollywood apartment complexes directly behind Cherokee Studios, Bonnie Raitt would pick up backup singing recording gigs with music producers Bruce Robb and Steve Cropper.
Frank Sinatra: Frank Sinatra recorded the Sinatra Christmas Album at Cherokee in 1975.
Weird Al Yankovic: Weird Al Yankovic recorded his first album at Cherokee in 1982. The album sold over 500,000 copies.
Ringo Starr: While he was recording Stop and Smell the Roses at Cherokee Studios in 1980, Ringo Starr invited George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney to guest on the album; Paul McCartney and Harrison also produced some of the tracks. Starr had approached John Lennon to help out as well, had received two demos of songs which eventually wound up on the posthumous Lennon album Milk and Honey, and reportedly, Lennon had agreed to come to Los Angeles in January 1981 and take part in the recording; the album then would have been a modest Beatles reunion. The assassination of Lennon prevented those plans from coming to fruition. Ronnie Wood of theRolling Stones also collaborated with Starr on the album at Cherokee, adding guitar, bass, saxophone, keyboards, and back-up vocals.
Warren Zevon: In 2002, a terminally ill Warren Zevon came to Cherokee Studios to record what would be his final album, The Wind. Nick Read filmed Zevon’s final recordings at Cherokee for the documentary,Warren Zevon: Keep Me In Your Heart. Bruce Springsteen joined Zevon at Cherokee for the single “Disorder in the House,” Cherokee owner Bruce Robb provided lead guitar on the first track of The Wind and support vocals on two other tracks.
Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson‘s 1979 album Off the Wall was recorded at Cherokee Studios. The album is among the best-selling albums of all time.