Southern Studios


Southern Studios is a recording studio in the Wood Green area of London. It was founded in 1974 by John Loder, and came to be the recording studio of choice for Crass and their record label Crass Records. Southern Studios Ltd. continues to grow its label and provide label management and distribution services throughout Europe.

Background

In the 1980s, Southern Studios Ltd. evolved into its own record label and distribution company, trading under the name of Southern Records.
With the growth of business, the need to expand into other areas of the music business became apparent, thus Southern Record Distributors Ltd. took over UK distribution, while SSL continued to serve the needs of Europe, as well as signing and supporting artists on the Southern Records label. During the massive growth of the independent music industry in the mid-1990s, Loder decided to establish Southern Records Inc. in Chicago, which has added many artists to the Southern label's roster and operates a distribution business for independent-minded labels in the US and elsewhere.
Steve Albini, a long-time friend and associate of John Loder, has described the set up at Southern Studios as being completely analogue. Although not entirely analogue, the vintage Raindirk Series III 24-channel desk does indeed dominate the studio control room. The studio today is owned by Southern Records Ltd. and continues to operate under the guidance of sound engineer Harvey Birrell.

Artists

The following is an incomplete list of artists who have recorded at Southern Studios in the United Kingdom.
The following is an incomplete list of record labels that have been manufactured & distributed or distributed by Southern Studios in Europe between 1978 and the present.