Find out about the Liverpool recording studio thats seen the likes of Coldplay, Rihanna and more

Coldplay, Beautiful South, Pulp, Stereophonics. Not a list of possible Glastonbury headliners, but just some of the big-name artists who made their bestselling music at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool.

The list doesn’t end there. The bands who have laid down their tracks in the famous Liverpool studio is a veritable who’s who of British and international music.

Now the building lies empty, ready for redevelopment. But the story didn’t start in Parr Street and it certainly won’t end there either.

The musical journey that led to the famed studio started in Kirkby at Amazon studios where music producer Jeremy Lewis worked with bands from the local scene in the 1970s and 80s, recording albums with artists including Echo and the Bunnymen and China Crisis.

In 1992 he moved the operation to the city centre and Parr Street, with state-of-the-art recording facilities, accommodation upstairs for bands working in the studio and a bar which became The Attic and opened to the public.

In the noughties and beyond, by now under the direction of producers Chris Taylor and Richard Turvey, modern classics emerged from the studio, including Coldplay albums Parachutes, Rush of Blood To The Head and X and Y, Blossoms’ self-titled debut and works from The Coral, Ian Brown and Miles Kane. Even music by pop superstars Rihanna and Justin Bieber was worked on there.

Then in 2020 it emerged that the owners of the building were putting it up for sale. This centre of musical history was to become apartments and an aparthotel like so much of the surrounding Ropewalks district.

A petition protesting at the plans was launched and attracted thousands of signatures such was the depth of feeling for this centre of music culture.

Ultimately Chris and Richard started to look for a place they could recreate the sound and feel of the famous venue. Two years ago, they announced plans to relocate to Kempston Street in the emerging Fabric District, nestled in the streets behind London Road, the historic heart of Liverpool’s textile trade.

The new complex is housed in two old warehouses and has a large main studio, a small B studio, mix room and further four production suites as well as a space for bands to eat, hangout and bounce new ideas around before returning to the studio.

Chris told Headliner at the time:

“The ethos of the team that is still together – which is me, Rich Turvey and James Skelly, [The Coral] – is that we’d really love to have a band in the room with you and have those conversations about music, and then go and record, but come back, and everybody is involved and engaged in the recording process.”

Keith Mullin, guitarist with The Farm, worked at Parr Street and Amazon and has recently been making new music with the band at Kempston Street.

So, with experience of all three recording facilities, what made Parr Street to special and can that feeling be recreated?

Keith said:

“We did some of our early remixes at Amazon studios, working with James Barton of Cream on remixes of Groovy Train and when Parr Street opened, we worked there as well.

“It was great because it was one of the most prominent residential studios outside London. It was at the top of its game, competing with the best high-tech studios in London. That was obviously its appeal and some top artists recorded there.

“But it also became a community. Thomas Laing, who is a great musician and has made some brilliant music, ran the bar at one point and the whole place had a unique feel, unique to Liverpool.”

Coldplay famously recorded at Parr Street, with Keith revealing:

“Chris Martin loved the piano and the sound in there. They’re one of many fantastic bands who have recorded there. If you look at the list of artists who have worked there, the legacy is amazing.”

The Farm are still making music with two new singles in the last six months, Feel The Love which came out last September and Let The Music Take Control which was released in February. A new album is now in the making and they play Bootle’s Salt and Tar with fellow Liverpool band Red Rum Club on August 15.

Keith said:

“We recorded some of the new music in Parr Street and have been working in Kempston Street. The new studio has continued the feel of Parr Street, with its unique spirit and community but its also a brilliant modern facility and a great place to work.”

While Keith certainly isn’t stuck in the past and loves the new studio, he was still devastated to see the old Parr Street make way for a modern development, and with it another bit of Liverpool’s music history demolished.

“There is not enough value placed on our musical heritage. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past, particularly what happened to Mathew Street and the Cavern, which was demolished to build a car park.

“Liverpool is a music city and our politicians need to understand the value of places like Parr Street.”

Keith, his bandmate Peter Hooton and Brian Nash, of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, are part of the Liverpool Music Icons Tours where they show enthusiasts around city landmarks that have played a part in the musical history of the city.

“One of the reasons Peter initiated the tours was to keep alive landmarks of our musical heritage that have been erased at the behest of developers. These buildings have significant value and we ensured Parr Street is on the tour to recognise its importance in the cultural heritage of the city.”