Rolling Stones Mobile Studio: THE POLL

Despite the obvious picks, tempted to vote for Mystery to Me, but I haven't heard the Santana record maybe it's fire idk

Also too bad Sabbath never thought to live in an old castle for a few months and cut a record with this thing, maybe they did in '73 but Fleetwood Mac was bogarting

Well, it's definitely not Level 42.

Went with Sticky Fingers.

That Santana record is just OK. Half studio, half live, not as weird as the early '70s jazz fusion stuff but not as blatantly pop as the late '70s/early '80s attempts to get back on the radio. I'm probably gonna vote for Exile.

I've never really understood how this worked - the band *owned* the studio, and then Jimmy Miller or whoever was allowed to drive it around to people that were willing to pay for it?

They rented it out for extra income when they weren't touring or recording...Ronnie Lane did a similar thing.

Ronnie's was in an Airstream trailer!

http://outerbluerecords.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/calum-macdonald-recording-studio-of-the-week-ronnie-lane-1.jpg

so where was the mixing board/control room?

In the trailer, and they ran cable out into the barn/castle/mansion of the renting artists choice.

Ronnie Lane actually recorded some of the Slim Chance stuff in the meadows of his farm, with audible dogs barking, cows mooing, etc.

Lane's control room

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/high-end/161767d1268052763-no-aint-photoshop-lanedoc-4.jpg

Oh wow...

http://www.philsbook.com/rolling-one_files/Stones%20Mobile%203%20BI%20dec75.png

so nuts. I would think the sound inside a van would suck shit but obviously they made it work!

If I remember correctly, on the Machine Head episode of Classic Albums, they talk about the mobile studio and how they'd have to go outside to the van, which was some distance away, just to hear the playbacks.

The van was mostly used as the control room, all the cables were ran out from the van to whichever property the artist happened to be recording in. Quite useful for recording in things like churches or anywhere with good natural acoustics.

I believe that running the mobile service was Ian Stewarts role in the Stones when they were not on the road.

Exile vs. Smoke on the Water vs. Bonzo on When the Levee Breaks...tough choice.

Technically speaking, the bands would mix and sometimes overdub on the tapes in a regular studio.

I think Wally Heider in San Francisco was one of the guys that started the studio in a van idea. Live Dead was recorded with his truck.

"Won't Get Fooled Again" was recorded using the Rolling Stones mobile at Mick Jagger's house (because that's where it was parked).

(And speaking of Ronnie Lane's mobile studio, much of Quadrophenia was recorded with it, as the Who's control room for their new studio was still being built during the sessions.)

Physical Graffiti.

1985: A Physical Presence – Level 42

lol, for some reason i always thought Level 42 was a mid-tier 90s big beat kind of group.

Apparently this studio is still in existence and is still in use, although the Stones sold it years ago. I have no idea who has really used it since the '70s.

x-post:

If only that were the case rather than them being representative of everything that was shite about the late '80s.

Why thread is not called "Rolling Truck Stones Thing?"

Poor Gallagher and "Llye." Anyone know off the top o' their head which Traffic was recorded this way?

No idea, might have been the live album they did after Barleycorn, because it was used to record a fair few live albums.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Laughing my tits off at the three joke votes for Level 42. Good work!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oomCIXGzsR0