A new bimonthly listicle highlighting who’s been in the studio and what they are up to. BXHSers, let us know if there’s a gig or project you are working towards that you’d like us to mention:
We have had a couple of acts in getting ‘beach ready’ for the 25th Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona which is talking place on the first week June; regulars NewDad returned from their US travels and will play the festival on Friday, before they hotfoot their alt-rock/dream-pop sounds to Dublin to open for David Byrne, yes, you heard us right, DAVID BYRNE!!, plus we had a visit from the excellent, politically charged, punk duo Lambrini Girls, who play on the Saturday, ahead of dates in the US and Europe.
Phoebe Lambrini receives BXHS Excellence Award from Charley Stone
Sadly, on the Saturday, Lambrini Girls clash with My Bloody Valentine, who our Jen Macro plays keys/guitar with, so she won’t get to see them. This will be the second time Jen has played Primavera with MBV, having joined them in 2013. Jen has also been busy playing with Jim Bob (from Carter USM) and finishing off her band Hurtling’s 2nd album, which has just been confirmed for release with Onomatopoeia Records. To complete the fiesta, bossman Stephen will also be out in Barcelona with prog superstars, Cardiacs, at Primavera a la Ciutat.
Jen Macro - at Primavera with My Bloody Valentine
NewDad - opening for David Byrne
Earlier in May, legendary vocalist Sarah Brown came in to rehearse for a special Sing Gospel! event at Liverpool Olympia on May 19th. Sarah has sung with Dave Gilmour, Stevie Wonder, Simple Minds and George Michael, and cites Sister Rosetta Tharpe as an early inspiration, who, fittingly, she pays homage to in the show. Filmed for the BBC, you can catch her performance on Songs of Praise on BBC One, Sunday June 7th, or catch up on BBC iPlayer.
Sarah Brown - BBC Songs of Praise
Forest Blakk - Debut UK shows
Studioo 1 & 2 were packed out with production rehearsals during May. We cleared out our gear so heavy rockers Deaf Havana and their team could take over Studio 1 in preparation for upcoming festivals. They will also tour in Oct/Nov celebrating 15 years of their album Fools and Worthless Liars.
Meanwhile,Studio 2 played host to million(s) selling, Canadian indie folk-pop vocalist and songwriter, Forest Blakk, ahead of his debut UK shows. The Lower Third in London and Manchester Deaf Institute quickly sold out, so we hope he’ll return soon for more dates.
Demae - plays Cross The Tracks
Seren - supporting Ruby Roberts
BRIT School alumnus Seren is an upcoming songwriter and singer with pop/soul/folk influences. She was in preparing for her show at Rough Trade Bristol opening for rising alt-pop artist Ruby Roberts on May 27th, and was hugely excited about the gig.
The Best New R&B act at the 2025 Notion New Music Awards, Demae came in to warm up for their set at London’s no.1 Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival, Cross The Tracks in Brockwell Park over the Spring Bank Holiday.
We also saw the lads from The Rizz return to the studios, getting ready for their shows supporting From the Jam (Jam hits ft original member, Bruce Foxton) in Norwich in May and Islington Assembly Hall on June 6th. The shows follow the release of their single ‘Fishing in a Wishing Well’ (May 22nd) much of which was recorded here with our very own Alessio Costa. If you’d like to record here with Alessio, or Nick Howiantz or Stephen Gilchrist, just give us a call or send us an email.
The Rizz - new single
That’s it for now, back in a few weeks. If you’d like to be included in a one of these round up type things, get in touch.
A new bimonthly listicle highlighting who’s been in the studio and what they are up to. BXHSers, let us know if there’s a gig or project you are working towards that you’d like us to mention: hello@brixtonhillstudios.com
It has been a busy old month so far! We have welcomed some new artists and welcomed home some touring bands, plus we’ve been awful busy in the studio, with album mixing and tape transfers. Here’s a snapshot of what’s been going down in Studios 1-5:
We’ve missed seeing Shame, Bleech 9:3and Keo around the place as they’ve been on tour over the last few months. They have popped back briefly and will all be appearing at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton (13-16 May) along with other BXHSers Alice SK, Cowboyy, Jos Rivers, Paige Kennedy and Y, all of whom we can highly recommend. If you are at the festival on Friday, give our Louis Gomes a wave, as he takes over the @brixtonhillstudio instagram reporting from Brighton.
We welcomed comedy genius Luisa Omielan to the studio this month. Luisa is a hugely talented writer and performer, and she was working on the musical aspect of her show ‘God Is A Woman‘. If you are aware of her other works ‘Politics for Bitches‘ and ‘What Would Beyonce Do?‘ you’ll already know what to expect from Omielan, and this musical, a herstory of Mary Magdelene, is a triumph. See it at the Kings Head Theatre 22-27 June.
Shame
Luisa Omielan
Oscar Jerome
First World Problems
Oscar Jerome brought chill soul folk vibes ahead of his sold out shows at Ronnie Scott’s this month, check out his third solo album The Fork.
Our dear friends First World Problems, who regularly rehearse here and have recorded with Alessio, are playing at Far East Festival, which boasts 22 shows, over 4 days (28-31 May), hosted on 10 stages in East London venues, and features over 200 artists! All for £12 +bf. Bargain! Also playing, BXHSersThe Harrison Affair.
Abakush are a predominantly female reggae group formed in the early ’80s and are thankfully still going strong. They have been in getting their groove together for City Splash in Brockwell Park Brixton on the 25th of May.
Post-punk troupe House Arrest came in ahead of the release of their single, No Shame At All, with shows supporting fellow BXHS visitors Y (The Deco, Portsmouth 21/05) and Soft (Lexington London 28/05) and regulars Swimmers Jackson got a play on Steve Lamacq’s show on BBC 6 Music.
We pick a dozen of the hard working bands who rehearse at the studio that all have wonderful wares to sell this Bandcamp Friday!
This month’s Bandcamp Friday is sponsored by Roland and you can get your mits on a free exclusive Roland Ultimate Studio Suite. Sweet! In celebration, we thought we’d highlight some of the awesome bands who rehearse here and hook you up with their Bandcamp sites…
Julie Dawson – Lead singer from studio sweethearts NewDad just released a beautiful solo record Bottom of the Pool.
BERRIES – Pick of the bunch! BERRIES are on tour in Oct when they release their follow up to How We Function, which is out Oct 18th – see their link tree for tix and to pre-save Jagged Routine.
Benedict Cork – Wonderful singer/songwriter released his debut album Notes on a Hopeless Romance this year, and the live EP of his show at Bush Hall is heartbreaking and joyful all at the same time.
Kugelschreiber – Wonky popsters led by Sharron Fortnam (North Sea Radio Orchestra/Cardiacs) who recently visited the studio to rehearse when they added our Jen to the live line up. Debut album Cheerleaders is out now and it’s brilliant.
Holy Springs – We’re so intrigued by this shoegaze/electronic unit. They recently supported the glorious Film School at the Moth Club. Keep an eye out for more dates from this lot.
I, Doris – It is always a delight to see the Doris’s at the studio. Mixed by the boss Stephen ‘Doris’ Gilchrist and featuring Chumbawamba frontman and indie legend Dunstan Bruce, Not Done Yet was released in June this year. Catch I,Doris at Loudwomen’s 9th Birthday Party on Oct 12th.
Joyzine – The studio’s very favourite zine has released not one, not two, but THREE volumes of JOY to celebrate their 20th anniversary and raise money for Hope Not Hate. Get a 3-Volume bundle to hear exclusive tracks from Brixton Hill Studios regulars including Colossus, Dead Patrons, The Fades, Hot Sauce Pony, Hurtling, I,Doris, Stuffy/theFuses and Subliminal Girls.
That’s ya lot, for now – see you at the studios or a gig soon.
Team BXHS x
PS – Don’t forget our End of Summer Sale – 20% off all weeknight 9pm-12am slots booked online through JAMMED. Offer ends 01.11.24.
Brixton Hill’s ‘Guitar Repair Guy’ and all round good egg, Jimi Scandal speaks to John Clay about where we were, where we’re at now and how you can have a say in the future of Brixton Hill Studios…oh and what a great boss Stephen Gilchrist is! It’s an interesting read, giving a detailed account of just what happened with our landlord, and the work we are putting in to finding ways to combat the ongoing rent increases and keep the studios open.
Want to get involved? – please take our short survey, your opinion will really help us in our endeavour to establish a rent controlled building that will house us and other arts projects>>
Thanks again to everyone who signed the petition, shouted about us, or shared the plight of our potential closure with the wider world. We are very happy that this public pressure led to a negotiation with landlord Jerry Knight at Lexadon and that we are able to continue to provide a service to the music community of Brixton and beyond.
Unfortunately, the rent has still risen an eye-watering amount – this, along with rising costs and inflation, means that we are forced to raise our prices to stay afloat.
We hope you understand and appreciate you continued support.
Below are our new rates plus a few points worthy of mention:
STUDIO 3 – Will now include 2 combo guitar amps in the backline.
STUDIO 1 & 2 – Will have a PA/monitor upgrade, PLUS up until the end of December we are trialing a new 4.5 hour weeknight slot in these rooms – 6.30pm-11pm / 7pm-11.30pm.
ALL STUDIOS – For the whole of October we are offering 20% off the weeknight 9pm-midnight slots in all the rooms.
Anything you book in before October 1st 2023 will be charged at September 2023 prices.
COMING SOON – BXHS Loyalty Cards – More on that to follow
Prices from October 1st 2023
The rent will continue to rise year on year, so we are actively looking to find a long term home With the help and advice of Lambeth Council, Music Venue Trust and Sister Midnight we hope to find and fund a community owned property that will be used for arts purposes in perpetuity, which can house Brixton Hill Studios and other arts groups and practitioners at a low rent. This could potentially benefit our customers as costs would reduce considerably and we’d be able to pass those savings on. Please help us in this venture by filling out our quick survey>>
Due to a larger than anticipated rent increase at the end of our 10 yr lease, it means we can no longer afford to stay at the premises at 126 Brixton Hill.
We broke the news to everyone on June 5th, 2023. Since then we have been totally overwhelmed with well wishes, offers of help, social media sharing, petition signing and shouting about the cause. Patrons, friends, local residents, local councillors and supporters of the arts have really got behind us, and we feel very wanted here! Thankyou x
We have been working with lots of helpful people and trying to get the landlord to negotiate, as yet however, nothing has been resolved, but we remain hopeful that although we may not be able to get the landlord to reduce his rental price, we might be able to extend our lease for enough time as to find other premises in the area.
Here’s a quick round up of what’s gone on so far…
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Spurred on by one of our loyal customers who kindly wrote a template letter, many people wrote to our local MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy. Bell has taken a keen interest in our situation, visiting the studio along with Councillor Olga Fitzroy and writing to the landlord directly on behalf of us and concerned local residents.
Petition
Jimi Smith started a Change.org petition on Jun 6th which ran for 10 days and garnered 5,800 names in just 10 days. Support came from people who rely on the studio, bands who come here to rehearse such as Black Midi, Shame, Berries, Dinosaur Pile Up, The Dust Coda and Big Joanie, to Brixton residents and and organisations such a the Brixton Soup Kitchen and our favourite local venue, The Windmill.
Along with food critic and jazz musician Jay Rayner who rehearses here, we also had signatures from industry friends Graham Coxon (Blur), Charlotte Hatherley, Jim Bob (Carter USM) and legendary Bowie producer Tony Visconti.
Radio DJs also got involved including three who are hugely influential in promoting new music and often play bands who rehearse here – John Kennedy at Radio X and Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson from BBC 6Music.
Press
We’ve had a quite a bit of interest from the media, from BBC Radio London to the Evening Standard, South London Press to Brixton Buzz, we are grateful to the journalists who listened and got the story out to the wider audience. Here are links to some of the articles:
Our friend Aggie Branner from the band Balamuc made this short fly on the wall film about the studio > #savebrixtonhillstudios Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t already.
Social Media
Amazing to see so many of you get involved, we appreciate all the shares, likes and comments on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It has also been lovely to see some of you posting memories of good times here at the studios, or sharing videos of your rehearsals, or taking your pic in front of our iconic shutter.
Our patrons are the best! We appreciate you so much, and we will do our best to make sure we continue to offer a space for you to make music in Brixton.
Ever wondered how Brixton Hill Studios started 10 years ago?
Agnes Branner from the band Balamuc has made a short fly-on-the-wall film, narrated by BXHS boss Stephen Gilchrist. The film charts the history of the studios, looks at who’s using the space now and explores the #savebrixtonhillstudios campaign as this thriving hub of the South London music community faces the threat of closure.
BXHS Boss man Stephen on the front desk
We are extremely grateful to Agnes for her time and talent in putting this film together, we think it is great, we hope you enjoy it too. If you would like to keep up to date with progress of the campaign/closure/future plans/how you can help then please join our Facebook Group: Brixton Hill Studios Preservation Society
It’s with the heaviest of hearts that I write to you confirming that South London’s favourite “playground” for adults is being threatened with closure at the end of the Summer. We just about made it to 10 years but more astoundingly we managed to navigate a pandemic and multiple lockdowns (and not without your considerable support and the financial input from the Arts Council of Great Britain). We managed to survive when many of our brothers and sisters in the industry didn’t. Unfortunately the one thing we can not compete with is an astronomical rent rise.
Yep, that’s right we are being priced out of our home.
It’s been a rocky road to recovery but in recent months we’ve seen the studio reaching full capacity as everyone from the pros, weekend warriors and the rising rockstars of tomorrow have been eager to create again. We are proud that from the very first day we opened our doors we’ve experienced a diverse range of artists, bands and performers, all from differing backgrounds and influences. Many of you have also become friends and comrades too. There are multiple associations and partnerships we’ve made including our favourite venue, The Windmill and local music charity Grounded Sounds who do essential work educating and engineering music related opportunities for the local youth population. BXHS is more than an industrial unit with some amps and drums stuck inside it, we’ve become a part of the community, a community it has been a pleasure to serve and support for the last 10 years.
As well as rehearsals we have made some fantastic records here, not only on tape and digital but there was also the time someone insisted we mixed their songs on to cassette. We’ve put on some unforgettable all dayers, Christmas parties and put out a few records of your awesome tunes. We held open days and band merch markets. We’ve housed music teachers and their aspiring students from the get go, making sure everyone has somewhere to make noise. Some of us remember the opening night party where we received a surprise visit from Pixies’s Black Francis. For many of us this place has been a constant in our lives since the days it was a single room studio at the back of Unit 2.
So what are we going to do now?
We are doing everything we can to keep BXHS running. If not here then at a new site. Even if we have to shut down for a little while we shall let you know with as much notice as possible so you can make alternative arrangements. It’s a big old job to dismantle and rebuild somewhere else. We only have 4 months in which to find somewhere suitable that is also within budget and sustainable for the next 10-20 years.
But this is something we need, right?
The few people we have shared this information with have already asked “is there anything we can do”? For now you can sign up to our mailing list (see below) and join the Brixton Hill Studios Preservation Society on FB. All progress will be posted there before the wider socials.
In the meantime if you would like to share some pictures and stories of your times here at BXHS please do so on our socials or tag us in in your stories and posts. All the emotional support given to us helps us to fight the good fight and, in every sense, go into battle.
With restrictions now lifted, we are happy to reinstate our smaller studios (4 & 5) as safe to use for more than one person. With the new addition of air exchange units, we’re ready to open these rooms to bands again.
You can book your band sessions now on jammed. For those wanting to book at the solo rates, these are still available, please email us or book with us over the phone [020 8674 3065] and we can book you in at the reduced one person rate.
STUDIO 4STUDIO 5
Studios 4 & 5
Before the pandemic we operated these studios as full band rehearsal rooms, but due to government guidelines about Covid-19, we felt unable to open them safely to more than one person. Now that restrictions have been lifted and having made some modifications to the air flow systems in these smaller rooms, we now feel confident to open them up for band bookings again. We even have some nice new amps and microphones to go with the original small scale drum kits in these rooms.
Due to their size, these rooms are better suited to groups of three, but we have had more in there in pre-pandemic times. If your troupe doesn’t need the drums, we are always happy to take the drum kit out to give you more space, but please give us some advance warning that you need the kit removed, and also be aware that due to the fast changeovers, this may cut in to your rehearsal time by 5 minutes or so. Just head on over to our booking app>> JAMMED to select, reserve and pay for your rehearsal. The new rates for these room are:
Studio prices as of May 2022
Solo/teaching rates
We are keen to continue to allow solo sessions to be booked in advance, and at least until we review in July, this will apply to both our quieter times AND our peak times which are weekday evenings and weekend daytimes. In this transition period you will be unable to make a reduced rate booking via the Jammed booking app, instead you will need to call 020 8674 3065 or email us to book at the reduced rate:
Solo/Drum/DJ/Teaching rates as of May 2022
In addition to this, If you want to book a solo session in advance on the week evenings, you will have to take a slot of either 6pm-9pm or 9pm-12am (or 6pm-12am). This is so we can allow two bookings per evening in each room and make the best use of the space. As always, you are welcome to ring up on the day to see if we have space available for a solo session, at which point there may be more flexibility on start time and length of your session. We will always try to fit you in where we can, it’s just a case of figuring out the best way to make use of our spaces.
We will still be offering the solo rate to teachers.
New DJ/Solo Room
If you want to book a shorter time slot in the evening in advance, you can also use our new DJ and solo rate room – please be aware this is upstairs and does not include a drum kit. It does have a small vocal PA, but this room is designed to have quieter occupants such as acoustic instrumentalists and singers.
DJ/SOLO ROOM
Thankyou
As always, a massive thank you for bringing us your custom. We hope you still enjoy coming here and being creative, understand why we have taken these decisions, and can be patient with us while we try to work out the best way to get back up and running to full capacity. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions/feedback.
As we mentioned here last year, we received a Culture Recovery Fund grant from Arts Council England. This not only meant we could stay open for musicians who need a facility where they can work, but we have been able to acquire top notch equipment for a range of new services, which we are implementing over the next few months at a 50% OFF INTRODUCTORY DISCOUNT.
So what’s new?
Well for starters, a shiny new Audient ASP8024 HE mixing console and new monitors in our remodelled control room. Plus we are halving our normal recording by rates for the next few months, to help musicians get back on their feet during this time of financial strain. Whether you’re after digital or analogue recording, we can get you the perfect sound for your tracks.
Audio Transfer and Digital Archiving
We now have the gear and people-power to take your music from physical format to digital (or different physical) format. So those demos you mastered to DAT tape, rehearsals you recorded onto MiniDisc, sessions you recorded to 2″ tape can all be lovingly transferred to WAV to be backed up on to a hard drive, or given a new lease of creative life in your DAW set up, or worked on here in our studio. We can even archive rare vinyl from your beloved record collection. Book now and get 50% OFF. Learn more…
Online Mixing/Re-amping/Re-synthing
We can help you finish that song you’ve been struggling to mix, or get rid of extraneous background noise on a track. We can even take your stems and run them through any of our collection of vintage amps and synths recording them with your choice from our range of microphones. All you need to do is send over the files… Get in touch today to claim a 50% DISCOUNT. Learn more…
Podcast Production
We’ve also become the proud owners of a some RØDEcaster Pro integrated podcasting production consoles and professional broadcast quality Audio Technica AT2035 microphones, which go together to build two portable podcast studios with all the whistles and bells. Record here or hire them out (subject to deposit) to use in your own workspace.
No matter how or where you record your podcast, we can edit it here at Brixton Hill Studios so you can get the most professional sounding audio – we can even write the theme tune! And remember, all packages are currently HALF PRICELearn more…
Brixton Hill Broadcasting
We’re also working on our very own podcast episodes, we’ll hopefully be chatting to some good friends of the studio who can help out with advice for musicians, from DIY releases to online shows, from gear recommendations to working from home. If you have any burning questions get in touch at hello@brixtonhill.co.uk and we’ll try to find the answers.
There are other plans afoot too, but we’ll get on to those another day. For now – go peruse our new websitewww.brixtonrecording.com and let us know how we can help.
We hope you’re all doing well. We’d like to thank you all for your kind messages over the last few months. It’s been difficult for everyone, especially those in the Arts sector, and we really appreciate your support.
