![]() Main entrance of the Bakery in white | |
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Address | 4A Fleet Road, Hampstead, London, England |
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Coordinates | 51°33′11.437″N0°9′31.011″W / 51.55317694°N 0.15861417°W |
Public transit | |
Owner | Coldplay |
Type | Recording studio |
Opened | 2006 |
Closed | 2024 |
The Bakery was a recording studio located at 4A Fleet Road, Hampstead, London, England. It was established in 2006 by British rock band Coldplay, as they wanted to have a place where they could "rehearse, write, work on artwork or just relax", following the release of X&Y (2005). The studio's name came from being set inside an old bakery. Its foundation coincided with Phil Harvey rejoining the group for Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). Two years later, Coldplay arranged the Beehive, a complementary building located at 17 Fleet Road. Both facilities were used in ensuing albums, though the Bakery closed in 2024.
After the release of X&Y (2005), Coldplay decided to build their own recording studio. [1] Chris Martin commented their former workplace felt dirty, bleak and the band were not properly talking to each other. [1] They rented an old bakery in 2006 to help them recalibrate and established it as their headquarters. [2] The building was located at 4A Fleet Road, Hampstead, London, [3] with the entrance intercalated between an estate agent and a restaurant. [4] Will Champion described it as a bigger version of Jonny Buckland's bedroom, [4] from the time the group studied at University College London. [5] Producers Dan Green and Rik Simpson converted the ground floor into a studio, which was good for overdubs, but difficult for full band recordings. [6] Management offices were placed right above. [6]
The first Coldplay album to be recorded at the Bakery was Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends , starting from November 2006 until April 2008. [7] Champion stated the group would visit the building every day with no pressure and simply work on their music, marking a significant contrast with the experiences they previously had on a studio, when most recordings ended up getting scrapped or had to be redone because more rehearsal and writing sessions were needed. [8] Meetings coincided with Phil Harvey's return to the lineup. [9] The creative process was supported by producer Brian Eno and violinist Davide Rossi. [5] Coldplay learned brand-new songwriting, recording and experimentation techniques under the former. [8] After Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends was released, the Bakery remained fully functional, particularly for programming and editing. [6] It only closed in 2024 due to reduced usage. [10]
Opened in January 2010, [11] the Beehive is a former church hall at 17 Fleet Road which got converted into the Bakery's sister building. [12] Simpson claimed that it has a large space where he can record the entire band properly and, since they are all in the same room, it is better for communication. [6] The studio was originally designed to be a more contemporary facility, since its equipment include a Pro Tools HD system, a Slate Raven MTi touchscreen controller, racks full of outboard gear and an SSL Matrix console. [6] Moreover, Coldplay's best gear was said to be kept at the Beehive. [6] NME mentioned that the group rehearse every Thursday there. [13] Other musicians have used the building for recording as well, these include Ash, [14] Eno, [15] the High Wire, [16] and Peter Gabriel. [15] Between 2021 and 2023, the Beehive underwent a number of technical and structural renovations commissioned by Coldplay and handled by Green, who partnered with a specialized team from Miloco Builds, a subsidiary of Miloco Studios. [17]
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey. They are best known for their live performances, having also impacted popular culture through their music, advocacy and achievements.
William Champion is an English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer and percussionist of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Southampton, he learned to play numerous instruments during his youth, being influenced by Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and traditional Irish folk music. His energetic drumming style is largely focused on the essential elements of the songs and he occasionally takes lead vocal duties on live performances.
Davide Rossi is an Italian violinist, string arranger, orchestrator, songwriter, composer and conductor, perhaps best known for having been the electric violinist and multi-instrumentalist for the British electronic music duo Goldfrapp from 2000 until 2013, and for his large contribution of electric violin parts and for most of the string arrangements on all Coldplay's albums since Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends,.
Miloco Studios is a recording studio management group. Based in London, England, the company represents well over 160 facilities around the world.
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, often referred to as simply Viva la Vida, is the fourth studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 12 June 2008 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom. "Viva la vida" is a Spanish phrase, translated to English as "long live life", "live the life" or simply "live life". Lyrically, the album contains references to love, life, death and war.
"Violet Hill" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). Built around a repeating guitar sound, it utilises a marching tempo, supported by the pianos and rhythms that accompany the song's lyrics. The song was initially made available as a free download on the band's website and was downloaded more than two million times.
"Viva la Vida" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). The lyrics contain historical and Christian references, and the track is built around a looping string section with a digitally processed piano, while other layers are gradually added.
The Viva la Vida Tour was the fourth concert tour undertaken by British rock band Coldplay. It was launched in support of their fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008), becoming a massive commercial and critical success. The tour visited Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, further establishing the band as one of the biggest touring acts in the world.
"Lost!" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay. It was co-produced with Brian Eno and Markus Dravs for the band's fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. The song was released on 10 November 2008 as the third official single from the album to generally positive critical reviews. A live version was released via download following a performance of the band and Jay-Z at the 2009 Grammy Awards, spurring high digital sales and giving "Lost!" a new peak at number 40 in the United States.
Prospekt's March is the seventh extended play by British rock band Coldplay and their first since Remixes (2003). It was released on 21 November 2008 in Europe and Japan, later released globally the following week. The EP features several left-over tracks from the Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends studio sessions and was also made available in the album's deluxe edition.
"Lovers in Japan" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. The song is built around an introductory tack piano sound, then followed by chiming guitars and soaring choruses, supported by the pianos and rhythms that accompany the song's lyrics. The album version of "Lovers in Japan" shares the track with the song "Reign of Love".
"Strawberry Swing" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. On 13 September 2009, it was released as the fourth and final single from the band's fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). The song was written by the members of the band and was produced by Markus Dravs, Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins and Rik Simpson. The track received mostly positive reviews from music critics who praised the infectious melody, the vocal performance of Chris Martin and the west-African influences on the track's arrangement and production.
"Death and All His Friends" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, and is the tenth and final track on the album. The song begins with Chris Martin singing softly to a piano accompaniment before morphing into an uplifting arrangement featuring drums, chiming guitars, and a choir recorded in an art gallery in Barcelona. After the song fades out, a hidden song featured on the album, entitled "The Escapist", brings the total length of the track up to over six minutes and concludes the album. "The Escapist" is an ambient music piece that consists of a sample of "Light Through the Veins" by Jon Hopkins, with different mixing and with added vocals and lyrics by Chris Martin. A brief 40-second section of the instrumental of "The Escapist" is what begins the first track on the album, "Life in Technicolor", making the album cyclical.
"42" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). The song, divided into three parts, does not have a chorus. The first part is a ballad with piano and strings, which then transforms into an uptempo rock arrangement with a guitar solo. Finally, the song ends with a multi-instrumental part. A live version of "42" was featured on the band's 2009 live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft.
Mylo Xyloto is the fifth studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 24 October 2011. The band worked closely with producer Brian Eno following their successful collaboration on Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008), the band's previous album.
"Charlie Brown" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. The song was released as the third single from their fifth studio album Mylo Xyloto. The single was listed by Q magazine as their track of the day on 2 December 2011. The music video for the song was released on 2 February 2012, as well as a live version on 6 December 2011. Despite the name, the lyrics have no relation to the Peanuts franchise whatsoever.
"A Sky Full of Stars" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay. It was released in May 2014 as the second single from their sixth album, Ghost Stories (2014). An exclusive digital EP version of it, with the B-sides "All Your Friends", "Ghost Story" and "O (Reprise)", came out in the following weeks, being considered the band's eleventh extended play.
"Fun" is a song by British rock band Coldplay, featuring Swedish singer Tove Lo. It is the sixth track from their seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams (2015). The song was produced by the band's long-time record producer Rik Simpson along with Norwegian production duo Stargate.
British rock band Coldplay have released 75 music videos, 5 video albums and 6 films, appearing in a wide range of television shows throughout their career as well. They were formed in London by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Phil Harvey (management). Before their recording contract with Parlophone in 1999, a music video for "Bigger Stronger" was shot and directed by Mat Whitecross, who ultimately became one of the long-time collaborators of the band. It was followed by the singles "Shiver", "Yellow", "Trouble" and "Don't Panic" from Parachutes (2000), with the third earning a MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction.