In 1979, Sir George Martin decided to build a recording studio on an island in the Caribbean, and I love that for him.
I love that after two-ish decades of being a consummate London professional who showed up every day to the studio in a suit and tie and slicked hair, he decided the island life was for him.
my king, in short shorts
These ^ precious images brought to you by Gracie Otto's documentary Under the Volcano, which has been on my watch list since I first heard about it. I can't believe it's taken me this long to see it!
Admittedly, and predictably, I'm only really familiar with Sir George's career with the Beatles. Prior to watching this film, I knew a little bit about his early work producing comedy and classical recordings, but virtually nothing about his post-Beatles projects in the 70s and 80s.
So it was a fun surprise to learn how many other favorite artists he crossed paths with during the AIR Studios era in Montserrat: Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Buffett, Dire Straits, Lou Reed, Elton John, the Rolling Stones....and of the notable albums recorded there: Brothers in Arms, Synchronicity, Tug of War, Steel Wheels, Talk is Cheap, to name a few. (For the most part, Big George didn't produce these albums, it was more like he was the camp director overseeing it all.)
For most artists trying to crank out the next album, I imagine AIR Studios was a nice change of pace and scenery, with just a touch of peril (the studio being literally on a hillside under a smoking volcano), and a healthy dash of cabin fever (judging from The Police's experience...or maybe they are just divas). Why not bring the whole family?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1abW-uXxi8A
Ahhh, GM windmilling!!!
The film gives equal airtime to the residents of Montserrat who lived and worked around the studio: chef George Morgan, housekeeper Minetta Allen Francis, local DJ Rose Willock, the guy who taught Sting how to windsurf. Which of course makes the natural disasters that much more devastating. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo severely damaged the majority of homes and structures in Montserrat (this is what caused the studio to shut down), and in 1995 the eruption of the volcano rendered half of the island uninhabitable.
Today, about half of the island is in an exclusion zone, including the former capital city and the studio, though the rest has been impressively rebuilt.
It's kinda eerie to see the abandoned studio in 2021 after all the footage of its heydey in the 80s, but as Sir George so eloquently put it, "You bring something out of nothing, and it always goes back to nothing again."
I hope the birds and bugs are enjoying it!
Photo: Shane Thoms, Atlas Obscura