Rockfield Studios is a recording studio just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire near Monmouth in Wales.
The studios were founded by brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward in 1963, by converting an existing farmhouse. In 1965, they became the world's first residential studio, set up so that bands could come and stay in the peaceful rural surroundings to record. They have two studios, the Coach House and the Quadrangle, which are both set up for digital and analogue recordings.
The first big hit recorded in the studios was Dave Edmunds' "I Hear You Knocking" in 1970. In the early 1970s, the studios were used to record seven albums by Budgie, several by Hawkwind, one by Hobo, Peter Hammill's second solo album Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night in 1973, Ace's hit single "How Long" in 1974, and Queen's album Sheer Heart Attack. Queen first worked on developing their album A Night at the Opera and the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" for a month at Ridge Farm Studio during the summer of 1975, then moved to Rockfield in August 1975 to begin recording the album, which became the band's first Platinum-selling album in the US. Motörhead made their first recordings at the studios in 1975 and were, briefly, signed to the Rockfield record label. Cyril Jordan of the Flamin' Groovies (who recorded at Rockfield several times between 1972 and 1978) said in 2014, "We thought Rockfield was the new Sun recording studios.”
During a 12-month period in 1996-97, Rockfield sessions resulted in five UK Number One albums, by Oasis, Black Grape, The Charlatans and the Boo Radleys.
Charles Ward has stood aside and Rockfield Studio is now owned by Dave Edmunds. Charles Ward was more involved with the music.
