Windmill Lane Studios

List of Artists Recorded

Following is a list of some notable artists who have recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studios

History

Windmill Lane Recording Studios was originally opened by recording engineer, Brian Masterson in 1978, and was first located in the Dublin Docklands on Windmill Lane road. It was originally used to record traditional Irish music, notably by Planxty, but no rock band recorded in the studios until U2. Other bands, such as Thin Lizzy or The Boomtown Rats, went to London or further afield to record their albums.

After U2 based themselves at the studios, Van Morrison, Sinéad O'Connor, Elvis Costello recorded at the studios. Clannad's hit "Theme from Harry's Game" was recorded at the studios; this song propelled the band and their singer Moya Brennan into international territories. Status Quo recorded two albums here in 1980; Just Supposin' and Never Too Late, released in 1981.

The studios were expanded in the 1980s under the supervision of Andy Munro of Munro Acoustics. Much of the work was done specifically for U2's album The Joshua Tree.

The original studio buildings were covered in graffiti from fans, who had paid pilgrimage from all over the world, many attracted by the studio's historical connection with U2. The original location of the studios were recommended as a tourist attraction by publications such as The New York Times. However, this original building has since been demolished.

In the late 1980s, Windmill Lane Recording Studios relocated from its original base on Windmill Lane road to its current location on Ringsend Road, Dublin 4.

In 2009, Pulse College took over Windmill Lane Recording Studios in its Ringsend Road location and updated the studios, which now are internationally perceived as being at the heart of the Irish recording industry. The multimedia college has transformed the facilities with state-of-the-art equipment which encompasses not only 3 fully equipped recording studios, but also a creative hub for Digital Media Training in areas of Music Production, Film Production and Game Design.

The original Windmill Lane road site was bought by property companies Hibernia Reit in 2015. It will be developed into offices, retail spaces and residential units, and is expected to be completed in 2017.

Legacy

Windmill Lane Recording Studios is recognised for its connection to Irish recording artists such as U2, Sinéad O'Connor, Liam Clancy, The Corrs, Clannad, Van Morrison, Bell X1, Damien Rice, Glen Hansard, Christy Moore, Paul Brady, The Script and Westlife.

International artists have also made use of Windmill Lane Recording Studios; including the Rolling Stones, Status Quo, Kate Bush, Kylie Minogue, R.E.M., Elvis Costello, The Waterboys, The Spice Girls, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, Metallica, Norah Jones and Lady Gaga.

Renowned producers such as Steve Lillywhite, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Stephen Street, Geoff Emerick, Nellee Hooper, Trevor Horn, Flood and Don Was have made extensive use of the facilities at Windmill Lane Recording Studios.

Windmill Lane Recording Studios have become known as the 'U2 Studios' due to the bands close connection with the studios. U2 albums to have been fully or partially recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studios include Boy, War, The Joshua Tree, Pop, All That You Can't Leave Behind, and Zooropa.

Orchestras regularly record their music at Windmill Lane Recording Studios, as it is the only recording room in Ireland that can record an 80-piece orchestra apart from Radio Telefís Éireann. The scores to many movies have been recorded here; Mission Impossible, Syng Street, A Room with a View, The Remains of the Day, The Mask and The Tailor of Panama., The Grifters, My Left Foot, (both by Elmer Bernstein), In America, and A River Runs Through It.