Tag Archives: Polar Studios

Big Country: Steeltown

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On October 19, 1984, “Mercury” label released “Steeltown”, the second Big Country studio album. It was recorded in 1984, at “Polar Studios” in Stockholm, “RAK Studios” in London, and was produced by Steve Lillywhite.

Personnel:

  • Stuart Adamson – vocals, guitar, piano
  • Bruce Watson – vocals, guitar, mandolin, sitar
  • Tony Butler – vocals, bass
  • Mark Brzezicki – vocals, drums, percussion

Track listing:

All tracks written by Stuart Adamson, Mark Brzezicki, Tony Butler, and Bruce Watson except where noted.

  1. Flame of the West
  2. East of Eden
  3. Steeltown
  4. Where the Rose Is Sown
  5. Come Back to Me
  6. Tall Ships Go
  7. Girl with Grey Eyes
  8. Rain Dance
  9. The Great Divide
  10. Just a Shadow

Joan Armatrading: The Key

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On February 28, 1983, “A&M” label released “The Key”, the eighth Joan Armatrading studio album. It was recorded in 1982, at “Townhouse Studios” in Shepherd’s Bush, London, “Polar Studios” in Stockholm and in New York City, and was produced by Steve Lillywhite and Val Garay.

Personnel:

  • Joan Armatrading – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano
  • Adrian Belew– electric guitar
  • Daryl Stuermer– electric guitar
  • Gary Sanford – electric guitar
  • Craig Hull – electric guitar
  • Tim Pierce– electric guitar
  • Dean Klevatt – piano
  • Steve “Goldie” Goldstein – keyboards
  • Larry Fast– synthesiser
  • Jeremy Meek – vocal, bass
  • Tony Levin– bass guitar
  • Bryan Garofalo – bass guitar
  • Craig Krampf– drums
  • Jerry Marotta– drums
  • Stewart Copeland– drums
  • Julian Diggle – percussion
  • L. Benoit – percussion
  • Mel Collins– saxophone
  • Annie Whitehead– trombone
  • Guy Barker– trumpet

Track listing:

All tracks by Joan Armatrading.

  1. (I Love It When You) Call Me Names
  2. Foolish Pride
  3. Drop the Pilot
  4. The Key
  5. Everybody Gotta Know
  6. Tell Tale
  7. What Do Boys Dream
  8. The Game of Love
  9. The Dealer
  10. Bad Habits
  11. I Love My Baby

Mike Rutherford: Smallcreep’s Day

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On February 15, 1980, “Charisma” label released “Smallcreep’s Day”, the first Mike Rutherford studio album. It was recorded in 1979, at “Polar Studios” in Stockholm,   Sweden, and was produced by David Hentschel. The album name and the 24-minute title track are based on the 1965 novel “Smallcreep’s Day” by Peter Currell Brown.

Personnel:

  • Mike Rutherford– guitars, basses
  • Noel McCalla– vocals
  • Ant Phillips– keyboards
  • Simon Phillips– drums
  • Morris Pert– percussion
  • David Hentschel– engineer
  • David Bascombe – engineer assistant
  • Andy Mackrill, Dale Newman, Geoff Banks – equipment
  • Hipgnosis – design, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Mike Rutherford.

  1. Smallcreep’s Day
  • Between the Tick & the Tock
  • Working in Line
  • After Hours
  • Cats and Rats (In This Neighbourhood)
  • Smallcreep Alone
  • Out Into the Daylight
  • At the End of the Day
  1. Moonshine
  2. Time and Time Again
  3. Romani
  4. Every Road
  5. Overnight Job

ELO: Time

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In July 1981, “Jet” label released “Time”, the ninth ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) studio album. It was recorded in 1981, at “Musicland Studios” in Munich, Germany, and “Polar Studios” in Stockholm, Sweden, and was produced by Jeff Lynne. The album was certified Platinum in UK by the “BPI”.

Personnel:

  • Jeff Lynne– lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, synthesizers, vocoder
  • Richard Tandy– acoustic and electric pianos, synthesizers, vocoder, guitars
  • Kelly Groucutt– bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Bev Bevan– drums, percussion
  • Rainer Pietsch – strings conductor
  • Bill Bottrell– engineer
  • Mack– engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Jeff Lynne.

  1. Prologue
  2. Twilight
  3. Yours Truly 2095
  4. Ticket to the Moon
  5. The Way Life’s Meant to Be
  6. Another Heart Breaks
  7. Rain is Falling
  8. From the End of the World
  9. The Lights Go Down
  10. Here Is the News
  11. 21st Century Man
  12. Hold on Tight
  13. Epilogue

Rammstein: Herzeleid

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rammstein_herzeleid

On September 29, 1995, “Motor Music” label released “Herzeleid” the debut Rammstein album. It was recorded in 1995, at “Polar Studios” in Stockholm, and was produced by Jacob Hellner and Carl-Michael Herlöfsson. In 2005,  “Rock Hard” magazine ranked “Herzeleid”  at number 303 in its book of “The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time”. The album was certified Platinum in Germany by “BVMI”.

Personnel:

  • Till Lindemann– vocals
  • Richard Z. Kruspe– guitar
  • Paul Landers– guitar
  • Christian Lorenz– keyboards
  • Oliver Riedel– bass guitar
  • Christoph Schneider– drums
  • Ronald Prent –mixing
  • Chateau du Pape –mixing
  • Praler – cover idea, photography
  • Dirk Rudolph – design
  • Emanuel Fialik – additional production
  • Olav Bruhn – additional production

Track listing:

All  tracks by Rammstein.

  1. Wollt ihr das Bett in Flammen sehen?
  2. Der Meister
  3. Weisses Fleisch
  4. Asche zu Asche
  5. Seemann
  6. Du riechst so gut
  7. Das alte Leid
  8. Heirate mich
  9. Herzeleid
  10. Laichzeit
  11. Rammstein

Genesis: Duke

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Duke

On March 28, 1980, “Charisma” label released “Duke”, the tenth Genesis studio album. It was recorded November–December 1979, at “Polar Studios”, in Stockholm, mixed at “Maison Rouge” in London, mastered at “Trident Studios” in London, and was produced by David Hentschel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins. “Duke” was certified Platinum in UK by “BPI” and in the US by “RIAA” .

Personnel:

  • Tony Banks– keyboards, 12-string guitar, backing vocals,
  • Mike Rutherford- guitars, basses, backing vocals
  • Phil Collins– vocals, drums, drum machine
  • David Hentschel- backing vocals, engineer
  • Dave Bascombe – engineer assistant
  • Ray Staff – mastering
  • Bill Smith – art direction
  • Lionel Koechlin – cover

Track listing:

  1. Behind the Lines – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
  2. Duchess – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
  3. Guide Vocal – Tony Banks
  4. Man of Our Times – Mike Rutherford
  5. Misunderstanding – Phil Collins
  6. Heathaze – Tony Banks
  7. Turn it On Again – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
  8. Alone Tonight – Mike Rutherford
  9. Cul-de-sac – Tony Banks
  10. Please Don’t Ask – Phil Collins
  11. Duke’s Travels – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
  12. Duke’s End – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford

Led Zeppelin: In Through The Out Door

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Led_Zeppelin_-_In_Through_the_Out_Door

On August 15, 1979, label “Swan Song” released “In Through the Out Door”, the eighth Led Zeppelin studio album .  It was recorded November – December 1978 at ABBA’s “Polar Studios” in Stockholm, and was produced by Jimmy Page.This was band’s final album with completely new material and the last one released before the death of the drummer John Bonham in 1980.  “In Through the Out Door” was certified 2 x Platinum in Australia by the “ARIA”; Platinum in UK by the “BPI” and 6 x Platinum in the US by the “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Robert Plant– lead vocals
  • Jimmy Page– electric and acoustic guitars, Gizmotron
  • John Paul Jones– bass guitar,  mandolin,  keyboards,  synthesizer, piano
  • John Bonham– drums
  • Hipgnosis – covert art

Track listing:

  1. In the Evening – John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page
  2. South Bound Saurez – John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
  3. Fool in the Rain – Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones
  4. Hot dog – Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
  5. Carouselambra – John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, jimmy Page
  6. All My Love – John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
  7. I’m Gonna Crawl – John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant