Fanspot
Compass Point Studios (closed)
“It had barely been a week since I started my new job, and I was already flying to the Caribbean. I could soon get used to it, I thought. It’s worth noting that in 1980, Compass Point Studios wasn’t nearly as famous as it became later.”
Brian Johnson
February 19, 1980. Bon Scott, the charismatic singer of AC/DC, is found dead in a car after having ingested a large quantity of alcohol. Devastated, the members of the group nevertheless want to respect the will of the deceased and continue their journey. They then recruit Brian Johnson, the singer of Geordie. When he received the call that would change his life, the native of Gateshead, a suburb of Newcastle, could not believe his ears. An admirer of AC/DC, he has, at more than 30 years old, put an end to his dreams of glory. His own group is appreciated, but the success is limited to his region.
From worker to global rock star
From one day to the next, Brian Johnson had to abandon the small vinyl installation business he had created a few years earlier to fly to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. On site, the work sessions are intensive. The atmosphere between the musicians is good and the newcomer is constantly supported. While Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd record their parts, Brian Johnson works on the lyrics and then goes into the booth.
Hard Rock in the tropics
Brian Johnson recalls the Back in Black sessions in his autobiography The Lives of Brian: “It didn’t take long for us to establish a kind of production line for the album. Every night, Malcolm and Angus would choose which of the riffs they wanted to work on the next day, then they’d hand me a cassette of it, with the song title scribbled in pencil on the label. I still had my Walkman from the plane, so I’d just listen to the tape, over and over, while trying to come up with some words and phrases that would do the music justice.“
When it was released, Black in Black was the biggest crowd pleaser ever, confirming AC/DC’s status as a behemoth. Brian Johnson has done what no one else has done before: he has taken the place of a legend to make his own voice appreciated in the respect of his predecessor but armed with a fierce will and an elusive appetite for rock and roll.
West Bay Street
Founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the creator of the Island Records label, Compass Point Studios is one of the most famous in the world.
Planted in a dream setting, this high place of musical recording does not take long to attract big names. The first record to be produced there was Robert Palmer’s Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley. Subsequently, the Talking Heads, Dire Straits, The B-52’s and ABBA stop there. However, it was when AC/DC came to record Back in Black there in 1980 that the place really began to become a must. Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, U2, Roxy Music, Joe Cocker, Iron Maiden, Electric Light Orchestra and even Björk and Adele then rented the facilities. The place is closed since 2010.
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Map of 100 cult places in Marseille [French Edition]
Marseille as you have never seen it before. Except through the legendary heroes and heroines of pop culture! Get off the beaten track and discover the city of Marseille through your favorite movies, series, music, comics, novels and video games!
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By Gilles Rolland
Passionné de cinéma, de rock and roll, de séries TV et de littérature. Rédacteur de presse et auteur des livres Le Heavy Metal au cinéma, Paroles de fans Guns N' Roses, Paroles de fans Rammstein et Welcome to my Jungle : 100 albums rock et autres anecdotes dépareillées. Adore également voyager à la recherche des lieux les plus emblématiques de la pop culture.