David Bowie’s 14th album came right after what has been called the Berlin trilogy (Low, Heroes, Lodger). It was recorded in New York’s Power Station, a former uhm… well, you got it. The Power Station opened in 1977 as a studio, and is renowned for its acoustics. The biggest studio is a giant pine paneled space, and features an original Neve 8068 mixing console in the control room.
Rupert Neve was a British sound engineer in the 60s and 70s. The 8068 is renowned for its signature sound, versatility and build quality. It has inspired many engineers to get the most out of the band’s output, resulting in some spectacular albums (in the Power Station: We are Family by Sister Sledge, Bruce Springsteen’s The River, Bonnie Tyler’s Total eclipse of the heart and Cyndi Lauper’s True colors.
About Bowie, I see why people like him, but I keep thinking he is overrated. Everybody gets the taste they deserve, right?