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The London Review on BonaFideStudio
BonaFideStudio – The woodland recording studio
In was a rather wet and drizzly winter’s day when The London Review took the journey to visit BonaFideStudios in Muswell Hill. By coincidence, this was exactly the same journey that BonaFide had taken just a few months earlier when they decided to relocate from Shoreditch to Muswell Hill.
I just feel that Hoxton and Shoreditch are losing their soul
mused studio owner Deanna,
here in Muswell Hill there is such a buzz of creativity that moving here was the right move for us.
The studio itself is set in the middle of a woodland conservation area between two old railway arches under a viaduct that hasn’t been used since the ’70s. The arches are set into the side of the hill and the view back over London is stunning, not only are you surrounded by peaceful woodland but you can see all the way to the gherkin. The fact that it’s outside the congestion charge, with free woodland parking is also a massive pull especially for those bringing their own equipment.
Deanna and her team have spent the last 4 months refurbishing the studios and it shows. Not only are they freshly kitted out, but they are completely soundproof; in BonaFide Studios no one can hear you scream, thrash out your latest track or throw the most ear-shattering album wrap party. With the likes of Klaxons, Prodigy and Pete Doherty all using the studio recently, I can’t imagine that the parties were quiet.
Not only are the studios a great place for professional artists wanting to record or just rehearse, but the studios also open up for free to give local children drum lessons and keep prices low so that up and coming local bands can come to enjoy the creative vibe.
I just want to give back to the community,
says Deanna as her colleague sets up for the afternoon drum session and a local unsigned band finishes practising next door.
The London Review sees a lot of places, a lot of studios, but it doesn’t see many places that are this friendly, set in such a breath-taking location and on the W7/43 bus. BonaFideStudio is achingly cool and refreshingly unpretentious.
See the review here
