Konk is a London recording studio established by Kinks members Ray and Dave Davies and associated with the band’s recording history.
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Overview
Konk is a recording studio in Hornsey, North London, established by Ray Davies and Dave Davies of the English rock band the Kinks. The studio grew out of the band’s decision in the early 1970s to invest the proceeds of a major recording advance and earlier hit records in a facility of their own. The location was close to Muswell Hill, the area strongly associated with the Kinks’ identity and songwriting, and gave the group greater control over recording, mixing, and production. The project followed the Kinks’ move from Pye Records to RCA in 1971. RCA offered the band a reported million-dollar advance for a five-album arrangement, and the Davies brothers combined that money with income from earlier successes, including “Lola,” to establish the studio. Before Konk became operational, the Kinks had worked primarily at Morgan Studios in Willesden, where they recorded albums including Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, Percy, Muswell Hillbillies, and Everybody’s in Show-Biz. The Kinks began recording at Konk on a full-time basis around 1973. Konk became the Kinks’ principal studio for most of the period between the early 1970s and the band’s dissolution in 1996. One of the studio’s major early projects was Preservation: Acts 1 & 2, the Kinks’ ambitious theatrical and concept-album work recorded across 1973 and 1974. The studio also developed an identity beyond its connection with the Kinks. Its facilities were used by other established artists, including Big Audio Dynamite, which recorded Megatop Phoenix there in 1989, and Richard Thompson, who recorded tracks for Rumor and Sigh at Konk in 1991. The Fall later recorded material for Re-Mit at the studio in 2012. Konk attracted renewed public attention in 2008 when the English indie-rock group the Kooks recorded an album titled Konk there. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart in April 2008, associating the studio with a newer generation of British guitar music. The building’s principal rooms include the Neve Room, which appeared in the Kinks’ 1983 “State of Confusion” music video, and an SSL room opened in the early 1980s and used mainly for mixing and editing. The studio’s long-term future became uncertain in 2010, when Ray Davies placed the property on the market as a redevelopment opportunity, with demolition reportedly a possible outcome. In 2011, Davies said that the sale had been delayed because he still had another record to make and that the property’s future remained under discussion. Publicly available reference material does not establish whether the redevelopment proposal was completed or whether Konk continues to operate in its historic form. Consequently, its current operating status and ownership structure remain unclear.
History
Konk was established in Hornsey, North London, by Kinks members Ray Davies and Dave Davies during the band’s transition from Pye Records to RCA in the early 1970s. In 1971, RCA offered the Kinks a reported million-dollar advance for a five-album commitment. The Davies brothers used that advance, together with money generated by the band’s recent hit records, to develop a studio near Muswell Hill, the North London area associated with the Kinks. The studio represented both a business investment and a creative extension of the band. During the preceding years, the Kinks had mainly recorded at Morgan Studios in Willesden. Projects made there included Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, Percy, Muswell Hillbillies, and Everybody’s in Show-Biz. By approximately 1973, the Kinks were recording full-time at Konk. The facility became the band’s main recording base and remained closely connected to its work until the Kinks disbanded in 1996. Among the most substantial Kinks projects associated with Konk was Preservation: Acts 1 & 2, recorded during 1973 and 1974. The studio’s role in the band’s work also helped make it part of the Kinks’ broader artistic mythology, linking a professional recording environment with the group’s North London cultural identity. Konk was not exclusively reserved for the Kinks, however. It hosted sessions by outside artists and became an operating studio for other British rock acts. Big Audio Dynamite recorded Megatop Phoenix at Konk in 1989. The album’s liner notes acknowledged the Kinks as an influence, reinforcing the connection between the studio and the earlier band’s legacy. Richard Thompson used the facility in 1991 for tracks later associated with Rumor and Sigh, his sixth solo album. The studio’s history continued into the 2000s, when the Kooks recorded their 2008 album Konk there. That record topped the UK Albums Chart in April 2008 and gave the historic facility renewed visibility among contemporary indie-rock audiences. The Fall subsequently recorded tracks for Re-Mit at Konk in 2012. The premises included a principal Neve Room and an SSL room. The Neve Room appeared in the Kinks’ 1983 music video for “State of Confusion.” The SSL room, opened in the early 1980s, was used primarily for mixing and editing. These rooms formed part of Konk’s technical identity as well as its historical appeal. The property’s future became uncertain in 2010. Ray Davies put the studio up for sale as a redevelopment property, with demolition apparently among the possibilities. In June 2011, he indicated that the sale had been delayed because he had another record to complete and that the future remained open for discussion. The available reference material does not document a definitive outcome for the sale, demolition proposal, or current studio operations. Konk is therefore best described as a historically important recording-studio brand with an uncertain present status.
- 2012
The Fall record Re-Mit material at Konk
[1]The Fall records tracks for Re-Mit at Konk Studios.
- 2011
Sale discussions delayed
[1]Davies says the sale is delayed while he considers another recording project and the property’s future.
- 2010
Studio property put up for sale
[1]Ray Davies offers the property for sale as a redevelopment opportunity.
- 2008
The Kooks release Konk
[1]The Kooks issue an album recorded at the studio; it reaches number one on the UK Albums Chart.
- 1996
Kinks disband
[1]The Kinks disband, ending the period in which Konk served as their main studio base.
- 1991
Richard Thompson uses Konk
[1]Richard Thompson records tracks at Konk for his solo album Rumor and Sigh.
- 1989
Big Audio Dynamite record at Konk
[1]Big Audio Dynamite record Megatop Phoenix at the studio.
- 1983
Neve Room appears in Kinks music video
[1]Konk’s Neve Room is featured in the Kinks’ video for “State of Confusion.”
- 1980
SSL room opens
[1]An SSL room is added to the studio during the early 1980s for mixing and editing work.
- 1973
Kinks begin recording at Konk full-time
[1]Konk becomes the Kinks’ principal recording facility, taking over from the external studios the band had previously used.
Products and positioning
A historically significant independent London recording facility rooted in the Kinks’ creative infrastructure and used by British rock and indie artists.
Recording services · 1971
Recording studio facilities
Konk’s core offering was access to professional recording facilities for bands and solo artists. The studio’s significance came from its long association with the Kinks, while its use by Big Audio Dynamite, Richard Thompson, the Kooks, and the Fall demonstrates that it also served external clients across several generations of British rock and indie music.
Recording room
Neve Room
The Neve Room was one of Konk’s principal rooms and is particularly associated with the Kinks. It appeared in the band’s 1983 “State of Confusion” music video, making the room recognizable as part of the studio’s public image as well as its recording infrastructure.
Mixing and editing room · 1980
SSL room
Opened in the early 1980s, the SSL room was used primarily for mixing and editing. It complemented the studio’s main recording spaces and expanded Konk’s technical capabilities for post-recording production work.
Brand decisions
2010
Offer the Konk property for saleStrategyBackground
The historic studio property faced an uncertain future as redevelopment was considered.
Action taken
Ray Davies put Konk up for sale as a redevelopment property, with possible demolition reportedly under consideration.
Aftermath
In 2011 Davies said the sale had been delayed while he completed another record and discussed what to do with the property. The final outcome is not established by the available reference material.
1971
Invest in an owned recording studioStrategyBackground
After moving from Pye Records to RCA, the Kinks received a substantial advance and had income from recent hit records. Ray and Dave Davies chose to invest those resources in a studio close to their North London home territory.
Action taken
The Davies brothers established Konk in Hornsey, creating a dedicated facility for the Kinks and outside recording clients.
Aftermath
Konk became the Kinks’ main studio from around 1973 until the band’s dissolution in 1996 and later hosted recordings by other artists.
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