ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM – Hot Docs 2021 review

ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM shines a light on the legendary Rockfield recording studio that produced records from the likes of Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Oasis, The Stone Roses, and Coldplay. Nestled in the Welsh countryside, the studio was built in the middle of a functioning farm by brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward over 50 years ago and continues to pump out records to this very day.

Directed by Hannah Berryman, the film is a wildly entertaining and inspiring look at how two brothers with no music industry clout created a studio that held its own against the likes of Abbey Road. Rockfield was the first residential studio, with the bands living with the brothers and their extended family on the farm for weeks (or months) while they recorded. That sort of remote setup became the ideal way for acts to record when record company budgets still allowed for that (see: the recent Under the Volcano documentary), but it was a new and exciting idea when the Ward brothers first came up with it.

Packed with interviews with former Rockfield recording artists like Ozzy Osbourne (subtitled, natch), Robert Plant, Liam Gallagher, and Chris Martin, ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM is a fun and whimsical look back at how two music-loving brothers unexpectedly managed to put together one of the most revered rock studios of all time.

The documentary follows the highs and lows of the studio from its breakout in the ’70s, a dark lull in the ’80s when cheaper computerized recording techniques began to take over, and the return of guitar-based rock in the ’90s when Britpop swept the nation. The latter section has some of the best stories of the film, with the always-dependable Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher recalling the shenanigans that went on while the band was recording their massive 1995 album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (The actual wall Noel Gallagher sat atop and wrote “Wonderwall” on is just outside the studio and has become a tourist attraction.)

With loads of memorable interviews and tons of great music, ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM is as entertaining as music docs get.

ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM is screening as part of this year’s Hot Docs online festival from April 29 – May 9. Tickets are available here.