Abbey Road Studio Names Nile Rodgers Creative Advisor
[UPDATED] Grammy Award-winning producer, guitarist, arranger and composer Nile Rodgers has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Creative Advisor at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, effective immediately.
“We are extremely excited to formalize our relationship with Nile Rodgers in this new role as he shares the history and brilliance of Abbey Road with artists across the globe. The timing couldn’t be better, as we’re making Abbey Road increasingly more accessible with our new studios and services, taking artists on a journey through all our studio spaces as their careers develop. Equally, we’re excited to have the benefit of Nile’s experience and creative vision to push our audio tech innovation even further.” Isabel Garvey, Abbey Road Studios Managing Director said in making the announcement.
Rodgers will use the studio as his creative focus while in the U.K. and serve as the Studios’ global ambassador within the artist and creative community. His role at the recording studio extends to consultation on Abbey Road’s experiments in audio technology, including Spatial Audio.
Rodgers appointment comes as the studio works to modernize itself. Over the past two years, Abbey Road has added new studios designed for emerging artists, opening a Mix Stage for film sound post-production, launching Abbey Road Red – Europe’s first audio tech incubator. The studio has also launched apps, giving creators around the world access to the studio’s engineering staff’s technical expertise.
The venerable studio was vaulted to international fame in the 1960s when iconic bands such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and the Hollies recorded seminal albums there, but the studio’s pedigree is much older than that. Paul Robeson, the internationally recognized baritone who later became a key figure in the American civil rights movement, recorded some of his best-known works at Abbey Road Studio in 1931.
“I have been blessed with a career that has provided some of the highest highs an artist, writer, and producer can experience. From the first time I heard The Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand, I dreamt of Abbey Road. Forget about practice getting you to Carnegie Hall, I wanted to get to Abbey Road! I’ve had the privilege of now working here many times and in the last few months alone I’ve been joined by Nao, Anderson .Paak, Anais, Mura Masa, Bruno Mars, Disclosure and many others. To be Abbey Road’s Chief Creative Advisor, its first and only, is something I consider a great responsibility and I would like to thank not only the Abbey Road team for entrusting me with this duty but also Sir Paul for his congratulations,” Rodgers said.
