40 kms north west to Paris, The Chateau d'Herouville was home of the Stawberry Studio. This studio belonged to the French composer Michel Magne, and had his 'heure de gloire' during the seventies. During that 10 years, the greatest name of Rock music have recorded there : David Bowie, Elton John, who named his 'Honky Chateau' after the 'Chateau d' Herouville', Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Halliday, Jacques Higelin. And many more. You can read the story of The 'Strawberry Studio' and its different owners on the site dedicated to Michel Magne.
1972
Thursday 3rd Februar
'Ballrooms Of Mars' was recorded, Instruments were added to a previous recording of 'Thunderwing'.
Dominique Blanc-Francard, Marc Bolan, Tony Visconti, Bill Legend, Pierre Lattes
See all the pics from tat day in the Donna La Folle facebook photo album
Recording of the Rockenstock TV show.This is a live in studio concert. Filmed in B&W (or at least screened in B&W), the band played 'Telegram Sam', 'Cadilac', Hot Love' and 'Jeepster'. Broadcast 12th February 1972 on first channel.
Wednesday 8th March/Sunday 12th March
'The Slider' album was recorded for the most while this 5 days sessions.
Basic tracks for 'Metal Guru', 'Lady', 'Rabbit Fighter', 'Mystic Lady','Rock On', 'The Slider', 'Baby Boomerang', 'Spaceball Ricohet', Main Man' and 'Buick Mackane' were recorded there. Tony Visconti was in control. The 'Chateau' sound enginner, Dominique Blanc-Francard, is probably quoted as Dominique on 'The Slider' sleeve.
Dominique BLANC-FRANCARD (Facebook quote): T.REX-"The Slider"-1972.I can't remind this time without mentioning this excellent LP. My first meeting with Tony Visconti, my big stress when he asked me to undo everything I'd just prepared and installed, and asking me if what he was hearing was really a Rock and Roll sound...? He reinstalled everything, from every single instrument and mikes in the studio, came back in the cabin and asked me to open every fader on zero. "Play guys"And for the first time in my life I heard, live, a true Rock and Roll sound... I think he has been one of my best teachers! When we recorded "Metal Guru", he wanted we built an "incredible" acoustic guitar sound. We recorded a "Charley" guide on track 1, and then we recorded 12 times the same acoustic guitar part, each time moving the bike 1 yard back... We mixed all the 12 parts together and that made the basis to the song... What was truly amazing was that Marc Bolan was incredibly precise when playing each part and it sounds as a huge acoustic guitar... So many lessons...
Tony VISCONTI : “The Slider was the first T.Rex album conceived as an album and we had a great time making it. We went to the Honky Chateau [Elton John named a 1972 album in honour of Château d’Hérouville, an 18th century country house studio near Paris] to make it, and it was just a magical time. We were sequestered in the studio for about four days and recorded 17 songs. The last day was almost a flurry because we recorded so fast and furiously, but that was the way we worked best. Traditionally, we didn’t labour a song, we’d record one song in one day, and the band often learned the song just before they recorded it. Half the album was pre-rehearsed, but the other half had to be learned in the studio. I remember we did seven takes of one song and Marc said ‘That’s it’. And [T.Rex drummer] Bill Legend said, ‘No, It’s not it! I’ve only just learned the bloody song. Now I can really play it.’ And Marc said, ‘No, that’s it.’ The drumming was great, already more than acceptable, Marc would never go any further than seven takes at the most."
Tuesday 1st August/Friday 4th August
Marc Bolan recording "Life is Strange" outside
'Jitterbug Love', 'Life's Strange', 'Easy Action', 'Rapids', 'Free Angel', 'Mad Donna', 'Highway Knees Blues', 'Fast Blues', and 'Children Of The Revolution' had their basic tracks recorded during this sessions. At the start of 'Mad Donna' a French little girl introduces the song by saying : 'Donna La Folle par T.Rex'. According to Marc, 'she was the daughter of a guy called Michel Delorme ( fanclub newsletter april/may '73 ); Mick Gray aka Micky Marmelade, roadie with T.Rex at that time says she was the daughter of the CBS France boss who visited T.Rex while they were recording;
Tony Visconti: “I remember that little French girl, the record label guy’s daughter, saying: ‘Donna la Folle… par T.Rex,’ at the start of Mad Donna,in her beautiful accent (Classic Rock, September 2017)."
Tony Visconti: "How cute is the little French girl announcing Mad Donna in French? An executive from EMI Paris (CBS actually) brought his daughter to the studio that night. Marc Fell in love with her. He picked her up to the height of the microphone as she made her declaration, to be rewarded with a kiss on the cheek. (Tanx-Zinc Alloy 2012 Edsel reedition box)"
Saturday 21st October/Wednesday 25th October
Within five days again, most of the tracks for the 'Tanx' album were recorded : 'Tenement Lady', 'Mister Mister', 'Broken Hearted Blues', 'Darling' ( later stuck to Tenement Lady to produce what seemed to be a single song ), 'Shock Rock', 'Country Honey', 'Born To Boogie',, 'The Street & Babe Shadow', 'Left Hand Luke', and 'Solid Gold Easy Action'.
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| Mike Putland, an English
photographer, is there on 23rd October and shoots many
pictures both inside and outside. See all the pics from this
sessions on
Donna La Folle's Facebook photo album. A French pianist, Bernard, records piano overdubs (on 25 October?) |
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1975
Sunday 19th May
Marc came back to 'Le Chateau' and recorded the basic tracks to 'Billy Super Duper' and 'Depth Charge'. None of this recordings were released during Marc's lifetime.
learn more about The Chateau Franck Ernoult's site