The Stockport Music Story is set to celebrate the legacy of Stockport’s iconic recording studio, Strawberry Studios, with a special event, ‘Strawberry Studios Forever’. Taking the shape of a concert, the evening will pay tribute to the recording space where some of the North West’s most important bands, such as Joy Division, The Smiths, 10cc, and The Stone Roses, recording their earliest and most defining material.
Taking place on Monday, 31 March, at Stockport Plaza, the concert will feature performances from a mixture of Manchester icons, past and present. Special guests include Peter Hook, bassist of Joy Division and New Order, Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets, and Andy Couzens, one of the founding members of the Stone Roses. The venue has a capacity of just over 1300 seats, and with only 163 tickets remaining at the time of writing, fans must act quickly to secure a place.
Founded in 1968 by Peter Tattersall, Strawberry Studios began life as a modest space above a shop in the centre of Stockport, lined with egg cartons as DIY soundproofing. Eric Stewart, then of The Mindbenders, quickly became involved in the project, naming the studio after his favourite Beatles song, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. The studio would be pivotal in the formation of 10cc, bringing together all of the founding members and becoming their home studio.
Tattersall shared his vision for the studio in a Daily Mail article in 1968, telling the newspaper: “We hope to make the studios into another Memphis, a small place that has built up its own sound in America and is attracting artists away from the big studios in New York and Los Angeles.” Future 10cc member Graham Gouldman joined as an investor within months, and shared his wish for the Beatles to record there one day. Paul McCartney would use the studio to record the debut solo album for his brother, Mike McGear, in 1972.
The ‘Strawberry Studios Forever’ event on Monday night will feature a variety of performers, including The Lottery Winners, who are set to perform The Smiths’ classics ‘Hand in Glove’ and ‘This Charming Man’. The evening will end with Peter Hook performing ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ by Joy Division, and ‘Ceremony’ by New Order.
Along with the event, The Stockport Music Story has also issued a vinyl release, also named ‘Strawberry Studios Forever’. The 11-track record features covers of songs originally recorded at the studio, and has been mastered in nearby Bredbury by Jim Spencer, known for his work with Johnny Marr, The Charlatans, and Black Grape. Like the live show, it features a mixture of established artists and emerging talents.
Reflecting on the legacy of the studio, The Stockport Music Story’s John Barratt, who organised the events, said: “The legacy of Strawberry Studios is so important not just locally but internationally. Peter Tattersall’s vision helped put Stockport on the global musical map, nurturing bands like Joy Division, New Order, and The Smiths.”
Fusing nostalgia, history, and emerging local artists, the event is a must-see for music fans in and around Stockport. It celebrates an often overlooked part of music history, though without it, the face of music today would be unrecognisable. Tickets for the event can be found here.
