Decca Records to open famous recording studio to mark 90th anniversary

Record label Decca will celebrate its 90th anniversary by re-opening its lost London recording studio and releasing a series of rare David Bowie videos.

The label, which has been home to musicians including Dame Vera Lynn, Bing Crosby, The Rolling Stones and Bowie, was founded in 1929.

It will mark its landmark birthday by opening its old West Hampstead studio, the site where The Beatles unsuccessfully auditioned for the label, in July for one-off performances and exhibitions.

The space is now a rehearsal location for the English National Opera.

Clips of Bowie will also be restored to mark the anniversary while the first Friday of every month for the rest of the year will see the label reissue physical and digital releases that are seen to embrace its spirit.

It has already been announced that Ron Howard will direct a feature length documentary about Decca star Luciano Pavarotti and there will also be a lavishly illustrated book detailing the label’s history, entitled The Supreme Record Company: The Story Of Decca Records 1929-2019.

The anniversary will also be marked with two programmes on BBC Radio 2 that chart 20 of the label’s most famous recordings and a one-day event at London’s V&A museum on May 5.

Rebecca Allen, president of the label, said: “Decca Records has been the soundtrack to many historical and cultural moments, a truly unique brand with a truly unique identity.

“Even now, as we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we continue to push the boundaries; to seek out artists who are distinctive, who stand out from the crowd, artists that will continue to define our label for the next nine decades.”