EMI (Australia) Ltd, Homebush, Sydney, NSW

EMI's Australian branch is the oldest recording company still operating in Australia. In 1925 EMI's ancestor The Gramophone Company opened its first Australian record plant in Erskineville, Sydney. In 1926 it opened a new plant opened at Homebush, Sydney and this became the company's main manufacturing and distribution centre for the next sixty years.

As noted above, The Gramophone Co. and several other major labels were taken over by the American RCA corporation during the 1920s, and in 1931 these were merged to become EMI. However, the Australian division continued to trade as The Gramophone Co. (Australia) and it was was not until 1949 that it was re-incorporated as EMI (Australia) Pty Ltd. At this time it moved to new company headquarters at 301 Castlereagh Street, Sydney. In 1951 the company moved its recording studios to Castlereagh Street, where it remained until 1999.

EMI AUSTRALIA TIME LINE

1925 – The Columbia Graphophone Company (later to become EMI Records) opened Australia’s first record factory and recording studio at Columbia Lane, Homebush in Sydney on the 14th October 1926. The studio was large enough to accommodate a small orchestra and operated on the same site for 28 years.

1928 – Recording made of the arrival of Kingsford-Smith and Ulm from their America-Australia Flight 1930 – First Experimental radio transcription was made in the studios.

1932 – First landline recording of the running of the Melbourne Cup.

1950 – Recorded the first symphony in Australia. (John Antill’s ballet suite with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra)

1954 – The studio was re-located to EMI’s new head office building at 301 Castlereagh Street in the city and renamed EMI Studios. There were 3 recording studios: A, B, & C plus disc mastering facilities. As well as music for release on record labels, much of the work undertaken in the early days was for local radio broadcast including the immortal “Dad & Dave” programmes. Jingles for commercial radio & TV, as well as film scores were also a significant part of the studio’s business. 1958 – Stereo Recording is introduced. (First Stereo recording is of Don Burrows All Star band)

1962 – The first fully transistorised mixing console is installed. (Designed and built by EMI)

1965 – A Scully 4 track 1/2″ recorder introduced for music recording

1969 – Transition to 8 track recording using a 3M 1″ machine

1973 – The EMI “Abbey Road” Console with a 16 track 2″ machine is installed

1975 – Transition to Studer 24 track 2″ recording

1978 – In 1978 the entire facility was rebuilt, re-equipped and expanded by EMI to provide 4 studios and was renamed Studios 301

1979 – Australia’s first fully digital recording is made at Studios 301. (Kerrie Biddell and her band) 1985 – The studio’s first SSL console is installed. (Richard Lush records Debbie Byrne album)

1996 – EMI sells Studios 301 in a management buy-out. Studios A & B closed down and the facility consolidated to one recording and mixing studio, a programming suite, and the mastering operation 1998 – Studios 301 sold to a private investor. The 301 Studio Group takes over Soundtrade Studios in Stockholm, Sweden

1999 – Studios 301 recording facilities are relocated to Alexandria at a cost of AUS$8 million under the direction of Tom Misner

2001 – Studios 301 celebrated 75 years of recording in Australia, and Studios 301 Cologne, Germany opens

2002 – Studios 301 Byron Bay opens

2003 – Soundtrade Studios (Stockholm, Sweden) re-opens after a major refurbishment and is renamed Studios 301 Stockholm

2004 – SSL 9000K series console is installed in Sydney Studio 2

2006 – Studios 301 Mastering relocates to the extended premises at the 301 studio complex in Alexandria, Sydney

2009 – Studios 301 celebrates its 10th Birthday at the Alexandria facilities in November

2012 – Six new music production studios open next door to the mastering facilities, occupied by composers, engineers and artists