This music documentary brings the rural yet lively atmosphere of Rockfield to the screen. Rockfield recounts the rise of Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire, Wales from its humble farming tradition. Owners Kingsley and Charles Ward, daring to take on commercial recording studios in the 1960s, established an 8-track recording studio on their rural farm. In this bold move, they established the first residential studio in 1965 where bands would come and live in the countryside for as short as a month and as long as 14-18 months.
Rockfield Studios began its rise to fame hosting the band Black Sabbath to record their album Paranoid. We then follow prominent bands like Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, and Queen during their time at Rockfield through the era of sex, drugs, and rock and roll; during this 1970s time period, Rockfield Studios comes into its name, becoming a full-time recording studio (while remaining a part-time farm). The documentary continues with interviews from bands and the Rockfield staff through the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s. As the film progresses through these decades, the audience receives some insight into the behind-the-scenes life of “live-in” studio recording away from the pressures of city life. The documentary reveals how the removed, yet tight-knit, atmosphere of the studio brought out the best—and sometimes the worst—in bands, propelling groups such as Black Sabbath and Oasis into stardom with hit albums and singles.
In all, Rockfield balances a mix of original interviews about life at the Rockfield Studios from the staff, owners, and a selection of bands, all while intermingling some amusing anecdotes about the life on the studio/farm. The documentary features interviews from some of the prominent bands that stayed at Rockfield, including the lead singers from Black Sabbath, Simple Minds, Oasis, The Charlatans, The Boo Radleys, and Coldplay (Ozzy Osbourne, Jim Kerr, Liam Gallagher, Tim Burgess, Martin Carr, and Chris Martin, respectively).
The beginnings and rise to fame during the 1970s era in the early portion of the film are intriguing, but it loses focus and novelty as it ventures into the realm of the ’90s, spreading itself thin across several bands and interspersed interviews. While the end of the documentary is generally reminiscent of Rockfield Studios’ success, it is also somewhat forgettable, making the first half of the film the highlight of the work. In all, the film is a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P