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Berlin Record Studio Chief Recalls Cold War Glory
By Clifford Coonan
BERLIN (Reuters) - Hansa at the Wall recording studios stood within striking range of East German border guards patrolling the Berlin Wall and within easy reach of the decadent nightspots of the Cold War's capital city.
It was this potent combination of Cold War stand-off and hedonism that inspired David Bowie, Iggy Pop, U2 and Depeche Mode to tap into Hansa at the Wall's shabby glamour to record some of the greatest pop music of the last century.
"We were in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. For many artists from Britain and America that was very exotic. Some of them thought they'd need flak jackets and helmets," said Tom Mueller, chief sound engineer at Hansa studios from 1972.
"The studio has a great sound, fantastic flair and a real creative spirit," said Mueller, now in his 60s, reminiscing about old times as he stood in the converted 1910 ballroom that was Studio Two, one of Hansa's main recording rooms.
Hansa is still going strong -- recent recording stars to use its facilities include Maggie Bell, who sang on Mike Oldfield's hit "Moonlight Shadow" -- but the old Studio Two is no more.
Since the redevelopment of the adjoining Potsdamer Platz area, the big studio, restored to its former grandeur, has reverted to its original role as a ballroom and concert hall -- part of a post-unification clean-up of the capital which some Berliners say is destroying the city's "cool" status.
In this room 25 years ago, Bowie recorded "Heroes," the centerpiece in his influential trilogy of Berlin albums, during a time spent enjoying the Berlin night life with Detroit punk rocker Iggy Pop and New York maverick Lou Reed.
"There was a unique smell, partly because of all the joints and cigarettes, but you felt you could live well here," he said.
The old ballroom stood just 50 yards from Hitler's bunker and was badly damaged in World War II. But the proximity to the Berlin Wall, the Cold War barrier between East and West, was the real draw for international stars.
GOLDEN YEARS
The late 1970s marked Hansa at the Wall's golden years, with Bowie the biggest profile name to use the studio.
"The high point was David Bowie. He liked it so much he lived here for a few years down the street," said Mueller.
Bowie moved to the Schoeneberg district in October 1976 with Iggy Pop and lived there as a semi-recluse for three years, having achieved worldwide fame as the creator of classic pop records like "Ziggy Stardust," "Aladdinsane" and "Space Oddity."
Photographs in Hansa studio taken at the time show the man known as the Thin White Duke, looking austere, almost shaven headed, with a mustache, raising a glass of brandy.
"They had quite a wild clique, but Bowie is an extremely disciplined person, he knows his limits. That's always true in my experience, the big stars are much more focused than the little bands," Mueller said.
"Iggy Pop was wild. But I'll say no more than that."
The high point of Bowie's Teutonic phase was "Heroes," with references to World War II and districts of Berlin divided by the Wall. Cold War angst is the background to the whole record.
The title song is a love story about two people trying to escape over the Berlin Wall, fantasizing about life in the affluent West and it became an anthem when the Wall collapsed in 1989, something of which Mueller is clearly proud.
"When the Wall fell, Heroes became a hymn. It was an unbelievable feeling," said Mueller.
CREATIVE CROSSROADS
Bowie drifted away from Berlin after the third part of the trilogy, "Lodger," but his success drew many other artists to Hansa studios, including Depeche Mode, David Byrne, and most famously, the Irish rockers U2.
In the autumn of 1990, U2 began work on "Achtung Baby," produced by Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno, who also produced some of Bowie's Berlin oeuvre, back in the studio. The record was a renaissance for U2 and sold more than 10 million copies.
"This room saw the beginning of U2's big international success and a lot of that was about the atmosphere of the city and the atmosphere in the studio," said Mueller.
U2 were at a creative crossroads when they worked in Hansa and making the record was not easy.
"This guitar riff just kept coming up through the floor, over and over, for hours and hours and I thought, will they ever finish this?" Mueller said.
Ultimately U2 did not finish the record there and they have told of how their relationships with each other were under terrific strain in Berlin. However, images of the studio and other Berlin sights feature prominently in the sleeve art for "Achtung Baby."
TALES OF ROCK EXCESS
The studio's eerie atmosphere has inspired artists in many different ways -- Depeche Mode's Martin Gore famously stripped naked to get himself in the mood before recording a poignant love song in the basement.
"One time the punk band Killing Joke filled the grand piano and covered the mixing desk with fire extinguisher foam. It took us 14 days to clean it up," said Mueller.
"The atmosphere was free from pressure, where artists could be creative. We tried to be like a hotel for the stars. We removed everything that could hinder their creative urges."
"I got a phone call one night at 4 a.m. from a well-known band, who were in a bordello called Rasputin and needed my help. I picked up 3,000 marks ($750) and went over to find them all sitting at a bar, completely unaware of making the phone call. 'Tom, we were just saying what a nice guy you are!' they said."
"Sometimes the German beer was a little strong for English and American palates!"
Nowadays Hansa is right at the heart of new Berlin and located near the grandiose headquarters of Sony Europe, but Mueller misses the days when it was a dusty, run-down creative hothouse.
"Nowadays, well, you can't just throw a cigarette butt on the floor anymore. I don't think heavy metal bands would feel so comfortable in this room."
Berlin Record Studio Chief Recalls Cold War Glory
By Clifford Coonan
BERLIN (Reuters) - Hansa at the Wall recording studios stood within striking range of East German border guards patrolling the Berlin Wall and within easy reach of the decadent nightspots of the Cold War's capital city.
It was this potent combination of Cold War stand-off and hedonism that inspired David Bowie, Iggy Pop, U2 and Depeche Mode to tap into Hansa at the Wall's shabby glamour to record some of the greatest pop music of the last century.
"We were in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. For many artists from Britain and America that was very exotic. Some of them thought they'd need flak jackets and helmets," said Tom Mueller, chief sound engineer at Hansa studios from 1972.
"The studio has a great sound, fantastic flair and a real creative spirit," said Mueller, now in his 60s, reminiscing about old times as he stood in the converted 1910 ballroom that was Studio Two, one of Hansa's main recording rooms.
Hansa is still going strong -- recent recording stars to use its facilities include Maggie Bell, who sang on Mike Oldfield's hit "Moonlight Shadow" -- but the old Studio Two is no more.
Since the redevelopment of the adjoining Potsdamer Platz area, the big studio, restored to its former grandeur, has reverted to its original role as a ballroom and concert hall -- part of a post-unification clean-up of the capital which some Berliners say is destroying the city's "cool" status.
In this room 25 years ago, Bowie recorded "Heroes," the centerpiece in his influential trilogy of Berlin albums, during a time spent enjoying the Berlin night life with Detroit punk rocker Iggy Pop and New York maverick Lou Reed.
"There was a unique smell, partly because of all the joints and cigarettes, but you felt you could live well here," he said.
The old ballroom stood just 50 yards from Hitler's bunker and was badly damaged in World War II. But the proximity to the Berlin Wall, the Cold War barrier between East and West, was the real draw for international stars.
GOLDEN YEARS
The late 1970s marked Hansa at the Wall's golden years, with Bowie the biggest profile name to use the studio.
"The high point was David Bowie. He liked it so much he lived here for a few years down the street," said Mueller.
Bowie moved to the Schoeneberg district in October 1976 with Iggy Pop and lived there as a semi-recluse for three years, having achieved worldwide fame as the creator of classic pop records like "Ziggy Stardust," "Aladdinsane" and "Space Oddity."
Photographs in Hansa studio taken at the time show the man known as the Thin White Duke, looking austere, almost shaven headed, with a mustache, raising a glass of brandy.
"They had quite a wild clique, but Bowie is an extremely disciplined person, he knows his limits. That's always true in my experience, the big stars are much more focused than the little bands," Mueller said.
"Iggy Pop was wild. But I'll say no more than that."
The high point of Bowie's Teutonic phase was "Heroes," with references to World War II and districts of Berlin divided by the Wall. Cold War angst is the background to the whole record.
The title song is a love story about two people trying to escape over the Berlin Wall, fantasizing about life in the affluent West and it became an anthem when the Wall collapsed in 1989, something of which Mueller is clearly proud.
"When the Wall fell, Heroes became a hymn. It was an unbelievable feeling," said Mueller.
CREATIVE CROSSROADS
Bowie drifted away from Berlin after the third part of the trilogy, "Lodger," but his success drew many other artists to Hansa studios, including Depeche Mode, David Byrne, and most famously, the Irish rockers U2.
In the autumn of 1990, U2 began work on "Achtung Baby," produced by Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno, who also produced some of Bowie's Berlin oeuvre, back in the studio. The record was a renaissance for U2 and sold more than 10 million copies.
"This room saw the beginning of U2's big international success and a lot of that was about the atmosphere of the city and the atmosphere in the studio," said Mueller.
U2 were at a creative crossroads when they worked in Hansa and making the record was not easy.
"This guitar riff just kept coming up through the floor, over and over, for hours and hours and I thought, will they ever finish this?" Mueller said.
Ultimately U2 did not finish the record there and they have told of how their relationships with each other were under terrific strain in Berlin. However, images of the studio and other Berlin sights feature prominently in the sleeve art for "Achtung Baby."
TALES OF ROCK EXCESS
The studio's eerie atmosphere has inspired artists in many different ways -- Depeche Mode's Martin Gore famously stripped naked to get himself in the mood before recording a poignant love song in the basement.
"One time the punk band Killing Joke filled the grand piano and covered the mixing desk with fire extinguisher foam. It took us 14 days to clean it up," said Mueller.
"The atmosphere was free from pressure, where artists could be creative. We tried to be like a hotel for the stars. We removed everything that could hinder their creative urges."
"I got a phone call one night at 4 a.m. from a well-known band, who were in a bordello called Rasputin and needed my help. I picked up 3,000 marks ($750) and went over to find them all sitting at a bar, completely unaware of making the phone call. 'Tom, we were just saying what a nice guy you are!' they said."
"Sometimes the German beer was a little strong for English and American palates!"
Nowadays Hansa is right at the heart of new Berlin and located near the grandiose headquarters of Sony Europe, but Mueller misses the days when it was a dusty, run-down creative hothouse.
"Nowadays, well, you can't just throw a cigarette butt on the floor anymore. I don't think heavy metal bands would feel so comfortable in this room."
