How it all started
Spirit’s history starts with our Manc-bred founder John Breakell and his passion for providing inclusive opportunities for young creatives. Following some time studying a film course in Australia, and drawn by the blossoming music scene, John headed back to Manchester.
Rubbing shoulders with the emerging music crowd of the early 1980s, John rented property in the Northern Quarter and transformed it into four rehearsal rooms and a studio. The space quickly became a magnet for local musicians.
Spirit grew organically over time. There was no master plan. It was simply about creating a space where like minded music lovers could record and collaborate. A place for them to meet and be creative.
Everyone had a contribution to make. Whether it was brewing up for the team or building the first studio themselves, Manchester’s up-and-comers made their way to Tariff street to join Spirit’s growing community.
"The music industry is in our D.N.A. That's our strength. We've built close links over the years that are impossible to replicate without our history."

808 State, The Smiths, John Breakell and Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones)
Helping future legends of the Manchester music scene
The early 80s saw bands that defined the sound of a generation pass through its doors. The first ever session to take place in the studios was for The Smiths, and bands such as The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Buzzcocks, and The Fall quickly followed in their footsteps. Some of the industry’s biggest record producers – such as Trevor Horn and Arthur Baker – also called Spirit home, helping to carve the ‘Manchester Sound’.
Musicians helping musicians. That’s what it was all about.
If bands needed a little help in the right direction, John was happy to step in. Former Stone Roses bassist, Mani, paid tribute to John who he said was “instrumental in giving us free studio time in Spirit when money was tight. It gave us the springboard to launch our recording career.”
"Spirit Studios were the greatest recording and rehearsal rooms in the country. A lot of important people got down there."

The Stone Roses
Original 'Spirit Studio' Demo cassette - 1984
A big Noise
Spirit Studios had its own in-house label: Noise Records. Four tracks were recorded in a single night in 1990 and were each promptly printed to a thousand white label vinyl before being shipped around the country. All four were played back-to-back on BBC Radio 1.
After hearing tracks on Noise Records, Trevor Horn headed north to Spirit to see what all the fuss was about. Trevor was particularly impressed with music written by Spirit student Graham Massey. An early version of the seminal track Pacific State stood out, and 808 State were promptly signed to his label: ZTT.
Spirit Studios also had its own bar and was a favourite meeting point for anyone into the Manchester music scene. TeN bar was one of the first bars in the Northern Quarter and regularly held gigs. Influential musicians and producers such as Noel Gallagher, Martin Hannett, Shaun Ryder and the late Tony Wilson frequented the venue.

Noise Records logo, TeN Bar, Dr Umbardi
The move into education
After a few years as a successful commercial recording space, Spirit Studios expanded into the world of education thanks to John’s motivation to improve access into the industry. “In about 1984, I recognised there was no training facility in the UK for sound recordists. You had to know somebody or be a tea boy and work your way up.”
So in 1984 Spirit Studios became the first school in the UK to offer training in audio engineering. Building on the popularity of the studio and the relationships developed along the way, we were able to offer anyone with a passion for sound the opportunity to learn technical skills in real-world environments. Arthur Baker visited Spirit and advised us on the curriculum for the first sound recording course. He also delivered a couple of lectures, passing on his invaluable experience in the music industry (New Order, Afrika Bambaataa, Black Eyed Peas, The Prodigy). Early alumni include members of 808 State, Simply Red, Oceanic, Candy Flip, K-Klass and The Lightning Seeds. There are also recording studios and even a couple of educational institutions that were founded by our alumni.
We’re proud to continue this legacy. Our course offering has evolved with the industry but we continue to provide the means for students of sound to hone their skills and launch successful careers.
"In about 1984, I recognised there was no training facility in the UK for sound recordists."

Lecture by Max Johnson, Martin Price (808 State) and Gerald Simpson (A Guy Called Gerald), Lecture by Tim Oliver
Swipe through some of the music recorded, produced and mixed at Spirit Studios Some of the music recorded, produced and mixed at Spirit Studios
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