Electrophonic Studio: the consulting house that launched Britain's top bands

Image source, Getty Images

In the 19s 70s and 80s, an Elle home of ffield's car mechanics council doubled as the Electrophonic Studio, a recording studio that was the launch pad for seminal British pop bands like Pulp, The Human League and ABC. A new movie has unveiled its story.

From the street, Ken Patten's modest semi-detached house looked a lot like any other house on his estate, or even from any post-war estate in Britain.

But inside, musicians forged the future sound of pop on synthesizers in the living room, electronic drums in the master bedroom, and even a DIY vocoder – which produces a robot-like singing effect – made from old RAF microphones and toilet paper rolls in the ground floor extension.

"It was totally chintz and had huge sofas with flower patterns - a typical suburban house in the middle class Sheffield with a big thick rug," Martyn Ware recalls of the house. "Really cozy and lovely, with a little ite veranda at one end."

Image source, Michele Umpleby

Ware would go on to form The Human League e and Heaven 17. But he made the trip to Ken's house on the outskirts of Sheffield with his first band, The Future, in 1977 after placing an advert in a local newspaper looking for a place to record.

When they arrived, they expected Ken to take them to a studio, possibly his garage. Instead, he told them they would record in the living room.

"I said, 'Where do we put the synths and all that?' He said, 'Oh, just put them on the coffee table.' He bro...