About

ABOUT ROC2 STUDIOS

We think of ROC2 not just as a facility, but also as a community. We work at all levels, on a range of different projects and are on hand to offer advice and services, – whether a specialist sound engineer, cameraman, video editor, PA expert or music producer. All staff who work at ROC2 Studios are experienced in their chosen field of work, with an understanding of the clients needs and the creative process.

STEVE HYWYN JONES
FOUNDER. ROC2 STUDIOS

HISTORY

ROC2 Studios sits where the municipal aerodrome used to service the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and the Royal Air Force in World War II. The airfield came under control of Royal Observer Corps, precipitated by the onset of the Cold War.

In 1962 a hardened nuclear bunker was built for No.17 Group Royal Observer Corps, North Wales, who provided the field force of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation. No.17 ROC would have sounded the four-minute warning alarm, in the event of war and warned the population of Wrexham in the event of approaching radioactive fallout. The building was manned by up to 80 volunteers.

Due to the Royal Observer Corps being disbanded, the bunker went through a transition between September 1991 and December 1995, was put up for sale by the MOD and was repurposed as a Recording and Mixing Studio by dance music remixers, K-Klass. The gallery was removed, ceiling dropped and a studio built within the map room, designed by acoustician, Sean Zoega, with a production room, and a small vocal booth for guest artists.

After K-Klass vacated the bunker, occupants arrived and left, adding to and modifying the building but leaving Studio 1 largely untouched. Its principal design and function as a high-end Recording and Mixing room has been retained.

The current lease was signed in May, 2015. Customers arrived through the door in its first week of opening, with Catfish and the Bottlemen using the Filter Room to rehearse for their gig at Glastonbury and as a base for writing songs.

ROC2 Studios has since been a venue for many other bands and artists, while we have continued to expand our horizons, e.g. recording and mixing a BBC radio play, hosting a photo-shoot for Russell Kane and auditions for ITV’s The Voice.

If you have something to bring to the party at ROC2 Studios, get in touch! We are aways happy to meet new people.

FOUNDER

ROC2 Studios’ founder, Steve Hywyn Jones’ professional life began as a composer and musician with the Welsh language band, Brodyr Y Ffin, recording two albums and three singles for Sain Records, with network TV appearances on Channel 4 and BBC1.

Compositions for TV followed with production work at Realworld near Bath & Mayfair Studios in London.

Steve has recorded on location in 24 countries, in all genres of television production, winning a BAFTA for ‘Best Actuality Crew’ for ITV, with sound recorded for broadcast including BBC Music Live, North Wales Music Festival, Gregynog Festival.

Steve is a full member of the Music Producers Guild and Institute of Professional Sound.

Steve Jones at the Console in Studio One
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