Mary Epworth and Tony Visconti. Photograph: Ezzidin Alwan
Tony Visconti is one of the most influential record producers in the history of popular music. Over more than five decades he has shaped landmark records by David Bowie, T. Rex, Thin Lizzy, Mary Hopkin, Sparks, and Angelique Kidjo. His work with Bowie alone, from 1969's Space Oddity through to ★ in 2016, is one of the longest and most celebrated artist-producer partnerships in recorded music.
He is known for sonic innovations as much as musical instinct. He pioneered the ambient gated microphone technique heard most famously on "Heroes", recorded at Hansa in Berlin, and was an early adopter of the Eventide Harmonizer, which became a signature of his sound. Visconti is also celebrated for his arranging skills, particularly the lush, classical-style orchestrations that feature on tracks like "Band on the Run" by Wings, "Cosmic Dancer" by T.Rex, "Under the Table with Her" by Sparks, "Wide Eyed Boy from Freecloud" by David Bowie.
Visconti Studio at Kingston University
"You record an environment, not just the instrument. And the environments have colours, and that's why you should really explore them."
- Tony Visconti (2026)
Visconti Studio officially opened in 2016, with acoustics redesigned by ADG and a hybrid analogue and digital setup reflecting Tony's commitment to both traditional and future-facing ways of working. He holds an honorary doctorate from Kingston University and is a visiting professor there.
Tony led the inaugural Winterschool residency in 2017, a week-long intensive working directly with students and researchers. He produced Ralph McTell's 2019 album Hill of Beans, and co-produced Stylophonika, the debut album of the Kingston University Stylophone Orchestra (2022) in the studio. He has also tracked material for his own albums It's a Selfie (2019) and Apollo 80 (2024). He has taken part in numerous public-facing lectures, Q&A 'in-conversation' events and masterclasses in the studio since it opened.
Working with students
Tony has served as a curriculum consultant on the BA Music Technology and MA Music Production courses at Kingston University, and has given guest lectures, workshops, and seminars with students from Kingston School of Art. When he brings professional projects here, our interns and trainee engineers work on them.
"If the only thing open in a great studio is the tea-boy option, take it. You will witness things that are going over the heads of some of the other people there. Even the musicians themselves. You're seeing method. And that's what you want to learn: how it's done."
- Tony Visconti (2026)
He is based in New York, so his involvement is occasional rather than permanent, but his influence on the studio's operations, philosophy and character runs deep.
Visconti Studio does not manage bookings or enquiries on behalf of Tony Visconti. For interview requests and production queries, please contact his management directly.