STUDIO PROFILE
[ 25 TH STREET RECORDING, OAKLAND, CA ] Doug Doppler
The San Francisco Bay Area served as the launching pad for iconic artists including The Grateful Dead, Santana, Journey, Metallica, Joe Satriani, Counting Crows, and Third Eye Blind. Sadly, the tech boom dealt a death knell to the affordable housing and ample rehearsal space that drew musicians to the Bay Area in the first place. This trend has been echoed by studio closures including The Plant in Sausalito, where groundbreaking records like Fleetwood Mac’ s“ Rumours” were recorded.
The first time I worked at 25th Street Recording was on a session with iconic producer / engineer Neil Dorfsman( Def Leppard, Dire Straits, Sting) for Mercury Recording Equipment. The massive live room, ample isolation rooms, sensational mic locker, and racks brimming with the coolest outboard made for an outstanding recording experience. Add great vibes, easy freeway access, and awesome décor to the mix and that begins to explain why 25th Street has flourished while other studios have shut their doors.
In addition to attracting all-star clients like
Joe Satriani and Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chicarelli, 25th Street has also found innovative ways to utilize their space to generate additional revenue streams. While he would never say it himself, the following interview with studio manager John Schimpf really reveals how important his role has been in the studios’ success.
The Ultimate Speaker Demo // Photo: Sam Crayne
[ GTR ] John, always a pleasure! Although the studio is beautiful visually speaking, when you walk through the door it really feels like an inspiration place to make music. This is obviously not an accident, so tell us a bit about what atmosphere means to you?
Studio A Control Room [ John Schimpf ] First of all thanks, it’ s great to be a part of the magazine! Aesthetics and atmosphere are very important to us. Owner David Lichtenstein was deeply involved in all aspects of the buildout, and paid very close attention to the design. The goal was to make the studio feel like home, not an office. Our clients and our staff spend countless hours in the building, so it was crucial that the environment be comfortable. We developed different spaces for people to work or relax in outside of the recording spaces as well. We spend a lot of time refining the rooms to better suit our clients, and we also make sure that every inch of the building is utilized in the best possible way. We are also hyper-critical about keeping things clean, organized and super-efficient. Our ultimate goal is to make everyone’ s experience here special and memorable.
[ GTR ] Your collection of outboard gear is pretty breathtaking. Which pieces are you guys most excited about and are there any cool stories behind how they came into your possession?
[ John ] First and foremost, every single piece
54 Sep � Oct 2017 GearTechRec. com