REVIVING A PAIR OF MUSIC ICONS The National Music Centre ’ s
King Edward Hotel & Rolling Stones Mobile Studio
By Kevin Young
PHOTO : BITTERMANN PHOTOGRAPHY
Studio Bell , home of the National Music Centre
Inhabiting the Studio Bell building in Calgary ’ s downtown East Village , the National Music Centre ( NMC ) features five floors dedicated to exhibits , recording studios , educational programming , and performance . It ’ s a decidedly impressive facility – a unique combination of a museum and hands-on creative hub .
With a collection of musical instruments and equipment covering 450-plus years of innovation – 2,000 musical artifacts in all , 100 exhibited publicly , and 300 earmarked for use in NMC ’ s Artists in Residence program – it ’ s also a gear geek ’ s paradise . Among them are historical keyboard instruments and unique vintage pieces including Randy Bachman ’ s 1959 Gibson Les Paul “ American Woman ” guitar ; TONTO , one of the largest analog synths ever made and used by the likes Stevie Wonder and The Isley Brothers ; and one of Elton John ’ s pianos .
NMC also houses CKUA Radio , a 300-seat performance hall , the Canadian Music and Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame collections , and mounts temporary exhibitions featuring instruments and memorabilia from various Canadian artists .
On the audio side alone , there ’ s too much to adequately cover in one article . Instead , we ’ ll focus on the facility ’ s two largest artifacts , both of which you can walk into and use as originally intended : the King Edward Hotel , a heralded performance venue revitalized this year , and the legendary Rolling Stones Mobile Studio ( RSM ).
NMC ’ s mission is to inspire people by preserving and celebrating Canada ’ s musical story , but what makes the facility unique is that its artifacts are part of a “ living collection ” – not things you see under glass , but working tools regularly put to use .
Maintaining and ultimately breathing life into that collection involves a combination of careful restoration and conservation efforts as well as the incorporation of new technologies .
Maintenance of NMC ’ s rare “ living ” consoles and electronic instruments was led by Electronics Technician John “ JL ” Leimseider , who passed away suddenly on Sept . 14 , 2018 . As one of the world ’ s most sought-after electronic instrument and equipment technicians , Leimseider was known for restoring and servicing instruments for many of the most celebrated musicians of our time . Throughout his 40-year career , he was a mentor to countless technicians , engineers , and musicians . His legacy at NMC continues on through his expert restoration of the RSM , and the knowledge , kindness , and humour he shared with the NMC team . His passion for his work is reflected in this conversation with Professional Sound , one of his final interviews .
KING EDWARD HOTEL TIMELINE 1905-1910 – Established and built 1910-2004 – After beginning its storied history as part of Calgary ’ s “ Whiskey Row ” and being repeatedly busted during Alberta ’ s flirtation with prohibition in the 1920s , the Eddy operated as a long-term resident ’ s hotel , and later , in the ‘ 70s and ‘ 80s , as a blues bar 2004 – The venue and hotel are closed , condemned , and earmarked for demolition 2008 – The Eddy is acquired by NMC with the aim of rejuvenating the building in a joint effort with the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation ( CMLC ) 2012 – Interior and exterior scanned for historical preservation 2013 – The building is dismantled brick by brick and stored for later reassembly 2016 – NMC Studio Bell completes the Eddy as a mixed-use venue 2018 – Fully restored according to the original 1905 plans , the King Eddy officially reopens on July 20 th as an independent restaurant , bar , and venue .
34 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND