First up: Amherst-area band set to record at new studio
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The old mill buildings along Pleasant Street in Easthampton have sprouted many new businesses over the last several years, particularly in the Eastworks building - from restaurants to retail, light manufacturing to carpentry, and artists' studios to service organizations.
Now two veteran recording engineers are opening what is likely one of the largest studios in the area in the former Yankee Plastics Building at 142 Pleasant St. The complex will also include an additional facility offering a highly-sought service for local bands: rehearsal space.
Mark A. Miller and Justin Pizzoferrato, who between them have recorded or worked on records for hundreds of Valley musicians, are merging their separate businesses in the yet-unnamed recording studio. And they'll be debuting part of their new digs with a live recording by Rusty Belle, the rootsy-rock, blues-folk group. Rusty Belle, an Amherst-area band, will record its new album on Jan. 13 and 14 in the studio before live audiences.
You heard that right - live audiences. Miller and Pizzoferrato's main recording room is big enough to fit both a sizeable band and an audience of up to about 70 people. And despite the technical challenge of making a live recording, both engineers say they think other bands might be interested in doing similar projects, giving the new studio a unique ability in the area.
"We really like the flexibility this space gives us," said Miller, who's run Slaughterhouse Studio, first in Hadley and more recently in Westhampton, since the 1990s. Pointing to the ceilings overhead - about 25-30 feet high - he added, "This room is going to have great sonic possibilities."
Pizzoferrato, who previously ran a recording studio in Greenfield and more recently a smaller one in the Eastworks building, notes that the main recording space in the new studio, at roughly 1200 square feet, is as large or larger than either of his former spaces. And when you factor in all the other aspects of the new studio - control rooms, smaller recording booths, storage space and a lounge area - there's about 3,200 square feet to play with.
The studio will also have two control rooms, one for each engineer, who have somewhat different recording techniques and equipment. Each control room is flanked by smaller recording booths - called "iso rooms" and suitable for, say, a solo musician or a small group - so that Miller and Pizzoferrato will be able to record a separate project when the other is using the main recording space. The two will occasionally work together but primarily will be doing their own projects.
"That's the most efficient way of using the space," said Pizzoferrato, as he and Miller led a tour of the studio in mid-December, when much of the initial construction work, such as framing, sheet rocking and sound proofing had been done. Still to come at that point was wiring, heating system installation and all the finish work.
Down the hallway from the studio, another large space is being converted to rehearsal rooms; seven have had some initial work completed, and three more are to be added, totalling another 5,000 square feet of space. It's something many bands are looking forward to renting, Miller said: "Good rehearsal spaces, especially for some of the bigger rock bands, can be hard to come by."
And though renting out these spaces will give the two engineers steady income to help recoup some of the costs of building their new business, Miller says he and Pizzoferrato see an additional benefit: "Having musicians down here and in the studio, everyone kind of hanging out together - I think that will give us a real sense of community."
Combined experience
Both Miller and Pizzoferrato have built strong reputations in the Valley for their sonic expertise. Miller has worked with the Drunk Stuntmen, The Stone Coyotes and the Pernice Brothers, to name a few bands, but he also records a capella groups and cut his teeth as a young engineering assistant on the first record by former Valley singer-songwriter Dar Williams, 1993's "The Honesty Room."
Pizzoferrato is newer to these parts but has recorded Dinosaur Jr., Fancy Trash and other groups; he'll be engineering the live recording of Rusty Belle, with whom he's previously worked.
Both engineers, separately, had been looking around for a larger recording space in recent years and, when they learned each wanted to do the same thing, decided to work together. "It just made more sense to join forces," Pizzoferrato said.
Meanwhile, in the fall of 2009, Miller, through a mutual friend, had gotten in touch with James Witmer, who bought the mostly empty Yankee Plastics Building in late summer that year. Witmer was looking to renovate the space and bring in new clients, so he, Miller and Pizzoferrato soon got to talking. It took awhile to figure out where the studio might best be located and to work out a leasing agreement, but construction finally started this past summer.
Witmer says he's ecstatic to have Miller and Pizzoferrato on board. They're his first new tenants; a couple of light manufacturing companies that were in the building when he bought it still operate there. "It's been a lean couple of years," Witmer said. Now, though, as word has gotten out about the recording studio, he added, "My phone's been ringing more often ... this could be something that could really anchor the building. It's going to be a great facility."
Witmer arranged for all the contracting work, which required special materials and requirements, such as putting a cement slab floor down for the studio to absorb low-end frequencies.
"Jim is really a partner in this - it's been a huge job, and we couldn't have done it without him," Miller said. He and Pizzoferrato declined to say what they've paid for the work, but Miller acknowledges it's not cheap: "It's a sizeable investment."
Ready to go
The members of Rusty Belle, meanwhile, are charged up about doing their live recording next Friday and Saturday night. Singer and guitarist/fiddle player Matt Lorenz says they've recorded a few things live before but weren't totally happy with the results. At the same time, he notes, fans would hear their studio recordings and say that the band had a distinctive energy playing live that wasn't quite coming across on the albums.
"We're hoping that with a gathering party here, we can get that sense of energy and combine that with a great engineer like Justin and really make something happen," Lorenz said.
"It's kind of an experiment," added guitarist and drummer Zac Trojano. He, like Lorenz, also handles vocals and some percussion, as does the third member of the group, Kate Lorenz, Matt's sister.
Miller and Pizzoferrato note that doing live recordings poses a challenge, as it can be tricky to balance the sound through a PA system for the audience and stage monitors for the band - all while trying to capture the music for the recording. But Pizzoferrato said he felt confident he'd be able to pull it off: "We think this is a great space to do it in."
Miller says he's always felt he has the best job in the world.
"I love recording musicians," he said. Sometimes, though, he'd end up overbooked and stressed out at his old studio and would find himself starting to resent the time he was spending with players. But with the flexibility of the new studio, he said, "That's not going to be a problem. I'll go back to having the best job in the world."
To book a seat at either of the "Live from Easthampton!" recording sessions for Rusty Belle on Jan. 13 and 14 at 8 p.m., visit the band's website at www.rustybelle.com and follow the link for the sessions. The band is asking fans to fill out a contact form so they can seat an equal number of people each night and not have to turn anyone away. There is no entry fee but donations will be accepted, with a suggested amount of $20.
Steve Pfarrer can be reached at spfarrer@gazettenet.com.
