Bearsville Studios

Last updated
Bearsville Sound Studios
Industry Recording studio
Founded1969 (1969)
Founder Albert Grossman
Defunct2004 (2004)
FateSold
Headquarters
Bearsville, New York
,
U.S.
Number of locations
1

Bearsville Sound Studio was an independent residential recording studio founded by Albert Grossman in the Bearsville section of Woodstock, New York. From the late 1960s through the early 2000s, the studios were the site of notable recordings by numerous artists including Todd Rundgren, Meat Loaf, Tesla, R.E.M., Jeff Buckley, Dave Matthews Band, Phish and others.

Contents

History

Background

Albert Grossman, who was the manager of Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary, first arrived in Bearsville in 1964 with his future wife, Sally, and Dylan via Dylan's station wagon, and went to work creating a retreat for the community of artists with whom he worked. The Bearsville recording studios would be just one component of the complex that would eventually include Bearsville Records, Turtle Creek Barn and Apartments, Location Recorders, the Bearsville Theatre, and multiple restaurants. The two-hour drive from New York City, a "retreat" for some artists, combined with residences owned by Albert Grossman, amplified this value. [1]

1969-1979

Bearsville's first recording studio, Studio B, was completed in 1969. Studio B was initially designed by Robert Hansen and later re-designed and modified by John Storyk of the Walters-Storyk Design Group and acoustician George Augspurger. [2] The larger Studio A featured a large 2,400 square foot tracking room with a 35-foot high ceiling. Originally intended as a project studio for Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson of The Band, Turtle Creek Barn and Apartments offered recording facilities combined with a private living space.

Todd Rundgren began working at Bearsville Studios as a staff engineer and producer, and recorded his first three studio albums at Bearsville. Beginning in 1975, Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman recorded Bat Out of Hell at Bearsville, with the album going on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time. [3]

Other artists recording at Bearsville in the 1970s included The Isley Brothers, NRBQ, Patti Smith Group, and Foghat. Additionally, The Rolling Stones rehearsed at Bearsville from May 27 until June 8, 1978 for their US Tour 1978, with the recordings of these rehearsals later released as the Complete Woodstock Tapes 4-disc set. [4]

1980s

In 1980, Grossman built Rundgren's Utopia Video Studio, which would later house radio station WDST. [2] In 1985, a remodel of Studio A was completed, including the addition of a Neve 8088 recording console custom-built for and previously in use at The Who's Ramport Studios. [5]

In 1986, Grossman's wife Sally assumed directorship of Bearsville following his death. From 1986 to 1989, Bearsville hosted recording sessions for The Pretenders, Marshall Crenshaw, Suzanne Vega, Joe Jackson, and others, and Tesla recorded their first two studio albums at the studios.

In 1988, The Replacements had a 10-day recording session at Bearsville during which they trashed the recording studio and living quarters and played a game they called "dodge knife" that was like dodgeball but using knives. The recordings, originally intended for the band's album Don't Tell a Soul were not included on the album. They were eventually released in 2019 as part of the Dead Man's Pop box set. [6]

R.E.M. recorded significant portions of three successive albums at Bearsville, beginning with Green (1988). The music historian Barney Hoskyns, in his 2016 book about Woodstock, Small Town Talk, wrote that the band's presence "was certainly a highwater mark in the studio's life." [7]

In 1989 a barn was converted to create The Bearsville Theater, with space for rehearsals and live performances. [8]

1990s

In the early 1990s, Bearsville hosted sessions to record albums for Living Colour and The Connells. In late 1993 and early 1994, Jeff Buckley recorded his only studio album, Grace at Bearsville.

Blues Traveler recorded their breakthrough 1994 album Four (Blues Traveler album) at the studio. Dave Matthews Band recorded its debut studio album Under the Table and Dreaming (1994) at Bearsville with producer Steve Lillywhite, as well as its follow-up, Crash (Dave Matthews Band album) (1996). The studio was the location for the recording of Natalie Merchant's debut solo album Tigerlily (1995), as well as albums by Rush, Phish, Fear Factory, Faith No More, and Branford Marsalis Quartet.

2000s

In the early 200s, Bearsville hosted recording sessions for artists including Harvey Danger, Matchbox Twenty, The Derek Trucks Band, [2] Saliva, The Vines and others. [9]

In 2002, the building that housed the original Bearsville Studios A and B was sold, with Sally Grossman utilizing components from the former studios to repurpose the Turtle Creek Barn into a new studio named Bearsville at Turtle Creek. [10] By 2004, Sally Grossman had sold all Bearsville complex properties, including the Turtle Creek Barn, the Bearsville Theater, two restaurants, and the Utopia soundstage. [11]

Bearsville Center (2019-present)

In August 2019, the Bearsville Theatre complex was purchased by Lizzie Vann, who re-opened the complex as the Bearsville Center. [12] [13] This set in motion a multi-million-dollar renovation of the complex to repair extensive water damage from roof leaks and make the center functional and memorable for visitors. [14]

Selected list of albums recorded at Bearsville Studios (by year)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Rundgren</span> American musician (born 1948)

Todd Harry Rundgren is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophisticated and often unorthodox music, his occasionally lavish stage shows, and his later experiments with interactive art. He also produced music videos and was an early adopter and promoter of various computer technologies, such as using the Internet as a means of music distribution in the late 1990s.

<i>Bat Out of Hell</i> 1977 studio album by Meat Loaf

Bat Out of Hell is the 1977 debut album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman. The album was developed from a musical, Neverland, a futuristic rock version of Peter Pan, which Steinman wrote for a workshop in 1974. It was recorded during 1975–1976 at various studios, including Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released in October 1977 by Cleveland International/Epic Records. Bat Out of Hell spawned two Meat Loaf sequel albums: Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993) and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006).

<i>Billy Breathes</i> 1996 studio album by Phish

Billy Breathes is the sixth studio album by American rock band Phish, released by Elektra Records on October 15, 1996. The album was credited with connecting the band, known for its jam band concerts and devoted cult following, with a more mainstream audience. The first single, "Free", was the band's most successful song on two Billboard rock charts, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart and at #24 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart. The album itself became the band's highest-charting album on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number seven.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise by the Dashboard Light</span> 1977 single by Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is a song written by Jim Steinman. It was released in 1977 on the album Bat Out of Hell, with vocals by American musicians Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley. An uncommonly long song for a single, it has become a staple of classic rock radio and has been described as the "greatest rock duet".

<i>The Story of the Ghost</i> 1998 studio album by Phish

The Story of the Ghost is the seventh studio album by American rock band Phish, released by Elektra Records on October 27, 1998. The album features an emphasis on the jazz-funk influenced "cow-funk" style, which the group had been experimenting with in concert throughout 1997 and 1998. The album's first single was "Birds of a Feather", which was a Top 20 hit on Billboard magazine's Adult Alternative Songs chart. The album's cover was painted by visual artist George Condo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NRBQ</span> American rock band

NRBQ is an American rock band founded by Terry Adams (piano), Steve Ferguson (guitar) and Joey Spampinato (bass). Originally the "New Rhythm and Blues Quintet", the group was formed circa 1965. Adams disbanded it for a time, and the group re-formed in 1967. The quartet is known for its live performances, containing a high degree of spontaneity and levity, and blending rock, pop, jazz, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles. Its membership comprises the quartet of pianist Adams, bassist Casey McDonough, guitarist Scott Ligon, and drummer John Perrin. Some of the members in the band's long history are singer, writer and bassist Joey Spampinato, guitarists Al Anderson and Johnny Spampinato; drummers Tom Staley and Tom Ardolino; and vocalist Frank Gadler.

Bearsville Records was founded in 1970 by Albert Grossman. The label closed in 1984, two years before Grossman's death. Sally Grossman, Albert Grossman’s widow, was running Bearsville Records from 2010 until her death in March 2021, at the age of 81.

<i>Something/Anything?</i> 1972 studio album by Todd Rundgren

Something/Anything? is the third album by American musician Todd Rundgren, released in February 1972. It was Rundgren's first album released under his own name, following two records credited to the quasi-group project Runt, and was also his first double album. It was recorded in late 1971 in Los Angeles, New York City and Bearsville Studios, Woodstock. The album is divided into four sections focused on different stylistic themes; the first three parts were recorded in the studio with Rundgren playing all instruments and singing all vocals in addition to producing. The final quarter contained a number of tracks recorded live in the studio without any overdubs, save for a short snippet of archive recordings from the 1960s.

<i>A Cappella</i> (Todd Rundgren album) 1985 studio album by Todd Rundgren

A Cappella is a 1985 album by Todd Rundgren. The album is one of Rundgren's most unusual in that every sound is the product of the artist's voice. Rundgren employed overdubbing techniques and an E-mu Emulator, electronically manipulating the sound of his voice to mimic conventional rock instruments, handclaps, and other sounds. This approach to music making was later explored by artists such as Mike Patton and Björk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Grossman</span> American music manager (1926–1986)

Albert Bernard Grossman was an American entrepreneur and manager in the American folk music and rock and roll scene. He was famous as the manager of many of the most popular and successful performers of folk and folk-rock music, including Bob Dylan; Janis Joplin; Peter, Paul and Mary; the Band; Odetta; Gordon Lightfoot; and Ian & Sylvia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utopia (band)</span> American rock band

Utopia was an American rock band formed in 1973 by Todd Rundgren. During its first three years, the group was a progressive rock band with a somewhat fluid membership known as Todd Rundgren's Utopia. Most of the members in this early incarnation also played on Rundgren's solo albums of the period up to 1975. By 1976, the group was known simply as Utopia and featured a stable quartet of Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell and John "Willie" Wilcox. This version of the group gradually abandoned progressive rock for more straightforward rock and pop.

Sally Ann Grossman was an American model and the wife of Bob Dylan's one-time manager, Albert Grossman. According to some Dylan biographers, she introduced Dylan to his first wife Sara. She operated the Woodstock-based Bearsville Records following the death of her husband in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasim Sulton</span> American musician

Kasim Sulton is an American bass guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist. Best known for his work with Utopia, Sulton sang lead on 1980's "Set Me Free," Utopia's only top 40 hit in the United States. As a solo artist, Sulton hit the Canadian top 40 in 1982 with "Don't Break My Heart".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Kalmusky</span> Canadian musician (1945–2005)

Ken Kalmusky was a Canadian bassist from Stratford, Ontario. He worked with some of the top names in the music industry, including Ronnie Hawkins, Ian and Sylvia, Jerry Reed, Amos Garrett, and Todd Rundgren. Kalmusky was a session musician and toured the world, playing stages from Massey Hall, to The Grand Ole Opry.

<i>Ra</i> (Utopia album) 1977 studio album by Utopia

Ra is the second studio album and third release by Utopia on Bearsville Records, released in 1977. Band leader Todd Rundgren planned on releasing the LP in 1976 on his own label, Ethereal Records, as the new four-piece line up was not signed to Bearsville. Replete with an elaborate $250,000 stage show featuring a 22-foot-tall (6.7 m) pyramid and golden sphinx which took 18 months of prep, Ra was Rundgren's most ambitious live undertaking.

Lazarus were a 1970s American soft rock band, consisting of principal members Billie Hughes, Gary Dye, and Carl Keesee. Hughes was the leader of the band, serving as lead singer and songwriter, and playing guitar and violin. The band are considered early artists in the Contemporary Christian movement.

<i>Lazarus</i> (Lazarus album) 1971 studio album by Lazarus

Lazarus is the self-titled debut studio album by Texas band Lazarus. It was produced by Peter Yarrow and Phil Ramone, released in 1971 on the Bearsville Records label, and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. "Warmth of Your Eyes" was released as the first single in 1972. The album is considered one of the early albums of the Contemporary Christian movement.

Elizabeth Barraclough is an American musician whose songs span the genres of folk, country, rock and pop. She was managed by Bob Dylan's manager Albert Grossman, and is perhaps best known for having played both live and on record with Paul Butterfield, Charlie McCoy, Kenny Buttrey, and Todd Rundgren.

John "Willie" Wilcox is an American drummer, vocalist, producer, recording engineer, sound designer, composer, and senior audio director. He is best known for being a member of the band Utopia. He was also the senior audio director for Bally Technologies and Scientific Games in Las Vegas, Nevada from 2010 to 2020.

Michael A. Friedman is a former music manager and producer, photographer and author.

References

  1. ↑ "Bearsville Studios, Speare Road, Bearsville, New York". jerrygarciasbrokendownpalaces.blogspot.com. Blogger. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Walsh, Christopher (13 October 2001). "Songs From The Wood: 30 Years of Bearsville Studios". Google Books. Billboard. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  3. ↑ Whitaker, Sterling (October 21, 2012). "35 Years Ago: Meat Loaf's 'Bat Out of Hell' Released". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Rolling Stones – Complete Woodstock Tapes (Original Master Series OMS:001-4)". Collectors Music Reviews. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  5. ↑ Dupler, Steven (9 February 1985). "Sound Investment". Google Books. Billboard. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "The Replacements Battle Their Producer In Stormy First Attempt To Record 'Don't Tell A Soul'". dangerousminds.net. 2019-09-26. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  7. ↑ Hoskyns, Barney (8 March 2016). Small Town Talk: Bob Dylan, the Band, van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Friends in the Wild Years of Woodstock. ISBN   9780306823213.
  8. ↑ "Bearsville Sound Studios". Mix Online. Future plc. October 2001. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "Merklin Returns to Bearsville As Studio Manager". Pro Sound Web. Future Plc. 18 March 2005. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  10. ↑ Walsh, Christopher (9 November 2002). "Bearsville Studios Restructures". Google Books. Billboard. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  11. ↑ Medenbach, Deborah. "A beacon in Bearsville". ulstermagazine.com. Hudson Valley Media Group. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  12. ↑ Barry, John (6 May 2021). "Woodstock's Bearsville Theater eager for the beat to go on after hard pandemic year". Times Union. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  13. ↑ Barry, John. "Woodstock's Bearsville Theater complex poised for rebirth as new owner takes on challenges". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "The Renovation 2019-2020". Bearsville Theater. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  15. ↑ Edelstein, Marc (20 October 2022). "Marshall Crenshaw's Romantic Pop Marvel Mary Jean & 9 Others at 35". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 October 2022.

42°2′38″N74°8′42″W / 42.04389°N 74.14500°W / 42.04389; -74.14500

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.