Local Studio Happenings

As of March 1st, BOTA STUDIO will no longer be operating at RECORDING ARTIST WORKSHOP in Lake In The Hills. Owner Don Byczynski will open a 2,000 square-foot complex in Grayslake on April 15th. The new BOTA includes a 21x15x12 A Room, 18x15x12 live room, and 13×11 B Room, both connected to five isolation booths. Studio A has a vintage 40-channel AMEK console with NEVE pres into Protools HD or a vintage MCI 24-track 2-inch analog machine. B room is also equipped with Protools and Logic Pro. In addition to recording, BOTA will have in-house design by Worst Media. Services include CD cover, logo design, Myspace/Web design, T-shirt and flyer printing, plus short-order CD duplication. Among the new BOTA’s first clients is True Metal Conspiracy, which will track four new songs as well as a surprise cover . . . First Step To Glory booked time to track three new songs it plans to shop . . . The Brother Sass will also start recording its debut in May. 

At COMFORTZONE RECORDS in Oswego, The Empty Can Band is still working on its long-awaited second CD. Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin (Muddy Waters) laid guitar tracks for ECB on one of his tunes, “Ice Or Fire,” and Tad Walters (from Margolin’s band) may add to “Slam ‘Em Down” . . . DBL-Shot tracked vocals on a demo it plans on shopping to major labels . . . Adam Krier of Lucky Boys Confusion (and more recently of American Taxi) helped with production on the ECB project . . . Dulcet Records co-founders Daniel Bryan, Manny Mayhem, and Jay Mackniskas have Mackniskas engineering and tracking Dulcet’s new artist,  Chavito. Session players on this project include vocalist Melo and lyricist Tisa. John Mackniskas will be doing the final mixing.

At ENERGY COMMAND STUDIOS in Arlington Heights, studio owner Dave Banks and his wife welcomed a new addition to the team, baby girl Izzy, born Dec 26th . . . Tri-State Blues Band worked on a six-song demo. The project was recorded and mixed with Banks . . . The town of Vail, Colorado had some voiceover work done for their annual ice show; Energy Command Studios edited and mixed . . . Mid Life Crisis worked on its first single, and Banks produced . . . Singer-songwriter Nick Gaddini laid down and mixed his second song . . . Kimberly Wilkens did pre-production and tracked drums for two singles, mixed and produced by Amo Schmize at Energy Command affiliate, Amo Sound. Don Carlsson played guitar, and Banks bass . . . Seattle voiceover producer Lisa Foster worked with some Chicago-based clients. Foster is part of Vermont-based Such A Voice. Jon Owens and Art Garceau engineered the project . . . Manny Capozzi worked with Banks, remixing three songs . . . . Energy Command went remote to track Midwest Chamber Strings and mix its second CD in a year. The concert was record at the Schaumburg Prarie Center For The Arts. Jon Owens assisted with live engineering; the CD was mixed at the studio . . . Jazz saxophonist and composer Andy Marsala remastered and compiled two CDs of some vintage material.

At ENGINE STUDIOS in Chicago, Lonesome Cougars, Hey Champ, and Luster all worked on new material . . . Ben Weaver geared up for the follow-up to The Ax In The Oak . . . The wheels begin spinning on a new Iron & Wine album . . . Brian Deck worked on Tulsa‘s new album for Park The Van Records . . . Jon Langford worked with Neil Strauch on the new Pine Valley Cosmonauts record for Bloodshot. Jake Westermann worked with North Pilot and on John Landecker‘s syndicated radio show for XM.

Chicago power metal band Ion Vein is almost finished with its new album. The group worked at RAX TRAX in Chicago with producer Neil Kernon (Nevermore, Nile) and hopes to begin mixing soon.

CORRECTION: In last month’s “Studiophile,” M STUDIOS manager Andy Steil was identified as the producer of Scott Waterhouse‘s A Spot In The Shade, but Waterhouse produced the album. Vocalist Kristina Marie Castandeda was also omitted from the band lineup. We apologize for the confusion.

Hey Studiophiler: To get your studio or band listed in “Studiophile,” just e-mail info on whom you’re recording or who’s recording you to ed@illinoisentertainer.com, subject Studiophile, or fax (312) 930-9341. We reserve the right to edit or omit submissions for space. Deadline for the May issue is April 15th.

Category: Columns, Monthly, Studiophile