Twin Cities Music Highlights

TWIN CITIES RECORDING STUDIOS

The Twin Cities has had some notable recording studios during the 1950s, ’60s, and early ’70s. (I’ll include later studios if people send me information.)  Here are some of them.  Please contact me with additions or corrections.

 

AMBIENT SOUND

David Allan Wright and Bob Cain started Ambient Sound in 1979 as a partnership; David left in 1986 and the studio has been owned by Bob ever since.  Ambient Sound had several locations, including two years in a church at 28th and Nicollet that was a branch of the West Bank School of Music.  A long list of artists recorded there, including Fine Art, Artesian Dreams, Chameleon, Soul Asylum, The Answers, Loyal Subjects, Willie and the Bees, and Dez Dickerson .

Photos below courtesy David Allan Wright:

 

AUDIO-TEK

This studio was located on the second floor of a 1925 building originally built by the Modern Woodmen of America.  The space had been a lodge/dance hall.  711 West Broadway was demolished in 1981/1982.

Strib, December 8, 1968

 

 

Insider, September 1971

 

Insider, March 1974

 

 

BLACKBERRY WAY

Blackberry Way Recording Studio was founded in the early 1970s by three members of the rock band Fingerprints:  Michael Owens, Kevin Glynn, and Steven Fjelstad.  The original studio was located at 606 13th Ave SE in Dinkytown.  It has since moved to a non-public location.  In 1984 Blackberry Way launched its own record label as well.

Blackberry Way Studio’s Original Location

 

 

In the late 1970s, Twin/Tone Records was launched, and signed Fingerprints, the Suburbs, and Curtiss A’s band Spooks.  Blackberry Way recorded most of Twin/Tone’s early records, including “Big Hits of Mid-America, Volume 3.”  Considered one of the most important albums of the era, it has been on display in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame for over ten years.

Blackberry Way was in the forefront of recording new music in Minneapolis.  Examples include:

  • The Suburbs’ “In Combo,” as well as most of their Twin/Tone recordings
  • The first Husker Du record
  • Soul Asylum
  • The Replacements. Most of the Replacements’ early work was recorded at Blackberry Way, including the critically acclaimed LP “Let it Be.” In 1989 Rolling Stone named “Let it Be” the 15th most important album of the decade.
  • The pre-production of “Pleased to Meet Me” by the Replacements was done at Blackberry Way for Sire/Warner Bros.
Blackberry Way’s Current Studio – Photo Courtesy Mike Owens

 

 

Mix Magazine called Blackberry Way “a haven for pop rock bands.” The studio records all styles of music, including:

  • Heavy metal band Hurricane Alice recorded an album that led to a signing at Atlantic Records.
  • Country band Live ‘N Kicking also recorded an album that led to a deal with Warner Bros. and a Grammy nomination.
  • Tete Noire did a recording that led to a signing with Rounder Records.
  • Producer Rob Stevens (Lennon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Herbie Hancock) produced a major label demo for Fun House, and was very impressed with the sound at Blackberry Way.
  • Two-time Grammy winner Bobby Z produced tracks for Trip Shakespeare that led to a signing with A&M Records.
  • British producer Cliff Davies (Ted Nugent) produced an album for local great Barry Goldberg – a fun week indeed!

Also included on the client list:

  • The Trashmen
  • The Castaways
  • The Suicide Commandos
  • Grammy winner Gary Hines (Sounds of Blackness)
  • Jimi Destri of Blondie
  • Grammy winner John Madock

 

COOKHOUSE – Please see Kay Bank

 

CREATION AUDIO – Please see Kay Bank

 

DIAL COMMUNICATIONS/VISIONS OF SOUND

This ad uses both the name Dial Communications Recording Studio and Visions of Sound.  It was located at 323 13th Ave. NE in Minneapolis.  This building dates to at least 1914 and was an active Mortuary when the studio was in operation.

Insider, June 7, 1969

 

The Dial Studio building today – Google Maps

 

 

DOVE STUDIO

 

 

GAITY RECORDS

Gaity was both a recording studio and a record label.  Not yet out of high school, North Minneapolis teen David Hersk started a recording business in his parents’ basement at 1501 N. Newton Ave.  Naming his company Gaity (“That’s not even a word!” he said later), he started with a Robbinsdale choral group called the Quarternotes in 1954.  He recorded all sorts of music in the ten years of his enterprise:  Do Wop, rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, even surf music.

Eventually he built his own studio in Bloomington, which he later sold to Dove.  Usually only 500 copies of a 45 were made and given out to DJs and at dances.  They are extremely rare today and are traded at high prices among collectors.  A two-volume anthology called “Bloodshot!” was put out in vinyl by Norton Records in 1994 and is also available on CD.  On it are songs (mostly recorded between 1958-60) by groups such as the Sonics, Blue Kats, Glenrays, Valquins, Wisdoms (David’s favorite), Corvairs, the Jades, and the Big M’s.

In about May 1962 Hersk moved his studio from the basement of his home to the Empire Photosound Building, 1920 S. Lyndale Ave. in Minneapolis.  An item in Vic Burton’s Night Beat column in the Minneapolis Daily Herald says that Hersk, “a very energetic fellow,” had recorded “Folksong: U.S.A.,” featuring the Robbinsdale Chorale.  The record was released on the Audio Fidelity Label.  Burton reported that 23-year-old Hersk started his recording career with a $65 tape recorder, but now had about $30,000 invested in equipment and was able to record all of his sessions in stereo.

David got out of the recording business in 1964 and went into graphic arts, doing album covers and other projects.  It is through his enthusiastic efforts that we have these nuggets of Twin Cities music.

 

KAY BANK STUDIO

 

MICSIDE – Please see Kay Bank

 

NIC-O-LAKE RECORDING STUDIO

The Nic-O-Lake recording studio was located in the basement of George Garrett’s Nic-o-Lake Record Store.  (Also see Record Stores.)  This was at 2 West Lake Street from the end of 1963 to the end of 1965, as far as I can tell from the ads in the Strib.  Everything else about this studio and all of Garrett’s activities can be found on his page.

 

NICOLLET – Please see Kay Bank

 

SOUND 80 – Please see separate page.

 

 

SOUTH SIDE RECORDERS

This ad from the Insider is for an 8-Track studio, but no location is given.

Insider, July 1973

 

 

STUDIO 5

This was advertised as a new recording studio in the March 1968 edition of the Insider.  The ad promised “Nashville-Type Sound Now Available in Twin Cities by former New York recording engineer.”  A&R Direction included.  The address was 4029 Penrod Lane NE, Minneapolis.

 

THE STUDIO

“The Studio” was on 6th Street in St. Paul, 1977 to 1979.   It was owned by Bob Behr, who had played drums and was part of WestSide/Free & Easy.  Behr had bought Lamont Cranston’s Teac 8-Track equipment.  David Allan Wright says it did a lot of Demo work and records. Artists included Good Vibrations, Jimmy Jam Harris (Michael Dixon), Artesian Dreams, Spitfire, Little Red Rooster, Lamont Cranston, White Sidewalls, Fine Art, Meteor, and various Funk and jazz artists like Herman Jones and Free and Easy.

Photos below courtesy David Allan Wright:

 

Engineer Dave Howe had this to add to The Studio story:

I was the engineer at Bob Behr’s The Studio after Dave Wright left. Dave and I worked on  the “Fine Art” album and others and then Dave Wright went to another studio.  An album we both have engineering credits on is “Cross Country Fiddle” by Jim Price and Friends.  There is a drawing on the back cover of me, Dave Wright, and Bob Behr on a toboggan. 
 
Photo courtesy Dave Howe
 
 
An album with me and Bob Behr as engineers is “Rivertown” by Fitzgerald, Flyer and Boyce. 
 
An interesting fact is that the studio was on the 3rd floor. You can see the elevator door on the right in the picture you have posted with the ferns against the wall on the left. On the 4th floor was a massage parlor, and we would occasionally get a drunk customer for them wandering into the studio!
 
The building was torn down and the space is part of an insurance company.
 

Thanks for this great information, Dave! 

 

SWEDIEN STUDIOS – Please see Kay Bank

 

TONKA RECORDING

Tonka Recording was advertised as a new studio in the June 13, 1968, Minnetonka Sun. It was owned and operated by Robert Walin, and located at No. 1 Easton Ave., Deephaven Park.

Tape recordings and records for groups and individuals

Recordings in the studio or on location

Specializing in rock and roll groups.

Featuring multi-track recordings

$20 per hour plus materials.

 

 

TRACKS ON 5th

Engineers / Producers / Owners: Michael McKern and Chris Hinding

Photo courtesy Michael McKern

 

 

Tracks On 5th was in operation from 1975 to 1983.

The studio was located at 250 East 5th Street in St. Paul’s  Lowertown area. Long before Lowertown was the popular restaurant and bar area, it was a quiet area of empty warehouses, artists’ lofts and a rundown park area. Tracks on 5th was located on the corner of 5th and Wacouta Street, the site of was Milton’s Clothing Store, down the hall in Suite 105.

1977 Photo courtesy Michael McKern

 

Clients were diverse: from hard rock bands like Berlin and Teazer, to acoustic artists like Peter Lang, Rio Nido, and the University of Minnesota Orchestra.

Photo courtesy Michael McKern

 

The late ’70s and early ’80s ushered in the Punk / New Wave scene, and Tracks on 5th recorded some of the best.

On April 9, 1979, Tracks on 5th won the top three Connie Hechter Awards for:

  • Best EP -“Flamingo”
  • Best LP – Rio Nido, “I Like To Riff”
  • Best 45 – “Slack,” by NNB

Tracks also hosted National acts like the Amazing Rhythm Aces, Bonnie Raitt, and the MCA Records release party for Tom Petty’s “ Damn The Torpedoes.”

Michael McKern is currently working as McKern Audio in Tampa, Florida.

Chris Hinding is currently the owner and head engineer at Jangletown in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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UNIVERSAL AUDIO – Please see Kay Bank

 

SOURCES:

Arne Fogel

City Pages article by Tom Herbers dated June 8, 2005