XL Recording Studio Guide 2006

The sturdy dozen

The XL recording studio list

By Michael Corcoran
Wednesday, September 26, 2007

A guide to some of the best recording joints in town. The list here ranges from state-of-the-art studios where multiplatinum albums have been produced to spare bedrooms with laptops instead of consoles. Let's start at the top.

BISMEAUX STUDIO
South Austin; 444-9885; fax 444-4699
Owner: Ray Benson
Manager: Sam Seifert
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'The Truth Will Set You Free,' James Hand; 'Ride With Bob,' Asleep at the Wheel; 'Life of the Party,' Charlie Robison

THE BUBBLE
Central Austin; 420-0170
Owners: Frenchie Smith, Steve Hall
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'If We Can't Escape My Pretty,' IV Thieves; 'Comedy Horn,' Zykos

CACOPHONY RECORDERS
East Austin; 771-9863
Owners: Erik Wofford, Darwin Smith
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'Passover,' Black Angels; 'Anti-Anti,' Snowden; 'Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives,' Voxtrot

CEDAR CREEK RECORDING
South Austin; 444-0226; fax 444-0300
Owner: Fred Remmert
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'These Four Walls,' Shawn Colvin; 'Home,' Dixie Chicks; 'Blue Nightfall,' Jimmy LaFave; 'Anodyne,' Uncle Tupelo

CONGRESS HOUSE STUDIO
South Austin; 444-5762; fax 462-2209
Owner: Mark Hallman
Tracks: 48
Recorded here: 'Love and Fear,' Tom Russell; upcoming Ruthie Foster; 'Dilate,' Ani DiFranco; 'What I Deserve,' Kelly Willis

FLASHPOINT RECORDING STUDIO
Downtown; 476-7009
Owner: Bennet 'East Side Flash' Spielvogel
Tracks: 32
Recorded here: 'Origin Story,' Idgy Vaughn; "Saint Mary of the Woods,' James McMurtry; "Suitable Disguise,' Michael Lille

MUSIC LANE RECORDING
East Austin; 476-1567; 289-4333
Owner: Jason Demetri
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'Wildflower,' Sheryl Crow, 'Foiled,' Blue October; 'Half Mad Moon,' the Damnations

PEDERNALES STUDIO
Briarcliff; 447-2337; 264-1640
Owners: Freddy and Lisa Fletcher
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'High & Mighty,' Govt. Mule, 'Sublime,' Sublime; 'Stardust,' Willie Nelson; 'Summerteeth,' Wilco; 'Already Platinum,' Slim Thug; 'Sacred,' Los Lonely Boys

PREMIUM RECORDING SERVICE
North Hyde Park; 454-3180
Owner: Bruce Robison
Tracks: 32
Recorded here: upcoming Queens of the Stone Age, 'For So Long,' Robin Ludwick; 'Fireflies,' Faith Hill, 'Eleven Stories,' Bruce Robison

SWEATBOX STUDIO
South Austin; 762-9258
Owner: Mike Vasquez
Tracks: 24 digital, 16 analog
Recorded here: 'Beauty School,' Crackpipes; 'The Beguiled,' the Beguiled; 'Hits For the Misses,' Sons of Hercules

TOP HAT RECORDING
Travis Heights; 441-3021
Owners: John Harvey, Mary Podio, Ron Ellis
Tracks: 32
Recorded here: 'Byzantine,' Scrappy Jud Newcomb; 'Full,' Jon Dee Graham, upcoming Honky

WIRE RECORDING STUDIOS
South Austin; 442-7073; 447-6100; fax 442-7897
Owner: Stuart Sullivan
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'Sing Me Back Home,' New Orleans Social Club; 'Childish Things,' James McMurtry; 'What I Really Mean,' Robert Earl Keen; 'Cruel and Gentle Things,' Charlie Sexton

48 more studios that make it into the liner notes

A-Valve Productions. 447-2600. Paul Zanetti, owner.

ASM Studio. 476-7666. Dave Sebree, owner.

Aerie Studio. 924-9671. Mark Addison, owner/producer.

Alta Vista Recording. 326-5490. Tom Johnson, owner.

Arlyn Studio. 447-2337. Lisa and Freddy Fletcher, owners.

Audiomoxie. 835-8735. James Laurance, owner.

Austin to Boston Recording. 219-9053. Mark and Linda Donovan, owners.

Balderrama Recording Studio. Manor. (512) 835-5886. Arturo Balderrama, owner.

Bayside Austin Recording Studio. 707-8858. Timothy W. Bond, owner.

Bee Creek Studio. Spicewood. (512) 264-1379. Spencer Starnes, owner.

Ben Blank Audio. 263-2936.

Brain Machine Recording Studio and Mastering Suite. 836-3100. Randy Avenell, owner.

Broken Arrow Studio. 796-5843. Michael Hickman, owner.

Castle Zeek Recording Studios. Cedar Creek. (512) 303-7611. Dmitri Thomann, owner.

Chicken Shack. 773-8976. Phil Anstrom, owner.

Coinhead Studio. 466-0762. Courtney Audain, owner.

Cribworks Digital Audio. 452-3047. Merel Bregante, Sarah Pierce, owners.

Curly Head Studio. 445-2694. Monte Mann, owner.

Deceptive Sound Recording. 301-7203. Mike Jasper, Karin Stephenson, owners.

Digital Domain of Austin. 328-9058. Chris Erlon, owner.

Figment Studios. 419-0193. Rick DeLellis, owner.

501 Audio. 485-3181. Corey Roberts, owner.

Folkreel Studio. 323-9660. Eric Blakely, owner.

Infinity Recording Studios. 784-0615. Barrett Walton, owner.

Jumping Dog Studio. 257-7165. Ron Flynt, owner.

Launch Pad. 567-6273. Chico Jones, owner.

Lava Studio. 560-4566. Scott Rehling, owner.

Lorien Sound Studio. 282-2734. Gordon Garrison, owner.

Lounge Acts Studio. 419-9428. Brian Meyerdirk, owner.

Love Monkey Studios. 731-3163. David W. Love, owner.

Markilepsy Studio. 293-4699. David DuFour, owner.

The Means of Production. 698-7439. Adam Whaley, owner.

Mixture. 462-2611. Mark Younger-Smith, owner.

Music Lab, Inc. 326-3816. Danny Cabela, president.

Omnistudio Recording Studio. 458-6610. Brian Davis, owner.

Parrot Tracks Studio. 292-8729. George Coyne, owner.

Porchlight Recordings. 657-2683. Jeff Jones, owner.

The Production Block. 472-8975. Joel Block, owner.

Promise Land Studios. 451-6607. Michael Hersh, studio manager.

Room-Space for Sound. 656-5505. Mark L. Fishman, owner.

Singular Audio. 923-3162. Alex Keller, owner.

Stardog Studio. 338-1964. Mike Castoro, owner.

The Still. 462-0408. Doug Ferguson, owner.

Stinson Recording Studios - Austin Recording School. 231-0344. John Stinson, owner.

Studio Illusions. Cedar Park. 258-9100. Tom Parker, owner.

Larry Telford Digital. 444-6464.

Tequila Mockingbird. 499-8655. Wally Williams, Danny Levin, owners.