Capture creativity

THUD STUDIOS
By Jonathan Widran
I
n the mid-2000s, Jeff Abercrombie’s stint with the multiplatinum band
Fuel was spent on tour as well as in recording studios. During that time
the band scored hits like “Shimmer,” “Innocent” and “Hemorrhage (In
My Hands)”—the latter remaining at No. 1 for 12 weeks, attaining doubleplatinum
status.
The band’s founding bassist, Abercrombie was ultimately led in another
direction. “It was a dream of mine to start my own business and since I
spent so much time in rehearsal and recording studios, it seemed natural
to open up my own rehearsal and productions business,” he says.
Abercrombie opened Thud Studios (http://thudstudios.com) in the trendy
NoHo Arts District as a facility for band rehearsal lockouts. In 2004, before
they even opened their doors, Thud Studios was fully booked. “I couldn’t
believe the amount of calls I was getting during construction,” he says.
“The difference with us was we were offering premium lockouts.”
Not long after, Thud Studios changed its clientele. “When we first
opened we did rehearsal lockouts. I had a lot of bands come in with their
recording rigs, but in time more and more of the behind-the-scenes guys
were coming here because they felt comfortable staying for long stretches.”
Thud Studios offers month-to-month 24-hour access music production
suites providing producers, production companies, record labels, publishing
companies, musicians and artists clean, vibrant and creative rooms
for recording and writing—an environment perfectly suited, Abercrombie
says, for maximum productivity. He adds that it is the perfect spot for
musicians, producers and songwriters who are looking for privacy to do
recording and tracking on the digital equipment they bring in.
“Our clients have their own clients, and who wants to bring clients to
their own house? We are a professional building and I take pride in my
facility, making sure that everything is always in spic and span condition.”
Building on his initial success, Abercrombie later opened a second
North Hollywood location. Both lockouts are within walking distance of
each other, and close to restaurants, bars, shopping, and, for the people
keeping it green, the Metro station. “We are in the heart of The NoHo arts
district, which means when you are working those crazy late hours mixing
or recording, you can either walk up the street for a quick bite or have it
delivered...which I remember all too well!”
Thud Studios’ Vineland location offers a nine-room full-service monthly
lockout facility (average room size 300 sq. ft), two bathrooms, a large
outdoor patio and bar area. The Burbank Blvd. location is a 14-room
facility with an average room size of 12 ft. x16 ft.; the largest room (Studio
B) is over 700 sq. ft. and Studio A is 550 sq. ft. Most rooms are carpeted
as well as adding extra 4 feet of carpet on the walls to deaden the rooms,
making it more acoustically friendly. Some of the rooms also have vocal
booths. “A lot of the rooms have ambient track lighting...it’s all about the
lighting,” adds Abercrombie.
Thud Studios does not provide equipment; however, they offer referrals
to artists who want to work with any of the engineers, producers or songwriters
who occupy a room. Free amenities to monthly clients—many of
whom make extended stays ranging from one to six years—include bottled
water, coffee, a kitchenette common area, an outdoor patio with conversation
bar and ample parking as well as free high-speed cable WiFi.
“I think we have been successful because our clients can see that we
care about our business and about them, and pay attention to the details
in serving their needs,” he says. “Word gets around when they see us
handling issues on the spot, and they in turn are respectful in the way
they take care of their spaces too. Because I have been a musician my
whole life, I have been in their shoes and know what they are looking for
when they come to a place like this.”
Thud Studios caters to a wide range of clientele from top producers
to prominent songwriters––a list of renowned clients is available on the
company’s homepage, http://thudstudios.com.
Contact Thud Studios, 818-378-8162
8 September 2013 musicconnection.com