13 Dec NRG Legacy: 7 Things You Should Know
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_single_image image=”3188″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1513021755680{margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]NRG Recording Studios has held on strong for 30 years and has only grown through consistent adaptation in the music business. Located in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, in what now thrives as the ‘NoHo Arts District’, it has been made clear time and time again that the studio is here to stay. That being said, with all of NRG’s rich history, there are always some fundamentals worth brushing up on before stepping foot inside. Here are 7 things that you should know about the ongoing NRG legacy.
The Founder
Jay Baumgardner is an award-winning producer and mix engineer who has worked in the music industry for over two decades. Jay began his music career as a keyboard player and built a small home studio to create his own music. After many early successes and years of gaining experience, he soon became a super producer and studio owner. Jay’s early successes started when he produced and mixed Papa Roach’s triple platinum album “Infest”. In this way, NRG Recording Studios is legitimate and authentic from the ground up and from the top down. NRG was one of the first studios to implement a fibre channel based SAN network back in 2001, providing clients with the piece of mind knowing that their sessions and files were safely and reliably backed up and secure. Jay’s experience and super strong ear makes him the cornerstone for all the hits recorded under NRG’s roof, past, present, and future. His name can be found in the contributing credits for acts like Papa Roach, Bush, Hoobastank, Evanescence, and Alien Ant Farm just to name a few.
The Beginning
With all of NRG’s platinum records, it might be surprising to find out that NRG actually started as a dubbing studio. The facility was primarily used to record vocals for TV and film. At that time it was called Weddington Studios and the iconic three letters were yet to be found. In the 1980’s, the studio was used mainly for “The Dolly Parton Show” and also to record mostly Country and Christian music. It is from these humble beginnings that Jay and Deanna Baumgardner founded NRG Recording Services in 1986. In 1992, Jay decided to move NRG Recording Studios to a larger location on Weddington St, where it still stands to this very day. After the NRG takeover, the original studios had to be upgraded to take what would soon be a legacy to the next level.
The Modern: Studio A
Studio A was upgraded with new brand acoustics to make the space feel more alive. The studio offers a 110-square-meter live area including three isolation booths, while the producer’s lounge can double as an additional fourth booth. The impressive Neve 8068 in the control room boasts 64 inputs and Flying Faders, and (according to Jay Baumgardner himself) was originally constructed out of three desks put together. Today, Studio A is currently our most deluxe recording space. The full layout boasts clean cement walls, birch wood panelling, and even a tournament-standard pool table in the lounge. Studio A also features a spacious private lounge with a full kitchen and dining area, widescreen HD DirecTV with surround sound, and a tournament pool table. Studio A’s modern feel has attracted music’s biggest acts across all genres including Justin Bieber, Nas, Linkin Park, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The Moroccan: Studio B
After 1992, Studio B was added on the other side of the building adjacent to Studio A. Previously an empty warehouse space, Studio B was destined to capture an inspired, international flavor. The console in Studio B is truly one-of-a-kind. The custom built 64 Input Neve 8078 was brought in all the way from Austria. The console has considered NRG and Studio B home ever since.
Inside Studio B is a live room with an intense yet inviting Moroccan theme. The room’s vibrant can stand toe-to-toe with Studio A’s modern edge. The live room also provides a pitch perfect ceiling height of over 7.5 meters and offers two isolation booths and two amp closets. The control room resembles a Bedouin tent with a brilliant patchwork of bright colors always overhead. The live room walls were designed to resemble Moroccan arcades with murals in between the columns displaying seaside views. Notable clients of the Moroccan room include the likes of Slayer, Beck, No Doubt, and Smashing Pumpkins.
In The Mix: Studio C
Studio C was the last studio room built of the three, and its inclusion really does make NRG complete. Trading in the Moroccan sun and shade, Studio C’s interior is more familiar with the Gothic Revival. Instead of birch wood or Bedouin sheets, the ceiling is flush with sweeping arches and ornamentation. The details in this room are set to compliment the details when an artist or engineer is truly in the mix. Both studios have been remodeled over time to help facilitate the best of the best in the music industry. Studio C remains a mixing paradise, as a cathedral set to the majesty of the music. Clients who have made the opulence of Studio C their own personal inspiration include Tool, Bush, 30 Seconds to Mars, and P.O.D.
The Musical Legacy
The first notable production to put NRG on the map was Hootie & the Blowfish’s debut album “Cracked Rear View” in 1994. A number of the biggest hits off Cracked Rear View still find staying power to this day. Perhaps the most recognizable song of the bunch, “Hold My Hand” is still finding itself under the gaze of popular culture in extremely recent times. The music video for the NRG homegrown hit can be found here with recent comments celebrating the song’s central inclusion in the latest season of South Park.
A short time after Hootie & the Blowfish, Jay Baumgardner produced and mixed Papa Roach’s first major-label release “Infest” in 1999. It sold more than 7 million copies worldwide with 3 million in U.S. This massive success helped solidify Jay as one of the best producers in the music industry and made NRG a household name. Since then NRG has been closely associated some of the hardest hitting acts of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. The most recognizable relationship within the NRG family was the relationship between Linkin Park and NRG Recording Studios. All five albums from Hybrid Theory, Meteora, Minutes to Midnight, A Thousand Suns, and Living Things were recorded in Studio A.
The lobby and inner hallways at NRG are covered in commemorative records immortalizing a lot of the records previously mentioned, with most reaching platinum and multi platinum status. Upon walking inside NRG, the first thing visible is the 14-times platinum Hybrid Theory as well as the triple platinum Infest. Clients that arrive at NRG are greeted by the receptionist providing them with professional service and privacy as they work in the studios. Clients are also offered an array of coffees, teas and other beverages during their sessions. Behind the receptionist’s desk Linkin Park’s Meteora is also in clear view, also triple platinum. Down the hall is find the aforementioned Hootie & the Blowfish record. Not only is NRG cutting edge, but it also wears its legacy on its walls. NRG’s client list varies from genre to genre. Some notable clients are Miley Cyrus, Lil Pump, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Jay-Z, and Esperanza Spalding.
The Gear Selection
Many of these platinum records would have not been complete without the gear and equipment necessary. NRG Recording Studios has an impressive collection of gear that gives the studio its gigantic range of unique, authentic sound. NRG’s inventory of instruments is home to dozens of vintage guitars, basses, cabinets, and pedals to accompany the massive live rooms and consoles creating one of a kind sounds only available from our rooms. Specializing in preserving, maintaining, and (of course) using a ton of analog equipment including tape reels and other old school recording techniques allow NRG clients and artists to get the real deal. NRG also hosts the very best in state of the art gear, with each studio fully equipped to accommodate any modern setup or recording style. In many ways, it’s the best of both the analog and digital worlds at NRG.
NRG Recording Studios continues to evolve with time, still making it the best studio to record music in the world. Jay and his staff have kept NRG cutting edge and on the map. After 30 years open, NRG has become a staple for artists of the highest calibre, including Linkin Park, the Offspring, Nas, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Earth Wind & Fire, White Zombie, Beck, Slayer, Smashing Pumpkins, Motörhead, Bon Jovi, Slash, Korn, No Doubt, Tom Petty, Evanescence, Tool and Dave Navarro, to mention just a few! NRG is one of the most successful recording studios of its kind and it shows no sign of stopping. Stay connected here with NRG for the latest on all things music and sound.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][/vc_row]