As we all (should) know, Athens has been blessed with more than it's fair share of talented musicians and bands. What many civilians and musicians don't realize is that Athens also has more than it's fair share of recording studios. While it is possible for up-and-coming bands to record for free at Chillicothe's Recording Workshop, Ohio University, and Hocking College, there may come a time when free recordings just don't hack it anymore. There is a saying that holds true for most things in life and that saying goes "you get what you pay for."

For those of you who still have a shoestring budget, and want to cut a record that doesn't sound like a free haircut at the barber college, there is noisy boy studios.

Noisy Boy is the brainchild of Athens native and long time musician, Bryan Gibson. Bryan, an excellent drummer, has been a member in many influential Athens bands, including the Cactus Pears and the Nightbirds. Currently, he plays the kit for the popular alternative bluegrass band, Joe Bob Billly and the Texas Alien, which will be playing an hour-long set in Columbus's 30 year old music tradition, the Com Fest.

Bryan at work mixing down his latest recording.

I recently had a chat with Bryan about his new studio. It's a small affair aimed at people who want a quality demo CD. But unlike some things, size doesn't matter with recording. If you've listened to enough recordings, you've probably noticed that for the most part, it doesn't matter if you record at a 64 track studio or on a 4 track. There are plenty of great recording done on either type of system. What does matter is ear and experience of the man (or woman) behind the board.

AMN: Bryan. How long have you lived in Athens?

Pretty much my whole life. Apart from a brief stint in Lancaster in '95, I guess I've been a permanent resident since 1983 (my family and extended family are from Athens).

AMN: What instrument(s) do you play?

Drums - been playing for 21 years now. I'm skilled enough at percussion to get by (congas, marimba, timpani - not that I get much of a chance to play those instruments any more...)

AMN: What bands have you been in?

Most people reading this will have never heard of most of these bands: Zen Machine, Keystone Metermaids, Spanky, Big Red Truck, Abraham Dreamgirl, The Taildraggers, Cactus Pears, The Nightbirds, Joe Bob Billy & the Texas Alien (my current band).

Next to Bryan, this is the heart of the studio.

AMN: How long have you been recording music?

I just got my equipment in January, but I've been working in radio production for about 7 years now, so I'm not an audio newbie. Although it didn't involve recording music, doing production at a commercial radio station was a great experience, even though I griped about it most of the time. :) I would say that the skills I picked up while doing that have translated pretty well to running a studio, as far as being able to: think on my feet, solve problems, meet deadlines and be diplomatic and professional when dealing with clients. I must have churned out 10 commercials a day for 3 years while working at WAIS/WSEO. That in itself forces you to be resourceful and creative.

As a musician, I've recorded in studios since I was in high school. I also did the requisite audio stuff while attending O.U., but I feel like I've picked up most of my audio knowledge since graduating. Locally, I've recorded numerous times at the Recording Workshop in Chillicothe and recorded an EP at Workbook Studio in Columbus. Actually, it was recording up there a couple of years ago that gave me the idea to buy some recording equipment. I was at OU with Jon and Neal and thought it was inspiring that some guys I knew actually started a studio.

AMN: What are you trying to accomplish with your new studio?

Originally, I had just planned to record my own bands. Then a few people I knew expressed interest in recording, and I thought it might be interesting to work with other bands from around the area.

Basically, what I have is a digital 16-track home studio housed in one large room, although it's possible to record tracks in other parts of the house. There's no isolation whatsoever between the various instruments and me when I'm recording, meaning that I have to monitor with headphones during tracking. That might horrify some people, but I find it makes for an intimate atmosphere, plus I like being in the same room as the musicians, and I've had excellent results so far. I also don't have the money to remodel my house! If you multi-track most stuff, you really don't run into many problems. You'll have leakage problems if you record live, but some bands prefer that - it's up to them. I felt a little self-conscious about this setup until I read that Daniel Lanois records in this fashion, so there you go. :) If people are looking for super-fancy iso drum and vocal booths, there are plenty of other studios out there that offer that, albeit at a higher cost.

What I'm offering the local music scene is a chance to record and mix quality demos or actual CD projects in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere for very little cost. The introductory rate is $10/hr, and it's dirt cheap for a reason - I want to get the word out and get bands in the studio! The rates will go up over time, but I doubt it will ever get too outrageous. I'll also burn CDs for free, provided people bring their own discs to the session, otherwise it's $5 per disc. It's really just a chance for me to meet and work with bands and musicians from around the area, and I think it will be a good experience.

AMN: Does your studio have recording philosophy?

I have no intention of being a "producer," although I will certainly give my opinion if someone asks for it. Most bands I know have a good idea of what they want their recordings to sound like, and I'd like to give them what they want with minimal stress and headaches. Besides, who am I to tell someone their song's stupid or lousy? Of course, if something is obviously out of tune or time, I'll stop and point it out as a potential problem, but I really feel like I'm there to document what's going on, nothing more. I always hated it when engineers would make sarcastic or uncomplimentary comments about my bands' recordings and I have no intention of doing so to other bands.

Notice the excellent placement of microphones!

I really think you have to be a music fanatic in order to do this properly. By "fanatic,"I mean being aware of different genres and knowing the tradition behind each style. For instance, I'm not into metal, but I know a lot of its history. Likewise with bluegrass, hip-hop, folk and jazz - I took classes or did independent studies on those genres while in school, and it's helped me a lot, in terms of understanding music technique and different cultures. It pays to read a lot and keep an ear open to music that wouldn't necessarily be in your personal collection. Of course, I encourage any band/musician to bring in loads of CDs to listen to before recording to give me an idea of what they consider to be a good snare sound, a good acoustic guitar sound, and so on, as it will speed things along and let me know what they're looking for. I can't guarantee I'll get the EXACT sound, but I'll work to get it close.

My main piece of equipment is a Yamaha AW4416 hard-disk 16-track workstation. It resembles their O2R mixing desk, and is similar to it in many ways. I'm very impressed with it - the sound is incredible and the automation and onboard effects/patchbay is terrific. I had originally planned to go the ADAT route, but changed my mind once I got to play with one of these. I may still buy some ADATS in the future and use the Yamaha as the mixer, but this will do nicely for quite a while. In addition to various rack gear, I use Event 20/20bas monitors and have a decent microphone collection, including Neumann, AKG and Shure mics. I also have the ability to burn and copy short-run CD orders. I would encourage anyone interested to call or e-mail me to set up a meeting so I can go over the gear and explain its uses/capabilities.

It's my house, so I'm biased, but I think it's a comfortable place to record. I'm a little ways out of town, and people can take a break out on the patio for a little silence every now and then. Also, the coffee's free.

AMN: Is there a record or CD out there that has influenced your recording technique?

Probably everything I listen to, and that's not meant to be a cop-out. Sometimes it will be one little thing on a record that you'll love, whether it's a sound or part, and you'll catalog it away in your brain to use later on your own stuff. :)

My favorite all-time records are Revolver by The Beatles, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, Murmur by R.E.M. and Astral Weeks by Van Morrison. Listen to those records all together and it'll give you an idea of where I'm coming from.

AMN: What CD is in your CD player right now (no cheating)?

Nirvana, In Utero. I just felt like listening to Nirvana this morning. That was the first time I've listened to that record in years. It's still good.

Is you is or is you ain't my baby !

AMN: What is the last CD that you bought and why (no cheating)?

Radiohead, Amnesiac. I love Radiohead. 'Nuff said.

AMN: What is your general opinion of the music scene in Athens. You like what you are seeing? Anything new you would like to see?

Unfortunately, I don't get out to see bands as much as I used to. When I do venture out, it's usually to see friends of mine (or to play with my bands). There are definitely some great acts in this town - Geraldine, Stella, The Misprints, Rubberband Racecar Go, Chris Beister, Bruce Dalzell, Planet 12 and I liked ran. When I saw them a few months ago. I've listened to a number of things on the AMN sound clips page and was very impressed with Parker Ben Parker. Homunculus is great, of course, even though they're not from Athens.

I don't have too many gripes with the local scene. I admit I'm not out every weekend bar-hopping and checking everyone out, but it seems to me there's diversity here if you really look for it. Hopefully I'll work with some new bands through the studio.