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[Nika Aldrich]

I was just given some information about an announcement being made tomorrow that I find rather consequential - at least inasmuch as the closing of Cello is consequential.

I'll post more when I'm allowed.  It's turning out to be a very interesting week....

Edit - The Hit Factory, one of the legendary New York recording studios and home to more hits than I can recant,  is closing. They are no longer taking any bookings and have put the employees on notice as of today. It will close the end of Feb and by the end of March everything will be cleared out of the building. The press release comes out tomorrow. They are keeping Criteria/Hit Factory open in Florida yet are closing the NY Hit Factory.


Nika

[bblackwood]

Yah, confirmed this AM here as well...

[Geoff Grace]

Wow - what a truly sad week! As with Cello, my heart goes out to all who have been affected.

I was involved in a project at Hit Factory NYC back in 1994. I was fortunate to have experienced first-hand the greatness of this facility.

The record industry as we knew it is being dismantled piece by piece. We are slowly witnessing the end of an era.

Best,

Geoff

[Level]

Yep..I did one in 1990 up there. I wonder who is next....

[RMoore]

Depressing

Who will be next I wonder

[Gary Flanigan]

While I have never worked in either of these legendary facilities, I have certainly enjoyed a lot of music recorded in them.  So I regret their passing.

However, I am curious as to whether there are newer top flight facilities opening up at the same rate.  This may be the end of an era or just the normal flow of business, like K-Mart folding and Wall Mart expanding.  

As someone not in the industry, I'd be curious to know to what extent that is the case.

Thanks

[Rail Jon Rogut]

Yep.. hard to believe, but the studios in New York have been hit far harder then the studios in LA.  In NY a bunch of studios dropped their rates to try and keep going.. which was the wrong thing to do.. you can't make a 9K lease payment when you're only charging $600/day.

Who says piracy doesn't hurt anyone?  

Rail

[ajcamlet]

Ryan Moore wrote on Wed, 02 February 2005 14:44

Depressing Who will be next I wonder

Quad or Chung king maybe

[el duderino]

Rail Jon Rogut wrote on Wed, 02 February 2005 14:51

Yep.. hard to believe, but the studios in New York have been hit far harder then the studios in LA.  In NY a bunch of studios dropped their rates to try and keep going.. which was the wrong thing to do.. you can't make a 9K lease payment when you're only charging $600/day. Who says piracy doesn't hurt anyone?   Rail

all true. tho if no one is booking sessions because it's too much, wouldn't you rather have some discounted business instead of none? of coarse ya can only do that for so long (obviously). Quite frankly $3000 a day for just a room is ridiculous. albeit a damn nice room but unless you need to do an orchestra its a waste of money. IMNSFHO.

[Rail Jon Rogut]

I'm not saying they should be charging $3000/day -- but no less than $1200/day (perhaps $1000/day for a cash rate).  $600/day is way too low.  $1500/day to $1850/day would be a fair rate for a well equipped room with support staff and good maintenance.  Additional costs could be applied if there were additional rentals or staffing requirements.

Rail

[Calfee Jones]

I guess at those rates only the majors can afford time there (and I'm not saying that those rates are unreasonable - they don't seem out of hand at all for what they are supporting). There once was a time that the majors cared about audio quality, but those days are gone, replaced by the what sells at the least cost to produce. The premier studios are the first to go in this race to the bottom...

[WhyKooper]

I'm keeping an eye on what happens next with the big console manufacturers.  

[henchman]

WhyKooper wrote on Wed, 02 February 2005 16:23

I'm keeping an eye on what happens next with the big console manufacturers.

The large console manufacturers have focused on Audio-Post.
I think it's the mid-level hosues that are going to start suffering most.

I can see the market for the $60.000,- Icon by Digi starting to shrink.

[Glenn Bucci]

One reason why SSL made the 900 console. First SSL under $100,000. They want to get in on the middle market.

[bblackwood]

henchman wrote on Wed, 02 February 2005 15:31

I can see the market for the $60.000,- Icon by Digi starting to shrink.

Having sold over 150 Icons already, I imagine Digi has recouped by now and wouldn't sweat it at all if they didn't sell another...