Smart Studios was a recording studio located in Madison, Wisconsin. It was set up in 1983 by Butch Vig and Steve Marker to produce local bands. The studio produced bands such as Killdozer, The Smashing Pumpkins, L7, Tad, Nirvana, Hawthorne Heights, and Fall Out Boy. After initial production and remix successes, the building became the recording hub for Vig and Marker's own band, Garbage, who released their debut album in 1995.
The studio and its role in shaping the sound of 1990s alternative rock is the subject of a documentary film titled The Smart Studios Story (2016).
History
The studio survived various mishaps, including flooding, and a backhoe crashing through the walls of the downstairs studio in 2003. On May 1, 2010, the studio closed its doors because of financial difficulties. In September 2013, producer and musician Brian Liston re-opened the former Smart Studios facility as Clutch Sound.
In 2012, the Wisconsin Historical Museum assembled an exhibit on the studio, Smart Sounds, Alt Music, Mad Scenes. Filmmaker Wendy Schneider made a documentary on Smart Studios, The Smart Studios Story (2016), in which she interviewed artists, record producers, and engineers who worked in the facility.
Works
The following is a list of artists who recorded at Smart Studios. Recorded / Mixed albums Gary Sohmers' Windjammer: Dinosaur Rock – 1983 Killdozer: Intellectuals are the Shoeshine Boys of the Ruling Elite – 1984 The Mess: "It's All Wyrd" – 1984 Juvenile Truth: no enemyJuvenile Truth; no enemy; Lyrics & Photos; 1984 Killdozer: Snake Boy – 1985 The Mess: "Untitled" – 1985 The Crucifucks: Wisconsin – 1986 The Rousers: In Without Knocking – 1986 Snowcake: Strangled/SceneZine EP – 1987 Killdozer: Little Baby Buntin''' – 1988 Tar Babies: Honey Bubble – 1988–1989 Laughing Hyenas: You Can't Pray a Lie – 1989 Die Kreuzen: Gone Away EP – 1989 Killdozer: Twelve Point Buck – 1989 Shane: Lifeboat Revolver - 1989 Nirvana: Nevermind – 1990 ("Polly") King Snake Roost: Ground Into the Dirt – 1990 Laughing Hyenas: Life of Crime – 1990 Rebel Waltz: The Last One To Die Is a Rotten Egg – 1990 The Other Kids: Living in the Mirror (1985), Happy Home (1986), Grin (1990) The Smashing Pumpkins: Gish – 1990–1991 Die Kreuzen: Cement – 1991 TAD: 8-Way Santa – 1991 The Young Fresh Fellows: Electric Bird Digest – 1991 Mike DeFoy: Sky Pilot (Volume 1) – 1992 The Wizenhiemers: We Play For Beer – 1992 L7: Bricks Are Heavy – 1991–1992 The Rockin' Bones Second Chance To Dance – 1991–1992 Walt Mink: Miss Happiness – 1992 Chainsaw Kittens: Flipped Out in Singapore – 1992 Paw: Dragline – 1992 Nirvana: Incesticide − 1992 ("Dive") Freedy Johnston: This Perfect World – 1994 Everclear: Sparkle and Fade – 1994 Poster Children: Junior Citizen – 1994 Soul Asylum: Let Your Dim Light Shine – 1994–1995 Garbage: Garbage – 1994–1995 Sexepil: Sugar for the Soul – 1995 Archers of Loaf: All the Nations Airports – 1996 Walt Mink: Colossus – 1996 Scott Fields: Five Frozen Eggs – 1997 Festive Skeletons: World of Difference (1997) Fred Pepper: On the Inside, Another World Away -1997 Garbage: Version 2.0 – 1997-98 Rainer Maria: Look Now Look Again – 1998 The Promise Ring: Boys + Girls EP – 1998 Citizen King: Mobile Estates – 1999 Rainer Maria: A Better Version of Me – 1999 Garbage: Beautiful Garbage – 2000-2001 Rainer Maria: Ears Ring EP – 2002 Rainer Maria: Long Knives Drawn – 2003 Fall Out Boy: Take This to Your Grave – 2003 The Lovehammers: Murder on My Mind – 2003 Split Habit: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is – 2003 Garbage: Bleed Like Me – 2003-2004 As Tall as Lions: Lafcadio – 2004 Hawthorne Heights: The Silence in Black and White – 2004 Death Cab for Cutie: Plans – 2005 Various Artists: Under the Radar Vol. 1 – 2006 Sparklehorse: Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain – 2006 Spitalfield: Better than Knowing Where You Are – 2006 Jimmy Eat World: Chase This Light – 2006-2007 Tegan and Sara: The Con – 2007 Hotel Lights: Firecracker People – 2007 The Leftovers: On the Move – 2007 Charlemagne: We Can Build An Island – 2007 Death Cab for Cutie: Narrow Stairs – 2007 The GUTS: Let It Go'' – 2008
Producers and engineers Butch Vig (founder, producer and engineer) Steve Marker (founder, producer and engineer) Mike Zirkel (studio manager, producer, engineer) Chris Walla (producer, engineer) Sean O'Keefe (producer, engineer) Brandon Mason (producer, engineer) Al Weatherhead (producer, engineer) Beau Sorenson (producer, engineer) Justin Perkins (producer, engineer) Duke Erikson (producer and engineer) Doug Olson (producer, engineer) Tim Curtis (technical engineer)
References
External links The Smart Studios Story documentary website Clutch Sound website Interview: Butch Vig and The Smart Studios Story, at KEXP, March 7, 2017