Jim Kalamasz: Building Spectrum Recording Studios

Jim Kalamasz has owned and run Spectrum in Florida for over twenty years. Over a decade ago, they were forced to move to a new location, and Jim documented this process on a home video camera. On this DVD, the main people involved (including Ross Alexander who did the acoustic design) watch the progress of the construction and make comments on what was going on. It's a journey as you watch the building take shape and details get worked out. As Hamptone and I have been witnessing the construction of our studio/shop building, this was a great video to watch and realize we weren't the first to encounter the troubles of making a studio. I think anyone building a serious studio that hadn't gone through the process before would do right to see this video first. In fact, if someone saw this first, they might not even build a studio, as you see the cash flowing out the door and amount of work (and goddamned inspections) involved. Eventually, there's an opening party-thank god. Beware the mullets and musician joke interludes. Also, PDF files of the original blueprints can be downloaded via a link after purchase of the DVD. ($29.95; www.spectrumrecording.net)