Spend an afternoon in Bank Row Recording and subsequent trips to your local savings institution will never be the same. You'll look into the branch manager's office and imagine a drum kit. The loan officer's cubicle will house a stack of Marshall amplifiers. The bank vault will feature a headphoned vocalist belting out a backing track.
At least that's is the way it is at Bank Row's downtown Greenfield studio. The Federal Street bank building now hosts Bank Row Recording as well as the Pushkin Gallery, a combination art gallery and performance space.
An early robbery—of musical equipment, not safety deposit boxes—coupled with the usual problems a start-up business encounters in the wobbly music industry and economy have not phased the hirsute principals at the helm of this fast-growing studio. Justin Pizzoferrato and Max Adam were kind enough to open the vaults for us.
Valley Advocate: What are your musical and recording backgrounds?
Justin Pizzoferrato: I grew up sort of surrounded by music and equipment. My father plays classical guitar and owned a music store in Connecticut. I've always been in bands, and usually ended up recording those bands on a four-track [recorder] I got in middle school. Going to college for recording was the only thing I could see myself doing after high school, so I moved to Boston. While in school, I was lucky enough to intern at Woolly Mammoth Sound with David Minehan and Dave Westner. Just over two years ago I moved out here, really not knowing what to expect, and found a very healthy music community. I'm very happy to be here.
Max Adam: I am a Hampshire [College] graduate, music major. I currently play bass for The Amity Front. I've been recording and running sound since high school. I consider myself self-taught when it comes to sound and recording, but have had the opportunity to see many people more experienced than myself at work. I have done albums for Our Lady of Bells, Brown Bird, Rusty Belle, The Amity Front and have recorded sessions with John Abercrombie, Sheila Jordan, Jeff Holmes, Henry Grimes, Ben Monder and many more. I have also worked with locals such as Fancy Trash, David Goodrich, The Jeff D'Antona Trio and Leah Randazzo. I also work as a live sound tech for local clubs and have mixed more bands than I care to think about.
How and when did Bank Row come into being?
Pizzoferrato: About two years ago Max and I talked about looking for a space together for a studio. It was difficult to find the proper space with affordable rent that allowed loud music around the clock. Around this time, a mutual friend of ours mentioned The Pushkin building in Greenfield, and how the proprietor of the building, Ed Weirzbowski, would be cool with having a recording studio inside. We saw that it was a pretty epic opportunity to be able to set up shop in an old bank. Certain details were already in place, like a window from the control room to the live room, isolation room, echo chamber, and an all-wood secondary live/vocal room. It would've been silly to pass it up.
Adam: We met through working live sound gigs. We realized we both did a bunch of recording and had a similar way of working. We also had enough gear together to make a studio. Ed has been cool with the idea of us setting up shop and seeing what happens.
Are there inherent problems with logistics in such a structure?
Pizzoferrato: The building has its share of quirks, and not a day passes that Max and I aren't reminded of them, but each room in there has so much character that it's so easy to look past all of the craziness. In reality, it was pretty easy to get things up and running.
Adam: Anyone who has been to the Pushkin knows what a crazy space it is. There are things you can do there you cannot do anywhere else. But sometimes it can make simple things more difficult. The size alone can be intimidating. We have worked in the space enough to figure out what works and what doesn't. There are so many options in a building of this size.
Have the technological changes in the music business affected independent recording studios?
Pizzoferrato: I think changes in the music business, such as MP3 players, online MP3 stores, file sharing and the like are affecting some record labels and bands more than recording studios. A lot of labels simply don't know what to do, and some of this trickles down to engineers and studios. Changes in access to music recording technology do have a strong effect on us. Everyone that has a computer can make a recording now. There will always be a need for professional expertise, equipment and rooms, and I can already see a resurgence in interest in that kind of environment. It's extremely taxing to take on the task of engineer, producer, songwriter, and musician on a record. With some exceptions, each aspect of the recording will end up suffering.
Adam: I think so, but I think Bank Row caters to a certain market. We have a low-key vibe but get good results. Our studio is not for everyone but it is accessible, flexible and hopefully encourages people to be creative. We try and keep our rates at a place that the market will bear. I myself am a working musician and know how tough it is out there. There has been an explosion in DIY recording in the last 10-15 years, and I think it has made for some real creative growth at the expense of the old studio model. Everyone seems to have some literacy in terms of recording these days.
However, I believe there will always be a place for the dedicated studio space, and much to be said for having some help in the recording process. We can collaborate as easily as produce, mix only, track only or overdub only. I have done all of these at Bank Row. Like everything in music these days, it is hard to predict what will come next. But I like to think it's a fun place to work with cool, weird gear and people that know how to use it. I think we both work really hard at being good engineers. I look forward to going in to work.
