Smart Studios
43°05′15″N 89°21′59″W / 43.08748°N 89.366468°W
Smart Studios | |
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General information | |
Type | Recording Studio |
Location | Wisconsin, United States |
Address | East Washington Avenue, Wisconsin, USA |
Town or city | Madison |
Country | United States |
Current tenants | Garbage, various bands |
Completed | Opened in 1983 |
Client | Garbage (Butch Vig) |
Owner | Butch Vig Steve Marker |
Landlord | Butch Vig |
Smart Studios was a recording studio located at 1254 E Washington Ave in Madison, Wisconsin. It was set up in 1983 by Butch Vig and Steve Marker to produce local bands.
The studio became famous for producing artists such as Killdozer and Sub Pop artists Tad and eventually Nirvana. In fact, the version of their song "Polly" that appears on their album Nevermind was recorded there. The Smashing Pumpkins' debut album, Gish, was also recorded at Smart Studios.
After the initial production and remix successes, the building became the focus of operations for Vig and Marker's own group Garbage who released their debut album in 1995. The band, fronted by Scots frontwoman Shirley Manson, have recorded each subsequent album there, including 2005's Bleed Like Me.
The studio has survived various mishaps, including flooding, and, on September 10, 2003, a backhoe careening off the outside junction and crashing through the walls of the downstairs studio. On May 1, 2010, the studio closed its doors due to financial difficulties.[1] Following the closure, Madison filmmaker Wendy Schneider started making a documentary on Smart Studios.[2] In 2012 the Wisconsin Historical Museum assembled an exhibit based around the studio, Smart Sounds, Alt Music, Mad Scenes.[3]
Selected list of albums recorded/mixed at Smart Studios
- Killdozer: Intellectuals are the Shoeshine Boys of the Ruling Elite -1984
- Killdozer: Snake Boy - 1985
- The Cruckifucks: Wisconsin - 1986
- Snowcake: Strangled/SceneZine EP - 1987
- Killdozer: Little Baby Buntin' - 1988
- Tar Babies: Honey Bubble - 1988-1989
- Die Kreuzen: Gone Away EP - 1989
- Killdozer: Twelve Point Buck - 1989
- Nirvana: Nevermind – 1990
- King Snake Roost: Ground Into the Dirt - 1990
- Laughing Hyenas: Life of Crime - 1990
- The Smashing Pumpkins: Gish – 1990-1991
- TAD: 8-Way Santa - 1991
- The Young Fresh Fellows: Electric Bird Digest - 1991
- L7: Bricks Are Heavy - 1991-1992
- Walt Mink: Miss Happiness - 1992
- Chainsaw Kittens: Flipped Out in Singapore - 1992
- Freedy Johnston: This Perfect World - 1994
- Everclear: Sparkle and Fade - 1994
- Soul Asylum: Let Your Dim Light Shine - 1994-1995
- Garbage: Garbage - 1994-1995
- Archers of Loaf: All the Nations Airports - 1996
- Garbage: Version 2.0 - 1997-98
- Scott Fields: Five Frozen Eggs - 1997
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Charlemange: We Can Build An Island - 2007
- Death Cab for Cutie: Narrow Stairs - 2007
Producers and engineers associated with Smart Studios
- Butch Vig (founder, producer and engineer, member of Garbage)
- Steve Marker (founder, producer and engineer, member of Garbage)
- Mike Zirkel (studio manager, producer, engineer)
- Chris Walla (producer, engineer, member of Death Cab For Cutie)
- Sean O'Keefe (producer, engineer)
- Brandon Mason (producer, engineer)
- Al Weatherhead (producer, engineer)
- Beau Sorenson (producer, engineer)
- Justin Perkins (producer, engineer)
- Brian Liston (producer, engineer)
- Doug Olson (producer, engineer)