Inside
1340 Mission Street in San Francisco is one of the most historic
recording studios in the Bay Area. It was originally built in
1969 by Mercury Records and later redesigned and run by the famous
engineer, producer and businessman Bill Putnam as Coast Recorders
for many years. 1340 Mission has been known under a small variety
of names since 1969 including Mercury, Coast, Toast then back
to Coast. In June of 2007 I took over the studio at 1340 Mission
and renamed it Broken Radio. Broken Radio started as a small
postage stamp-size studio in Emeryville that enjoyed great success
but eventually outgrew its space.
Those of you who have spent time
here over the years have long known the beauty of the live room.
(The biggest in San Francisco) There is nothing like recording
in a room where everyone in the band can be in the same space
looking at each other and doing what bands do best, play together!
Since moving in we have
gutted and redesigned the control room at the request of many
producers and engineers. The room now faces West rather than
South. No new control room is complete without having famed acoustician
Bob Hodas tune it so of course we had him come and do his thing.
We have left the live room as Putnam intended since that room
is what so many people love about this studio. However, we have
gutted the old microphone lines and panels and replaced them
with new panels and Mogami cabling throughout. In addition the
electrical has also been updated from the ground up. (Excuse
the pun)
To those of you who are coming to record here for the first
time, welcome and to those of you returning, welcome back.
-Matt Boudreau |