Discover Recording Studios

This building was originally a furniture warehouse, but has been a recording studio since 1912. Located on the fourth floor, we happened upon one of the people who work here one summer day and he invited us in. Up we went in the freight elevator, having no idea where we were headed. Our first introduction to the space was when he uncovered a magnificent 1890's Steinway piano. There are three studios that include the Dangerous Room, a large production/writing room with a mixing and mastering suite, and the Revolution Room, which is smaller with a 16 channel 54 series broadcast Neve console. Flux even has a rooftop lounge where music videos, like one by Atomic Tom, was shot. Rufus Wainwright and Carole Pope were recently here, and over the years, the Rolling Stones, the Black Crowes, and many other bands have recorded albums at Flux.

There are only a few media outlets that enable free speech completely, and Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) is one of them. Established on West 59th Street, with another facility on 104th Street, MNN is Manhattan's free public-access cable network, airing over 13,000 hours a year of original content, covering topics ranging from art to cooking, fitness and religion. Director of Communications and Marketing, Linda Romano, explained to me how, since 1992, MNN has offered Manhattan residents access to video production training and equipment, as well as broadcasting hours. As the city's largest media education facility, MNN has approximately 1,600 annual enrollments in classes where multiple topics are taught including field camera use, studio production and digital editing. Classes are offered at both locations, and classes in Spanish are available at the MNN El Barrio Firehouse Community Center.Once people have completed the courses, they are then certified and invited to utilize MNN's studios, HD cameras and air their programming free of charge. Linda reiterates, "MNN is a true champion of localism. We offer a powerful tool for talking and promoting ideas or stories that may not receive coverage on mainstream media outlets." From what I ascertained, anything is possible for the motivated student at MNN, no matter their age or abilities.

Today, it is an historic New York recording studio, but since 1927 No. 52 has housed such diverse tenants as the 8th Street Playhouse (that boasted a decade run of midnight Rocky Horror performances), The Village Barn nightclub, and abstract expressionist Hans Hoffman's studio. In 1969, Jimi Hendrix forged the current incarnation of Electric Lady. The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Clash, John Lennon, The Dave Matthews Band, Kanye West are only a few of the many great musicians that have graced this studio.