Hall of Justice (studio) explained

Hall of Justice Recording
Location:Seattle, Washington
Opened:1976 (as Triangle)
1986 (as Reciprocal)
1991 (as Word of Mouth)
1993 (as John & Stu's)
2000 (as Hall of Justice)
Address:4230 Leary Way NW

The Hall of Justice is a recording studio in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The triangular-shaped building, which has changed ownership and purpose throughout its century-old history, has functioned as a studio for rock bands since the 1970s. The windowless, unassuming space has been home to the recordings of albums by seminal indie rock bands, including Nirvana, Soundgarden, Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, the Decemberists, Sleater-Kinney, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, and more.

Originally a produce stand, the building was first opened as a studio under the name Triangle Recording between 1976 and 1986. Later, the studio first became popularly known as a partial birthplace of grunge, with countless early acts of the genre utilizing the space, then widely known as Reciprocal Recording (1986–91). After several years as John & Stu's, the studio has more or less been operated by musician and producer Chris Walla under its current name since 2000.

History

Early history

The complex first opened as a produce stand in 1911. It served as a retail location for most of the twentieth century, and was vacant by the 1970s.[1] Jack Weaver purchased the space and named it Triangle Recording in 1976, recording a series of 7"s by bands like Pell Mell and the Blackouts.[2]

Chris Hanzsek and Jack Endino moved into the space in June 1986, renaming the studio Reciprocal Recording. The studio became famously responsible for all but inventing the grunge movement; Soundgarden and Nirvana recorded early demos at the studio, with the latter completing its debut album Bleach (1989) at Reciprocal.[3] Hanzsek left the space in 1991,[4] while engineer Rich Hinklin continued on, renaming the complex Word of Mouth. In 1993, the space was renamed again to John & Stu's,[5] named after producers John Goodmanson and Stuart Hallerman.[6] Goodmanson, Hallerman, and Phil Ek utilized the space to track dozens of bands, including Sleater-Kinney, Harvey Danger, Built to Spill, and Modest Mouse.

Recent years

In 2000, in partnership with Barsuk Records, musician and producer Chris Walla began overseeing the space.[7] Walla began working as a producer with Nada Surf, Hot Hot Heat, and the Decemberists,[8] as well as with his main project Death Cab for Cutie, with whom he recorded Transatlanticism (2003). Death Cab took over the lease in 2004 and used the studio as a practice space for four years. In 2010, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes took over the complex, reverting it to it former name Reciprocal.[9] A writer for Spin described the space in a 2011 cover story: "The windowless exterior was once painted brown, but the color has faded and flecked off. Cracked shingles curl up off the roof, and inside the studio, tattered walls and well-worn carpeting give it all the charm of an abandoned church basement."[10]

Walla returned to the studio in 2011,[5] and oversaw an extensive renovation of the space.[11] Walla has continued to record bands in the space, including Lo Moon,[12] the Paper Kites,[13] and Ratboys.[14]

Discography

YearArtist Album
1987Green RiverDry as a Bone[15]
SoundgardenScreaming Life[16]
1988Ted Ed FredDale Crover demo tape
NirvanaLove Buzz
1989MudhoneyMudhoney[17]
NirvanaBleach
Screaming TreesBuzz Factory[18]
TadGod's Balls[19]
1990NirvanaSappy
Sliver
1992NirvanaAbandoned In Utero Demo Sessions
1994Built to SpillThere's Nothing Wrong with Love[20]
1996LowThe Curtain Hits the Cast[21]
1997Blonde RedheadFake Can Be Just as Good[22]
Harvey DangerWhere Have All The Merrymakers Gone?[23]
Modest MouseThe Lonesome Crowded West[24]
Sleater-KinneyDig Me Out[25]
2000Sleater-KinneyAll Hands on the Bad One[26]
2001Death Cab for CutieThe Photo Album[27]
2002Carissa's WierdSongs About Leaving[28]
Hot Hot HeatKnock Knock Knock[29]
The Long WintersThe Worst You Can Do Is Harm[30]
2003Death Cab for CutieTransatlanticism[31]
The Postal ServiceGive Up[32]
The ThermalsMore Parts per Million[33]
2005Death Cab for CutiePlans
The DecemberistsPicaresque[34]
Nada SurfThe Weight Is a Gift[35]
2011Fleet FoxesHelplessness Blues
2017Great GrandpaPlastic Cough[36]
Special ExplosionTo Infinity[37]
Minus the BearVoids[38]
2018Lo MoonLo Moon
2019Great GrandpaFour of Arrows[39]
Pedro the LionPhoenix[40]
2020Deep Sea DiverImpossible Weight[41]
2021KississippiMood Ring[42]
2023RatboysThe Window

External links

Official

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History – Hall of Justice Recording Studio . Hall of Justice Recording Studio . September 10, 2016 . August 15, 2023.
  2. Web site: Triangle Recording . Discogs . August 15, 2023.
  3. Web site: Crane . Larry . Jack Endino . Tape Op Magazine . November 27, 1999 . August 15, 2023.
  4. The Age of Innoncents. Billboard. September 17, 2011. 16.
  5. Book: Gaar, Gillian G. . World Domination . BMG Books . 2018-11-20 . 978-1-947026-19-3 .
  6. Web site: Reciprocal Recording: The Story of a Recording Studio . Revolution Come and Gone. August 15, 2023.
  7. News: Death Cab, Full Speed Ahead . Washington Post . October 21, 2005 . August 15, 2023.
  8. Web site: Greenwald . Andy . Bright Lights, Big City . Spin . April 10, 2004 . August 15, 2023.
  9. Web site: Phil Ek: Recording Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues . Sound On Sound . August 1, 2023 . August 15, 2023.
  10. Web site: Peisner . David . Fleet Foxes & The Year's Most Beautiful Album . Spin . April 11, 2011 . August 15, 2023.
  11. Appleford . Steve . Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla on the Obama Campaign and Solo Album . Rolling Stone . September 9, 2012 . August 15, 2023.
  12. Web site: Murphy . Tom . Lo Moon's Arresting Pop Songs Come From Patience and Meditation . Westword . February 13, 2017 . August 15, 2023.
  13. Web site: Kites fly a second album on no sleep . The West Australian . August 27, 2015 . August 15, 2023.
  14. Web site: Brodsky . Rachel . Ratboys Share New Song "It's Alive!": Listen . Stereogum . June 6, 2023 . August 15, 2023.
  15. Web site: Deming . Mark . Green River - Dry as a Bone Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic. August 15, 2023.
  16. Web site: Soundgarden's 1990 compilation Screaming Life/Fopp reissued by Sub Pop . Consequence . October 1, 2013 . August 15, 2023.
  17. Web site: Freeman . Phil . The Grunge Era Kicked Off 30 Years Ago Today . Stereogum . August 1, 2018 . August 15, 2023.
  18. Web site: Fennessy . Kathleen C. . Screaming Trees - Buzz Factory Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic . August 15, 2023.
  19. Web site: Tad – God's Balls (1989, Gatefold, Vinyl) . Discogs . August 15, 2023.
  20. Web site: Bush . John . Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong with Love Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic. August 15, 2023.
  21. Web site: Abebe . Nitsuh . Low - The Curtain Hits the Cast Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic . August 15, 2023.
  22. Web site: Rabid . Jack . Blonde Redhead - Fake Can Be Just as Good Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic . August 15, 2023.
  23. Web site: Kent-Abbott . David . Harvey Danger - Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic . August 15, 2023.
  24. Web site: Swayze . Scott . An Inside Look at 'The Lonesome Crowded West' . Vinyl Me, Please . February 17, 2022 . August 15, 2023.
  25. Web site: Explore Sleater-Kinney's Dig Me Out (in 5 Minutes) . Pitchfork . June 25, 2018 . August 15, 2023.
  26. Web site: All Hands on the Bad One - Sleater-Kinney . AllMusic . May 2, 2000 . August 15, 2023.
  27. Web site: Fink . Matt . Death Cab for Cutie on "The Photo Album" . Under the Radar Magazine . August 15, 2023 . August 15, 2023.
  28. Web site: Carissa's Wierd – Songs About Leaving (2010, Light Green, Vinyl) . Discogs . August 15, 2023.
  29. Web site: Cramer . Stephen . Hot Hot Heat - Knock Knock Knock Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic . April 23, 2002 . August 15, 2023.
  30. Web site: The Long Winters – The Worst You Can Do Is Harm (2006, Vinyl) . Discogs . August 15, 2023.
  31. Web site: Wasoba . Ryan . Death Cab For Cutie gutarist/producer Chris Walla reflects on 'Transatlanticism' . Alternative Press Magazine . November 20, 2013 . August 15, 2023.
  32. Web site: DeVille . Chris . The Postal Service's 'Give Up' Turns 20 . Stereogum . February 17, 2023 . August 15, 2023.
  33. Web site: The Thermals – More Parts Per Million (2003, Vinyl) . Discogs . August 15, 2023.
  34. Web site: The Decemberists – Picaresque (2021, Tiger's Eye Vinyl, Vinyl) . Discogs . August 15, 2023.
  35. Web site: Wilson . MacKenzie . Nada Surf - The Weight Is a Gift Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic . August 15, 2023.
  36. Web site: Grandpa . Great . Plastic Cough, by Great Grandpa . Great Grandpa . July 7, 2017 . August 15, 2023.
  37. Web site: Explosion . Special . To Infinity, by Special Explosion . Special Explosion . December 15, 2017 . November 2, 2023.
  38. Web site: Bayer . Jonah . January 11, 2017 . Minus The Bear Share First Song from 'VOIDS,' Their First Album in Five Years . August 15, 2023 . VICE.
  39. Web site: Grandpa . Great . Four of Arrows, by Great Grandpa . Great Grandpa . October 25, 2019 . August 15, 2023.
  40. Web site: Pedro the Lion announce first album in 15 years, Phoenix, share "Yellow Bike": Stream . Consequence . October 30, 2018 . August 15, 2023.
  41. Web site: Yeung . Neil Z. . Deep Sea Diver - Impossible Weight Album Reviews, Songs & More . AllMusic . October 16, 2020 . August 15, 2023.
  42. Web site: Kississippi – Mood Ring (2021, Red Translucent, Vinyl) . Discogs . August 15, 2023.

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