Hippowest Music (Old Mushroom Studios) profile picture

Hippowest Music (Old Mushroom Studios)

Yes, it's haunted.

About Me

Hmmm, where to start?

In 1946, Aragon Recording Studios was opened in Vancouver at 615 West Hastings St. The three-room space was one of Canada's first recording studios. Built mainly by Al Reusch, it was used by the country and folk artists of the time. In 1947, the label Aragon Records was spawned. Reusch acquired sole ownership of Aragon Studios and the record label from his other partners in 1954.


Al Reusch was a musician, big band leader, and a broadcaster. He was one of Vancouver's first DJs, hosting "The Al Reusch Show" in the mornings on CKMO Vancouver in the 1940s, and "Name It, Play It" in the afternoons. A true pioneer in Vancouver recording, he is a member of the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame.
1966 saw the construction of the current facility Hippowest/Mushroom Studios is housed in, located at 1234 West 6th Avenue in Vancouver. Built by Aragon from the ground up (the only studio in the city built for the sole purpose of being a stand alone recording studio) as a first class audio recording studio, it was a orchestral recording room for special sessions by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Howard Tremaine, (author of the audio cyclopedia) consulted on the original acoustic design and equipment installation.
One of the first clients was Diana Ross and the Supremes, who tracked there session in the winter before any heating had been installed in the building. Led Zeppelin is said to have done a session here for tracks on Led Zeppelin II, but is not credited on the album.
As the studio progressed, so did the prominent styles of music. Al, by this time was into his mid-50s and didn't like the idea of recording post-Beatles rock and roll. In the spring of 1970, he sold the building to Jack Herschorn, who had previously co-founded Studio 12 on West 12th Avenue in Vancouver with Tom Northcott. Jack appointed Mike Flicker as Chief Engineer, and Charlie Richmond as Head Technical Advisor.
Jack bought his famous Universal Audio vacuum tube console from United Western Recorders in 1971. Custom built by Bill Putnam, it had been housed in United Studio A at 6050 Sunset Boulevard since 1957, and recorded hundreds of hits by such artists as Bing Crosby, Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Charles. Jack had the console, along with other purchases, shipped to Vancouver and installed in Aragon with Charlie supervising. The preamps and from that board still remain in use even though the console has since been replaced. Herschorn, later in 1971 became in need of some additional funding for studio due to financial restraints, Can-base, a raw minerals company out of Northern B.C. became the unlikely saviour....that is until there stock took a nose dive and creditors took over the mining company and all of it's assets(including the Studio). During the Can-base years some amazing songs and artists graced the studio, such as Bachman Turner Overdrive, recording there massive hit "Takin' Care of Business" and Terry Jacks who recorded his hit "Seasons in the Sun" which sold over 10 million copies.
After the studio had been repo'd, two of the creditors who had been incharge of siezing Can-Bases assets saw the potential to make a decent profit of the property by turning it into Condo's. Former CBS record exec. Shelly Siegel who had been interested in the property for some time convinced the two creditors, Wink and Dick (yes those are there real names) Vogel to start a new recording studio. Siegel also had a record label in the works and with the new found investors and his expertise from CBS Mushroom Records was born.
One of the first signings and hits to be produced by Mushroom Records was Hearts 1975 Debut release "Dreamboat Annie". Based on this great success, the label and the band had come into the big time. This pushed Shelly to open a Mushroom Records office on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, which became the launching ground for acts such as Chilliwack and Jerry Doucette. In 1977 things began to go down hill. A well documented fallout between Heart and Mushroom records arose causing the beginning of the end for both Mushroom Records and Shelley Siegel. On January 17, 1979, Shelly Siegel died at a L.A. Hospital from a massive rupture of a blood vessel in his brain, he was 32 years old. Not long after Shelley's death Mushroom Records and the Studio fell into bankruptcy.
Through all of this, Charlie Richmond who had been the Technician for the studio since 1971, had remained with Mushroom. Richmond, in July of 1980 purchased the studio before it completely folded. At this time Mushroom Studios and Mushroom Records had become divorced from one another and Charlie began to make upgrades gearwise to an already impressive room. For the next 19 years Richmond owned and operated Mushroom Studios, seeing acts such as Skinny Puppy, Loverboy, Sarah McLachlan, The Odds, 54-40, Spirt of the West and hundreds more recorded there albums here.
In February of 1999, Richmond sold the studio after nearly 20 years of ownership to Marcy Playground frontman John Wozniak. Wozniak as well renovated the space, adding a excellent selection of vintage outboard gear along with a amazing Neve 8068 console that still remains. Wozniak's tenure lasted nearly 7 years, selling the Studio in January of 2006. During Wozniak's time the studio saw acts like Fear Factory, Sam Roberts, Matt Good, Mudhoney, Bif Naked and of course Marcy Playground.
Which brings us to the present!!!!!!!!!!!
Rob Darch owner of Hipposonic Studios in Vancouver purchased the site of Mushroom Studios in January 2006 embarking the Historic venue on yet another path. So far the Studio (currently known as Hippowest) is doing great. Hot Hot Heat just finished up recording their latest album with Producer Butch Walker and Engineer Stuart Sikes. We Are Scientist, Sam Roberts along with up and coming acts such as Eileen Rothe,Tenant,Elias The Villains and Seventh Angel have been working hard recording new material and ensuring a new generation of great talent gets to record in this historic landmark.
Here is a sweet interview with Cevin Key of Skinny Puppy from 1988 that took place @ Mushroom......Enjoy
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This profile was edited with Software Grab Editor

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 7/26/2006
Band Members:
Studio Owner - Rob Darch
Studio Manager - Carla Levis
House Engineer - Shawn Penner
Chief Technician - Charlie Knowles

Email [email protected]
Call 604-718-9091
Influences:


Here's a brief list of gear @ the Shroom:
Neve 8068 -52-Channels, 130 inputs in mix console
ProTools HD3
Tape Machines
Studer A-800 MkII 24 Track
Studer A-80 MkII 16 Track
Monitors
Altec 604E "Big Reds"
Yamaha NS-10
KRK V8's
Outboard Mic Pre's
Universal Audio Tube Pre's from United Recorders W/EQ {18}
Telefunken V-76 Tube Mic Pre Amps {2}
Telefunken V-72 Tube Mic Pre Amps {5}
Outboard Equalizers
Universal Audio Vintage Tube EQ {18
Pultec EQP1-A
Pultec MEQ-5 {2}
API 550 {7}
API 560 {4}
GML 8200 Stereo
Compressors/Limiters
Fairchild 660 (Mono)
Neve 2254A {2}
Neve 2264 {2}
RCA BA-6A Tube Limiters {2}
Teletronix LA-2A Tube Original
Teletronix/Urei LA-3A {2}
Universal Audio 175B Tube Limiter
Universal Audio 176-Tube Limiter
Universal Audio 1176-LN (w/Stereo link) {2}
EAR 660 Tube Limiters (w/Stereo Link) {2}
SSL G384 Stereo Quad Compressor
DBX 160 {2}
Empirical Labs Distressors {2}
Instruments/Amps
Yamaha C7 7ft Grand Piano {2}
Fuehr & Stemmer Upright Tack Piano
Hammond B3 W/Leslie
Ludwig 1970 "Silver Sparkle" Drum Set {2}
Microphones
Neumann U-47 Tubes {3}
Neumann U-87 {5}
Neumann KM-84 {2}
Shoepps/Telefunken: 221b Tube {2}
AKG C-12 Tube Origianl {2}
AKG C-12A Tube
AKG C-414B-ULS {2}
AKG D-12E
AKG D-30
Seinheiser MD-421U {5}
Coles 4038 Ribbon Mics {2}
RCA 10001 Orchestral Ribbon Mics {2}
B&K 4007 {2}
Shure SM-7
Yamaha NS-10 Mic
And much, much more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Rock 101 CFMI Broadcasting Live from Mushroom

As part of the Anatomy of Classic Rock series, Rock 101's Electric Lunch is broadcasting live today from Mushroom/Hippowest to talk about Mushroom and Vancouver's music history. Tune in 10:00am-2:00pm...
Posted by Hippowest Music (Old Mushroom Studios) on Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:21:00 PST

Client List

Here is the latest list of our past/present clients(Please let us know if you notice yourself missing from the list!)Artists54.40, Age of Electric, Bryan Adams, Gillian Anderson, The Armchair Cynics, ...
Posted by Hippowest Music (Old Mushroom Studios) on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 03:09:00 PST

Omar Rodrigues of Mars Volta in Studio

The Mars Volta guys are currently in the studio in between tour dates with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers to track some over dubs and do some mixing with their engineer Jon Debaun. Having just released a ...
Posted by Hippowest Music (Old Mushroom Studios) on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 01:08:00 PST

Hot Hot Heat in studio

Check out video of Hot Hot Heat Recording there next album here at Hippowest!!!!!!!!!!Go to studio clip of the week!
Posted by Hippowest Music (Old Mushroom Studios) on Thu, 27 Jul 2006 03:39:00 PST