Fresh Baked Woods
I had posted a few days back about the private studio used by Barenaked Ladies to record their latest CD. And I have some background as well as a few pictures of the studio.
The studio is located in Blackstock, Ontario in the Oak Ridges Morraine. Steven Page, one of the band members, built the studio. It looks like a refurbished barn however the construction techniques used to build the studio are state of the art.
I cannot see the console from Le Studio in the photos. I do see a Digidesign Control 24 desk so I assume the studio contains a Pro Tools HD system.
A lovely recording space. And a great looking control room.
Hello Richard,
I’m currently a Producer at a Montreal radio station, and recently took a drive north of the city to check out the lack of snow (not anymore!) on our ski hills. On the way back, I drove through Morin Heights just to check out Le Studio and see if there was any action going on. First thing I saw was that the place was up for sale!! Seems the place hasn’t seen any action in a while….I did some research, and found some pics on the Phonotheque Quebecoise website; seems the pics are from 2003:
http://www.phonotheque.org/Hist-Studios-Mtl/hist-studios-Mtl-studios-representatifs.html
There is a description in french of Le Studio’s history, but mentions nothing about it being for sale…only the pics mention the studio for sale (‘vente’=sale). The last pic shows the SSL having been stripped of all modules (!!!) I’m just wondering if the console at fresh Baked Woods is actually from Le Studio?!?! The description mentions the original console to have been a Trident, then the purchase of the first SSL in Canada, maybe even North America!
I will be going back to Morin Heights in a couple of weeks to do some snowboarding with our radio station ski team…I’ll make sure to pass by again and have a peak inside to see what’s still in there! 😉
Maybe somebody at Fresh Baked Woods could confirm the purchase of the actual Le Studio SSL?? The console in that studio doesn’t quite look like an SSL…IMO…
Take care, and hope you’re enjoying the winter…and if you know of any investors interested, feel free to send them my way!! LOL!!
Pierre M. Gervais
Production Director
Montreal’s Q92 (CFQR 92.5FM)
production.a@q92fm.com
(514) 767-9250 x.7602
Bonjour Pierre,
Thank you for dropping by the blog.
The console in the picture above is definitely not an SSL. It is a Digidesign Control 24. Apparently they did acquire the console from Le Studio but it would be interesting to confirm if that is where it wound up.
Let me know if you find out anything more about Le Studio. Always sad when good rooms go quiet.
I never did hear any great recordings come from Le Studio. The problem was the room itself. The numbers (dimensions) were just wrong. The air moved in the wrong way. Le Studio is empty now with most of the wiring ripped out and sold for scrap. A nice place to vacation though.
Sorry Frazier, but you need to hear Moving Pictures by Rush. If that isn’t a great sounding album, I don’t know what are you expecting from a recording. It’s so clear that still bits 90% of the rock album nowadays.
Believe me, if I had the money I would buy the place and rebuild the studio. Something was just right in there. Cheers!!
I actually live just around the corner and there is no sign on the lawn advertising the sale.
I would love to go in and check it out.
I walked by 4 years ago just after I moved in and there were numerous gold records on the wall. I walked by about 2 months later and everything was gone. Place seems to be falling into disrepair now…..