1867 Recording Studio is a rock and roll temple; literally and metaphorically. Located just outside of Boston, the building itself served for a long time as a temple, and was constructed in 1867, hence the name. Owner and musical mastermind Chris McLaughlin hasn’t always been recording for others though. He first made his mark in music while playing guitar for Aberdeen City (Columbia). Already an accomplished home studio producer, crafting chunks of Aberdeen’s releases, Aberdeen provided McLaughlin with not only a chance to tour the world, but also to work with and learn from such producers as Steve Lillywhite, Nic Hard and Sean Slade – often times collaborating with these big names on the production end of things.
Since opening his studio he has relied entirely on word of mouth; which has been more rewarding since it’s opened him up to new music as well.
“The best part about the whole word of mouth thing is that bands usually recommend other bands that are really great or I end up really loving. Because of that I’m so proud of the records I have gotten to work on.”
And there are plenty of reasons that bands keep recommending that their friends record there.
The first band to record to in the space was Polarbaron, thanks to a recommendation from Township’s Marc Pinansky.
“I felt like I had this amazing secret I wanted to tell everyone,” Pinansky shared. “Having already gotten to see what Chris was capable of as an engineer and producer and now seeing this new, ridiculously vibey, huge room, a Temple nonetheless, I wanted to make sure that all my friends got a crack at it before the word spread and he was booked solid for years on end.” The second project, upon completion of Polarbaron’s “Winter/Summer” EP was Township’s follow-up album, “Township.” “We were all so excited to be in such a grand location to make a record The room itself was why I wanted to put horns on there and strings! Lots of strings. That place LOVES strings. Maybe it has something to do with the Colonial times? Anyways, it was great to watch Chris work in this new space that was worthy of his talents.”
There is a dark power within in this studio and its surrounding, aged city that is both comforting in its history and endurance and mysterious in its obscure imagery and impeccable craftsmanship. The magic of the main room itself, a 50 x 50 x 30 former meeting hall for a mysterious fraternal order, is wielded by the contagiously upbeat McLaughlin. Like the order themselves, the denizens of 1867 have been a word of mouth society that have sought out like-minded musicians and welcomed them into this secret world. The members of the 1867 Lodge continue to grow, now including such major acts as Fanfarlo and The New Pornographers, but the studio still remains very much a temple. A perfect balance of modern and, well, ancient, elements combine to make records where the space very much informs and inspires the band.
McLaughlin realizes how special this is too and takes none of it for granted; “In general, I can’t believe how lucky I have been to have such great friends helping me with this whole thing. None of it would exist without them. There is so much that goes into this, that being able to call someone or just having friends helping you without you even having to ask, means a ton. The bands that have come in here have always ended up being super supportive when they leave and it’s the same with freelance engineers. I feel like I’ve been adopted by a really great community of people and it seems like it’s really the only way this industry can work.”
Website: www.1867recordingstudio.com