Sneaker giant Converse has already made numerous crossovers into music, from recruiting artists to design shoes to sponsoring high-profile collaborative singles. Now, the Nike subsidiary is looking to increase its indie cred by opening up a new recording studio in Brooklyn, NY and allowing unknown bands to record there for free.
The New York Times reports that the company is currently in the process of converting a 5,200-square-foot space in Brooklyn's trendy Williamsburg neighbourhood into a studio. The studio will be called Rubber Tracks, and will be open to bands for free recording, rehearsal and post-production. Prospective artists can apply online and will reportedly be approved based on dedication and neediness.
The studio is due to be up and running by the end of the year. It's being run by Cornerstone, the same marketing company responsible for Mountain Dew's Green Label Sound imprint, which has released music by artists like Neon Indian and Wavves.
The Rubber Tracks website says, "Converse lovesâ¦all kinds of music, from punk to hip-hop to indie pop to rockabilly. We also love the passion of people who create music, and are thrilled to be along for the ride with all of bands who put Chucks on their feet."
This makes it seem like you might actually have to be wearing Converse shoes when you use the studio. So, free is actually more like $45.
It's unclear exactly how Converse will be regulating what goes on in the studio, and whether the company will offer any help using the equipment or with engineering/production. If you're interested in learning more about the project and registering for sessions once the studio is open, sign up here.
There's a slightly condescending promotional video for the project right here, which includes testimonials from Big Boi and Neon Indian explaining what studios are and why they're important.
The New York Times reports that the company is currently in the process of converting a 5,200-square-foot space in Brooklyn's trendy Williamsburg neighbourhood into a studio. The studio will be called Rubber Tracks, and will be open to bands for free recording, rehearsal and post-production. Prospective artists can apply online and will reportedly be approved based on dedication and neediness.
The studio is due to be up and running by the end of the year. It's being run by Cornerstone, the same marketing company responsible for Mountain Dew's Green Label Sound imprint, which has released music by artists like Neon Indian and Wavves.
The Rubber Tracks website says, "Converse lovesâ¦all kinds of music, from punk to hip-hop to indie pop to rockabilly. We also love the passion of people who create music, and are thrilled to be along for the ride with all of bands who put Chucks on their feet."
This makes it seem like you might actually have to be wearing Converse shoes when you use the studio. So, free is actually more like $45.
It's unclear exactly how Converse will be regulating what goes on in the studio, and whether the company will offer any help using the equipment or with engineering/production. If you're interested in learning more about the project and registering for sessions once the studio is open, sign up here.
There's a slightly condescending promotional video for the project right here, which includes testimonials from Big Boi and Neon Indian explaining what studios are and why they're important.
