Bearsville Studios

Grossman’s original idea, inspired by the Basement Tapes, was an in-house studio for his clients. It was ‘definitely conceived as a place where a group could park and make it feel like a rehearsal studio’ Storyk says. The Band’s first producer John Simon served as a ‘guinea pig’ recording ‘Dancing in the Moonlight‘ with John Hall (Orleans) in September 1970. In January 1971, Taj Mahal marked the first ‘official session’.

The studio’s original staff, with Grossman as Director, included Chief Engineer John Holbrook, Studio Manager Jim Rooney and staffer Vinnie Fusco. Early on, Dylan gave George Harrsion a tour of the studio, and Levon Helm recorded sessions with Muddy Waters. The Band cut two albums, Cahoots and Moondog Matinee, there: Todd Rundgren recorded his debut solo LP, Runt, and breakthrough, Something/Anything, at the studio. Among the nearly 2,000 albums recorded at Bearsville are such landmarks as Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell; Jeff Buckley’s Grace; Metallica’s….And Justice for All; and R.E.M’s, Green, Automatic for the People and Out of Time. Artists who booked the studio ranged from the Rolling Stones to Rush, Patti Smith to the Pretenders; 50 Cent to the Isley Brothers. Bearsville Studios closed its doors in the early 2000’s.

For a full list of all the artists and albums that were recorded at Bearsville Studios, click here.