Lucinda and Mick
RED ROOM SOUND STUDIO
ANALOG RECORDING AND PRODUCTION
The Red Room Sound Studio located at 21 Water Street in Torrington CT is an all analog all tape format recording studio. The studio has found its home in Torrington’s original Odd Fellows Hall which eventually became the space for the Nutmeg Ballet before their move next to the nationally known Warner Theatre on Main Street. The Water Street building was built in 1912 and is a historic building on what is known as the “Lilly Block”. The historic space provides a retro aesthetic to the studio which has been painstakingly refurbished to the look, feel and equipment of the analog recording studios of the 1970’s.
THE OWNERS:
The studio is co-owned and operated by Mick Connolly and his wife Lucinda Rowe of Litchfield CT. Originally from Newtown, CT the couple is well known as “National Recording Artists Lucinda and Michael” from their performances and national tours. Both Lucinda and Mick are award winning songwriters and musicians having performed with international acts such as Eddie Money, Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, Tony Bennett, Steve Katz of Blood Sweat and Tears, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ricky Byrd formerly of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Rick Springfield and Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge.
THE STUDIO:
The Red Room Sound Studio is a classic 1970’s period piece. Taking its aesthetic from the cavernous studios of the heyday, the 1600 square foot live room feels like an “Abbey Road”esque studio with deep red walls and an 18 foot tin ceiling. Once a ball room filled with dancing and music, you can still feel the “theater” of the space with its wood floors and vintage tulip lighting in the beveled ceiling.
The control room looks out into the live room through the engineers window over the mid 70’s analog console. There are no computers in this studio or digital devices. The format is analog only providing recording of 24 track, 16 track and 8 track tape formats. The tape decks are all original to the era and have been refurbished with original parts. Each tape deck has a piece of history that follows it as the 24 track deck was at Electric Lady Studios in New York for a time and also made its acting debut in the HBO series “Vinyl”.
The studio also has a full equipped “Green Room” and private dressing room for visiting artists.
Artists that have recorded in the studio have been from the local area to internationally known.
Most recently Steve Katz, platinum artist and founding member of Blood Sweat and Tears recorded his newest release “The Juggle” at the Red Room Sound Studio. Andy Pratt of Columbia Records “Avenging Annie” fame, is at the studio often recording. The studio has also welcomed well known names in their “In Studio with the Stars” series hosting Steve Katz, 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Ricky Byrd formerly of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Corey Glover of Living Colour.
COVID-19 AND THE STUDIO:
The music, theater and arts community has been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Everyone in the arts has had to find alternative ways to try to stay open and stay alive. The Red Room Sound Studio is committed to the safety of all who record here. Following all state mandated regulations, social distancing and mask guidelines, the studio has remained diligent in creating a safe experience for their artists. The size of the live room allows for solid social distancing between band mates, solo artists and the control room engineers. Masks must be worn in all areas of the studio unless singing on the microphone.
Since live shows, clinics and workshops that were on the studio schedule for 2020 had to be canceled, Lucinda and Mick looked for different opportunities for artists to perform their material. Through their entertainment company Flying Key Entertainment and their partners Laura Alvarez and Anthony Raiani, the studio created a relationship with NoCap Shows of California providing a Live Stream platform for Artists to connect to their fan base with live streaming shows to digital devices. The Red Room Sound Studio hosted the Allman Betts Band in the studio for a stream concert on August 23, 2020 with more artists being scheduled for the winter months. The streaming concept allows the artists to engage their fan base bringing their music to a world-wide audience.
THE COMMUNITY:
The Red Room Sound Studio is committed to the City of Torrington. The couple is excited to be an integral part of the burgeoning art scene in Torrington. When it is safe once again to have a live audience, many of the clinics and showcases that will be scheduled in the studio will help the City. A portion of the ticket sales for many of these events will go to a local non-profit in Torrington and Northwestern Connecticut. The studio is also excited to have partnered with the Warner Theatre on an interview and live performance series filmed at both the studio and the theatre called “The Other Side of the Tracks”. This series shows the climb of up-an-coming bands and artists through interview and performance showing “the other side of the music tracks” and what happens with an artist as they grow through their musical journey. Many of these artists will be Connecticut grown. This series will be available on YouTube in 2021. The studio is also honored to have created a relationship with the music department of Torrington High School with Lucinda and Mick available to the students in the program for zoom calls, in person visits and discussion relating to recording and the business side of the music industry
