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Writing and Recording at
11 | I | he music business is so much like pro sports,"
suggests Bruce Burch of the UGA Music Business
_L Program, "in that it's hard to break into. You can't
learn about the music business too young, in my opinion..."
While aspiring athletes have little league teams and P.E.
classes to help them get in the game at a very young age,
rock stars in the making have had to settle for piano recitals
and marching bands at best. That is, until now. There is a new
trend in children's activity programming, and it is driven by
music composition, recording and performance.
Mike Hackett, president and chief officer of the Boys and
Girls Club in Athens, has worked with Boys and Girls Clubs for
nearly 25 years. "I'm amazed," he says. "I can't recall a time
when kids were as interested in music and dance as they are
right now."
So, when plans were underway to build the expansive new
club on Fourth Street, which also features vibrant construction,
an oversize basketball court, game rooms, study centers, com
puter labs and more, the addition of a recording studio became
a top priority, particularly for the teen center.
"When we first came up with this concept, what we were
looking for was a cool space that would attract teenagers,"
says Hackett. "In other Boys and Girls Clubs in Georgia they
have converted old classrooms into studios for kids and it's
become very popular... but once certain people got involved
like Pete Dugas over at TSAV and Bruce Burch and Keith
Perissi... it's grown into an entity of its own. I've got a feeling
that this whole studio is going to become bigger than what I
ever envisioned it to be."
Unlike the converted rooms found at most youth clubs,
this space was designed from the beginning to function as a
professional studio. "The biggest investment has been in the
space itself," says Hackett. "We've probably spent $85,000
just to upgrade the physical space." The room has its own A/C
controls, floating wood floor, double thick walls and baffling
Brandon Wright, 14, tries out the studio drums.
to ensure acoustic integrity. As for
the actual studio design and instal
lation, local company TSAV has
offered its services free of charge.
Basic equipment such as drums,
guitars and amps are already in
place and soon TSAV will be wiring
the control room.
The goals of this project are
multi-faceted, and the possibilities
are limitless. Hackett hopes the
studio will diversify club member
ship by attracting creative children
who are interested in more than
just athletics and provide a safe
haven where members can express
themselves creatively.
"Our kids have a lot of natural ability, but very few of them
have formal musical training... You can make music now with
out knowing anything about music: hit the auto-rhythm button
and the auto-melody button, that sort of thing." Hackett says
this studio will focus on more organic composition that encom
passes ail genres and all aspects of the industry.
"One of the things we are very excited about is the partner
ship with the Music Business Program. Keith and Bruce are
going to send their students over and they are going to do like
a Junior Achievement model with the kids where they'll start
up their own recording label. So, some kids might be the per
formers, others might learn the engineering, other kids might
be involved in promotions and marketing and that sort of stuff.
I've just been blown away by how many people from the music
community have come in and said, 'We want to help!'"
Burch is equally enthusiastic about the partnership and
knows that real potential exists for these young musicians. "I
think there's going to be some hit records made in that place,"
he says earnestly. Last year Burch visited the Boys and Girls
Club in Venice, CA (which is programmed by former R.E.M.
producer Scott Litt) and was surprised to learn that record
label scouts were actually flying in to check out the work the
California club members were creating.
"[The Athens BGC] really could become an A&R center,"
Burch says.
The program may also serve as a feeder to UGA, encourag
ing students to continue their music education with the Music
Business program or elsewhere.
"It's like basketball," says Hackett, echoing Burch's sports
metaphor. "Not a lot of them are going to make it to the NBA,
but it's going to inspire them to finish school; it's going to
provide them with discipline; and it's going to provide them
with positive activities so they aren't getting in trouble."
To learn more about the studio, visit www.athensbgca.com.
Michelle Gilzenrat
Where Future
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JUNE 10,2009 • FLAGP0LE.COM 15
MICHELLE GILZENRAT