Knowing when to leave a space

[hiwatt33]

The weirdest thing happened over the last 10 days or so. I had two different bands in for tracking and mixing, and they both had members in each band asking me "Who is THAT GUY?" They were referring to the owner of the building I WAS in. I just told 'em "yeah he owns this building, lives upstairs and has a repair shop next door. Every time I gave out the explanation they all were like "Guy seems like a douchebag", or "I don't like him", etc. I got worried right away. Is this guy gonna kill the vibe on these projects or what? Of course he is.

Next day I come in to do a session. I am greeted by the owner who mentions he has posted recording studio rules for me in the control room and the main live room. Of course they were written slap dash without regard for spelling or grammar and gleefully printed from his computer, in a fit of rage I suppose. Both bands noticed this right away. The verbal barrage that insued was brutal. At least two people from both bands felt like they were being insulted, to say the least. In fact a keyboard player from one band said "I can understand having rules, but who does this guy think he is? Without people like me, there is no business." That was the final straw.

After last night's session I announced to the guys in the band; "Tonight's my last night in this place. I can't run the risk of having the building owner ruining everything." What was cool was that they seemed relieved that I was gonna hafta move the studio. "Hey, no worries. Let us know where you move it to and when yer ready we'll be there to do our full length." On top of that they helped me move everthing that could fit into my truck (PT Rig, mics, etc). I now need to go back and strike the console, and I'm pretty much out.

Today I felt like a new person. Shedding of all the drama and bullshit from the last six years feels good. I think this was the only way to really ditch the stress. I may be wrong, but I don't feel wrong. Tomorrow I am looking at a few spaces, and will start again fresh-on my own.

Have any of you had anything like this happen? And now that I think about it maybe this belongs on the People Skills board. Hmmm.

[seaneldon]

I left my last space a few months ago because I couldn't deal with the owner of the building (I was in the basement of two stores in a strip mall). I sold off all of my gear to the other guys that invested in the studio and they're still going over there, miserably.

Now I'm at a place about 10 miles further west, and it's great.

[honkyjonk]

I'm in the process of moving right now. I live and record next to Jack Russell city.

It's been driving me insane. My landlord (gilrfriend's mom) won't let me call animal control because she fears retaliation. The building we live in isn't legal, so as long as it goes un-reported, it's fine. But the bitch neighbor with the Jack Russells knows it's illegal. She's unreasobale in every way, an ugly terrible person. So I don't blame my girlfriend's mom.

I'm pretty happy about the place we're moving into.

I've actually started hearing the dogs in my head even when they're not barking.

[seaneldon]

yeah i know what its like to work in harmful surroundings. my last space was the basement of a bar and tattoo shop. i never got any work done because i'd get sloshy at Mystique (they named a drink after me, but it's too expensive) and then get Telefunken and The Godfather tattoos.

[drumsound]

Good Luck fnding a new space.

Moving is a very stressful thing. My last studio move was one of the biggest nightmares of my life.

[jmoose]

Next day I come in to do a session. I am greeted by the owner who mentions he has posted recording studio rules for me in the control room and the main live room. Of course they were written slap dash without regard for spelling or grammer and gleefully printed from his computer, in a fit of rage I suppose. Both bands noticed this right away. The verbal barrage that insued was brutal. At least two people from both bands felt like they were being insulted, to say the least.

Man, I've been through some downright CRAPPY situations with landlords & real estate in general but never anything like that. What were the "studio rules" like & what was the owner trying to dictate to you?

Not that it'll be of much use now, but if you signed a lease then you have every legal right to use that space for your business. Granted it sounds like 'yer gonna' be a LOT happier now that you're gone but maybe there was something you could've done? I don't know...dealing with unreasonable & just plain nasty people is always a drag no matter how it's sliced. But you were there for six years right? There's some kinda' history there. Had he generally been kool up to that point?

Anyway, best of luck in the search for a new space! I'm sort of on that same trip myself at the moment...

[hiwatt33]

Next day I come in to do a session. I am greeted by the owner who mentions he has posted recording studio rules for me in the control room and the main live room. Of course they were written slap dash without regard for spelling or grammer and gleefully printed from his computer, in a fit of rage I suppose. Both bands noticed this right away. The verbal barrage that insued was brutal. At least two people from both bands felt like they were being insulted, to say the least.

Man, I've been through some downright CRAPPY situations with landlords & real estate in general but never anything like that. What were the "studio rules" like & what was the owner trying to dictate to you?

Not that it'll be of much use now, but if you signed a lease then you have every legal right to use that space for your business. Granted it sounds like 'yer gonna' be a LOT happier now that you're gone but maybe there was something you could've done? I don't know...dealing with unreasonable & just plain nasty people is always a drag no matter how it's sliced. But you were there for six years right? There's some kinda' history there. Had he generally been kool up to that point?

Anyway, best of luck in the search for a new space! I'm sort of on that same trip myself at the moment...

Yeah six years. Wow, jesus that was a long time.

I think when I first started he thought nothing would come of it. But I am pretty to super busy as of late. I guess I am getting a good bit of word of mouth going on. I think the real issue is that dickhead feels the need to assert alpha status and make sure everyone knows he owns the place. Like any of us care who owns it. We just wanna do our work. I mean I heard him tell one of the guys I was recording that HE is the owner and not me. My client's response was "who care's, I wasn't asking". Then my client comes into the control room and announces that "the guy in the hall by the bathroom sure is a dick." And that my friends is when its time to get the fuck outta dodge.

And no, the guy has generally been nothing but a big cry baby the whole time, with varying degrees of chemically induced nightmare sequences. Actually now that I think about it puffpastry could probably vouch for this. He used to be the repair tech there a few years ago. Another good guy chased away by complete idiocy.

Oh the rules-I think I blanked them outta my mind as I was reading them. They were VERY condesending, like "garbage cans hold garbage, USE THEM!!!" That's not exact, but you get the idea.

[TapeOpLarry]

I'd love to see the rules! I'm with Moose on this one. What the fuck was going on? Did you sign a real lease or what? Holy crap....

[Marc Alan Goodman]

I had a similar problem this year. I moved into a space with a partner who seemed like a nice guy and was going to be living in a small room off of the kitchen and paying a greater share of the rent. However, withing six months he had turned into such a flaming asshole that I was getting a negative reaction from clients and friends who were coming by. Not one person came into the studio and met him in that whole period who didn't breathe a sigh when he left and then imediately mention what a jerk the dude is. On top of that I would get so infuriated with his standing over my shoulder just waiting for me to bend one patch cable a bit too hard and give me shit for it that I couldn't get anything accomplished.

Of course he was always there hanging out in the corner watching, and then passive-agressively complaining. And he never once cleaned up his mics/cables when he knew I was coming in. Alright I'm done ranting now.

Long story short I moved out and he screwed me out of my security deposit and last months rent (which I gave him in good faith, but we didn't have a lease so he'll be collecting that money from our landlord when he moves out and pocketing for himself) on top of a bunch of other money he owed me. I found a cheaper, better space and I'm infinitely happier now.

-marc

[hiwatt33]

I'd love to see the rules! I'm with Moose on this one. What the fuck was going on? Did you sign a real lease or what? Holy crap....

Right now I'm in SF, CA on a much needed vacation. When I get back, if that shit is still there I'll post it.

Who wants to go to Thee Parkside tonight?