Invisible City Studios
The Invisible City was a recording studio formerly located at 4400 Perkins Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, US. The studio was founded in 1997 by Mike Shumaker (guitarist/vocalist in Primitive, Sheilbound, and The Divine Invasion) and Sean Carney (bass player/multi-instrumentalist in Razak Solar System, Sean And Ian and The Divine Invasion).
Shumaker was the primary recording and mastering engineer. Carney was studio coordinator, assistant engineer and sometimes functioned as producer (as with aka Chargers Street Gang, Motörhead U.S.A. and Beckett And Friends on which he was also the primary engineer).
The nearly 3,000 sq. ft. facility—above a working warehouse, inside the former offices of U.S. Rocker—consisted of a "live" tracking room, isolation booth, lounge, control room and three sleeping areas which were also used for isolation for certain recordings.
Capabilities included 24-track 2" analog and 24-track digital (ADAT) tape recording via a range of high-end vintage microphones, modern and vintage analog outboard gear and an all-analog Amek Angela mixing board. Audio mastering to 2-track 1" and DAT was also offered. There were no computers or DAW in the Invisible City signal path.
Frequent visiting recording professionals included engineer Mike McDonald and artist/producer Jimmy Zero.
Over 150 recording sessions were logged during the Invisible City's six-year existence. Notable clients include: Japanther, Aloha, Doug Gillard, Coffinberry, 9 Shocks Terror, Step Sister aka , Proletarian Art Threat, Gordon Solie Motherfuckers, Mach Tiver, Cripple Kid, Tony Cavallario, Allen Karpinski, Early Humans, The Conservatives, Viva Caramel, Girlfriends Kill, Life Set Struggle, Don Austin, The Strange Division, Bronson 335, Puncture Wound, Allergic To Whores, 30 Lincoln, The Braille Drivers, Miss Lonelyheart, Blue Max, Ohio City Rollers and Kevin Grasha to name but a few (see photo for full roster).
The studio hosted concert events for local and touring artists such as All Scars, Crom-Tech, Prohibition, Ambassador 9 Ninety, Red Giant and more.
The Invisible City was also a popular tour destination, crash pad and rehearsal/workspace for touring bands visiting the Cleveland area, including artists such as Weasel Walter, The Flying Luttenbachers, Bobby Conn, My Name Is Rar Rar, Ex Models, The Locust, Billy Sides, Arab On Radar, Faraquet, Burning Airlines, Sorry!, The Farewell Bend, Bald Rapunzel, Kerosene 454, Errortype:Eleven, Six Finger Satellite, Zeek Sheck, To Live And Shave In L.A., To Live And Shave In L.A. 2, We Ragazzi, Q And Not U, Lozenge, Goat Shanty, Black Eyes, and Astoveboat among many others.
The Perkins Ave. studio was shuttered in fall 2002 when Shumaker joined Hey Mercedes and Carney moved to Los Angeles, California and became known as Sean Carnage.
Shumaker was the primary recording and mastering engineer. Carney was studio coordinator, assistant engineer and sometimes functioned as producer (as with aka Chargers Street Gang, Motörhead U.S.A. and Beckett And Friends on which he was also the primary engineer).
The nearly 3,000 sq. ft. facility—above a working warehouse, inside the former offices of U.S. Rocker—consisted of a "live" tracking room, isolation booth, lounge, control room and three sleeping areas which were also used for isolation for certain recordings.
Capabilities included 24-track 2" analog and 24-track digital (ADAT) tape recording via a range of high-end vintage microphones, modern and vintage analog outboard gear and an all-analog Amek Angela mixing board. Audio mastering to 2-track 1" and DAT was also offered. There were no computers or DAW in the Invisible City signal path.
Frequent visiting recording professionals included engineer Mike McDonald and artist/producer Jimmy Zero.
Over 150 recording sessions were logged during the Invisible City's six-year existence. Notable clients include: Japanther, Aloha, Doug Gillard, Coffinberry, 9 Shocks Terror, Step Sister aka , Proletarian Art Threat, Gordon Solie Motherfuckers, Mach Tiver, Cripple Kid, Tony Cavallario, Allen Karpinski, Early Humans, The Conservatives, Viva Caramel, Girlfriends Kill, Life Set Struggle, Don Austin, The Strange Division, Bronson 335, Puncture Wound, Allergic To Whores, 30 Lincoln, The Braille Drivers, Miss Lonelyheart, Blue Max, Ohio City Rollers and Kevin Grasha to name but a few (see photo for full roster).
The studio hosted concert events for local and touring artists such as All Scars, Crom-Tech, Prohibition, Ambassador 9 Ninety, Red Giant and more.
The Invisible City was also a popular tour destination, crash pad and rehearsal/workspace for touring bands visiting the Cleveland area, including artists such as Weasel Walter, The Flying Luttenbachers, Bobby Conn, My Name Is Rar Rar, Ex Models, The Locust, Billy Sides, Arab On Radar, Faraquet, Burning Airlines, Sorry!, The Farewell Bend, Bald Rapunzel, Kerosene 454, Errortype:Eleven, Six Finger Satellite, Zeek Sheck, To Live And Shave In L.A., To Live And Shave In L.A. 2, We Ragazzi, Q And Not U, Lozenge, Goat Shanty, Black Eyes, and Astoveboat among many others.
The Perkins Ave. studio was shuttered in fall 2002 when Shumaker joined Hey Mercedes and Carney moved to Los Angeles, California and became known as Sean Carnage.