WHAT WE DID: SEPTEMBER 16TH

It seems like a month has passed from last week's What We Did until today. In that period of time, we celebrated some Denton failure, heard lots of opinions on Walnut St., looked at a bunch of old cars and took the a-train on a trip to Dallas. What were you out doing this past weekend? Make sure to throw #WDDI on your photos from week to week to be included in our What We Did post. 

We went out to Viet Bites again and ate our heart's out for a forthcoming review. 

We went out to Viet Bites again and ate our heart's out for a forthcoming review. 

We remembered why the "Poached Bananas in Coconut Cream" at Andaman Thai was our favorite dessert in town. 

We remembered why the "Poached Bananas in Coconut Cream" at Andaman Thai was our favorite dessert in town. 

We could write poetry about the ice spheres encapsulated in the old fashioned's at East Side Social Club. 

We could write poetry about the ice spheres encapsulated in the old fashioned's at East Side Social Club. 

The square was shut down to cars Saturday morning and afternoon in order to showcase...cars. Special cars, that is. The annual Arts, Antiques and Autos show saw lots of people milling about around the antique and strange cars and quietly bidding on …

The square was shut down to cars Saturday morning and afternoon in order to showcase...cars. Special cars, that is. The annual Arts, Antiques and Autos show saw lots of people milling about around the antique and strange cars and quietly bidding on silent auction pieces inside the courthouse. 

Come and Take It Denton was out and about again Saturday morning. 

Come and Take It Denton was out and about again Saturday morning. 

Lots of interesting cars were on display, like this 2005 Renault to a 1999 Ford Focus with french fries on the dash that someone from out of town accidentally left parked on the square. 

Lots of interesting cars were on display, like this 2005 Renault to a 1999 Ford Focus with french fries on the dash that someone from out of town accidentally left parked on the square. 

Yeah, yeah...we know we talked about La Estrella last week, but we just love this place so much and we're there all the time. This is a mural on the east side of the building that had us wondering what was really in that carne asada (carne acid-a?).…

Yeah, yeah...we know we talked about La Estrella last week, but we just love this place so much and we're there all the time. This is a mural on the east side of the building that had us wondering what was really in that carne asada (carne acid-a?).  

William Andrew Ganzer silently watched over the items in the silent auction held inside of the courthouse during the Arts, Antiques and Autos show. 

William Andrew Ganzer silently watched over the items in the silent auction held inside of the courthouse during the Arts, Antiques and Autos show. 

We gathered around the Well's Fargo building to once more celebrate the failure of the city of Denton to excavate a time capsule in a timely fashion. Both Glen Farris and Kevin Roden gave speeches on the matter.  (photo by Dave Koen) 

We gathered around the Well's Fargo building to once more celebrate the failure of the city of Denton to excavate a time capsule in a timely fashion. Both Glen Farris and Kevin Roden gave speeches on the matter.  (photo by Dave Koen) 

FishBoy played a couple of songs to get the crowd pumped. (photo Dave Koen)

FishBoy played a couple of songs to get the crowd pumped. (photo Dave Koen)

We took the A-train to the Perot museum in Dallas again. This time without a bunch of 7th graders. (photo by @naysnews)

We took the A-train to the Perot museum in Dallas again. This time without a bunch of 7th graders. (photo by @naysnews)

It's a great reason to take the train. Plenty of spots nearby and the weather is getting to the point where you won't be drenched in sweat by the time you arrive. (photo by @naysnews)

It's a great reason to take the train. Plenty of spots nearby and the weather is getting to the point where you won't be drenched in sweat by the time you arrive. (photo by @naysnews)

We found some spirit deep within us and cheered on the UNT football team on Saturday. Thankfully we were there to witness their victory over Ball State. We even got spotted dancing on the big screen. 

We found some spirit deep within us and cheered on the UNT football team on Saturday. Thankfully we were there to witness their victory over Ball State. We even got spotted dancing on the big screen. 

Tailgating includes the Mean Green marching band making their way through the crowds and into the stadium.  

Tailgating includes the Mean Green marching band making their way through the crowds and into the stadium.  

Chili cheese Frito pie rounded out our football experience. 

Chili cheese Frito pie rounded out our football experience. 

Youthbitch from Portland, Oregon played a killer set at J&J's. (photo by Dave Koen)

Youthbitch from Portland, Oregon played a killer set at J&J's. (photo by Dave Koen)

WATER PISTOLS AT DAWN

It's Friday y'all. We stayed up way past our bedtimes and poured one out for the time capsule last night - so this morning we're nursing plenty of coffee and avoiding work by watching short but satisfying videos. We're especially fans of this one by local dude Wesley Kirk, who's work just doesn't disappoint. We certainly don't mind that it features one of our favorite funny guys Ron Lechler. We love seeing our favorite creatives come together and create great work that gets us through our Friday. Besides - who doesn't love a great water gun fight scene? 

AN OVERVIEW OF DENTON YOGA

by Naomi Wood

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We aren't yogis by any stretch, but we can appreciate a good yoga class when we find one. Regardless of your fondness for Vinyasa, Chakra, or Hatha, at this point they're all fairly well represented in Denton.  Now if you can’t shove your legs behind your head while chanting mantras, no worries. We've gone out, stretched too much and done a little research on the various yoga facilities in town. While we're all the more zen for it, we've also got a bunch of information we'd like to share with ya.

One of the most familiar Denton landmarks, The Yoga Hut,  has been around for decades. It's been nestled in it's comfy little corner on North Locust since 2000. Their Buddhist-style frame attracts many curious glances, and although the healing garden is a bit overgrown, it could be a quiet refuge amidst Denton’s bustling streets. So if you like the shrine-y/temple feel,  you’re in luck! The yoga hut also doubles as a  residential space, where locals can live and stretch in harmony. Owner Lori Blunk follows the B.K.S Iyengar teaching, which focuses on the eight-limbed body. Now, this isn’t a human centipede style she’s talking about, the eight limbs are in reference to the eight steps of yoga, which include a focus on morality, observances, postures, breathing, senses, perception, meditation, and union.

The Denton Yoga Center on Congress was started by Denton native Becky Klett in 2008. Her therapeutic, alignment-focused practice can be adapted to all levels, whether you're a beginner or super zen. Whether you can barely touch your toes, or can simultaneously headstand while in camel pose, this studio may just be the right fit for you. The smaller setup and supportive community environment allows for more teacher-student interaction. Although Becky has been teaching yoga in Denton for over a decade, she still makes a point to walk through her classes and personally align her students.

 

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
— Buddha
Valerie Warren of Authentic Yoga Life Photo by Stephanie Smith

Valerie Warren of Authentic Yoga Life
Photo by Stephanie Smith

Maybe the kumbaya approach that the two previous studios embody are a bit much for your taste. If so, we featured the new Authentic Yoga Life studio that opened on Austin Street this past spring. Valerie Warren saw the need for a modern hot yoga studio in Denton, and jumped on the opportunity to be close to the square. This studio is bright, simple, and chic, and provides a vinyasa style that anyone would feel comfortable participating in.  

If yoga really isn’t your thing, but you’re still interested in subduing your stresses, you can head over to Seven Mile Cafe on Wednesday nights at 6:30, for a mindfulness and meditation session led by Kadampa Buddhist Teacher, Jenny Streit-Horn.

You might feel better, and if not, you can always grab a cup of joe afterward.

Namaste, Dentonites.


 

CANNED UPDATE

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We’re less than a month away from the celebration of alcoholic beverages encased inside  aluminum and steel that has come to be known better as Canned, and we’re getting pretty excited at this point. Last Saturday Dallas had another Untapped festival at Gilley’s and while it was overwhelmingly awesome, it definitely left us waiting for more.

Thankfully, the folks over at Untapped (Canned’s mommy and daddy) were kind enough to share a few new pieces of info with us about what to expect come October 5th. Apparently, both Oak St. Drafthouse and the newly opened (but quickly embraced) East Side Social Club will play host. Between the two establishments (each owned by John Williams), over 170 different taps and over 100 different Texas-born drafts will be available for patrons to choose from. We’re making our drinking plans already.

Another aspect of Canned that has us excited is something we didn’t expect. Denton Municipal Electric has partnered with Canned, promising that 100% of the energy used at the festival will be “wind-collected.” We’ve bragged on DME before, but this was something that will make us feel a little better after paying that August electricity bill. In addition, Sierra Nevada, the world’s most environmentally sustainable brewery will provide the beer garden and Keep Denton Beautiful will be present to educate the public on recycling and sustainability. All of this together makes Canned the most environmentally friendly festival the county has ever seen. Oh, and there’s gonna be beer and live music, too. Did we mention that?

Buy tickets here and buy them fast. Or, if you want to skip the ticketing fees, you can pick up tickets at Oak Street Draft House or East Side Social Club. Either way, get 'em quick, you don't want to miss this. 

THE DEN10: SEPTEMBER 11

Now that Free Week is over we find ourselves right in the thick of it. There's really no slowing down till December now with Canned Fest coming up Oct. 5th and a string of other major happenings that we've got our eyes peeled for.  It really doesn't feel like it's been an entire year since the Time Capsule fiasco of 2012. It's going to be a pretty busy week out there so be sure to check out all that Denton has to offer and remember to #WDDI your pics for the What We Did post on Monday.

Questions or comments? Email info@wedentondoit.com   


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Wednesday September 11
Social Run | Oak St. Draft House | 7:30 | FREE
Wanna go run three miles and then drink some tasty brews? This is your chance. I recommend Real Ale's Devil's Backbone.

Rheingau Class | Wine Squared | 7PM | $20 w/ RSVP
Wine Squared continues it's wine education with this bit on the German region of Rheingau. Sip on some wine and learn something for a change.

Shiny Around The Edges / Mines / Forbes and Lemons / Bukkake Moms | Macaroni Island | 8PM | FREE
No Jerks!

Thursday September 12
See You At The Capsule II: In Loving Memory of The Day Denton Failed To Open The Time Capsule | Wellsafrgo on The Square | 11:45PM
Has it already been a year? We're going to meet up and indulge in libations and maybe speak a few words about how even in the midst of failure, deprivation and healthy doses of disappointment that life is still beautiful and you've got to grab it by the horns and just own it. Let's own the fact that after they dug up the time capsule (on the wrong date) there was a newspaper inside from two days after it was buried. Let's grab our friends and hug 'em tight because in the midst of all the failure and deprivation, we'll always have each other and that's the foundation of what makes Denton a remarkable city.

New Works: Photographs by Jonathan A. Molina Garcia | Cora Stafford Gallery | 5PM | FREE

Friday September 13
Back To Cool: S. Good / AV The Great / James Battles B-Day Bash | Andy's | 9PM | $5
Check out AV The Great's Video we posted a few weeks ago.

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Saturday September 14
Arts Antiques & Autos | The Square | 9AM - 4PM | FREE
The Denton Main Street Association takes over the square this Saturday with it's 14th annual Car, old things and art show. If you live on the square you definitely need not park on the square Friday night unless you want your 4Runner trapped between two 60's corvettes all day.

The Chris Watson Band | Dan's Silverleaf | 5PM | FREE
Get your blues fix on at Dan's this weekend. Pretty standard stuff but it's free and it's classic Dan's.

Sunday September 15
H.O.T. Presents - Pedestrian Deposit / Nite Shadez / Prisons / Sobering / Ascites | Hailey's | 9PM | FREE
Rob Buttrums's tape manipulation project, Nite Shadez will take the stage at Hailey's this Sunday. Pedestrian Deposit closes this night and all they're asking for is donations for the touring bands.

Tuesday September 17
UNT Smiles Day | 9AM - 4PM | UNT Library Mall | Free Hugs
This is a thing that actually exists. Bubbles, free hugs, stickers etc. PLEASE someone go to this and send us pictures!

LYRIC LEAK: KALEO KAUALOKU OF SPOOKY FOLK

by Harlin Anderson

photo by Christopher Hughes 

photo by Christopher Hughes 

While bellied up to the bar at local haunt Dan’s Silverleaf the other day, talk turned to the first single, “Notion," from the forthcoming Spooky Folk album, Youth is a Notion. As if on cue, the Miss Petra Kelly entered the building. It didn’t take long for her phone – containing said single – to get hooked up to the bar’s PA system. It took even less time for most of the crowd to stop what they were doing and start listening. We fell hard for the new track, so we fired up the interwebs for a remote chat with recently relocated Spooky front man, Kaleo Kaualoku, on music, getting old, and life in the mountains.


The new album – especially this first single – deals heavily with the concept of youth. Is this something coming from your own life - or a response to a trend you see in the world today?

Kaleo Kaualoku: It's definitely something that comes from me.  I always carry a bit of self-doubt when it comes to my accomplishments, and the older I get, the less I feel I've done.  Even though this is an irrational paranoia, I think the concept that time is running out is something that drives a lot of people to do more, be more, try more, etc...  I'm basically trying to be a hopeful cynic, stressing that if you've squandered your time so far, there's nothing to be done but get up and do something about it.  Time will not pity you.

The song also lets me approach youth from another perspective - it kind of sucks.  Let's face it, we all did/said/thought stupid, inane things in our late teens/early twenties.  I still do, but a bit of age and experience have severely reduced the frequency that said vapidity exits my mouth.  A big part of me is glad that I won't ever be twenty one again.

The first line of "Notion" is fantastic kick in the teeth. How did you arrive such a crushing starting point?

KK: I like the idea of starting the song off with the bummer of a statement that your youth is not going to last forever, and you are going to get old and die.  I know it's not revelatory by a long shot, but sometimes being blunt is pretty heavy and effective.

There is an unmistakable 90's vibe radiating from this single. Is that a conscious decision? How does that mesh with the prevailing theme of youth?

KK: It wasn't on purpose.  It's really just the natural result of Spooky Folk becoming more of a rock band.  I remember that while writing the music I thought that it kind of sounded like a Weezer song.  Maybe that's a connection to youth, replicating my 9th grade playlist?

"It's true we're fighting to lose" is a fascinating line. It's got the potential to be bleak as hell, but it doesn't quite play out with the sense of resignation we'd expect. What's going on there?

KK: It's acknowledgement of the futility of our desire – while also affirming that we're still alive, fighting for something.

"I'm looking forward to the things that come to pass/ Even though they never really seem to last" is probably the most bizarrely upbeat/hopeful part of "Notion." Moments may be fleeting, but is it possible to carry over or hold on to the joy we get from them?

KK: It most definitely is!  I'd say that the memory of the moment is better than the original event itself.  It's all that we'll ever really have of that moment in time.  But that's just half of the meaning.  The flip-side is meant to be taken with a bit more pessimism.  We have things to look forward to, but they'll just happen and be over, so why really care?  I like to imagine that this song is being sung by a sarcastic Debbie Downer.

Youth is a notion that is crooked as crime
Death lies in waiting in these shadows of mine
— Spooky Folk

You recently moved to Colorado. How does that complicate the process of completing an album - or even simple things like practicing?

KK: Luckily we finished tracking the majority of the album before I left.  This summer has been spent with the rest of the band wrapping up a few loose recording ends, a few still remaining.  Me being out here has slowed us down a little bit in that I'm not able to give instant feedback on a take or what have you.  But we're still on track to release this album by the end of the year.

What do you miss most about Denton?

KK: I miss my friends.  I miss the feeling of community.  I miss being able to walk into a club and find a friendly face.  But most of all, I miss the tacos, particularly La Estrella.  Please go give those wonderful people your patronage as often as you can!

Any plans to come back and visit - maybe even play a show - anytime soon?

KK: I'll definitely be back to visit soon!  No Spooky Folk in Denton for the immediate future, but there are some exciting things happening and upcoming announcements.  In the meantime, people should go check out the other bands that SF members are a part of!  Jesse has Tiger, Tooth, and Paw; Scarlett is in New Science Projects and Fishboy; Petra is in all of the bands.

 

photo by Dave Koen

photo by Dave Koen

If you haven’t yet had the chance to give “Notion” a listen, we suggest you rectify that oversight with a quickness. It’s one of our favorite jams of the summer, and it’s sure to remind certain age demographics of that oh so sweet spot in life known as the 90’s. We think it’s the perfect soundtrack for a cold beer and a ramble down memory lane – however old or young you happen to be.

Spooky Folk Is: Kaleo Kaualoku, Jesse Clay Perry, Petra Kelly, Scarlett Wright, and Chris Brown

Get the lowdown on all things Spooky here.

“Notion”

Youth is a notion that is crooked as crime
Death lies in waiting in these shadows of mine
Don't try to argue with aging or fate
The end is then hurried rather sooner than late

We're all just drowning in this passing time
The reasons burn but will not be defined
I'm looking forward to the things that come to pass
Even though they never really seem to last

It's true we're fighting to lose
It's hard to swallow the truth

The sun will stop burning when the day comes to end
Fires extinguish but then ignite again
Our time is stolen it was not meant to last so
Enjoy what we've taken 'cause the end's coming fast


Harlin Anderson is the underground BBQ champion of Denton, Texas. When he's not digging through crates of vinyl at Recycled Books or Mad World Records, he can be found manning the smoker on the back patio at Dan's Silver Leaf - or wherever there are hungry musicians. His lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three furry children: Earl, Jake, and Nanette the Pocket Beagle. He prefers to stay comfortably within the Denton city limits at all times.

 

WHAT WE DID: SEPTEMBER 9TH

First Friday is starting to become a Denton favorite around these parts. It ranks up there with Twilight Tunes as far as consistent fun goes. We hit up several different places in and around the square that were participating in First Friday - there were more things to check out than we had time to see! We hope to see a few more businesses taking part in this monthly celebration. Aside from that, we also had the pleasure of seeing some live music and enjoyed being our normal, fat selves, cramming food into our gullets. Check out some photos from our aforementioned exploits below and make sure to throw #WDDI on your pics for inclusion in our weekly photo roundup!

The last of us finally tried Goldmine BBQ and were sadly left with the same impression others have had. Above is the "burnt ends" appetizer. Not only did they have the visual appeal of dog food (covered in a syrupy sweet sauce, even), but they weren…

The last of us finally tried Goldmine BBQ and were sadly left with the same impression others have had. Above is the "burnt ends" appetizer. Not only did they have the visual appeal of dog food (covered in a syrupy sweet sauce, even), but they weren't even actually burnt ends. The rest of the meal followed suit. Maybe things will turn around soon. We hope so. 

First Friday seems to be building up some steam. Scrap and The DIME Store both had free beer, UNT had a wonderful display of Denton photos (look below), and lots of folks were out, milling about. Above you can see the crew behind Denton's Ugly Rugge…

First Friday seems to be building up some steam. Scrap and The DIME Store both had free beer, UNT had a wonderful display of Denton photos (look below), and lots of folks were out, milling about. Above you can see the crew behind Denton's Ugly Rugger brewing Company set up sharing their suds at DIME. 

We caught Chambers at St. David's on a busy Friday evening. We're hopeful that we'll be seeing more shows at this beautiful building soon. 

We caught Chambers at St. David's on a busy Friday evening. We're hopeful that we'll be seeing more shows at this beautiful building soon. 

DIME also had free crafts for First Friday attendees. We tried our hand at embroidery. 

DIME also had free crafts for First Friday attendees. We tried our hand at embroidery. 

Paschall bar hosted a listening party for Midlake's upcoming album. We checked it out and were pleased with what we heard.

Paschall bar hosted a listening party for Midlake's upcoming album. We checked it out and were pleased with what we heard.

We found out that our breakfast taco dealers, La Estrella, serve some delicious menudo on Saturdays and Sundays. We suggest grabbing a bowl next weekend. 

We found out that our breakfast taco dealers, La Estrella, serve some delicious menudo on Saturdays and Sundays. We suggest grabbing a bowl next weekend. 

The "Photographs of Denton" exhibit at UNT on the Square features the work of many photographers and their viewpoints of Denton. We highly suggest checking it out. Heck, it is free, afterall. 

The "Photographs of Denton" exhibit at UNT on the Square features the work of many photographers and their viewpoints of Denton. We highly suggest checking it out. Heck, it is free, afterall. 

While we haven't been inside in a while (sorry, Mike). The exterior of El Guapo's caught one reader's eye on their way down to DIME for First Friday last week. It's a great walk from the square, if you haven't tried it yet. 

While we haven't been inside in a while (sorry, Mike). The exterior of El Guapo's caught one reader's eye on their way down to DIME for First Friday last week. It's a great walk from the square, if you haven't tried it yet. 

We had reason to head south on the train this weekend to check out Delta Spirit as part of Untapped. It made us all the more anticipated for Canned, which will be here before you know it.  

We had reason to head south on the train this weekend to check out Delta Spirit as part of Untapped. It made us all the more anticipated for Canned, which will be here before you know it.  

WHERE IS THE ESSC?

The newly opened East Side Social Club is our newest weekend hang out in town. They have a seemingly unending beer list, more whiskey than we could ever dream of and they even use those really great ice spheres when we order a double bourbon on the rocks. 

It seems though - that they weren't the first "ESSC" on the Denton scene though. Lucky for us, our friend Addison Day helps clear up the confusion in his newest video.  

 

INTERVIEW: REDWOOD RECORDING STUDIO

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It's been a few years since they teamed up and started playing together - now Joey McClellan and McKenzie Smith have started a recording studio together. They've had local and international acts come through to record and produce in their studio, tucked away quietly in north Denton - now we're looking forward to seeing and hearing what they'll be doing next. Lucky for us, we didn't have to go far to catch up with the dynamic duo. 


What brought you to Denton? What keeps you here?

McKenzie Smith: I moved to Denton in 1997 to study jazz at UNT.  During those first few years, the beginnings of Midlake were already forming, and by 2000, I had quit school to focus on the band and make a living as a full time musician.  It wasn't exactly easy, I had to work a full time job teaching music at a school up until April of 2006, when the band began touring heavily for our second album, "The Trials of Van Occupanther."

There are a lot of things that keep me in Denton though. This is a great town to be creative in, with an amazing community of artists and musicians, and it continues to grow and thrive. It seems to be heading in a direction that is going to make me stay here even longer.  The band, the studio, and the bar we own are three key factors of why I'm still here, but I think it might just be the fact that I can get the best sushi I have ever had anywhere right here in Denton at Keiichi.  

Joey McClellan: I moved to Denton from Brooklyn after playing guitar with Midlake on a couple of tours in the US and Europe. After work on the new Midlake album began, it just made more sense to move here rather than traveling back and forth all of the time. At the same time, Mckenzie and I had talked about building a recording studio and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to do both.

Denton is a great little town, with a lot of growth potential, and its exciting to be here watching it develop so rapidly. As with any great town - it's the good people that make you want to stick around, and Denton has that in spades. People here are passionate, have a thirst for knowledge, and are driven to express themselves creatively. I have no doubt that national recognition is on the horizon for Little D.

 

Can you give me a brief history of your career in music? 

JM: I co-founded a band with my Brother Aaron called The Fieros that received two Dallas Observer Music Awards before relocating to Brooklyn in 2008.  From there we were able to sign on with a music licensing company owned by MTV and have had songs featured in numerous television shows and even one Simpsons commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. 

In NYC I began playing bass for a band called Hymns and did a tour with Texas legend Daniel Johnston that kicked off with a performance at ACL in 2009.  Mckenzie called me in 2010 after the departure of their then lead guitar player Max Townsley and asked if I'd be interested in touring with Midlake.  After two tours with Midlake I relocated to Denton to begin working on the newest Midlake record that is slated for release this November.

MS:  I started drumming at the age of 5 and never looked back! I went to the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX, where I was born and raised, and then got a full scholarship to the UNT Jazz program. After playing in the 1 O'Clock Lab Band, my interest in school started to wane drastically . I left to work on the band and begin trying to figure out how to make a living playing music.  

Along the way, I have been really fortunate to play with some great artists such as Regina Spektor, St. Vincent, and  Sondre Lerche, to name a few, and being a studio musician has become a huge passion of mine. Midlake is my main priority in the music world, but I stay busy with lots of other projects as well, drumming, producing and mixing.

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What is driving you to switch gears into becoming a producer? What does your role as producer for Redwood really look like? 

MS:  I started messing around with the producer thing about 10 years ago, when my sister was working on some music. I tried my hand at helping her complete some songs. Over the years, more and more people began to give me the opportunity to help flesh out their ideas and collaborate. I started to really fall in love with music production.

When Joey and I started talking about our mutual dream of opening a studio, it seemed like a good chance for both of us to work on projects we are passionate about. It didn't hurt that we would be able to work right from my back yard.

Every recording situation is different, so defining an exact role is difficult. Generally speaking, producing is helping facilitate someone else's music. At Redwood, we love to work closely with the artists that ask us to produce, which can be anything from co-writing, arranging, playing, and hiring the right musicians for the song or album.  

JM: Music production has been a passion of mine since I first started writing and recording songs in my late teens. My approach is always to bring the experience I've gained over the years in the studio and touring while trying to not stifle the vision of the artist that I'm working with.  

 

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Tell us about the history of Redwood - how did it get started - what really drove you to start your own recording studio?

JM: Mckenzie and I began talking about the idea at the end of 2011. The building was once a wood working shop then a motorcycle shop. We opened the doors by September 2012 with our first client being Daniel Hart's new project Dark Rooms. 

MS:  When my wife and I were house hunting, this house stood out almost immediately because it had this big backyard with another house in it.  It wasn't built out much on the inside, but the shell of a building was there.  That pretty much sealed the deal for me - and I made my wife buy this house!  

Joey and I spent almost an entire year gutting the inside, hammering, drilling, making huge rookie mistakes, and asking for a lot of help from family and friends. It took a lot of work to get the studio to look like what it does today.  We still have big dreams and plans for what the studio will eventually become.  

 

The space itself is really cool - very different. Who designed/built it? Who or what played major roles in your design decisions? 

JM: We put our heads together on this, and came up with a design that we felt created the best sonic environment, while maintaining vibe that would make you feel like you're somewhere special. We wanted to avoid creating the generic and sterile environment that you find at most commercial recording studios.

We built it ourselves - we spent countless hours cutting wood and hammering nails in the midst of the Texas summer. We had help from some very good friends and family. It was an unforgettable experience. 

MS:  If I had the time and energy for it, I would be an interior designer! I'm not kidding, I love design, architecture and spaces that make life more enjoyable. Joey and I share in this passion and wanted to make the studio not only highly functioning, but also a really inspirational space.

We wanted the vibe of the rooms to be cozy - but not cramped, stylish - but not stuffy, and also feel lived in, all at the same time. So many recording studios feel like a spa or a doctors office.  That is not  what we were going for.  

 

You’ve built quite the team for staffing the studio. Can you tell us more about everyone who is a part of the Redwood team? 

MS: We are fortunate in that we all bring something to the table.  I love working with Joey and Jordan and feel blessed to have such creative people around me all the time. It doesn't hurt that they also happen to be some of the nicest guys I have ever met.  

JM: We were lucky to find our house engineer Jordan Martin through a mutual friend. He has been an invaluable part of this since the day we opened. He's a super talented, intelligent guy, who works really well with our clients. Mckenzie and I co-produce, perform, and sometimes engineer as well. 

 
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People here are passionate, have a thirst for knowledge, and are driven to express themselves creatively. I have no doubt that national recognition is on the horizon for Little D.
— Joey McClellan
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You’ve got a lot of bands coming in and out of the studio right now - including a few local favorites - Chambers, Seryn, Sarah Jaffe. And you just had a band from Sweden recording. What is it that makes your space the right recording studio for them? What kind of musicians are really attracted to what Redwood is offering? 

MS:  We are so happy that some really amazing artists have chosen Redwood to work with, even though we haven't even been open a year yet.  There is so much local talent that we love, and there are some great studios in the area that people could choose over us, so we are definitely humbled and grateful.  

Our plan is to continue to reach out to amazing artists, big and small, and hope that they will consider us for their next recording project.  We have a great staff, a great environment to record in, and we're right here in the middle of Denton.

JM: Our initial vision was to always have bands and musicians recording here that we are actually fans of. It's been extremely rewarding to have some of our favorite local and international acts come through the doors and give such positive feedback about their experience here.

We were very selective in the gear we brought into the studio.  Our tracking room has high vaulted ceilings which provide a great warm sound. Bands that are looking for a very organic recording experience fit well in this environment.

When bands from out of town come in to record - what are some of your favorite places to take them around Denton? 

JM: The first place we took Johan Orjannson when he arrived from Sweden was Chuy's, which he loved and made sure to hit again before leaving town. We also like to take people to Keiichi if we can get in.  Taco Lady and Sabrocitas are favorites for tacos, and Paschall Bar, Dan's Silverleaf, and Oak Street Draft House are great for drinks after a long session.  We also like to show guests the Greenbelt and the swimming beach at Lake Ray Roberts.

MS: The Mini Malls!  We also love taking people to Seven Mile, Loco Cafe , Greenhouse, Dan's Silverleaf, The Cupboard, Jupiter House,  Hannah's, Hailey's, Oak St. Draft House, and of course our bar, Paschall's.  Oh, and lets not forget... Keiichi.   

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