Armoury Studios
Encyclopedia
Armoury Studios is a world-class Canadian recording studio located in Vancouver, British Columbia's Kitsilano
neighbourhood.
. Vallance collaborated with architect Howard Airey on the building's design and renowned engineer/producer and studio designer Ron Vermeulen (aka Ron Obvious
) oversaw the technical and acoustical elements.
The studio was purchased from Vallance in 1996 by friend and producer Bruce Fairbairn
, who produced music there with such artists as Chicago
, The Cranberries
, INXS
, Kiss
, The Harvest, and the Atomic Fireballs
before he died in 1999 during the mixing of Yes
' The Ladder
.
Since 1999, the studio has been owned and privately operated by the Fairbairn family, serving a variety of local and international clients, including such artists as Elvis Costello
, Nickelback
, Seal
, Norah Jones
, AC/DC
, Tegan and Sara
, Garbage
, Stone Sour
and Strapping Young Lad
, among others.
and AKG
among others.
A full list of artists, producers and engineers who have recorded at the Armoury can be found at the Armoury website's credits page.
The studio facility and equipment was maintained by Technical Director John Vrtacic until his death in 2009.
Other facilities include upper and lower lounges, stone fireplace, a well-equipped kitchen and a patio with a barbecue and a view of the Burrard Inlet and North Shore mountains.
Kitsilano
Kitsilano is an upmarket neighbourhood on the West Side of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.Known colloquially as "Kits", this neighborhood is home to many yuppies, young families and students as well as yoga studios, organic markets, cafes and Vancouver's Greektown. The primary...
neighbourhood.
History
The Armoury building was constructed, from the ground up, in 1992 by Canadian songwriter/producer Jim VallanceJim Vallance
James Douglas "Jim" Vallance, OC is a retired Canadian musician, songwriter, arranger and producer based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. He is best known as the former songwriting partner of Canadian international recording artist Bryan Adams...
. Vallance collaborated with architect Howard Airey on the building's design and renowned engineer/producer and studio designer Ron Vermeulen (aka Ron Obvious
Ron Obvious
Ron Obvious is a Vancouver punk-rock producer, engineer and studio designer.After completing an electronics degree in Toronto, He started working in the recording industry, September 1976 at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. Working as a technical assistant to John Vrtacic, also working...
) oversaw the technical and acoustical elements.
The studio was purchased from Vallance in 1996 by friend and producer Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Fairbairn
Bruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...
, who produced music there with such artists as Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
, The Cranberries
The Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
, INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
, Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, The Harvest, and the Atomic Fireballs
Atomic Fireballs
The Atomic Fireballs is a Detroit band led by vocalist/songwriter John Bunkley. The group was formed during 1996 and is composed of Bunkley on vocals, James Bostek on trumpet, Tony Buccilli on trombone, Duke Kingins on guitar, Shawn Scaggs on double bass, Eric Schabo on tenor sax, Geoff Kinde on...
before he died in 1999 during the mixing of Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
' The Ladder
The Ladder
* "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002...
.
Since 1999, the studio has been owned and privately operated by the Fairbairn family, serving a variety of local and international clients, including such artists as Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
, Nickelback
Nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
, Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin . Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs.-History:...
, Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
, Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour is an American rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor , Jim Root , Josh Rand, , Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga . Original drummer Joel Ekman left the group in 2006...
and Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
, among others.
Facilities
The studio features an SSL G+ Series 4072 console with Total Recall and E Series "black knob" EQ as well as ten Neve 1081 Preamp/EQ's and eight Neve 1073 Preamp/EQ's. Also available to clients is a host of vintage outboard equipment and microphones from top manufacturers including NeumannNeumann
Neumann may refer to:*Alfred Neumann, German writer*Alfred Neumann, East German politician*Bernd Neumann, German politician*Bernhard Neumann, German-born mathematician...
and AKG
AKG Acoustics
AKG Acoustics is an Austrian manufacturer of microphones, headphones, wireless audio systems and related accessories for professional and consumer markets...
among others.
A full list of artists, producers and engineers who have recorded at the Armoury can be found at the Armoury website's credits page.
The studio facility and equipment was maintained by Technical Director John Vrtacic until his death in 2009.
Other facilities include upper and lower lounges, stone fireplace, a well-equipped kitchen and a patio with a barbecue and a view of the Burrard Inlet and North Shore mountains.