Buddy Miles, the rock and R&B drummer, who was the main attraction during the Halloween Masquerade Ball on October 29, 1972 (when this studio opened as The Record Plant Sausalito) surrendered to congestive heart failure at his home in Austin, Texas on February 26th. He was 60. In addition to his stint as a drummer in Jimi Hendrix' Band of Gypsys, his career included a gig as the lead voice of the California Raisins, the animated clay figures that became an advertising phenomenon in the late 1980s.

A massive man with a distinctive, sculpted afro, Miles hit his peak of popularity when he joined Hendrix and bassist Billy Cox to form Hendrix's Band of Gypsys, which the New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll called "the first black rock group." Miles had played with Hendrix on the guitarist's influential "Electric Ladyland" album released in 1968.

Miles was born Sept. 5, 1947, in Omaha. He developed an interest in drums at an early age and by 12 was playing in his father's jazz combo. Within a couple of years he was in demand as a session player and a sideman, working with top-name R&B groups, including Ruby and the Romantics and the Delfonics. According to the Rolling Stone encyclopedia, he played on the session that produced the Jaynetts' 1963 hit "Sally Go Round the Roses."

While playing with Wilson Pickett in 1967, he was approached by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, who asked him to join the blues, rock and soul group Electric Flag. Miles played on three of the band's albums before forming his own group, the Buddy Miles Express, in 1968. Next came his association with Hendrix.

Over the years, Miles recorded two albums with Carlos Santana, one of which went platinum, and worked with other leading music figures, including Muddy Waters and John McLaughlin. He re-formed the Buddy Miles Express in the mid-1970s and had a hit with his song "Them Changes."

Miles sang with Santana and got the raisin gig while working on an album at The Plant Studios. The popular television commercials for the California Raisin Advisory Board featured a quartet of singing and dancing Claymation figures with Miles, as Buddy Raisin, doing the lead singing covering Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

The commercial's popularity spawned a million-selling offshoot album of remakes of rock and soul oldies, "The California Raisins Sing the Hit Songs."

Here is a quick report on our travels since our last issue of "The Dirt" :
-- 12/07: YPI Niners Performance
Together with Shaw Transportation and Albany Bowl, AV4C was able to transport 22 singers and instrumentalists from Young Performers International to their half time performance at a 49 ers game. We just received a wonderful thank you from YPI for our part in this successful event!

-- 01/08: AV4C Awarded Salesforce Foundation Grant
A Vehicle for Change was awarded a grant of 10 Salesforce.com Client Relationship Management licenses from the Salesforce Foundation. This grant has a retail value of over $11,000, but is worth much more to us! Salesforce's powerful tools will greatly increase our administrative efficiency and help to streamline operating costs.

-- 02/08: AV4C Founder, Mari Tamburo, Awarded Social Enterprise Summit Scholarship
Due to her plans to operate AV4C through earned income strategies, Mari Tamburo has been awarded a scholarship to the 9th Annual Social Enterprise Summit, which takes place March 9th through the 11th in Boston Massachusetts.

-- 02/08: AV4C Founder, Mari Tamburo, is Sausalito's Newest Rotarian
On February 14th, 2008, Mari Tamburo was inducted into the Sausalito chapter of The Rotary Club. Rotary International is the world's first service club organization. Its more than 1.2 million members volunteer their time and talent to further the Rotary motto, Service Above Self.

___________

As you may know, I founded A Vehicle for Change to formalize and expand upon my husband Arne's tradition of service to the SF Bay Area’s music and non-profit communities through his work at The Plant Studios. After several years of careful planning and research, it is a joy to finally see the results of many hours of work, and I never could have imagined how this vision would be so well received by the community.

We hope that you will consider making a donation to our non-profit, A Vehicle for Change, in order to enable us to continue our work and expand our outreach into the community.

A Vehicle for Change is a project of the International Humanities Center, a nonprofit public charity exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Therefore, contributions to A Vehicle for Change are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Checks should be made payable to: IH Center / A Vehicle for Change and sent to: A Vehicle for Change
1001 Bridgeway #144
Sausalito, CA 94965
To make an online donation, please || CLICK HERE TO DONATE ||

For more information on our programs, please visit our website: www.av4c.org
Thank you in advance for your consideration, and please feel free to forward this information to friends and family who may also want to lend their support to our efforts to preserve Marin's rich music legacy and nurture the next generation of legendary music to emerge from the Bay Area.

MON: FEB 18th 9:30 am -- The Plant Studios' non-profit, AV4C.org, sponsored by ROCK THE BIKE, will be supplying human powered delicious DreamCycle smoothies at the Amgen Tour of California Bike Expo - just look for the Big Tent in the Spinnaker parking lot!

Please be sure to take a look at our new upgraded Amazon store, and remember, each purchase you make through our store helps to fund our non-profit - A Vehicle for Change, whose mission is to drive positive change through music and the arts. Thanks!

If not - we found some awesome shareware Tuner programs - one is called Vocal Lab, which can actually help singers and horn players improve intonation. Try it before you buy it Tuning Software It works with Mac OSX 10.3.9 or higher. You have got to check it out! - Be sure to configure your computer mic - otherwise, you won;t get it to work!

The Plant Studios staff wishes you all a very happy and prosperous 2008! Stay tuned for lots of new and exciting projects in the works - this promises to be the beginning of a very exciting new phase in the life of The Plant Studios, and for our Bay Area Music Community...

The word has been out for a few weeks that Journey is about to hit the road with a new singer, Arnel Pineda. While this legendary band was in for the past few weeks, recording their new album, we had the good fortune to get to know "the new kid.". He is a man with a heart as big as his instrument. Check out the story in the Marin IJ

There's still time for you to show your friends and family your excellent taste in gifts and commitment to fair trade. Shop at World of Good through this link, and you will also help further our non-profit, A Vehicle for Change!

The Plant Studios Narrowly Escapes Demolition! A little over a week ago, we received shocking news that the current property owner was about to accept an offer from a real estate developer who intends to level the building that contains The Plant Studios, so we sprang into action and responded with an offer of our own, which was accepted!

We are thrilled to report that we are now "in contract" to purchase the building, and are taking the necessary steps to ensure that this icon of San Francisco's music history remains intact, a vital hub of our creative community, and an inspiration for future generations of legendary music makers to emerge from the Bay Area.

Our plan is to convert the space from a sole commercial entity to a multi tenant, arts/green business incubator, sharing the space with complementary businesses and non-profits who want to join us in cultivating a sustainable music and arts community. Our non-profit, A Vehicle for Change, is driving this vision.

The music industry is at the dawn of a new era, and in addition to this world class recording facility, The Plant Studios has all the requirements necessary to design the new model: the experienced and skilled staff, a track record of identifying and supporting new talent, producing hit records, and pioneering new music technology (our CEO, Arne Frager, co-founded Liquid Audio.)

Additionally, we are already booking the studio into March of 2008, have several very exciting music based television and web shows in development, a presence in Second Life, and more.Staff morale is at an all time high.

We only have a short window of opportunity in which to make this happen, and are already overwhelmed by offers of support from clients, community leaders, investors and financial institutions who not only want to preserve this building's history, but also see the value of our vision of the future. If you have any questions or comments, email us

Are you agonizing over the approaching Holiday season? Well, fear not, music lovers, we have a solution (several, in fact!) To raise funds for our Plant Studios Greenhouse and A Vehicle for Change programs, we have opened up a few online stores! By shopping with our partners, you enable us to support music education for low-income kids, preserve and restore our music legacy, and help fund artist development in the Bay Area! All these add up to what we call a "sustainable music community."

1. A World of Good, which offers beautiful, eco-friendly, fair trade products...:

2. Our STORE. You can buy anything from this store and we'll get the credit: 2 cents per song! Just enter your desired selection in the search field in the upper right hand corner. (Sometimes you have to hit this link a couple of times before it opens up the iTunes Store.)

3. The Plant Studios Greenhouse Store on Amazon:

Expand your selection by clicking the "powered by Amazon" graphic in the upper left hand corner of our store!
4. Woodwind and Brasswind:
Please bookmark these links and tell your friends about them! Thanks!

We are being recognized by the Marin County Supervisors for dedication and service to the community on Friday, November 16th. We are very honored to receive this award! For details, and to share in this moment, please call 415-499-6290.

Congratulations to the Monophonics, on being voted SF weekly's Best of the Bay for Soul/Funk band! Kudos also go out to Andrew Freid, engineer and producer, who first clued us in to the band's funky, souful roots and organic grooves! While The Plant Studios has a long history of supporting local talent, The Monophonics are the first band to sprout from The Plant Studios Greenhouse, our "official" in house artist development program.....If you buy their album, Playin' and Simple, from our store, you'll be putting your "two cents in" to keep the good music flowing from the Bay Area!

Did you know that if every artist who either got their career start or recorded their breakthrough or comeback album at this studio decided to donate just ONE CENT per album sold to our non-profit, we would be able to purchase this building to protect it from demolition/development, install solar panels on the roof to reduce our carbon footprint, and still have enough money to fund about ten years' worth of local artist album projects, buy a fleet of alternative energy vehicles for A Vehicle for Change and produce fundraising CD's for every music education non-profit in the Bay Area!
Obviously, the point we're trying to make is, those pennies add up!

Every time you enter the iTunes store from a link on our page and make a purchase, you get us a few cents closer to realizing our non-profit vision: To Cultivate a Sustainable Music Community!


If you would like additional information, just email us! Thanks!

Pay close attention to the Jersey Boys performance. Those clicks and pops are claps and stomps!

Saturday, we're handing out smiley stickers to get everyone in the Summer of Love mood at the Sausalito Art Festival, then continuing the fun Sunday at GG Park at the SOL concert, then finishing up at the Blues and Soul Fest in Marin City on Monday. Stop by our booth, get a taste of a cold Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience and a smile!

Please visit: http://www.avehicleforchange.org

I first experienced The Sweetwater by seeing Billy Preston perform there about twenty years ago, and most recently, witnessed another very special night with Phil Lesh and Jackie Greene. Those moments will stay with me for the rest of my life. Marin's music community is already mourning the loss of this intimate music venue.

If I had a choice in the matter, the Sweetwater would remain in its current location, but if that's not possible, it will live on in the hearts and minds of those who have experienced many special moments there. While a new location will never be same as one we have known and loved all these years, the most important thing is that we create a new venue for live music performance -- we urge our friends to keep a positive outlook and work together to find a solution.

The situation with the Sweetwater literally hits home for us in two ways: we live in Mill Valley, and we understand how tenuous a situation it is when you do not own the building that houses your "business." For those of us who create and produce music, it's not just a "business" but a way of life.

As for what's going on over here, at a time where many legendary recording studios have been forced to close, we continue to work diligently to preserve the legacy within these walls. Our vision is that The Plant will continue to cultivate new artists, as it has done for many years, and will germinate a regrowth of a new, sustainable music and arts community -- one that values creative expression, musicianship and respect for our planet over the bottom line. Our non-profit, "A Vehicle for Change" will drive that vision. (Please scroll down for more info.)

The one thing we cannot do is stand idly by while the very core of our culture, livelihood and quality of life vanishes into history.

Now that the engine is warmed up and some donations have started to roll in, we have put our non-profit program into first gear! We need your help in raising funds for our first veggie vehicle! A Vehicle for Change is fiscally sponsored by The IH Center a 501 (c) 3 corporation. Those of you interested in making a tax deductible donation may send a check payable to "IH Center/A Vehicle for Change" If you would like to designate a particular project, please be sure to specify it in the memo space, and send it to: A Vehicle for Change 1001 Bridgeway #144, Sausalito, CA 94965. For more information, please visit AV4C.org or contact us at drive (at) avehicleforchange.org

If you haven’t heard of the Liquid Experience Group, you will soon enough. They’ve created a new product in the often turbulent energy drink industry to accompany a unique marketing strategy and company mission. In the face of initial criticism from skeptics who say they’re yet another company exploiting a famous name, the company has stepped up its efforts to explain their goals. The Liquid Experience is, first and foremost, dedicated to supporting musicians in an industry notorious for leaving its former stars in the dust. To put its money where its mouth is, the company has teamed with entities such as MusiCares, In Ticketing, The Plant Studios and more, to evolve the cause. DMW sat down with Kelly Kalichman, CXO/Chief Creative of The Liquid Experience Group, to hear about the company’s strategy. Read the entire interview here: Liquid Experience Interview

Introducing "A Vehicle for Change" : a non profit endorsed by and based here at The Plant Studios! The title stems from the recognition that music is "a vehicle for change" in a child's life and in our world. Vehicles in our programs will all eventually use "plant based" and alternative fuels, therefore, each will be "a vehicle for change" in how we affect our environment.
Our first program, which is already in effect, involves supporting music education for kids and at risk youth. When we found out that a lack of transportation was/is the main obstacle in sending talented kids from Performing Stars of Marin in Marin City to a wonderful music camp run by Young Performers International in Tiburon, we helped to transport the kids.
Another program currently in development is a veggie oil powered vehicle equipped with a music history museum and mobile recording rig. This will offer up an a/v documentary of the legendary San Francisco music scene, and of course, will include some history of The Plant! While there has always been a public curiosity about this facility, opening up our studios to tours on a regular basis is not feasible nor desirable, as it would disrupt our "legendary vibe," interfere with our clients' very private creative process, and eventually eliminate our whole reason for being! That said, this program gives the best of both worlds: Instead of bringing more people to The Plant, we can, in a large sense, bring The Plant "to the people."
While not for hire as a "mobile musical history tour" the vehicle will travel to local elementary and high schools, to educate and inspire the next generation of legendary Bay Area music makers. At night, we'll use it to record local "budding" artists! Our goal is to germinate a renaissance that will not only revitalize our own music and recorded arts community, but will bring more vitality and diversity to American music (much like Sundance has done for independent film.) Stay tuned as we launch these artist development programs.
A few high profile, low impact fundraising events at The Plant and local theatre venues will provide the means to offer low or no cost world class music production services to verified non-profits, providing more opportunity for Bay Area's musicians and skilled audio personnel. This will simultaneously feed our creative economy and strengthen our non-profit sector.
As our revenue expands, so will our fleet, programs and services. A long range goal is to assist independent bands to convert their touring vehicles to run on clean alternative fuel. While this will help to reduce their collective carbon footprint, bands who choose to "go veggie" will have the added benefit of reduced operating expenses, which translates to more exposure for their music!
We've already set up strategic partnerships with The Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience, and Effect SF, a special effects company that will provide visuals for our veggie fleet. Mollie Stone's Market has offered to provide used vegetable oil to power our mission, as has FISH, and we plan to approach more "fryers" in our neighborhood to do the same.
As we are just getting started, the potential for us to utilize this legendary studio facility for greater service to the community, without destroying the very essence of what makes it so special, looks very promising. However, we can't do this alone, so we need your help in raising funds for our first veggie vehicle! For more information, please visit: our website!

Mari and Arne, The Plant Studios' "Mom and Pop," are getting married! The two met when Arne agreed to co-produce a recording project for a Zero spinoff band called Greggs Eggs. Arne heard Mari sing through that vintage Telefunken, and the rest is history! The wedding will be held this summer, in a small redwood grove in Mill Valley, along a path where the two have taken many late night walks. The reception will be at The Plant Studios! The reception, themed a "Summer of Love," is ""tie dye optional," and will feature The Sun Kings, a Beatles tribute band, followed by the Monophonics, who are being cultivated in The Plant Studios Greenhouse, our newest in house artist development program.

The current owner of the building, Michael Indelicato, has sold his E * Guitars store and will be moving in to share the space.

Meanwhile, The Plant Studios' experienced and highly skilled staff of audio professionals, headed by Arne Frager and John Cuniberti, remains true to our vision: to offer unparalled, world class tracking, mixing and mastering services to the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

At the same time, Mr. Indelicato promises that this facility will be experiencing some cosmetic upgrades, while we continue to adapt to changes in the marketplace. One thing is for certain: we will work diligently to ensure this building remains of service to our music and recorded arts community.

Stay tuned for news of the many exciting changes in the works...

We are in a constant state of turning The Plant a BRIGHTER shade of GREEN. We already recycle, use recycled copy paper and paper towels when we can find them, use compact flourescent bulbs wherever possible, and do our best to use non toxic cleaning products! Now we are in the first phases of a true energy audit to see how we can convert to solar and wind power. Contact us with your thoughts and suggestions - thanks!

Jonathan Jones, who crooned his way to Round 2 in the MTB4 tryouts in NY, is now back and ready to reclaim R&B in the Bay Area. Keep your eyes and ears open for JJ, because he has what it takes to make th eladies swoon...

Jonathan Jones (JJ to us) has made it past Round 1 of the MTB4 auditions in NY - Round 2 is tomorrow - stay tuned!

Jonathan "JJ" Jones, our favorite R&B crooner, is headed to NYC to try out for the latest incarnarnation of Diddy's Making the Band (4.) Someone contacted our studio, asked if we knew of any young male singers who could "make the cut" and JJ was the ONLY one we would even consider to represent! He is outfitted with a VIP wristband and ready to take on NYC as you read this!

As The Plant enters its 35th year of operation, the staff would like to wish all of our clients and friends a very happy and prosperous 2007!

The staff at The Plant wishes you the best of everything this holiday season...

We were literally overwhelmed by the enthusiasm shown by the tour attendees this past weekend - over 65 people crowding down the wavy hallway, listening to me go on and on about the history of this place. Everyone was so busy checking out Studios A, B, Garden and Mastering - no one even noticed my "Club Fed" t-shirt (a relic from our infamous past..)

You'll always be #1 to us, Stormy. Can't wait to hear more, you just keep growing, both as an artist and a beautiful human being.

Best of luck to Storm, who is rocking out week after week on CBS's Rockstar:Supernova show. We all are so happy for the long overdue exposure she's finally getting. We think she could save Rock and Roll! Check out her website at http://www.stormlarge.com

Well, one wall at least -- thanks to some great volunteers: Danny, Adam, Alex, Myloe and Phil, the wall in the back lobby has been removed -- the first step in our restoration of this historic facility! John Neff took some documentary video footage, so those of you who weren't here can get a sense of the adventure!

Rest in Peace, Vince. Words cannot describe the great sadness I feel at the loss of a great musician and a very kind hearted man. I first met Vince at The Plant on the "Gomorrah" session for Gregg's Eggs, and then had the honor of sharing the stage and some all too brief strange and wacky adventures on the road in CA, Oregon, Washington and Colorado. He always made me feel as if the time we spent together, whether it be playing music or just chatting, was precious to him.

I hear he made a lot of people feel that way. My deepest sympathy to Lori, Nancy and all who loved him.

Mari

Ever wonder why we put the dollar sign in front of a number and the cents sign after?

Think about it...

Congratulations to songwriter Bix Weir, who has been chosen as a finalist in the Great American Song Contest for his tune, "Maggie Will Make It." The song was recorded here at The Plant, produced by Arne Frager.

Go Bix!

Two of the most pivotal and event-filled years in the life of lauded singer/songwriter Michael Franti will culminate in June with the simultaneous release of new studio disc with Spearhead and a documentary DVD and book chronicling his recent trip to Iraq. All three will carry the name "I Know I'm Not Alone."

"There's been times in recent years, where I felt like maybe I was the only person in this country who thought we should think twice before going off to war," Franti tells Billboard.com, explaining the shared title. "And there's been times when I've thought, 'Am I the only person who's concerned about the environment?' or, 'Am I the only person who thinks maybe we should be thinking beyond oil in terms of our energy needs?' But as I've traveled around the country and the world, I've realized that I'm not the only one who wants to move forward."

The CD will be the debut Franti/Spearhead release for Epitaph's Anti- label under a new worldwide deal and includes appearances by Pink and reggae riddim kings Sly & Robbie. The agreement with Anti- excludes Australia, where his work is licensed through Liberation Records; he will also continue to release material on his own Boo Boo Wax label, through which he has issued remix, acoustic and live efforts.

"Epitaph is a label that I've admired for a long time," Franti tells Billboard.com. "It's kind of like a record label that would be my own personal record collection at home: punk rock, hip-hop, and great, classic, creative music."

Produced by Franti and Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys, Jack Johnson) and mixed by Mark Needham (the Killers), the album completes Franti's evolution from hip-hop-rooted MC to guitar-slinging singer/songwriter, a transition that was in progress on Franti & Spearhead's 2003 Boo Boo Wax/iMusic set "Everyone Deserves Music."

The artist cut several of the tracks with Sly & Robbie last year in Jamaica and several tracks at the legendary Plant Studios in Sausalito, while Pink adds her vocals to the ballad "One Step Closer." All of the material was inspired by people he met in the Middle East and the emotions they've experienced while enduring war and terrorism.

The trip ignited such a spree of songwriting that he's planning to release a collection of acoustic reggae songs next year as "Cool Water," although it hasn't yet been determined through what label.

The documentary, subtitled "A Musician's Journey Through War in the Middle East," was directed by Franti and screened at the 2005 Slamdance Film Festival. In it he's seen performing with an acoustic guitar for children on the streets of Baghdad, dining in the homes of war-battered families, visiting U.S. soldiers, sitting in on a rehearsal by an Iraqi metal band and visiting double-amputees in a children's hospital.

"I went to Iraq as a listener," Franti says. "I just got tired of watching the news every night and hearing generals and politicians talking about the economics and the politics of the war, and never explaining the human cost of the war. I just wanted to go there and listen to people."

The film also follows Franti as he travels to Israel and the Gaza Strip, where he speaks with current and former Israeli soldiers; Palestinians who've had their homes bulldozed; and mothers of terrorism victims. The book, to be published by Los Angeles-based Palace Press, further documents the journey.

This year marks Franti's 20th year as a musician, having gotten his start as an MC -- first with the Beatnigs and later with Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, before founding Spearhead.

"It's been important for me that my music have direct experiences to quote from," he says. "When I first started, every song was angry, and every song was like F- the system. And now I want to write songs that reflect the whole rainbow of human emotions."

Happy New Year -- the Plant will be turning 33 1/3 on February 25, 2006!!

The Staff of The Plant Studios wishes you and your loved ones a very Happy Holiday Season.

We are in pre-production phase of a recording for Hurricane Relief. The work will combine the talents of many Bay Area musicians, and proceeds will go to musicians in need in the Gulf Coast area.

Please donate to the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and/or Second Harvest. There are so many people who need help...

We are currently in the planning stages of The Plant's restoration! We are referring to entryways and hallways, of course. The studios already rock! (and swing, and funk, and.....)

You might have noticed the fact that The Plant hit the front page of the Marin Independent Journal last Wednesday.

We will continue to celebrate the fact that that this hallowed musical ground will not be turned into an office building complex, at least not for another 30 years...

Lots of new developments going on here lately, too top secret to mention, but stay tuned for more details...

With all the rain we've been having, the garden outside The Garden is looking quite "lush" these days.

Thanks to Sonia dada for enabling our Sunday crew to enjoy a Super Bowl party to end all Super Bowl parties! Their 100 inch projection screen made our big screen TV look like a hand held by comparison. Do you think we can keep that in the A lounge for just a little while longer?

The Plant Staff wishes you a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

The entire staff of The Plant would like to extend our best wishes for a happy, safe and fun holiday!

The Plant Studios staff urges you to get out and vote today!

We will be conducting an open house tour for AES attendees on Sunday, October 31st from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.

Wear your AES badge for admission...

If you are coming from San Francisco, we recommend you take the Sausalito Ferry. Weekend service starts at 10:40 am, which will get you to Sausalito at 11:10 am. From the ferry landing, turn right and head north on Bridgeway. Enjoy a pleasant fifteen minute stroll through the quaint village of Sausalito, make a right turn onto Marinship Way, and we are the first building on your left as you go down the ramp.

We are organizing a "Hair Harvest" event for Locks of Love, a great organization that provides wigs to children who have lost their hair due to illness. The event will be held in the not too distant future, with very talented hair stylists donating their time, giving free haircuts to hair donors. You don't have to be a musician, but you do have to donate at least 10" of hair to participate. Interested parties, please contact Mari (at) PlantStudios.com with "hair" in the subject line. If we don't get enough donors, the event won't happen! Perhaps you should consider trading that long 70's "do" for a new you! If you've the got hair to spare, consider giving it to a good cause.

Photographer Max Vadukul and his team were in Studio B shooting for Vanity Fair.

The hot tub is primed and ready for some summer soaking...sorry, for clients only!

In addition to our inside Garden (studio) being a great place for mixing in surround or stereo , we are actually growing edible fruit in our outside garden. Out newest addition: Heirloom tomatoes! Hmmm, wonder what else we can sprout from seeds...?

Well our loss of fish has resulted in a plethora of bird visitors to our Garden...

Sonia dada packed the Sweetwater in Mill Valley for another surprise acoustic live show last night...

Sonia Dada, soul rockers from Chicago, took a break from their intense rehearsal schedule to delight new and old fans with a surprise show at a favorite local watering hole. Patrons of the No Name Bar on Bridgeway in Sausalito were treated to a lengthy melodic set this past Tuesday. The band is now off on the first leg of their NW tour, starting at the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma on Wednesday of this week...

Raccoons gone fishing have resulted in some gone fish. Studio assistant manager, Katrina Thomas, describes the carnage: "I came in one morning to check the pond as usual, looked around and thought, 'Wow, someone sprinkled glitter all over the patio' and then realized it wasn't glitter, but fish scales. It wasn't pretty."

There could be a silver lining to the missing goldfish story. Management has decided not to restock the pond, as the reduced fish population has actually improved the flow of the garden waterfall as well as the clarity of the pond water. Security has since been increased in the outside Garden area, so the four very frightened surviving goldfish are now expected to expire of old age...

Check out our equipment page...

Producer ChiefXcell was recently mixing The Maroons on our SSL 9000J in Studio A. Sounds Phat!

Ed Cherney was in A mixing Sonia Dada's newest album on our new SSL 9000 J console.

We are happy to announce the addition of an SSL 9000J to our already great sounding Studio A.

Let us bring our community together toward the common goal of preserving this icon our Bay Area music legacy...At this most difficult time, we ask that you support our comprehensive plan to purchase the property and form a multi tenant non-profit center within the space as the first step to lowering our overhead and cultivating the regrowth of our music community. Under the leadership of Arne Frager since 1988, The Plant Studios has provided numerous school and scout field trips, donated world class facilities and services to many charitable causes, and provided invaluable mentorship and educational training in the recording arts, jumpstarting many careers in the music industry and making a positive impact on many young lives.

PLEASE ACT NOW - TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE -
||| SUPPORT THE PLANT STUDIOS - DONATE TO OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |||
This is an amazing opportunity to shape the future of our Bay Area community and the cultural and social landscape of Marin County. Now is the time to let our community leaders know that we refuse to back down to developers that want to strip us of our cultural legacy. Even if you have never stepped foot inside this facility, it likely had a role in providing the soundtrack of your life.

If you are unable to make a donation, please read the Paul Liberatore Article in the Marin IJ and scroll down past the maps to post a positive comment of support to bring The Plant Studios back to its former location at 2200 Bridgeway in Sausalito.

|||...CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE...|||
Please express in your post that you value the contributions the staff of The Plant Studios have made to our community for the past 35 years and that you want their help to keep Marin vibrant by supporting our music, arts and non-profit communities.