WCA #610 with Stephen Shirk – Bloomington, New York, Chicago, and Twenty Years of SHIRK Studios

For episode 610, Matt talks with Stephen Shirk — engineer, producer, guitarist, and owner of SHIRK Studios in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Stephen grew up in Bloomington, Illinois, studied business at Miami University, moved to New York in 1998 with a friend's couch as his launch pad, and worked his way through the Hit Factory and a jingle house where he built Pro Tools systems, got his SAG card, and learned from Jay Messina. In 2004 he moved to Chicago, rented studio spaces for a decade, and in 2013 bought the building he now runs as a semi-commercial studio with a Sphere console, instruments on every wall, and a deliberately un-sterile feel. They talk about the HearYa live sessions that built his early reputation, word-of-mouth marketing and what comes next, Steve Albini and Electrical Audio, owning vs. renting in Chicago's studio ecosystem, and getting back out to shows.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

- Growing Up in Bloomington, Illinois

- Church Choir, Guitar at Fourth Grade, and Early Bands

- A Business Degree at Miami University and Playing in Bands

- Moving to New York in 1998 With a Friend's Couch as a Launch Pad

- Learning Pro Tools Version 4 on the Fly

- Starting at the Hit Factory as a General Assistant

- The Culture Shock of New York Speed — and Learning to Shut Up

- Moving to a Jingle House: More Engineering, More Money, a Synclavier

- Building Pro Tools Systems and Getting a Pager From the Boss

- Learning From Jay Messina (Early Aerosmith, Jack Douglas)