Verwirrte Interviews mit Musikstudiobesitzern

Joey Pacelli, Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

We take some time out to speak to Joey about running a rehearsal space as a musician with a passion for supporting grassroots artists in a competitive business world.

When Joey dreamed about opening a big music venue with his close mate Joe, he never expected that dream to become Red Note Rehearsal Room - a vibrant rehearsal studio with a Twin Peaks theme!

Joey tells us how he wishes there were more venues in New York for artists to play in, how hard it is when bands outgrow his studio and move on, and how much he loves the diversity of music that comes through his doors.

He’s now proving how valuable it is to his clients to have a member of studio staff on hand, especially a musician’s musician like himself.

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

We would just get stoned or drunk, and that's where the Twin Peaks talk came in.

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

Joey Pacelli

Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Joey Pacelli - Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

The first question is what inspired you to start your studio?

So Red Note was actually originally created by my best friend, Joe. He's no longer with the company. I was part of the founding idea. The original idea was that we actually wanted to open a venue together, like a big music venue, and we found it was really difficult to get into the market. You needed to have so much money. And so the other Joe, the original Joe, his idea was to start something to build an audience. So the rehearsal space was that, to just try to meet bands and network. So that was the original concept of the Red Note days. We would just get stoned or drunk, and that's where the Twin Peaks talk came in.

We were both musicians. We were both in New York. We were kind of over the way venues operate. Like they're not really pro artists. Most venues are very pro business and they're also mostly run by rich people who don't know anything about music. And so we thought coming at a venue with the more music mind to make it more accessible is kind of the way.

But yeah, we never got to get there. That Joe is no longer in town. He's moved away, but still talking every day. He's a good friend.

I took over in 2019. I bought it from him. It's really weird to make a big transaction with a friend. With lots of money involved, but he wanted to get out really bad and his original person that was supposed to buy the studio bailed on him at the last second, so I just kind of jumped in. I remember I was on a beach in Cape Cod in Massachusetts, and he called me and was like, ‘You know, dog, you thinking about taking over Red Note?’ Because I was his only employee, too. Like, the way we worked it was just him and I, just kind of tag team spot. And I was like, ‘Yes, I'll do it.’

What does a day in your life look like?

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I'm generally always on call, like a surgeon

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

Joey Pacelli

Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Joey Pacelli - Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

It's a busy day usually. I mean, I can't even tell you the busiest days because now they're all very busy. The weekends can be so busy, but weekdays, generally nights, are very busy. For me, most of the day is secretarial or administrative work, right? I'm just answering calls, texts. You have time guiding people through what the space is. People are calling and have questions and then it's usually at night is where a lot of the actual labour comes in. That's when we have more than one room booked.

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

For me, most of the day is secretarial or administrative work, right? I'm just answering calls, texts. You have time guiding people through what the space is

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

Joey Pacelli

Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Joey Pacelli - Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

I like to have myself or staff here because some of our competitors don't even have staff. So being here means a lot. And people need things, cables, adapters. We have a lot of new artists, they just picked up a guitar and they don't know what they're doing. We also offer a giant wall of pedals to practise and experiment with. Yeah, to explore sound. So yeah, just being here is that. But like the normal day, it starts around 10:00am and it can end at 1:00am, just depending on how busy the schedule is.

I noticed you've got your phone number on the doors. Do you make yourself open for anyone to call you?

Yeah. I'm like, one person. I do have staff, but I'm subject to have them when they're available. So. I'm generally always on call like, you know, a surgeon. I'm generally always taking calls, just 24/7. If you have a question, I can help. And I generally have an answer.

So what kind of musicians do you do you work with?

The neighbourhood is eclectic. It's literally everything. We get a very big metal scene, indie rock is huge, got a couple of country artists. And there's a giant population of cumbia players in the neighbourhood.

OK, the neighbourhood we're in, I believe there is like a very big background of Latin descent. And when they're big bands and my rooms aren't huge, but yeah, they're generally sweethearts and they're not usually tough on the gear or something like that. They're usually fun and loud.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge that the industry faces?

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I feel like before COVID there was a lot of DIY scenes. I don't know the legality of those spaces, but those spaces really kind of helped. Like a lot of artists with no foundation or following get started.

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

Joey Pacelli

Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Joey Pacelli - Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

For me on a personal level, I think a lot of our biggest customers eventually grow out of their shoes, they wind up moving. Find their own space. And it makes sense, but I try to offer a very affordable rate, so, you would come here often. But that always hurts when I see one of my favourite bands go somewhere else.

As far as the industry goes, I think that falls on the venues. Because if there were more opportunities for bands to perform, we would be even busier, if people had more shows. If the barrier to play a set wasn't so strict, like you need X amount of followers, because there's a lot of bands that play here that are just starting and have like maybe under 200 followers and no songs published yet. And it's like trying to get a job without any experience. And I think a lot of that falls on the venue, the music venue scene. And it is growing. There aren't a lot of new venues in the neighbourhood. But if there were more DIY things happening. I feel like before COVID there was a lot of DIY scenes. I don't know the legality of those spaces, but those spaces really kind of helped. Like a lot of artists with no foundation or following get started.

So what do you have in terms of advice for someone who’s looking to set up a new studio?

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I didn’t have a lot of money when I took the spot, so tried to earn what I could and then improve. Small improvements over time.

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

Joey Pacelli

Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Joey Pacelli - Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Patience. You definitely need patience to run a space like this. You deal with so many specific personalities. People are very specific. In the customer service industry, you do whatever you can to help. But yeah, those moments are usually tough.

And then all the patience element also comes with the gear. Like it took so long. This is my eighth year of being in business in this building and to get to the gear on that now, it took a long time. We've had to deal with lesser quality amps, breakages. I didn’t have a lot of money when I took the spot, so tried to earn what I could and then improve. Small improvements over time.

Do you have the notable bands or anyone that you really look forward to seeing as they grow?

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And then once in a while, we're like, holy crap, no way they're playing. You know, that's always such a warming heart.

Ein Bild von Joey Pacelli

Joey Pacelli

Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Joey Pacelli - Red Note Rehearsal Rooms

Yeah. And whenever we see a band like jump on Jammed, it's so cool. Like we can see who they are. I have one of the custom fields as ‘band name’. And so with that added, we find the band and, we're like, who are they? And then once in a while, we're like, holy crap, no way they're playing. You know, that's always such a warming heart.

Over the years, we've had some cool bands. I mean, they've all kind of sailed out of here, like A Place to Bury Strangers, Death by Audio are local pedal noise effect company, that's their band. Widowspeak is a duo indie group, they're so cool. Recently we had Julian, I forget his last name, but he's from Neutral Milk Hotel, they’re this 90s band. It was his own solo project. I think it's like the orbiting circus or something. He just went on tour in Tokyo. But just a giant sweetheart. And it always amazes me how some more notable musicians are really respectful, and then some of the more newish musicians are, I don't know, brash and kind of needy and sassy. And there's been a bunch of other, like, bigger acts in the neighbourhood with like Tall Lawn is a big indie band that's played here. Black Rabbit is a big band.

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