Electric Lady Studios

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Lore & Background

Before it became Electric Lady Studios, the building housed The Village Barn nightclub from 1930 to 1967. Abstract expressionist artist Hans Hofmann began lecturing there in 1938. In 1968, Hendrix and his manager Michael Jeffery bought the Generation, a newly defunct nightclub on the site. Hendrix had planned to revive the nightclub but was persuaded by advisors Eddie Kramer and Jim Marron to convert it into a professional recording studio. Construction took nearly double the time and money planned; the site flooded due to heavy rains, and sump pumps had to be installed after the building was found to be atop a tributary of an underground river, Minetta Creek. The studio was designed with round windows and a machine to generate ambient lighting in myriad colors.

In Their Own Story

Hendrix spent only 10 weeks recording in Electric Lady, most of which during the final phases of construction. His last studio recording, a new solo demo for "Belly Button Window," was recorded on August 22, 1970. The last mix session with Eddie Kramer took place on August 24 on "Freedom," "Night Bird Flying," "Dolly Dagger," and "Belly Button Window." An opening party was held on August 26, 1970. Hendrix then boarded an Air India flight for London to perform at the Isle of Wight Festival; he died less than three weeks later. In the following decades, Stevie Wonder used the studio extensively in the 1970s, describing it as "the self-contained universe" for his work. In 1975, John Lennon and David Bowie held an improvisatory session that produced Bowie's hit single "Fame."

Reader's Guide

From 1997 to the early 2000s, the Soulquarians, an experimental black music collective, held jam sessions and recorded albums at the studio. Questlove often acted as the director behind the sessions, saying "I tried to do all in my power that I could to bring people together." This period produced albums including D'Angelo's *Voodoo* (2000), the Roots' *Things Fall Apart* (1999) and *Phrenology* (2002), Erykah Badu's *Mama's Gun* (2000), and Common's *Like Water for Chocolate* (2000). After years of financial hardship, the studio was taken over by investor Keith Stoltz and studio manager Lee Foster in 2010. They renovated and expanded the studio, adding a new mixing studio on the second floor and turning the third into a self-contained unit including Studio C. The studio has since been used by artists such as Adele, A$AP Rocky, Jay-Z, Daft Punk (for *Random Access Memories*), and Taylor Swift (for *Lover*, *Folklore*, *Midnights*, and re-recordings).

Did You Know?

• The building was found to be atop a tributary of an underground river, Minetta Creek, requiring sump pumps to be installed and soundproofed.
• Abstract expressionist artist Hans Hofmann began lecturing at the building in 1938, two decades before he turned to painting full-time.
• Hendrix's last studio recording, a demo for 'Belly Button Window,' was recorded on August 22, 1970, just days before his death.
• In 1975, John Lennon and David Bowie held an improvisatory session at the studio that produced Bowie's hit single 'Fame.'
• On December 7, 2020, the band Bleachers released a performance video filmed on the roof of the building with Bruce Springsteen.

Hendrix's Visionary Blueprint

Commissioned in 1968 by Jimi Hendrix, Electric Lady Studios was born from a desire to create a personalized recording environment. After purchasing the defunct Generation nightclub in Greenwich Village, Hendrix initially considered reviving it as a live venue but heeded the advice of engineer Eddie Kramer and manager Michael Jeffery to instead build a professional recording facility. The project faced significant hurdles, including permit delays, flooding from an underground tributary known as Minetta Creek, and costs that nearly doubled the original budget. Architect John Storyk designed the space with unique features like round windows and ambient lighting systems intended to foster relaxation and creativity. Despite these challenges, the studio opened in August 1970, though Hendrix spent only ten weeks recording there before his death three weeks later. His final sessions included demos for "Belly Button Window" and mixes for tracks like "Freedom," "Night Bird Flying," and "Dolly Dagger."

The Golden Age of Legends

Following Hendrix's passing, Electric Lady Studios rapidly evolved into a legendary hub for musical innovation across rock, funk, soul, and disco. Throughout the 1970s and beyond, it became what Stevie Wonder described as a "self-contained universe," allowing him to abandon his earlier Motown sound in favor of experimental works like *Music of My Mind* and *Talking Book*. The facility continued to attract major acts through the subsequent decades, hosting everyone from AC/DC and the Clash to Santana and Weezer. In 1975, John Lennon and David Bowie held an improvisatory session that produced Bowie's hit single "Fame" for his *Young Americans* album. That same year, Patti Smith used the studio to record her debut album *Horses*. In 1978, Nile Rodgers took his band Chic to Electric Lady and recorded the hit single "Le Freak."

The Soulquarians Renaissance

At the turn of the 21st century, Electric Lady Studios entered a distinct era defined by the Soulquarians, an experimental black music collective that revitalized the space with communal creativity. Drummer Questlove of The Roots often acted as a central figure, fostering an environment where musicians would spontaneously collaborate. This period produced the Roots' *Things Fall Apart* (1999) and *Phrenology* (2002), Erykah Badu's *Mama's Gun* (2000), Common's *Like Water for Chocolate* (2000) and *Electric Circus* (2002), and Bilal's *1st Born Second* (2001). However, this golden age eventually waned as labels declined to release experimental music; Bilal's *Love for Sale* was shelved after it leaked, and Common's *Electric Circus* sold disappointingly. Producer Mark Ronson said in 2015 that the studio's "glory-days era had sort of ended."

Resilience and Modern Revival

After a period of financial hardship and disarray during the 2000s, Electric Lady Studios was rescued from decline through the intervention of investor Keith Stoltz and studio manager Lee Foster in 2010. Their renovation efforts restored the facility, adding a new mixing studio on the second floor and turning the third into a self-contained unit including Studio C. The studio successfully returned to popularity in the 2010s, hosting high-profile sessions with John Mayer (for *Born and Raised*), U2 (for *Songs of Innocence*), Taylor Swift (for *Lover*, *Folklore*, *Midnights*, and re-recordings), Lady Gaga, and Zach Bryan. On December 7, 2020, the band Bleachers released a performance video filmed on the roof of the building with Bruce Springsteen. In late 2022, the Rolling Stones performed live in the studio before their future producer Andrew Watt in preparation for *Hackney Diamonds*.