We’ve already seen John Lennon’s $32 Million mansion go up for auction, along with Dave Grohl’s luxurious house and fellow Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain’s not-so-luxurious family home.
Tomorrow, a piece of Australian recording history goes under the hammer as a Sydney studio where albums from the likes of Silverchair, INXS, Eskimo Joe, and The Whitlams recorded goes up for sale as the studio’s secluded appeal impacts on its ability to compete in today’s market.
The Grove Studios is advertised as a five-star recording facility, with two professional studios available for hire for up to $675 a day, located on an elevated 25 acre property in a remote part of Somersby on the Central Coast, an hour’s travel north of Sydney.
The getaway location, first established by INXS (with some old presets dug up by the studio recently), is self-described as “secluded enough to escape reality and discover creativity,” has been a major drawcard for a host of iconic Australian artists who have passed through its doors and helped the studio make its mark on music history with an impressive list of equally important albums among its walls, as The Courier Mail reports.
“The Grove is my favourite Australian studio. Amazing space. Great gear. Great staff. Josh does great coffee. No distraction. The perfect combination to make GREAT music!” testifies Silverchair drummer-turned-Bento frontman Ben Gillies, who lends his official endorsement on the recording studio’s official website.
(Images: Inside Studio One. Source: Ray White Coast Edge)
As part of Silverchair, Gillies made two of the band’s #1 albums at the space, including 1999’s album Neon Ballroom and its three-time platinum follow-up, 2002’s Diorama. Another album that topped the charts and benefited from the Grove’s sparkle was Black Fingernails, Red Wine, the 2006 breakout LP from a pre-crowdfunding-smashing Eskimo Joe, with the band’s Joel Quartermain also lending the studio his testimonial; “Coming to The Grove felt like coming home.”
While bands have sung The Grove’s praises, including its secluded charms and private location, the remoteness of the location, combined with rapid advances of technology and increasing costs have meant the studio is going up for sale, along with the property’s four lodgings containing a combined 10 bedrooms, six bathrooms, four kitchens, a pool, spa and two dams.
(Top: The studio where the likes of Silverchair’s Daniel Johns have tinkled the ivories. Bottom: The studio pool. Source: Ray White Coast Edge)
New South Wales MP Chris Spence put it best in his NSW Parliament appeal for the iconic studio, “The Grove Studios has been expanded and refined to reach world-class standards. The music industry has been forced to evolve at a rapid pace in the face of modern technological advances such as Napster and other online file sharing, the invention of the iPod and, in turn, iTunes,” Mr Spence said in a Parliamentary address on the knock-on effects of the cutbacks suffered to the National Broadband Network.
“With the advent and explosion of computer technology, music can now be created and recorded at home on digital equipment and computers, eliminating the need for studio hire,” he continued. While The Grove had “adapted, grown and invested” to remain financially viable, the studio continues to face “one technological difficulty that threatens its ability to expand and creates a virtual glass ceiling.”
Namely: its poor internet connection due to its remote location. “Where The Grove could truly thrive in its market, the absence of adequate internet connectivity is crippling its potential,” explains Mr Spence.
Ray White Coast Edge, who are handling the sale of The Grove studios, describes the property as “a mecca of creativity and collaboration for singers, songwriters, musicians and bands alike.” Adding it as an “awesome opportunity to become a part of Australian history and walk in the footsteps of renowned artists.”
That list includes Jimmy Barnes, Delta Goodrem, New Empire, the defunct Little Red (who cut the ‘Rock It’-featuring Midnight Remember there), and most recently, Tumbleweed who recorded their new album Sounds From The Other Side in a 12 day stint at the Central Coast studio getaway.
(Top: Inside one of the Grove’s four lodgings. Bottom: Inside the studio. Source: Ray White Coast Edge)
