Recording space fosters creativity in Hutto

Located within an industrial park off of Hwy. 79 and surrounded by a fiber optics company and a machine shop, Hutto recording hub Spider and the Fly Studio appears unassuming housed in a tan stone building with a tin roof.

Behind the white metal door, musicians coming to record for the first time are greeted by an "Alice in Wonderland"–like hallway, complete with a black-and-white checkered floor and ceiling as well as a contorted silver clock.

After walking through a lounge, they come to the hub of the studio, a live, or drum room, garnished with Moroccan-style rugs and lamps and surrounded by rooms for vocals, guitars, drums and the control booth.

"We wanted to give [the studio] that Southern California, Rolling Stones vibe," said Omar Vallejo, house engineer and one of four partners that own the studio. "[A place where] you can come and kick your shoes off."

J.D. Darley, head of promotions with Spider and the Fly Studio, said the goal for the studio was to create not just a building with the latest recording technology, but also an experience for musicians that would foster creativity.

A Hutto resident and owner of management company DMR Productions, Darley teamed up with Vallejo, studio manager John Olrech and executor Phillip Heard to start Spider and the Fly Studio in October. The name tips its hat to the Rolling Stone's song and the poem by 19th century poet Mary Howitt.

Vallejo, a member of the Austin Latin rock band that bears his last name, also has a recording studio in South Austin with production company Vallejo Music Group. He said the Spider and the Fly Studio partners chose Hutto for a studio because of its proximity to Austin and Toll 130 and because they saw a need in the area.

"Everyone has a studio in Austin," Vallejo said. "Not a lot of people have one up north."

The control booth has digital recording technology and software Pro Tools 9 HD as well as vintage equipment—an analog mixing console and tape machine.

"It's an old-school way of recording that gives it a vintage sound compared to what is coming out nowadays," Darley said.

A "one-stop shop," Vallejo said the company can also provide mixing, mastering, production, album artwork, videos and social media services as well as in-house musicians.

Encouraging younger musicians in Hutto and nearby communities is also one of the goals of Spider and the Fly Studio, Darley said. The owners are considering hosting a battle of the bands this summer, and Vallejo—with his 20-plus years in the music industry—also helps coach young musicians.

"He's dragging ability out of these kids," Darley said.

Vallejo said the owners want to provide an affordable way for up-and-coming musicians to have a successful recording experience.

"A lot of musicians are not raking a lot of money in, so you've got to make it affordable for those who want to take it to the next level," he said.

Spider and the Fly Studio, 105 Tradesman Drive, Ste. B., Hutto, 522-0359, www.spiderandtheflystudio.com