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Meet Marcos de la Cruz of Firefly Music Studio in Huntington Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcos de la Cruz.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Marcos de la Cruz. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been into music my whole life. Started playing drums at the age of 14. Grew up in England. Played in a cover band there. Moved to CA in the early 80s. Played in various bands in LA and OC, most notably The Tickets (OC), Tijuana Dogs (OC) and The Andersons (LA). Started recording with Pro Tools in ’08.

Went to Iraq and Kuwait to play for the troops in June ’08 with Christian Simmons.

Opened Firefly Music Studio in 2012 and started recording various artists, rock, blues, hip-hop, folk, R n B.

Currently playing with five different bands and staying busy on the recording/producing side, too.

Learning every day!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of the people have been challenging to work with, but it’s always been worth it.

The trip to the Middle East was rough, we were all sleep deprived and dealing with extreme heat, sometimes 120 degrees. Our first gig was outside during a sand storm, but our struggles were nothing compared to those of our soldiers. Perspective.

Last weekend I drove to Hollister for an outdoor gig. 93 degrees and very humid. Some gigs aren’t great, but they make you appreciate the ones that are.

Firefly Music Studio – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Firefly Music Studio is known mainly for recording original artists in a comfortable, clean, organized environment.

I guess what I’m most proud of is that most of my business has been word of mouth. My clients are impressed right away visually with the practical setup of the space.

I’m constantly re-configuring things and improving the sonic qualities of the room with acoustic treatments.

What sets Firefly apart from other studios in the area is that I don’t have massive overhead (rent, loans on tons of hardware). This keeps rates affordable.

I’ve been told that I have a “discerning ear”. I have a pretty good ear for pitch, good sounds and harmony.

I also teach drums here.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Playing for the troops and making them happy.

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Steve Denenberg

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