Meet Paul Figueroa and the studio Dave’s Room

In 2006, my good friend, the legendary Dave Bianco, a Grammy award-winning producer, engineer, and mixer known for his work with artists such as Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, Teenage Fanclub, Masters of Reality, AC/DC, Danzig, Failure, and John Mellencamp, was looking for a place to house his own productions. He saw the days of large-budget records on a serious decline and realized that if talented artists, producers, and engineers hoped to keep making music, the model for recording would have to transform. As a result, Dave’s Room was born.

After handpicking equipment that would allow for a streamlined workflow, Dave started his install. Once the studio was up and running, he realized he would need extra hands. He called on several old friends and colleagues, including myself, David Spreng, Will Kennedy, and Rafael Serrano. Owning his own studio allowed Dave to produce high-quality music similar to what he had been creating at larger studios like Henson and Larrabee, but at costs that musicians could afford.

Sadly, in 2018, Dave Bianco passed away. Dave’s sons, James and Jesse Bianco, asked a few of Dave’s close friends if they would be willing and able to keep Dave’s Room running, knowing all the love and energy he put into the space.

Now, owning a studio in the 21st century was a daunting and potentially risky endeavor, but our love for Dave’s Room and our desire to sustain Dave Bianco’s legacy convinced me and my now business partner, David Spreng, that it was worth the effort.

Alright, 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?
After making the decision to take on the task of continuing Bianco’s legacy, we had to learn how to start a business and begin booking the studio. The first year was stressful; we rewired racks and patchbays to accommodate our personal gear, augmenting what Bianco already had. We doubled the amount of outboard gear and added dozens of great microphones, guitar amplifiers, and guitars. Then, we had to get bookings to cover the monthly costs.Without much of a marketing budget, we hit the pavement and did the groundwork, letting everybody and anybody know we existed.

Dave’s Room was a semi-commercial endeavor for Bianco. He recorded the artists he wanted to work with. Now, since Spreng and I are not Bianco, that was the big challenge, even after being in the industry for 20 years.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Grammy-nominated engineer, producer, and mixer. I started out at Sound City first as a client (the former guitarist of the groundbreaking proto-punk band AMEN), then went from Virgin Records to Sound City’s runner desk. I worked hard at Sound City for about 6 years until I became a freelance engineer. With Nick Raskulinecz (another Sound City alum), I worked with Alice in Chains, Rush, Slipknot, Ghost, and System of a Down, among others. I am constantly on the hunt for creative new bands pushing the boundaries of songwriting in the alternative rock, hard rock, punk and various underground scenes. One of my main passions is championing independent artists and bands, whether it is producing or mixing. My most recent productions are Jerry Cantrell’s (Alice in Chains) new solo record “Brighten” and Filth is Eternals “Find Out.”

Any big plans?
My plans are to keep pushing forward, getting the word out, and to continue to create great records. Live tracking at Dave’s Room is a thrilling recording experience. The outcome of capturing a room full of musicians just can not be duplicated with programming. Hopefully, the trend of album releases will include more of this exciting, organic approach.