Pachyderm Studios


Pachyderm Recording Studios is a residential music recording studio located in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, United States.

History

The studio was founded in 1988 by Jim Nickel, Mark Walk and Eric S. Anderson, with acoustic design by Bret Theney of Westlake Audio. Located 35.8 mi southeast of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, it is located in a secluded old-growth forest in rural Minnesota. The studio featured the same Neve 8068 recording console that was used in Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios as well as Studer tape machines. The house was designed by Herb Bloomberg, architect of Old Log Theatre and founder of the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.
The studio went into a decline in the mid-2000s, after original co-owner Jim Nickel sold the property. It went into a state of disrepair for many years, though bands occasionally still recorded there. It was purchased by engineer John Kuker in 2011 out of foreclosure and remodeled over the next three years. Kuker died on February 2, 2015, at the age of 40, after which his family took over ownership.
The home, studio and grounds were renovated. The studio is managed by longtime Kuker employee Nick Tveitbakk and clients are still able to record with the wide variety of musical equipment and guitars that Kuker collected.

Selected recordings made at Pachyderm

SeamonstersThe Wedding Present LuluTrip Shakespeare FontanelleBabes In Toyland ComfortFailure Hollywood Town HallThe Jayhawks Grave Dancers UnionSoul Asylum In UteroNirvana Sound as EverYou Am I Rid of MePJ Harvey Throwing CopperLive Arise ThereforePalace RaptureBradley Joseph Good News for Modern ManGrant Hart Acre ThrillsU.S. Maple Everynight Fire Works - Hey Mercedes From Here to Infirmary Alkaline Trio Stuart DavisStuart Davis The End of All Things to Come Mudvayne Armchair ApocryphaAndrew Bird ProgThe Bad Plus Wild AnimalsTrampled by Turtles Panic StationsMotion City Soundtrack The CoolingReina del Cid Polar SimilarNorma Jean FurnaceDead Man Winter Still Thirsty – Four Pints Shy Life Is Good on the Open RoadTrampled by Turtles Sigourney FeverTrampled by Turtles Red TailDave Simonett Once Twice MelodyBeach House CavesNEEDTOBREATHE MidasWunderhorse