Five-time Grammy-nominated engineer/producer and studio integrator Tim O’Sullivan has opened his new studio in the Frogtown area of Los Angeles alongside the LA River. Formerly the home of Beastie Boy Money Mark, O’Sullivan’s renovated space is centred on a vintage SoundCraft Ghost mixing console.
O’Sullivan Audio houses a collection of music making tools carefully curated over a career making records and building studios, including the 32-channel console, UTA mic-preamps and EQs, Aviom cue mixing system, and a collection of prized synthesisers and keyboards. O’Sullivan’s collection also includes an extensive selection of mics, effects pedals and drums, and more than 30 quality guitars and basses.
The recording features large, vaulted ceilings, a motorised Drumbrella variable-height ceiling baffle and iso booth adjacent to his spacious control room.
‘Tim is an all-around studio rat like me and proved himself many times under fire. He knows how to operate everything in a studio and how to engineer really great music,’ says producer/engineer and METalliance member Niko Bolas worked at Capitol Studios with O’Sullivan as his second engineer and tech support.
Following Capitol, O’Sullivan was the first full time employee at Undertone Audio, working out of Eric Valentine’s Barefoot Recording Studio (formerly the legendary Crystal Sound studios) and was integral in getting Undertone Audio off the ground.
In 2018, O’Sullivan (on Valentine’s behalf) reopened Barefoot Recording Studio as a fully commercial studio (after 18 years as Eric’s private studio). Acting as Studio Manager and Chief Engineer, he also took up residence in Studio B, continuing to work as an independent producer/engineer and mixer.
O’Sullivan continues to outfit and integrate studios and operate as a much sought after studio technician. Clients include Greg Wells, Pete Min/Lucy’s Meatmarket, Chris Lord-Alge, Robby Krieger, Drew Erickson, Nick Zinner, Cian Riordan, Dylan ‘3D’ Dresdow, Micheal Andrews/Elgin Park Recording, and Chris Fogel among others.
Popular recording artists O’Sullivan has worked with include Rayland Baxter, Grace Potter, Leonard Cohen, The Head and The Heart, Money Mark, Nick Zinner, Chicano Batman, KarenO, Mia Doi Todd, Andrew Wyatt, É Arenas, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
‘After years of building studios and collaborating with talented artists, producers and engineers, it’s incredibly rewarding to have a space built to my specs and where myself and other engineers and producers can apply all I’ve learned to help artists capture the sounds they imagine,’ O’Sullivan says.