Today we’d like to introduce you to Wade Paul.
Hi Wade, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born to the parents of…haha i”m kidding. I was a long time (mostly metal) drummer, who learned to play pretty much every other instrument. I was in a poor marriage and ignoring my musical abilities and doing what everyone else told me to do, go to college, work hard at a job you hate (for me painting and construction), and do that “stuff” in your free time. Long story short, I was turning 40 (possibly in a full blown mid-life crises) and I just couldn’t do the construction work anymore, I decided to quit; liquidate my assets and start my dream of owning and operating my own recording studio. I had worked in others studios in the past and knew i had a talent for recording, mixing and producing music, but the Mrs. felt that was town foolery and left me over it. I was suddenly in a house I couldn’t afford with nothing, no income, no studio built, in a house we had just bought with no: furniture, blinds, drapes, cooking utensils…I had a bed and 3 cats. I decided I would do what any noble man would do, sell my house, live in a trailer and work at McDonalds. pretty much told my parents that’s what i was doing and my Dad shocked me. He said, well you’ve just failed at doing what everyone else told you to do, you have nothing to lose…why not finish the studio and pursue your dream? Then he backed that up with a financial investment to get me through phase 1 of the build I had designed; I had plans to turn my 2.5 car garage into a full recording studio with a drum room, vocal booth and control room. 14 years later i have finished phase 4 of a 5 phase build. I’m fully functional and have been producing music for artists in the Midwest and beyond. I’v worked on some movie soundtracks, got to do some audio books for harper collins, have worked with other well known producers, taught recording and mixing classes at the University of Toledo…it’s been an amazing ride, and often scary. I found the woman of my dreams, have the studio I’ve always wanted get to work with incredibly talented musicians every day…in essentially my garage, often with my slippers on. I’m not rich, but I am
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
hahaha NO. lol. it was bumby and ugly. I came from studios that had 1/2 mil in equipment or more, I had about 10k. It was like racing a Lamborghini with a supped-up pinto. I woke up at least once a month in cold sweats, wondering wth I was doing. I had to put so much of our meager income back into the system for sooo long. Then there’s the music industry as Hunter Thompson said, “”The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs, there’s also a negative side.” No one is paying for music. streams get .0001cents, We used to sit around cracking a snare drum for 5 hours trying to get “THAT” sound, now, I’m playing and recording all instruments, producing, mixing and mastering a whole song (what used to be like 6 peoples jobs) and getting paid half as much as a union electrician. I have 30 years of experience…
Then Covid…then I got bite by a tick in my own backyard and got lyme disease, which thankfully, i was cured but in the process gave me the worst, most painful eczema all over my body. that was a little over 2 years ago, I’m finally doing better, but recently just finished phase 4 of my studio build and put a new roof on my house. Financials are scary…I’ve been living on the edge of ruin for so long I’m comfortable here, it makes me exercise my faith, and by God’s grace, I believe I’ll make it, despite AI, that’s a whole other interview lol
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?
Guerilla Studios is a fully functioning recording, mixing and mastering house. I do all genres here, there weill be a rapper followed by a metal band and then mellow, acoustic indie music- the differences keep me on point and make sure I never get into a process of how to tackle a song. I like to think each one is it’s own piece of art. I’m most proud of my ability to play instruments and produce songs according to the genre and desires of my artists. I have a big project coming up with a very well known artist, I’m hoping that will showcase just what I can do. Here is an example of a song I produced for a local artist, I did all the tracks except guitars (scott williams and Matt Havers) Hunyor sings and wrote lyrics. I did all mixing and mastering as well.
He only promotes Spotify so his youtube numbers are not good
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I had a babysitter play the song wipeout on a drumpad, i was fascinated. He taught me how to play it and spin my sticks, it was over from that point. I had found my calling
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