We're rollin...
Alex P here, owner and engineer at Basement Floods Records. Chances are if you're reading this, you've either made a record with me or you know an artist that has. But if you're just visiting, I'm pleased to meet ya, and allow me to fill you in on what's going on!
![]()
I've been recording music at Basement Floods Records on reel to reel tape machines for the past 6 years in a variety of locations - some quiet, some not so quiet, some big, some small. The studio was born and co-run by my friend and bandmate Dave Coit in a basement apartment in Brooklyn, NY. I've since made my way out of the city and found my home among the pines in Catskill, NY.
![]()
Regardless of where the studio has been been over the years, the through line in my work as a recording engineer has always been giving musicians a recording experience that they've never had before. Feel free to listen for yourself! Comfort, feeling, and soul have always beat out click tracks, copying and pasting or hourly rates. I've always tried to capture the things that make an artist special without getting in the way and I plan on continuing to do that for many years to come....But at the moment, my studio is on hiatus and I need a hand with getting up and running again.
Why I need your help:
I'm running this campaign because Lindsey, my amazingly patient and loving girlfriend, and I bought our house in Catskill, NY in February of 2016. By no small coincidence, the property included an 850 sq. foot garage with 20 foot ceilings—hello live room. The catch is that the space is totally uninsulated, with no electrical or heat. I have a small mixing room set up in our house to finish up some overdubbing projects, but new tracking is on hold until the garage is set up.
![]()
Your contributions will allow me to spray foam insulate the entire garage space, run dedicated electrical circuits, install heating and air conditioning, build sleeping quarters and a lounge for artists, loft a control room and of course, make the place look and sound beautiful with some good ol' rough cut lumber!
![]()
Since moving upstate 3 years ago, I've been running a sleepaway camp style recording studio; having musicians crash at my home/studio for as long as it takes to get what they want. Cooking meals together, staying up late, a trip or two to beer world, taking a break on the porch; these are the things that inject some extra magic into my recordings. Building out the garage space with sleeping quarters and a bathroom will allow me to maintain a relatively "normal" home life while providing artists a beautiful place to stay and be creative in. At the very least, I won't have a mixing board in my bedroom for the first time in I don't know how long.
The Nitty Gritty Project Costs:
-
Spray foam insulation: $7k (Spray foam has a very high R-value, good for keeping the heat in during the ever-so-chilly catskill winters, and it happens to double as an excellent sound absorption material.)
- Electrical work: $1k
- Building materials for floor, walls, ceiling, iso booth, loft and artist' quarters: $3.5k
- Heating and AC (propane boiler, radiators, piping and AC unit): $2.5K
- Additional foundation for mixing room and bathroom: $1k
With a little wiggle room for the ever-present unforeseen costs, we're looking at $15k. In all reality, the cost of the completion of the studio will land well beyond that figure, but I'm confident that if I can raise these startup costs with your help, I'll be well on my way towards getting the studio cooking and cranking out some more great records!
And if we don't quite make it to $15k, the creature comforts like sleeping space or a bathroom will be postponed until I'm up and running and booking sessions. We'll grow bit by bit, just as we have for the past six years.
Why you should help:
Most sessions around here are not like your av-e-rage bear; this is a unique place with a distinct style. I've asked a number of artists I've worked with over the years to offer some insight on what it's like to work with me at Basement Floods and their video testimonials are posted above. I'll continue to post more as the campaign progresses; please check them out! My hope is that the words of these artists whom I respect and love will help you as a contributor understand just who and what you are supporting. I'm not in this business for the money and I never have been. I seek out and work with artists I truly believe in because I know their music deserves a chance to be heard as they intend it to be heard. The proof is in the sound and feeling of any record in the Basement Floods catalog (which in case you missed it, you can check out here!) I've never finished a record I didn't actually enjoy making and I aim to keep it that way.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't make a contribution, please consider sharing this page with your friends! Know a musician? Band? Patron of the arts? There are plenty of social media sharing tools above, click em up!
Thank you
Just stopping by and making it to this point of this page means a lot to me. Thank you for taking time out of your busy life to consider helping me out. Enjoy the music, I'll be here till the tape runs out.
Lot of love,
Alex P
