2008 Woodie Awards
Student's passion for music leads him to open studio
By Jen Meyer
Rocket Copy Editor
Issue date: 11/4/05 Section: Life
For most students, getting through college is hard enough. Juggling classes, work, activities and a social life can barely leave time for sleep, much less starting a business. But for Adam Cruse, co-owner of Slim Studios and a senior at SRU, time management has become an art.
"We kind of work around school," the 21-year-old emerging technology major said. "I need to have a ton of things to do."
Cruse started Slim Studios in June 2002, with his friends Jeremy Jackson, a political science major at Penn State, and Nathan Colebank, a marketing major at Temple University. The studio is based in Hollidaysburg, Pa., and specializes in studio recording and live sound reinforcement.
"For a long time our focus has been live sound," Cruse said. "We like the atmosphere of live shows."
Cruse said he records mostly local bands, which tend to be punk or hardcore, but he has also recorded a praise/worship band, an a cappella group and a bluegrass band. However, he has recorded some more notable bands, including Punchline and Dave Davis and the Warrior River Boys, a top bluegrass band. Next week, he said they will be recording with Reflection, a Slippery Rock band.
Cruse said he isn't picky about what kinds of bands he records.
"I love to record, so it doesn't matter (what they play)," he said. "A lot of times I will do it for free."
Cruse used to be in a band himself. He said when he was in high school, he and Colebank were in a punk band called Slim Pickins. At one point, they went to a sound studio and recorded a CD, and were disappointed with the results.
"The CD was no good," Cruse said. "I decided I could do a better job."
From that point on, Slim Pickins became Slim Studios.
Cruse, Colebank and Jackson built their studio from the ground up. Their first live show was actually a school project. They held a benefit concert they organized for the American Cancer Society. They had to borrow a lot of equipment, but they raised about $1,000 for cancer victims. The show was such a success that trio decided to take their studio business more seriously.
"We kind of work around school," the 21-year-old emerging technology major said. "I need to have a ton of things to do."
Cruse started Slim Studios in June 2002, with his friends Jeremy Jackson, a political science major at Penn State, and Nathan Colebank, a marketing major at Temple University. The studio is based in Hollidaysburg, Pa., and specializes in studio recording and live sound reinforcement.
"For a long time our focus has been live sound," Cruse said. "We like the atmosphere of live shows."
Cruse said he records mostly local bands, which tend to be punk or hardcore, but he has also recorded a praise/worship band, an a cappella group and a bluegrass band. However, he has recorded some more notable bands, including Punchline and Dave Davis and the Warrior River Boys, a top bluegrass band. Next week, he said they will be recording with Reflection, a Slippery Rock band.
Cruse said he isn't picky about what kinds of bands he records.
"I love to record, so it doesn't matter (what they play)," he said. "A lot of times I will do it for free."
Cruse used to be in a band himself. He said when he was in high school, he and Colebank were in a punk band called Slim Pickins. At one point, they went to a sound studio and recorded a CD, and were disappointed with the results.
"The CD was no good," Cruse said. "I decided I could do a better job."
From that point on, Slim Pickins became Slim Studios.
Cruse, Colebank and Jackson built their studio from the ground up. Their first live show was actually a school project. They held a benefit concert they organized for the American Cancer Society. They had to borrow a lot of equipment, but they raised about $1,000 for cancer victims. The show was such a success that trio decided to take their studio business more seriously.
