KANNAPOLIS — Tucked away at the end of a long driveway in the quaint town of Kannapolis stands a white, nondescript, 10,000-square-foot metal building. The only indication of what lies behind the steel doors is a red logo that reads “Wallbanger Studios.”
Inside is a musician’s exclusive haven, a recording paradise furnished with state-of-the-art recording equipment and acoustic design the likes of which Ozzy Osbourne and John Fogerty would select when cutting an album.
Kannapolis native and drummer-producer David Lee enlisted multiaward-winning studio designer Jeff Hedback to man the acoustical architectural arm of the project. While consulting with Hedback, who had created studios for both Osborne and Fogerty, Lee recognized a brilliant concept for their new studio in these two megastar layouts.
“We saw Ozzy’s and said, ‘Stop. Right. There. We’d like to have this same control room, the same aesthetic, the same 14-foot ceilings,” co-founder Rob Farris said. Viewing a brochure, as it were, of Hedback’s robust design portfolio, Wallbanger installed an audio suite split 50/50 using a blueprint of the best of Fogerty’s and Osbourne’s studios. The final product enabled a rare flexibility with sound isolation, allowing all spaces to work in unison, function independently, or with any combination thereof.
To the layman, technical jargon in studio recording is challenging to discern. Still, recall “Sound City” — the 2013 film about the fabled recording studio in Van Nuys, California, where Fleetwood Mac, Elton John and Neil Young recorded — and you’re on the right track: isolation booths, long mixing boards with dials and switches, guitars in one room, drums in the next, and plush leather couches for the talent.
Wallbanger Studios captures that aesthetic with its lush 650-square-foot control room adorned with black and red fabrics and natural stone segments, which industry craftsman Doug Burns built. From a technical perspective, what Farris, Lee and their partners have achieved in Kannapolis matches that of the finest recording studios in the world.
Before Wallbanger Studios officially opened in February 2024, Nashville, Atlanta or Washington, D.C., would be the closest destination for a North Carolina-based musician or band to get their hands on the capabilities offered at Wallbanger. Its owners, Lee and Farris — who have an impressive collective pedigree in audio engineering, musicianship and business acumen — saw the opportunity to bring to North Carolina and its vibrant music scene what other “music” cities claimed as their own.
Farris knows sound. His resume boasts audio engineering and production credits dating back to 1995 when he founded Big Bang Theory, his first recording studio venture. He’s worked with legendary Raleigh outfit The Backsliders and Kenny Robey, and Ben Folds used Farris’ Wurlitzer on the record “Whatever and Ever Amen” to double the piano sound, creating an unmistakable effect on each track.
Since the ’90s, his reputation in North Carolina as a master of versatility in sound engineering earned him first rights as a live sound engineer for the North Carolina Symphony and events throughout the state. In 2008, Farris met Lee while the latter was touring with his band, SwampDaWamp, and formed a friendship that later resulted in Wallbanger Studios.
But it’s not just for rock ’n’ roll. The massive open space at Wallbanger Studios is fully equipped with a soundstage to produce and record commercials, YouTube channels and even a gospel choir.
“Our fully integrated video suite is equipped for YouTube video creation, streaming, live concerts and social media content,” Farris said. “It’s the studio of the future, a space that can inspire any artist, regardless of genre or project.”
Wallbanger Studios is a place where creativity knows no bounds, which Farris and Lee offer “a la carte.” The facility welcomes musical artists or creators of all experience levels to work. Clients can have the entire studio at their disposal or utilize its seasoned founders’ expertise for all recording and production requirements.