From left: general manager Matt Carter, owner Dave Amlen and chief engineer Bradshaw Leigh, all of MSR Studios
Photo: David Weiss
New York City’s largest studios continue to be a healthy source of intrigue for Big Apple dwellers and beyond. The recent developments springing from the facility formerly known as Legacy Recording proved to be food for “Page Six”-style fodder, as Dave Amlen became the sole owner of the studio complex on 48th Street on October 16.
The acquisition came following the settlement of an ongoing dispute between Amlen and his former Legacy partners, Simon Andrews, Frank Filipetti and Ed Glickman. “It was a marriage and it broke up. Like any partnership, there were issues involving finances, the dispersion of funds, who was entitled to what and why,” Amlen said. “We fought for a year and spent a lot. At the end of the day, we decided it was better to resolve this than keep fighting because the only people who were going to make money about it were the attorneys.”
Once he gained control of Legacy, Amlen merged it with his two-room production facility on 36th Street, Manhattan Sound Recording (MSR), to form one combined entity known as MSR Studios (www.msrstu diosny.com). According to Amlen, the addition of 48th Street’s two tracking rooms and large-format mix room to MSR creates the largest full-service, dual location recording facility in New York City.
“I think this is a good thing for everyone,” Amlen said, referring to the potential impact of this latest development on the city. “I want to cater to the clients and give them what they want, but it is a two-way street and we have to make sure we can afford to stay in business. It’s a little give-and-take. For my part, I’m glad to put this chapter behind me, and I’m going to relish what’s ahead for MSR Studios.”
