“Last time I went to Pirate Studios there was cake all over the floor. For no reason, like birthday cake.” What to do when the recording space is neglected? When working equipment is put at risk and the space is anything but pleasant? Well, if you’re Jamie, you grab a bunch of friends and make your own!  

Jamie Rupik may not be a name you have heard, but his story is one to be told. At just 21 years old, Jamie is working full-time within the music industry, not just as a musician or technician, but he runs his own recording studio in Sheffield. Stone Deaf studios is located towards Sheffield city centre and is run by a dedicated team of five. Gem Acford, Lily Priestley, Josh Taylor, Luke Harris and of course, Jamie, who was kind enough to give me a quick interview on the hard work that has gone into creating the studio.  

So where did it all begin?  

In lockdown, of course! Jamie was contemplating university and torn. Some of his friends had gone, and some had not. Some of his friends had gone and dropped because they weren’t learning anything they didn’t already know. As for Jamie, he got furloughed during the pandemic had money for “doing nothing”, and from doing nothing... was really bored. Inspired by Rick Rubin and Chris Lorde-Alge, and driven by the poor state of other studios, he spent the next couple of years building Stone Deaf Studios. With the teamwork supporting it, the studio has only gone from strength to strength. 

Stone Deaf Studios get attention from an incredible variation of genres. According to Jamie, they get a lot of acoustic indie artists, mainly female singer-songwriters. Part of the fun is playing around with types of music, different bands and artists. Although they don’t have a success story they can claim just yet, he says they get a lot of local bands that will “hopefully blossom into something like a success story in the future”.   

However, just a few weeks back they did have Sheffield’s own Big Sean in from The Everly Pregnant Brothers, as well as an unnamed female artist who already has a big following. Something to look forward to...   

Other artists that have worked in Stone Deaf Studios, that Jamie would recommend, include Shropshire-born but Manchester-based Meg Chandler and Sheffield’s own Levitation, who will be playing The Leadmill April 22nd.  

With all this attention, you would think there isn’t a quiet day in the studio. Well... “No one wants to record midweek. So, you have Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. And then Wednesday, Thursday... no one wants to come in because everyone's working. Unless you like a full-time band. Wednesdays, Thursdays. No one's no one's doing anything” 

Even if running your own recording studio may seem like a dream come true, it isn’t without its challenges. “It is all challenges” Jamie states, “There is little of it, that is not. The business side of it is so hard, because you've got like, I've got pay insurance for everything. You shouldn't forget insurance of people, you got to do your taxes. I've got to make sure that people understand everything, like I've got a terms and conditions in contracts.” 

These aren’t the only challenges that Jamie faces. As the studio puts on live sessions, that involves model release forms, so that the studio is allowed to use the artist’s image. It involves assuring that everyone is on the same page about what is expected from the studio, and so the studio knows what sound the artist is wanting for the recording. Everyone involved each project needs to be able to know what is always happening, and he needs to make sure everything is paid for and insured.  “The studio side of it's the fun bit, the easy bit.” 

And of course, the studio is no exception to the cost-of-living crisis the country is facing right now. Jamie also needs to make sure all the bills are paid for. There isn’t a moment where it doesn’t feel overwhelming for him, but luckily, there isn’t anything he would rather do! 

The cost of renting out a space in Stone Deaf Studios are also innovative. Most recording studios have flat rates to pay, or charge so much by the hour. Jamie found it to be better for artist and studio to have a varying rate based off how many songs you have, and how much work you need from the studio itself. “So, I just went into studios to see how everyone else did it. And I saw that that was a big gaping flaw in recording, that you play flat rates or time on the hourly base. They're doing loads of work, or they're not doing much. Which all seems a bit silly. I mean, you still an hourly rate, but your hourly rate varies between what the bands actually needs from you.”  

Jamie’s love of music goes way back to his family life. Growing up, he would watch his dad play guitar in a local band and loved it all. His dad taught him how to play guitar. Jamie joined his first band at sixteen, a punk band that he continued to play in up until last year. He's always played in bands, stepped in when his friends needed help in theirs. Currently, he’s toying with the idea of a Midwest emo band! Working with music is something he’s always wanted and loved.  

If you would like to start up your own studio, Jamie’s advice would be to just do it. “People think, studio wise, it's a case of... I've got enough gear yet to do it. Like I need more here. You don't, you can. I mean, obviously, adjust your prices accordingly, you can do it with a laptop.”  

If you want to play music, he says to play shows if you feel ready and like you’re good enough – do it! Play shows. "Even if there's not good shows, you get better by playing shows not by sitting in your bedroom doing it. Like your best way of doing stuff is just by going out and doing it learning on the job on and failing a bunch until you finally do something that's worthwhile.” 

Written for Everguide, 2013.