By Darren Paltrowitz

 A Hudson music business staple along with Bar/None Records and WFMU, Water Music Recorders opened in Hoboken over 30 years ago. Based on Madison Street, Water Music may look like a typical non-descript building, but recording history has been made there, right across the street from Shop-Rite. Beyoncé, Shakira, Ryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper, U2, R. Kelly, Taking Back Sunday, and the Dave Matthews Band are among the many artists whose music has been helmed there.

 Owner Rob Grenoble – himself an RCA recording artist before his Water Music life — spoke to RIVER VIEW OBSERVER about his life as a studio owner, which is nowhere near as bleak as music industry critics have led many to believe. In fact, Water Music is currently in discussions to open a satellite studio and artist management firm in 2016.

RVO: What brought you to Hoboken in the first place?
RG: In September 1978, we were dying to get out of Long Branch, where we had moved months before, foolishly thinking it was close to Manhattan. A friend of the band was working as a receptionist at a commercial film production company in Manhattan. One day she turned to Bob Ramos, one of their sales people, and said, “Ramos, my friends want to move to the NY area. They don’t have a lot of money. Where should they go?” Ramos was running out the door. Without missing a beat, over his shoulder he yelled, “Tell them to go to Hoboken. It’s the next big thing.”

We drove down Washington Street a few mornings later. I remember thinking, “What a dump. It’s a good thing I’m only passing through.” Hoboken was down in 1978. Every building had a hose pumping raw sewage out of the basement onto the sidewalk. The first person we met was Rudy, the Hot Dog Man. He was wearing a “Nowhere Else but Hoboken” T-shirt. Rudy is now a fireman. He introduced us to Steve Fallon at Maxwell’s who got us a $250/month apartment.

A year later, when we found the loft at 201 Grand Street that would grow into Water Music, we figured out how Ramos had gotten the inside scoop. Another building on our block was filled with artists; one of them had invited Ramos to a Halloween party. Steve Zane, a photographer, still lives there in a magnificent loft. Steve was way ahead of the curve. When we bought our current building in 1991, Steve took pictures of us removing the “For Sale” sign.

RVO: What was the last session that you personally engineered or produced?
RG: Last week I was involved in a mixing session with the Jim Black Trio. That record had some of the most incredible musicianship I have ever heard. Today I worked with Jaimoe [Johnson] of the Allman Brothers Band. We did the last Allman Brothers Band studio record and then Jaimoe’s solo record. Jaimoe is one of the most wonderful people on the planet. He just had rotator cuff surgery. Ouch. When he walked in, I said, “I’m not going to hug you for fear of ripping your stitches.” Jaimoe looked at me and said, “Just hug the other side.” Is that great or what?

RVO: All these years later, do you have any goals for Water Music Recorders; or is there something you’re still hoping to accomplish with the studio?
RG: A recording studio does a specific thing. It is an “as needed” service. Its role and level of involvement may vary from day to day and from artist to artist, but fundamentally we help people realize a creative dream. That’s basically it. On the other side of the pendulum there is the social and psychological aspects of keeping people focused, happy, confident and moving forward. But at the end of the day, there is a product and we helped build it. Will another multi-platinum record or another Grammy change my life? Probably not.

Success is gratifying, but perhaps not in the way that people think. It looks like Water Music will win another Grammy this year. The piece itself won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Now our recording has been nominated. If we win — and we’ve recorded many Grammy-winning records — I won’t think, “Wow, we won a Grammy.” I’ll think, “What stranger did I stop and help on a dark highway that allows me to work with Julia Wolfe, Kenny Salveson and the other members of Bang on a Can?” I am the luckiest person on the planet. I am so happy to get to work in the morning because I get to work with incredibly talented people. That is the reward, not the Grammy. So to answer your question, as long as we keep attracting great artists and making great records, the studio is fulfilling its business plan.

RVO: Aside from you, who are the people that got Water Music up and running?
RG: The founder of Water Music was Robert Miller, our keyboard player. I didn’t want to open a studio. I correctly viewed it as a sinkhole that would take away from my songwriting time. It didn’t, actually! Robert was the heart and soul of the studio. He named it after a novel by T.G. Boyle. James MacMillan, our bassist, shared engineering duties. It was their baby. I just wanted to write songs. Robert is now the New York-based artist liaison for Avid, the company that makes the Pro Tools recording software.

The old Water Music made a lot of records: Chris Stamey, the dB’s, Marshall Crenshaw, Joe Jackson Band, Pianosaurus, Scruffy The Cat, Antietam. It was a blur. We’d be out playing shows and then have to drive all night to get back for a session. That wasn’t going to work so we hired John Siket as our first employee. John went on to do the first Dave Matthews record, Soul Asylum and many Phish records. One of the Phish records is named The Siket Album. It was Robert, James and John Siket’s juice that got the studio up and running.

RVO: Finally, for someone who’s considering recording or doing any sort of work at your studio, what’s the preferred way for them to reach out?
RG: If you’ve got a great idea or a special talent, please call us.

For more info

www.watermusic.net

The post TALKING WITH ROB GRENOBLE OF WATER MUSIC RECORDERS IN HOBOKEN first appeared on River View Observer.

Still Hip after all these Years 

By Sally Deering

 Cutting edge rock ‘n roll and comfort food that won’t bust your wallet are just two great reasons why Maxwell’s in Hoboken still grooves as a club and restaurant. Ever since the 1980s, Maxwell’s has been the Hoboken venue for up-and-coming bands and some famous ones, too, like Bruce Springsteen who filmed his “Glory Days” video at Maxwell’s, directed by filmmaker John Sayles who lived down the block.

The bar changed hands in the early 1990’s from original owner Steve Fallon, to an interim owner and in 1998 Dave Post, Todd Abramson and Steve Shelley (of the band Sonic Youth) took over.  On a recent Wednesday afternoon visit, it was evident the partners have kept Maxwell’s cool reputation in tact — the ambience is still warm and friendly and the menu, a hearty selection of comfort foods that are tasty, priced low and piled high on the plate.

 “Todd handles all the music, the booking of the bands, and I’m the general manager,” Post says. “We also have Chef Paco. We serve good drinking food and it suits the patrons. The richer folks might prefer spending more, but here, the fans and the kids come to get a bargain.”

From 20-somethings to Baby Boomers, Maxwell’s clientele is “ageless” and so is the menu. Appetizers include Fried Brie Cheese with sliced apples and mango sauce; Sautéed Artichoke Hearts with brown lemon butter and chardonnay sauce; Shrimp Corona, beer-battered Tiger shrimp with chili-lime dip; Twin Crabcakes with mango chutney and tartar sauce; Maxwell’s Very Thin Crust Pizza with homemade sauce and fresh mozzarella; Polish Potato Pierogies with sautéed onion and sour cream; and Hummus and Grilled Pita with black olives, carrots and celery ($5.95-$9.95).  A big fan of Hummus, I was delighted by its light texture and spicy flavors. It was served with a heaping portion of warm pita, sliced cucumbers, celery and carrots for dipping.

 

Soups and Chili dishes are on the menu like Classic French Onion Soup ($4.95); Vegetarian Chili with red beans and  diced veggies in a spicy tomato roux (cup $3.95, bowl $4.95; cheddar cheese add $1.00);  and Blazin’ Beef Chili, a crock of spicy beef chili and  red pinto beans with cheddar cheese ($4.95).

Big Plate Entrees include Coconut Chicken in a rum sauce with yellow rice and fried plantains ($14.95); Blackened or Grilled Tuna Steak with sweet potato fries and sliced avocado ($15.95); Baked Macaroni & Cheese with tossed greens ($10.95); Maxwell’s Mighty Fine Meat Loaf with
mash & gravy and sautéed spinach ($13.95); Guinness Battered Fish & Chips with malt vinegar and  tartar sauce ($12.95); Grilled NY Strip Steak with garlic mash or fries & sautéed spinach ($19.95); and Chicken Pot Pie, white meat chicken and  veggies in cream gravy, baked under a pastry crust with mashed potatoes on the side ($12.95, Petite Pot Pie ala carte $7.95). I tried the Petite Pot Pie and it was absolutely delicious. You can’t find too many restaurants offering a home-made pot pie and this one had tasty fresh peas, carrots and celery in a cream sauce with huge pieces of chicken. The crust on the pie was light and flaky and baked to perfection.

Burgers and sandwiches are Maxwell’s Half Pound Char-Grilled Burger with fries ($7.95, choice of cheeses and toppings, $1.00 each); Grilled Chicken sandwich with herb mayo and fries ($7.95); Char-Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna Steak sandwich, sundried tomato temenade, tartar sauce and fries ($9.95); Maryland-Style Crab Cake sandwich with tartar sauce, Cole slaw and fries ($9.95); Grilled Portobello sandwich with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella and onion rings ($9.95); California Veggie Burger with sundried tomato and Calamata olive spread and fries ($6.95); Hoboken’s Best Quesadilla, grilled tortillas with green tomatillo sauce, jalapenos, homemade salsa and sour cream ($6.95); and the Extended Play Burrito filled with cheese, rice, beans, salsa, lettuce and tomato ($8.95; chicken $10.95).

There are daily specials, too, like the Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Tortilla bowl with black bean hummus and grilled pita; Philly Cheesesteak Quesadilla; BBQ Blue Burger, char-grilled with hickory-smoked barbeque sauce, blue cheese, bacon and cayenne fries; Tiger Shrimp Scampi over garlic toast; the “Naughty” Veggie Burger with bacon, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto and onion rings; Southern Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and Cole slaw: Louisiana Pecan Chicken with mustard cream gravy, whipped sweet potatoes and sautéed spinach; and Blackened Pan-Fried Catfish with sweet potato fries and mixed greens ($7.95-$14.95)..

 There’s a huge selection of beers, wines and cocktails and coffee and desserts, too and sipping a mug of java at the end of this tasty meal was a relaxing finale to a delish meal. 

Maxwell’s is still a great hip place for a hearty dining experience and live music. There’s something for everyone at Maxwell’s. And if it’s been a while since you’ve stopped in, plan a visit. It’ll feel like you’re hanging with an old friend.

 

Maxwell’s

1039 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5201
(201) 653-1703

www.maxwellsnj.com

Hours: Mon.-Fri, 5 p.m.-2 a.m; Sat, 5 p.m. – 3 a.m.

The post The Beat goes on at Maxwell’s, Hoboken’s Landmark Rock ‘n Roll Club and Restaurant first appeared on River View Observer.