Hall of Justice (studio)
| Company type | Recording studio |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music production |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Chris Walla |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington , United States |
Area served | Music artists, bands |
Key people | Chris Walla, Robin Pecknold |
| Products | Music recording services |
| Website | www |
The Hall of Justice is a recording studio situated in Seattle's Ballard district. This distinctive triangular structure, boasting over a century of varied ownership and functions, has been a dedicated recording venue for rock musicians since the 1970s. It has served as the creative site for influential indie rock groups such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, the Decemberists, Sleater-Kinney, Built to Spill, and Modest Mouse.
Initially functioning as a produce market, the location operated under the name Triangle Recording between 1976 and 1986. It rose to fame as a foundational grunge recording space when it was called Reciprocal Recording from 1986 to 1991, hosting early sessions for many grunge pioneers, including Nirvana’s first album Bleach (1989). Following intervals as John & Stu's, the studio has been managed by musician and producer Chris Walla under the name Hall of Justice since 2000.
Early history
Constructed in 1911, the building originally served as a produce stand and continued retail operations for much of the twentieth century until it became vacant in the 1970s. Jack Weaver acquired the property in 1976 and established Triangle Recording, producing records for artists such as Pell Mell and the Blackouts.
In June 1986, Chris Hanzsek and Jack Endino took ownership, rebranding it Reciprocal Recording. This studio was instrumental in defining the grunge sound, with early demo recordings by Soundgarden and Nirvana made here; Nirvana also completed their album Bleach at this location. After Hanzsek left in 1991, engineer Rich Hinklin renamed the space Word of Mouth. By 1993, it transformed into John & Stu's, named after producers John Goodmanson and Stuart Hallerman. Goodmanson, Hallerman, and Phil Ek recorded numerous bands within these walls, including Sleater-Kinney, Harvey Danger, Built to Spill, and Modest Mouse.
Recent years
In 2000, musician and producer Chris Walla partnered with Barsuk Records to manage the facility. Walla produced albums for Nada Surf, Hot Hot Heat, and the Decemberists, alongside his own band Death Cab for Cutie’s Transatlanticism (2003). Death Cab for Cutie assumed the lease in 2004, utilizing the space as their rehearsal venue for four years. In 2010, Robin Pecknold from Fleet Foxes took over operations and reinstated the original name Reciprocal. A 2011 profile in Spin highlighted the studio’s aged yet appealing atmosphere.
Walla returned in 2011 to spearhead extensive renovations of the studio. Since that time, he has continued to record artists including Lo Moon, the Paper Kites, and Ratboys, sustaining the studio's reputation as an essential creative center within music production.
Discography
| Year | Artist | Recording | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Green River | Dry as a Bone | |
| Soundgarden | Screaming Life | ||
| 1988 | Ted Ed Fred | Dale Crover demo tape | |
| Skin Yard | Hallowed Ground | ||
| Nirvana | Love Buzz | ||
| 1989 | Tad | God's Balls | |
| Screaming Trees | Buzz Factory | ||
| Nirvana | Bleach | ||
| Mudhoney | Mudhoney | ||
| Various Artists | Another Pyrrhic Victory | ||
| 1990 | Mark Lanegan | The Winding Sheet | |
| 1990 | Skin Yard | Fist Sized Chunks | |
| 1990 | Nirvana | Sappy | |
| Sliver | |||
| 1990 | Gruntruck | Inside Yours | |
| 1991 | Skin Yard | 1000 Smiling Knuckles | |
| 1992 | Nirvana | 'Abandoned In Utero Demo Sessions' | |
| 1994 | Built to Spill | 'There's Nothing Wrong with Love' | |
| 1995 | Malfunkshun | Return to Olympus | |
| 1996 | Low | The Curtain Hits the Cast | |
| 1997 | Blonde Redhead | Fake Can Be Just as Good | |
| Harvey Danger | Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? | ||
| Modest Mouse | The Lonesome Crowded West | ||
| Sleater-Kinney | Dig Me Out | ||
| 2000 | Sleater-Kinney | All Hands on the Bad One | |
| 2001 | Death Cab for Cutie | The Photo Album | |
| 2002 | Carissa's Wierd | Songs About Leaving | |
| Hot Hot Heat | Knock Knock Knock | ||
| The Long Winters | The Worst You Can Do Is Harm | ||
| 2003 | Death Cab for Cutie | Transatlanticism | |
| The Postal Service | Give Up | ||
| The Thermals | More Parts per Million | ||
| 2005 | Death Cab for Cutie | Plans | |
| The Decemberists | Picaresque | ||
| Nada Surf | The Weight Is a Gift |
| Year | Artist | Recording |
|---|