Magic Shop (recording studio)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Recording studio |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Steve Rosenthal |
| Defunct | 2016-03-16 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Music industry |
Key people | Steve Rosenthal |
| Products | Audio recording, audio transfer, restoration, mastering |
The Magic Shop was a privately owned American recording studio situated at 49 Crosby Street in the SoHo district of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1988 by Steve Rosenthal, the studio became known for hosting sessions with notable artists such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, and the Foo Fighters.
History
Steve Rosenthal, a musician and audio engineer who previously collaborated with Herb Abramson at A-1 Sound Studios and co-founded Dreamland studios, launched The Magic Shop in a loft space at 49 Crosby Street, SoHo, in 1988. The studio, designed by Larry Carswell, was equipped with a unique 56-input mixing console. This custom board was crafted by merging a 32-input Neve console—originally built for the BBC's Maida Vale Studios—with an additional 24-input unit, under the supervision of Rupert Neve.
By the early 1990s, The Magic Shop had established a strong reputation through collaborations with artists like Suzanne Vega, Lou Reed, Sonic Youth, and the Ramones. Esteemed producers including Dave Sardy, Mitchell Froom, Tchad Blake, and John Agnello regularly brought projects to the studio.
During the early 2000s, The Magic Shop broadened its services by introducing the Blue Room, which specialized in audio transfer, restoration, and mastering. Rosenthal was notably commissioned to remaster the initial 22 albums of the Rolling Stones.
In 2007, three recordings produced at The Magic Shop—Keane's single "Is It Any Wonder?", Wonder Wheel by The Klezmatics, and Pink's "Stupid Girls"—earned Grammy nominations, underscoring the studio’s prominence within the music industry. The following year saw the Blue Room expand with an additional mastering suite named the Red Room, which was shared with producer Elliot Mazer. In 2009, more than 100 tracks were restored at The Magic Shop for a comprehensive 100-disc reissue series by Rounder Records. This collection, curated by musicologist Alan Lomax, featured legendary performers such as Jelly Roll Morton, Lead Belly, and Woody Guthrie.
On May 2, 2011, recording sessions for David Bowie's album The Next Day commenced discreetly at The Magic Shop with producer Tony Visconti. All involved staff members were bound by strict non-disclosure agreements.
In 2014, both Steve Rosenthal and The Magic Shop were spotlighted in the concluding episode of Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways, directed by Dave Grohl. Despite its historical significance, the studio encountered financial difficulties due to escalating rent costs and accumulating debts. Bowie returned in 2015 to record his final album, Blackstar.
Financial challenges intensified due to conflicts with the landlord. To support the studio’s survival, Dave Grohl contributed approximately $50,000 and attempted to purchase the building; however, his bid was unsuccessful. Ultimately, these efforts were insufficient to keep The Magic Shop operational, leading to its closure on March 16, 2016.
Selected list of Magic Shop recordings (by year)
- Charles Brown – All My Life (1990)
- Grace Pool – Where We Live (1990)
- Champion Jack Dupree – Forever and Ever (1991)
- Larry Davis – Sooner or Later (1992)
- Brenda Kahn – Epiphany in Brooklyn (1992)
- Suzanne Vega – Template:Proper name (1992)
- Lou Reed – Magic And Loss (1992)
- Sonic Youth – Dirty (1992)
- Ramones – Mondo Bizarro (1992)
- They Might Be Giants - Apollo 18 (1992)
- The Smithereens - A Date with The Smithereens (1994)
- Monster Magnet - Dopes to Infinity (1995)
- The Residents - Hunters (1995)
- Fun Lovin' Criminals - Come Find Yourself (1996)
- Lou Reed - Set the Twilight Reeling (1996)
- Paula Cole - This Fire (1996)
- Suzanne Vega - Nine Objects of Desire (1996)
- Cibo Matto – Super Relax (1997)
- Ron Sexsmith – Other Songs (1997)
- Sheryl Crow - "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997)
- Medeski Martin & Wood - Combustication (1998)
- Tracy Bonham – Down Here (1998)
- Cibo Matto – Stereo Type A (1999)
- The Smithereens - God Save The Smithereens (1999)
- Björk – Medúlla (2004)
- Ollabelle – Ollabelle (album) (2004)
- Burning Spear - Our Music (2005)
- Marah - If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry (2005)
- Keane – Under the Iron Sea (2006)
- The Klezmatics – Wonder Wheel (2006)
- Pink – I'm Not Dead (2006)
- Interpol – Our Love to Admire (2007)
- Burning Spear - Jah Is Real (2008)
- Coldplay – Viva La Vida (2008)
- Bat For Lashes – Two Suns (2009)
- Israel Nash - New York Town (2009)
- Norah Jones – The Fall (2009)
- Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (2010)
- The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang (2010)
- Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones – Foreverly (2013)
- David Bowie – The Next Day (2013)
- Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways (2014)
- David Bowie – Blackstar (2016)