Rock bands appreciate Maui studio's ambiance

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

When Metallica's so-far two-million-selling CD "St. Anger" debuted at the top of the Billboard album chart last month, producer Bob Rock was busy pounding in fence posts to corral his children's horses ... on Maui.

Bob Rock of Maui has produced every Metallica recording since 1991. Mark Leialoha

Rock, the in-studio mastermind behind best-selling albums by Motley Crue, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi and The Cult, and producer of every Metallica recording since 1991's 16-million-selling "Black Album," has lived on Maui for the last eight years. For the past five years, his Plantation Studios — a comfortable spread of home, ranch lands and a $1.5 million state-of-the-art recording studio on the slopes of Haleakala — has served as home to almost all of his output.

The Canadian alt-rockers in Our Lady Peace were Rock's most recent guests at Plantation Studios last month, recording a follow-up to their hit CD, "Gravity."

"To be quite honest, the only band I've left (Maui) for is Metallica," said Rock. "All of the other bands have come here."

Musicians who have recorded at Plantation include Tonic, former Veruca Salt vocalist/guitarist Nina Gordon, Tal Bachman and American Hi-Fi.

After enough Maui vacations to qualify them for kama'aina rates at local hotels, Canadian natives Rock and his wife, Angie, moved with their four children permanently in 1995. Rock's original plan for his Maui lifestyle was to travel for projects and then return home. In fact, the only link to his day job in the Ha'iku home's original design plan was a mixing room.

But that changed quickly enough when Rock brought alt-rock quartet Veruca Salt to Maui in 1996 to steer its "Eight Arms To Hold You" CD.

"We ended up throwing my equipment into a house here," recalled Rock. "And they had such a great time and loved it so much that I just converted a part of my house. ... It's as full-on a studio as anywhere in the world. All the best stuff is here. I don't rent it out because, you know, it's my home. But the artists that I work with come."

Rock doesn't offer the musicians residency in his home during projects — "We're definitely a family that's into the family life," said Rock — but recommends places for them to stay in and around Ha'iku. He also schedules "real civil hours" that "get a lot done" yet leave time for ample relaxation.

"It's so funny. Some of the musicians arrive off the plane looking like they've never seen sun in their life," said Rock. "Then they get (to the studio) and they're like, 'I can't believe I'm getting up at 7 in the morning! I've never gotten up at 7!' "

With its cool, upcountry location, Plantation Studios also offers musicians a kind of aesthetically pleasing environment for recording that most aren't used to. Large bay windows in the studio offer sweeping views of the West Maui mountains and much of the island's north shore.

"What's great about where we are, especially, is that the artists really get a chance to concentrate on their music," said Rock. "There's just enough distraction with surfing, the outdoor stuff and restaurants to keep them happy, but it never gets in the way of creating the music."

Agreed Maida: "You just put on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and run into the studio."

Still, notably missing from the roster of musicians that have recorded at Plantation is Rock's biggest production clients Metallica. Rock traveled regularly to the Bay Area burg of San Rafael for the two years of studio sessions it took to record "St. Anger."

"They just have too much stuff to be able to fit in my little place," said Rock, laughing. "With Metallica, we're talking about a couple of semi-trailers full (of equipment). So the work I've done with them here has been mixing, editing and stuff ... where they can just come and stay on the south shore and have fun."

Rock and the band discussed doing some recording on Maui toward the end of the "St. Anger" sessions, but could never quite schedule it.

"I've actually done recording with them individually here," said Rock. "The big thing with Metallica, though, is that they spend so much time on the road between albums that ... recording time is really about them being home — especially now since they all have families." Still, Rock believed that if his partnership with the band continued through future records, "I'm sure they're going to be over here" at some point.

Rock's present Plantation production project is a second turn at the boards with Our Lady Peace for its next record, scheduled for release in early 2004. "Gravity," recorded on Maui and released in 2002, was the 11 year-old band's biggest American CD thus far, peaking at number nine on the Billboard album chart. The band recorded 12 songs for the new CD at Plantation last month before heading out on tour. It will return to Ha'iku for several months this fall to complete it.

Praising Rock on everything from his studio wizardry and mentoring skills to his musical taste and fashion sense, OLP's Maida referred to the producer as "one of the band" and "a big brother."

Maida said he was anxious to return to Maui.

"When you walk into all of these big studios in L.A., you know you're spending a lot of money. Every little piece of gear you want, you have to rent it," said Maida. "With Bob, it's like this really casual atmosphere. He's got the best gear in the world, the best guitars, (and) the best guitar amps. He could build a little museum in his place with all the gear he has ... (And) he's just more than welcome to let you grab whatever you want and plug it in."

Some of that gear might soon include some open-tuned acoustic guitars and 'ukulele.

A passionate fan of live and recorded Hawaiian music (Makana, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, Willie K and anything slack-key are favorites), Rock said he was hoping to someday do some behind-the-board work in that genre as well.

"Actually, over the next few years I'm probably going to be weaning myself off of what I do a little bit," said Rock, of his, uh, rock works. "And I would really love to be able to get involved more with local music."

Respectful of the Hawaiian music industry, its musicians and its behind-the-scenes people, Rock assured he would be careful not to step on anyone's toes. Raised in Canada — a country whose musical identity is more often than not lumped into the American music industry — Rock said he admired the fact that Hawaiian music has not only survived over the years, but continued to thrive as a viable industry and art form with an identity all its own.

"It's an amazing accomplishment," said Rock. "To be able to have an industry where people can make a living, sell records and, really, not be a part of the mainstream music industry and survive, I think, is incredible."