The Hit Factory
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The Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele.
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[edit] History
In 1999, The Hit Factory purchased Criteria Recording and in March 2005 moved the facility to Miami, Florida under the new name Hit Factory Criteria. It was purchased from Jerry Ragovoy by Edward Germano on March 6, 1975. From 1989 to 1993, the company also operated The Hit Factory London.
On July 24, 2002, it opened Studios 6 and 7, complete with Solid State Logic 80-input XL boards. Each Studio contains a 48-channel Pro Tools MIXPlus system, a Sony 3348 HR, two Studer A827s, and outboard racks tailored for surround mixing.
After Germano's death in 2003, the business was taken over by his wife Janice Germano.
[edit] Notable recordings
[edit] Artists
- Tarkan
- Tony Bennett
- Toni Braxton
- Dream Theater
- Missy Elliott
- Eve
- Foghat
- Guster
- Michael Jackson
- Lenny Kravitz
- LL Cool J
- John Lennon
- Madonna
- Matchbox Twenty
- Paul McCartney
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- Kenji Ozawa
- Ruslana
- Santana
- Bruce Springsteen
- Sting
- Barbra Streisand
- Paul Simon
- Timbaland
- Utada Hikaru
- U2
- Luther Vandross
- Stevie Wonder
[edit] Albums
- The first album recorded in the facility was Songs in the Key of Life, by Stevie Wonder.
- John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album Double Fantasy in 1980.
- The Rolling Stones' album Emotional Rescue.
- Bruce Springsteen's album Born in the U.S.A..
- Paul Simon's album Graceland.
- The last album recorded in the facility was Octavarium, by Dream Theater.
[edit] John Lennon controversy
After the death of John Lennon, on December 8, 1980, the legendary status of the hit-generating Hit Factory became even greater. Mourners and music fans around the world read accounts of the murder in newspapers on the days following the shooting, and the Hit Factory was mentioned in some of these publications. However, there is controversy as to whether he was recording at the Hit Factory or the nearby Record Plant the day he was murdered. Most publications cite the Record Plant as the location. Individuals present with John, including his producer Jack Douglas, cite the Record Plant as the studio where he spent his time recording and mixing tracks that evening.[1][2]
