Business & Tech

Sonic Palace Recording Studio Celebrates 10 Years in Oak Park

Owner Matt Mercado's band got a major record deal in the '90s, and he uses that experience to groom musicians. He's also expanding with live shows and looking at a record label.

After 10 years in Oak Park, the beats go on at the Sonic Palace recording studio.

That doesn’t mean things are the same as when Matt Mercado opened the studio in 2003. Things are evolving every day, and he’s recently made plans to promote the recording artists with live shows and also start his own record label.

"Sure, there were some periods where I was living in my rehearsal space," Mercado said about the beginnings of his music career and business. "But I took over and said every day, I'll think about how I can improve my business."

Mercado approaches recording from  the perspective of both the producer and the artist. He’s been playing music since picking up the drums at 15, then moved to guitar and songwriting. After that he got a small portable studio for Christmas that he messed around with, and he later studied sound engineering at Columbia College.

But the greatest experience he brings is having signed with a major label. In 1993, his band Mindbomb (formerly Daisy Chain) signed on with Mercury Records. He’s now in the band Cosmic Fury with Michael Ray Garrett, Frank Iffland and Danny Vega.

"Every one of my clients asks me so much about the music business," Mercado said. "So much is a mystery to them. I went through it personally. I understand what their role is."

As he looks to groom bands and artists in the studio, along with engineer Kyle Reese, Mercado is also looking to expand his business with live shows and a record label. In May he hosted Sonic Palace's 10th anniversary party at the Elbo Room in Chicago, featuring many of his clients and said he's planning to organize more shows to help promote his studio and the bands, taking them to the regional or even national level. 

"Promotions is something most musicians dread," Mercado said. "The fun part is making music and performing music. The other part of it is the business of music. I had to physically let my dislike of that part of it die."

Now he's enjoying all sides of the industry, from performing to recording to promotions, and still working to improve the business every day.

Sonic Palace is located at 6545 W. North Ave. in Oak Park. Go to the Sonic Palace website to learn more


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