Catfish’s new $150,000 studio

Catfish Music partner Joel Raney

After nearly a year of construction, Catfish Music’s new $150,000 studio is finally finished.

New Studio B features a control room with “fully loaded” ProTools and Digital Performer systems, and an additional live room that connects with the live room in Catfish’s original studio at their Ohio Street facility. The 1,000-sq. ft. studio already has been used for a four-spot Michelob Ultra package. One of the spots ran during the Superbowl.

“The final wiring by Tom Scheuzger makes the two studios fully compatible,” said Catfish partner Joel Raney. “It enables all the guys to tap into the more than 30 gigabytes worth of sound libraries on hand.”

The facility upgrade, designed by architect John Ronan, “features some very unusual building materials,” Raney notes. It includes a new client lounge area and a newly renovated kitchen and reception space.

Raney founded Catfish in 1999 with Jeff Boyle when the two of them left Com/Track, where Raney was a co-owner. Gary Fry, also from Com/Track, became a Catfish partner the next year. “Our focus is to supply the production industry with authentic sounds, to forge the perfect musical meld, to sculpt the notes until everyone is smiling,” Raney says.

Catfish is at work on spots for American Airlines, Sears, Applebee’s, McDonalds, and Kellogg’s.

See www.catfishchicago.com.?Ed M. Koziarski edk@homesickblues.com