Gear Goes Mental/Transcendental: Brooklyn Audio Rentals

GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN: You WILL rent a Distressor from this woman. But that’s not just because Valerie Gentile is the most badass audio rental specialist to hit the five boroughs in some time, but because sometimes renting gear is a darn good idea.

Artists who aren’t aware that they may have instant, affordable access to a Manley channel strip or a Waves API bundle would be well advised to check out Brooklyn Audio Rentals — gaining access to that missing piece of the puzzle just may be possible after all.

So why did she leave the national tour circuit to bring serious rentals to Brooklyn? As Mel once said in Scarface, “There’s an answer to that too.”

Valerie Gentile is BAR in Brooklyn.

Q: What were you doing before you founded Brooklyn Audio Rentals?
A: Right before I founded BAR I was the guitarist for The Cruxshadows on their Immortal Tour, living in Tallahassee, Florida for a hot minute.

Q: The Cruxshadows! Nice. Live, Love, Be, Believe – and all that. How did that lead to BAR being founded?
A: I left The Cruxshadows and needed something to do to. I moved back to Brooklyn, New York during the worst possible economic time and needed to make money like the rest of the world. I starting managing Secret Weapon Recording Studios in Brooklyn and in exchange I got to use the internet to find a job. Needless to say I didn’t find one, but what I did find is all these studios opening up in Brooklyn, some with SSL rooms and some with a Digi 002.

No matter the size of the studio, I noticed that most didn’t have the greatest gear list or if they had an awesome gear list they maybe had no DI boxes or enough headphones… so the idea came that there should be a rental house in Brooklyn; exclusively for Brooklyn! One idea led to another and boom — here I am a year later renting stuff.

Q: Good thinking: find a niche and fill it! VERY SonicScoop. So why is Brooklyn due – or overdue — for BAR?
A: Well, home studios in Brooklyn have been spreading like wildfire ever since the Digi 001 was put on the market roughly ten years ago. And not only home studios, but studios in general have been popping up all over Brooklyn because of the indie movement. Everyone is on a strict budget to record these days. A lot of artists move to Brooklyn. I guess it just seems necessary.

I feel like music history books are going to write about this oh-so-hip era in the Brooklyn music scene 10-20 years from now because it’s so happening. Might as well make sure the music sounds as good as it can!

Q: I think a lot of musicians in the area aren’t aware yet that they have the option of renting gear for their projects – it’s either buy the gear, go to a studio or nothing. Who’s calling you right now, and why?
A: We can help offer more music! We help provide the creative tools necessary for starving artists.

I thought a lot of home studio cats would be calling in more because of their lack of equipment and studio limitations. I get tons of artist and bigger studios calling me, which is surprising — I thought it would be the other way around. Perhaps they just don’t know Brooklyn Audio Rentals exists, or they think I’m a scam artist on Craig’s List.

Q: But you are soooooo real. What are some of the recent projects BAR has been a part of?
A: Saint Claire Recording Company in Kentucky called me the other day for an Akai MPC 4000 for Channel 7 (musician), I thought that was odd — out of all the places, why me? So how could I say no? Let’s see, I rented a Studer 820a  to producer Chris Coady and DPA 4061s to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. A vintage Neumann U87 to Hamilton Leithauser of the Walkmen and Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand.

The largest order I’ve had so far was for the band Sky White Tiger for their DVD shoot in Park Slope. The band needed two Presonus Digimax 8 channel pres, five Sennheiser g2 in-ear systems and a boat load of snakes, cables, mic stands and power strips. I’ve also had a number of PA rentals and a couple of location sound rentals.

Q: What’s been a surprise to you about the rental sector since you launched BAR? What makes this business challenging?
A: The Fairchild 670!  Aw man, I don’t have one but I must get 20 phone calls a week from people looking for them. I’ve thought about getting one because of the high demand, but I wouldn’t be able to rent it as inexpensively as I would like. BAR is about great gear at affordable rates, you know, so I’m just not getting a Fairchild in the near future. The challenging thing is to get my name out there. I feel like it’s happening slowly but surely.

The most surprising thing about running BAR for me is that the artist or the producer  calls me. Not the A&R rep, manager or label. It’s awesome, and a great feeling to be trusted by people doing such amazing projects. Then there’s the great feeling when the rental goes really well for the clients!

Q: I have a Fairchild I’m not using. Want it? PSYCH. But really, if you could assemble your dream recording date with the gear you’ve got in your inventory, what would it be? And what would you record with it?
A: Wow, if I had time and all my equipment to myself I’d record myself!!! Or hire Butch Vig to do it and Bob Ludwig to master it. I’d want to make an album with every keyboard here. The Access Virus TI polar and the Moog lil’ Phatty are the first that come to mind. I would just run everything thru everything and see what sound comes out. I’m told I have the greatest Fender P Bass that anyone who’s rented it has ever heard. I’d use that as well — though I hardly see it. – David Weiss

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