Evergreen Recording Co.

Jul 10, 2024

Speeding down Perth Road, you might miss it. An old mailbox at the end of a gravel driveway almost hidden by long grass and sumacs is the only indication that you have arrived at Evergreen Studios - an old farmhouse turned recording studio nestled right between Inverary and Glenburnie. Secluded, off the beaten path, surrounded in greenery and nature with a homey feel, is exactly what the members of The Wilderness (and co-founders of Evergreen studios) wanted.

While the soft opening of Evergreen Studios was launched a month ago on What’s Happening South Frontenac’s Facebook Page, the concept of the studio has been a dream that the members of the Wilderness have been marinating in for years.

The Wilderness is an indie rock fusion band with a sound that has been compared to Bruce Springsteen, the Lumineers and Mumford & Sons. The sextet was formed in 2015 after Jonas Anthony-Lewis (the singer and guitarist), Nicholas Lennox (saxophone, vocals, guitar, keys and percussion), Karl Tombak (bass), Hank Lawerence (drums and vocals), Liam Neale (keys and percussion), and Max Tinline (lead guitar and vocals)met an open mic in Kingston.

Since then, they have driven across countless kilometres for cross- North America Tours, had their debut album, “Until Tomorrow” produced with Rob Baker from the Tragically Hip (which lived on the NACC’s Top 200 list for seven weeks in a row) and had their newest LP “Strangers I Used to Know”, collaboratively written with Juno panelist Steve Foley, Glorious Sons band member Brett Emmons and ex-Glorious Sons member, Chris Koster.

It was while they were working on their newest album, that the seed for Evergreen Studios was planted. They ran into the two problems that many independent bands find themselves trapped in.

“The biggest enemies of any band really are finding the time and the money and they are connected,” said singer/guitarist/producer, Jonas Anthony-Lewis. “You never have enough money and as a result you never have enough time and vice versa.”

The band wanted to take their time with their second record and as an up and coming band with no money to pay recording studio fees for months and months, they ended up finding a place on Howe Island for rent for six months of the winter.

“It was really cheap and we thought to ourselves, hey we can get into this place, we can spend the next six months working on the record here, so that’s what we did.”

So, they borrowed a bunch of equipment and set up a mini studio and got to work.

“It was just one of the best experiences you could ever have and it was so helpful just to be able to have the time to do it in a place that was comfortable.”

While they were there, not only did they realize that this secluded, uninterrupted space was invaluable for their creative process, they had a revolving door of friends and other musicians in need of the space. This shed a light on the need in the community for a long-term space like the one they had set up on Howe Island, a need that has only grown more desperate since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For a long time when we started, it was actually really great to be a musician in Kingston,” said Anthony-Lewis. “There was a great scene and a great community and a lot of support for the music and arts in the region but then things started disappearing during COVID.”

Like many things, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the local music landscape, especially for emerging bands in places like Kingston who rely on gigs and live shows for revenue and exposure. With pressure closing in on both sides from no one being allowed to go out and enjoy live music for over a year, to the rise of cost of living, the key pieces of infrastructure needed to support a music scene like rehearsal spaces and recording studios disappeared.

“That took a real big hit to the local musical community.”

So when their lease on Howe Island ended, the hole of the house on Howe Island was felt almost immediately, not only by the members of the Wilderness but for other local musicians as well. It became obvious that a property like the place on Howe Island was a crucial next step to reviving the local music scene.

“We really wanted to help breathe some life back into the music scene,” said Anthony-Lewis. “We wanted a place and a business where the primary focus is recording local bands and providing them a space to jam and make noise as well as try to be a part of the change to make this region a musical region and a positive place for bands and artists to exist again.”

“We want to have a space that’s not separate from the business side of music but a little bit more welcoming and inclusive so it’s easier for bands to get out here,” chimed in Liam Neale, keys and percussionist and producer at Evergreen Studios.

”The first step of a scene coming back is to have places like this.”

With a band name like The Wilderness, it will come as no surprise that a rural, secluded location for the recording studio was a main condition for finding a space. Most of their songs and albums have been deeply influenced by their time on the road in rural Canada and from the time spent together as a band in rural Quebec and Howe Island. For the members of the Wilderness, nature and isolation are key ingredients for their inspiration.

“We really wanted it to be in the country,” said Anthony-Lewis. “That was a big thing for us because the house we rented on Howe Island was really secluded and that was so good for creativity.”

“It was really important to us that we could find some place that had some green space and had some space to walk around,” said Anthony-Lewis. “We’ve worked in places that are in a strip mall and it’s much nicer to go outside in the grass and listen to the birds than it is to walk through a concrete jungle to the nearest McDonald’s.”

Being out of town is not only beneficial for the rests in the recording process, it is also beneficial for the work itself.

“Having a bit of isolation is important because it makes it not only an inspiring space but also a work space,” said Neale. “Having to separate yourself from town to go somewhere to work means that you can put whatever isn’t about the music to the back of your mind and you can focus a little bit more on what you’re doing.”

After about 8 months of searching, it wasn’t until August of 2023 that they could get to work on creating a recording studio out of an old farmhouse on Perth Road. Six months and countless hours of renovations from updating flooring, patching and painting walls, installing state-of-the-art sound boxes and recording equipment, making sure artists that come to record have a vast array of high-quality musical instruments (including a full drum kit, multiple high-end electric guitars, acoustic guitars, keyboards, and any amp or pedal a musician could ever want) and decorating to ensure a comfortable vibe in the space (complete with a photo-realist woven tapestry of Brambles the black lab), Evergreen Studios was ready to open their doors in February of 2024.

A space that’s accessible for emerging local artists was born, and according to the band, just in the knick of time.

COVID-19 did not only change the local music scene, it changed the music industry as a whole.

According to the band having recorded music is more important than ever. It has become more difficult to book a tour, gain a following and advance a music career without having music uploaded to streaming platforms and somewhat of a social media following.

Evergreen Studios wants to be a space to not only record emerging artists’ music, they also want to provide mentorship and advice for every step of the way. From the producing side of things, to what it takes to get music on streaming platforms, how to promote that music and book shows.

“We’re not rich and famous rockstars but we’ve been doing this for a long time and we have a lot of experience,” said Anthony-Lewis. “We want to be able to share and help because rising tides raise all boats.”

“We’ve had a lot of people go out of their way to help us and we want to do the same.”

Since their initial post on Facebook in June, the members of the Wilderness/co-founders of Evergreen Studios have been blown-away by the local communities response. They received 500 likes on their post on What’s Happening South Frontenac alone and Anthony-Lewis has received “countless” messages from people in the area offering support and supplies that they may need, as well as interest in renting the studio for their musical endeavours.

“People have been so positive,” said Anthony-Lewis. “Even our neighbours have been so lovely and that has been so encouraging, it tells me there is a need in the market for a place like this, a place that is conducive to creativity, connection and music.”

While the concept of a recording studio with a homey feel is nothing new, the co-founders are confident that they are creating somewhere special where emerging artists and experienced musicians can come together and find a space where they feel comfortable and inspired.

“While we may not be Abbey Road, we put a lot of time and effort into making this place feel like a good place to hang out, where people want to spend time and feel like their project is special,” said Anthony-Lewis. “We just want people to feel like they are being taken care of and encouraged.”

To learn more about the Wilderness and Evergreen Studios, they can be found across social media and streaming platforms and on their website thewildernessbad.com.