Three Years In Heaven
by Laura Smith

Most Newfield residents are aware that the town supports a variety of successful businesses. Fewer, however, realize that they can count among these a world-class recording studio.
Electric Wilburland marks its third year in the old Baptist church on Bank Street this fall. The business fits seamlessly into the neighborhood, unobtrusively serving some of the biggest names in the local music scene and drawing clients from all over the country.

Owner Will Russell purchased the 1919 church three years ago, rescuing it from becoming an apartment building and relocating his 10 year-old recording business from Ithaca to Newfield.
He operates Electric Wilburland with the help of Rich DePaolo, freelance engineer and longtime compatriot.

Russell’s high-tech business may seem quite a departure from the church’s roots. The turn-of-the-century building, constructed to allow the preacher’s voice to echo from the roof tops, now houses a state-of-the-art digital recording system that looks a little like the Starship Enterprise.
However, one has only to walk a few steps into the church’s foyer, let the door bang softly closed, and stand still to feel that the church has not relinquished any of its spiritual tranquility in the transition. Russell and his equipment look like they grew there. “I have the sense that I’ve always been here,” Russell says, leaning back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. It’s a rare pose for him, with his back to the complex-looking control panel and single computer monitor where he makes his living.

“To get a tad on the spiritual side, this place is an acknowledgement to me that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. Being able to be in this space is a gift from where ever gifts come from.”
A decade ago, Russell was on a very different career path, working as a computer technician.
In 1989, he says, “A whole lot of things changed and forced me to make a career decision again. Since I was starting over, I thought for about 10 seconds and said, ‘music.”
A lifelong audiophile, Russell started his career making recordings in his room at the age of 15. Looking back, “Music was all I wanted to do,” he says. “I’ve been oriented toward the audio world for as long as I can remember. I can take a walk in the woods, and yeah, it’s beautiful, but what I really notice is that it sounds quieter when I walk under pines than under maples. That’s what gets my attention.”

He spent his undergrad years at Ithaca College producing concerts, before leaving the music scene behind in response to pressure to find a “real job.” When he found his way back, he discovered that he had a very different perspective as a 30 year-old than he’d had at 21.

“Back then, I pictured myself in New York City, sweeping the floors of some recording studio so I could pay my dues and work my way up. I found that I was a lot less interested in that idea at 30,” he grins. So instead of heading for the Big Apple, Russell put together a basic recording system and rented a space on Fulton Street in Ithaca. “I thought it would be an evening hobby,” he says.
Instead, he accidentally filled a niche in the recording market that had been sorely empty.
“There were lots of 8-track studios in people’s houses, where the singer would be in the kitchen and the drummer would be playing in the bathroom,” Russell explains. “Musicians could record there for $15 or $20 an hour. Then, there were very high-tech, state-of-theart studios, charging $60 an hour. Not many local musicians could afford that, and there was nothing in between.” Enter Electric Wilburland.
The studio had a handful of other Ithaca homes before landing in the abandoned Newfield church. When its final Ithaca location was sold three years ago, “I thought, this might be the end,” Russell said. He began the search which eventually brought him to Bank Street. “I had looked at several other locations, but none of them were right,” Russell recalls. “Then Matt called me up one day and said, “Promise me you’ll look at this old church.” I was skeptical, but I went.”

The search ended as Russell pulled his Volvo up in front of the quiet old building. “I told myself, ‘don’t get attached,’” he says. “But I stepped in the front door and I knew this was it.”

He’s made remarkably few changes to the structure. Some modifications were made to the wall separating the sanctuary (now the “live room” where his clients play) from the smaller room where Russell spends his days, and “I’ve made a half-hearted attempt to evict the pigeons from the belltower,” he says ruefully. A coat of paint is in the plans.
Downstairs, there is a comfortable lounge and kitchen area where musicians can kick back for a little relaxation during projects, and a two-bedroom apartment provides accommodations for overnight guests. Otherwise, though, the space remains largely unchanged. Asked if the off-the-beaten track location has been bad for business, Russell responds with an emphatic ‘no.’ “I initially thought it might be a detriment. But the fact is, in this business, our clients come from word of mouth,” he says.

In fact, the peace and quiet of Bank Street may be just what many musicians need. “When you’re engaged in a creative pursuit, you need to take a baby step out of your regular world. Otherwise, all the visual trappings of your regular life invade the process,” Russell says. “Here, you walk outside and to get a soda, you cross a covered bridge. It’s pretty different.”

Different seems to be working for Electric Wilburland and the musicians who head to Newfield to put out their recordings. The studio takes on everything from one-day projects to producing full CD’s, projects which can take months.

The crew works with college freshmen who’ve put together a band in their dorm, up the ladder to experienced artists like Madder Rose.

The experience varies greatly from group to group, Russell says, and he enjoys musicians from all across the experience spectrum. “I really love giving people their first recording experience, because I know it’s going to be a good one. There’s nothing like letting someone hear their first playback and seeing the look on their face. That’s enough energy to get me through the day,” he says.

On the other hand, there’s nothing like working with people who know what they want, especially if they are willing to let you into the creative process- a great opportunity for someone who sees his lot in life as “supporting creative people and helping them bring their visions into 3-D.”
While the technology and equipment he uses may be complex, the goal of his job isn’t. Russell describes his mission in the studio this way: “If you do your job right, a person sitting between two speakers and hearing your recording should have the best seat in the house.” For Russell, it’s the perfect job and the perfect place to be doing it.

He sums it up: “The fact that I spend my days in an old church next to a covered bridge blows my mind on a daily basis.”