- Phantom Manor
A lot of great music comes out of Chicago, and a lot of it has been recorded at Phantom Manor—the Humboldt Park recording studio has been a staple of Chicago’s music community for the past ten years. It was located above a print shop, so the smell of ink permeating the studio was part of its charm; the toxic taste lingering at the back of your throat at the end of the day became associated with a sense of accomplishment. It meant you had worked hard, you had created something that felt meaningful, you were a part of something bigger. Behind the Manor is the forever generous, inspiring, and encouraging recording engineer Mike Lust. The studio has recently closed, but never fear! The legend lives on as Lust enters a new era of recording via his traveling studio, Manor Mobile Industries. And be on the lookout for the upcoming season of the Onion’s AV Undercover featuring Yo La Tengo, which he will record. But first, in honor of endings and in the spirit of new beginnings, Chicago musicians reflect on Phantom Manor:
