A History of 2200 Bridgeway, Sausalito

Chapter 5 — The Frager Era, 1988 to 2008

Metallica, Santana, and the man who kept the lights on for two decades.

By Tom Proctor

Portrait of Arne Frager. — Arne Frager, who ran the Plant from 1988 to 2008.

In 1988, Bob Skye recruited Arne Frager as a partner. By 1993, Frager had bought Skye out entirely.

Frager was not interested in the mythology. "I was really interested in rebuilding the studio into a really great sound emporium for making records," he said. Journey's manager Herbie Herbert warned him it would not work — he had tried to talk Journey out of visiting the Plant in the 1970s on the grounds that the party atmosphere cost the band money and time. Frager rebuilt methodically regardless.

He gave Studio B a Neve 8068 console with 64 inputs and GML Automation, sourced from the Los Angeles Record Plant. He redesigned the former Pit as an oval mix room — first called Mix 1, then renamed the Garden — working with acoustician Manny LaCarruba on a reverse-layout design where the larger space became the control room. The Garden's lounge extended outside into an open-air garden with a fish pond and a jacuzzi. Producer and engineer Enrique Gonzalez Müller, who joined the staff in 1999, described the effect: artists stepping out of a session into eucalyptus trees and a dock at the edge of the bay, with no desire to leave, because the room itself was already that comfortable.

In 1993, Metallica arrived. Their producer Bob Rock needed ceiling height for Lars Ulrich's drum sound. Frager raised Studio A from 14 to 32 feet and installed an SSL 4000 G console. Metallica recorded Load and Reload there and later returned to mix S&M in the Garden. For several years they were the studio's anchor client.

Studio A's lighting truss and acoustic clouds beneath the raised blue ceiling. — Studio A — the 32-foot ceiling Frager raised for Metallica, kept for everyone since.

Van Morrison arrived for a month of sessions and spoke four words to Frager during the entire engagement: "Hi, I'm Van." Starship's manager blocked the Studio C door when Frager attempted to introduce himself on the first day of their booking.

Carlos Santana's Supernatural was recorded at the Plant in 1999 and went on to sell 27 million copies and win nine Grammys. Frager gave the Monophonics their first record for free, a policy he applied to a long list of acts. "I always felt it was a crime to see a studio with a million-dollar investment sitting there empty," he said. 4 Non Blondes recorded "What's Up" here in 1993.

Framed Santana Supernatural award on the wall at 2200 Studios. — Santana's *Supernatural* — recorded at the Plant in 1999, 27 million copies sold, nine Grammys.

Then Napster arrived.

"We started losing money in 2000 because of Napster," Frager said. "Young people who used to buy records suddenly found out you could get music for free." He kept the doors open for eight more years, putting more than a million dollars of his own money into the building. Metallica built their own facility in San Rafael and stopped booking time. Budgets shrank. Sessions shortened.

Metallica memorabilia in the lounge at 2200 Bridgeway. — Metallica's long residency at the Plant ended when the band built their own facility in San Rafael.

In March 2008, after the Fray finished a session in Studio B, Frager's successor closed the doors. The Plant Studios went dark for the first time in 36 years.

"I always felt there was magic in that building," Frager said. "I still do."