Legendary political punk band Anti-Flag recorded their groundbreaking album Underground Network at Sonic Iguana Studios in 2001 with producer Mass Giorgini.  Since that time, their follow-up Mobilize was mastered at Sonic Iguana Studios, and the punks from Pittsburgh also called upon Sonic Iguana producer Mass Giorgini to work on The Terror State, released in 2003, and executive produced by Tom Morello (of Audioslave, and formerly of Rage Against the Machine). On The Terror State, Mass engineered vocal tracks, and also participated in the mastering of the final mixes with famed mastering engineer Emily Lazar (David Bowie, Sonic Youth, Sinéad O'Connor). Most recently, in May of 2007, a few new tracks by Anti-Flag destined for an upcoming EP of new studio and live material were mastered at Sonic Iguana Studios.

Listen to a sample of Anti-Flag's music, hosted by www.anti-flag.com:

"Watch the Right," from Underground Network (Fat Wreck Chords, 2001).

Alkaline Trio's history with Sonic Iguana Studios dates back to the mid-90's when bassist Dan Andriano was playing with his former bands, Slapstick and Tuesday.  During those years, Dan recorded at least three releases at the Lafayette facility.  But he was not the lone Alkaline Trio member to make recording trips to Sonic Iguana -- Matt Skiba also made it down with his own former bands. In fact, Matt and Dan came down together in 2002 to lend their vocal skills to the This is Unity Music album by Common Rider.  Even former drummer Mike Felumlee (who appeared on From Here to Infirmary) recorded at Sonic Iguana Studios with his prior band, the Smoking Popes.

Finally, in April of 2005, Alkaline Trio formally worked at Sonic Iguana Studios on three new tracks, two of which appear on the "Time to Waste" EP released in June 2005 by Vagrant UK.  These tracks, which also appears on the 2007 Vagrant release Remains,  were produced by Jerry Finn, and feature additional tracking, mixing, and mastering by Mass Giorgini at Sonic Iguana Studios.

In May of 2007, Alkaline Trio came to Sonic Iguana Studios to clean up the audio for the upcoming DVD that will accompany the reissue of their album Goddammit.

Here is a 30-sec sample of "We Can Never Break Up," from the "Time to Waste" EP.

Rise Against came to Sonic Iguana Studios in 2001 in order to record their debut album, The Unraveling, for Fat Wreck Chords.  But this was not the first Sonic Iguana visit for bassist Joe Principe and guitarist Dan Wleklinski (also a frequent Sonic Iguana engineer), whose former band, 88 Fingers Louie had already produced 3 full-lengths here with Mass Giorgini at the helm.  Now on Geffen Records, Rise Against can be seen in the film The Lords of Dogtown, performing a cover of Black Flag's legendary song, "Nervous Breakdown."

Listen to a sample of Rise Against's music, hosted by www.fatwreck.com:

"Ever changing," from The Unraveling (Fat Wreck Chords, 2001).

Squirtgun could be said to have been born at Sonic Iguana -- including two Sonic Iguana staffers in the line-up, and having recorded their debut album here before even deciding on the band name.  Squirtgun's self-titled debut album on Lookout Records includes "Social," the opening track to director Kevin Smith's hit film Mallrats, in addition to a guest vocal appearance by Mike Dirnt of Green Day. 

Their follow-up album, Another Sunny Afternoon, also on Lookout Records, included the song "Mary Ann," for which the band shot a music video complete with a guest appearance by Dawn Wells, the actress who played the character "Mary Ann" on the Gilligan's Island television show.

Listen to full-length samples of Squirtgun's music, hosted by www.interpunk.com:

"Burn for You" (featuring guest vocal by Kris Roe of the Ataris), from Fade to Bright (Honest Don's Records, 2003).

"Make it Wreck" (featuring guest spots by Justin Sane of Anti-Flag, Mike Park, Chris Bauermeister of Jawbreaker, and more), from Fade to Bright (Honest Don's Records, 2003).

The Riverdales produced three albums during their existence, whose purpose was to revitalize the origins of punk music by emulating their heroes, the Ramones.  Made up of three former members of Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales called on producer Mass Giorgini and singer Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day to produce their debut self-titled CD for Lookout Records.  One these songs, "Back to You," was included in the soundtrack to the film Angus, which co-starred Oscar winners George C. Scott and Kathy Bates.  

The Riverdales not only recorded their first full-length at Sonic Iguana Studios, but their follow-up album, Storm the Streets, was also produced by Mass Giorgini and mixed at Sonic Iguana, and their third and final disc, Phase Three had tracking, as well as the mixing and mastering, done at our facilities.

Listen to a sample of the Riverdales' music, hosted by www.interpunk.com:

"Homesick," from Phase Three (1-4-5 Records, 2003).

Fat Mike (lead singer of NOFX, founder of Fat Wreck Chords) called Death by Television by the Lillingtons the "best pop-punk album of all time."  That is no small praise coming from one of the best-known figures (of all time) in punk music.  Death by Television was recorded as an album/demo by the Lillingtons at Sonic Iguana Studios in the hopes that they would be picked up by a label.  As it turned out, Fat Mike actually turned down the band one evening, only to regret his decision the next morning.  However, by the time he called producer Mass Giorgini the next morning about his change of heart, the band had already given a verbal agreement to Ben Weasel to sign to his own Panic Button Records.  Although the record has since changed home, and is now on Red Scare Records, none of its luster has been lost, and stands as a truly legendary record in the history of the genre.

The Lillingtons returned to Sonic Iguana Studios to record the follow-up to Death by Television, as well.  Their second album, Backchannel Broadcast, (also originally released by Panic Button Records, and now re-issued on Red Scare) continued their tradition of tongue-in-cheek lyrics accompanied by irresistibly hooky melodies.

Listen to a sample of the Lillington's music, hosted by www.interpunk.com:

"Mindcontrol," from Backchannel Broadcast (Red Scare, 2005).

Zac Damon, the singer-songwriter behind Big In Japan, has a long history with Sonic Iguana Studios.  In fact, for a time he worked at the facilities as an engineer.  His first contact with the studio was in 1995, when he played on a Squirtgun Christmas single as a guest guitarist.  Later, his own band, the Reno, NV-based Zoinks! recorded at Sonic Iguana Studios.  Zac even joined Screeching Weasel for a spell, playing on two releases (Major Label Debut and Television City Dream), both recorded at Sonic Iguana Studios.

In 2000, Zac Damon hooked up with two ex-Gain members, drummer Corky Pigeon (who played "Freddy" on the television sitcom Silver Spoons) and bassist Joey Travers to form Big In Japan.  They came out to Sonic Iguana Studios that same year, and recorded Destroy the New Rock for Honest Don's Records, released in 2001.

By 2002, the band had gone a radical line-up change, preserving only Zac Damon at the helm of the band.  They recorded Who Really Needs a Heart, Anyway?, an album considered by producer Mass Giorgini to be a “high point, sonically” in his production career so far.

Listen to a full-length sample of Big In Japan's music, hosted by www.insubordinationrecords.com:

"Carbon Dioxide," from Who Really Needs a Heart, Anyway? (Insubordination, 2004).

In the spring of 2002, Anti-Flag frontman Justin Sane came to Sonic Iguana Studios to track his first solo album, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.  The singer-songwriter was inspired not only by his punk rock background, but also by the soulful socio-political music of Billy Bragg, and that influence is reflected in the sound of the this release.  Taking full advantage of the natural reverberance of the Sonic Iguana Performance Room 5, producer Mass Giorgini achieved a very open and reflective tone from the guitar and vocal tracks on this album, and with Justin developed a new sound reminiscent of its influences, while still something completely its own.

Hosted by A-Frecords.com, here is a song from Justin Sane's debut solo album:

"61c Days Turned To Nights," from Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (AF Records, 2002).

The Eyeliners are a trio of sisters from Albuquerque who play a blend of good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll with melodic punk rock.  They came to Sonic Iguana Studios to record their second full-length, and producer Mass Giorgini was impressed enough to contact Panic Button Records in an effort to get them signed.  Their most  recent album, No Apologies, is on Joan Jett's own Blackheart Records, and even features a guest appearance by the label owner herself in the song and video for its leading single.

Hosted by Lookoutrecords.com, here is a song the gals tracked at Sonic Iguana Studios:

"Here Comes Trouble," from Here Comes Trouble (Panic Button Records, 2000).

Recent Studio Clients:

Alkaline Trio

Derek Grant of the Alkaline Trio in company of Daysi the Pitbull during tracking and mix sessions for three new Alkaline Trio tracks, to be featured on a Hot Topic promotional single and bonus songs on special editions of their upcoming Vagrant Records album, "Crimson."

The National Trust

Kris Roe of the National Trust (and the Ataris) poses with engineer Kim Milfort at Sonic Iguana Studios in early August 2004.