Press Releases

NEW YORK, September 24, 2001 — AVATAR Studios, New York's legendary recording and mixing facility, played host to a veritable who's who of the entertainment industry on September 22nd for the re-recording of Nile Rodger's classic song We Are Family in their world renowned Studio A. The recording and accompanying music video, to be released within the coming week, is being produced by Rodgers and co-executive produced by Tom Silverman for Tommy Boy Music and SumThing Else Musicworks. Part of the proceeds from the recording will support the victims of the World Trade Center attack through a donation to the community work of the Red Cross.

"We are pleased to have been chosen as the studio for this recording," states Kirk Imamura, President of AVATAR Studios. The hit for Sister Sledge, co-written by Nile Rodgers in 1979, was originally recorded in AVATAR's Studio A. "For this benefit we donated our studios, equipment and resources. AVATAR has contributed in the best way we know how and is honored to be involved in such a worthwhile project."
In addition to the recording, there were two video projects shot simultaneously. Director Spike Lee directed the music video and Globalvision's Danny Schechter is producing a documentary about the recording session. The documentary will feature interviews with the participating artists and celebrities regarding their experiences and perspectives about the recent tragic events.

Some of the 90-plus celebrities who participated included Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Eartha Kitt, Fred Schneider (B-52s), Darius Rucker (Hootie and the Blowfish), Sister Sledge, Deborah Gibson, Ashford & Simpson, Phoebe Snow, Steve Van Zandt, Rosie Perez, Matthew Modine, Joel Grey, Molly Shannon, Montel Williams, Macauly Culkin, Bernadette Peters, Lisa Ling (The View), supermodel Kylie Bax, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, May Pang and many others.

Considered one of the great recording rooms in the world, Studio A is based around a custom Neve 8068, 40-input console (this is the last 8068 that Neve built - specifically for AVATAR). The room is a large, ambient, three-way modular tracking room with two smaller iso booths to the side and can accommodate up to 60 musicians. The live room is approximately 48-feet wide and 52-feet long, with a ceiling height of 35 feet at its highest point. The studio includes a large, comfortable, private lounge with cable television, video playback, video games, a microwave and coffee machine with Starbucks Coffee.

AVATAR Studios is a 31,000-square-foot multi-room facility on Manhattan's west side dedicated to providing the highest possible quality audio recording services to the recording industry. The studio houses four premier recording rooms containing Neve 8068, two SSL 9000Js and a Neve VRP. A 24-hour facility, AVATAR also has two Pro Tools editing suites available.

For booking information, please contact: Studio Manager Tino Passante at Tel: 212.765.7500, Fax: 212.765.7450, or E-mail: tino@avatarstudios.net.