Interviews

An Interview with Gary Hickinbotham
By Tiffany Cinco

For those unaware, Fire Station Studios is run and operated by Texas State University. They are primarily focused on recording live bands and ensembles, but are also involved with live recording, mastering and video post-production. Gary Hickinbotham, the chief engineer of Fire Station Studios, has been part of the studio since the beginning.

“We’re opened as a commercial studio so you can buy time to record. In certain cases, students doing projects for their portfolio or for classes, you know, they’re not charged for time to do their lab exercises,” Hickinbotham said.

Though the studio may be opened to the public for recording, enrollment within the program is highly competitive. Hickinbotham stated that they are limited to about 60 students.

“We actually only accept 15 to 16 [students] per year,” Hickibotham said. “It’s a little hard to have big classes.”

The students who are accepted could consider themselves fortunate. The program typically guides students towards the path of success. 

“One of our students, for example, is working with Robert Rodriguez. He does audio for his films. I have another student who is working at Avatar Studios in New York, which is a really big studio. He’s been working with Paul McCartney and people like that,” Hickinbotham said. “And a lot of people working on their own, with their own little studios and production businesses.”

Currently, the studio is preoccupied with various projects. Hickinbotham stated that they are working on three record albums right now.

Along with Fire Station Studios, you can also find Hickinbotham working the sound boards at local venue, Cheatham Street Warehouse. 

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