Do It Yourself: Snake Pit Studios
A DIY attitude is how 18-year-old Marcus Anthony from Snake Pit Studios became one of the most exciting young producers in SA
Words by Jack Paech and Zara Richards
From the top of Snake Pit Studios’ driveway, Teen Spirit takes a second to admire the ocean, sitting docile at the place’s doorstep. Marcus Anthony emerges from the open door to snap us out of our daydream. He’s not wearing any shoes, a lazy smile fixed on his face. It kind of looks like we’ve accidentally interrupted him in the middle of a relaxing day at home.
This is because that’s exactly what we’ve done.
You’ll find Snake Pit Studios on the first floor of Marcus’ family home. What once was a garage has since been converted (by Marcus himself) into a live space and cosy control room. The place is clean and minimal. Guitar amps and drum equipment line the milky-white brick walls and a few loose cables slither like the studios namesake towards the middle of the room, open-mouthed in the midday sun.
The 18-year-old has already worked with bands like Bad//Dreems, Bolt Cutter and Ethanol Blend via the space he’s hand-built at Snake Pit Studios. Right now, his catalogue of work surpasses the title of being a ‘bedroom artist’ — a term used to describe musicians who write, record and produce tracks from home. But Marcus’ roots tap into the DIY essence of what a bedroom artist is: being self-taught and remaining fiercely independent.
“I got into music production through my brother. He would make beats on his laptop in his spare time. I was really young – 13 or something,” he explains as we settle in the control room. You can still see the ocean through the glass panelling, its tranquillity flawless enough to mirror the blue sky that cuts into the horizon. “I was just fascinated. I love the process, and I love learning new things and seeing myself improve with a project. It’s addictive.”
The first skill Marcus learned was basic mixing, using plugins like EQ, compression, reverb and saturation on his homemade electronic tracks. YouTube was his initial school of choice and the only gear he had was a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface and a microphone he pinched from his dad. “I’d watch a lot of tutorials, seeing what works and what doesn’t,” he says.
“My first ever job was the Ethanol Blend Anodised album. I got to master that. It was a big breakthrough because it was like, 'Wow, I can actually do this for a living and work with bands'.”
As his interest grew, the then 15-year-old used the money he saved working hospo jobs to upgrade his toolkit. He borrowed some amps from his dad and then “randomly dropped a grand on microphones” so he could record bands – everything from drums to bass and vocals – at home. Finally, the Focusrite Scarlett was swapped for an Apollo interface with an extra eight inputs. Slowly but surely, Snake Pit Studios started to form.
You’ll see Marcus’ impact stamped on countless releases that emerge from down south. At the helm of his DIY mid-coast studio, he’s worked with bands like STELLAR, Freegolf and Outback Cadillac. He even got behind the desk to mix and master his own band, The 745, self-titled debut album.
“Recording the King Jeff & The How Are Yous album [Moon Landing] was a good experience,” Marcus recalls when we ask him about his standout Snake Pit sessions. “Every time they were in here, it felt like a party. That kind of vibe in the studio really helps the record to feel alive.”
Besides, creating a good time in the studio is something the young producer always aims for. “I’d hate for people to be nervous. We’re in front of the beach, so it’s a great spot. People can have a break and go for a swim. I like to keep it relaxed yet productive.”
This all feeds back into what DIY spaces like Snake Pit Studios and bedroom artists provide local music scenes: unique sounds that are the result of individual perspectives (and hours of trial and error). “I think it’s good,” Marcus says when reflecting on the surge of self-taught producers. “I like it when people teach themselves something because it helps them develop their own style, which is more interesting. I think it’s beneficial for the music industry. I think we need more of that.”
As for what he’d tell other teenagers looking to get where he is? “Don’t force anything,” he says. “If it feels right, keep doing it. Just have a crack.”
Stay in the loop with what Snake Pit Studios is up to online here.
Teen Spirit was produced in partnership between Carclew and The Note magazine, supported by the Government of South Australia via the Music Development Office (MDO), the Department for Education and Arts South Australia. Read the full magazine online here.
