Papa Doc Studios Expands Its Services

Pop culture has a rich history of cool subterranean spaces.  For instance, how much of Batman’s cool comes from his tricked out underground cave?

In music, many bands have legendarily started in a basement.  Heck, even The Beatles early journey passed through the basement of a fruit warehouse called the Cavern Club.

Bay County has its own addition to this illustrious tradition in Papa Doc Studios, the audio / video studio that has developed over time in the basement of Steve Schnettler. 

As Schnettler tells the story, “Papa Doc Studios was originally created as a space for my kids, Shannon and Steven, and their friends to explore their musical creativity. Built during their teenage years, the studio is still in daily use. It started with them recording their own music and videos, eventually expanding to include local bands like the Seagulls, Hedgerow, Winaschnitzel, Legend Scroll, and Hell Bound Drifters.”

“In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Shannon and Steven decided to livestream for entertainment. After several successful streams, the Barbarossa Brothers contacted the studio to host their livestream for the 2021 Spread the Music Festival, organized by the Michigan Music Alliance. With the help of our late friend Charles Williams on sound, the event was a success, and we embraced live streaming as the studio's primary focus.”

After the pandemic, the family faced a fire that delayed rebuilding the house and studio for over a year. By summer 2023, they were moved back in with new equipment, and starting the current incarnation of livestreams and live music videos.

Schnettler continued, “In 2024, we hosted approximately two live streams per month featuring local bands, including Euclid Motel, Kush Robison, Hedgerow, Hell Bound Drifters, Winaschnitzel, Legend Scroll, Lori & the Darlings, Adaboy, Mark Blomsteel from Nashville, Twenty Dollar Dog, Sprout and the Orange, Val Hazel, and Vlad's Skeletal Circus, among others.”

“We still have several more bands in the lineup for the rest of 2024 including, Shannon and Stephanie Noel, The Smokie Links, Hiding Salem, The White Oranges at the end of 2024, The Road Dawgz. The year has been focused on promoting local talent, allowing us to test new equipment without charge. “

On the evening that I attended, Sprout and The Orange assembled for a lively set of selections culled from their legendary live sets, with a smattering of pieces from Aaron Johnson’s Odd Shape Puzzle Project.  Watching a band like that in a space like this is why underground music has its reputation.  A treat even if it isn’t always Halloween.

The production is impressive, as the in-person experience is well captured by the array of audio  and video equipment assembled by Steven Schnettler and his cousin Chad Baldwin.  It is an enjoyable experience out in the “live room,” in the isolated control booth, or if you happen to catch the live stream or Youtube replay.

The studio series has gained sufficient interest that the Schnettlers have been fielding inquiries from bands wanting to produce live videos and promotional materials.

After much discussion the studio team decided to help fill this untapped need in our local musical market.

Steve Schnettler explained the plan.

“Starting in 2025, we will introduce a fee of $300 for livestreams, which includes lighting, sound, and camera services. This package includes a recorded file of the entire livestream, promotional photos, promotion through our Facebook and YouTube channels, and one song/music video with a title, cover photo, and mixed audio for our YouTube channel. This will also help expand your audience.

“We are partnering with Baldwin Media, which will provide initial photos and theoption to create a promotional video for an additional cost.”

You can find Papa Doc Studios on Facebook and YouTube to watch their live streams.  Contact them directly through these platforms if you are interested in being part of the 2025 schedule.