Over the past several years, ZUMIX has partnered with Converse in various ways. The shoe and apparel giant has supported ZUMIX financially, donated hundreds of sneakers for an annual ZUMIX community giveaway, and invited ZUMIX students and staff to visit their Boston headquarters.
Last fall, ZUMIX ensemble Pop Rocks was one of several ZUMIX groups to visit and record at Converse’s on-site Rubber Tracks studio. Angelina Botticelli, ZUMIX teaching artist and alumna, shared some impressions from the group’s trip to Rubber Tracks.
“This was the band’s first in-studio experience,” Angelina explained. “Seeing their faces light up when they put their headphones on and heard themselves playing these state-of-the-art instruments was the moment they collectively bonded as a band in a way they hadn’t before.”
Although the moment brought some nerves, Angelina added, “My young people are so supportive of one another, and the experience helped them gain more confidence, not only as a band, but as individual musicians. They each left the studio that day more well-rounded and with a greater sense of self.”
During the session, the band had to navigate a very different setup than their usual onstage configuration. “Body language, band member proximity, and stage presence is as integral to the energy of a performance as playing the right notes and rhythms,” Angelina noted. “My students learned a lot from adjusting to being in a studio together, and they took their time to find a level of comfort.”
Katie Quintero, Pop Rocks’ lead singer, performed in an enclosed vocal booth at Rubber Tracks–a wildly different experience than her usual position at the front of the band. “Katie is used to jumping around on stage,” Angelina says. “She derives a lot of her vocal performance from the energy she gives and receives from her bandmates and the audience. It was fascinating seeing her find that same energy in a vocal booth.”
Other members of the band brought a different kind of energy to the studio.
“Our session was on the eve of Halloween,” says Angelina. “So, naturally, the students dressed up! I’ll never forget the second when Jasper, our drummer, went into the control room for the first time. He immediately found a wall outlet, dropped his bags, pulled out a huge crumpled-up onesie, stepped in, plugged the cord attached to the onesie into the wall, and revealed that he was in fact a six-foot inflatable capybara. We were laughing so hard there were tears streaming down our faces. This all happened so fast that I don’t even think he had said hi to everyone on the Converse team yet. Jasper kept the costume on until he realized he wouldn’t be able to fit behind the drum set with it on–and also, it didn’t have arm holes.”
Although Rubber Tracks features high-quality equipment, the students still had to adjust to playing and recording on different instruments than those at ZUMIX. This was a key learning moment, Angelina says: “The guitarists, bassist, and keyboardist all had to work with Converse’s engineer to fine tune their mix. This provided them a great opportunity to hone their communication skills inside the studio–not only about their own instruments’ needs, but also about how to build a relationship with a sound engineer.” 
During the session, a few technical issues gave Brian Fortin, Pop Rocks’ guitarist and vocalist, a chance to put his Z-Tech skills into action. “That was an incredibly educational and hands-on opportunity for Brian,” says Angelina. “ It was incredibly meaningful to him to be welcomed into that conversation by the engineer and converse team. He made contributions to the troubleshooting that eventually made it possible for Pop Rocks to record that day.”
Aside from the recording session itself, the students also enjoyed getting to spend time in the Converse space.
“An important part of any studio experience is the hang that happens beforehand,” Angelina says. “The Converse team welcomed us into their space and allowed the youth to make the place their home for the evening. Some of their favorite moments were getting to shoot hoops, play pool, and pile up on the couches eating pizza. They really appreciated getting to spend time with each other and see a different side of Converse. What started out in their minds as a mega fashion brand was now humanized into a place in their hometown where they feel a sense of belonging.”
Overall, the band’s recording experience at Rubber Tracks was both fun and educational, says Angelina.
“We’re all so grateful for the opportunities Converse provides, and their undivided support of ZUMIX’s work. As someone who’s grown up wearing and viewing Converse as a brand that’s always embraced and celebrated the kids of rock and roll, it’s beyond my wildest dreams that my own students of rock and roll get to say they’ve recorded at Converse’s studio!”
