One of the most sought-after producers in the indie rock music scene has been based in a small studio in Conshohocken for more than a decade, working with the likes of Lauryn Hill, the Fray and Turnstile. But Will Yip is moving even closer to home, opening a new record space in South Philly that he hopes will become one of the biggest hubs for chart-topping rock stars in the country.
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Yip, 38, who grew up in Northeast Philly and graduated from Central High School, recalled being heavily influenced by cassette tapes of Dr. Dre and Nirvana, which he said opened his eyes to the “grungier” side of music. When he was a teenager, Yip and his friends pooled their money together to record a song in a small studio in a Northeast Philly row home, which inspired him to ask for a job running rehearsal rooms.
“I wasn’t the easiest person being in a band with because I had a strong vision,” he said. “When I got into the studio, I said ‘Wait, this is what I was meant to do.’ I want to help artists fulfill their vision. I knew that from the moment I walked into the studio.”
Yip studied recording at Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication, where he honed in his skills under the mentorship of Grammy Award-winning producer and adjunct professor Phil Nicolo, who owns the acclaimed Studio 4 in Conshohocken.
While his primary musical influences come from hip-hop and punk records, Yip said his taste as a producer can’t easily be pinned down. He credited the city’s gritty, hard-working reputation for introducing him to so many types of artists.
“I’m not a sound guy and I’m not a technical guy,” he said. “I just want the best songs. That’s why I work with artists from all these different genres. … I just wanted to be around musicians, and that is what Philly gave me.”
Known for his unrelenting work ethic and dedication to his craft, Yip has worked as a recording engineer for Panic! At the Disco, Keane and Citizen. He also spent five years on tour with Hill as a drummer and sound engineer and his work on Pittsburgh-based metal band Code Orange’s albums “Forever” in 2017 and “Underneath” in 2020 earned him two Grammy Award nominations for Best Metal Performance.
The Center City resident has also made a point to work with bands from the region, including Mannequin Pussy, the Disco Biscuits, Superheaven and Flycatcher.
“People ask me ‘Why don’t you do this in L.A.’ and I’m like ‘No. My home is Philly,'” he said. “Philly is the capital for indie rock in the world. I will stand by that. … Philly has given me so much, and I want to give something back and leave it better than when I found it.”
Yip’s career is reaching new heights with the success of his work with Turnstile on their 2025 album “Never Enough.” The Baltimore-based band is nominated for five Grammy Awards this year and made history as the first group to be nominated for rock, alternative and metal categories in the same year.
“We would joke when I was working with Turnstile in 2016-17, like ‘Dude, how cool would it be if we went to the Grammys together one day?’ and now we’re going to the Grammys,” Yip said. “I think [the Philly area] has always bred some of the best guitar music bands and artists in the world. It just so happens that now the world wants it. … So this is a really special time.”
Yip partnered with Run for Cover Records to form his Memory Music label in 2015, which has released projects for Anthony Green and Turnover. For nearly two decades, he has worked in Studio 4 as a partner, which he called his “dream studio.” But he noticed the space lacked certain features offered by competitors in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville.
“I was just inspired by bands having to find bigger studios outside of Philadelphia with more resources, more amenities and more gear,” he said. “I really felt that our scene here is growing and deserves more. I wanted to help give these artists a reason to stay in Philadelphia.”
Provided Image/A1R MEDIAMemory Music Studios, located in an undisclosed section of South Philly’s Whitman area, opened Thursday and is already booked for the next few months.
With Memory Music Studios, Yip is aiming to create a recording space so state-of-the-art that it attracts musicians from around the country. It features four studio spaces, three live rooms, two lounges, arcade games, a pool table and a bar designed by the same architects that worked on CookNSolo’s acclaimed restaurants Zahav, Laser Wolf and Jaffa Bar.
Provided Image/A1R MEDIAWill Yip’s new recording space features four studio spaces, three live rooms, two lounges, arcade games, a pool table and a bar.
While the studio, which is located in an undisclosed section of South Philly’s Whitman area, is officially opening Thursday, Yip said it’s already booked for the next few months.
“I just want to give a reason for great talent to come to Philly to make music and … to see the city and what it has to offer through the lens I do,” Yip said.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.phillyvoice.com ’
