Killpop Studio Revolutionizing the Music Standard in Downtown Payson

Pictured (l-r): Elmer Hartman, Kris Hartman, and T.J. Billmire play “Yours Truly” at Killpop Studio. Photos by Denise Windley (see more at Virtual Vaksen)

By Denise Windley

Tucked inside the august brick building on the southeast corner of Utah Avenue and Main is a place where musicians and technology meet.  Enter in from building’s north side, pass by the arcade games flashing nostalgia near the vault storing barren bonds from the infamous Payson Exchange Savings Bank, then follow the music down the staircase to the floor below.  Here you will find Killpop Studio.  It’s a new state-of-the-art recording studio promising to revolutionize the music standard, right in Payson’s historic downtown.

Killpop Studio’s arrival to Payson nearly a month ago brought high quality recording and production capabilities to musicians living in the local area, as well as artists who are expected to travel in from abroad.  Its opening marked the realization of a dream for local businessman and musician, Eli Smith, and his brother, Ziah Smith.

“When we moved here, we just really wanted to restore this building and get some stuff happening here,” said Eli.

Killpop Studio owner, Eli Smith before running the equipment during last week’s Rockhound session.

The Smith brothers chose first to help fill a local need by providing a fun and safe gathering place for youth.  They brought in retro and modern video and board games, and began organizing gaming tournaments for patrons at their first business venture in the historic downtown building, opening GameLand World in the summer of 2012.

Eli's Old Fashioned Ice Cream & Soda Shop, a vintage Americana-style ice cream parlor, soda, and sandwich shop, seemed an ideal fit for the building’s front-side located at 7 South Main Street.  The shop opened in 2015 and quickly became a favorite eatery among residents and visitors to Payson.

“But the studio’s really what I always wanted to do most,” said Eli as he readied his gear to work on a session lined up last week. “It’s what I love: doing music.”

While Eli holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics, he has taken an ample number of music classes throughout his lifetime.  Formal lessons aside, “Most of my music training is just from doing it,” he explained, citing a few of the notable projects the multi-talented artist has worked on, either as performing musician, DJ, or as producer.

“One of them was Giant Drag,” he said, referring to the Los Angeles-based Indie rock band he played with for a time.  “We were on Interscope Records.  There’s a lot of other ones. I worked in LA for about ten years doing music.  We had a studio in LA.  The record label that I founded, about eight years ago, is called Killpop Records.  We’ve put out a lot of songs.”

Eli brought his company’s state-of-the-art recording equipment and software to Payson--several that range in value from $10,000-$20,000.  He brought with him also the intention to produce high quality music as affordably as possible.

“Most studios are really pricey,” he said. “We have the experience and equipment and software to provide that.  We love to do that, so we figured we would do it for a really reasonable price in Payson, because there is nothing down here like this.  In Provo and Salt Lake there’s some pretty good studios, but they’re more expensive.”

Mastering, which is done with Killpop’s top-of-the-line analog and software gear, is offered free to clients. “Which is one noteable thing,” said Eli. “If you do a song here, or even if you have us do mixing only, we do that.  Like if someone was able to record good audio somewhere else, they can send us the tracks and we can mix and master.”

The services extend beyond recordings into professional photography and music video filming and editing. “Everything from cameras, editing software, stands, rail tracks, and a crane anything is possible. Your music video will compete with pros,” notes a post on Killpop’s Facebook page.

“We want it to be like an all inclusive package,” said Eli. “ You can get anything you need, in terms of your music project.”

Salem musician Elmer Hartman couldn’t wait for the new studio to open.  “I was excited when I found out these guys were doing these things,” he said.

Elmer Hartman before the recording of his song “Yours Truly” at Killpop Studios.

Elmer heard about them from his cousin, Kris Hartman, who is also a musician.  “I was here a couple of weeks before they were ready,” said Elmer.  “I was knocking on their door, going, ‘I’m ready, man, I’m ready!’”

He would turn to his cousin Kris again soon after when he needed a musician to step in on bass guitar for sessions Elmer scheduled under his musical moniker, Rockhound.

“Rockhound” arrived at Killpop’s doorstep with a remarkable musical background of his own. He earned an Associates Degree in Music after attending Modesto Junior College in California on scholarship, then majored in Music Education at California State University, Sacramento, again on scholarship.  He tutored and taught his peers along the way.  Elmer switched schools and his major to Violin Performance at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, studying vigorously while there under Barbara Scowcroft, Assistant Concertmaster for the Utah Symphony, and he played for years in the Utah Philharmonia and the University of Utah Symphony.

Elmer considers himself a baroque composer.  “I write orchestral pieces and instrumental fugues and canons and the line,” he said, “and plan on entering a string quartet into an international competition competition this year.”  His sessions at Killpop Studios are a response to a call for good old rock and roll.

Pictured left: Elmer Hartman (left) prepares for session as T.J. Billmire (right) looks on.

Other artists have lined up behind him for the opportunity to record at the new studio in Payson.  “We have some people coming in from out of town, from LA, to work on some projects, too,” Eli said.  

English synthpop musician Frankmusik is among them.  “He’s a friend of mine from years ago,” he added.  “We’ve worked together on a lot of stuff and he’s a really amazing songwriter.”

T.J. Billmire inside Killpop Studios.

T.J. Billmire works as Killpop’s engineer and producer, as well as the occasional studio musician, as was the case for at least two of Rockhound’s recordings when he filled in on drums.

“Oh, man, these guys are the best,” Elmer said as he readied his guitar and mic for his third recording last week--an original song called “Yours Truly” with his cousin Kris and Killpop’s multi-talented T.J.

“They go above and beyond the call of duty,” said Elmer.  “They make me sound good!”

The studio is providing not only Killpop’s clients with the services and tools required to develop their projects in exciting ways as.  “It’s cool, because the studio’s here for the public, to be able to- you know, there’s so many people out there that have amazing songs and ideas, but they don’t have the means to record like a really professional recording” said Eli.  “And then, you know, we work on our own music here. It’s like an added bonus.”

Pictured right: T.J. Billmire on drums