Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Tony Rolando and Kelly Kelbel of the Asheville-based modular synthesizer manufacturer Make Noise have purchased the building at 414 Haywood Road that recently went up for sale. (The building is across the street from Harvest Records.) The building had been home to Nicole McConville and David McConville, founder of The Elumenati, a design and engineering company that uses software and inflatable domes to project sound and images.
Make Noise is currently based out of a relatively small space on Carolina Lane in downtown Asheville. It’s unclear whether Rolando and Kelbel will move the business to West Asheville.
Make Noise is a darling on the mod synth manufacturing scene. Earlier this year, Make Noise won an editor’s choice award from Electronic Musician for one of its products. Edward Arnaudin, writing for Mountain Xpress in July 2014, noted that Make Noise products designed by Rolando, who once worked for Moog Music, have been garnering attention from an international audience.
After a brief stint in West Asheville, Make Noise now operates out of a downtown space on Carolina Lane. A staff of six builds and tests the current line — 18 individual modules and seven systems — which are then sold all over the world. “Folks who play Eurorack modular synths we’ve found to be a rather lovely group who build community with one another,” says Kelbel. The same holds true for folks in Asheville, she continues.
Daft Punk, Alessandro Cortini and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and Stewart Pico Cole of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are among the well-known artists who’ve purchased Make Noise systems or modules.
Image link for 414 Haywood Road.
So glad a rad, local company like Make Noise is gonna be in the neighborhood!
Good choice for new occupants. Welcome to West Asheville!
That’s a really cool looking building.
It used to be a bank. I hope they keep the artwork on the sides of the building when they move in.