Episode 300

David Trumfio: The Future of Studio Ownership

Dave Trumfio doesn’t just make records, he builds the rooms where records come alive. A Los Angeles–based producer, mixer, engineer, and musician, Trumfio has quietly shaped decades of indie and alternative music, with a sonic fingerprint that runs through artists like Wilco, Built to Spill, OK Go, and Sia.

He first broke through in the 90s as co-founder of The Pulsars, a cult synth-pop duo with his brother Harry that earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s list of greatest one-album wonders. At the same time, he embedded himself in the underground as bassist and co-songwriter for the long-running post-punk collective The Mekons, adding grit to an already unruly legacy.

Behind the console, Trumfio became a go-to architect for artists chasing character over polish, with credits spanning My Morning Jacket, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Dogstar. But his biggest innovation might be the spaces themselves. As founder of Kingsize Soundlabs, he pioneered a modern “producer-driven” studio model, later expanding that vision through partnerships with Gold-Diggers and 64 Sound, blending hospitality, community, and high-end recording into a new creative ecosystem.

Outside the studio, he channels his restless energy into Damaged Disco, a label and LA event series steeped in post-punk and darkwave, while continuing to release music as Nervous Boy and perform electronic sets as DAT68.

Trumfio’s career is less a straight line and more a feedback loop, artist, engineer, entrepreneur, repeat. The common thread: a lifelong obsession with sound, and the instinct to build the culture around it, not just capture it.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

Should you start your own studio or use existing studios?
Why he sold a $300K+ Neve console and what he replaced it with
The 5-year industry cycle that dictates which studios survive
Why the "if you build it, they will come" mentality kills most studios
The real reason big studios are disappearing (and what's replacing them)
Why "greatest hits" gear beats boutique esoteric pieces every time
How AI is pushing everything toward perfection will create demand for raw, human recordings
The one thing you need to invest in if you're starting a studio today
Future-proofing your studio

To learn more about David Trumfio, visit: https://www.kingsizesoundlabs.com/

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