When the news came out of the closing of legendary Arlington, Virginia recording studio Inner Ear, the music world was shocked. It marked the end of a legendary run that saw the shuttering of a place that birthed hundreds of classic albums and singles in its 50 year run. More importantly, tribute was paid to owner and operator Don Zientara, the unique and caring soul behind the desk. A new book, The Inner Ear of Don ZIentara, pays tribute to the studio and its owner.

Zientara, a musician who was interested in electronics, started the studio after serving in the Vietnam War. As the nascent DC punk scene began, bands found favor with him and his studio basement. Even though he wasn’t necessarily a fan of the music he was recording, he soon recognized the spirit of what was going on around him and became attentive to the needs of his young clients. 

It’s this concern and care that’s at the heart of most of the book’s nearly 100 commenters—Zientara put his heart into his work and his craft, and the results showed. In one humorous moment, Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye describes getting mad at Zientara for playing around with a mix of Minor Threat’s cover of “Steppin’ Stone.” MacKaye tells him what he thinks, and Zientara explains his rationale for the mix. MacKaye listens to the recording again, and realized this experiment was actually an improvement. Instead of anger, Zientara let him vent, a cooler head prevailing. 

The Inner Ear of Don Zientara is, at heart, a love letter. Stories abound in its pages of just how caring and thoughtful he was as a producer, and the pictures that populate the pages also illustrate just how magical it must have been to record there. And even though the main studio has closed, Zientara is still recording in his home basement—which is where it all began for him decades prior.

Purchase The Inner Ear of Don Zientara: Akashic Books