Kris Hilbert, 28, Music Master
Kris Hilbert’s home base is a small, dark gray-painted brick building tucked away in Glenwood. There’s no sign on the storefront, but even if you knew the name – “Legitimate Business” – it wouldn’t hint at what’s going on inside.
This is Kris’ kingdom, a soundproof musical play land where punk and metal bands lay down tracks under Kris’ watchful eye.
Kris, 28, is Legitimate Business’ producer and engineer.
He’s got a cadre of vintage and modern equipment, a vast collection of instruments and – most importantly — a trained ear.
“It’s definitely a process,” he explains, “I’m continuing to try stuff and I’m always learning.”
Recording music started out as a hobby, but quickly morphed into something bigger.
“I started out doing some recording for friends and friends of friends and we needed a place that was better than a home recording (studio),” he says. After the first 6 months, “the puzzle pieces fell into place.”
Kris has recorded with more than 100 bands, including the experimental fusion progressive rock band Trioscapes, the side project Dan Briggs of Between the Buried and Me, a Raleigh progressive metal band
“I record anything that is left of center – stuff you wouldn’t hear on the radio from extreme metal to indie rock,” Kris explained, “My favorite music to produce is anything that is trying to create sounds I haven’t heard – bands that are genuinely trying to do something that is different.”
