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Help Fund This Documentary Featuring Dave Grohl, Billy Corgan, and Shirley Manson

dave grohl, butch vig, smart studios

Between 1982 and 2010, Butch Vig’s Smart Studios served as an alt-rock fortress in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded by Vig and fellow Garbage member Steve Marker, the now-defunct space was involved in the creation of many notable records, including Nirvana’s Nevermind, Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish, Garbage’s Version 2.0, and, more recently, Death Cab for Cutie’s Plans and Narrow Stairs. Now, Smart Studios is the subject of a proposed documentary that’s in need of funding. Director Wendy Schneider has started a Kickstarter campaign that’s aiming to raise a total of $120,000 on behalf of The Smart Studios Story.

To drum up interest in the doc, Schneider has shared a trailer that features appearances by Dave Grohl, Billy Corgan, Shirley Manson, and Vig himself. “Butch was one of the first producers to come out of the underground that really wanted to turn your noisy garage band into something that the whole world would love,” Grohl says in the preview.

“It’s pretty fascinating when you think of Smart Studios,” Corgan says, “All the magic moments that happened in basically this little shithole.”

Watch the trailer above (take note of the shout-out to SPIN‘s 1992 cover story on Nirvana) and head over to Kickstarter for more information on The Smart Studios Story. As of time of writing, the project has raised more than $26,000 of its goal and has 23 days left until its March 30 deadline. Donation incentives include a credit in the film, a thank you card autographed by musicians who have recorded at Smart Studios, and dinner and drinks with Vig and Marker.