Meet Dan Joeright | Musician, Engineer & Studio Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dan Joeright and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dan, how do you think about risk?
Taking risks has always been a part of my life and I think taking risks is necessary if you want to succeed, especially if you’re carving out your own path. A career in the arts is a risky business. Taking a risk can be fun though if you look at it as an adventure and don’t get too attached to a specific outcome. Something unexpected might happen and I try to keep my eyes open for what opportunities or lessons can be had from the unexpected.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a musician first but also a studio owner, engineer and producer. I have a band called Earth Moon Earth which I produce, write and play drums in. We work primarily out of my recording studio in Joshua Tree – Gatos Trail – and occasionally play shows around California and the West Coast.

I’ve been in the music business a long time starting out as a drummer playing shows and touring. At one point I started writing songs and recording them in my bedroom on a 4 track cassette recorder. Over time my engineering and writing skills began to grow as well as the physical space and the gear I was using. After recording my former band – The Rentals – out of my garage in Hollywood in 2007, I got more serious about engineering and did some touring as a front of house engineer. All of that lead to me building a recording studio out in Joshua Tree in 2014 and that’s primarily where I’ve been ever since.

Studio ownership comes with a lot of challenges, maybe more so than anything else I’ve done. Everything from keeping up with gear maintenance and learning new software to fixing electrical and plumbing issues. None of it has been easy but what I’ve learned most is not to be afraid to jump into something new. Even at times when I was super nervous and not really sure about what I was doing it usually worked out in the end. Ask questions, phone a friend, do what you have to do to figure it out. I think the best way to learn something is by doing it, at least it is for me.

Gatos Trail Recording Studio is the culmination of all my past experience and I’ve been growing and learning new things ever since we opened. Part of what makes Gatos Trail special is not just the studio which is housed in a rustic barn but the way the property is laid out and curated. There are 2 vintage travel trailers and a ranch house as we offer on-sight lodging. There is also an outdoor stage for live music events and of course a hot tub under the stars. I built my dream studio in a beautiful location – the Joshua Tree desert – and when I get to share it with others it makes me very happy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Here’s my itinerary for a fun week if you’re coming to hang out with me in California – here we go!

Day 1 – I pick you up from LAX and we go directly to Zuma Beach in Malibu so we can calibrate your chakras to the “California” setting. After a few hours of beach time, soaking in the sun, getting in the water and watching the kite surfers etc.. we head over to the Sunset Restaurant to see bar tender extraordinaire Irene for a mid-day cocktail. Then we pack up and head east through Kanan Dume Rd with a stop at an old general store turned classic canyon restaurant – The Old Place for some amazing open fire food and friendly rustic atmosphere. After that we head to Hollywood for a night cap or two at the Electric Owl and then hit the sack to get some much needed rest.

Day 2 – We get up and head to Millie’s in Silverlake for some Huevos Rancheros before we hit the road for Joshua Tree. On the road to Joshua Tree we stop off in Riverside to visit “The Cheech” museum which houses Cheech Marins’ amazing Chicano Art collection. Back on the road we arrive in Yucca Valley and swing by the market for some Tomahawk steaks which I will be grilling for us this evening. From there we head to my desert property – Gatos Trail – to chill out with a cool refresher before we start grilling up those steaks!

Day 3 – We head out to Joshua Tree National Park but first we stop off at The Roadrunner Cafe to grab some “to go” bites to take into the park for an after hike picnic. Hidden Valley is my favorite hike in the park so we do that first, have lunch and then head up to Key’s view for the most amazing views of Palm Springs you’re ever gonna see! There are hours of wondrous landscapes to explore so our route through the park is a game time decision, all I know is we need to get back to the Copper Room in Yucca Valley by 5 O’clock for happy hour sunset cocktails followed by dinner and live Jazz.

Day 4 – We take the day off and hangout ranch style cooking at home and taking in the desert views, listening to vinyl records, shooting bb guns and throwing horse shoes then after dark heading to the hot tub for stargazing while listening to strange desert tales and folklore of the American southwest via the Desert Oracle podcast.

Day 5 – It’s probably time to realign those chakras again so we’ll head out to the Integratron in Landers for a much needed sound bath. We’ll leave there floating on air so we’ll just float down to La Copine – a high desert gem, for an amazing late breakfast. In the evening we will have to do an obligatory trip to Pioneertown – a former movie set for western films built in the 40’s, turned tourist destination peppered with gift shops – for a Mane street stroll. Pioneertown is also home to the Red Dog Saloon and Pappy and Harriet’s so we’ll stick around for live music, ice cold beer, road house BBQ and/or Tacos depending on how we’re feeling.

Day 6 – Let’s head back to LA shall we?! But on the way out we’ll stop at the Frontier Cafe in Yucca Valley for a breakfast sandwich and if you’d like to do some desert shopping before we hit the highway The Hoof and Horn is right next door for the high desert’s best fashions and lifestyle wears. If you want to shop some vintage The End is the high desert’s most amazing spot for carefully curated vintage clothing and is also near by.

Day 6 cont. -Back in Los Angeles it’s early evening and probably time to stretch the legs with a hike up Runyon Canyon then let’s get cleaned up and gear up for your last night. I’d give you a choice of dinner spots between Pace in Laurel Canyon serving up Italian food where you get the feel of all the rock history that was made nearby or Musso & Franks classic steakhouse / oldest restaurant in Hollywood on Hollywood Blvd. After dinner let’s hit a good spot for independent live music and cocktails in the industrial style environment of Harvard and Stone. If we’re still feeling restless after that we can head on over to the old dive / burlesque / bikini bar Jumbos Clown Room which is just a couple stumble weeds down the road.

Day 7 – I’m exhausted! It’s time for you to go home already!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My most obvious and deserving shoutout would be to my wife – Zoe Joeright. She’s put up with a lot from me and my career and has always been supportive. A lot of spouses wouldn’t be able to roll with the ups and downs of a life in the music/entertainment industry and she has never wavered. Zoe is definitely my #1 shoutout.

Website: https://www.gatostrail.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gatostrail/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-joeright-84607b8/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gatostrail

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gatostrail/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gatos-trail-recording-studio-yucca-valley

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTqkNyojEM-eQqCLK6vwdEg

Image Credits
Dan Joeright Zoe Joeright Mark Maryanovich Sergiu Gherman Slater Robles