Inside “The Church” A Sonic Holy Grail for Rock Legends and Sound Smiths

Tucked into the sun-baked sprawl of Cathedral City stands a holy temple of a different kind. Once a mid-century modern church built in 1960 by the architectural firm Pleger, Blurock, Hougan & Ellerbroek, this 7,075-square-foot building has been revitalized as one of the desert’s most exciting and unconventional recording studios—aptly named The Church.

Joshua Tree Voice caught up with road warrior and sound sage Ron Mesh mid-caravan, steering Guns N’ Roses toward their next tour stop. After decades supporting legends like GNR, Billy Gibbons, Collective Soul, and Tower of Power on the road, Mesh enjoys down time under desert skies, planting roots in a creative oasis. He’s joined forces with Jay Nailor and MiShell Modern—the visionary couple behind Palm Springs’ iconic Shag Store and tireless champions of mid-century modern design—to transform a forgotten sanctuary into a full-blown sonic cathedral.

Ron Mesh isn’t just any road dog—he’s a vital component behind some of the biggest live acts in the game. Before he was wrangling global tours for rock legends, he was cutting his teeth in the raw, sweat-soaked clubs of Rochester, New York, mixing bands like The Chesterfield Kings, Uncle Sam, and The Essentials. His golden ear and no-BS work ethic carried him across the U.S. and Europe before he made the leap to Los Angeles in 1999, where he transitioned from front-of-house engineer to trusted tour manager. He also ran Advanced Audio Services, a go-to live sound company in the Northeast for over 20 years, making him a behind-the-scenes heavyweight in both tech and tone.

“We were just hanging out during COVID,” Mesh recalls, “Jay and MiShell had bought the place and promised the original owners they’d preserve it. At first, we thought maybe it’d be a rehearsal space, something small for friends. Aaaaand then, it got out of hand.” Once Jay Minkin, a renowned studio designer got wind of it, things escalated fast. Minkin drove out from Los Angeles, fell in love with the concept, and helped design a state-of-the-art control room that now anchors the hybrid analog/digital space.

At the core of the 3,500 square foot studio portion of the property, formerly the worship hall, lies its crown jewel: the sprawling 1600 square foot live room with enough sonic real estate to capture a full orchestra in flight. Ever the enthusiast and a devoted fan of iconic desert studios like Rancho De La Luna, Mesh noted, “There’s nothing this size out there;” adding with his voice buzzing with creative energy, “I can see us collaborating – tracking something bigger here, then mixing back in the hi-desert.”

The studio’s aesthetics are as much a vibe as a sound machine. MiShell infused her love of mid-century design into every focal point. The original pews and carpet were stripped away, revealing sleek concrete floors. The walls now wear soft soundproofing panels printed with Shag’s iconic retro flair, mimicking weathered concrete. A massive 14-foot viewing window into the control room is framed with sculptural, cement-colored acoustic ridges—brutalist with a wink.

Despite the concrete and high ceilings, there’s no echoey mess here. The room is shockingly tight and balanced, thanks to careful acoustic treatment. It’s a space built not just to impress, but to perform.

From the beginning, the sessions have been all killer, no filler. The first band to break the studio in? Rising pop-metal crew S8NT ELEKTRIC, featuring London Hudson (yes, Slash’s son) behind the kit. The grand opening? A live set by Grace McKagen (Duff’s daughter). Since then, it’s been mostly friends and word-of-mouth—because once artists walk in, they never want to leave.

On one lucky visit, veteran Atlanta engineer Shawn Grove (Collective Soul, Sevendust, Matchbox Twenty) happened to be in town. Ron paired him with local garage-punk powerhouse The After Lashes, led by a fierce female driven lineup. Studio magic ensued. In-house engineer Brian Moore keeps sessions humming, while Grove still drops in to lend his golden ears.

In just a short time, The Church has drawn an impressive list of artists to its quietly iconic walls. Drop-ins are frequent by friends Ed Roland (Collective Soul), Billy Gibbons, and John Garcia. And with vintage gems like a 65-year-old Hammond B3, a Mini Moog synth, a theremin, and the two-track tape machine used on Metallica’s debut, it’s a sandbox for sonic experimentation.

The Church isn’t just a studio. It’s a creative sanctuary—equal parts retro art piece and cutting-edge sound lab. Built on friendship, preserved in style, and humming with possibility. It’s the kind of place where music doesn’t just get recorded, like the sanctuary itself, it is reborn.

More about the heavy hitter visitors and the incredible facility on their IG: @thechurchstudios