TONIC: “giving a feeling of vigour or well-being, invigorating.” “something that makes you feel stronger, more enthusiastic, or happier.”

Studiotonic, or as it has already become known, Tonic, has launched to inject positivity into the creative industry’s future. It is an independent music and sound studio, and that Simon Lister is happy about that is palpable.

“What gives me joy is doing what I love and what I enjoy. And that is creating stuff, having a team that I love working with, mentoring them and then giving them a space that we can do that in,” Lister states.

TONIC: “the first and most important note of a diatonic scale, serving as the key’s central home base for melody and harmony.”

Tonic intends to use the strengths of its name.

HANG OUT HERE

“I’ve found over the last couple of years with having this new space in Pyrmont, that it is a real drawcard for us in what we do, because our industry, our clients want to be in this space. They want to hang out with us creating things. So with Tonic we want to reshape what we do with music and have these beautiful studios as a place to experience putting together work that excels, a place where a team thrives, and a space for the community to come down and use in lots of ways,” Lister comments.

That includes events, which are already a feature of the studio – not only because of its gorgeous aesthetics, and its location in Sydney’s music and advertising hub, but also because of its vibe. The studio, a gathering place for creators, is intrinsically cool.

MOTHER NURTURE

“We’ve been through this crazy year, like everybody else. And now I feel, taking on Sydney feels like a fresh start. We want to be in a position where we can add, subtract, and do all those things to make sure that we’re on the right path for our clients and also for ourselves to accommodate what’s next and take some risks. I’ve always liked being a person who pioneers new ideas for what we offer in our industry and what we do as a creative space. And I always want to look at what our youth is doing, the new producers, the new creators, and work out how our experience can bring them up.

What’s quite fun is that Lister’s daughter has designed the logo, one son in New York is helping with the branding and layout, and son, Jackson, is one of the studio’s designers in the studio in Sydney. “Our new branding is more raw, more authentic. It has the exuberance of youth and it’s really Australian,” Lister notes.

FREEDOM FUELLED

Tonic is also invigorating for Lister personally. “I want to get back on the tools. The last years have been more about admin and that has taken me away a little bit from what my passion is. We’re no longer part of a wider network. And because we’re in a different region as well, we operate differently and we have different thoughts and tastes, so allowing myself to be a bit more free to do what my vision was for the business is awesome. I get to move the studio forward with the vision that I always had for it – and with the whole team. They’re all very excited to come across and be part of that.”

The value of the experience of working with Squeak E. Clean across international markets is not lost on the team, not least of which is “understanding what the industry needs from us and from myself,” Lister notes. But the team’s new focus is local and uplifting. 

“We have a better connection with our clients being local and we want to concentrate on local work, on our local clients, because that’s where our relationships are mostly. I am driven by the desire to foster creativity with the local community and explore ideas without any limitation,” Lister explains.

GRIT & TONIC

At its heart, Tonic, intends to be the champion of innovation, authenticity and artistic freedom. The mix of music industry and advertising industry inventiveness that built its reputation adds now to a deep desire to reinvigorate both, to be a positive force shaping the future of creative work in Australia. 

The team? It’s a credit to Lister, and to the company culture, that the whole team has stayed to be part of Tonic. Simon Lister, owner & executive creative director. Laura-Leigh Smith, executive producer (ex-EP at String and Tins in London). Emma Duncan, chief executive producer (back from maternity leave in February, meanwhile Laura-Leigh is managing post). Emma Hoy, executive music director. Cam Milne, creative director & sound designer. Jackson Lister, music & sound engineer. Lina Carr-Gomm is head of finance and operations. And new to the team, Amanda Lister, is creating the space design.

Of course, Simon Lister on fire is the ultimate creator – an intrepid adventurer (with or without motorbike), photographer and director, who has managed to meld all three into his philanthropic verve. He is also in the middle of a documentary series, with Heckler editor, Andrew Holmes, examining education under adversity. Episode #1 documents the challenges in the jungles of West Papua; episode #1 (about to be shot) centres on novices in a Buddhist convent in a small town called Bodhgaya in India, and episode #3 will explore education among Indigenous Australians.   

And on fire Lister is. “This is such a great space. We all love working here. So having the new business is really giving me a new lease of life. This new venture gives me joy and joy is infectious. We’re ready to explore fresh ideas, nurture local talent and redefine what’s possible within the industry.”