Since 1988, Pachyderm Studio has made a name for itself as one of the premiere recording studios in the country. In addition to the impressive roster of bands who have already recorded there — which includes Babes in Toyland, Nirvana, and Soul Asylum — Pachyderm still attracts musicians to its serene, reclusive space, which is nestled in Cannon Falls, Minn.

"There are about 4,000 people now, and when I was growing up we were about 1,800," Cannon Falls resident Dick Mensing told The Current Rewind producer Cecilia Johnson. His parents, Donald and Marian Mensing, built the house that now hosts musicians who record at Pachyderm Studio.

Don Mensing moved to Cannon Falls to help with his father's malt company, and he hired architect Herb Bloomberg to design a house in town. Bloomberg added many unique touches to the house, including its pool and cavernous great room.

After Don Mensing and his wife Marian passed, Jim Nickel bought the property and began constructing the recording studio, which lies approximately 50 yards from the house. Nickel, along with Pachyderm co-founders Mark Walk and Eric S. Anderson, left their mark on the blueprints.

"Jim and Eric and Mark had a band called Mean Old Elephant before they decided to open a studio." says Brent Sigmeth, longtime Pachyderm recording engineer. "If you look at what would be the overhead layout, like blueprint, of the studio, it's supposed to look like an elephant head, with the ears on the side."

Unlike other recording studios, where artists might drop in for a few hours each day, musicians settle into the old Mensing home for their full tenure at Pachyderm. While recording, a band might stay for days or weeks at a time, giving them plenty of opportunity to soak in the surrounding nature or explore downtown Cannon Falls. While Cannon Falls is only about 40 miles outside of Minneapolis, its small-town atmosphere provides a stark contrast to the Twin Cities.

"In Minneapolis, you expect to see musicians everywhere, whereas in Cannon Falls it has that small-town vibe, and it was funny for me to [imagine] PJ Harvey walking around Cannon Falls," says drummer Nadirah McGill, who came to Cannon Falls to record Gully Boys's debut album Not So Brave. "I already felt like I stood out walking around there. I was like, 'This is small town for sure.'"

Cannon Falls earned its name from the falls of the Cannon River, which cuts through the center of the town. Each year, the river attracts tourists, who enjoy canoeing or hiking along the Cannon Valley Trail.

While in town, musicians might grab a donut at Hi Quality Bakery or browse the shelves of Antiques on 4th, although some musicians prefer to settle into Pachyderm rather than venture into town. "We joke around about some of the local bars. [They're] such a different environment when you're just hanging out with your closest friends, and then you go in and everyone knows that you're from the studio, just by the way you look," recording engineer Nick Tveitbakk told Johnson.

While recording the album Good News for Modern Man, Sigmeth and Grant Hart (Hüsker Dü) visited the local Hardee's. "We went into the Hardee's to get something to eat, and there was a gal behind the counter, probably 16, 17. Grant, in his punk rock disheveled demeanor walks up and goes, 'Excuse me, is there real monster in your monster burger?'" recalls Sigmeth.

"She just looked terrified and she was like, 'No,' and he's like, 'Okay, I'll have one of those then.' And then he filled out the employee comment sheet and said, 'Your counter worker, Alicia, saved my daughter's life. She deserves a raise.' He put the comment card in the box and we left."

Whether they choose to explore Cannon Falls or hunker down at Pachyderm, many artists find the area's rural atmosphere idyllic. Pachyderm Studio sits on Pine Creek, and the Mensings nicknamed the house "Pine Glen," in reference to the creek and expanse of pine trees that surround the property.

"There's a creek and there's just everything, so you just feel like you're — I don't know — just kind of in a little fantasy world," says Babes in Toyland's Lori Barbero. "It really calms you."

This story is a bonus feature of The Current Rewind, a brand-new podcast putting music's unsung stories on the map.