There’s a house in Lake Highlands where shaggy-haired musicians come and go, sometimes playing their tunes late into the night.

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You’d think such activity might rub neighbors within the tranquil Merriman Park borders the wrong way. But Tom Bidwell’s neighbors don’t mind — they might not even notice.

Fans of loud local acts might be surprised to learn that much of the magic happens in this unassuming brick house that Bidwell has transformed, partly, into a state-of-the-art recording studio.

Before building began, Bidwell consulted his neighbors, whom he says seem happy about all of the creativity exploding next door. Bidwell adds that he has the best insulation known to man and plenty of parking spaces out back.

He’s a member of alternative band The Slack (along with Lake Highlands resident and three-time Dallas Observer Musician of the Year Chris Holt) and says the highlight of his experience has been realizing how many friends he has.

In the spirit of Dallas’ interwoven music community, Bidwell works closely not only with his own band but also with Kristy Krueger, Johnny Lloyd Rollins and Sorta (which includes guitarist Danny Baylis of drive-time radio fame, and once included the late Carter Albrecht).

Bidwell speaks fondly of his friends and points out a Fender guitar amplifier that belonged to Albrecht. “Carter’s dad gave me that,” he says. “That’s one of the coolest things in here.”