Sound City Studios

Sound City Studios is a recording studio in Los Angeles, California, known as one of the most successful in popular music. The complex opened in 1969 in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles. The facility had previously been a production factory of the English musical instrument manufacturer Vox. Throughout the late twentieth century, the studio became known for its signature sound, especially in recording drums and live performances of rock bands.

Sound City Studios
Address15452 Cabrito Road, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, 91406
LocationLos Angeles, California
Opened1969

Dozens of rock artists spanning five decades have recorded at Sound City, including Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Guns N' Roses, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Death Cab for Cutie, and Fall Out Boy. Over one-hundred albums recorded at Sound City have achieved gold and platinum certifications.[1][2]

The studio was privately held from 1970 until it closed its commercial services in 2011; for the next five years, it was reserved for a single tenant. Sound City was reopened in 2017 and has continued to host artists in the years since.[3] The complex was the focus of the documentary Sound City (2013), directed by musician Dave Grohl.

History

The studio was created by Joe Gottfried and Tom Skeeter, who wanted to start a record company and get into artist management. After a rough start, Skeeter purchased [4][5][6] a state-of-the-art recording console for $75,175 from the English electronics engineer Rupert Neve:[7] "One of four in the world ... a 28-input, 16-bus, 24-monitor 8028 with 1084 EQs and no automation".[6][8]

The first song recorded on the console was performed by Buckingham Nicks and led to an invitation to join Fleetwood Mac.

During 1969, Sound City hosted the David Briggs productions Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit and After the Gold Rush by Neil Young. Cult leader Charles Manson recorded in Studio B months before the Manson Family crime spree.

In the 1970s, Neil Young, Dr. John, Spirit, Crazy Horse, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, along with other bands, recorded music at the studio. Shelter Records founders Leon Russell and Denny Cordell found a home at Sound City as well, recording Leon Russell, Delaney & Bonnie, and Joe Cocker. Thanks to the Shelter founders, Sound City hosted a young band from Florida named Mudcrutch in 1974, providing an introduction to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers that resulted in a relationship spanning over two decades.

In 1976, Fleetwood Mac recorded one track at the studio, "Never Going Back Again", from what would become one of the highest selling and most critically acclaimed albums of all time, Rumours.[9][10][11]

During the 1980s and 1990s, the studio was used to produce works from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Rick Springfield, Ronnie James Dio, Foreigner, The Black Crowes, and Nirvana. Producer Rick Rubin chose Sound City Studios to record artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Johnny Cash (1996's Unchained). He also recorded Metallica's Death Magnetic, which entered the Billboard Top 200 chart at No. 1, at the studio.[12][13]

Joe Gottfried died in 1992, at the age of 65. Tom Skeeter died on 12 September 2014, at the age of 82.[14] The studio was closed to the public in 2011 and much of the equipment sold off, including the Neve Electronics 8028 Console from Studio A which was purchased by Dave Grohl, former Nirvana drummer and current frontman of Foo Fighters, who installed it in his Studio 606 in Northridge, California.[15]

In 2011, record label Fairfax Recording leased Studio A for exclusive use of its artists[16] While the studio was left untouched, the control room was refurbished and analog recording equipment even older than the Neve console was added including an ARP 2600 semi-modular analog synthesizer, a Wurlitzer 140B electric piano and EQ modules designed for the Columbia CBS Studios in New York. Artists such as the Cold War Kids, and The Lumineers recorded at the facility during the Fairfax years.

In early 2017 a partnership was formed between Sandy Skeeter, daughter of founder Tom Skeeter, and Olivier Chastan in order to reopen the studio. Sound City is now the home of two of just 11 surviving Helios Type 69 consoles[17] and continues to use classic analog recording techniques in many of its productions. While the control rooms received some upgrades, including Pro Tools, the main studio remains exactly as it was built in 1969[18]

Sound

Sound City Studios prides itself on having a very particular sound when it comes to recording drums.[19][1][7][20][21][22] Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro insisted that one only had to set up the drums in order to get a good drum sound.[23] Producer Rick Rubin said that "guitars sound pretty much the same everywhere, but drums change from room to room, and the sound at Sound City was among the best".[2] Producer Greg Fidelman recorded the sound of a bass drum from each of the big recording studios in the Los Angeles area, subsequently playing the sample for Metallica without divulging from which studio the sound had originated. Based upon this sample, the band chose Sound City Studios to record Death Magnetic.[23] In addition, when asked by Nine Inch Nails to be a guest drummer on some songs, Dave Grohl agreed only if the songs were to be recorded at Sound City Studios.[23] The interior of the main studio has allegedly never been painted over, nor its linoleum tiles changed, due to fear that any such change would directly affect the "legendary sound quality" of the room.[8]

Discography

Year Artist Album Producer
1970SpiritTwelve Dreams of Dr. SardonicusDavid Briggs
1970 Neil Young After The Gold Rush Neil Young
David Briggs
Kendall Pacios
1972Dr. JohnDr. John's GumboJerry Wexler
1973Buckingham NicksBuckingham NicksKeith Olsen
1974Evel KnievelEvel KnievelRon Kramer
1974Elton JohnCaribouGus Dudgeon
1974Bachman–Turner OverdriveNot FragileRandy Bachman
1974Bill CosbyAt Last Bill Cosby Really SingsStu Gardner
1975Fleetwood MacFleetwood MacKeith Olsen
1975WarWhy Can't We Be Friends?Jerry Goldstein
1975Nils LofgrenNils LofgrenDavid Briggs
1976Rick SpringfieldWait for Night Mark K. Smith
1977Grateful DeadTerrapin StationKeith Olsen
1977 REO Speedwagon You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish John Boylan
Gary Richrath
Kevin Cronin
Paul Grupp
1978Cheap TrickHeaven TonightTom Werman
1978 Walter Egan Not Shy Lindsey Buckingham
Richard Dashut
1978ForeignerDouble VisionKeith Olsen
1979Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersDamn the TorpedoesJimmy Iovine
1980Pat BenatarCrimes of PassionKeith Olsen
1981 Rick Springfield Working Class Dog Keith Olsen
Bill Drescher
1981 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Hard Promises Tom Petty
Jimmy Iovine
1981SantanaZebop!Keith Olsen
1982Pat BenatarPrecious TimeKeith Olsen
1982 Hawks 30 Seconds Over Otho John Ryan
Hawks
1982REO SpeedwagonGood TroubleKevin Beamish
1982FearThe RecordGary Lobow
1982Barry ManilowHere Comes the NightBill Drescher
1982Rick SpringfieldLiving in OzBill Drescher
1983DioHoly DiverRonnie James Dio
1983Sharon O'NeillForeign AffairsJohn Boylan
1984RattOut of the CellarBeau Hill
1984Rick SpringfieldHard to HoldBill Drescher
1984LionheartHot TonightKevin Beamish
1984The WinansTomorrowScott V. Smith
1984SaxonCrusaderKevin Beamish
1985 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Southern Accents Tom Petty
Jimmy Iovine
1985LoudnessThunder in the EastMax Norman
1986 Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction (Sound City Sessions) Mike Clink, Manny Charlton
1988Fleetwood MacGreatest Hits
1989KeelLarger Than LiveRon Keel
1991NirvanaNevermindButch Vig
1992 Kyuss Blues for the Red Sun Kyuss
Chris Goss
1992 Masters of Reality Sunrise on the Sufferbus Chris Goss
Ginger Baker
1992Rage Against the MachineRage Against the MachineGarth Richardson
1992Green JellÿCereal KillerSylvia Massy
1993 Kyuss Welcome to Sky Valley Kyuss
Chris Goss
1993 Tool Undertow Sylvia Massy
C.J. Buscaglia
1993RancidRancidBrett Gurewitz
1993Tom PettyGreatest Hits
1994Tom PettyWildflowersRick Rubin
1994The Black CrowesAmoricaJack Joseph Puig
1994 Slayer Divine Intervention Rick Rubin
Toby Wright
Slayer
1995Dashboard ProphetsBurning Out The InsideGarth Richardson
1995Red Hot Chili PeppersOne Hot MinuteRick Rubin
1995KerbdogOn The TurnGarth Richardson
1995Kyuss...And the Circus Leaves TownChris Goss
1996Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersSongs and Music from "She's the One"Tom Petty
1996 Carl Perkins Go Cat Go! Various artists
Eddie Kramer
1996Johnny CashUnchainedRick Rubin
1996 Weezer Pinkerton Weezer
David Fridmann
1996TonicLemon ParadeJack Joseph Puig
1997

Bruce Dickinson

Accident of Birth Roy Z
1997Fu ManchuThe Action Is GoJay Noel Yuenger
1998Various artistsGodzilla: The AlbumFoo Fighters
1998Frank Black and the CatholicsFrank Black and the CatholicsFrank Black
1998

Bruce Dickinson

The Chemical Wedding Roy Z
1998 Superdrag Head Trip in Every Key Jerry Finn
Superdrag
1998 System of a Down System of a Down Rick Rubin
System of a Down
1999Frank Black and the CatholicsPistoleroNick Vincent
1999Jimmy Eat WorldClarityMark Trombino
2000A Perfect CircleMer de NomsBilly Howerdel
2000Queens of the Stone AgeRated RChris Goss
2001Black Rebel Motorcycle ClubB.R.M.C.Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
2001Frank Black and the CatholicsDog in the SandNick Vincent
2001SlipknotIowaRoss Robinson
2001Treble ChargerWide Awake BoredMatt Hyde
2001Fu ManchuCalifornia CrossingMatt Hyde
2001Vanilla IceBi-PolarVanilla Ice
2003Matchbook RomanceWest For WishingBrett Gurewitz
2003HotwireThe RoutineMatt Hyde
2003Kings of LeonYouth & Young ManhoodEthan Johns
2003Poison the WellYou Come Before YouPelle Henricsson
2003RancidIndestructibleBrett Gurewitz
2004Bad ReligionThe Empire Strikes FirstBrett Gurewitz
2004Seo Taiji7th IssueSeo Taiji
2005Queens of the Stone AgeLullabies to ParalyzeJoe Barresi
2005WolfmotherWolfmotherDave Sardy
2005Nine Inch NailsWith TeethTrent Reznor
2005MadrugadaThe Deep EndGeorge Drakoulias
2005Ry CooderChávez RavineRy Cooder
2007Mavis StaplesWe'll Never Turn BackRy Cooder
2008 Cold War Kids Loyalty to Loyalty Kevin Augunas
Cold War Kids
2008MetallicaDeath MagneticRick Rubin
2008Nine Inch NailsThe SlipTrent Reznor
2008 Elvis Costello and the Imposters Momofuku Elvis Costello
Jason Lader
2009BigBangEdendaleGreg Richling
Kid RockBorn FreeRick Rubin
The HigherIt's Only NaturalMike Green
WolfmotherCosmic EggAlan Moulder
2010Josh GrobanIlluminationsRick Rubin
Death Cab for Cutie Codes and Keys Chris Walla
Death Cab for Cutie
TriggerfingerAll This Dancin' AroundGreg Gordon
Year Long DisasterBlack Magic; All Mysteries RevealedNick Raskulinecz
2011MastodonThe HunterMike Elizondo
Everclear Return to Santa Monica Nathaniel Kunkel
Art Alexakis
Arctic MonkeysSuck It and SeeJames Ford
HaloesLiving Like Kings In Confined SpacesGreg Richling
Noah and the WhaleLast Night on EarthNoah and the Whale
The Lonely ForestArrowsChris Walla
Monstro FloraBetween the Stars[24]Greg Richling
2018Fall Out BoyMania
Death Cab for CutieThank You for TodayRich Costey
BoygeniusBoygeniusN/A
The Crystal MethodThe Trip HomeTiny E
2019Andrew BirdMy Finest Work YetPaul Butler
Big ThiefTwo HandsAndrew Sarlo
Perfume GeniusSet My Heart On Fire ImmediatelyBlake Mills
2020Phoebe BridgersPunisher[25]Tony Berg and Ethan Gruska

See also

References

  1. Coffey, Padraic (8 March 2013). "Sound City: Classic rock fans will find much to admire". filmjamblog. Retrieved 9 June 2013. Sound City Studios was host to a plethora of talents, recording over 100 certified gold and platinum albums, before its closure in 2011. [...] The studio's incomparable reputation for quality percussion sound is tested in a brief high-energy montage of Grohl, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins and other players behind the skins.
  2. Turan, Kenneth (31 January 2013). "Movie review: 'Sound City' is homage to recording studio equipment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  3. "Sound City Studios". Sound City Studios. Sound City Studios. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  4. Florino, Rick (29 January 2013). "'Sound City' Movie Review — 5 out of 5 stars". Santa Monica, California: Artistdirect. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  5. Mervis, Scott (26 April 2013). "Movie Review: 'Sound City' captures heyday of a legendary LA music studio". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  6. Filbin, Patrick (9 April 2013). "Rock Docs: Sound City (2013)". Buzz Weekly. Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  7. Deming, Mark (1 February 2013). "Sound City (2013) - Review - AllMovie". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  8. Scoppa, Bud (1 March 2009). "L.A. Grapevine, March 2009". Mix. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  9. Q staff (May 1997). "The recording of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours (February 1976 - February 1977)". Q (128). Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  10. Staff (19 September 1997). "100 Best Albums Ever". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 April 2018 via Discogs.
  11. McLaughlin, Katie (27 June 2012). "Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' at 35: Still the 'perfect album'". CNN. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  12. "Metallica | Chart History. Billboard 200". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  13. "Dead Magnetic - Metallica. Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  14. Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club : 2014 July to December". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  15. Hutchinson, Charles (21 May 2019). "Blues godfather John Mayall to play York Barbican". The Press (York). Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  16. Bieger, Hannes (January 2017). "Fairfax Recording, California". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  17. Ramsey, Colby. "Studio Profile: Sound City Studios". Audio Media International. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  18. "Sound City Studios". The Audio Hunt. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  19. Sound City Drum Sound on YouTube.
  20. Scherstuhl, Alan (30 January 2013). "Dave Grohl and Other Rockers Toast L.A.'s Sound City". The Village Voice. New York City. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  21. Wren, Alec (11 March 2013). "Sound City Documentary – Review". harmonicjunction.com. Retrieved 9 June 2013. Coupled with the console was the large live room, a room that defied its undesirable acoustical sizing and characteristics to generate drum tracks that would redefine rock music.
  22. Murphy, Ronan Chris (6 April 2009). "Sound City Studios Documentary. Neil Young to Metallica to Kyuss to Tom Petty to Nirvana". ronansrecordingshow.com. Retrieved 9 June 2013. This place is heaven for analog recording gear fanatics and has what some consider the best drum room in the world.
  23. Fackenthall, Kent (19 July 2012). "The Sound of Sound City Studios". kentfackenthall.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  24. http://www.vidinfo.org/video/15044542/monstro-flora-between-the-stars-ep-release
  25. Petrusich, Amanda (May 17, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers's Frank, Anxious Music". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 19, 2020.

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