# Sound City Studios

Sound City Studios is a recording studio in Los Angeles, California, United States, 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.
Hundreds of rock artists spanning five decades have recorded at Sound City, including Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, U2, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, Guns N' Roses, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Tool, Slayer, Rage Against the Machine, Death Cab for Cutie, and Fall Out Boy. Over one hundred albums recorded at Sound City have achieved gold and platinum certifications.
The studio leased time for public use until 2011; in 2011 the owners closed the studio and much of the equipment was sold off. From 2011 to 2016, the studio was leased by Fairfax Recordings, who used it as their own exclusive in-house studio. In 2017 the studio was re-opened for public use and has continued to host artists in the years since. The complex was the focus of the documentary Sound City (2013), directed by musician Dave Grohl. Grohl purchased some of the equipment sold in 2011, including the rare Neve 8028 mixing console that has been credited with creating the "Sound City sound"; it has since been re-installed at Grohl's Studio 606.

## 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 and Gottfried purchased a custom state-of-the-art recording console for $75,175 from the English electronics engineer Rupert Neve: "One of four in the world ... a 28-input, 16-bus, 24-monitor 8028 with 1084 EQs and no automation".
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.
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.
Joe Gottfried died in 1992, at the age of 65. Tom Skeeter died on 12 September 2014, at the age of 82. The studio was closed to the public in 2011 and much of the equipment sold off, including the Neve 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.
In 2011, record label Fairfax Recording leased Studio A for exclusive use of its artists 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 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.

## Sound

Sound City Studios prides itself on having a very particular sound when it comes to recording drums. Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro insisted that one only had to set up the drums in order to get a good drum sound. 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". 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. 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. 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.

## Discography

| 1970 | Spirit | Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus | David Briggs |
| 1970 | Neil Young | After The Gold Rush | Neil Young |
| 1970 | Neil Young | After The Gold Rush | David Briggs |
| 1970 | Neil Young | After The Gold Rush | Kendall Pacios |
| 1972 | Dr. John | Dr. John's Gumbo | Jerry Wexler |
| 1973 | Buckingham Nicks | Buckingham Nicks | Keith Olsen |
| 1974 | Evel Knievel | Evel Knievel | Ron Kramer |
| 1974 | Elton John | Caribou | Gus Dudgeon |
| 1974 | Bachman–Turner Overdrive | Not Fragile | Randy Bachman |
| 1974 | Bill Cosby | At Last Bill Cosby Really Sings | Stu Gardner |
| 1975 | Fleetwood Mac | Fleetwood Mac | Keith Olsen |
| 1975 | War | Why Can't We Be Friends? | Jerry Goldstein |
| 1975 | Nils Lofgren | Nils Lofgren | David Briggs |
| 1976 | Rick Springfield | Wait for Night | Mark K. Smith |
| 1977 | Grateful Dead | Terrapin Station | Keith Olsen |
| 1977 | REO Speedwagon | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish | John Boylan |
| 1977 | REO Speedwagon | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish | Gary Richrath |
| 1977 | REO Speedwagon | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish | Kevin Cronin |
| 1977 | REO Speedwagon | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish | Paul Grupp |
| 1978 | Cheap Trick | Heaven Tonight | Tom Werman |
| 1978 | Walter Egan | Not Shy | Lindsey Buckingham |
| 1978 | Walter Egan | Not Shy | Richard Dashut |
| 1978 | Foreigner | Double Vision | Keith Olsen |
| 1979 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Damn the Torpedoes | Jimmy Iovine |
| 1980 | Gentle Giant | Civilian | Gentle Giant |
| 1980 | Pat Benatar | Crimes of Passion | Keith Olsen |
| 1981 | Rick Springfield | Working Class Dog | Keith Olsen |
| 1981 | Rick Springfield | Working Class Dog | Bill Drescher |
| 1981 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Hard Promises | Tom Petty |
| 1981 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Hard Promises | Jimmy Iovine |
| 1981 | Santana | Zebop! | Keith Olsen |
| 1982 | Pat Benatar | Precious Time | Keith Olsen |
| 1982 | Hawks | 30 Seconds Over Otho | John Ryan |
| 1982 | Hawks | 30 Seconds Over Otho | Hawks |
| 1982 | REO Speedwagon | Good Trouble | Kevin Beamish |
| 1982 | Fear | The Record | Gary Lobow |
| 1982 | Barry Manilow | Here Comes the Night | Bill Drescher |
| 1982 | Rick Springfield | Living in Oz | Bill Drescher |
| 1983 | Dio | Holy Diver | Ronnie James Dio |
| 1983 | Sharon O'Neill | Foreign Affairs | John Boylan |
| 1984 | Ratt | Out of the Cellar | Beau Hill |
| 1984 | Rick Springfield | Hard to Hold | Bill Drescher |
| 1984 | Lionheart | Hot Tonight | Kevin Beamish |
| 1984 | The Winans | Tomorrow | Scott V. Smith |
| 1984 | BeBe & CeCe Winans | Lord Lift Us Up | Bill Maxwell |
| 1984 | Saxon | Crusader | Kevin Beamish |
| 1985 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Southern Accents | Tom Petty |
| 1985 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Southern Accents | Jimmy Iovine |
| 1985 | Loudness | Thunder in the East | Max Norman |
| 1986 | Guns N' Roses | Appetite for Destruction (Sound City Sessions) | Mike Clink, Manny Charlton |
| 1988 | Fleetwood Mac | Greatest Hits | |
| 1989 | Keel | Larger Than Live | Ron Keel |
| 1989 | Dangerous Toys | Dangerous Toys | Max Norman |
| 1991 | Nirvana | Nevermind | Butch Vig |
| 1992 | Kyuss | Blues for the Red Sun | Kyuss |
| 1992 | Kyuss | Blues for the Red Sun | Chris Goss |
| 1992 | Masters of Reality | Sunrise on the Sufferbus | Chris Goss |
| 1992 | Masters of Reality | Sunrise on the Sufferbus | Ginger Baker |
| 1992 | Rage Against the Machine | Rage Against the Machine | Garth Richardson |
| 1992 | Green Jellÿ | Cereal Killer | Sylvia Massy |
| 1993 | Kyuss | Welcome to Sky Valley | Kyuss |
| 1993 | Kyuss | Welcome to Sky Valley | Chris Goss |
| 1993 | Tool | Undertow | Sylvia Massy |
| 1993 | Tool | Undertow | C.J. Buscaglia |
| 1993 | Rancid | Rancid | Brett Gurewitz |
| 1993 | Tom Petty | Greatest Hits | |
| 1994 | Tom Petty | Wildflowers | Rick Rubin |
| 1994 | The Black Crowes | Amorica | Jack Joseph Puig |
| 1994 | Slayer | Divine Intervention | Rick Rubin |
| 1994 | Slayer | Divine Intervention | Toby Wright |
| 1994 | Slayer | Divine Intervention | Slayer |
| 1995 | Dashboard Prophets | Burning Out The Inside | Garth Richardson |
| 1995 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | One Hot Minute | Rick Rubin |
| 1995 | Kerbdog | On The Turn | Garth Richardson |
| 1995 | Kyuss | ...And the Circus Leaves Town | Chris Goss |
| 1996 | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Songs and Music from "She's the One" | Tom Petty |
| 1996 | Carl Perkins | Go Cat Go! | Various artists |
| 1996 | Carl Perkins | Go Cat Go! | Eddie Kramer |
| 1996 | Johnny Cash | Unchained | Rick Rubin |
| 1996 | Weezer | Pinkerton | Weezer |
| 1996 | Weezer | Pinkerton | David Fridmann |
| 1996 | Tonic | Lemon Parade | Jack Joseph Puig |
| 1997 | Bruce Dickinson | Accident of Birth | Roy Z |
| 1997 | Fu Manchu | The Action Is Go | Jay Noel Yuenger |
| 1998 | Various artists | Godzilla: The Album | Foo Fighters |
| 1998 | Frank Black and the Catholics | Frank Black and the Catholics | Frank Black |
| 1998 | Bruce Dickinson | The Chemical Wedding | Roy Z |
| 1998 | Superdrag | Head Trip in Every Key | Jerry Finn |
| 1998 | Superdrag | Head Trip in Every Key | Superdrag |
| 1998 | System of a Down | System of a Down | Rick Rubin |
| 1998 | System of a Down | System of a Down | System of a Down |
| 1999 | Frank Black and the Catholics | Pistolero | Nick Vincent |
| 1999 | Jimmy Eat World | Clarity | Mark Trombino |
| 2000 | A Perfect Circle | Mer de Noms | Billy Howerdel |
| 2000 | Queens of the Stone Age | Rated R | Chris Goss |
| 2001 | Black Rebel Motorcycle Club | B.R.M.C. | Black Rebel Motorcycle Club |
| 2001 | Frank Black and the Catholics | Dog in the Sand | Nick Vincent |
| 2001 | Slipknot | Iowa | Ross Robinson |
| 2001 | Treble Charger | Wide Awake Bored | Matt Hyde |
| 2001 | Fu Manchu | California Crossing | Matt Hyde |
| 2001 | Vanilla Ice | Bi-Polar | Vanilla Ice |
| 2003 | Matchbook Romance | West For Wishing | Brett Gurewitz |
| 2003 | Hotwire | The Routine | Matt Hyde |
| 2003 | Kings of Leon | Youth & Young Manhood | Ethan Johns |
| 2003 | Poison the Well | You Come Before You | Pelle Henricsson |
| 2003 | Rancid | Indestructible | Brett Gurewitz |
| 2004 | Ash (band) | Meltdown (Ash album) | Nick Raskulinecz |
| 2004 | Bad Religion | The Empire Strikes First | Brett Gurewitz |
| 2005 | Queens of the Stone Age | Lullabies to Paralyze | Joe Barresi |
| 2005 | Wolfmother | Wolfmother | Dave Sardy |
| 2005 | Nine Inch Nails | With Teeth | Trent Reznor |
| 2005 | Madrugada | The Deep End | George Drakoulias |
| 2005 | Ry Cooder | Chávez Ravine | Ry Cooder |
| 2006 | Zico Chain | Food | Joe Barresi |
| 2007 | Mavis Staples | We'll Never Turn Back | Ry Cooder |
| 2008 | Cold War Kids | Loyalty to Loyalty | Kevin Augunas |
| 2008 | Cold War Kids | Loyalty to Loyalty | Cold War Kids |
| 2008 | Metallica | Death Magnetic | Rick Rubin |
| 2008 | Nine Inch Nails | The Slip | Trent Reznor |
| 2008 | Elvis Costello and the Imposters | Momofuku | Elvis Costello |
| 2008 | Elvis Costello and the Imposters | Momofuku | Jason Lader |
| 2009 | BigBang | Edendale | Greg Richling |
| 2009 | Kid Rock | Born Free | Rick Rubin |
| 2009 | The Higher | It's Only Natural | Mike Green |
| 2009 | Wolfmother | Cosmic Egg | Alan Moulder |
| 2010 | Josh Groban | Illuminations | Rick Rubin |
| 2010 | Death Cab for Cutie | Codes and Keys | Chris Walla |
| 2010 | Death Cab for Cutie | Codes and Keys | Death Cab for Cutie |
| 2010 | Triggerfinger | All This Dancin' Around | Greg Gordon |
| 2010 | Year Long Disaster | Black Magic; All Mysteries Revealed | Nick Raskulinecz |
| 2011 | Mastodon | The Hunter | Mike Elizondo |
| 2011 | Everclear | Return to Santa Monica | Nathaniel Kunkel |
| 2011 | Everclear | Return to Santa Monica | Art Alexakis |
| 2011 | Arctic Monkeys | Suck It and See | James Ford |
| 2011 | Haloes | Living Like Kings In Confined Spaces | Greg Richling |
| 2011 | Noah and the Whale | Last Night on Earth | Noah and the Whale |
| 2011 | The Lonely Forest | Arrows | Chris Walla |
| 2011 | Monstro Flora | Between the Stars | Greg Richling |
| 2018 | Fall Out Boy | Mania | |
| 2018 | Death Cab for Cutie | Thank You for Today | Rich Costey |
| 2018 | Boygenius | Boygenius | Boygenius |
| 2018 | The Crystal Method | The Trip Home | Tiny E |
| 2019 | Andrew Bird | My Finest Work Yet | Paul Butler |
| 2019 | Big Thief | Two Hands | Andrew Sarlo |
| 2019 | Perfume Genius | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately | Blake Mills |
| 2020 | Phoebe Bridgers | Punisher | Tony Berg, Phoebe Bridgers and Ethan Gruska |
| 2020 | Bob Dylan | Rough and Rowdy Ways | None listed |
| 2020 | The Killers | Imploding the Mirage | |
| 2021 | Switchfoot | Interrobang | Tony Berg |
| 2022 | Jack Johnson | Meet the Moonlight | Blake Mills |
| 2022 | Marcus Mumford | (self-titled) | Blake Mills |