Sound City Studios

Lore & Background

The studio was created by Joe Gottfried and Tom Skeeter. They purchased a custom state-of-the-art recording console for $75,175 from the English electronics engineer Rupert Neve. 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.

Reader's Guide

Sound City Studios prides itself on having a very particular sound when it comes to recording drums. 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. In 2017 the studio was re-opened for public use and has continued to host artists in the years since.

Did You Know?

• Over one hundred albums recorded at Sound City have achieved gold and platinum certifications.
• The Neve 8028 mixing console purchased by Dave Grohl has been credited with creating the 'Sound City sound'.
• 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.