- Cherokee Studios
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Cherokee Studios Founded 1975 Founder Dee Robb
Bruce Robb
Joe RobbGenre all Country of origin US Location Los Angeles, CA Official Website http://www.cherokeestudios.com Cherokee Studios was a recording facility in Hollywood, founded in 1972 and closed in August 2007 to make way for a new building, after 35 years of operation under the Cherokee name as a well-renowned studio. Under the direction of a leading green developer, the site will become the Lofts @ Cherokee Studios [1] – a Green LEED Platinum Live/Work complex offering professional recording studios in select units designed by Cherokee owner, Bruce Robb.
In his autobiography, Beatles producer George Martin dubbed Cherokee Studios the best studio in America.
In the early seventies, the Robb Brothers founded the original Cherokee Studios, first located in the countryside at a ranch in Chatsworth, and then on Fairfax Avenue in Hollywood. The noted studio was owned and operated by the award-winning producer/engineers and brothers - Dee, Joe and Bruce Robb, who had started their careers as performers in the 60’s as a Midwest-based folk rock band called The Robbs. Their manager was Con Merten. They switched to record production, and by the mid-seventies, with albums such as Pretzel Logic and Station to Station the studio had made its name.
At the peak of its success, Cherokee housed five studios at the Fairfax location, and an additional 3 studios at a satellite location acquired on Beverly Drive (formerly Lion Share/ABC Dunhill Records).
Contents
History
After spending years on the road and logging time in countless studios across the country as a band, The Robbs had become acquainted with just about every unwelcome situation typical of the life of a touring musician at the time. Together with their manager, Con Merten, they relocated to Los Angeles from the Chicago/Milwaukee area to focus more on producing and managing, rather than on performing. Their ideas focused on making the studio a creative space designed for musicians and engineers.
As an independent recording studio, not owned by a record or film company, Cherokee was unusual in the U.S. at the time, though not unique - Jimi Hendrix' Electric Lady, opened in 1970, had been constructed along similar ideas and was operated by itself, not by a major company.
Within the next couple of years, a fortuitous break presented itself when the MGM Records’ studio space in Fairfax came on the market. The new opportunity arrived not a moment too soon since the brothers had been locked out of their studio barn after a Sheriff’s bust for operating "an illegal home studio."[citation needed] Without hesitation, they made the purchase and commenced overhauling their new studio by hand with George Augspurger designed acoustics, state-of-the-art equipment and, once more, attention to every musician-client detail. The Robbs and Merten, with their new Cherokee Studios, maintained their credo, and the clients described it as "the vibe" – an artist-friendly atmosphere that could be felt as soon as one walked in the door.
Cherokee closed its doors on Aug 31, 2007.[1] The last album recorded at Cherokee was Out of the Wilderness from Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise.
Coming Back
In late August of 2011, the official website announced "New Studio Coming to Hollywood", but no details are provided at this time.
Prominent clients
- Under MGM Records
Acts that recorded at M.G.M. Recording Studios include: Count Basie,[2] Ella Fitzgerald,[3] Judy Garland,[4] Oscar Peterson, Lou Rawls, Elvis Presley[5] and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra.[3]
David Bowie
With Cameron Crowe documenting the recording sessions for Rolling Stone, David Bowie came to Cherokee Studios in 1975 to record his platinum album Station to Station.
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe recorded the platinum selling albums Theatre of Pain and Shout at the Devil at Cherokee Studios. Technicians working on Shout at the Devil noted that the members of Mötley Crüe would "stay up for three days straight making music and not even think we were working hard, with girls were streaming in and out of the studio."
Bonnie Raitt
While living in one of the West Hollywood apartment complexes directly behind Cherokee Studios, Bonnie Raitt would pick up backup singing recording gigs with music producers Bruce Robb (producer) and Steve Cropper.
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra recorded the Sinatra Christmas Album at Cherokee in 1975.
Ringo Starr
While he was recording Stop and Smell the Roses at Cherokee Studios in 1980, Ringo Starr invited George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney to guest on the album; Paul McCartney and Harrison also produced some of the tracks. Starr had approached John Lennon to help out as well, had received two demos of songs which eventually wound up on the posthumous Lennon album Milk and Honey, and reportedly, Lennon had agreed to come to Los Angeles in January 1981 and take part in the recording; the album then would have been a modest Beatles reunion. The assassination of Lennon prevented those plans from coming to fruition. Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones also collaborated with Starr on the album at Cherokee, adding guitar, bass, saxophone, keyboards, and back-up vocals.
Weird Al Yankovic
Weird Al Yankovic recorded his first album at Cherokee in 1982. The album sold over 500,000 copies.
Warren Zevon
In 2002, a terminally ill Warren Zevon came to Cherokee Studios to record what would be his final album, The Wind. Nick Read filmed Zevon’s final recordings at Cherokee for the documentary,Warren Zevon: Keep Me In Your Heart. Bruce Springsteen joined Zevon at Cherokee for the single "Disorder in the House," Cherokee owner Bruce Robb provided lead guitar on the first track of The Wind and support vocals on two other tracks.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's 1979 album Off the Wall was recorded at Cherokee Studios. The album is among the best-selling albums of all time.
Other acts
Acts that have recorded at Cherokee Studios include:
- 30 Seconds to Mars
- Aerosmith
- Automatic 7
- Barbra Streisand
- Concrete Blonde
- Dave Matthews Band
- David Bowie
- Devo
- Diana Ross
- The Go-Go's
- Lillian Axe
- Korn
- Lenny Kravitz
- Lita Ford
- Rollins Band
- Steely Dan
- Suicidal Tendencies
- Van Halen
- The Broken Homes
- Radio Active Cats
Selected gear list
- Studio 1
- Custom Trident A-Range Mixing Console with 48 Channels
- Universal Audio 1176 Limiting Amplifier- 2
- DBX 160x
- GML 8200
- Pultec EQ P1-A
- Pultec MEQ-1
Notes
- ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003623131 L.A.'s Cherokee Studios To Close at www.billboard.biz
- ^ Count Basie/Big Joe Turner: The Bosses - Original Jazz Classics - OJC OJCCD821 - 025218682121 - H&B Recordings Direct at www.hbdirect.com
- ^ a b Cole Porter / Ella Loves Cole at www.sondheimguide.com
- ^ Meet Me In St. Louis - 1944 at www.thejudyroom.com
- ^ Elvis Discography 1972 at www.sergent.com.au
External links and References
- Official website
- Cherokee Studios on Myspace
- Mixonline.com article
- REthink Development, official website for Lofts @ Cherokee Studios
- THE RECORD @ Cherokee Studios, Lofts @ Cherokee Studios official blog
- A Conversation with Bruce Robb on the Conversion of Cherokee Studios into Lofts
Categories:- Recording studios in the United States
- Music of Los Angeles
- Hollywood history and culture
- 1975 establishments
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