Why not A&M Studios?

[B-Dub]

If Mr. Alpert and Mr. Moss bought the old Chaplin studio in 1966 to create one of the most outstanding, first-class recording complexes in the country, why didn't Mr. A. & the TJB record the first few post-purchase LPs there (such as "SRO","Sounds Like". and "HA's 9th")? My first thought was that the actual recording studios (as opposed to the administrative offices) weren't quite ready for business yet, but it does seem to be a bit curious that Mr. Alpert and the Brass didn't use their own, custom-designed rooms to record these albums, not Gold Star

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Herb says in the liners of the reissues that the Gold Star studios had a sound and feel that he liked. Could also be possible that the A&M rooms were booked with other acts and Herb just decided to stay where he was comfortable rather than turning down outside business. Just a couple of thoughts.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

The recording studios at A&M underwent an extensive redesign after Herb and Jerry bought the complex, and it was Dave Alpert (Herb's brother) who did a large part of the renovation. The studios weren't ready for recording until somewhere around '69 or so. By then the TJB were at the end of their reign.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

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...The recording studios at A&M underwent an extensive redesign after Herb and Jerry bought the complex, and it was Dave Alpert (Herb's brother) who did a large part of the renovation... ...The studios weren't ready for recording until somewhere around '69 or so... ...By then the TJB were at the end of their reign...

All True! Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 even recorded at Sunset, Western, Wally Heider, Annex, etc. (...Herb, when is A&M Recording Studios ever going to be FINISHED??!!...) before you ever saw ANY of THEIR product recorded at A&M; (of which, I think Crystal Illusions, was their FIRST!)

I'm sure the "pre-renovation" environment would only work for certain artists, and most wanted a more "comfortable" setting...

Dave

 

[B-Dub]

Thank you all so much for the great background information regarding A&M Studios in Hollywood! It's so much fun to be in dialogue with all of you A&M experts, and have some "knowledge holes" plugged up :^)

 

[Dave]

...Thank you all so much for the great background information regarding A&M Studios in Hollywood...!

You're Welcome! Although I really don't claim to be an "expert" from a Music-Industry standpoint, and might not have "true" factual info to REALLY back me up... However I figured that this is "the gospel", (or maybe somewhere close) according to what I speculated from the back covers of my A&M albums... eg. Dillard & Clark, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Waylon Jennings and Steve Young may not have been too fussy about the conditions of recording on the "pre-renovated" A&M Soundstage, but The Sandpipers would have been hacking on sawdust through their singing, if not for "the wait"...!


Dave