One of the most famous recording studios in the world, the legendary Record Plant in Hollywood, has shut its doors—the end of an era for musicians and music producers.
The Golden Era of the Record Plant and Its Famous Artists
Fifty years ago, the Record Plant was in full swing, hosting many big acts such as John Lennon, The Eagles, and Fleetwood Mac. Recording studios at its facility on 3rd and La Cienega consisted of ultra-modern equipment and had some of the finest amenities any rock star could possibly ask for. Now, after moving to Sycamore Avenue in Hollywood back in 1985, according to former staff and multiple social media posts, the studio is now closed.
The Record Plant is now the latest casualty of the gradual decline of the music industry in Los Angeles. Its founders, Chris Stone and Gary Kellgren, opened The Record Plant after moving on from their first studio in NYC, where they recorded Jimi Hendrix’s masterpiece, Electric Ladyland. The pair migrated to Sausalito, CA, in 1972, and also went on to open a Manhattan studio, which closed in 1987. The Sausalito studio remained open until 2008.
In 1969, Stone and Kellgren spread the operation to Los Angeles, taking over an existing studio to build it into the city’s premier music making haven. Filled with a roster of beloved artists, including Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and practically every other A-List star of the last half of the 20th century.
Hollywood recording musician Day Mori described the studio as the chocolate factory of Willy Wonka, wondering what secrets it held behind its gates. Open 24/7, it was an “anything goes” venue, where the stars were indulged with whatever they desired. According to a 1975 Los Angeles Times report, the studio created steam for Bill Withers’ vocal chords, acquired pinball machines for the entertainment of The Eagles, and provided top-notch engineers at 2 a.m. for Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones. The state-of-the-art equipment was accompanied by hotel suites for the artists, and there was even a hot tub for relaxing post-session.
Challenges Facing Los Angeles’ Recording Studios Today
With a number of high-profile studios—including the mastering division of Capitol Records—having already closed their doors, United Recording Studios, formerly Ocean Way Recording, has become a rental studio with no staff after layoffs late last year. The long-shuttered Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood has reopened as a restaurant capitalizing on its history as a recording studio. Meanwhile, the future of Sunset Sound seems dicey; one insider worries about a homeless encampment nearby that could impact its ability to operate. Veteran engineer Gary Myerberg, who works at both East/West and Ocean Way, says that it is now impossible to make money in the music recording business; he likens studio recordings to no more lucrative than some artist’s promo fliers — just another one of the somewhat superfluous marketing costs.
He questions if the future prospects of the recording industry in Los Angeles are really worth it, taking $2,000 out every day to go record in a studio when that very same money would sit better in a laptop and sample library. Musicians can even take advantage of AI technology to create music. According to Jesse McInturff, guitar technician for many of the top touring acts, even the most basic studio amenities have become less relevant to a lot of those artists. No one really wants or needs large recording spaces anymore. This attitude extends much further: McInturff says that when teaching about the studio in his music classes, he discovered that his 20-year-old students barely recognized the name.
