Vestige of Hollywood's Glamour - Site of Goldstar Studio - "Be My Baby" / "Don't Worry Baby"
From the early 50's until a fire in the 80's this was the site of Goldstar Studios, then the center of rock music recording on the West Coast. Located on Santa Monica Boulevard near Vine Street (about a mile south of Hollywood & Vine), it is near Paramount Studios (incorporating the former RKO/Desilu Studios) and the Hollywood Forever Cemetary where numerous famous stars are buried.
As one of the first independent recording studios it was not constrained by the "old line" policies of the majors and developed its own unique commercially succesful sound. Using custom-built recording equipment and its "best ever" echo chamber, it was home to Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound", an unmatched "house band", and source of hundreds of hit records.
A very abbreviated list of top artists that were associated with Goldstar:
Hal Blaine - the world's most recorded drummer
Tommy Tedesco - the world's most recorded guitarist
Jack Nitzsche - arranger. Co-wrote "Up Where We Belong"
Sonny Bono - percussion. Brought his girlfriend Cher to Goldstar. The backing on his defiantly patriotic "Revolution Kind" is a great example of the Goldstar sound.
Cher - graduated from backing singer to superstar. Recorded "Bang Bang" and "You Better Sit Down Kids" at Goldstar
Ronnettes - recorded "Be My Baby" at Goldstar -- favorite song of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. The elaborate intro to their "Do I Love You?" clearly highlights the elements of the Goldstar sound.
Beach Boys - recorded "Don't Worry Baby" at Goldstar - a tribute to "Be My Baby" with same Hal Blaine drum intro
Paul Revere & the Raiders - recorded "Kicks" and "Hungry" at Goldstar with Hal Blaine on drums
Buffalo Springfield - recorded "Expecting to Fly" at Goldstar with Jack Nitzsche as arranger
Righteous Brothers - recorded "Ebb Tide", "Unchained Melody", "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" (the most played song ever on US radio), and many others at Goldstar
Ike & Tina Turner - recorded "River Deep-Mountain High" and "I'll Never Need More Than This" at Goldstar - Tina was never hotter and no one ever did a better job of soaring over the Wall of Sound
Darlene Love - recorded the best rock Christmas song ever at Goldstar: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
Crystals - recorded "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", and the quickly withdrawn "He Hit Me and It Felt Like a Kiss" at Goldstar. Group often included Darlene Love.
Glen Campbell - started as session guitarist at Goldstar
Leon Russell - played keyboards at Goldstar early in his career
Later recordings that paid tribute to the Goldstar sound include:
Bruce Springsteen - "Born to Run"
The Tubes - "Don't Touch Me There"
Eddie Money - "Take Me Home Tonight" which featured Ronnie of the Ronnettes reprisng the chorus from "Be My Baby"
(These are the one's that instantly come to mind -- there are hundreds more).
Photo courtesy of David Gold's personal album
This picture is one of a series that were taken on the last day ( 1983 ) just after Maurice's recording date in studio B. He wanted to see the echo chamber that he pictured while lying in bed in England listening to records that came out of Gold Star. Since this was the last day we unlocked the chamber and he had the honor of being the first and last outsider to see it. This picture was taken facing the entrance. Rear of speaker is seen facing the front wall. It was necessary to remove four doors in order to gain entrance.
The Wrecking Crew in Studio A circa 1962. This setup was used only once, drums were normally setup in the back of the room.From front to back & left to right the players are; Don Randi, Al Delory, Carole Kaye, Bill Pitman, Tommy Tedesco, Irv Rubin, Roy Canton, Jay Migliori, Hal Blaine, Steve Douglas and Ray Pohlman. The little kid next to Hal is Jack Nitzschi's son. The studio is aprox. 24' x 33'. The area shone is about 2/3s of the room.
