History of CBS Records 30th Street Studio NYC (many pictures)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DMortensen, Oct 21, 2014.

  1. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    Yes, he apparently did misidentify the two, switching them around consistently, twice saying Merle for Teri, and once saying Teri for Merle when she was curled up on a chair. IIRC. The Choirgirl is prominently featured during that song that Beth Howland does so wonderfully, and he said she was Merle.

    It was a long time ago...

    He hasn't identified this fellow:

    [​IMG]

    I post-recording made a guess of who he was based on the presence of someone else but Tom said I was wrong.

    Any ideas? This is from Elaine's song with several guys advising Bobby (Dean Jones) about relationships ("Little Things You Do Together" I think).
     
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  2. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    In other news I finished up going through the AFM Reports today. There are none from 30th St after the beginning of or early 1964. Nobody knows why.

    If I had to guess who were the most popular CBS artists 1960-63 I would have to say George Maharis and The Banjo Barons, based on their frequency of recording. Maharis I can kind of see, because he was in the Route 66 TV show around that time, but the Banjo Barons? Between the two of them, it was like they recorded more than everyone else put together, with that only being a slight exaggeration. I need to look at my notes but the Barons were produced by Teo Macero a lot, and Attilio Macero was often the conductor. Looking him up on Wikipedia, that was his full name. Huh.
     
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  3. GLouie

    GLouie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle

    After looking through the cast info on Broadway Masterworks and Wikipedia, and whatever IDs we've seen in the film and Broadway Masterworks' other show photos, my process of elimination tells me I think that should be John Cunningham (Peter).
     
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  4. GLouie

    GLouie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Dan asked TZS who this guy in the Company film was ("...a producer or something....?")
    [​IMG]

    and it seems to me this is just the sound effects guy doing the karate sounds:

    [​IMG]
     
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  5. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    Agreed, except I feel like I've seen him somewhere, like an announcer or something.

    He was definitely the body-slamming sound effects guy at this session, and presumably had experience doing this.
     
  6. GLouie

    GLouie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Maybe he's in the AFM report. The producer didn't remember him, I can't imagine him being too well known.
     
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  7. WMTC

    WMTC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh
    I've been reading through this thread for a few days now, and I'm up to page 33. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone that's contributed here. This is truly an incredible thread. Lots of Johnny Mathis spinning here over the few days, most of which I believe was recorded at 30th. For kicks, I googled "Johnny Mathis Recording Studio," and came up with a few shots of him there. Not sure if any of these have been posted here or not yet (remember, I'm only on page 33). Maybe these will help with something or another, maybe not...
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    A bit of a different shot of that door discussed quite a bit earlier in the thread:[​IMG]

    Johnny in color in front of the old control room window:
    [​IMG]
    And Johnny in color in front of the monitor:
    [​IMG]
    A few more pictures & other goodies coming in the next post. Again, hopefully some of this might be helpful; I will continue to read further through the thread over the next few days and hopefully get to the current posts. Apologies if this is completely irrelevant with where the thread currently is.
     
  8. WMTC

    WMTC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh
    Post #2:
    Johnny, apparently during recording "Wonderful, Wonderful," which I believe was recorded at 30th.
    [​IMG]
    If that is 30th, I wasn't expecting those kinds of colors on the curtains. Is it 30th???

    Frank Liaco (I believe) during the "Misty" sessions:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    That second shot gives a decent look at the console. Again, not 100% sure if either of those are 30th...

    One more thing: Making "Misty": The Legendary Johnny Mathis Recording (2010) - Mornings on Maple Street
    I got those two of Frank from that website. It talks about the making of "Misty," and the use of the basement echo chambers on the recording. I'm not sure where the discussion with the echo chamber(s) currently is, but as of where I am (pg.33) it was still pretty, er, misty :). Maybe this'll help clear some of that up?

    I DJ'd a party this evening in an old Italian club (hasn't changed much since the late 50s, still even has carpet on the walls). Spun a whole bunch of great vinyl, including Johnny, Ray Conniff, Percy Faith, stuff that would have been recorded at 30th. It was amazing how well it filled that banquet hall, even the mono stuff. Really well recorded music. Again, thank you to all of you who have taken the time to put together this absolutely incredible thread.
     
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  9. yasujiro

    yasujiro Senior Member

    Location:
    tokyo
    [​IMG]

    An RCA mic?
     
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  10. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    I think it's a Sony C37A?
     
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  11. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
  12. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    That’s definitely some sort of stage shot, not 30th Street.

    That’s a tough angle. It might be 30th Street, or it might be 799 Seventh Ave.
     
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  13. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    No AFM Reports for that year. January 1964 is the latest 30th St one in the archives, alas.

    Also, mostly the vocal talent isn't in the AFM reports, only the instrumentalists. "Mostly" because once in a while everyone is in but maybe 1 out of 500 or more.
     
  14. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    Thanks for the nice comments and pictures!

    Luke is right about the color one I think, and the one that could be either 799 or 30th St. I haven't seen pictures of 799 with the hanging light fixtures, but something about that doesn't look like 30th St.

    There was a Hollywood studio that had those hanging fixtures, maybe that's it? If we could read the sheet music we'd maybe be able to find the session date and place, although it might be a long shot.

    Regarding the two Frank Laico pictures, neither are at 30th St. The one with the dial on the wall is from 799, I think, because Fred Plaut took it. The smiling one is either 799 or World Broadcasting, not sure which and I don't have time now to look it up. I have to vacate NYC soon.

    I did skim the linked article about Misty and thought it was pretty nice. He did a lot of great interviews with people as close to the source as could be currently obtained.

    The echo chamber thing seems settled to listen to Frank, but other people have other opinions and things changed there over time.
     
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  15. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    799 did have some, but I’m not certain if it ever had some of that design.

    Hollywood did have some, but at least at the moment I’m not getting a Hollywood vibe in that photo.

    It’s a tough angle.
     
  16. Mike Ga

    Mike Ga Formerly meredrums and MikeG

    Location:
    Wylie, Tx.
    Not about 30th street, but it's interesting how he has the door cracked open a bit; maybe so he could hear a little of the drummer?
     
  17. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    Even though it has a handle, that should be a 3 walled shed vs a door to a booth.
     
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  18. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    Great thread.
     
  19. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Ok, so I don't think the Mathis shot is Hollywood. The (roughly) similar lights there were on tracks, not hanging down on cords:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I'm having my doubts about Studio A as well. I think it's *probably* looking up at the north wall of 30th Street. Or possibly the east wall.

    As far as the song goes, I'm not a Mathis expert, but scanning titles, "Warm" is the only one that seems like it would fit what we see on the page. That was apparently recorded October 24, 1957. I wouldn't bet my life on it though.
     
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  20. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    The Hollywood studio I was referring to was this one that I posted somewhat earlier in the thread

    [​IMG]

    with Kelly and Sinatra dancing, but another view shows

    [​IMG]

    that there's no way it's 30th St. Also, I have no idea where it is. It looks like it could be for a movie, but...
     
  21. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Not sure what it is, but I'd say there's no way that's a recording studio.
     
  22. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    Possibly related to Frank's 'OL BLUE EYES IS BACK television special from 1973?
     
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  23. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    True, but if you only saw the first one you'd have to think twice at least about what you're looking at, given our relatively trained eyes.

    Seeing it with the second one removes all doubt, but as you indicate, doesn't let you know what it is, only what it isn't.
     
  24. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    That sure looks like the right era for both of them.
     
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  25. DMortensen

    DMortensen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Seattle, WA USA
    Remembering this comment and how I didn't reply to it:

    The mechanics of 30th St: I did ask him about where Elaine was when she fed her dog and she presumably went back to the studio. Where was she? Tom: Somewhere in one of the rooms in the building.

    Where was that restaurant? One of the places nearby.

    I didn't feel those kinds of things were worth dwelling on in the limited time if those were the kind of answers I'd get.

    Try doing a commentary like that as the movie is going and you know there's no possibility of stopping to think before another thing needs to be discussed. Do you know what "Flop Sweat" is? Avoiding the mindset that results in Flop Sweat is priority #2, after keeping information flowing and listening and responding to the other person rather than talking in parallel.
     

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