Is Cherokee Studios closing?

[squeeks555]

ive been geeting this question alot because of all the Cherokee gear im selling. well the answer is yes and no. The current location is closing and the Robb brothers, owners of Cherokee, are opening a new studio in Culver City about 10 miles south west of the current location. At the current location the are desiging acoustically treated sound proof lofts, to be called "Cherokee Lofts", many of witch are already spoken for. so im just selling the gear they dont use.

L.A.'s Cherokee Studios To Close

so there you have it.

[raal]

so are these lofts being sold, rented, do they include gear or no? just curious.
good memories from cherokee.

[squeeks555]

i dont know all the details, i do know they are being rented out. the ideal is to live and work in the same place. not sure about gear, but i dont think there will be gear included.

[raal]

cool concept.

[soupking]

Originally Posted by squeeks555

i dont know all the details, i do know they are being rented out. the ideal is to live and work in the same place. not sure about gear, but i dont think there will be gear included.

That sounds awesome.

What's the scale and rate of these lofts, has that been determined yet?

[squeeks555]

that has not been determend yet as fer as i know. im more involved with seting up the new studio in culver city. at one time there was talk of rebelding stuido one just how it is and making it so all the lofts have access to it when they need it, but i dont think that is going ot happen. ill try and get more detals.

[soupking]

Originally Posted by squeeks555

that has not been determend yet as fer as i know. im more involved with seting up the new studio in culver city. at one time there was talk of rebelding stuido one just how it is and making it so all the lofts have access to it when they need it, but i dont think that is going ot happen. ill try and get more detals.

That'd be awesome. Thanks man!

[Benmrx]

Originally Posted by raal

good memories from cherokee.

+1

Cherokee is where I cut my teeth. Learning from the Rob Bros. was pretty awsome (especially dee), getting to assist Andy Johns, Michael Patterson, Butch Vig, and a ton of others, doing my first "real" engineering job in studio 1, and, in the end, walked away with a shopping cart full of vintage gear in exchange for the money they owed me!

[Resonater]

Originally Posted by Benmrx

....and, in the end, walked away with a shopping cart full of vintage gear in exchange for the money they owed me!

Please tell...which cool pieces did you end up with?

[Benmrx]

Honestly, it's nothing too slutty.

They agreed to my idea of taking some gear instead of money, but said "no 1176's, LA2A's, ect." Basically I couldn't take anything "from a room", only from the "gear closet".

In the end I walked away with mostly FX units. My favorite being the Lexicon 200. In fact that's the only piece I still have. Everything has since been sold to make other gear purchases. (mostly microphones)

It's one of those things I really wish I could "do over", because it wasn't till about 2 years ago that I really found my method for recording/mixing. And it doesn't involve lots of outboard EFX.

If I was really thinking, I probably would have tried to snag a couple raw API Legacy channel strips, and had them racked up. They had sooooo many spares/extras in the tech room. Maybe they would have let a U87 go, but at the time I didn't have a place to record, only a little bedroom set-up for writing/mixing.

[squeeks555]

well here is the offical press release about the lofts. theres not many details, its more about the history of cherokee and about the robb brothers, but thats all i got for now. and they are not rebuilding studio 1. more info will come.



Historic Recording Studio to become Green Development





Cherokee Studios—one of the first independent music recording studios in the country—will close its doors forever on Aug. 31 2007, its scheduled demolition actually paving the way for the future of sustainable recording. Cherokee, the birthplace of nearly 300 gold & platinum selling albums, has catered to music industry royalty at 751 N. Fairfax Avenue for the past 32 years. The Robb brothers—Dee, Joe & Bruce Robb—who made music history by founding Cherokee, will now attempt to make history again by partnering with RE-Think Development Corp. to build the first-of-their-kind green "Cherokee Music Lofts" on the site of their landmark location.



The Studio

Cherokee actually began in 1971 as a converted Chatsworth ranch barn, with a tree growing right through the middle. Attracting friends & fellow artists who wanted to escape the corporate-run studios, Cherokee became a serious player after cutting its first gold album—Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic. Ironically, the Robbs purchased 751 N. Fairfax from MGM Records after a sheriff's raid closed their Chatsworth location for operating as an "illegal" home studio. Redesigning the new Hollywood space themselves, the Robbs opened Cherokee's doors in 1975 to immediately play host to a string of rock's royalty from Elton John to David Bowie, Frank Sinatra to Frank Zappa and Madonna to Kanye West. The studio also became a favorite of the film & television industry, with over 100 major motion picture credits, including Saturday Night Fever, Twins, and Shrek, and TV hits like "Twin Peaks."



The Robb Brothers

Dee, Joe, & Bruce Robb, the brother owners of Cherokee, are also successful producers & engineers. They began their careers as a folk-rock band known as "The Robbs." They toured constantly. Trading the classroom for life on the road, youngest brother, Bruce Robb began touring at only 13. Discovered by Dick Clark, they came to California to star as the house band for Clark's daily TV show "Where the Action Is," consequently becoming the most publicized band in America. Frustrated by the long wait to access their label's studio, the Robbs set out to build their own. They created, what was supposed to be, a private rehearsal/demo recording space. The little home studio became an artist's haven as word leaked to fellow musicians. The success of Pretzel Logic turned the Robbs into full-time studio owners, producers & engineers.

Says Bruce Robb, "Sure I'm nostalgic about the end of an era, but I'm in the middle of a movie, and have 3 albums to finish. So, luckily, I don't have time to get too sentimental right now." His company Bruce Robb Productions has been contracted to do the full score & soundtrack for the feature "Love N' Dancing," while Bruce's indie label Quarter2Three Records has signed 3 new artists.



RE-Think Development & Cherokee Music Lofts

With so many large studios closing, what might seem a natural step in the evolution of design may prove as revolutionary & influential as their first studio. RE-Think Development's Greg Reitz & Steve Edwards have partnered with environmental philanthropist Bruce Robb & his brothers, Dee & Joe, to turn the facility into a sustainable LEED silver certified multi-use structure. The lofts will be a live/work space for producers, engineers & artists. Having designed many studios for themselves, the Robbs will design the new acoustic loft recording studios. As 751 N. Fairfax vanishes, joining Hollywood architectural legends like The Brown Derby, Chasin's Restaurant and The Ambassador Hotel, new Cherokee Studios promise to make history again.

[soupking]

Originally Posted by squeeks555

well here is the offical press release about the lofts. theres not many details, its more about the history of cherokee and about the robb brothers, but thats all i got for now. and they are not rebuilding studio 1. more info will come.



Historic Recording Studio to become Green Development





Cherokee Studios—one of the first independent music recording studios in the country—will close its doors forever on Aug. 31 2007, its scheduled demolition actually paving the way for the future of sustainable recording. Cherokee, the birthplace of nearly 300 gold & platinum selling albums, has catered to music industry royalty at 751 N. Fairfax Avenue for the past 32 years. The Robb brothers—Dee, Joe & Bruce Robb—who made music history by founding Cherokee, will now attempt to make history again by partnering with RE-Think Development Corp. to build the first-of-their-kind green "Cherokee Music Lofts" on the site of their landmark location.



The Studio

Cherokee actually began in 1971 as a converted Chatsworth ranch barn, with a tree growing right through the middle. Attracting friends & fellow artists who wanted to escape the corporate-run studios, Cherokee became a serious player after cutting its first gold album—Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic. Ironically, the Robbs purchased 751 N. Fairfax from MGM Records after a sheriff's raid closed their Chatsworth location for operating as an "illegal" home studio. Redesigning the new Hollywood space themselves, the Robbs opened Cherokee's doors in 1975 to immediately play host to a string of rock's royalty from Elton John to David Bowie, Frank Sinatra to Frank Zappa and Madonna to Kanye West. The studio also became a favorite of the film & television industry, with over 100 major motion picture credits, including Saturday Night Fever, Twins, and Shrek, and TV hits like "Twin Peaks."



The Robb Brothers

Dee, Joe, & Bruce Robb, the brother owners of Cherokee, are also successful producers & engineers. They began their careers as a folk-rock band known as "The Robbs." They toured constantly. Trading the classroom for life on the road, youngest brother, Bruce Robb began touring at only 13. Discovered by Dick Clark, they came to California to star as the house band for Clark's daily TV show "Where the Action Is," consequently becoming the most publicized band in America. Frustrated by the long wait to access their label's studio, the Robbs set out to build their own. They created, what was supposed to be, a private rehearsal/demo recording space. The little home studio became an artist's haven as word leaked to fellow musicians. The success of Pretzel Logic turned the Robbs into full-time studio owners, producers & engineers.

Says Bruce Robb, "Sure I'm nostalgic about the end of an era, but I'm in the middle of a movie, and have 3 albums to finish. So, luckily, I don't have time to get too sentimental right now." His company Bruce Robb Productions has been contracted to do the full score & soundtrack for the feature "Love N' Dancing," while Bruce's indie label Quarter2Three Records has signed 3 new artists.



RE-Think Development & Cherokee Music Lofts

With so many large studios closing, what might seem a natural step in the evolution of design may prove as revolutionary & influential as their first studio. RE-Think Development's Greg Reitz & Steve Edwards have partnered with environmental philanthropist Bruce Robb & his brothers, Dee & Joe, to turn the facility into a sustainable LEED silver certified multi-use structure. The lofts will be a live/work space for producers, engineers & artists. Having designed many studios for themselves, the Robbs will design the new acoustic loft recording studios. As 751 N. Fairfax vanishes, joining Hollywood architectural legends like The Brown Derby, Chasin's Restaurant and The Ambassador Hotel, new Cherokee Studios promise to make history again.

cool, thanks man!

[djveto]

Hey Squeeks if you ever read this Thanks for doing us all proper and making this lovely post. You totally kick my ass at Plant Ops Manager. Here I am 3 years later looking at your post. I fully agree with benmrx Cherokee was a great place to cut my teeth and yes Dee bless his soul Rocked! The Robb's training and faith in me will stick with me for life. Every time I do a session I hear Dee in the back of my head nagging me about anything and everything. God I loved than man an absolute profesional and a great role model. I'm glad I have his spirit to call on