662. Tour of United Recording Studio 

My god Leland , Don never ages :(

I recently saw Lee’s smiling face (well, I’m assuming he was smiling underneath the massive beard!) on a pic hanging in the hallway heading to the restroom of Vitello’s restaurant (the famous Italian food joint located in Tujunga Village district of Studio City).

I've been in that studio when it was known as ocean way(1989) ,And I discovered Lari quite a while ago on RU-vid , I thought that was Her in the thumbnail, I decided to watch this video hoping that he was gonna mention ocean way,,( now United) And to my Surprise Leland did, And now I feel 25 again in which I was 32 years ago when I've visited there

I knew I've seen pictures of this place before and remember reading about it when I looked up the History of Reprise some years ago. What an incredible studio it is. Thank You for sharing this story and your memories. It was Great! 👍

Lee Sklar's office is here? Damn! Back in the day of course, Ol' Blue Eyes had his offices here on the 2nd floor. That's because this was Reprise, Frank Sinatra's record company. He & Bing Crosby both built this building!

Thanks Eric. Fascinating.👍

@@ericdreizen1463 Wondering why he recorded at Capital then? Was it a newer and better studio?

@@subdude1234 I lived thru it all; perhaps u weren't born yet? He was w/ Capitol earlier & recorded there B4 he founded Reprise. As far as I know, anyway. I don't know his reason for leaving & starting his own. Capitol couldn't have been newer cz' they were there first, founded in the '50s by musician/songwriter extraordinaire Johnny Mercer & Glen Wallichs. Originally next to Wallich's Music City, a record & sheet music store, at Sunset & Vine. WMC was an institution in the LA music scene then. Many Capitol artists made personal appearances there. After the Capitol Tower was built, they moved there & Dot Records moved in. That was Randy Woods' label & they had quite a stable, Pat Boone & Lawrence Welk among them. I was playing drums in a good band (I was just outa HS) who Dot wanted to sign becz they thought we could get a hit. I don't know why the deal fell thru, the band later did an album for RCA becz Henry Mancini's son was a member & that was HM's label as an artist. I had to leave so I wasn't on that. Never got released anyway. But Henry used to come over & listen to us, said he was impressed. And that's the kind of band u wanna be in, lol. Draft Board & Vietnam really put an end to things for me. Whether their studios were "better" is subjective, Sinatra & many others felt quite comfortable recording there. RCA & Tutti Camarata's Sunset Sound (where all the Disney stars recorded) were going big guns in those days, too.

@@ericdreizen1463 Thanks Eric. I was born in 1953, so I've been through the times myself. I wonder if that was the Randy Woods that wound up with the 'Ol Time Pickin' Parlor in Nashville.I was on the other side of the states playing bass for Connie Smith, Hagar Twins, and several other country artists, but was always fascinated with the west coast and Cal. My grandfather was the first chief station engineer for KABC-TV in LA. Always will remember Ed"Big Daddy Roth" Rat Fink, Beach Boys and the good 'ol days.

It's a shame so many people don't even know who she is. She is awesome!!!

...and could have been a lawyer, but I'm glad she made the choice she did!

My eyes teared up also thinking of all the musicians who have worked in this studio who have passed away.

@@teresaclark1508 it's amazing isn't it ?

I knew I recognized the location. I recorded there in the 90s.

Clearing air when not in use. Covid times

Theres a dvd about wrecking crew. Check it out

@@lastnamefirst4035 Thanks I have seen it twice, Glen Campbell is one of my favorite Guitarists of all time. He doesn’t get the props he deserves by the masses but does by the tasty players. I wonder if Leland got to do much work with him?

Denny Tedesco who did the Wrecking Crew movie is doing a movie about the Immediate Family now.

@@lelandsklar6363 Looking forward to seeing that

@@lelandsklar6363 just wondering if along the way you might have run into my mothers uncle John T Morell who was a jazz guitarist and teacher. He was Tommy Tedesco's early guitar teacher and his son Lou Morell played some bass with the crew at some point I believe. Lou's name appears in the Wrecking crew movie. Both Tommy and John are in the Niagara Falls Hall of Fame 2017. John Morell passed in 1992 and Tommy in 1997.

Michael was great to work with.