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more than one billion units. Te building dates back to the late ‘50s, when it was United Record- ings. Ocean Way owner Alan Sides was mentored by Holly- wood engineering and studio leg- end Bill Putnam, who first sold him both United and Western United just a few doors down, which recently became EastWest. Over the years Ocean Way “Now we are seeing a thinning of the ranks, with many once com- mercial facilities going private, the record labels’ reducing artist rosters and budgets due to the effects of downloading and piracy,” Hubler says. “Te business is rapidly shrinking. We may eventually see a return to just a handful of the very same commercial studios that ex- isted in the 1960s.” Conway studio owner Buddy Brundo admits business is certainly not like it was in ‘90s and prior. “Nobody’s raking it – we’re all in survival mode,” he says. Brundo and his wife Susan bought old studios that became Conway in 1976. Set inside a 54,000 square foot complex, the studios within are sur- rounded by tropical and desert gardens, which makes it stand out from other area studios. Among those who’ve enjoyed this environment are Fleetwood Mac, Talking Heads, Guns N’Roses, U2, Blink 182, San- tana, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Marilyn Manson, Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Avril Lavigne, and the latest “it” girl in pop, Katy Perry. “It’s most like a home studio. Te control rooms look to the outside,” Brundo says. Recordings made at Ocean Way Studios have sold has recorded Neil Diamond, Bette Midler, Frank Zappa, Eric Clap- ton, the Stones, Paul McCartney, Lionel Richie, Green Day, Radio- head, Mary J. Blige and just re- cently, Josh Groban. “We've changed as the music business changed,” says Sides. “We do a lot of artists that still need to work at an A-level studio, with large orchestras, whatever it hap- pens to be. To get the job done, our studio is unusual. One day it might be Andre Previn, another day 50 Cent. We have a diverse clientele; Dr. Dre, Eminem, we did Kayne West’s last record.” Tough now called EastWest Stu- dios, the former United Western Recorders was created with the back- ing of Bing Crosby and Sinatra, whose post-Capitol recordings there include “My Way,” “Tat’s Life” and “Strangers in the Night.” Te music for Elvis Presley’s 1968 Comeback Special is part of the history. Te Mamas and Te Papas tracked “California Dreaming” and “Monday, Monday” there and it was the site of Brian Wilson’s Beach Boys masterpiece “Pet Sounds.” LEFT: Sunset Sound has been the location of many Disney movie soundtrack recordings, as well as his- toric rock music by The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Van Halen, and the odd Beatle from time to time. ABOVE: Van Halen takes a break at Sunset Sound. LEFT: Mick Jagger laying down some tracks while working on the “Beggar’s Banquet” album in 1968. BELOW: Ringo gets a little help from his friends on the “Goodnight Vienna” album in 1974. Those friends in- cluded John Lennon, Elton John, Billy Preston, Harry Nilsson and others. FALL 2010 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 35 Continues