Sound City (film)

Last updated

Sound City
Sound-City-poster.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Dave Grohl
Written byMark Monroe
Produced by
CinematographyKenny Stoff
Edited by Paul Crowder
Production
companies
  • Therapy Content
  • Diamond Docs
Distributed by
Release dates
Running time
107 minutes [1] [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$521,181 [1]

Sound City is a 2013 American documentary film produced and directed by Dave Grohl, in his directorial debut, about the history of recording studio Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, Los Angeles. [3] Grohl was inspired to create the documentary after he purchased several items from the studio, including the Neve 8028 analog mixing console, when it stopped operating as a commercial studio in 2011. The film discusses the historic importance of Sound City Studios and its Neve 8028 console to the world of rock music, along with other recording genres. Sound City debuted on January 18, 2013, to positive reviews, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. The film engendered a record, Sound City: Real to Reel , which received two Grammy Awards.

Contents

Background

Historical Importance

The 106-minute documentary film covers a variety of important and record-breaking albums that all came out of Sound City Studios. [4] Sound City Studios is located in the San Fernando Valley, amidst rows of industrial warehouses. The little-known recording studio housed a rare analog Neve recording console and had a reputation for recording drums. Artists such as Nirvana, Kyuss, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Rick Springfield, Tom Petty, Rage Against the Machine, and Slipknot recorded groundbreaking music at the studio. In 1991 Nirvana recorded the album Nevermind at Sound City Studios. This was one of many platinum albums that came out of the studio, placing Sound City among the most well-known names and record labels in the music industry. [5] Sound City played an important role in the history of Fleetwood Mac. After hearing a recording of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham made at Sound City, Mick Fleetwood asked Buckingham if he would join, to which he agreed so long as Nicks was invited in as well. This version of the group later earned three Grammy awards. [5]

Neve 8028 Console

The documentary credits much of the studio's success to the Neve 8028 console and the strong and grungy drum sound that the studio produced. The sound that came out of the studio is often credited to the shape of the studio and the way that sound waves acted within the room. [6] Even though much of the studio's success was credited to the shape of the booth, another large factor was credited to the console. Their custom Neve 8028, designed by Rupert Neve, produced a strong and punchy sound that defined '70s rock music. Sound City has produced gold & platinum albums for over five decades. [6]

Synopsis

The film tells the story of the studio from its early days in 1969 until it stopped operating as a commercial studio in 2011. The film covers the reasons for the studio's success along with the reasons for the distinct sound that came from the studio. The film covers stories from recording in the studio, the eventual deterioration of the studio, and even the non-musical production of albums in the studio. Sound City even produced albums by people like Bill Cosby. [5] It then follows Dave Grohl's purchase of the studio's custom analog Neve console, which he moved to his personal studio, Studio 606. Rupert Neve was an English engineer who founded Neve Electronics in 1961, designed and manufactured the Neve 8028, "one of four in the world", [7] and is interviewed by Grohl in the film. [8] In the film, famous musicians who recorded at Sound City reunite at Studio 606 for a jam session and to make an album of "all-new all-original songs, each one composed and recorded exclusively for the film within its own 24-hour session on that console." [9]

Release

The film was first exhibited in the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2013, [10] and released on video-on-demand and in theaters on February 1, 2013. [11] It was screened on January 31 in five Australian cities (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth). [12] The documentary was also screened in three cities in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal) and 51 cities in the United States. [13] The film was screened for a one-off showing on February 18, 2013, in 23 theaters across the UK. [14]

After the closing credits there is a short, silent segment of a home movie showing a band getting set up. The picture freezes on one person and the following text appears: "In memory of Brian Hauge (1970 – 2012)." [15] [16] He was the key grip of the film. [17]

Appearances

The documentary features interviews conducted by Grohl of artists associated with the studio: [18] [19]

Current or former members of the bands Dio, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, Pixies, Fleetwood Mac, Nirvana, REO Speedwagon, Weezer, Ratt, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Nine Inch Nails, Slipknot, Stone Sour, Metallica, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Fear, Foo Fighters and Rage Against the Machine appeared in the film. The drummer of Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins, also appeared in the film.

Reception

Dave Grohl while directing the movie. Sound City Movie.png
Dave Grohl while directing the movie.

Sound City received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 100% of critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.7/10 based on 46 reviews. The site's consensus states: "Smart, affectionate, and unabashedly sincere, Sound City pairs a great soundtrack with a well-argued ode to one of rock 'n' roll's most fondly remembered bygone eras." [20] It was one of the highest rated limited release and documentary movies of the year on the website. [21] [22] On Metacritic the film has a score of 76 based on reviews from 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [23]

Kenneth Turan from Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review, saying "High-spirited, emotional and funny, Sound City is, of all things, a mash note to a machine. Not just any machine, however, but one that helped change the face of rock 'n' roll." [24] In a review for The Daily Telegraph , Sebastian Doggart awarded the documentary five out of five stars and proclaimed it as "an exhilarating exploration of the creative process." [25] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone admits "In his directing debut, Dave Grohl shows the instincts of a real filmmaker. Sound City hits you like a shot in the heart." [26] Bill Goodykoontz of The Arizona Republic remarks "Sound City is a music geek's dream, a rollicking look at a dumpy California studio where a lot of musicians found magic. It's also a bit of a mess, like all good rock and roll ought to be", [27] while Elizabeth Weitzman of New York Daily News praised that "Grohl's aim is to explore the aura of a place, but what he winds up proving is that people make the magic." [28]

In a mixed review, Gillian G. Gaar writes, "The film's final third drags a bit because there's too much of the recording sessions Grohl set up using that famous Neve board, most notably featuring Paul McCartney and Grohl's Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic (on the raucous "Cut Me Some Slack"), as well as Stevie Nicks, Trent Reznor and Joshua Homme, among others". Phil Gallo from Billboard stated "Grohl's inexperience as a filmmaker only shows when the film makes a sharp turn out of history and into the more recent past: There's a sense that instead of celebrating great rock 'n' roll moments, a product is about to be pitched at the viewer." [29]

The documentary won the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Digital Media in 2014. The documentary was also won the Cinema Eye Audience Choice Prize at the Cinema Eye Honors Awards in 2014. The film received a Satellite Award for Best Documentary Film nomination in the 18th edition. [30]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [31] Platinum15,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Soundtrack

Sound City: Real to Reel is the official soundtrack of the documentary and can be seen in production during the latter part of the film. The album was recorded within Grohl's Studio 606 after his purchase of the Neve console from Sound City Studios. In partnership with a variety of famous recording musicians, the album was released on March 12, 2013. The album would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, along with a win for Best Rock Song for "Cut Me Some Slack". [30] [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Grohl</span> American rock musician (born 1969)

David Eric Grohl is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, for which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of the rock band Nirvana from 1990 to 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nirvana (band)</span> American rock band (1987–1994)

Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. Founded by lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, the band went through a succession of drummers, most notably Chad Channing, before recruiting Dave Grohl in 1990. Nirvana's success popularized alternative rock, and they were often referenced as the figurehead band of Generation X. Despite a short mainstream career spanning only three years, their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence modern rock culture.

<i>Foo Fighters</i> (album) 1995 debut album by Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters is the debut studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on July 4, 1995, through Roswell and Capitol Records. Former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl wrote the entire album. He recorded it himself in six days with the assistance of producer Barrett Jones at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington, in 1994. Grohl said that he recorded the album just for fun, describing it as a cathartic experience to recover from the suicide of Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain. The album is considered to have started the post-grunge genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Smear</span> American guitarist (born 1959)

Georg Albert Ruthenberg, better known by his stage name Pat Smear, is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of Los Angeles–based punk band The Germs and for being a rhythm guitarist for grunge band Nirvana, and Foo Fighters. After Nirvana disbanded following the suicide of its frontman Kurt Cobain, drummer Dave Grohl went on to become the frontman of Foo Fighters with Smear joining on guitar. Smear left Foo Fighters in 1997 before rejoining as a touring guitarist in 2005 and being promoted back to a full-time member in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Know You're Right</span> 2002 single by Nirvana

"You Know You're Right" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by lead vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It is the first song on the greatest hits album Nirvana, released by DGC Records in October 2002. It is also the final song the band recorded before Cobain's suicide in April 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foo Fighters</span> American rock band

Foo Fighters is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Founded as a one-man project by the former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the lineup now consists of Grohl, Nate Mendel (bass), Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear (guitars), Rami Jaffee (keyboards), and Josh Freese (drums).

<i>With the Lights Out</i> 2004 compilation box set by Nirvana

With the Lights Out is a box set by the American rock band Nirvana, released on November 23, 2004. It contains three CDs and one DVD of previously rare or unreleased material, including B-sides, demos, and rehearsal and live recordings. The title comes from the lyrics of Nirvana's 1991 single "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Apologies</span> Song by Nirvana

"All Apologies" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It appears as the final track on the band's third and final studio album, In Utero, released by DGC Records in September 1993. The song closes the American version of the album, while non-US versions of In Utero feature an additional song, "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip", which begins after approximately 20 minutes of silence on the same track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neve 8078</span>

The Neve 8078 was the last of the "80 series" hand-wired analogue mixing consoles designed and manufactured by Neve Electronics, founded in 1961 by the English electronics engineer Rupert Neve, for high-end recording studios during the 1970s. Some were custom built for major studios like CBS Sony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rupert Neve</span> Audio engineer and entrepreneur (1926–2021)

Arthur Rupert Neve was a British-American electronics engineer and entrepreneur, who was a pioneering designer of professional audio recording equipment. He designed analog recording and audio mixing equipment that was sought after by professional musicians and recording technicians. Some of his customers were music groups The Beatles, Aerosmith and Nirvana, and recording studios Sound City Studios and Abbey Road Studios. Companies that he was associated with included Neve Electronics, Focusrite, AMS Neve, and Rupert Neve Designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sound City Studios</span> Recording studio in Los Angeles, California

Sound City Studios is a recording studio in Los Angeles, California, known as one of the most successful in popular music. The complex opened in 1969 in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles. The facility had previously been a production factory of the English musical instrument manufacturer Vox. Throughout the late twentieth century, the studio became known for its signature sound, especially in recording drums and live performances of rock bands.

Jim Scott is an American record producer and audio engineer, best known for his large body of work as an engineer, and his work as a producer with American rock bands Tedeschi Trucks Band and Wilco.

<i>Wasting Light</i> 2011 studio album by Foo Fighters

Wasting Light is the seventh studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on April 12, 2011, through Roswell and RCA Records. Wanting to capture the essence of their earlier work and avoid the artificiality of digital recording, Foo Fighters recorded the album in the garage of frontman Dave Grohl in Encino, California, using only analog equipment. The sessions were produced by the band alongside Butch Vig, with whom Grohl had worked on Nirvana's Nevermind. Since the old equipment did not allow for many mistakes to be corrected in post-production, the band spent three weeks rehearsing the songs, and Vig had to relearn outdated editing techniques. The band sought a heavier and rawer sound in contrast to the experimentation of their previous albums. Most of the lyrics were written as Grohl reflected upon his life and possible future. Guest musicians include Bob Mould, Krist Novoselic, Jessy Greene, Rami Jaffee and Fee Waybill. Pat Smear played as an official member of the band for the first time since The Colour and the Shape (1997); he played on one track on their previous album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007).

"Cut Me Some Slack" is a rock song by Paul McCartney and former members of Nirvana. Released in 2012 on YouTube and the following year on the soundtrack to Dave Grohl's documentary film Sound City, the song won the Grammy award for Best Rock Song in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sound City Players</span>

The Sound City Players were a supergroup formed by ex-Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters guitarist and lead-singer Dave Grohl. They consisted in a collaboration of Grohl with Krist Novoselic ex-Nirvana, Stone Sour's and Slipknot's Corey Taylor, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick, Rick Springfield, Stevie Nicks, Alain Johannes, Paul McCartney, and many more.

"Mantra" is a song by Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and Trent Reznor from the 2013 album Sound City: Real to Reel, the soundtrack to the 2013 documentary Sound City. Grohl was joined by different artists for different tracks as Grohl's Sound City Players. For "Mantra", the final track on the album, he was joined by Homme and Reznor. Homme also appeared on two other tracks on the album, "Centipede" and "A Trick With No Sleeve".

<i>Sound City: Real to Reel</i> 2013 soundtrack album by various artists

Sound City: Real to Reel is the soundtrack of the documentary film Sound City. It was officially released on March 12, 2013. The songs "Cut Me Some Slack", "From Can to Can't", "You Can't Fix This", and "Mantra" were made available on Sound City's official YouTube channel on December 14, 2012, January 15, 2013, February 15, 2013, and March 8, 2013, respectively. Dave Grohl founded the supergroup Sound City Players with many of the musicians who appear in this movie and with whom he played live for the soundtrack; as such, Grohl is the only musician to perform on all tracks.

<i>Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways</i> American television miniseries

Sonic Highways is a 2014 American documentary miniseries directed by Dave Grohl and written by Mark Monroe. The documentary was made concurrently with Foo Fighters' eighth album, Sonic Highways, and was broadcast on HBO. Grohl described the project as "a love letter to the history of American music". Each of the eight episodes is presented as an exploration of the musical history of a different American city through a series of interviews by Grohl. The group is also shown incorporating what they learned from the interviews into the writing and recording of a new song in or near that city. The series debuted on October 17, 2014.

Roswell Records is an American record label founded by Dave Grohl in 1995 for his band Foo Fighters. It is currently an imprint of RCA Records and is based in New York City.

This article summarizes the events related to rock music for the year of 2013.

References

  1. 1 2 "Sound City". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  2. ↑ Sound City at IMDb OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg .
  3. ↑ Blistein, Jon (July 18, 2012). "New and Hot Video: Preview: Tom Petty, Trent Reznor Reminisce in Dave Grohl's Sound City Documentary". Rolling Stone . Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  4. ↑ Burger, David (January 19, 2013). "Behind the music: 'Sound City' story told by Dave Grohl in directing debut". The Salt Lake Tribune. ProQuest   1270930316.
  5. 1 2 3 Rob (August 29, 2013). "Sound City: A Dump, A Palace" . Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Legendary Consoles and Their Impact on Music History | Sweetwater". inSync. June 1, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ Filbin, Patrick (April 9, 2013). "Rock Docs: Sound City (2013)". Buzz Weekly . Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Rupert Neve. Self". IMDb. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Sound City: Real To Reel - Editorial Reviews". Amazon. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  10. ↑ Van Syckle, Katie (January 25, 2013). "Q&A: Dave Grohl on His Sound City Doc and Taking Risks in Music". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
  11. ↑ Gallagher, Brian. "Sound City Confirmed for Theatrical and VOD Release February 1, 2013". MovieWeb . Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  12. ↑ Mann, Tom (January 21, 2013). "Dave Grohl's Sound City movie to screen in Australia 'for one night only'". FasterLouder. FasterLouder Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
  13. ↑ Hogan, Marc (January 14, 2013). "Dave Grohl's Sound City Documentary Is Coming to a Theater Near You". Spin . Buzz Media . Retrieved March 19, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Vue cinemas to show exclusive screening of Dave Grohl's Sound City". indielondon.co.uk. February 18, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Sound City (2013). What's After The Credits?". aftercredits.com. February 1, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  16. ↑ Screenshot from https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205252/http://www.torrentino.com/torrents/1436661. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Sound City (2013) Full Cast & Crew - Camera and Electrical Department". IMDb. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  18. ↑ Halperin, Shirley (December 9, 2012). "Dave Grohl Writes Letter to Fans: Sound City Doc 'Is My Life's Most Important Work'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Cast - Sound City". soundcitymovie.com. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Sound City (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  21. ↑ "The 15th Annual Golden Tomato Awards". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  22. ↑ "The 15th Annual Golden Tomato Awards". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Sound City Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  24. ↑ Movie review: Sound City is homage to recording studio equipment. Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  25. ↑ Dave Grohl's Sound City Players, Sundance Film Festival, review. Daily Telegraph . Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  26. ↑ Sound City| Movie Review. Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  27. ↑ Sound City, 4 stars. The Arizona Republic . Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  28. ↑ Movie review: Sound City. Daily News (New York). Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  29. ↑ Gallo, Phil (January 18, 2013). "Sound City Review: Dave Grohl Shines His Light on a 'Dumpy' Mecca". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  30. 1 2 Sound City - IMDb , retrieved November 4, 2020
  31. ↑ ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2014 DVDs
  32. ↑ Sound City: Real to Reel - Original Soundtrack | Awards | AllMusic , retrieved December 13, 2020
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.