[gotta love RD's honesty and willingness to say what he thinks; although i loved Nirvana segments, i definitely agree about Dave Grohl's self promotional-ism]
http://t.co/FULTeJAXYc
cultofstevie: Hi Richard, first of all many thanks for sharing your memories, and answering so many great questions with sincerity. Just recently watched the Sound City documentary. Have you seen it? What are your thoughts on it and particularly Stevie's track You Can't Fix This and her working with Dave Grohl? Keep up the good work and Thank You!!!
Working at Sound City early in my career was one of the best things that ever happened in my life. I have nothing but respect & fond memories of the house that Joe built (Joe Gottfried) & (Tom Skeeter) who keep it going. (Both co-owners of Sound City in it’s early years.) I was more a part of the early period, when the studio itself had a heart so big, it could only have come from Joe Gottfried, who was a visionary as much as he was an artist manager & studio owner. I would not be writing this to you at this very moment if not for Joe Gottfried. Stevie & Lindsey may never have joined Fleetwood Mac without Joe Gottfried. (Kieth Olsen deserving much of the credit for that.) The man enabled a lot of young lives & creative talents that we barely knew we had ourselves. I was so disappointed that the part of Sound City I admired the most, the heart & soul of the early days, was barely covered, focusing more on Nirvana & the bands that came through there after I had left to go with FM. (All of which have my respect and admiration.) I am here to say, after working there for about 2 years, being part of the early framework of the studio, helping carry the Neve board into the control room, meeting Stevie & Lindsey there, and working with Keith Olsen for a year & a half, the best of Sound City was the early days which paved the way for the legend it would become. I almost got a feeling the film was an advertisement for Dave’s new studio & how cool the old Neve with all it’s history, is. Overall I felt the film missed the mark in capturing the true spirit of Sound City & thought the music the movie produced was mediocre at best. They barely consulted me, which I thought a bit odd, but after seeing it, I could see why I didn’t quite fit in with the overall agenda. The film to me, felt a bit self congratulatory & less a serious documentary about Sound City. Sorry, but I have to be honest & you asked. Others may strongly disagree with me but, I will stand behind my comments. Do understand though, this is just my opinion & should not be taken as the gospel. Get all sides of the story & form your own opinion.
There will be a new book about Sound City by Kent Hartman coming out, which will give a far more complete account of that studio & the music it gave birth to. I really suggest you read it, enjoy it, & give some balance to the film.
….r