By Bob Olhsson (68.53.120.100 - 68.53.120.100) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 01:58 am: |
Bell Sound was the premiere rock and R&B recording facility in the world during the 1950s and '60s before most of our industry migrated to Los Angeles. If there was any studio that everybody in pop music during the '60s looked up to, it was Bell Sound in New York.
Harry Balk produced hit records at Bell Sound on a number of Detroit artists and Motown also recorded there. Motown's earliest mastering work was done by Bell and Guy Costa, who became Motown's west coast studio head, came from Bell Sound. I suspect that the Bell Sound connection is undoubtedly a major link that tied our Detroit music production scene into the mainstream.
Bob d'Orleans, one ot Bell's top recording engineers, was recruited to build and then record at Golden World Records' studio in Detroit.
By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 02:04 am: |
Bob,
I'd venture to say that as a very young musician I knew of Bell Sound and the aura that surrounded it's magical name long before I understood the concept of recording studios.
By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 02:14 am: |
OK...if I'm wrong, someone correct me. I seem to remember Harry telling me that in the early days of Bell the live echo chamber was a bathroom and no one could use the bathroom during a session unless you wanted the sound of a flushing toilet to hit the tape. Of course, in the event that the song being recorded was an obvious bomb, this sound could have served as a statement and saved everyone a lot of trouble. So was this chamber a reality or did I just dream this somewhere?
By Bob Olhsson (68.53.120.100 - 68.53.120.100) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 02:55 am: |
Ralph,
Now we're getting right down to the real nitty gritty! Having Bob around makes me understand a bit more about why the folks at Abbey Road went crazy picking my brain about Motown.
We have the original RCA and Decca three track consoles here at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Both are 12 input. Golden World was 14 if I remember correctly. Was Bell Sound's console similar?
I'm also very curious about recording innovations at Bell Sound.
By acooolcat (61.222.95.58 - 61.222.95.58) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 03:53 am: |
Hello Bob (D'Oreleans),
I assume that you met Ed Wingate at Bell Sound as I know he cut some of his early Golden World tracks there, such as Willie Kendricks' 45 in Sept 1963.
Can you remember when you first met Mr. Wingate and Joanne? I think they may have been involved in recording prior to this Willie Kendricks record (it's the first Golden World release on the familiar yellow label).
I'd like to know if the name of Leonard Reed rings a bell? He is credited as the arranger on some early 1960's recordings that were released on another series of Golden World and Ric-Tic labels. These 45s are white pop recordings and include songs by Sue Perrin, Joyce Webb, Rocky Hart, Leroy Small, Barbara De Costa and Terry Warren.
Best wishes, Graham
By BOB BABBITT (64.12.102.157 - 64.12.102.157) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 04:43 am: |
HEY MOTOWN FUNK'S......BELL SOUND..NEW YORK......
THE ROYALTONES.......DENNIS COFFEY, GEORGE KATSAKIS, MARCUS TERRY, DAVE SANDY AND MYSELF SIGNED A RECORDING CONTRACT WITH HARRY BALK AND AT THAT TIME HARRY TOOK US TO NEW YORK NOT ONLY TO RECORD THE ROYALTONES BUT TO ALSO USE US AS DELL SHANNONS BACK UP BAND IN THE STUDIO!!!!!!!!!!
5 OR 6 MONSTER RECORDS WERE RECORDED FOR DEL AS WELL AS SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL ROYALTONE INSTRUMENTALS, AND OUR FIRST VENTURE INTO ROYALTONE RECORDS WITH VOCAL'S FEATURING DAVE SANDY......THE STUDIO.........BELL SOUND!!!!!!!!
MAYBE BOB DE'ORLEANS WAS THE ENGINEER???
BOB BABBITT
By George Katsakis (152.163.201.77 - 152.163.201.77) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 05:53 am: |
Babbitt,
I just read your posting and you are correct. Another act that we played behind in Bell Sound was the Young Sisters "Casanova Brown" and they did the Yea Yeas on one of the Royaltone recordings. Ring any more Bells?
By david, glasgow, scotland (62.6.66.122 - 62.6.66.122) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 09:10 am: |
Bob Olhsson
Thanks for bringing up Bell Sound. It is on my wish list of places to visit.
Bob d'Orleans
Do you have street addresses for both facilities.
Are both premises still there?
Does anyone remember Allegro Sound? also in NYC
By Lynn bruce (68.41.108.38 - 68.41.108.38) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 12:00 pm: |
Bell sound was where Harry Balk recorded Johnny & the Hurricanes.It was about as profesional as it goes,in the early 60,s.We would have the famous jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzerelli filling in on some sessions.It was really interesting to hang out there when we weren't recording as anyone that was famous might be cutting that day.I saw Bobby Rydell record there with what looked like the whole newyork philharmonic one day.In those days the singer usually recorded at the same time as the musicians,and since the powers that be knew us, we could weasel our way into the control-room to check out whomever was recording that day.
Slainte Va!!Lynn
By Methuzelah (170.115.179.106 - 170.115.179.106) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 05:55 pm: |
Hi Guys and Gals!! Eli here.
I was fortunate, as a youngun' to have recorded at Bell Sound with Len Barry on 123 and other subsequent singles pre and post.(no pun intended)
The engineers name was Eddie Smith.
I remember four movable monitors, one for each track. There was a seperate listening suite for guests directly above the control room conected by a spiral staircase(no pun intended)
The vocal both was on the left as you look into the studio and the walls were sort of a smooth white concrete with some kind of padding about a quarter of the way up.
There was a distictive understated slap to tha acoustics.
This was studio A on the 5th floor. It was about the size of Tera Shirma B. There were two more studios. Studio C was famous for Sunny by Bobby Hebb. It was smallish and not fancy at all.
Eddie Smith was noted as being the engineer on most of the Burt Bacharach sessions.
There was a live chamber in the basement in adition the the loo!!
It was my first NYC studio experience.
By Moses (170.115.179.106 - 170.115.179.106) on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 06:13 pm: |
By the way, the "new " Bell sound was on 54th street between 7th and 8th aves.on the south side of the street. Don Costa productions was also in the building on the fourth floor and he did all of the Little Anthony records ie Going Out of my head etc. there. The site is now occupied by The Hit Factory.(main complex) The room on the fifth floor still has a reminiscence of the old rom , of sorts. A lot of the hip hoppers love the rom and it is one of the most expensive studios in town and analagous with Cristal Champagne that the hip hoppers favor(overrated as is Dom Perignon.
Give me $10 bottle of Korbel any day)