Studio 606

Studio 606
Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0 · source
Name	Studio 606
Location	North Hollywood, California
Established	1991
Founder	Foo Fighters
Notable albums	Foo Fighters, The Colour and the Shape, In Your Honor

Studio 606 is a recording facility in North Hollywood, California, founded and operated by members of Foo Fighters. The studio is known for housing a rare analog 1976 Neve console and for hosting recordings by artists across rock, alternative, and metal scenes. It has been associated with prominent producers, engineers, and acts from the Nirvana lineage to contemporary Queens of the Stone Age sessions, becoming a focal point for West Coast rock production.

History

Studio origins trace to members of Foo Fighters seeking a dedicated space after the dissolution of Nirvana and the aftermath of the 1990s alternative rock surge. Early use involved overdubs and demos for the self-titled Foo Fighters debut and subsequent records like The Colour and the Shape and There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The facility gained broader attention when it acquired a 1976 Neve 8028 console originally built for Sound City Studios, linking Studio 606 to the legacy of Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Neil Young, and Rick Rubin-affiliated projects. Over the 2000s and 2010s the studio hosted sessions with bands such as Queens of the Stone Age, Alice in Chains, Nirvana-adjacent artists, and producers like Butch Vig, Rick Rubin, John Paul Jones, and T Bone Burnett.

Facilities and Equipment

The studio complex includes a live room, control room, isolation booths, and vintage outboard gear. Central to the control room is the 1976 Neve 8028 desk, reputed for its Class A preamps and equalizers, previously installed at Sound City Studios where albums by Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Neil Young, and Metallica-era engineers were tracked. Monitoring systems have included designs from Yamaha and heritage monitors used by engineers like Bob Clearmountain and Andy Wallace. Microphone collections include models from Neumann, Shure, AKG, and tube-era designs favored by producers such as Steve Albini and Brian Eno. Outboard processing comprises compressors and equalizers by Urei, API, Teletronix, and vintage EMT reverb units, reflecting choices similar to studios like Sun Studio and Abbey Road Studios. The live room acoustics were treated under consultation with acoustic designers who have worked with facilities like Capitol Studios and Ocean Way Recording.

Notable Recordings and Artists

Sessions at the studio have involved a cross-section of alternative and rock artists including Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, We Are Scientists, and Death Cab for Cutie. Metal and hard rock presences include Rammstein-related producers, members of Alice in Chains, and musicians connected to Soundgarden and Pearl Jam lineages. Collaborations have featured guest engineers and artists such as Butch Vig, John Paul Jones, Nick Raskulinecz, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear. Film and soundtrack work has included contributors linked to Hans Zimmer-associated projects and soundtrack producers with credits alongside The Matrix and Mad Max: Fury Road composers. Live-in-studio recordings and special sessions have drawn artists from indie labels associated with Sub Pop, Matador Records, and Saddle Creek Records.

Ownership and Management

The facility is owned and maintained by members of Foo Fighters, with active involvement from Dave Grohl in creative direction and technical decisions. Management and engineering staff have included veterans who previously worked at Sound City Studios, Capitol Studios, and other Los Angeles facilities; producers like Nick Raskulinecz and engineers who collaborated with acts on RCA Records, Warner Bros. Records, and Columbia Records projects have logged time at the studio. Business operations interact with booking agents, label A&R teams from companies such as Sony Music Entertainment and independent imprints including Sub Pop and Matador Records, aligning session scheduling with touring calendars of bands like Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age.

Cultural Impact and Reception

Studio reputation grew considerably after public attention to the relocated Neve console and through documentaries and articles linking the studio to Sound City Studios and the broader Los Angeles recording tradition. Coverage in music press outlets and features involving figures like Dave Grohl and Butch Vig positioned the studio as a touchstone for authenticity in analog recording, drawing comparisons to historic rooms such as Sun Studio and Abbey Road Studios. Musicians and producers often cite the facility when discussing analog warmth on records for labels like RCA Records and Warner Bros. Records, and the studio has been referenced in retrospectives about the 1990s alternative rock movement, the post-Nirvana era, and the evolution of rock production. Its role in preserving and using the Neve console has contributed to debates about analog versus digital workflows among engineers affiliated with institutions like AES and festivals such as SXSW.

Category:Recording studios in California