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NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 31 THE ALMOST YEARLY PUBLICATION OF THETA SOUND STUDIO SEPTEMBER 2002 25 Years of Magic! Theta Sound Celebrates its Silver Anniversary Wow! Time sure flies when you’re having fun! Twenty-five “I spent hundreds of hours cutting my teeth on that years ago, in August of 1977, in a one-bedroom apartment recorder and today, it and other rare artifacts can be seen in in Downey, California, Randy Tobin made it official and our Museum of Audio History here at Theta Sound.” Theta Sound Studio was born. But the studio story actually In 1978, the studio moved from Downey to an apartment began in the summer of 1971 when Randy enlisted in the in Hollywood, a few blocks south of the Cinerama Dome. In U.S. Air Force. As he recalls: 1979, Theta Sound moved to a big house in Los Feliz on “The first day of basic training (boot camp), I knew this Greenwood Place. The dining room and part of the living was not what I wanted to be doing for the rest of my life! I room were sectioned off and became the studio for the next made the decision right then and there that I had four years eight years. When the Whittier earthquake hit in late 1987, to plan what I would be doing when I got out. I turned to Theta Sound was forced to relocate and the present location one of my loves: music. I spent as much off time as possible in Burbank is the result of that untimely twist of fate. practicing piano in the enlisted men’s service club (they had The time track of Randy’s early adventures up through private piano booths) and participating in on-base Coffee the present can be seen through the Museum, press clippings House open jams. After basic training in San Antonio and and the complete Theta Sounds Newsletter archives. The web tech school (electronics) in Biloxi, Mississippi, I was sent to site at thetasound.com also contains other historical infor- Hamilton Air Force Base in Marin County, California. mation as well as current services and an audio gallery of “I started amassing music and stereo gear and crammed selected works by our clients. Of course, the best way to see, it all into my shared barracks room. My roommates didn’t hear and taste some theta goodies is by attending our mind—they liked the music, too. This was a great practice 25th Anniversary Theta Sound Barbeque & Fest, Saturday, space but I didn’t really jump into recording until 1973 when September 28th, 2002! (see back page for all the details) x I was sent to Bitburg Air Base, Germany (a small town about 50 km east of the Luxembourg border). At Bitburg, I didn’t have a car so I spent most of my time on the base. The Audio Club was a military-subsidized stereo store that offered great deals on stereo and recording gear. I started saving my paychecks and purchased my first 4-channel professional tape recorder, the TEAC A-3340, and other components. “My barracks soon became a recording studio and home to recording and jam sessions with fellow Air Force musi- cian/songwriter friends. It was during this time that I co- wrote and recorded my first album with Doug Smith, a fellow airman from another U.S. Air Base 15 km away. RANDY AT THE CONTROLS CIRCA 1977, DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA Mug Club Swing Set Most everyone who comes to Theta Sound asks Radio Show Brings Jazz & Kids Together about the wall of engraved coffee/tea mugs that adorn the control room. We call it the Mug Club What better way to introduce the world of and it’s our way of thanking our “frequent flyers” Jazz to kids (8 and up) than with a lively for their patronage. and entertaining educational radio pro- In the past twelve months we’ve presented gram called Swing Set! That’s just what more mugs than in any previous year in our history! We’re proud to welcome our newest Mug executive producer Lauri Kibby had in Club members: Bob Ealy, Marjorie “Maje” mind for jazz singer Anna Lively as the on-air host of this new conceptual Josaphat, Scott Bradberry, Bill Moon, Chris show. Producer/director Larsen Jay was brought on board and the project Drizen, Laura Leifield, Justine Sprague, Michele was brought to Theta Sound for production of the pilot. Randall Michael Purpora-Tardi, Tali Tadmor, Ariella Kapelner, Tobin became more than just the Jordan Sax, Ed “Cops That Rock” Riojas, Susan Kohler, Randy Barach, Greg Boutte, Albert engineer on the project, writing Johnson, Brazen, Anna Lively, Lauri Kibby and the music and collaborating on Morgan Grace. the lyrics for the show’s swingin’ They join current Mug Club members: Bill theme song. Apablasa, Wally August, Elizabeth Barron, Lisa RANDY Bell, Tracy Bergin, Albie Berk, Wayne Boon, Gigi ANNA Boratgis, Michael Boustead, Mike Boyd, Joe Brooks, Amy Buccellato, Suzanne Buirgy, Chuck Cassey, Clay, Jeff Colella, Shelby Daniel, Dick Each show focuses on a differ- DeBenedictis, Clare Diane, Bill Elliott, Yve Evans, ent instrument or vocal style. The Valerie Fahren, Sharon Farber, Shanna Fisher, Five pilot features a demonstration of Wheel Drive, Charles Fleischer, Scott Fleischman, drums and percussion with David Francis, Dean Fransen, Dale Gonyea, Mark drummer Derek Syverud, an in- LARSEN Greisen, Ralph Grimes, Sherry D. Hackney, Jamal Haqq, Constance Hauman, Molly Hemstedt, terview with music professor Joe La Barbera on the history of percussion Robert Hernandez, Steven David Horwich, Gordon in jazz, classic and modern recordings of famous jazz drummers and Hunt, Bob Illes, Jerry Jackson, Al Kasha, Paul solos, a live recording of Anna and the Swing Set Trio (Shelley Markham Kennedy, Ray Korns, Nancy Krasn, Harvey - piano, David Hughes - bass and Derek on drums) singing I’ve Got Kubernik, Gunter Lahn, Tom Lane, Jim Latham, Rhythm, Mr. Know-it-All trivia question, the Jazz Calendar and more, all Debi Lee, Lennon Leppert, Michael Le Van, Katheryne Levin, Amanda McBroom, Big Dave packed into a well-paced 30 minutes! McConnell, Arlette McCoy, Daniel McCoy, Pam After reading all about it, wouldn’t you like to hear the show right now? Matteson, Jackson Millar, Lance Miller, Prince We thought so! The pilot is currently being presented to radio prospects. Moore, Nikki Moses, Noelle North, Bonnie SWING SET TRIO We think it’s a great opportunity O’Malley, Patricia Patrick, Larry Pepe, Sisu Raiken, for kids (and adults) to become Jim Rodrigues, Bettie Ross-Blumer, Ron Ross, Pat Rowe, Gloria Rusch, Matthew St. John, Lori interested and excited about the Scalise, Andrik Schapers, Tommy Scherer, wonderful world of jazz, swing Harriet Schock, David Schwartz, Misha Segal, Mike Shadow-Sky, Dr. Bob Sheckler, Patrick Shooting Star, Fred Simon, Timo Spekkens, Jerry Sternbach, Billy Tragesser, John Trujillo, Eric Vetro, Viacom Productions, John Weider, Bill Whiteacre, and big bands. And we look for- Judy Wieder, David Wilcox, Robin Williamson, Bruce Wilson, Mark Wilson, Sandra Wood, Ulf ward to producing many such Wolf, Carol Worthey, Robert Zappia, Michele shows for syndication across the Zeitlen and Eric & Sheila Zimmermann. x United States and Canada. x LAURI 2 818-9-555-888 THETA SOUNDS Testimonials • Raves • Wins • Successes Dear Randy, Dear Randy, I just wanted you to know I spoke with my vocal coaches, Jon showed me the web site and I can’t begin to tell you Lee and Sally Sweetland who are kind of icons of the how blown away I am by it. You did an absolutely awesome industry here and I knew that I needed to have them listen job! It’s awesome! I’ve seen a lot of web sites—Britney and critique the CD (Cocktail Napkins). They have called Spears, Jessica Simpson—and I’m just so impressed! You me and they cannot stop raving about how much they love did an awesome job! Thank you so much!!!! it! They said it is so enjoyable! One of the things Lee said Joanne Sprague regarding daughter Justine’s web site: about it technically was how well it was done and that the AllAboutJustine.com balance of everything on every song was fabulous! He said, “Can I have the Randy, name of the recording studio where “We are really, really pleased with you did it because they’ve done a mar- the work you’ve done [CD mastering velous job and I’m always looking for for Amanda Ambrose’s new album of places to refer my students and for vintage live and studio tracks]. It’s so some things that I need to do.” much better than I even anticipated (and 9 days later...) and I had pretty high hopes. Thank Things went really well back east. you so much. It’s just beautiful. We’re People were really impressed with the just absolutely thrilled! Thank you so CD. People heard me perform and much for your loving care.” wanted the CD right away. Everybody Stephanie Hamilton and commented on how wonderful the Amanda Ambrose quality was. “Oh! It was excellent!” they said. “And you sound so clear!” (forwarded by Kate Levin, producer of they said. I said, “Well, that had a lot the Brentwood Presbyterian Church to do with this wonderful sound engi- Praise Singers Voices of Praise CD:) neer I have.” Life so rarely genuinely has pure Susan Kohler victories. Once in a great while, what we plan for, what we dream of, what Dear Randy & Cyndie, we aspire to, actually occurs. Magic. Thank you so much for the coffee Listening to the CD in my car I was mug! I’m very touched by this gift, as struck by how truly terrific it sounds.