Devonshire Sound Studios was a music recording studio located at 10733 Magnolia Blvd in North Hollywood, California, designed and built by David Mancini. Mancini is also known for designing and building the California Hollywood Recording Studios. The original Devonshire Studio was located in Granada Hills and the original partners were Ray Dewey, Glen Pace, Dick Stricklin and a little later Bill Comstock of The Four Freshmen. Ray met Bill when The Freshmen were recording Ray's song "Girls" for Liberty Records. Originally designed as a production studio, Devonshire soon required more space, more studios, a live chamber, parking, etc. and that's when it moved to North Hollywood and Mancini became a partner and builder. Many hits have been cut out of Devonshire. None of the original owners are still involved.
Selected recordings
In spring 1974 Billy Joel's Streetlife Serenade was recorded at the studios. In October and November, 1976, Bing Crosby recorded tracks at the studios under the direction of Ken Barnes for the albumBeautiful Memories. In 1976 Weather Report recorded Heavy Weather at the studios. Brian Risner, the engineer for Weather Report from 1972 - 1983, described the "air" in Weather Report's recordings as a product of the room acoustics at Devonshire. In August 1980Ringo Starr continued recording for the Can't Fight Lighting album at the studios. The album would later be known as Stop and Smell the Roses. Released on October 18, 1980, the Jacksons recorded some of their fourteenth studio album Triumph at the studios.
The Devonshire mixes were released as part of the 20th Anniversary Edition of Nirvana'sNevermind album. Producer Butch Vig began mixing Nevermind at Devonshire as soon as they were finished recording the album in May 1991; however, the label ultimately hired Andy Wallace to mix the record at a different studio. Vig pulled out the original mixes years later as Nirvana was getting ready to release the 20th Anniversary Edition. These original mixes are now known as "the Devonshire mixes".
