Marvin's Room (studio)
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Marvin's Room (originally named ''Marvin Gaye Studios'') is a
recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for Sound recording and reproduction, recording and Audio mixing, mixing of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home proje ...
founded by
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...
recording artist
Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
in Los Angeles. Created by the singer in 1975 soon after re-negotiating his deal with
Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
, the singer built the studios on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, as a spacious apartment-like complex, big enough to be a studio, home and, for a time, a dance club. Mix Magazine Editor Tom Kenny called it "the
Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served ...
of the West Coast". * * There, Gaye recorded his late-1970s material including '' I Want You'', ''
Here, My Dear ''Here, My Dear'' is the fourteenth studio album by the American soul music, soul singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye, released as a double album on December 15, 1978, on Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. allmusic - Here, My Dear overviewRec ...
'', the hit single "
Got to Give It Up "Got to Give It Up" is a song by American music artist Marvin Gaye. Written by the singer and produced by Art Stewart as a response to a request from Gaye's record label that he perform disco music, it was released in March 1977. Upon its rele ...
", his shelved ''Ballads'' album (later released as the '' Vulnerable'' album in 1997), and a shelved disco-styled album, ''Love Man'', which was later re-worked and released in 1981 as '' In Our Lifetime''. Gaye's studio would often run parties where many of the
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
elite including
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
and
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
and other musicians and even politicians would be spotted. The studio was shut down as the singer's legal and financial troubles foreclosed on his house and cars, as well as the studio. Marvin's ex-wife, Janis Gaye, said that Marvin was "emotionally crushed" by the sale of the studio at the end of 1979. It was later renamed in the mid-1980s as Eldorado Studios where rock groups such as
Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
recorded, with them unaware that the studio was once owned by Gaye. In 1997, the studio was restored by former record company A&R executive, who later co-managed Michael Jackson’s estate, John McClain, who purchased the studio and restored many of the details Marvin had originally included, saving it from being turned into a photo lab. Since then, artists including
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
,
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
,
Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American Soul music, soul and Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA certification, RIAA-certified ...
,
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
, Usher,
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
,
Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album ''Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album), Let Love Rule'' (1989) was characterized by a blend of Rock music, rock ...
, and
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
have recorded there (with Drake naming his song "
Marvins Room "Marvins Room" is a song by Canadian recording artist Drake. It is the lead single from Drake's second studio album ''Take Care''. Produced by 40, it features keyboard-based instrumentation and muted bass. "Marvins Room" is performed from the p ...
" in honor of the studio where it was recorded). The studio still operates as Marvin's Room, while the owners of Eldorado Studios have moved their operation to the Burbank area of the city.


References


External links

* Recording studios in California Marvin Gaye {{recording-studio-stub de:Marvins Töchter it:La stanza di Marvin nl:Marvin's Room pt:Marvin's Room