1982 - Vacation LP Production Sites

March/April 1982 the Go-Go's are in the studio working on their 2nd album.

Production sites include:

• Sunset Sound
  
• Indigo Ranch
  
• A&M Records, Charlie Chaplin Stage
  
• Cypress Gardens, Florida

Sunset Sound/Sound Factory

Sunset Sound

6650 Sunset Boulevard

Hollywood, CA

Sunset Sound is located on the SE corner of Sunset Blvd. and Cherokee Ave. in Hollywood.

2008 photo: tlc

2008 photo: tlc

Sunset Sound

2008 photo: tlc

Richard Gottehrer with the Go-Go's

Inside Sunset Sound studio 1 today

Note: Sunset Sound is located directly across the street from my old catholic grade-school and church (Blessed Sacrament).

My church and grade school fronting Sunset Blvd. - north side of street

2008 photo: tlc

Cross Roads of the World is next door.

2008 photo: tlc

2008 photo: tlc

Sunset Sound recording studio was started in 1958 by Tutti Camarata (the former head of Disney Records) in a little brick building use to be an auto repair garage. Camarata went on to produce over 300 records for Disney.

Sunset Sound

SE corner Sunset and Cherokee

2008 photo: tlc

It is here that the sound for many early Disney films were recorded including; Bambi, 101 Dalmatians and Mary Popins.

In the '60's and '70's Sunset Sound evolved into the premier rock 'n roll recording studio in Hollywood.

In 1981 Camarata purchased the Sound Factory at Selma and Ivar. The Sound Factory served as an alternative overdub studio for Sunset Sound clients and full service recording studio.

The Sound Factory on the NWC Selma and Ivar - looking west

Sound Factory - NWC Selma and Ivar

2009 photo: tlc

Over 200 gold records have been recorded at Sunset Sound, including albums by the Beach Boys, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, and the Dixie Chicks.

Indigo Ranch Studios

Solstice Canyon

2705 Barrymore Drive

Malibu, CA

View Larger Map

Indigo Ranch Studios was owned by record engineer/producer Richard Kaplan. It is set on 60 acres in the hills behind Malibu northwest of Los Angeles. The bowl shape property has a natural environment with streams, waterfalls, pine trees, citrus and avocado orchards and grapes. Perched high above the Pacific Ocean - there are sweeping views of the Santa Monica mountains.

Indigo Ranch- Malibu

Pink Lady - Malibu Canyon Road

Indigo is actually in Solstice Canyon. The cliffs are a few hundred feet from the studio.

In 1974, Kaplan started the studio with partners - the Moody Blues. Over the years, artist who have recorded here include Neil Young, Barbra Streisand, and Olivia Newton John.

There is a separate cabin with sleeping accommodations.

Indigo Ranch was sold in 2000.

A&M Records

1416 N. La Brea Avenue

Hollywood, CA

A&M was formed in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. (A&M).

From 1966 to 1999 the A&M Records were on the grounds of the historic Charlie Chaplin Studio at 1416 N. La Brea Avenue.

In 1917, comic film actor Charlie Chaplin purchased 5 acres (originally growing citrus trees) on the corner of Sunset and La Brea in Hollywood and built Charlie Chaplin Studios. The cottage style studio was completed in 1918. The studio was located just south of the mansion owned by Chaplin's brother Sydney, who was the business head of Chaplin's film company. Chaplin sold the studio in 1953 and it became known as Kling Studios. Perry Mason and the Adventures of Superman were filmed here.

Charlie Chaplin Studios

2008 photo: tlc

Today the site is home of Jim Henson's Studios.

2008 photo: tlc

However, back in 1962 the studio was purchased by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss and it became the home of A&M Records. In the 1960's and 1970's A&M were the purveyors of 'light' pop music. Artist included Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Burt Bacharach, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, The Carpenters and Captain and Tennille.

In 1969 the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Board named the studios a historic cultural monument.

In the 1980's the artist who recorded here included The Police, Oingo Boingo, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.

Then PolyGram acquired the property in 1992. And then it was bought by Universal Music in 1999.

In 2000 the Henson family bought the property for $12.5 million and it is now known as the Henson Recording Studio.

Kermit

2008 photo: tlc

However - while it was still A&M Records, the Go-Go's did a photo shoot here with art director Mick Harggerty. Haggery did a promotional video with CD Taylor. They used old technology of rear screen projection (not blue screen) as the girls hammed it up with swimsuits, and lip synching in front.

Mick Haggerty with Jane and Kathy

During one of the many breaks in the day’s activities, I remember the band and I walked out of the lot and strolled up the street and we all sat down on a bus bench on the busy corner of Highland and Sunset Blvd. and just smoked and talked and all the while with them dressing in their full tiaras and tu tu’s. This being Los Angeles, no one seemed to notice - just a few more weirdos in Hollywood.

source: Mick Haggerty from Rock and Roll Report interview here

Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens, Florida

Directions to Cypress Gardens:
From Orlando: I-4W to exit 55 (U.S. Hwy 27S). South on U.S. Hwy. 27. Turn right off U.S. Highway 27 at State Road 540/Cypress Gardens Boulevard. Park is 4 miles on the left.
From Tampa: I-4E to Polk Pkwy East. Exit State Road 540E, Winter Lake Road. Follow to the end and turn left on Highway 17. Turn right at State Road 540/Cypress Gardens Boulevard. Park is 3 miles on right.

Cypress Gardens is located located midway between Orlando and Tampa.

It is the water ski capitol of the World.

photo source: yesterland/cypressgardens

photo source: yesterland/cypressgardens

photo source: yesterland/cypressgardens

Cypress Gardens was founded in 1936 by Dick and Julie Pope as a botoanical garden.

yesterland/cypressgardens

The first water ski show at Cypress Gardens was performed in 1941. Over the years it became one of the biggest attractions in Florida, know for its water ski shows and Southern Belles.

Stars who have filmed their include Bette Davis, Carol Burnett Esther Williams and Elvis Presley.

The Pope family owned and operated the park until 1985 - when it was acquired by HBJ/SW and then sold to Anheuser Busch.

www.mickhaggerty.com
Subject – The Go-Go’s – Vacation - a 1982 release on I.R.S. Records (distributed in the U.S. by A&M Records), with cover art/photography by Mick Haggerty

ART DIRECTION - VACATION

Excerpt from Rock and Roll Report interview with art director Mick Haggarty discussing the Go-Go's Vacation cover shoot.

The basic idea for the cover was Ginger’s. We were both saturated in kitsch and Americana and both loved movies in which singers were filmed against obvious rear projections - like Elvis singing while he was surfing. I think she may have had a postcard of water skiers; we just started from there and let it snowball.

I had worked for A&M, their label, many times and they just let me loose to work directly with the band. Record companies around this time had only just realized that artwork and image actually effected sales, and I exploited that by presenting this image not as just an isolated cover but as a concept which could work in all media - video, press, merchandise, etc.

I researched the world of water skiing shows and soon found out that Cypress Gardens in Florida was known as “the best”. Since I wanted not only to shoot cover stills of the girls but also to film the backgrounds that would be used in making the video, the deal was sealed when I found out they had a camera boat I could use.

I knew I had to strip the bands heads onto the bodies of the girls I shot in Florida, so in order to get the Go-Go’s heads and someone else’s bodies to match, it meant I had to do some very careful measuring of everyone before I left.

I sheepishly got out my tape measure and ended up with a very odd choice of five girls, and the rest must have thought I was completely nuts. Luckily, the weather was fine, the sky was blue and we shot it all in one day, completing the rest of the shoot with the band on the West coast at the Charlie Chaplin stage at A&M.

Cypress Gardens closed in 2003 due to lagging tourism. However, Adventure Parks Group owned by Kent Buescher, owner of Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, GA is working hard to preserve and restore the park. It re-opened in 2004 with thrill rides, water park, ski show and gardens. However, In 2006 Adventure Parks Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Land South Adventures purchased Cypress Gardens was consequently auctioned off and the new owners are Land South. Today it remains in operation. Who knows.

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