Alan Mercer is a genius. You’ve probably noticed. (He’s also one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. We’ve been friends for a long time.) This photo is the latest example of his remarkable work, blending whimsey, history, and hardcore glamor—a freeze-frame from an action-adventure fantasy anchored by an historic photo of me recording in Studio B of the iconic Capitol Records building. This is just the kind of stuff I love to read and write about. Settle in for a moment. This is more than a blog post. It’s a short history lesson.
Construction was begun on the Capitol Records Building in 1955, when I was a fledgling starlet at Universal International Studios. The shape of the building, of course, mimicked a stack of 45 rpm records—the overwhelming music delivery of choice in that day. In April of 1956, one month after my son, Perry, was born, I was recording the music track for Untamed Youth in historic Studio B. The picture in the glow of those searchlights was taken of me singing Oobala Baby. The night I recorded I was visited by music biz royalty: Dean Martin, Ray Anthony (husband, Perry’s daddy) and Frank Sinatra. For them it was a unique experience: they were hearing rock and roll music being made. In its day, the Capitol Building housed recording studios, rehearsal halls, echo chambers, and executive offices. Then and now, it is the one of the most iconic places in L.A. Whenever I drive the Hollywood Freeway, I see it and I can see myself at the mic, hovering in the searchlights.
mvd