In 1995  Jeff Greenberg was asked by a girl he met while booking and promoting The Greek Theatre if he could save the studio she grew  up in. Her father, Geordie Hormel started the Village Recorder in 1967 and after moving to Arizona in the late 1980’s the very famous place started a slide into oblivion.

The Village was the home of many landmark records of the ’60’s, 70’s 80’s including, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, Heart, Dr. Dre, Eric Clapton and many many more.

Any musician when they walk in the building, the old Masonic Temple building which was also the U.S. Headquarters of The Maharashi can immediately feel the history, sense the genius that proceeded them. It’s awe inspiring if you are a young artist.

Much like the refurbished  Grand Ole’ Opry  in Nashville that became the Ryman, you can hear and sense the history in the wood.  

With  Grammy-winning engineer Al Schmitt, Greenberg  successfully set about re-equipping, retiring and revitalizing the facility for  the next wave of musicians—the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Smashing Pumpkins, Kelly Clarkson,  John Mayer and most recently, Coldplay.

The Village is also the home of many legendary soundtracks and film scores including The Bodyguard, Shawshank Redemption, Walk The Line, Moulin Rouge, The Judge, Wall E, Cars, Lion King, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, and shows including True Dectective and Nashville.

Jeff Greenberg, with his long industrious career in music knows the importance of a studio, where original music is being recorded for history, to have a soul.  Greenberg bought the studio and the landmark 1922 Masonic Temple building in which it’s housed in 2007.

As a young man, Jeff Greenberg fell into jobs. In 1968, he managed T.I.M.E., a band that achieved a level of fame playing with Alice Cooper and even Jimi Hendrix, a job that “just kinda happened”.

He became a concert promoter for Wolf And Rissmiller Concerts             (a precursor to AEG), started skateboarding as a professional sport, promoted and coordinated California Jam II, than became the promoter/talent booker for Nederlander (Greek Theatre, Pantages Theatre, Pine Knob and Merriweather Post Amphitheatrea).

At The Greek he booked acts like Blondie and Talking Heads on a major outdoor stage for the first time. Then he became an agent at I.C.M which was the biggest music agency at that time. And he represented everyone. Everyone. From Aerosmith, James Taylor, The Kinks, Luthor Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, Heart and many more.

But as with most journeymen he has settled. Jeff Greenberg has settled into the love of his life.

Maybe the last real recording studio in the world.

Written by Louie Sabatasso