Little Mountain Sound Studios


Little Mountain Sound Studios was a music recording facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. From the 1970s through the 1990s, it was the most successful recording studio in Western Canada and the home for many years to producers Bruce Fairbairn and Bob Rock. Albums by Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Metallica, Bryan Adams, Mötley Crüe, David Lee Roth, Loverboy, Dan Reed Network, and the Cult, among many others, were recorded there. The studio closed in April 1993.

History

Little Mountain Sound Studios was started in 1972 as a 50/50 partnership between Western Broadcasting and Griffiths, Gibson Productions.
Bob Brooks was hired to manage Little Mountain. Brooks was an independent producer working out of an office at CKWX after having left Homer Street Studios. In 1977, Western Broadcasting bought out GGP to become sole owner. In 1982, Western Broadcasting sold the studio to Bob Brooks.
Bruce Fairbairn started recording at Little Mountain Sound Studios with Prism, a band in which he played trumpet. Fairbairn would go on to do the bulk of his work there as an independent producer. Bob Rock & Mike Fraser were house engineers at Little Mountain. They engineered many albums for Fairbairn before becoming a producers themselves. Brooks turned over the running of the studio to a manager in the late 1980s. Brooks then replaced the manager with Bruce Levens, who purchased Little Mountain after managing for six months. The studio was sold and closed in April 1993.

Clients

The Goose Creek SymphonyHead foe the Hills
Olivia Newton-John
LoverboyLoverboy – produced by Fairbairn, engineered by FraserGet Lucky – mixing; co-produced by Fairbairn, assistant engineered by Fraser Keep It Up – mixing; co-produced by Fairbairn, assistant engineered by FraserLovin' Every Minute of It - Assistant Engineer Ron ObviousWildside – produced by Fairbairn
Bryan AdamsReckless – partial; assistant engineered by Mike Fraser
The Cheer
  • "Shot with Our Own Guns" – produced by Bob Rock, engineered by Fraser
Bon JoviSlippery When Wet – produced by Fairbairn, engineered by RockNew Jersey – produced by Fairbairn, engineered by RockKeep the Faith – produced by Rock
Aerosmith Permanent Vacation Pump Get a Grip
Mötley CrüeDr. Feelgood – produced by RockDecade of Decadence
The CultSonic Temple – produced by Rock
PoisonFlesh & Blood – co-produced by Fairbairn and Fraser
MetallicaMetallica – partial; co-produced by Rock
David Coverdale and Jimmy PageCoverdale–Page – initial recording; co-produced by Fraser
Van HalenBalance – vocals; produced by Fairbairn
Additionally, the British Columbia Rapid Transit Company recorded the chimes for the Skytrain system in 1984–1985.