Recording Wally Heider

Happy New Year,

In 2009 I resolve to continue to improve this site. I have upgraded the blog and will update the gallery software. I haven’t found a “skin” that looks good, shows author comments, and is easy to use yet - but there are hundreds of good Gallery themes out there; I’ll find it. I’ve also heard from a family member and hope to have more contact with her soon.

If you have a story about Wally or the studios, please post!

Please contact me if you need a user/password to post a story about Wally or a user/password to upload some photos and scans of WHR related items. I used to have an auto-enroll form here, but it became a spam magnet, with hundreds ’signing up’ with automated passwords and no intention of posting anything but advertising.

anyway, thanks for stopping by!

stephen barncard

I knew who it was in seconds after I was awakened by Wally’s 2:00 AM phone call. Wally had heard that I had a rara avis series of recordings of the Stan Kenton orchestra, and wanted to come to Rhode Island with his equipment to make copies. He told me that he wanted to record them and make LPs of the material. I resisted. He persisted. We went back and forth. I told him that I did not want to run afoul of both the Kenton family and the copyright laws. He said that he did it all the time. Besides, it would be himself who would have to deal with the Estate and the law, not me. I told him that I did not think that it would be ethical to have him access what I had, given to me in the belief that I would not produce recordings of what I had. I don’t believe we parted friends — only once more after that, had I heard from another friend of Wally’s, that he spoke of the incident and thought that I was being naive, since so many others did not mind assailing the copyright laws. We never had a chance to talk about our differences again…he passed away. Some one, some day, should do more than these sort of recollections…a full blown biography. He forever changed that ways in which “live” and studio recordings were made.

Tony Agostinelli

When the Who did their amazing set that night, nobody knew about the smoke bomb inside Keith Moon’s drum set, especially Wally Heider, who up until that time had placed his normal set of condensers and dynamics on stage as was the norm. At the very end of the song, Wally steps into history as he avoids running into a dancing Roger Daltry and dodges guitar-shrapnel from Keith Townsend’s antics as he rushes to save his microphones from certain destruction.

VIDEO CLIP: Wally Heider and the Who at Monterey Pop

April 10, 2008
Wally Heider saved me from a life of electronic drudgery and obscurity when in 1973 Ken Hopkins and Grey O’Dell hired me to work at the SF studio. I had spent a little time at the 245 Hyde St. address during my school days, assisting an independent mixer and my good friend Neil Schwartz. Neil brought me in for a James Brown date and later we worked with Ty Porter on demos with groups like “CRACKIN”?, “COAL TRAIN”?.

Upon graduating from Heald College, just as I was about to accept my sentence, er, I mean “position”? with a digital safe company in San Jose (bend over sucker), my phone rang with a call that changed my life for good. Ken Hopkins, the Studio manager, asked me if I were interested in joining the Wally Heider Staff. (Duh!) It was at this point I met Wally for the first time and was completely overwhelmed by the force of his personality. What a guy! What a boss!
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Hi
My name is Roger Standridge and I worked for Wally Heider from 1966 to 1972. I just saw an article in the LA times about Buddy Miles and the Band of Gypsys live date at the Filmore East. It was New Years Eve 1969-70 and I worked that date. I didn’t mix that one and I forgot who did. We all drank Cold Duck and ate Pizza afterwards.
Looking at the site, the only one I recognize is Ray Thompson. I worked a lot of dates with him! From the dates it looks like he passed away in 1999. Is that true?
I used to have a ton of photos from the old days. I always carried my old Nikon F. Unfortunately they all went away years ago.
It would be good to hear from some of the people who were around in those days.
Roger