California wildfire destroyed David Foster’s Chartmaker studio
Posted by krees in News, tags: Chartmaker
Adrian Chamberlain
© CanWest News Service 2007
Superstar music producer David Foster is in the market for a new recording studio after his old one was destroyed in the wildfires that have ravaged southern California.
One of the fires burned through 730 hectares of the celebrity-studded city of Malibu on Sunday, where the Victoria-born Foster has a nine-hectare estate.
Firefighters were already putting out a blaze at the gatehouse on the estate when Foster’s girlfriend, Yolanda Hadid, noticed the studio was on fire.
Foster and Hadid managed to retrieve a lifetime of music and archives, some on computer hard drives, from the studio, but he is unsure whether his master tapes have been damaged.
“At one point, (we) couldn’t see a foot in front of us when we were pulling stuff out of the studio,” he wrote in an e-mail to his publicist, Bill Vigars.
The Grammy-winning producer, who escaped injury, was also able to save his collection of gold records.
“(My girlfriend) said, ‘Let’s get the gold records.’ I said, ‘I don’t give a s— about the gold records.’ But she persisted.”
Foster, 57, returned to the studio Tuesday to assess the wreckage. Although still standing, the studio is a writeoff due to smoke and fire damage, including a hole firefighters hacked through the roof.
“I don’t know what the future’s gonna bring, because smoke damage and electronics don’t go well together,” Foster said Thursday.
Foster, who in 2005 filed for divorce from third wife Linda Thompson, no longer lives on the estate, which was depicted in the short-lived reality TV series, Princes of Malibu.
Source: Canada.com
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I pray that David and the firefighters and all the others keep safe. I am sorry David lost his studio. It shows us nothing permanent but he’s strong and will rebuild better and stronger than ever!
I am so sorry on the loss of your studio David. Having just seen it in the Noel DVD it is so hard to imagine it gone. Many great things have come out of there. However, I’m just glad that no one was harmed. Things can be replaced, but people can’t. My thoughts and prayers are with you (as I know many, many, others send them also). So, taking a little liberty here, just know that…You Are Loved.
David, I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your studio. Much wonderful music was made there, and it will always be remembered by those who worked there and by those who continue to enjoy the work that was done there. I got to see some of it in Josh’s various DVDs and it looks like it was an inspirational place for all concerned.
I’m thankful no one was hurt and hope you can rebuild and continue your great work.
Wow. Gee. David, I don’t know if you read these things, but I am so glad you are safe, and that you were able to save the things you could! Many prayers and blessings. Jessica