
While working on the soundtrack for 'Wicked: For Good', Greg Wells faces the devastating loss of his home studio and family residence in the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires.
- Jan 13, 2025
AceShowbiz - While the film and television industry has largely been spared the destruction from the wildfires, the music sector has suffered significant damage. Home studios, often the heart of musical production, have been consumed by flames alongside the residences of countless artists.
One such victim is renowned music producer Greg Wells, who lost his state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos mixing room and studio in Pacific Palisades. Wells, who has collaborated with artists including Katy Perry, Adele, and Dua Lipa, was in shock and disbelief at the loss of his sophisticated studio, which included vintage RCA tube compressors and a custom-made 48-channel analog console.
However, Wells emphasized that it is the people and ideas that truly matter, not the material possessions. He drew solace from having his instruments in a separate studio in Santa Monica. Ironically, he purchased this studio from another producer, Butch Walker, who had experienced similar losses from California wildfires and relocated to Tennessee.
Wells' experience is not isolated. Producer-mixer Bob Clearmountain also lost his home and studio in the Palisades, and countless musicians in Altadena faced the same double loss. For Wells, the disaster occurred just as he was preparing to resume work on the "Wicked: For Good" soundtrack.
Despite the devastation, Wells is determined to find a solution. He realizes the rebuild factor in Pacific Palisades will be long and challenging, and he fears similar disasters could occur in the future. He questions why the area lacked an evacuation plan and fire prevention measures.
Wells' story highlights the vulnerability of living in a dry climate and the need for proactive planning to mitigate fire risk. He believes that installing desalination plants and using recycled water could help protect the community.
The wildfires have left an immediate impact on the music industry, with musicians scrambling to secure new workspaces and equipment. Wells faces the challenge of reuniting with his collaborators and resuming the recording of the "Wicked: For Good" soundtrack amidst his own personal losses.
Wells' poignant analogy of the devastation as "fighting a T. Rex with toothpicks" captures the sense of overwhelming odds against which the community is struggling. The loss of closure and the surreal nature of the disaster add to the trauma experienced by those affected.
As the music industry grapples with the aftermath of the wildfires, it is clear that the resilience and ingenuity of its members will be tested.