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History Page 1: Introduction and Disclaimer

The History pages that follow offer what I've uncovered about Sound City, Dallas Arbiter (DA), and Dallas Music Industries (DMI) since June of 2002, when I began this research project. My hope is that the information presented here will A) clear up some of the conjecture--of which there is much--that exists about Sound City's history and products, and B) provide answers to questions--of which there are many--that we have all asked.

     But before you think these pages offer the "Rosetta Stone" of Sound City information, I have to stress that they do not, by any stretch. Sadly, some things have just been lost for all time. In fact, "I'm sorry, but I can't recall" has been the most common response I've received to the questions I've asked. Nonetheless, those who have assisted with this research project have been entirely wonderful, incredibly patient, and exceedingly gracious. You all know who you are; thank you all so much.

     When I first launched this Sound City research project, I had a tough time tracking down anything at all, let alone anything worthwhile. Dead ends and red herrings were the norm; no one knew much of anything, and finding those few who did know something was a huge challenge. It started to feel as if I was heading down black holes, into which information was inexorably drawn, never to be seen again.

     Eventually, things started to come together. Either it was a case of finding someone who knew something about someone who knew someone else, or a function of an obscure web search turning up an even more obscure (and quite often buried) reference to someone else who... well... you get the picture. I still feel as if I've only scratched the surface.

     What is here, therefore, is a modest primer of what is known. I wish I could answer everything such that everyone could come away with something valuable, some grand epiphany, but that just isn't possible. However, if what is written here can "please some of the people some of the time," can cause someone to see shape where they otherwise saw only formless void, then I'm satisfied.

     That said, these pages provide information that has, to my knowledge, never before been documented in one place. But I have no misconceptions about this piece's value or its place in the "grand scheme"; after all, let's face it, an in-depth discussion of Sound City literally defines the meaning of the word "niche," in every respect. But to not write about something simply because there's a potentially limited audience would be just plain silly. To not share what's known, when knowing could help folks, would be unfair to those who want to know, regardless of how narrowly focused and seemingly worthless that knowledge might appear to be at first glance. But knowledge is power, after all, so my hope is that this page empowers you in some wee way.

     Please realize, however, that this information might cause some of you to exclaim, "What!? That's just wrong!" If this is the case, I do want to hear from you because I want what's presented here to be accurate. And if you feel you have corrections to offer, please voice them, but please... be gentle, and remember that honey catches far more flies than that other stuff.

     And finally, if you're someone who might have played a role at or for Sound City, Arbiter Electronics, Dallas Arbiter, or Dallas Music Industries (DMI), and who might be able to offer valuable insight, then you might be wondering why I haven't contacted you before now. The simple answer is this: I could only contact those people I knew to contact. So, please don't be offended; my sin is one only of omission via ignorance and nothing more. Please do feel free to contact me now. I would love to hear from you.

     Finally, please remember that these pages are a work in progress, and I'll be adding to them constantly for quite some time to come. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Enough of a preface. Enjoy your trip to Sound City!  History Page 2  Top

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