Inside John Mayer’s takeover of a Hollywood music mecca

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Musician John Mayer describes the legendary recording studio on La Brea Avenue – hidden behind arched gates – as a kind of “adult day care.” Since the mid-1960s, it’s been a place where famous artists have come to collaborate and inspire each other creatively.

Known for decades as Henson Studios — and as A&M Studios before that — the three-acre complex in the heart of Hollywood has played host to the creation of some of music’s most celebrated records, among them Carole King’s “Tapestry,” Joni Mitchell’s “Blue,” Guns N’ Roses’ “Use Your Illusion” and D’Angelo’s “Black Messiah.”

In 1985, Quincy Jones brought together a group of all-star musicians at A&M Studio A, with its distinctive wooden floors, to record the iconic song “We Are the World” in a single, all-night session. Years later, in 2014, Daft Punk recreated the studio’s beautiful wood-paneled atmosphere during a performance of “Get Lucky” with Stevie Wonder at the 56th Grammy Awards.

The property’s soundstage has hosted many famous projects, including TV shows like “The Red Skelton Show” and “Soul Train,” and even the iconic music video for The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” Just recently, John Mayer and his band Dead & Company used the soundstage to prepare for their innovative residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, shortly after Mayer finished recording his 2021 album, “Sob Rock,” there as well.

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The Grammy-winning singer, famous for his love songs and guitar playing, explains he used to visit even when he didn’t have a specific reason. He simply wanted to be near music and have a place to find some stability as an artist.

Amidst major changes in Hollywood, Mayer and filmmaker McG have officially bought the studio lot for $44 million from the family of Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets. They’ve renamed it Chaplin Studios, paying tribute to the legendary silent film star who first built on the property over a hundred years ago.

So, McG is building this huge creative space dedicated to Chaplin – it practically takes up a whole city block on Sunset! He’s aiming for a vibe similar to Warhol’s Factory, a place where artists who really ‘get it’ can connect, collaborate, and just do their best work. It’s a really ambitious project, and as a movie fan, I’m super excited to see what comes out of it.

And the duo already have some powerful support behind them.

As a big fan of Jim Henson’s work, I was really relieved to hear the studio was being taken over by people who seemed to genuinely care. A lot of my friends and I, especially those of us who’ve actually recorded at Henson – I did “Driving Rain” and “Egypt Station” there – were a little worried at first. We just hoped whoever took over would understand how special the place is and treat it with the respect it deserves. It’s a really unique creative environment, and you want to know it’s in good hands.

We now understand there’s no need for concern, as John Mayer and McG are doing a great job of maintaining the studio’s legacy.

Music

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Despite these successes, artists still face difficulties. Affordable recording technology, combined with lower budgets from streaming services, means even famous musicians often choose to record music at home instead of paying for expensive studio time at places like Chaplin’s. In fact, at least two songs nominated for Record of the Year at the recent Grammys – Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower” and Chappell Roan’s “The Subway” – were largely created at home.

As Mayer points out, anyone with a computer and microphone can now create music, and that doesn’t even include the growing amount of music being generated by artificial intelligence.

The continued move of film production away from Los Angeles is making people question whether soundstages will remain in demand. This likely explains why the owners of Occidental Studios, located near Echo Park, decided to sell the property last summer.

According to McG, the director of ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and an executive producer of ‘The O.C.’, those involved in the real estate side of the deal didn’t present it as a smart financial decision. However, he emphasizes that the motivation wasn’t about profit or regular income. He respects John for taking the risk and investing.

Mayer enjoys tackling challenges others say are impossible. In fact, she sees skepticism as a sign she’s on the right track.

Forty-eight-year-old Mayer and 57-year-old McG were relaxing in Mayer’s stylish office, which used to be a sawmill that supplied wood for Charlie Chaplin’s film sets. They had just hosted a holiday party for the studio’s team and friends. McG even breakdanced – “I’m a little sore today,” he joked – and musician Mitchell played piano in Mayer’s Studio C, a space she often used for work back in the 1970s.

Mayer is currently enjoying three smoothies at once, a habit he adopted from Steve Jobs. Apparently, Jobs used to order several smoothies to make sure he didn’t miss out on trying a potentially great flavor.

“I can definitely see what you mean,” Mayer says, casually resting his boots on the coffee table. “I’m going to try this smoothie, and a few others, to see if any of them are better than my current favorite. It makes you wonder if there’s an even better smoothie out there that I just haven’t discovered yet!”

He set down a cup and reached for a different one. “This one’s got wheatgrass,” he said, making it clear he didn’t want it.

The singer connected with director Joseph McGinty Nichol (known as McG) in 2024 thanks to Faryal Ganjehei, who has managed the studio for many years. Both were familiar with the studio’s facilities: McG filmed music videos there in the 1990s for artists like Sublime and Smash Mouth, while Mayer first recorded at Henson in 2005, creating a version of “Route 66” for the movie “Cars.”

McG says he and John hadn’t actually met before, despite both being in the industry and knowing Ari Emanuel. Their connection came about because they both heard the Jim Henson Company – known for its children’s TV shows and now based at the Radford Studio Center in Studio City – was considering a move, and they were brought together intentionally.

“One year in, we’re still performing vigorous lovemaking,” McG says of his and Mayer’s union.

“Can’t wait to see that in Times New Roman,” Mayer adds.

Born in London, Charlie Chaplin started constructing a film studio in 1917, designing it in the style of a classic English Tudor building with white and brown exteriors. He then filmed many of his most famous movies there, like “Modern Times” and “The Great Dictator.” After Chaplin left the US in 1952, the studio became the setting for TV shows such as “The Adventures of Superman” and “Perry Mason.”

Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss purchased the studio in 1966 and established it as the headquarters for A&M Records. They transformed two soundstages into state-of-the-art recording studios, attracting famous artists like Sergio Mendes, the Carpenters, Stevie Nicks, U2, and John Lennon. Jim Henson took ownership in 2000 and maintained the warm, family-like atmosphere that many who worked there appreciated.

John Shanks, a producer for artists like Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, and Ashlee Simpson, fondly remembers his time at Henson, saying, “It really felt like a second home.” He even recalls his children celebrating birthdays there and knowing exactly where to find the candy in Faryal’s office.

Mayer and McG are investing $9 million in upgrades to the property, which the director playfully calls a “revitalization,” but they don’t intend to make any major changes to the buildings or overall look. The current team of around 22 engineers, technicians, and support staff will remain, as will the artists who have offices and studios there, including Daft Punk’s production company and the musical duo Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman.

McG explains that it’s common to feel disappointed when a beloved place is renovated and loses its appeal. He says people often find they no longer enjoy a place after it’s been changed.

Such as?

Mayer explained that ‘The Four Seasons on Doheny’ isn’t what it used to be. ‘They removed the original dining room and replaced it with a Culina, and it’s just not the same,’ he said. Speaking about the creative process, he described the venue as having ‘a beating heart,’ adding, ‘We just need to avoid ruining it.’ He chuckled, saying, ‘Let’s just avoid acting on every impulsive idea we have.’

Adrian Scott Fine welcomes that attitude.

We don’t often hear this, which is great news,” says the head of the Los Angeles Conservancy, a group that works to protect historic buildings. “Whenever a historic property is sold, we worry about what will happen to it. Sometimes the new owner will care for it properly, but often it leads to big changes, a loss of its unique qualities, or even its destruction. So, it’s really encouraging when someone promises to preserve it, because that doesn’t happen frequently in Los Angeles.

To reflect the property’s connection to the past, Mayer and McG first proposed the name Chaplin A&M. However, Mayer explained that Universal Music Group, which owns the A&M brand, wouldn’t approve its use.

He recalled being surprised by how close the idea of reviving A&M was to actually happening. He said that when he discussed it with people at record companies, the idea would get watered down as it moved up the chain of command – everyone understood the potential, but couldn’t convince their superiors. (Moss passed away in 2023, and a representative for Alpert stated he was unavailable for comment. A spokesperson for UMG did not respond to a request for comment.)

What was particularly upsetting, according to Mayer and McG, was the Henson family’s removal of the 12-foot Kermit the Frog statue. The statue, which depicted Kermit as Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp, had stood at the front entrance of the studio lot for 25 years.

The Henson family was determined to include Kermit in the statue from the very beginning, according to Mayer. While there was a brief hope they might reconsider, they ultimately stuck to their decision.

McG explains that people he knows who live near La Brea often drive by the Kermit the Frog mural and greet it. He’s upset that Los Angeles residents will no longer have that shared experience. He compares it to selling Randy’s Donuts and hoping the new owner would keep the iconic giant doughnut, referencing its appearance in Randy Newman’s ‘I Love L.A.’ music video.

The director explained that this wasn’t about any one person – not the creator, not a specific performer, and even not the family behind the original work. Kermit, they felt, had become bigger than all of that, truly becoming a beloved part of our shared culture.

Did they make that emotional case to the Hensons?

“We tried,” Mayer says.

And it fell on deaf ears?

“Indeed,” says McG. (A spokesperson at the Jim Henson Co. declined to comment.)

Mayer has been reading online comments accusing him of being involved in Kermit’s disappearance, and he’s understandably keen to clarify he had nothing to do with it. However, the singer – who’s been in the public eye for years, including past relationships with Taylor Swift and Jessica Simpson – claims he isn’t bothered by his critics.

He jokes that others should be more concerned with his opinion of them. He admits to sometimes reading negative things and thinking, ‘You have no idea…’ but clarifies he doesn’t need to reassure himself to feel better. He’s reached a point in his life where he’s seen it all and come out okay.

Mayer used to actively participate in online debates, but now he wonders if we don’t all just avoid things that are clearly meant to upset us. As the sun begins to set, and his garden reminds him of a peaceful ranch in Montecito, he starts to think about things in a broader way.

Millennials were heavily influenced by what they read online. Generation Z is starting to realize many online accounts are likely bots. And Generation Alpha will probably be the generation that completely dismisses a lot of online content as fake or meaningless, simply not paying attention to it.

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He says he’s done with criticizing other artists. He’s realized that the good feeling of simply being happy to see colleagues is much better than any satisfaction he got from putting them down.

Mayer believes the strong sense of community at Chaplin Studios is a key reason why he’s confident it will thrive, and he’s actively working to strengthen that feeling.

We’re moving away from a time where people showed off their solo achievements and expected praise, as exemplified by Dijon’s recent performance on ‘SNL’ with a large group of musicians. For a while, we celebrated individual accomplishment, but now we’re starting to appreciate collaboration more. Success in this environment really requires working with others; you can’t do it all by yourself anymore.

Despite everything else happening, they still have bills to pay. Beyond just recording music, Mayer and McG want to turn Chaplin’s soundstage into a popular spot for bands to rehearse – AC/DC recently used it for practice – and to host exclusive live performances.

According to McG, if Anna Wintour were to host an event celebrating ‘Women of Hollywood,’ she would specifically request it be held at his home.

Mayer says he’s fantasized about a sitcom or a talk show taking up residence on the soundstage.

McG mentioned that John seems to be close with Andy Cohen, and he’s curious to see how John’s show develops.

According to Mayer, the host likely requested a larger set. He explained that ‘Real Housewives’ reunions require a lot of room and equipment, like multiple trailers for the cast and crew.

Music is still central to Mayer’s vision for Chaplin. He plans to stay involved with the label long enough to be able to reflect on its history and the records made there, potentially even in a documentary. Mayer also mentioned he’s been working to ensure he has time to record his own album, aiming for a 2026 release.

He explains that entering the studio is a risk for every artist. They’re hoping to create something great, but aren’t sure if they can – it’s a really vulnerable feeling. He describes a creative atmosphere where everyone is lost in thought, wrestling with ideas, and striving to find the perfect lyrics, and that’s exactly what he wants this space to be known for – a place where artists can truly push themselves.

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2026-01-02 14:05