Synopsis

ACT ONE

Lights up on an empty TV studio. A projection says: “Los Angeles: 1984”. STAN ROSS wanders in, checking the acoustics. Almost immediately, musical performers burst in. They warm up, breaking into an impromptu performance (COOL JERK) with STAN’s assistance. 

As the number finishes, we are introduced to ANGELA BENNETT and MIKEY CUNNINGHAM. MIKEY (a music columnist and protege of STAN’s) has submitted STAN’s old recording studio (Gold Star) as a finalist for induction into the Pop Music Hall of Fame. ANGELA is on a deadline to produce tribute performances (DA DOO RON RON) for a television special for the occasion. 

As ANGELA and MIKEY delve into STAN’s history, we jump quickly back and forth in time. First, we flashback to the 1940s. STAN is a recent transplant from Brooklyn to Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. His guidance counselor MRS. MOSCOWITZ recommends him for a job at Electro-Vox Recording Studios. 

Instantly, we are back 1984. where a music rehearsal is in process. STAN explains he became the #1 engineer at Electro-Vox, and we see one of his early hits performed by STAN JONES AND THE DEATH VALLEY RANGERS (GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY). 

We move back in time to STAN and his pal DAVE GOLD, DJing a sock hop at a local college. DAVE’s girlfriend MITZI introduces STAN to her friend VERA (JEEPERS CREEPERS).STAN persuades DAVE to leave his job at Allied Records (he can build and repair radios, record players, TVs, tape machines) and go into business together. 

Later, at an abandoned dentist’s office, we see STAN and VERA, who have been seeing each other for six months by now. STAN announces that he and DAVE have purchased the space for their new business. STAN persuades VERA to sing with him (IT HAD TO BE YOU). STAN proposes to VERA. She accepts. 

We move forward to 1950. STAN, DAVE, VERA, MITZI, and LARRY (STAN’s cousin) are setting up in their new studio (Gold Star). As EDDIE COCHRAN rehearses (TWENTY FLIGHT ROCK), STAN and DAVE muse on the creation of an echo chamber. DAVE discovers STAN has unknowingly purchased a stolen soundboard, and the police come in and cart it out. STAN persuades DAVE to build a new one from scratch. 

In a new scene, EDDIE continues singing and playing his guitar (TWENTY FLIGHT ROCK PART TWO), while MITZI is answering phones at the studio and STAN is out on the streets trying to drum up business, by handing out cards to passersby, including BROTHER J. Business finally starts to pick up, and DAVE informs STAN that MITZI “said yes” to marriage. (TWENTY FLIGHT ROCK PART THREE)

As we move forward in time, STAN explains to ANGELA and MIKEY that Gold Star as primarily a studio for making demos. In the past, we see a recording session of a jingle recorded at Gold Star (KMPC JINGLE), followed by a recording session with the glamorous actress Lola Albright (ALL OF YOU). STAN, LARRY, and DAVE are running the session. VERA arrives, unseen by STAN, and sees STAN flirting with LOLA. As LOLA and VERA leave, TONI FISHER comes in to record (THE BIG HURT) insisting LARRY use ‘mono’ instead of the new ‘stereo’. As STAN and VERA have a tense discussion, LARRY records TONI while a playback is in progress, this causes a distortion which was the origin of the breakthrough phasing effect called “flanging”. 

Flashing forward to 1984, STAN describes some of the tricks of the trade as a tribute number is being rehearsed. (RHYTHM OF THE RAIN). 

In another flashback we are introduced to PHIL SPECTOR who is having a recording session with the PARIS SISTERS (I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME). DAVE experiments with a mic and an amplifier set up in the bathroom to try to get an echo effect, but MITZI unintentionally interrupts the session by flushing the toilet. 

We cut to the PARIS SISTERS performing on American Bandstand (I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME) followed by BOBBY DAY (ROCKIN ROBIN). As the song progresses, we go back in time to see the recording of the song at Gold Star, observed by RITCHIE VALENS.

Later, RITCHIE plays a Mexican folk song he is working on for EDDIE COCHRAN, and the two jam together (LA BAMBA, SUMMERTIME BLUES). During this session, in an attempt to stop a ringing in the drums, STAN suggests the drummer plays empty tape boxes (innovation on eventual recording of SUMMERTIME BLUES). 

Months later, STAN and DAVE perfect the ‘echo’ effect (REBEL ROUSER) sending Gold Star into a period of great financial success. 

We move ahead to the ‘60s and see THE CRYSTALS rehearsing (HE’S A REBEL) in Gold Star’s lobby. STAN (called back from vacation) and BROTHER JULIUS check-in with MARSHA, the new office manager. SONNY BONO and BRIAN WILSON make appearances. Soon we are inside an epic recording session with PHIL SPECTOR and the RONETTES, and we see PHIL working with LARRY and STAN to create the Wall of Sound (BE MY BABY). A Musicians Union rep (ROSELLI) arrives and tries to shut the session down (musicians working overtime for no pay), but we see STAN  “schmooze” his way out of the crisis. 

Later, after everyone has left, we see BRIAN WILSON of the BEACH BOYS working out a new song on the piano. STAN, working late, is on the phone with VERA. In his efforts to make amends with VERA, he sings along with BRIAN (WOULDN’T IT BE NICE), but, exhausted, he soon falls asleep with VERA still on the phone. 

The next morning, SONNY wakes STAN and convinces him to engineer his next recording with CHER. After we see SONNY and CHER in the studio (ALL I REALLY WANNA DO) we move to a spectacular SHINDIG performance on television featuring SONNY and CHER and the IKE and TINA TURNER REVUE (RIVER DEEP MOUNTAIN HIGH).  STAN and DAVE appear. As DAVE voices his concerns that things are moving too quickly, we move to the present with STAN, manically high and re-energized with past successes and future possibilities.

ACT TWO

A singer is recording a song in a studio (UNCHAINED MELODY).  During the song, STAN, ANGELA, and MIKEY appear in the present, watching the recreation. VERA enters. She is visibly unnerved by STAN’s newfound enthusiasm to return to work. After the song, STAN leaves. MIKEY and VERA share their alternate points of view about Gold Star, with ANGELA. VERA mentions the excitement of never knowing what to expect at the studio.

We flashback to the studio in the 60’s. WILLIAM SHATNER from Star Trek is seen recording one of his notorious Gold Star recordings (IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR). 

We cut immediately across Los Angeles to the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where VERA and MITZI are preparing for the Grammy Awards. Gold Star has finally been nominated for its first. The two reminisce about lost opportunities, before getting caught up in the excitement of the evening (THE IN CROWD). They go out to meet the entire Gold Star team in revelry.

At the end of the evening, the group returns to Gold Star, where the BEACH BOYS are experimenting (JULIUS: “There’s some magic going on in there.”) (GOOD VIBRATIONS). During the song, we return to the present, ANGELA is getting VERA’s version of Gold Star history, and of life with STAN (“While Stan waltzed up and down Sunset and Vine handing out business cards I worked at the May Company to help pay bills and put food on the table.”) 

We flash back to mid-‘60s. STAN and VERA are at Martoni’s restaurant. While STAN discusses uncertainty about the studio’s future, we hear commotion outside (Police enforcing curfew with protestors). BROTHER J, SONNY, and DAVE rush in. STAN receives a phone call and agrees to assist a group for free, angering both VERA and DAVE, who want more of his time. Left onstage alone, BROTHER J reacts to the changing times (EXPRESS YOURSELF).

As we move forward through the past, we see IRON BUTTERFLY recording at Gold Star with their groupies having a psychedelic orgy (IN A GADDA DA VIDA), followed by a concert performed by THE WHO (I CAN SEE FOR MILES), which spills out into the audience, as a montage of current events is shown. 

Flash forward a few years. STAN and DAVE are having it out about the problems that have been building up at the studio (Artists have moved on to more state-of-the-art studios, DAVE has been working on a new mixing board with surplus materials for four years and it still isn’t finished, STAN is not spending enough time at the studio). While ART GARFUNKEL records in a separate studio (ALL I KNOW), DAVE suffers a heart attack and collapses. STAN holds DAVE, trying to comfort him as lights fade and ambulance sirens are heard. 

Immediate segue to PHIL having a disastrous recording session with THE RAMONES, as STAN, TINA, LARRY, JULIUS stand by. VERA arrives at the studio. An argument develops between them, as to why STAN hasn’t visited DAVE, who has been hospitalized. At the same time, an argument between JOHNNY RAMONE and PHIL has escalated to the point where JOHNNY attempts to walk out. PHIL pulls out a gun and fires it in the studio. STAN talks PHIL down, reminding him that Gold Star is about more than just one person and deescalate the crisis. The RAMONES begin to record (LET’S DANCE). 

A few days later, STAN is mixing THE RAMONES track alone. DAVE shows up unexpectedly. He has been released from the hospital. They cannot speak to each other without arguing. As DAVE leaves, he lets STAN know that he has lost his trust.

We move back to the “present” (1984). A tribute RAMONES performance is finishing up (LET’S DANCE PART TWO), STAN and VERA are watching. ANGELA interrupts the performance, bringing on MITZI and DAVE, in Hawaiian gear (DAVE has been at the Healthy Heart Summit in Maui). ANGELA interviews STAN and DAVE and gets more history about what made Gold Star tick, and about their breakup. 

Flashback to ‘70s at Gold Star. BROTHER J presents the RUNAWAYS to STAN (CHERRY BOMB). STAN is not impressed but signs them on to what becomes a lucrative deal. 

The “present” (1984) breaks in, as ANGELA requests a live feed on the studio monitors and we hear and see a newsreel of Gold Star Studios being burnt down. STAN, VERA, MITZI, DAVE all gather and watch. They decide to go to Gold Star, but STAN moves aside to a piano and starts to play. STAN speaks with VERA about his reluctance to leave Gold Star in the past. VERA reminds him that Gold Star was not his dream exclusively and that now she has dreams of her own that she needs his support with. STAN agrees to be there for her. (THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU).  STAN and DAVE clear the air with STAN owning up to not supporting DAVE by visiting him in the hospital. 

As they prepare to leave, MIKEY enters, distraught about Gold Star’s destruction, but STAN tells him it’s not the building that mattered. MIKEY agrees, making the point that what mattered was STAN(“You cared.”) STAN, DAVE, VERA, MITZI leave, heading to the site of Gold Star and the beginning of the next chapter of their lives. We hear a voice-over in tribute to STAN, DAVE, and GOLD STAR followed by a musical montage of some of the studio’s hits. (DA DOO RON RON, RHYTHM OF THE RAIN, ROCKIN’ ROBIN, THE IN CROWD, TEQUILA, WOULDN’T IT BE NICE, LET’S DANCE).