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Rock veteran Dave Jerden, famed for his production work, has sadly passed away.

Dave Jerden, a prominent producer and engineer in the field of Alternative Rock, passed away on February 5th. Throughout his four-decade career, Jerden played a significant role in creating numerous albums that have become iconic in the genre.

Rock music industry veteran Dave Jerden has sadly passed away.
Rock music industry veteran Dave Jerden has sadly passed away.

Rock veteran Dave Jerden, famed for his production work, has sadly passed away.

Dave Jerden, a renowned figure in the alternative music industry, passed away on February 5, 2025, at the age of 75, in Los Angeles. Known for his seminal work with many classic hard rock and metal bands, Jerden left behind a legacy that continues to influence the genre to this day.

Born and raised in Reseda, CA, Jerden's musical journey began in his pre-teen years, playing guitar and bass in bands. His ambition was to become a jazz musician. At the age of 25, he enrolled at the University of Sound Arts and later worked at Smoketree Ranch Studios in Chatsworth, CA.

In the 2000s, Jerden co-owned Tranzformer Studios in Burbank, CA with Bryan Carlstrom. However, the studio closed two years after Carlstrom's death in 2013. Prior to this, Jerden had moved to Redondo Beach's Redondo Pacific Studios in 1979 and then to Hollywood's Eldorado Recording Studio in 1980.

At Eldorado, Jerden impressed Brian Eno and was tasked with recording Talking Heads' seminal album Remain in Light (1980) and the Eno/David Byrne collaboration, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981).

Jerden's career highlights include producing and engineering several landmark albums that helped define the sound of alternative metal and hard rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Notably, he worked with Alice in Chains, contributing heavily to their distinctive grunge/metal sound, Jane's Addiction, Anthrax, Armored Saint, and Social Distortion, among others.

One of Jerden's most significant contributions was his work on Alice in Chains' breakthrough albums, Facelift (1990) and Dirt (1992). His touch on these albums often involved creating a polished but aggressive sound, helping the band achieve both critical and commercial success.

Jerden's approach to producing was to have a point of view and maintain it throughout the project. He saw his role as a producer as a multi-faceted one, including being a psychiatrist, technician, and musician. He used his initial reactions as a listener and asked questions to determine the essence of the artist or band.

In addition to his work with hard rock and metal bands, Jerden also worked on a top-10 dance hit "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" by Jane Child and produced Jane's Addiction's Nothing's Shocking (1988) and Ritual de lo Habitual (1990). He engineered Red Hot Chili Peppers' eponymous debut and mixed Mother's Milk (1989).

Jerden is survived by his children, Michelle Jerden Forrest and Bryan Jerden. His work across these artists reflects a career dedicated to elevating the quality of hard rock and metal production. Despite his passing, Jerden's influence continues to resonate in the music industry, leaving an indelible mark on the alternative metal and hard rock genres.

[1] "Armored Saint: Symbol of Salvation (1991)." AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/album/symbol-of-salvation-mw0000328616. [2] "Alice in Chains: Facelift (1990)." AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/album/facelift-mw0000116990. [3] "Jane's Addiction: Nothing's Shocking (1988)." AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/album/nothings-shocking-mw0000022708. [4] "Jane's Addiction: Ritual de lo Habitual (1990)." AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/album/ritual-de-lo-habitual-mw0000017063.

  1. After co-owning Tranzformer Studios, Dave Jerden worked at Redondo Pacific Studios in Redondo Beach and Eldorado Recording Studio in Hollywood, both renowned places for audio recording and sound mastering in the entertainment industry.
  2. As a multi-faceted producer, Dave Jerden used his initial reactions as a listener and asked questions to determine the essence of the artist or band, embodying a polished yet aggressive sound, particularly notable in Alice in Chains' breakthrough albums, Facelift (1990) and Dirt (1992).
  3. Dave Jerden's impressive body of work included not only collaborating with hard rock and metal bands but also creating a top-10 dance hit, "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" by Jane Child, and producing Jane's Addiction's Nothing's Shocking (1988) and Ritual de lo Habitual (1990).
  4. In addition to Alice in Chains and Jane's Addiction, Jerden's career highlights include working with celebrities like Anthrax, Armored Saint, and Social Distortion, leaving an indelible mark on the alternative metal and hard rock genres, a legacy that continues to influence the music industry today.

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