Company type | Corporation |
---|---|
Industry | Music production company |
Genre | |
Founded | 1989 |
Founders | Mark Mothersbaugh |
Headquarters | , |
Key people | Mark Mothersbaugh Songwriter/Producer |
Services | Music Production Music Composition |
Owner | Mark Mothersbaugh |
Website | mutato |
Mutato Muzika is an American music production company established and owned by Devo co-founder and lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh in 1989. The name is a portmanteau of the words mutant and potato, a nod to Mothersbaugh's longstanding fascination with mutants and mutation, and to Devo fans, whom the band dubbed "spuds," early on.[1]
While Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale and Bob Mothersbaugh, with drummer Josh Freese, often meet, rehearse and confer in its West Hollywood, California studio facilities, Mutato Muzika is a full-service music production company.[2] Until his death in 2014, Bob Casale served as a producer/engineer there.[1]
Mutato Muzika has produced music for many films, including Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, 13, Lords of Dogtown, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Catfish. Television music includes Rugrats, Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!, Pee-wee's Playhouse, Big Love, Eureka, Shameless, Enlightened and Regular Show. Mutato Muzika-produced video game scores include Crash Bandicoot and The Sims. Mutato Muzika also provides music for commercials, including spots for Apple's PC vs. Mac,[3] Martini & Rossi's George Clooney/Giorgio,[4] Apartments.com,[5] and others.
The company is housed in a round bright green building at 8760 West Sunset Boulevard. The building is rumored to have been designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (although no architect's name is listed on the building permit), modeling the exterior after The Forum in Inglewood, California, former home of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and NHL's Los Angeles Kings. Previously known as "The Beauty Pavilion", it was built in 1967 for plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Alan Franklyn, who wanted the roof to have skylights in order to illuminate the operating room in the center of the structure.[6] The building was painted green after Mothersbaugh took ownership of it.[7]