“Mambo Sound started in 1980 as a small sound equipment rental business that operated from behind Whittaker Music Store located in Long Beach, CA. Originally dubbed ‘Steve’s Sound Systems’ I worked frat parties, local concerts and local dances while getting a Business degree at California State University Long Beach. and working fulltime at Whittaker music. During this time an opportunity arose to buy a fledgling 8-track recording studio. I cut my teeth making records on tape for what would become some of the southlands cooler bands. No Doubt and Sublime recorded there, as well as the Falling Idols. Falling Idols and One Hit Wonder were two oh many bands I recorded that would later forge careers for members of The Vandals, Slightly Stupid, Tender Fury, Pennywise, Long Beach Short bus, and many others. I worked Hollywood and the O.C. clubs as a ‘sound man for hire’. Here, I worked with what would be legendary venues like the Roxy, Palladium, Whiskey, Gazarri’s, The Cuckoo’s Nest, Verizon Amphitheater, The Pond and The Ford to name a few. I also worked with some great sound companies like Delicate Sound and Lighting, Sound Image, Rat Sound and others.I graduated and started working as a rep for Pro Audio and Musical Instruments. I kept working gigs until an opportunity came up to join forces with a new studio in Belmont Shore- a hipper 24 track with Wade Wilkensen. There we really took off and started working around the clock. We started picking up independent label business because we could make a good record for a reasonable budget. We worked for Caroline, Railroad, Sub pop, SST, Émigré, Cruz Records and ultimately Skunk. At this time we did Rocket from the Crypt, Big Drill Car, Swamp Zombies, and HR (Bad Brains fame). We also tracked the Sublime 40 oz. to Freedom record around this time. The gigs got bigger so I added crew from friends and recommendations. I changed the name of the larger conglomeration to “Mambo Sound and Recording.” About this time, my manufacturers rep business picked upn as well. It started as Mac Pacific, later to become Mac West Group (www.macwestgroup.com). I asked Anthony Arvizu to step in and help. We kept our talented friends busy working the gigs. We ended up managing production at some of the clubs in Long Beach including the Famous Foothill Club ( for at least 8 years) in Signal Hill until it was sold. There we learned the importance of taking care of the client and the talent in ways that brought the best results- A great show. We knew the technical end but the most important part was the people and making them comfortable. Working with promotors Steve Zepeda and Alex Hernandez (Alex’s Bar), we did a bunch of great acts including The Offspring, X, Southern Culture on The Skids, Rev Horton Heat, and Big Sandy to name a few. We were making live recordings as well. building mobile recording studios in beer rooms and cargo vans for such bands as OO Soul, The Blasters and King Cotton. It became good practice for our future broadcast work. Mike Glines worked with us and went on to Capital Records where I heard great things from his peers around Hollywood. Johnny Jones came in to run the show. Anthony went on to work at another studio and eventually ran his own studio in Signal Hill “The Compound”. The rep business was doing well as did so many other things in the 90’s. We represented all of the top studio brands. The studio took a back seat to the rep biz and production side. We did make some great records, later recieving a Grammy nomination for Gregg Young’s” Instrumentally Yours” record. It later went on to win in the LA Music Awards. I also was able to work Pearl Jam’s Mike Mc Cready. I spent many a late night editing Mike’s musings. It was a killer room. Steve Zepeda promoted for Bogart’s, The Foothill, and Blue Cafe (from 1988 to 2003 ) which were all in the Long Beach, California area. He wound up booking a massive amount of shows at these three clubs, working with many ground breaking acts like Nirvana, Sublime, Cadillac Tramps, Rev. Horton Heat, TSOL, Southern Culture on the Skids, Pavement, Geraldine Fibbers, The White Stripes, Jonathan Richman, and many others. Steve has booked well-over 2500 shows in his talent buying career.” – Steve H. McNeil
