“I certainly didn’t know how to build a studio. It was all Donn’s magic”: Donn Landee, the engineer who masterminded 5150 Studios, and helped shape Van Halen’s sound, dies at 79

(left) Eddie Van Halen and (right) Donn Landee, both pictured at 5150 Studios.

Donn Landee, a key figure behind the shaping of Van Halen’s sound, has died from natural causes aged 79, Van Halen News Desk reports.

The recording engineer was a longtime collaborator with Ted Templeman, Van Halen’s original go-to producer, and was a pivotal figure in the building of the band’s 5150 Studios in the early ‘80s.