From Musician to Promoter: Roy Temkin's Journey with Moondog Productions

Ever wondered what happens when a frustrated musician decides to take matters into their own hands? Meet Roy Temkin, the creative mind behind Moondog Productions, who transformed his musical disappointments into entrepreneurial triumph. 

Roy's journey from performer to promoter began when he grew tired of unsatisfactory bookings and decided to create opportunities rather than wait for them. Today, his production company brings together tribute bands celebrating rock legends across Orange County and beyond. His flagship productions include "Together Again for the First Time," featuring George Harrison and Eric Clapton tribute bands performing at the Coach House on October 16th, and "The Day the Music Didn't Die," an imaginative show that reimagines what might have been if the plane crash that took Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper had never occurred.

What makes Roy's approach particularly refreshing is his commitment to old-school promotion in our digital age. While acknowledging the importance of online presence, he continues to believe in the power of printed flyers, posters in local businesses, and face-to-face connections. This hands-on approach reflects his observation that the music industry has become increasingly impersonal, making genuine connections more valuable than ever. His background as a visual artist—having attended prestigious art schools—gives him an edge in creating compelling promotional materials that capture the essence of each production.

Perhaps most remarkable is Roy's dedication to creating musical experiences that bridge generational gaps. "I always love playing for audiences that have the grandparents and the parents and the kids," he shares, highlighting how classic rock and roll can bring families together through shared appreciation of timeless music. Experience the magic yourself at one of Moondog Productions' and discover why Roy's passion for music continues to resonate with audiences of all ages! 

Upcoming Shows: The Day the Music Didn't Die on November 28th at the Bornemann in San Marcos and December 19th at the Bay Theatre in Seal Beach. https://www.facebook.com/moondogmillerband/

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Rachel Fyfe.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Now, do you have an upcomingevent or need some promotional
help?
Well, this resource is closerthan you think.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
Roy, our team Moondog Tempkin,with Moondog Productions.
Now, Roy, how's it going today?

Speaker 3 (00:32):
I couldn't be better.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Well, we are excited to learn all about your business
.
Now tell us about your company.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Well, I started out as a musician and as time moved
along, I really wasn't satisfiedwith the bookings that I was
getting where we were, and so onand so forth.
So I started looking fartherafield and one thing led to

(01:01):
another and I wound up becomingthe promoter and the producer of
shows myself.
For example, I met anothermusician and he had a George
Harrison tribute band and I havean Eric Clapton tribute band

(01:23):
and I thought, well, these twomight really be a good duo duet
act together.
And we are right now promotinga show on October 16th,
promoting a show on October 16ththat is entitled Together Again

(01:46):
for the First Time GeorgeHarrison and Eric Clapton.
The George Harrison Band isknown as by George and the Eric

(02:16):
Clapton Band is Slow Hand.
We've got a gig on October 16that the same Coach House place,
which is right on the border ofDana Point and what's that other
town?

Speaker 2 (02:23):
I'm so terrible with it.
San Juan, san Juan, capistrano,san Juan.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Capistrano.
Thank you, rachel.
What would I do without you?

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Well, listen, I want to ask you like how did you get
into this business?

Speaker 3 (02:34):
As I said, I started out as a musician and I wasn't
happy with the gigs that werecoming my way through my band in
one way or another.
So I started looking fartherafield and people that I met

(02:57):
along the way.
I met another promoter andshe's doing tribute shows with
Elvis and the Beatle tributebands and Cher tribute.
And I had put together a rockand roll show called the Day the

(03:20):
Music Didn't Die, based on thesong that came out in 1984 about
the tragic plane crash thatkilled Buddy Holly and the Big
Bopper and Richie Valens.
And well, I added to the showfrom the experience that I had

(03:45):
as a kid going to rock and rollshows in Brooklyn.
And so we now have this bigrock and roll show called the
Day the Music Didn't Die.
That features great, greatperformers from all over Orange

(04:07):
County, san Diego County, lCounty, and we've got a featured
female group that sings thegirl group songs from the late
50s and we've got Buddy Holly,ritchie Bowens and the Big
Bopper.
We've got Dion and the Belmontsand another strange, strange
group I don't know where thisone came from called Rachel and

(04:27):
Roy.
They're doing some famous duetsfrom the 50s um, love is
Strange and a couple of otherEverly Brothers tunes and that's
, uh, just a couple of the showsthat I'm doing.
I'm still promoting my rock androll band called Moondog Miller

(04:49):
that's a dance band as well asmy Eric Clapton tribute band, as
well as a I'll call it a mellowmusic trio called Minaj.
So I'm a busy guy lately.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
You sure are.
Now, do you think there's anymyths or misconceptions in your
industry?

Speaker 3 (05:19):
Can you think of any that?
So much is done online or in animpersonal methodology.
When a musician wants to playsomeplace or record someplace,
there's very little interactionbetween people.
To try and get someone on thephone today is practically

(05:44):
impossible, so you're stuck withdealing through all kinds of
internet interfaces that maywork, that may not work.
So it's tough.
It is tough.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, well, you know, we know, marketing is really
the heart of every business.
So how are you targeting yourcustomers or attracting them?
Yeah well, you know, we know,marketing is really the heart of
every business.

Speaker 3 (06:09):
So how are you targeting your customers or
attracting them?
Well, I'm old school, so, inaddition to any social media

(06:30):
that we do, I do rely onmailings and posters that I
place in local businesses.
Uh, I'm working largely inorange county.
Not that orange county is sucha small place, but, say,
compared to other markets likela, it is small, but we are
playing in venues all overorange county.
One of our shows is in Alamedaand we played in San Diego

(06:55):
County, and so we're prettydiversified in so far as where
we go and how we promote.
There's a lot of different waysof promoting, but you cannot
forget the old school printingup a bunch of flyers and putting
them on car windows and puttingup posters in retail stores and

(07:18):
handing out cards.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
All, right, now, I'm kind of interested.
Have you ever thought of doingyour own podcast?
I'm doing it right now, babe.
Okay, now, outside of work,what do you like to do for fun,
roy?

Speaker 3 (07:37):
Let's see, let's see.
Truth be told, I'm one of thosepeople who, if I ever tried to
have a hobby, the hobby alwaysturned into something that I was
doing for real, which isexactly how my music career went
along.
And when I was a kid and youknow every kid they put crayons

(07:58):
in your hand and you've got todraw, and I was a good drawer.
I drew well, and so I went tothe High School of Music and Art
, which is a specialized highschool which I have to audition
to get into, and then I went tothe School of Visual Arts, which

(08:23):
is one of the best art schoolsin the country.
So I'm a creative type.
So really, when I'm not doing mymusic, I'm working to promote
my music or create somethingelse to do in my music and, of
course, I use my, my designskills, my art skills, to put

(08:46):
together the, the posters thatyou see behind me here.
This is the poster for the daythe music didn't die and this is
the poster for um, the uhclapton harrison show uh
together again for the firsttime, and again let me plug that
we're at the coach house onoctober 16th and that will be

(09:10):
the first gig that's coming up,so I'm promoting this one in a
big way wonderful.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
Well now, roy, please tell our listeners one thing
they should remember aboutMoondog Productions.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
That we are a diversified company.
We're in the music business Iguess we're largely involved in
rock and roll but it's music forall kinds of people to enjoy,
young to old.

(09:42):
I always love playing foraudiences that have the
grandparents and the parents andthe kids.
So that's it.
We keep our shows so thateveryone loves them.
And so far, so good.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
Wonderful.
How can our listeners learnmore about Moondog Productions?

Speaker 3 (10:08):
Well, moondog Productions is actually so new I
am in the process of puttingtogether my website.
It's not there, but in themeantime we've got these shows
going on and we've got videosstreaming on YouTube.

(10:28):
And call me.
I'll give you my number and youcan call me and I'll tell you
where we're playing and who'splaying.
Oh, and we're doing a freeconcert on Thursday, which is
Patriots Day.
That's two days from now.
No, I'm sorry, that's tomorrow,on 9-11.

(10:51):
The Moondog Miller Band isplaying in Veterans Memorial
Park in Newport, right on thebay, and we'll be doing a show
there from 1130 until three, soeveryone can come on out and see
and hear and dance to somegreat rock and roll.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
Wonderful Well, Roy, I really appreciate you being on
the show and we wish you andyour business the best moving
forward.

Speaker 3 (11:22):
Thank you, Rachel.
Thank you for having me.
It was a pleasure being had.

Speaker 1 (11:27):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPOrangeCountycom.
That's GNPOrangeCountycom, orcall 714-941-8862.