Summary
This week's special guest is Ken "Pooch" Van Druten. Ken is the co-founder and director of sound at NVDVM. In layman's terms, he's a kick-ass front-of-house sound engineer for some of the biggest musical groups on the planet. Ken came on the show to tell us the amazing story of his life so far, coming up through the ranks of the music business to his current post as the lead sound engineer for the legendary rock group, Iron Maiden. It was an amazing show with a lot of cool stories covering his last forty years in the business of music. You're not going to want to miss this one. Tune in, then rate, like, share, and subscribe!
Takeaways
- Ken started music at a young age, influenced by his mother's piano playing.
- The live sound industry is often overlooked, with many not realizing the hard work behind the scenes.
- Transitioning from studio to live sound was a meandering journey for Ken.
- People skills are crucial in the music industry, often more important than technical skills.
- The day-to-day life of a touring engineer involves long hours and time away from family.
- The shift from analog to digital sound has transformed the industry.
- Networking and reputation are key to finding work in the live sound industry.
- Touring can be glamorous but also challenging, requiring strong personal relationships.
- Ken emphasizes the importance of being easy to work with in a word-of-mouth business.
- Aspiring engineers should be willing to start at the bottom and learn the trade.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Ken Pooch Van Druten
03:15 The Unsung Heroes of Live Music
06:21 Early Musical Influences and Journey
09:14 From Punk Band to Professional
12:17 Navigating the Path to Berkeley
15:03 The Decision Between Medicine and Music
18:14 Developing People Skills in the Music Industry
21:11 Transitioning from Studio to Live Sound
24:14 Breaking into the Industry with Tony! Toni! Toné!
28:26 The Value of Working for Free
30:14 Meandering Paths to Success
32:07 From Studio to Live Sound
35:35 The Pressure of Live Performance
38:33 Transitioning from Analog to Digital
41:55 Building a Reputation in the Industry
45:57 Life on the Road
51:30 The Glamour vs. Reality of Touring
55:54 Entry Points into the Industry
Credits:
Hosted by Ryan Roghaar and Michael Smith
Produced by Ryan Roghaar
Theme music: "Perfect Day" by OPM
The Eggs Podcast Spotify playlist:
bit.ly/eggstunes
The Plugs:
The Show: eggscast.com
@eggshow on twitter and instagram
On iTunes: itun.es/i6dX3pCOn
Stitcher: bit.ly/eggs_on_stitcher
Also available on Google Play Music!
Mike "DJ Ontic":
Shows and info: djontic.com
@djontic on twitter
Ryan Roghaar:
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