This year of 2018 marks the 30 year anniversary of TK Productions. Due to this fact, I decided to post a few paragraphs and pictures on facebook explaining how back in 1988 our rag-tag, Rock & Roll krew bought an old 1955 school bus for $200 and traveled across the country to begin our adventure in Los Angeles. I was amazed and humbled by the response and interest of so many: Some asked for more details, others were curious about the business itself, many exclaimed that I should write a book documenting my experiences.
As cool as it sounds, transcribing a book seems like a long, daunting task. It would take years of time and effort to write, organize and publish this unique pursuit of the American Dream. It might even get put on hold due to a lack of time or loss of interest on my part. Putting together a blog seems like the perfect solution. I can post an article a couple/few times a month and eventually the history would be written in its entirety and ready to publish.
Do I believe I have many fascinating tales to tell?… Oooooh yeah baby cakies, absolutely.
I’m not just referring to the financial aspects of this business; money can be earned in many different fields. This is the Music Trade: full of live events, backstage parties, drug excesses, friends made for life, friend betrayals, broken partnerships, senseless violence, crazy sexual exploits, etc. This journey in the world of live entertainment brings its many ups and downs, but for those whom are willing to roll the dice there is a hopeful pursuit of a life beyond the norm. Whether you are inclined to hop on this bus or just read about it, enjoy the ride, it could prove to be a fun literary experience.
Although my preceding comments are the catalyst for beginning this new venture, I realize there is much more valuable information to be shared other than my memoirs. There are always new musical artists trying to figure out how to get started. There are others whom have been at for a while but continue to have a hard time trying to navigate through it all. Many simply yearn for information on the music and artists they love and admire. It is my hope that those whom are interested may benefit from my insight and past experiences.
In the spirit of this concept, I have created 4 different categories in order to keep each article in its proper place(s). Hopefully as time goes by and the writings become many, this will allow one to navigate through this blog site easily.
Category #1: Get To Work
There are two areas we will attack and dissect within this segment: Business & perfecting your craft.
Business: If I had it my way, I would spend most of my time creating, recording and performing. As cool as that sounds, this is not a reality for 99% of local artists trying to get to the next level. The bottom line is, if you do not have a roof over your head and food in your belly, you are useless to yourself and others. This is the reason why you must put your financial situation at the front of the line. Once the headache of not knowing whether your bills will be paid or not is gone, only at that point you can now aggressively put together a viable plan to reach your real goals.
Perfecting Your Craft: There are many aspects that all must come together in order to have success as a recording/performing artist. We will dive into song writing, rehearsals, recording techniques, booking live shows, creating an image, shopping your music, social media tips, etc. No matter what you produce, it is extremely important that your name is always associated with the best quality effort that fits the image you are culminating for yourself.
Sometimes when we have goals that we strive to accomplish, we don’t know the best route on how to most efficiently reach those goals. There are always road blocks that get in our way and many moments when we have absolutely no control over the desired outcome. Hopefully this section can assist you on your quest for success.
Category #2: My American Dream
Here you will basically get an autobiography of where I came from, how I got here and all the juicy details along the way. I will provide a personal account of my journey from being a kid from New Jersey, through my high school years and beyond in Ohio, and the now ongoing adventure here in Los Angeles. TK Productions grew organically. It was never originally launched for the sole purpose creating revenue. It began simply because my friends and I loved working and being mixed up in the live music scene.
Along the way I was blessed to play and create music with many talented musicians. Rockin’ the Sunset Strip throughout the 80s-90s was a fantastic time for all involved. Initially the main reason I opened the first studio spot was so we could have a place to live, practice, record and host killer underground parties with no strings attached. Every band I was ever part of has its own unique music, story and characters. I look forward to sharing these legendary times and the music itself through recordings, images and vintage video clips.
Category #3: Studio Stories
We opened our first TK Rehearsal Studio location in 1990. Since then we have had an expansion of another 15 practice facilities throughout SoCal and Las Vegas which house hundreds upon hundreds of individual lockout spaces. Over that time we have accommodated tens of thousands of musicians, producers, promoters and artists. As you can imagine, there are plenty of studio stories to be told. At times I will refer to situations as “rumor” or “myth” because if I assign actions as fact, someone just might get into trouble… including myself.
At any given time there is always an array of different personalities walking our facility hallways. We used to throw huge Block Parties in the alley ways behind our buildings that showcased the talent within our walls. There are great success stories here too. I will speak of epic tales that include bands like Rage Against The Machine, Weezer, Panic At The Disco, and the infamous Mentors just to name a few.
Are you intrigued by confrontation? Well, I’ve got plenty of that for ya. When individual rooms are rented on a month to month basis with access 24/7, some will attempt to use the facility for what it was not intended for. Of course for the sake of keeping the atmosphere pro, clean and safe, we will not tolerate any actions to the contrary. Management vs the Disrespectful = Friction… Fun Fun!
Category #4: Out & About
When you go to an event, it is always helpful to have some inside info on how to better enhance your experience. If you are aware of the ins & outs of a particular venue, it may be possible to manipulate the situation to your advantage. Why not? After all, you did spend the time, effort and money to enjoy the upcoming live performance. Do you prefer the benefits of a VIP pass? I’m definitely down for it. What does it cost? Where do I park? Where can I get the best seats at the cheapest price? Where are the freebees at?!
This segment is dedicated to giving you the “heads up” regarding both national and local events. I’m constantly out & about. Nothing beats the live atmosphere of a national act on a large arena stage. It’s also very cool to check out an up & coming local band at some dive bar in Hollywood. Either way, why not get the most bang for your buck?… See you at the show!
ARTIST VIDEO SHOWCASE
To Showcase Your Music Video, follow the instructions in the Sidebar
IRON CROSS / Blood & Honor
IRON CROSS / Blood & Honor: As an example of how Band/Artist videos will be showcased on this Blog, here is one from 3 years ago. I joined this band while I was in high school at 18 years old. The visuals run through pics & clips that span over a 30 year period of Iron Cross Reunions / 1985-2015. *C Howard Johnson – Guitar/Vocals *Chris TK Byron – Bass/Vocals *Joel Douthitt – Drums. If you are interested in purchasing our CD or individual tracks, please click here: IRON CROSS / Blood & Honor
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