David Baker is a music producer & songwriter from Lancaster, SC who recently made the permanent move to Los Angeles. In our interview with David, he talks about today's record industry, commitment to the craft and the importance of grassroots marketing.________________________________
Describe what you do: I'm a music producer & a songwriter. I record bands for a living. I'll bring a band in, make sure their songs are arranged properly, are dynamic and come across as the best they can be, because– for me– it's all about the song. I'll engineer the record, then I mix and master it. Sounds simple– but to do it right, it's actually hard. But it's very rewarding work.
I work out of Killingsworth Recording Company. We have studios in New York and Hollywood, with a Nashville location set to open in the Summer/Fall of 2009. I work mostly out of our Los Angeles facility. You can check out the studio online.
I also scout and develop bands for and independent label named Chamberlain Records. We have offices in Florida, California and New York. We're a small, hard-working label that looks for bands that are devoted to their craft, tour, and aren't scared to work hard to get out and build a fanbase and a demand for their music. When I produce bands that are driven and possess the qualities of a good touring band, I work with them to get them on their feet and then pitch them to the label. We have a joint venture deal with Universal Records, so when we have an artist that is making some noise, we have the option of up-streaming them to Universal.
Who are your musical / production influences? I dig lots of stuff. As far as producers, I like Albini's early stuff, Howard Benson, I like the stuff Rick Rubin did with Jay-Z and I always dig Brendan O'Brien's stuff.
How long have you been living in Los Angeles? What initially took you there? I just moved to Los Angeles permanently, after working between LA and NY for the past year. I was at a point where I was able to move out and work as a producer full-time, so I packed it up and headed west. I had established myself on the east coast and didn't want to move to LA until I had no other choice. Now I'm staying busy and becoming established as a competitive producer here in LA.
What are some of the projects you've worked on? I've worked on projects for Diffuser (Hollywood Records), The Anix (Chamberlain Records), Undying Allegiance, Brianna Taylor (Universal Records). I also do a lot of independent bands– I dig those bands because they're in the process of building their careers, so it's cool to help them get started on the right foot with a professional recording. I have had songs I've written and co-written featured on The Real World, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and Bad Girls Club. I am currently pitching a batch of songs to a feature film, Grey's Anatomy, Entourage and another TV pilot for a show about the music business.
What are you working on now? I'm currently developing hip-hop artist Jay'are, pop-punk band The Second Advance, punk/grunge band Shallow Palace and several other California bands. I also have two SC bands that are booked out here that I am looking forward to working with.
When did you first become interested in music? I've been into music as far back as I can remember. I picked up the guitar at 15 and never looked back. I was a founding member of a rock band named CLOSER which was signed to Beverly Martel Records. I toured with bands like Anberlin, Switchfoot, Better Than Ezra & Jet. When the band took a break, I couldn't stand to just sit around, so I began to produce bands and I ended up being really good at it. I was always drawn to creating, so writing and producing came naturally to me. I got to this point in my life by working hard and networking. I also learned a ton in the early days by doing things the wrong way - you always learn from your mistakes.
Can you tell us a little about growing up in Lancaster? What songs were on rotation? Lancaster was cool. It really wasn't a bad place to grow up. I went to LHS, graduated in 1996. I don't think I could pinpoint certain songs, but these artists were definite influences for me early on: Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Metallica, Nirvana, U2, Nine Inch Nails, The Doors, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Dr. Dre. These days I listen to everything from T-Pain to Taylor Swift to Thrice.
What are your thoughts on the state of the record industry? Is it good or bad for striving artists? The record business has always been tough. Now that the long-standing distribution model has been turned upside down by the digital age, it is tougher for major labels to turn a profit from selling records when the digital model has moved back to selling singles digitally.
With social networking sites becoming a go-to place to discover music and recording gear becoming very affordable, everyone thinks the songs they record in their bedroom should get them a six-figure record deal. It's instant gratification for a lot of young bands. Basically, for a few hundred dollars, anyone can record a song and put it up on MySpace for free. They can get it set-up on iTunes and other digital stores and– before you know it– the market is flooded with millions of bad recordings and weak songs. With this sort of thing happening everywhere, the music market has become flooded with mediocrity.
I hear the same story from bands everyday: "Our music is everything, we want to be a full-time band on a label more than anything... We'll do whatever it takes." Then I ask them how many records have you sold? How many dates did you tour last year? Do you have local or regional radio play? How many people do you pull is certain markets? They can't answer those questions. The bands that can answer those questions are becoming successful. Why would a major record label hand a quarter of a million dollars to a band that has sold 200 records, plays their hometown bar and gets 15 MySpace plays per day?
I am a firm believer in making your product the best it can be. Today, the songs can't be good, they have to be great. There are still a lot of bands out there that are selling records, touring successfully and doing things right. You can save yourself a lot of time and money if you start by hiring a producer and recording a quality record out of the gates. From there, you just have to use some creative grassroots marketing and tour nonstop to promote your music.
Any crazy studio stories? We were recording a grind-core band one time and the guitarist comes in to track his parts wearing nothing but a Les Paul and an Alien mask. We set him up on the other side of the room and let him do his thing.
Anything else we should know?
If anyone wants to contact me about working on a project, they can email me here: baker@killingsworth.info, or contact me through myspace at www.myspace.com/davidbaker.
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