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:

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The Plugs:

The Show: eggscast.com

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On iTunes: itun.es/i6dX3pCOn

Stitcher: bit.ly/eggs_on_stitcher

Also available on Google Play Music!

Mike "DJ Ontic":

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Ryan Roghaar:

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