Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Roentgen.
Hi Kevin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Well, I was a little kid growing up in Los Angeles who, fortunately, was exposed to my young parents’ record collection. As a girl, my Irish mom had moved over to South London, England, for school. Later, as a teen she came to the States just in time for the US ‘British Invasion’ of bands like The Rolling Stones arriving on the scene. And, The Beatles, of course – who she actually saw play at their famous Hollywood Bowl concert in 1964 by winning tickets from a radio station! My dad is German. He came to America also for High School and ended up going with a schoolmate to see the Stones at the old Sports Arena in ’65. So, he had those records, along with stuff like Bob Dylan and also he was a huge Elvis fan – still is. So, this now iconic music seemed to always be coming out of the house stereo speakers and I just was drawn to it. When my parents split, music really became the escape for me. I would hole-up in my bedroom listening to KISS and Led Zeppelin with my head buried between the speakers. I got a used Harmony electric guitar for Christmas just after my 11th birthday and I became obsessed. Formed my first “band” at 12 with friends, playing the school Talent Show. And, then a series of bands became the recurring pattern for me. After graduating from a private college-prep high school, I made a (crazy?) decision to dive directly into the Hollywood music scene, still as a teenager, where I would cut my teeth for next 10 years playing shows at all the classic spots – Troubadour, Whisky, Roxy etc, plus venues that were well off the path of “the Strip”. We’d kinda play anywhere that would have us. Fast forward through band breakups, then forming new bands, record deals, touring aka “living the dream”, then the heartbreak of getting dropped from labels – and repeat the roller coaster. I guess somehow along the way, with making records on major labels in some of the most famous recording studios in the world, and by always looking over the shoulder of various producers, who I feel so lucky to have worked with, I picked up enough chops to then start producing and making records on my own.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh wow, this question. I don’t know if you’d give me enough page space to fully answer, so I’ll give a condensed version? I mean, yeah the road to the goals I had as a musician was whatever the ultimate antonym of “smooth” would be. For me, it was a long series of some of the most painful and humbling experiences. Being broke. Working jobs I hated for terrible pay just to afford literally sleeping on floors of friends’ tiny apartments while eating gas station hot dogs and ramen packages. And, of course, it’s not my unique experience, but actually the same story as so many others that chose this path. It was the ’90s. It was a time before the internet, where we went out almost every single night to be seen, and to meet people. It was in-person social networking. But it was the way we formed our relationships with other music people, and eventually managers, agents and A&R folks. And for those of us that are still around doing it all these years later, it’s become a smaller circle with so many dropping off along the way. Also, I used to think the “struggle” meant the early years, until I would later be in positions of experiencing the pressures of actually “staying” – meaning producing the songs, the records etc that will keep you in the game. I would always hear that it wasn’t getting on the ladder, but the actual really hard part was then climbing it without falling off.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a musician, singer, guitarist, songwriter. These days I’m mostly a record producer. My studio is in a rural area on a couple acres of “Unincorporated” Williamson County, just at the edge of Franklin city limits. I’m here most days either recording young bands or working with singer/songwriters on their new projects. I also collaborate here with other producers. I feel lucky to have a work space that is fairly remote and so peaceful, yet just 10 minutes into Downtown Franklin, food, shops etc. I came out here 10 years ago this March, with my wife and daughter, from Los Angeles, where I was born and raised and where I had originally enmeshed myself in the local music scene there. My path has been colorful I guess you’d say, coming from the artist side and playing, recording and touring in bands (American Pearl, Orson, Buckcherry) through the years. More and more, I’m finding that my own unique experience of having some successes, along with many more failures, holds a value that I never expected. Whatever that thing is, is what I bring to the table, especially working with younger artists who are just setting off on their own path. It’s also more rewarding than I would ever have imagined to be able to share what I’ve learned and absorbed with my journey to this point, and to know I’m helping another artist walk the road, and to meet the challenges and possibilities for themselves.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think I was taking huge risks before I ever realized the levels of riskiness. So, I come from an experience of growing up in a L.A. County working-class suburb. My parents split when I was around 8, which I think is a tough age for that to happen. They both sacrificed a big portion of their twenties raising a kid, putting him through private school, buying his hockey gear – and of course his first guitars. We never traveled much at all. First time I ever flew in an airplane was well into my own twenties when my band, American Pearl, was getting signed with the NYC-based label, Wind-up Records. So, I think my somewhat sheltered upbringing resulted later in a curiosity and tendency to go way out of my comfort. There was a time in the early 2000s when I decided to move to the UK because my band, Orson, was getting interest from the industry there. Major life change with leaving my home, family and friends behind to pursue an opportunity. That move turned out to be one of the coolest experiences, and successes, of my “career”. It was similar moving to Nashville years later and having to start from scratch in a lot of ways, plugging in to the “way” music is done here. We encourage our high school-age daughter to take risks and to go into that uncertainty, same thing when I’m working with an artist. For me, I was pushed pretty hard by people that believed in me, those ended up being the most inspiring mentors. I’m so thankful for them. I think risks come with almost everything. I feel like it’s the only way to really grow as an artist, or a business – or as a person.
Pricing:
- I work with music artists that are at various levels or stages, and with various budgets.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kevinroentgen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinroentgen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.roentgen
