Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Johnson.
John, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started playing piano when I was seven when my parents signed me up for lessons. I started playing guitar when I was 12 and joined my first band when I was 14. I actually never imagined I would ever perform in front of people because I used to be really shy. I got over it and started playing as many shows as I could with several bands through high school. One of my groups recorded an album at a friend’s house and had some pretty decent results, so as soon as I got a drumkit when I was 16, I started trying to record it. I was in media tech during all of high school, so I dabbled in video production as well. I soon switched from being a guitarist to being a drummer and juggled bands through my teens and 20s as well. I started running sound for smaller shows while drumming due to what I felt was a necessity for everything to sound better than I was experiencing and eventually, I started getting paid for it.
As I was getting better and better at running live sound (and lights), I started taking myself more seriously as a producer in the studio. I considered Great Interstellar Studios open for business. After doing a couple of albums, I started recording for other people and I started teaching a recording class during a music camp for kids during the summer. Eventually, I was able to quit my day job and start working full time as a sound engineer (or lights) and producer, with the occasional video production job. I now also work for intensity entertainment as a production assistant fixing gear and doing upkeep for nine different rigs (full lighting and sound for 8-12 piece bands) and our showcase, office and warehouse facilities.
My most recent release is a nine song LP from a band called the Blackstar Republic. Currently, I’ve got several covers featuring several of my friends in the works that I’ll be releasing on my YouTube channel sometime this year. Projects from A Devil’s Daydream, Nunpuncher, my band, Design of Destiny, and my solo project, The Great Interstellar Nothing, will all have new releases soon as well!
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s never easy working for yourself! It’s extremely difficult juggling the balance between life and work, especially when you work at home. Being a sound engineer has it’s struggles, like sometimes having to please unpleasable people, or listening to the same vocal line over and over. Every so often, you have to completely tear yourself down and build yourself anew so you can keep growing; Doing that in spite of everything inside of you telling you to turn and run.
Learning drums is difficult due to being super loud and when you’re bad at them, people are not shy to tell you. Music, in general, is a hard industry because it’s constantly changing and music has become very devalued. The economy has a huge effect as well because when times are tough, you’re going to see a lot fewer people splurging to get their band recorded, or much less even having the time to do it!
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have had the support of my parents growing up. Had they not put me in piano lessons, I prob wouldn’t be in music at all. I’ve found myself in just about all the right situations to get me to where I am today.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Great Interstellar Studios! I produce bands, create videos and music and put on events involving them! I specialize in giving the same quality you’d expect from a pro studio but more casual so you can be more comfortable to perform at your best. It’s also nice to be able to track live drums and me being a musician also helps me relate to what the project might benefit from. I’m most proud of being able to lift someone up as a person while helping them create their vision.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
This city is my home! I think it’s great because there’s tons of potential opportunities. If you’re dedicated enough to learn a skillset, this city has worked for you.
Pricing:
- 30/hr tracking
- 150 for mix and master with 2 sets of revisions
Contact Info:
- Website: www.interstellarstudios.net
- Phone: 8173017732
- Email: josh@interstellarstudios.net
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/interstellarnothing
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/interstellarnothing
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/interrecords
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