Today we’d like to introduce you to Trey Baker
Hi Trey, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
To start, I am from Albuquerque, NM, and I was born with one hand. I really credit my dad for where I am. I was only 4 or 5 years old when I said I wanted to play drums, and he immediately responded, “Sweet. let’s figure it out.” Fast forward to Christmas about a year later, and I got my first electric drum kit that my dad and I would jam together with. He would play me songs on his guitar that I’d never heard, and when I would say, “But dad I don’t know this song I can’t play it.” He would just say, “Play what you think feels right.” He was prepping me for improv drumming and making me quick-minded with the kit. 10 or so years go by and I’m now a young teenager looking to play music. There’s a church in Albuquerque that was needing drummers, so I auditioned and made it. At the same time, I joined a band with some friends, and that summer, we went on our first DIY van tour. This was huge for my career as far as experience on the road, and the do’s and don’ts of being in a band with other people. We did this every summer for 3 years before going our separate ways. Around that time, I got into music production and “Beat making.” An old friend from childhood named Cody Mike reconnected and said, “Hey, I’m a rapper,” so I started making his beats. This was the start of the TreyQuicks brand name that’s on my social media. A couple of years goes by, and I find a desire to continue my education in music. I applied for Icon Collective in Burbank, California, and was accepted to I moved to California with Cody Mike. Upon arrival, I met my bandmate, Bret Christiansen, and we started the band FUNCLE that I play in now. I then started school and met Leo Corson who owns Corson Agency. After my schooling, I asked for an internship at the agency and was accepted. This brings us up to current. I still play in FUNCLE, I’m Leo’s assistant at the agency, and recently, a band called S8NT ELEKTRIC asked me to be their drummer, and I accepted. S8NT ELEKTRIC will be hitting Europe in August to play Jailbreak Festival and Baltic Open Air. This will be my first time in Europe with a band, and I’m so excited. There’s one thing specifically that I want people to take away from this. I’m a just a kid with one arm from Albuquerque that could’ve made excuses my whole life but didn’t. I do what I want to do and if there’s not a way, I’ll figure out a way. “The sky is not the limit because there are footprints on the moon.” I hope to inspire people like me to realize they don’t have to limit themselves.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not. As a one-arm drummer, you either get people incredibly baffled by it or people thinking that I suck and it’s cute that I think I play drums. I’ve had to prove myself twice as much as anyone else in everything I’ve done. When I played little league football, I was a phenomenal kicker, and I wasn’t allowed to punt because coach was “afraid I wouldn’t catch the ball.” So, I had to put myself in line for the catching drills, which I did and caught all of them. I used to resent that I had to do this and that a lot of people didn’t take me seriously, but I’ve learned to be grateful for it. It keeps me working hard and working on myself. My dad always says, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m assistant agent at Corson Agency, I’m a drummer for two bands, and I produce by the name of TreyQuicks. I’m most known for my Drumming and Music Production and I’m the most proud of both of those things. I moved to California and within 30 days, started my band FUNCLE with Bret, had a song written, and built a roster of about 10 artists to make beats for. I’m the most proud of how I adapted getting to LA.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe you create luck. You act on opportunities, go through doors when they open, take chances, and don’t be afraid of a little risk. Watch “Luck” show up. If you pick up a guitar right now, every day for a year, you’re gonna be much better than you were day 1. Is that luck? Or did set up your cards to play the right hand?
Pricing:
- Artist Consultation for Agency Work – $50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://s8ntelektric.band/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treyquicks/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FUNCLEOFFICIAL
Image Credits
CodyMike
Trey Baker
Bret Christiansen
