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Meet Ken Snow of Dunton Records in West Covina

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Snow.

Ken, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Dunton Records started in the summer of 2007 on Dunton Dr., in the city of Whittier, CA when I wanted to record my own music. It was something I knew nothing about at the time and that both scared and excited me. I have always loved learning a new craft and this was my new addiction. For a long time, I didn’t take it very serious in terms of making it into a career. Until friends started coming over to record their music with me and the huge smiles they had hearing themselves recorded for the first time really made me start thinking that I could pull this off.

After a few years, I decided I was ready to leap into recording as a business and I opened up an industrial location in uptown Whittier in an ally off of Greenleaf. This is where I started seriously recording bands I saw great potential in. The first 2 band I recorded seriously was Settle For Crumbs and Red Flag Warning. Both of those bands taught me lessons I have held close to this day. The members of Red Flag Warning, all being 16 at the time, taught me that just because someone is young doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be respected. They taught me this by being one of the best musicians I’ve recorded to this day. Settle For Crumbs taught me the value of becoming more of a family with the people I record. It’s funny how some people spend countless hours in recording studios with engineers who they never develop a close connection with. After recording those 2 bands, I was only interested in recording people I built that family vibe with.

So the band I’m in, 3FT with Settle For Crumbs and Red Flag Warning, built up what we called the Dunton Family. Just a group of real hard-working musicians that really cared about each other. This really takes that lonely feeling someone gets here in Los Angeles county from being in a band. That’s when we started throwing shows at Crimson Moon Tattoos and piercings which went off. This small back room was packed and people crowded the whole alley. We easily had over 120 people at the shows we threw over there. It wasn’t just about the shows at that time though. We had a few BBQ’s at the studio with the 3 bands as a way to just connect on a family level. We were lucky that everything was falling into place and then I wanted everything to get bigger.

This is where I took a big hit, instead of building my presence on a smaller scale, I halted Dunton Records progression to build a venue/recording studio in Pico Rivera. This had always been my dream and I had one of those eyes where bigger then my stomach moments (dreams bigger then my bank account). We were told that this location in Pico Rivera had everything that we needed, and it was just one huge scam. I had dropped about $7,000 of my own money and getting loans just to figure out that this building needed way more than I could afford. Within 2 weeks the electrical shorted out in half of the building, the basement room flooded, the hot water had never been connected or used. The plumbing was backed up at the mains (so after running the water for 30 min it would never subside). To make everything worse the owner blew all of the money I gave her and could only pay me a few hundred a month over 2 years, just a little bit more than what I was being charged interest. Me being dumb, young and inexperienced at the time I just put myself in a terrible place (welcome to the world of the homeless).

This put the record company at a complete stop for about 6 months. I was sleeping my car with no place to go until the bass player of my band let me sleep on his floor. We ended up cleaning up his garage and turning that into Dunton Records for about 2 years. In those 2 years, I got to record the greatest bands, Rundown Kreeps, Cranial Engorgement, The Counterminds, and that’s where my band even recorded their full length that’s releasing in a few days (June 23rd 2017) just to name a few. We even started throwing shows in his back yard. It was a great time, and the best thing that could have ever happened to me. Sooner or later I moved to West Covina where the studio is currently located in my apartment.

Has it been a smooth road?
I wouldn’t say smooth, but I find the obstacles are part of the fun of owning your own business

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Dunton Records – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Dunton Records is a company that genuinely cares. When we get a connection, it becomes every band we have recorded’s connection. We have started to distribute digitally to the hardest working bands that we record as well as throw shows for the bands we record. We specialize in giving a punchy rock and roll sound and we find the sound with you. Instead of doing what we think and making you deal with it. The thing I am most proud of is the opportunity to record the 3 bands The Rundown Kreeps, The Counterminds and Red Flag Warning. I honestly feel those bands have what it takes.

The thing that sets Dunton Records apart is that with us you build a new family in music. This is hard to explain, you’d need to come to one of our shows to really experience that.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I hate our city in terms of music, Los Angeles is a win-lose. You have all of this amazing talent, but that comes with a bunch of musicians that feel that they can find another band whenever the first argument comes up. Sadly, I wish I could just shake every musician in Los Angeles and drill it into their heads that when you find a band making music that you love, never give up on that, because you will never build buzz jumping from band to band. I hold onto that word family, because if your family does something you don’t like you can’t just drain the blood from your veins. Just like if a band does something you’re not particularly fond of, you can’t take back the blood sweat and tears you put into that project and the second you leave, you wasted everyone’s time. Every band has their problems, like finding a new girlfriend/boyfriend, perfect doesn’t exist, it’s what you make of it.

The thing I like most is the food.

Pricing:

  • $30 per hour(recording)
  • $180 per day
  • $160 per day if you mention VoyageLA
  • $100-$200 mixing per song (depending on the length)
  • $50 per song mastering (free if recorded at Dunton Records)

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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