Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Montes.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Paul. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
The journey I’ve been on begins a few years after graduating High School in Southwest Texas, El Paso to be exact. I remember having access to a lot of great music and movies when I was younger so those two things have always shaped my interests. I bounced around community college aimlessly a couple of years, passed the exam to be a firefighter at one point, and even contemplated joining the Air Force. However, it was on a random stop into the local Guitar Center to window shop that I came across a business card for someone who was an “Audio Engineer”. I had never heard the term and did some research about it. This led me to a school out in Arizona that focused specifically on the fundamentals of working with sound as an engineer. That turned into an internship at Mi Casa Multimedia, a post-production studio out here in Los Angeles, my birthplace, to begin my attempt at working consistently in the audio industry. It was there I found my first group of mentors in seasoned engineers Brant Biles, John Bird, Holger Thiele, and Grammy Winning Engineer/Producer Bob Margouleff. I was thankfully hired on full time as a runner and eventually became an assistant then engineer on a handful of A list Movie and TV releases.
After about four years there, and due to the effects of the recession in 2008, I moved into a position over at Interscope/IGA studios in Santa Monica thanks to my close friend and incredibly talented audio engineer/photographer Chris Cheney. During my couple of years at Interscope, I was able to experience the inner workings of a commercial recording studio first hand and the high-profile clients that frequently booked sessions. I transitioned from focusing on engineering to a supervisory/administrative role, observed a handful of amazing sessions, and made some great relationships that I still have to this day. It was during this time, I first met Dr. Dre and the Aftermath team. I was fortunate to build a good enough rapport with their crew so when Dre decided to lockout a new studio space, I was able to lend a hand thanks to his head of production Larry Chatman, Chief Engineer at the time Mauricio “Mur” Iragorri, and a kind word from a mutual friend named “Lefty”, all of whom I’m eternally grateful for. Now for the last six and a half years, I’ve been privileged to grow from runner to Studio Manager at Dre’s private recording studio and work with a great team of people. I know that’s not very brief, but reflecting on it now reminds me how thankful I am for every win and loss that’s led me to the space I’m currently in.
Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road, but I don’t think any worthwhile journey usually is. Some of the struggles I’ve come across had more so to do with things that were out of my control, like the recession hitting in 2008, or work slowing down in general because of the seasonal nature of the industry. I mean even as I write this, we’re trying to navigate in a major pandemic, so I try my best to focus on the things that I’m able to control like my attitude, demeanor, work ethic, etc. I also try to stay aware of my privilege as a male in a male-dominated industry, so I have to check that privilege and remind myself that when things get difficult, I’m fortunate to even be where I am in the moment. Whenever I faced challenges or came across situations that were difficult in the past, I made it a point to ask for help from mentors, peers, and/or whoever might be knowledgeable enough about what I was going through. I would love to say that I learned and did it all by myself, but that would be the furthest thing from the truth. I’ve been blessed to learn from incredible people of all types who were gracious enough to answer my questions and point me in the right direction. Regardless of any obstacles, I’m able to find my center and motivation in my amazing wife April and my two boys Jeremiah and Elias. To have people that love, encourage, and anchor you through the ups and downs makes that much more manageable, so I’m extremely fortunate there.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m currently employed full time at the studios for Aftermath so that’s my main focus. I have a great team that helps me keep the facility in optimum condition for whatever productions and/or sessions may come in. I also am a partner and consultant for the brand KeepItOnTheLo, owned by Lola A. Romero. She’s an incredibly talented Grammy-winning audio engineer/mixer for Aftermath and she happens to be a close personal friend of whom I’m very proud of. We have been working together to raise awareness for her brand and gain her more recognition for the amazing work she’s doing in and out of the realm of audio. More closely and personally, I’m working on my brand for consulting and mentorship under the moniker “Raised By Wolf”. The focus is geared towards helping up and coming audio engineers enhance their skillsets on a personal level and develop consistent habits/etiquette that will allow them to further their careers in the entertainment industry. Anyone can learn the technical aspects of audio, but I’ve found that it’s your personality, your perspective, your energy, and how you carry yourself that will ultimately propel you further on your career path, I’m living proof of that. I believe that’s what has helped me progress in my career more than any of the technical ability and knowledge I’ve picked up along the way. I’m hoping to pass on the tools that I’ve learned for whoever wants to listen. Most recently, I’ve started a videography company this year, but with the pandemic has come a lot of learning and patience so it’s in the works still. With each endeavor, while the focus includes enriching my personal situation I’m trying to find ways to be of help and service to others as best I can. Each one teach one, as they say.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I believe Los Angeles is the best place for me and my family to be at this time in my career. This city has afforded us a wide variety of opportunities that would be difficult to accomplish elsewhere. LA is my birthplace, its home and even though I was raised in the Southwest, I feel blessed to have roots here in Southern California. There are so many different industries and incredible people who are here in LA. I’ve met locals to people all the way from the east coast who are here specifically to hustle and make names/careers for themselves, so it’s a huge melting pot of motivation. I am very grateful that I’ve been able to sustain a career here in the city and I’m hoping to use the experience I’ve gained to enrich the lives of those who might be interested in what I do, or the audio industry as a whole. If I had to share any quick takeaways, it would be to advise anyone to try your best to avoid getting into debt chasing your dreams, outwork the competition, be humble, be gracious, always be thankful, treat everyone the way you’d want to be treated, and to chase happiness not a check, as best you can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.raisedxwolf.com
- Phone: 818-850-0486
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @raisedxwolf
- Twitter: @raisedxwolf
Image Credit:
@kraftvisuals
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