Sophomore C.J. Bakke is paving a path of success as a music producer developer and coordinator – all at the age of 19 years old. He has worked with artists such as T.I. Fall Out Boy and Time and Distance. Bakke is set apart from his peers perhaps because he holds deep passion for his craft.
Bakke is motivated and wise beyond his years when dealing with the big dogs in the music industry. He pours out his heart not only into the music business but also into academics at Pepperdine.
Bakke may be young but his achievements and current progress are definitely paying off.
What is it exactly that you do?
“Basically music production is working with the artists to develop everything. I work with everything like making sure the tours come together. In the studio I’ll help shape [artists’] sound. [I’ll] make sure it aligns with previous stuff they’ve done and that they’re following their true sound.”
How did you get into this industry?
“It was probably sophomore year [of high school]…I started this band with four friends. We sort of just played shows making a little bit of money. Then we won this huge Denver “Battle of the Bands so we got this tiny little record deal in this little studio in the ghetto of Denver, so I drummed on it and produced that album and I really liked drumming on it, but I really liked producing it.
So, junior or senior year I basically formed a little record label in Denver, started recording bands, all my friends’ bands, getting them into the studio, promoting them, selling albums for them, just the whole thing. I got into Pepperdine, and when I got here I actually sold the label to an investor in Los Angeles. And, since then, it’s been doing really well. We have four artists that I mainly started working with, and two of them are now on major labels. I went on to do freelance stuff.
How do you determine with whom you are going to work?
“The way a lot of it’s done is actually through going to see them at shows and then I’ll talk to them afterward … A lot of it’s done on MySpace [because] pretty much everybody in the industry still has one. I’d say with the Platinum selling artists I’ve worked with it’s been the exact opposite – I’m basically begging them to let me work with there.
There are so many producers and so many people who have been doing this for 40 years it’s really a challenge to try to convince them why they should have to work with a 19 year old instead of somebody who’s been doing it for 50 years.”
What’s the hardest part of what you do?
“I would say the hardest part is turning away bands because there are so many great bands that need help but … I’m only able to work with one or two at the same time. I’d also say the hardest part in this business right now is finding a way to make all this stuff profitable especially the up-and-coming bands … [because] they’re struggling to get even just a couple hundred people in their shows.
There’s always the aspect of ‘OK we’re going to spend all this time working with these guys; are we going to get any money?’ A lot of times I’ve been doing stuff like pro bono just to help bands out that I believe in – hoping that in the long run they’ll rise up.”
What is your major here?
“That’s the best question. I’m studying political science which obviously has nothing to do with the music industry. But I think in a way it’s kind of helped me because there’s a lot of debate argument negotiation kind of like historical referencing that goes on with political science. And it’s the same in the music industry when you’re trying to find an artist and trying to get them a better rate in the studio – trying to get them on a tour with somebody. It’s a lot of negotiation … I love politics and I might make a career out of it some day down the road but for now it’s all about music.”
Could Joe the Pepperdine student get involved in what you do?
“It’s absolutely possible. Like if somebody were to have said a few years ago that by the time I was in college I’d get to be in the studio with these artists and work with them on a day-to-day basis from public relations to production I would have thought they were crazy. I think the best way to do something that I’m still doing it’s just approaching artists and saying ‘Hey here’s what I do this is my specialty can I work with you? I’ll work for free I’ll do anything it takes.’
In the music industry as wide-ranged as it seems everybody seems to know everybody and your name will definitely get spread around. And if you’re doing a good job and if you’re really driven then that band will be telling other bands and artists.
It’s definitely a daunting industry just because everybody loves music and everybody is buying it. And a lot of people want to be part of it. But it’s a lot easier to get involved in it than some people may think.’