Year End / New Year
2007 was not my favorite year. Alot of my family members faced very serious health problems and i had open heart surgery 6 months ago. I'd like 2008 to be a very healthy year for everyone i know. So far so good for me. I feel great and feel like i'm in great health. I plan to never be on the operating table again. Having said that, i must admit it gives me a measure of clarity that I never possessed before, as well as a much deeper appreciation for life and how quickly it can all change. All of you, take care of your health now so its not a problem down the road. And for God's sake, if you are having a lingering pain for a month in your left arm and chest, GO TO THE DOCTOR! It saved my life. And try not to wait a month :-)
2007 was a slower year for label stuff, with a very bright shining highlight. I am now a platinum producer (John Legend's album "Once Again") and i also produced a hit single from that album, a song titled "Another Again" which charted #6 on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay Chart, and #30 on the Billboard Top 100 R&B Singles chart. In 2007, i also produced songs featuring an absolute Who's Who of Jamaican artists, including Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Sizzla, KK Alese, Delly Ranx, RGX and a few more. I'll be doing more of that this year.
I had several near misses this year that really broke my heart. Kanye West once again called on me to recreate a bunch of samples for his Graduation album. I recreated the Michael Jackson sample for "Good Life", I recreated the sample for "Everything I Am", and a couple other songs. In the end, he ended up clearing the samples and not using the recreations. F'ing heartbreaking, but not unexpected. Kanye wants what Kanye wants and i can hardly blame him. I was also called upon to recreate samples for Common's album for the song's "Southside" and "The People". both samples eventually got cleared. Still heartbreaking as both songs and the album are up for several Grammy nominations. And finally Just Blaze called upon me to recreate the sample for Saigon's song "Come On Baby", to which he was amazed when i sent him back the recreation, but again, the song got cleared. I have come to realize that one of the main reasons labels and producers hire me nowadays to do sample recreations is to give them negotiating leverage in clearing the sample. In other words, if the parties being difficult about clearing the sample know that Ken Lewis is recreating it, they very often have a change of heart. I guess thats life, but it cost me about ten Grammy nominations. UGH. Kanye also called me to collaborate on a movie soundtrack this past year. Basically co-producing with him. As of right now the project is on hold, and I dont know if it will kick start back up. 2007 was definitely a year of frustrations. 2008 will be a year of breakouts.
Rock production saw the completion of the Small Town Sleeper album for Upper 11 Records in March, and their subsequent touring with Chris Daughtry this past summer. The album still isnt on shelves but will be soon, and is currently available on itunes. I also produced Houston hard rockers "Glass Intrepid" who are being courted by labels right now as well as playing dozens of shows with major artists. I also produced 2 international hits for Icelandic pop rock artist "BMV". The latest single charted well in 9 countries and Top Ten in a few countries. We are finishing up his newest single now, expect more hits from BMV in 2008!
I have mixed for clients all over the globe this year including America, Canada, Iceland, Australia, United Kingdom, Cayman Islands, Faroe Islands, Japan, Germany, Russia, United Arab Emirates, India, Norway, Italy, and I'm sure i'm missing somebody. Of course with the way the US dollar has nose dived against foreign currencies, I'm practically giving away my services in a few countries, but for the most part, money still kind of spends the same here, so its all relative. Thank you to all of my awesome clients who i truly enjoy working with and working for. Keep making great music!
2008 Resolutions. I'm kind of big on setting big goals and then finding a way to make them happen. I've got several big goals for 2008 that i wont elaborate on, suffice it to say I plan on you all hearing my name alot.
I have a very big announcement coming for myself and the studio in a week or so, suffice it to say, I am not playing around in 2008. I'm coming out with all guns blazin.
I wish you all a very healthy, happy and successful 2008!
Sincerely,
-Ken Lewis
2007 was a slower year for label stuff, with a very bright shining highlight. I am now a platinum producer (John Legend's album "Once Again") and i also produced a hit single from that album, a song titled "Another Again" which charted #6 on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay Chart, and #30 on the Billboard Top 100 R&B Singles chart. In 2007, i also produced songs featuring an absolute Who's Who of Jamaican artists, including Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Sizzla, KK Alese, Delly Ranx, RGX and a few more. I'll be doing more of that this year.
I had several near misses this year that really broke my heart. Kanye West once again called on me to recreate a bunch of samples for his Graduation album. I recreated the Michael Jackson sample for "Good Life", I recreated the sample for "Everything I Am", and a couple other songs. In the end, he ended up clearing the samples and not using the recreations. F'ing heartbreaking, but not unexpected. Kanye wants what Kanye wants and i can hardly blame him. I was also called upon to recreate samples for Common's album for the song's "Southside" and "The People". both samples eventually got cleared. Still heartbreaking as both songs and the album are up for several Grammy nominations. And finally Just Blaze called upon me to recreate the sample for Saigon's song "Come On Baby", to which he was amazed when i sent him back the recreation, but again, the song got cleared. I have come to realize that one of the main reasons labels and producers hire me nowadays to do sample recreations is to give them negotiating leverage in clearing the sample. In other words, if the parties being difficult about clearing the sample know that Ken Lewis is recreating it, they very often have a change of heart. I guess thats life, but it cost me about ten Grammy nominations. UGH. Kanye also called me to collaborate on a movie soundtrack this past year. Basically co-producing with him. As of right now the project is on hold, and I dont know if it will kick start back up. 2007 was definitely a year of frustrations. 2008 will be a year of breakouts.
Rock production saw the completion of the Small Town Sleeper album for Upper 11 Records in March, and their subsequent touring with Chris Daughtry this past summer. The album still isnt on shelves but will be soon, and is currently available on itunes. I also produced Houston hard rockers "Glass Intrepid" who are being courted by labels right now as well as playing dozens of shows with major artists. I also produced 2 international hits for Icelandic pop rock artist "BMV". The latest single charted well in 9 countries and Top Ten in a few countries. We are finishing up his newest single now, expect more hits from BMV in 2008!
I have mixed for clients all over the globe this year including America, Canada, Iceland, Australia, United Kingdom, Cayman Islands, Faroe Islands, Japan, Germany, Russia, United Arab Emirates, India, Norway, Italy, and I'm sure i'm missing somebody. Of course with the way the US dollar has nose dived against foreign currencies, I'm practically giving away my services in a few countries, but for the most part, money still kind of spends the same here, so its all relative. Thank you to all of my awesome clients who i truly enjoy working with and working for. Keep making great music!
2008 Resolutions. I'm kind of big on setting big goals and then finding a way to make them happen. I've got several big goals for 2008 that i wont elaborate on, suffice it to say I plan on you all hearing my name alot.
I have a very big announcement coming for myself and the studio in a week or so, suffice it to say, I am not playing around in 2008. I'm coming out with all guns blazin.
I wish you all a very healthy, happy and successful 2008!
Sincerely,
-Ken Lewis
posted by Protools Mixing at 10:40 PM
2 Comments:
Thanks for sharing the personal struggles you faced in the last year Ken. I've enjoyed your posts for several years now, and appreciate your insights and candidness. For those of us trying to survive in this changing game - we must realize the big picture and balance life and music. That said, to succeed we must continually keep it pushing, and I, as you, have big goals for '08. Indeed the frustrations are a part of the game...but here's to making 2008 a banger!!
Peace,
Lohit
www.flyvibes.com (coming soon)
I hope your 2008 is alot better than 07' was for you. I also feel sick to the stomach for what some artist are/have done w/ the samples. Anyways Happy New Year my friend.
daKing@dankmobb.com
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