Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 2, 1 February 2001 — OHA loan hits right chord for Kalapana recording artist [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA loan hits right chord for Kalapana

recording artist

By Caitriona Kearns I # IRK THOMPSON made it to the WM national charts in the '70s with K Kalapana, a loeal eroup

n\ with a Crosby Stills and I \ Nash sound. Kalapana was successful and produced numerous popular albums for seven years. After a life of touring cities like New York and Chicago, returning to live in the islands had its appeal. Thompson became a producer for Don Ho and eventually started his own recordine stu-

dio, Spectrum Recordings, with help from a Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan ffom OHA. Thompson needed $100,000 to buy equipment and build his new music recording studio. He received $50,000 in a loan from OHA. Today, he still gives OHA credit for supporting him, as he remembers too well how banks perceived his music business venture as high-risk. "Anything in the arts is risky. I was try-

ing to tell the banks it's not creative arts only. Technical and engineering skills are necessary to running a recording smdio," said Thompson. "It wouldn't have happened without the loan." Educating a new generation

īn the music industry is the focus of his business, what he attributes to be his most rewarding occupation. Thompson provides a structured sixweek audio engineering seminar and offers shorter programs customized to the individual. "I teach music production, financing, copyright, audio engineering and distribution; how music

gets sold, who gets the bucks, and how to think of music as an investment," said Thompson. The seminars he runs are also good for business. "I use education as a good marketing tool," Thompson said. "The only plaee I advertise is in The Yellow Pages whieh really works, however, education is good for generating business as well. Word of mouth works. One kid tells a friend and it snowballs."

Dedicated to the music industry, Thompson would like to see it develop further in the islands and would like to see the University of Hawai'i music department take a more active role in developing a course for studio musicians. His philosophy is to encourage in others the serious pursuit of their music careers. "I like to help other kids who weren't as fortunate as us in Kalapana, but equally as talented," added Thompson.

As Thompson nurtures loeal talent and continues to operate his recording studio, his contribution to the music scene will accumulate in the islands. Who's to say when the next biggest hit from Hawai'i will get national attention. And in the meantime, Thompson will help young musicians make music and make sense of the industry. For m ore information about OHA's loan fund, eall 594-1924. For Spectrum Recordings, eall 533-2096. B

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Thompson

Ike Matsunaga completed a six-week seminar, above with friends composing in studio under Thompson's instruction phoīo courtesy: spectrum recording