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Show ST. GEORGE 10 — For the week of September 19, 2008 RETRO e Continued from page 9 a relatively early age that music wasn't just something to accompany the soundtrack of our lives, recalled Rokker. “Not only did we recognize it as the escape that most teenagers seek, we viewed it as the giant X on the treasure map of our futures” In the late 90's, Nate Ross Rokker and his brothers followed the sound of distant music strumming in their souls, making the leap of faith necessary to follow their collective dreams, and settling in the anointed musical Mecca of Los Angeles, Calif. Unfortunately for them, their landing was wrought with turbulence. “Despite everything we had heard from friends and insiders within the music industry, L.A. had relinquished its place as the capital for rock ‘n roll; said Rokker. “After a few months of odd jobs or no jobs, it was obvious that our plan to make it big was officially under construction once again: Ironically, it was this fail- ure to launch in the City of Angels that unlatched the pearly gate of opportunity, swinging their lives open to the possibility of being touched by a blessing in disguise. Determined to stick together, the Rokkers avoided the oncoming hell, and rode the crest of high water across America the Beautiful, playing for silver, playing just to play, playing to fill that void in their lives best served acoustically around the dozing embers of a campfire. It was somewhere amidst the truck stops and hamburger joints and tin-pan alleys and unmapped country roads, where a legend of a kind was born. “It would be deceiving to label our story as rags to riches,’ admitted Rokker, reflecting on that period of their lives. “But to say that we were anything more than blue collar musicians out on the road would be deceiving too” While traversing the country, a favorite pastime of theirs became going to at least one pawn shop in every place the tour bus stopped, searching for CD's ! Wisok & Pssitcs - Clocks & Lamps . . Metal VOall hangings - Country Kitchen Decor + Seasonal Decorations po é “a Unique Gifts & Homes a See Cee hace — 6 Gifts _| that fit the melodic rock mold — a piece of the music pie that had been swallowed by a well-publicized governmental witch-hunt (search PM.R.C on the Internet for more details). “We couldn't believe all of the discarded music we found just thumbing through the stacks of those second-hand stores... bands we thought had broken-up... bands silenced for years... bands we idolized growing up, Rokker said. “We started selling some of our extra CD's on EBay, and the response went through the roof? It was through the forum of cyberspace that the Rokker brothers started making their unique mark within the music industry. Business on the Internet was booming. The demand for their product continued to skyrocket, as well as the dollar amount bid on some of their more rare CD's. Bands that seemed to have suffered the same plight as the dinosaurs were excavated from the tar pits of the music world, the flame of their careers rekindled. Record stores across the country were quick to jump on the Rokkers’ bandwagon of nostalgia, and calls from every point on the compass came pouring in. Reliably and efficiently, Nate Ross Rokker and brothers were there to field those calls, providing a quality product to those who sought after a variety of their services. Through their hard work and attentiveness, they earned a name and a reputation as well as enough money to purchase and bankroll a record company in 2003 - Retrospect Records. As Rokker described it, “Once the company was proudly in our hands, we went through the painstaking process of re-mastering every CD in our new inventory for the purpose of worldwide distribution... “We also needed to find a NEIGHBORHOODS The Spectrum — www.thespectrum.com - Submitted photo Earl Leigh, an audio-visual specialist, and Nate Ross Rokker of Retrospect Records location for our baby, a stable environment to set down roots, continued Rokker. “Because of the advancement in digital technology, we no longer felt pressured to constantly dwell under the spotlight of the rock and roll lifestyle. We had the leisure of looking for a hidden gem. That hidden gem turned out to be none another Utah's Dixie, its topography perfectly nestled between the large musical markets of Las Vegas and Salt Lake. “I was really looking for a place to live that had the charms of a small-town vibe, said Rokker. “Right from the start, I was taken with St. George's quaintness and beauty... I knew this was the place I wanted to stop growing up, and start growing old in with my family and friends’ These days, Sam (CEO), Dan (Marketing), Craig (Warehousing) and Nate (promotions), continue to strive for the silver lining on the horizon and beyond. Retrospect Records is the fastest-growing outlet for melodic rock in the world, refusing to compromise or stray from the main ingre- prepare for a show St. George. dients its owners seek in an established or prospective - band, which is the basic foundation of melodic and clear vocals. The company is also the proud home for more artists than any other independent label, winning a number of awards for their work in the category of re-issued CD's. Split into three parts, Retrospect continues to place the majority of its focus on signing new talent, maintaining its edge on worldwide CD distribution, and the ever-important aspect of promotion - a division that Nate is in charge of. “We just finished with a festivalin Oklahoma called Rocklahoma, which drew more than 120,000 people, Rokker said. “We realized early on that there is a huge difference between the way you look and the way you sing... Some of the so-called hair-bands of the late 80's took their vision on stage too far, and the quality of the music suffered... Judging by the attendance at this festival, there was always someone playing on stage that the people could relate to, and everyone went home satisfied?” at The Firehouse in Nate Ross Rokker said it is his hope that Southern Utah might one day be host of a festival of that magnitude, given the amount of. open spaces and beautiful scenery its residents are blessed with. Until that day comes to fruition, he has organized an arsenal of rock shows coming up on the fall calendars of “The One and Only” and “Sunset Bowl? “The premise behind promoting artists from our label and bringing live acts into this area is first and foremost for entertainment, stated Rokker. “Then, by raising the quality bar, the idea expands into providing inspiration for local acts, and gives kids making music in our neighborhoods something to shoot for? With a smile he added, “Besides, for my money, there's still no better way to spend a Friday than a night of listening to genuine, unadulterated rock ‘n roll? ‘For more information concerning _ Retrospect Records, bands on their label, upcoming shows, and the surprising corruptness of the’record industry, visit www.retrospectrecords.com. |
