Ken Redmond Introduces Himself

Dear Audio Beatnik Readers,

How do I introduce myself to a website audience in a few paragraphs? I’ll give it a try in a way that hopefully gives you a feeling of who I am today.

Music is in my blood. I was born in New Orleans and grew up exposed to the music scene where live music is an everyday event. I have been fortunate to experience so many performers like Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Kermit Ruffins, The Meters, Tuba Fats, Dr. Michael White, Trombone Shorty, and too many more to name.

Then there was The Warehouse (called the “Fillmore South” in the ’70s) The Who’s Who of Rock performed there. Despite many damaged brain cells, I can almost remember the ones I went to hear. Here’s an interesting tidbit. The Warehouse was the location of Jim Morrison and Doors’ last concert before his death.

I decided to venture out of state for college and went to the University of Colorado at Boulder in the early ’70s. This was a rather “progressive” environment compared to the culture I was used to in Louisiana. I remember my first day on campus for orientation and the band Mountain was playing on the university library steps and performing their hit “Mississippi Queen.” During the concert, they would randomly throw baggies with marijuana out to the crowd. Let’s just say this was not a scene this sheltered Cajun boy was used to seeing in Louisiana!

High-end Audio Career

Music has been a constant in my life. So, it was no surprise when I decided to cast my professional lot with the high-end audio industry in the early ’70s and managed a high-end audio store from ’73 into the early 2000s. I sold most of the high-end brands throughout that time. And, what a fun time it was for the audio industry! Industry personalities were just beginning to develop, and I was fortunate to meet and, in some cases, be a dealer for many of them… Mark Levinson, Peter Snell, John Dahlquist, Saul Marantz, Tomlinson (Tom) Holman, Jim Thiel, Steve McCormack, John Iverson…. on and on…too many to list and so many stories to tell. 

Today, I live in Baton Rouge and my musical life consists of the LSU School of Music performances, the Baton Rouge Symphony, and local singer/songwriter venues. The music scene is alive and well in Baton Rouge and post-Katrina New Orleans is only an hour away, so I can visit some of my old haunts. My life has been centered on music and audio, and I get excited just writing about it.

Why The Audio Beatnik?

Why write for The Audio Beatnik you ask? Let me try to answer that. My goal in joining forces with Jack and Becky Roberts is to offer a mix of commentary on equipment and music. The two go hand in hand. It is my belief that the equipment is there to serve the music, and music is the reason we were all attracted to this hobby in the first place.

One of the first things that drew me to Jack and Becky’s website was their logo, “The Audio Beatnik, a journey in MUSIC and Audio.”  Anyone who puts music BEFORE audio has my undivided attention. I have always been impressed with Jack’s focus on a component’s ability to recreate music when he is reviewing it.

When I read the article posted on the website that describes Jack’s listening biases, it reads as if it were written about my own biases. It was from that article that I knew we were kindred spirits. That, along with his ability to convey the sound quality of a piece of equipment in a comparatively short narrative, is what attracted me to contribute to this website.

His reviews contain no overly verbose dialog, no preaching from the pulpit, and no “one thing is the best” dogmas. His style is informative, at times instructional, but always with an eye on helping the reader have a better musical experience. I hope to emulate that.

I have found over the years that there are many different paths to reach the goal that we all aspire to… to be emotionally connected to the artist and the music. Because of that, you will see that I am non-confrontational on issues like which format is the “best” or “cables do/don’t make a difference” and such. I have no dog in that fight. I’ll just call it as I hear it. If it touches me, you’ll know about it.

The only crusade I am on is to help you get to that personal musical moment you seek through whatever vehicle is your preference. I am also interested in learning and being exposed to things I have not experienced yet. Learning never ends, so please do not hesitate to “open my eyes” to things I may not know. Much of what I know now is the product of what I was exposed to by others who knew more than me and shared that knowledge.

On my lifelong path to “Audio Bliss,” I have been fortunate to have had many helpful mentors unselfishly guide me and share information that got me closer to my goal. Now, it is time for me to give back.

My Goal as a Reviewer

So, there you have it in a nutshell. Music and the audio industry have been my professional life, and I feel so very fortunate to have been able to do something I love for a living. I will ask that you indulge me as I intend to write about a broad range of things beyond just equipment reviews. Hey, I may even throw in a good Gumbo recipe. As I said earlier, it is all about sharing and having fun doing it.

My hope is that my contributions to The Audio Beatnik will prove to be helpful to you, the reader, in achieving whatever personal goals you have set for yourself in listening. Whether it is through a component that I comment on, an artist that I introduce you to or just information I share with you, in the end, it is about how the music touches you. I look forward to meeting many of you at the shows and to your comments online.

Peace,
Ken Redmond