Check Out Phil Park’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phil Park.

Hi Phil, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Have always loved and been into music my whole life. Started taking guitar and piano lessons at the age of four. Went to Kansas City Kansas Community College where I received degrees in Music Technology and Audio Engineering studying under the late (GREAT) Dr. Connie Mayfield and Dr. Ian Corbett.

Spent another 15+ years after college playing in bands and recording albums and demos for a few local KC artists. In 2017 I began working on my solo career and started my own company Park Music Records to be able to have full control over my musical process and to make it my career without having to actually take part in the side of the music industry that is extremely taxing on artists. This has allowed me to release 12 albums under three different Artist/Band projects since February of 2018 all on my own and without any push back from a major label or anything like that. I do 100% of the work out of my home studio from start to finish for the exception of I did have outside sources design some album covers. Even though the 2020 pandemic was an impedance, I continue to grow my music as well as the company through social media and getting back to playing shows, which is going extremely slowly but surely.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall I’d have to say it’s been smooth. What I struggle with is balancing the artistic side and the business side. I always want to work on new music, but I just need to put that aside on more occasions and focus on marketing, promoting and getting the word of my business and music out there. Every time I try to sit down and beef up my website, or social media platforms, or book shows, or even keep track of all my bookkeeping stuff, I hear a melody or a beat in my head and I instantly jump on that and totally neglect what will get all of these ideas heard. All in all just balance, organization, and planning would be the biggest challenges. Oh, and also the fact that the music industry can be cutthroat, but luckily I haven’t had to face too much of that just yet. But probably will as I grow.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I work more on the side of music producing, writing, engineering, mixing and mastering for my own musical projects and for a few other local KC artists. I’d say I’m known more for my writing and performing over the past couple of decades but it’s been so long since I’ve performed on a regular basis that the known part has probably diminished a bit. I’m mostly in studios lately. I’m most proud of my songwriting abilities and how quickly I can produce quality songs/compositions. And I would say what sets me apart from most is that I do all the work from start to finish. Don’t have to send my tracks off to get mixed or mastered because I do it all myself in house. If you listened to all my albums from the past 3+ years in sequence, you can definitely hear my progression and growth in the mix and mastering side of the process. Always wanted to try different and occasionally unconventional things in that aspect which sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t. But I’ve always liked the imperfections and the recording process. To me, it’s kind of fun for the listener, gets them interacted in the tracks and possibly makes them feel like they are involved in the process from their perspective.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The best quality of characteristic is to just be a decent person. You don’t have to be a cutthroat A hole to be successful. That way of thinking is nonprogressive. Build a strong community of people that are all out to help one another and boost each others’ talents. I’ve always had a knack for making people feel comfortable and in their zone or element which in turn makes the creative process so much more productive and plentiful.

Pricing:

• Digital Albums: $10 (currently on sale for $5)
• Vinyl Albums: $20 or set of 3 for $45 (currently on sale $13ea or set of 3 for $30)
• Mastering: Single Track $50, Full Album (contact for pricing)

Contact Info:

• Email: phil@park-music.com
• Website: www.park-music.com
• Instagram: @parkmusicrecords
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ParkMusicandMore
• Twitter: @ParkMusicLLC
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-kJ6ZzIH4kV2iaHh_jf8g
• Other: https://park4.bandcamp.com/music