Rod Walker is a professional musician, runner, surfer, and AV guy who spent a few years in the Seattle music scene during the onset of what became the grunge era. He spent 9 years as the Lead Technician/Production Coordinator at the Oregon Convention Center. He's currently an AV Tech in the healthcare industry and the band leader of "Portland Standard Time"; a jazz group that performs locally. He can usually be found on sunny weekends hanging out at the coast in his motorhome with his girlfriend Cat, and their 85 pound yellow Labrador, Larry.
Rod and Maxwell discuss being an A&R (artists and repertoire) guy for Capitol Records in the late 80's and early 90's, going from intern to college rep, Art Institute of Seattle, Guitarist Roger Fisher of "Heart", Barracuda, Stan "The Man" Foreman at Capitol Records, getting backstage passes, Duran Duran, Def Leppard, Poison, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Rolling Stones, Alternative Music, Richard Marx, Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Willie Nelson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, picking up Michael Balzary (Flea) from the airport in a Ford Escort, Chad Smith, Mother's Milk - 1989, taking the band golfing, Jimi Hendrix tombstone, opening for Alice and Chains, Flaming Lips and Nirvana at the Vogue, Mother Love Bone and Pearl Jam, Jerry Cantrell, moving to Kauai (Hawaii), going from grunge to jazz, doing sound in a Hawaiian Hotel, hula, bartending, working in the service industry, playing in bars at 14 years old, Slim's bar in North Portland, feeling music as a physical element, virtual stand-up sucks, moving out as a 16-year-old, getting hired at the Oregon Convention Center, boss abandons job, kids take over the ship, working for AT&T, the event world, inconsistent schedules, growing up and changing careers, starting at a low rate and getting a significant raise, trying to find talented workers, being a manager, late night work, sleeping at your job because your next shift is in a few hours, nobody can get fired at OCC, everyone knows what everyone's pay is at a tax-payer funded institution, part time work = multiple jobs, being technically proficient and a people person, working with a man accused of murder, running marathons, ultra marathons, and the Ironman competition.
