EQ Records Collective
A Nonprofit Corporation
Empowering Artists, AMPlifying voices
Our Mission
To amplify young musical artists faced with adversity. We plan to deliver this service via A.M.P. (Artist Mentoring Program) through creative collaboration with established artists, producers, and other music professionals. We hope to provide young artists a path to success which would not be otherwise available to them.
A.M.P. (Artist Mentoring Program) Overview
Program objective: Identify, develop, and amplify the musical abilities of young artists who are disabled and/or lack financial resources. The program intends to provide the necessary resources to develop and refine the abilities of the artist and provide them a path to success as they define it.
A.M.P.
Step 1: Assess
Step 1: Assess
Step 1: Assess
We start by working with the artist and their support team to determine their goals, the resources needed to achieve them, and the initial plan to accomplish them.
Step 2: Equip
Step 1: Assess
Step 1: Assess
We will provide any additional physical equipment or software needed as well as the appropriate coaches to achieve the goals.
Step 3: Create
Step 4: AMPlify
Step 4: AMPlify
Let the magic begin! Once the artist is provided an environment in which they can create, and the right coaches to guide the artist, we allow the creative process to take off!
Step 4: AMPlify
Step 4: AMPlify
Step 4: AMPlify
When the creative work is ready to be shared, we enter the studio to polish and produce the final work and (if desired) we will publish and distribute the work on all desired streaming services. We will market the finished work on social media and publish the EPK (electronic press kit) on the EQ Records website eqrecords.org.
- Who is this for?:
- We are looking for individuals under the age of 25 who have a high aptitude for musical ability with passionate drive to progress their talent and abilities in music.
- Low income/resource artists: We want to provide this service to those who otherwise would be unable to access it financially or otherwise.
- Disabled artists: We seek to help those with disabilities find their own unique path accessing our experience, specific resources, and an eagerness to think outside the box to achieve the end goal of the program in producing a final work worth sharing with the world.
- We are looking for individuals under the age of 25 who have a high aptitude for musical ability with passionate drive to progress their talent and abilities in music.
- Where do we source our coaches?
- We have a core group of musicians and producers that conducted the initial camp. There are more camps scheduled in other parts of Washington as well as interest from several other states to have us conduct similar camps with blind students residing in those states including Nevada, California, and Texas. I anticipate more states will express interest once additional results continue to be produced.
- This core group is very connected in the music community, so we hope to build a database in every community in which we have a presence to identify the appropriate coaches for the given artists' talent.
- The coaches will be volunteers, but we plan to provide either an hourly compensation or music production services for them as well in exchange for their coaching services needed for these young artists.
- We will offer to produce their final work as well as offer to provide them a place on our website as an AMP coach & supporter.
- Where do we source our talent?
- We hope to spread awareness of this program through various methods with the hope that word of mouth will reach the artists themselves or through people who know of young artists that fit the profile of low resources or disabled young people with talent in this area.
- In 2022 I constructed a music studio at the Hillyard Youth Center in Spokane, WA operated by Youth for Christ. I volunteer at the Youth Center several times per month working with kids after school in the studio to make beats, learn instruments, record vocals, and teach production.
- In September I teamed up with Jaeda and Murray Elbourne (CEO of Amerability) to conduct a camp at the YFC youth center for 9 blind high school students to create a collaborative work in one day. The documentary and results speak for themselves.
Video
This is who we are. [music video]
Documentary
Join the Collective
- Interested in ecoming or nominating an AMP artist?
- Want to be an artist coach?
- Have any high quality audio gear or instruments you would like to donate?
EQ Records Collective, a Nonprofit Corporation
About EQ Records
The Back Story
- June 2023
I met Maddox VanDyken (aka Heavy Houston at the time) through a friend who thought I might be able to help him out. He came to my house with some friends and recorded for 3 hours straight. When I asked him how else I could help him he told me I needed to learn how to mix and produce his work. I taught myself the basics of mixing, audio engineering, mastering and production in order to help Heavy advance his musical talent.
- Fall 2023
By the Fall of 2023 we had a few songs ready to be produced and distributed to streaming. We worked on various marketing ideas and tried various social media boosts.
- Spring 2024
- In February 2024 we held a live show at the Hillyard Youth Center with Heavy Houston as the headliner. We had a logo made for Heavy and we had T-shirts made to sell as merch. 90-100 kids attended.
- For May week at Lewis & Clark Highschool they allowed Heavy to put on a live performance during lunch outside the commons. Hundreds of kids went crazy during lunch as he entertained his classmates.
- Graduation & Chicago
- After Heavy graduated he announce he was "ready to grind" and to put some time into the studio recording. I explained I would be gone for a week to Chicago for work and his response was "Can I come?". Having an extra bed in the room I told him if he could find a way to Chicago he could roll along. We booked 3 hours at LSD studios with audio engineer Hobb and Heavy recorded 3 songs, 2 of which were recently released.
- Vision 2 Victory
In September I was introduced to Murray Elbourne by Jaeda and we agreed to host the vision 2 victory camp. We brought 9 blind high school students together with myself and 5 other musicians including Heavy & Jaeda to guide them in creating an original song (see Vision 2 Victory song & documentary).
- Airforce
- Once graduated we agreed that music would need to be secondary to getting on the right path in life. Heavy just finished basic training for the Airforce in January 2025 and is planning to be part of the MP and eventually a police officer.
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