Coke Youngblood from Marketing at Interscope to Making Music Professionally

For some people, working at Interscope Records would be enough, a long-term goal fulfilled, a culmination to their story. Not for Coke Youngblood. He had other plans.

Sure he’s one of those guys who could say, I moved from San Antonio, Texas to LA to live in the big city and work in the music industry, tell that story. But that’s not his story. A lifelong musician, he wanted to get his hands dirty, be on the frontlines of making music.

Coke had some specific requests about who he was paired with as a mentor. He wanted someone who had been in the industry for some time, he wanted someone who was both an engineer and a producer, and he wanted someone who had a pedigree. Coke was paired with industry legend Warren Huart of Spitfire Studios in LA. Warren has worked with acts like The Fray, Aerosmith, Better Than Ezra, Matisyahu. He’s also renowned for his ability to seamlessly slip between being an engineer and a producer.

When asked about the insights he garnered under Warren’s direction, Coke says, “Warren is extremely professional and he knows exactly what he’s doing…a very ‘just get it done’ kind of guy. He just gets in there and trusts his instincts.” Coke also saw firsthand how drive and skill trump great gear, even when you’re surrounded by it: “[Warren] doesn’t care about the type of amp or the specific type of microphone. What he cares about is working with the talent and sculpting the artistry that they make. Giving them space, but still letting them know that they need to keep their work inside a specific area.” Coke says the experience has “just helped me trust my instincts more and know, ‘Okay, what I’m thinking is right. I’m going to go with that.’”

So what advice does Coke have for Recording Connection students who want to make the most out of their learning experiences? The answer can be surmised in one word–listen.

“Listening is always better than talking… just staying quiet and observing what they do, knowing that every little detail, even if it’s boring, is always very important.” *

Meanwhile, Coke has placed a number of his songs commercially, including one for Gillette Children’s Hospital and Kia World Cup!

* We think asking questions (at the right time) is important too!
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