Renegade Productions Inc., the company formed around the band Renegade, officially turned 25 this week.
It's been the best of times, and some of the hardest too for the Vancouver Canada-based company with worldwide business.
The bands that have come in the doors of the production company have been amazing, including The Cult, John Mayer, Jet, BTO, Tea Party, Joe Cocker, Avril Lavigne, Matthew Good, Hedley, Hinder, Simple Plan, 54-40, Third Eye Blind, Moist, Damien Rice, Slayer, Lillix, Theory of a Deadman, Holly McNarland, Joydrop, Spirit of the West, Puffy Amiyumi, Dan Powter, Default, Kittie, Chevelle, Trapt, and on and on.
Companies using our services include Nettwerk, Canadian Music Services, Universal Music, Warner Bros., Sony, Atlantic, Virgin, Island, House of Blues, Bruce Allen, SL Feldman, 604 Records, SRO, and more.
The band Renegade started everything, playing clubs in Canada and the US, then concerts headlining and opening for Nazareth, Henry Lee Summer and Boulevard, as well as recording at Little Mountain with Mike Fraser.
The label Renegade Sounds followed, with sales in over 30 countries of Renegade, MATREX and Vertigo.  Arpieye Music Publishing was also formed.
The company has also been involved with crew and staging for Loveryboy, Tal Bachman, Lillix,Tea Party, and Kittie, and promotes new bands like Scott Jackson, Damsel Fly, Broken Condom Babies and A New Honour.
The flagship location on east Hastings Street is still running, with interim locations on Homer, Cambie and west Hastings providing the facilities of the day.  Centring on Vancouver's vibrant waterfront, Renegade Productions has 3 locations now with 5 rehearsal and one demo studio on Hastings, 19 rehearsal studios in Gastown, and 28 rehearsal studios at the newest Victoria Drive location, as well as
the scheduled June opening of the 48 track Studio A with Michael Scott (Van Halen, Chris Isaac) in a new large 3,500 sq ft space that will make album quality recordings at an affordable price.
Upcoming is also an expansion into the Fraser Valley with Kevin Williams and Garth Richardson into a brand new 35,000 sq ft facility housing a recording school, 2 SSL studios, a live venue, rehearsal studios, and production offices.
A moment to touch on hard times; many people, governments and businesses for one reason or another try and wreck music companies and generally don't believe in them.  As well, there is the daunting task of keeping safe millions of dollars worth of equipment.  The fight to produce music is an unfortunate by-product that has tested the will of this company, but we have never lost!
Can't forget those staff that have helped this company grow; Kenny, Terra, Glenis, J.P., Zoe, Alena, Jimmy, Geraldo, Wayne, Catriona, Michael, Vic, Ashley, Barbara, Louise, Anna, Hayley, Lance, Jay, Telly and many more.
So, thanks everybody!  This is all for music, and all started with a band and a song.
Jim