grew up in the extreme music scene of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at places like The Mr. Roboto Project, The Rat Cellar, The Brillo Box, Gooski’s, and more. While they all had their own unique personalities, they also had a few things in common. They are all small, cramped, busted holes in the wall that cater to the wandering souls of rock and roll.

I learned a lot about how to plan events, organize people, and party like you mean it at those places. Some might scoff at the notion that dirty underground clubs are the place to cut your teeth in business. To them, I dutifully lift my middle finger. There are no truer, and harder to please lifestyle devotees than the crust punks and grind freaks of the world.

moved to Japan in 2009. I experienced a lot of changes very quickly, but suffice it to say I soon started playing in bands. Then I started recording and gigging, booking concerts and running series, managing tours, and more. There’s a huge amount to learn in the non-standard business practices of the underground, and much of it is extremely risky.

Members of the scene struggle stoically through the many ridiculous circumstances of independent music. I can understand this to an extent, but I am not one to let undue risk persist. So, after a few years of learning the idiosyncrasies of Japan’s extreme music ecosystems, I started Kaala to deal with the many hurdles holding it back.