Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jai Kaminoff. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jai, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
To be honest, I haven’t gotten over it. I started working in this industry very young and was immediately working with artists and other techs that were incredibly out of my depth. I’ve always looked older and tried to have a more mature way of doing things, so early on I surprised a lot of people when they learned my age. My first on the road gig was with Dee Snider from Twisted Sister. On day one he asked me how old I was and I told him, 21. He said “No you’re not”. He was an incredible guy and I was probably overthinking it but that interaction told me that as long as you do your job well, age doesn’t matter. Going forward from there I’d wait until a couple weeks into a tour to tell people my age so they could see my work ethic before writing me off as just a kid. I still carry that with me to this day, When I was 22 I got to tour with two of my favorite, and Rolling Stone magazine top 100 guitarists. When I was 26 I was working with one of my favorite bands in the world. Headlining Hellfest, in their home country, in front of 60,000 people. That’s wild that anyone let me in the door at all. I’m 28 now and about to be managing a huge repair shop and running a very expensive and advanced machine daily. That’s insane, I shouldn’t be in this situation. But I never turn down a good opportunity, and I always work as hard as I can to show everyone that I belong where I’m at. Even if I don’t believe it. Which I don’t most of the time. I’m just happy to be here.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a career guitar tech. I went to school for it and I’ve really only ever done it. I started off moving from Massachusetts to Los Angeles and went to school at Musicians Institute. I knew going in I wanted to do the luthier program but I also got to play guitar for 8 hours a day which was great. Going to MI was fantastic because I learned a lot, and being around all those insanely talented and driven musicians really showed me that I belong on the technical side of things. Really just beat any hopes and dreams of being a musician right out of me haha. I just couldn’t stack up, I had some chops but nothing on the people I was in classes with. However it also showed me that I do have a natural ability to network and speak to people, and learn, and work my ass off. So I applied that. Since then I worked at the best repair shop in LA Eric’s Guitar Shop. Toured the world with some of my favorite bands on the planet (Gojira, Ghost, Animals as Leaders, etc). Made an unquantifiable number of friendships and connections. And now I’m managing what I have no doubt is going to be the best guitar repair shop in Houston. Straight Frets Houston fully opens up in February and I am over the moon excited to be a part of it.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Ok three things in my industry right off the bat.
Don’t
Be
A dick.
Excuse my blue language but this is the most important advice I can give anyone. I’m where I am because it doesn’t suck to be around me. Hopefully my presence adds to peoples life experience. Work hard, learn your craft, remember peoples names, give strong handshakes, all of that is important. But just being pleasant multiplies all of that exponentially. Especially in the touring world. If you’re going to be spending 9 months out of the year with someone, and they aren’t fun to be around. Work will suffer. This applies to all jobs. Work is work but it doesn’t have to be torture. Even on the worst days if you’re with a good group of people or even just one other person and they’re not adding to your stress and maybe even relieving some, that’s a person you want to have around. That’s a person you call back for a job, that’s someone you hit up when there’s an opportunity. So that’s my main take away from my working life.
D.B.A.D.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
If I have time to breathe, and a lot to do over a period of time. I’ll sit down at work, make a list of everything that needs to get done. Mark the things I can do solo and the things I need help with. Then go home and just do everything I can to not think about it. Unless it’s a creative endeavor. I’ll just sit on the couch with my dog and cat, have a drink, and watch TV. Separating work brain from home brain is really important and keeps both of them healthy. There’s no point in stressing about anything you can’t actively fix in the moment. When you get back to work, put on a playlist, be efficient with your time, and start checking things off the list. If you’re in an everything all at once sky is falling, you’re halfway through the show and the guitar sound just stopped working crazy situation. Don’t panic, don’t move as fast as you want to because chances are you’re going to accidentally mess something else up by flailing around. Start at the beginning and trouble shoot. We can use the guitar sound as an example, but the philosophy of the advice applies everywhere I hope. Sound starts at the guitar, goes to the wireless receiver, then to a signal splitter, then to effects, then to the amps. All of those things can fail. Starting at the beginning though, and looking for the issue from there is a better way then just shooting a buckshot of panic and wire grabbing into things. Be methodical and make sure you’re aware of the purpose behind your actions. If any of that made sense, I also do long winded speeches in person.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://straightfrets.com/
- Instagram: @jaikaminoff
- Facebook: I think Instagram is enough.
- Youtube: You don’t want to see it. Just guitar lessons I made for my highschool TV show. Not great.
- Yelp: Definitely nope.
- SoundCloud: That would be nice but also sadly no. Listen to death metal though, it’s good for you.
- Other: Straight Frets Houston is located at 5829 W Sam Houston Pkwy N, Building 11, Suite 1101 facing the highway. We have a Plek machine to get your guitar playing as perfect as physically possible. As well as a shared staff between Houston and Austin of some of the best technicians you can find. Give us a call at (713) 320-3635 for more info. Chances are I’ll be the one picking up the phone. Party on.
Image Credits
For the well done pictures Errick Easterday @easterxdaily
