Following his passion, Sheldon Gould got a foothold as a music DJ very early in life. Now his music business Sonic Sladen Music Productions has reached a 20-year milestone in the industry.
His family moved from their Reston home when he was 10.
“My Dad passed away from cancer on Christmas Day in 1999, so then we moved to Virden in the summer of 2000,” says Gould. “In 2002, on April 9 when I was in Grade eight, I actually did my first paying show.”
Winning a prize from a Virden store opened the door for this young guy to do what he loved.
“It all started when I won a radio from Radio Shack in Virden; it was a bigger high-tech CD/radio and I started dabbling around a little bit in my mom’s basement,” recalls Gould. “My sister had friends come over and I started playing music for them and having little parties in the basement. One thing led to another and I started buying equipment and it has never stopped!”
Of course, where there’s drama, background music can add to the impact.
“I’ve done quite a few musicals and plays and used to go on tour with the acting clubs called the Phoenix Players and Tumbleweed Productions out of Virden,” adds Gould. “I also did a bunch of work for the Aud Theatre in Virden with being on the board and a sound technician as well. I was taught a lot and [learned] a lot from Larry Gabriel when he was there. Larry has now retired this year from the Aud Theatre board.”
Skill comes from training and practice. Gould took advantage of a six-month sound production course from Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) through Faders Music in Brandon.
He classifies himself as a mobile DJ, a live sound technician, a lighting technician, a recording engineer, and a musician. Gould plays guitar, has taken twelve years of drum lessons and has played in several different bands.
Most of his work is live sounds for rodeos, motor sports, demolition derbies, mud bogs and with live bands. It can mean hard work and long hours.
“Setting up the equipment to perform at places sometimes can take up to six hours. When it comes time to take it all down, most people have left the scene, so I’m usually left with dismantling everything by myself at two o’clock in the morning and in the dark.”
Sheldon Gould currently lives in Gladstone, right next to the hockey rink, curling rink and community hall. He is one of the sound technicians at the hall and a board member. He continues to provide his services in the Gladstone area and will usually venture out within a three-hour radius of home.
This winter has afforded opportunities for his other business, S&N Custom Lawn Care, which in winter, means snow clearing.
This month Sonic Sladen Music Productions, AKA DJ Sladen, celebrates twenty years of musical service for areas of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. You can find Sonic Sladen Music Productions on Facebook.
