Presented by RŌG Health
Eggs 426: From Studio to Stadium - Life on the Road and the Art of Live Sound with Ken "Pooch" Van Druten
EPISODE 426 • AUGUST 7, 2025 • 1H 2M
Episode Summary
This week's special guest is Ken "Pooch" Van Druten. Ken is the co-founder and director of sound at NVDVM. In layman's terms, he's a kick-ass front-of-house sound engineer for some of the biggest musical groups on the planet. Ken came on the show to tell us the amazing story of his life so far, coming up through the ranks of the music business to his current post as the lead sound engineer for the legendary rock group, Iron Maiden. It was an amazing show with a lot of cool stories covering his last forty years in the business of music. You're not going to want to miss this one. Tune in, then rate, like, share, and subscribe!
Key Takeaways
- Ken started music at a young age, influenced by his mother's piano playing.
- The live sound industry is often overlooked, with many not realizing the hard work behind the scenes.
- Transitioning from studio to live sound was a meandering journey for Ken.
- People skills are crucial in the music industry, often more important than technical skills.
- The day-to-day life of a touring engineer involves long hours and time away from family.
- The shift from analog to digital sound has transformed the industry.
- Networking and reputation are key to finding work in the live sound industry.
- Touring can be glamorous but also challenging, requiring strong personal relationships.
- Ken emphasizes the importance of being easy to work with in a word-of-mouth business.
- Aspiring engineers should be willing to start at the bottom and learn the trade.
Chapters
Show Credits
Guest: Ken "Pooch" Van Druten
Credits:
Hosted by Ryan Roghaar and Michael Smith
Produced by Ryan Roghaar
Theme music: "Perfect Day" by OPM
The Eggs Podcast Spotify playlist:
The Plugs:
The Show: eggscast.com
@eggshow on twitter and instagram
On iTunes: itun.es/i6dX3pCOn
Stitcher: bit.ly/eggs_on_stitcher
Also available on Google Play Music!
Mike "DJ Ontic":
Shows and info: djontic.com
@djontic on twitter
Ryan Roghaar:
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