T H E FINAL NOTE
JEREMY BRIESKE CO-FOUNDER, LOW BOY CUSTOM BEATERS By Brian Berk
The Music & Sound Retailer: Who was your greatest influence or mentor and why? Jeremy Brieske: There are too many to pick just one. I feel lucky to have worked with many people who were leaders in the industry for decades. My first job at 17 was at Herter Music Center in Saginaw, Mich., where Rich Morse taught me a lot about musical instrument retail. Charlie Wicks and Bill Eaton at Pro Co Sound taught me the importance of designing high-quality products. Working for Richard McDonald at Fender was like a masterclass in marketing. The Retailer: What was the best advice you ever received? Brieske: Someone once told me that if you build something, a customer might develop their entire impression of your brand from a single item. When you’re manufacturing something, especially a handmade product like our bass drum beaters, it’s easy to make mistakes. It’s easy to get frustrated and send out an imperfect product. But that one imperfect beater could be the only Low Boy product a drummer ever uses, and I don’t want their impression of our brand to be from a flawed beater. Whenever I’m tempted to say “That looks good enough,” I try to remember this advice. The Retailer: What was your first experience with a musical instrument? Brieske: I went to an elementary school that had an amazing music program, and in second grade I played the xylophone in our class play. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that must be when the percussion bug bit me! The Retailer: What instrument do you most enjoy playing? Brieske: Without question, the drum set. I’m a mediocre guitarist (at best), but the drums always came really naturally to me. The Retailer: Tell us something about yourself that others do not know or would be surprised to learn. Brieske: It’s been more than 10 years since I’ve been in a band. It’s crazy to say that, but life gets in the way. I really miss making music with other people. The Retailer: What’s your favorite activity to do when you’re not at work? Brieske: Enjoying the outdoors, especially in the summer. In less than a 45-minute drive, we have access to world-class hiking, rafting (continued on page 53)
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JUNE 2021
