Many college students spend their time attempting to juggle school, work and partying. The Pedolzki brothers, Derrick and Johann, are no different. They just happen to also run a full-fledged production company and recording studio, while finding time to play hard and take classes at IU Southeast.
Derrick expressed how he had been working the Motherlodge Festival at the Rudyard Kipling all weekend and would need to return later that evening. The Motherlodge Festival is just one in a long string of events that the Pedolzkis and their production company, Oak St. Productions, have lined up.
“We like the idea that we [Oak St. Productions and their recording studio, The Grotto] are a pirate under the radar in music production and involvement,” Derrick said. “We have a ‘whatever it takes’ attitude.”
Within the next few months, Oak St. Productions will be helping to put on the weekly concert draw, Waterfront Wednesdays, while hosting several parties for Thunder Over Louisville and working on shows with rock group, Hed (P.E.), and metal heavyweights, Lamb of God.
While the Pedolzkis claim it has been a slow winter for business, they seem to be optimistic about their filling summer schedule.
After playing and touring in several local, regional and national bands over the last ten years, Derrick, 29, began to book local shows and provide stage hands for anyone who could use the help.
“After we got things going, we needed money and that’s when Johann got involved,” Derrick said.
The two run their business with Derrick providing the ideas and Johann handling the economic end of their deals.
“Derrick is lofty and dreamy. I’m the one with my feet on the ground,” Johann said, as his brother laughed.
“I don’t get upset or emotional, I take care of the bills and taxes,” Johann said.
This wasn’t always the case.
On Derrick’s 27th birthday, he and Johann, 23 at the time, purchased Tailgater’s, an 8,000 sq. ft. sports bar across the street from Papa John’s Cardinal stadium.
Derrick was descriptive about his feelings toward owning his own bar.
“I thought we had it made. We were the youngest bar owners in Kentucky and our place was in what we thought was a great spot,” Derrick said. “We did the best we could, but family business is hard and it got really trying.”
The day of the first University of Louisville football game as bar owners, Johann was rushing to Broadway to give the electric company $18,000. The previous owner of Tailgaters didn’t pay the electric bill and the company shut-off the power, despite Johann and Derricks consistent payments during the months in which they owned the bar.
Troubles of running a bar kept coming and the tension between the two brothers mounted.
Johann said everything was great until his brother became a “douche bag.”
Derrick laughed again and began to explain the brothers’ other financial stresses with their production company.
“We lost $10,000 during Derby last year because our sponsors just didn’t come through,” Derrick said.
After a year and a half of running Tailgater’s, the Pedolzkis decided to sell after an altercation between the two got out of hand.
Johann hinted at the scar across Derrick’s nose.
“We got in a fight and decided to get out of the business,” Johann said.
Derrick said the two resolved differences and went back in headstrong with Oak St. Productions.
“It was a huge relief and we ended up putting together a good solid crew of 30 guys to work with us,” Derrick said.
Now, with a busy schedule and profit margins growing, the Pedolzkis talk of expanding Oak St. Productions to a national level.
“Our goal is to go national and begin to start talent buying again,” Derrick said.
Along with Oak St. Productions, the brothers run a recording studio in a three-story Victorian home located on S. Third Street in Louisville, called Grotto Studios.
While running their businesses, Derrick and Johann continue to work toward their degrees.
Derrick said he’s just going to continue to hustle and try to make a living.
“I haven’t had a real job in years,” he said.
By HUNTER EMBRY
Staff Writer
ahembry@ius.edu
