Most Label Experts show up at EIM looking for a new job, but not Derek. Derek showed up at our doors because he wanted to join a band!
It may seem an atypical way to look for work, but for Derek it’s a natural progression in his lifelong love of music. Derek has “Been in so many bands,” he says, since first taking up the guitar and learning to sing in his teens.
In early 2021, a friend reached out to Derek and convinced him to move to New Hampshire to start up alternative rock band Kilroy. Derek was game right away, and a few months later, had joined us at EIM, and made the move to New Hampshire, ending his very long commute to band practices!
We were more than delighted to have Derek join the team and take on the important final prep stages of label making—product finishing, reworking, and order preparation—a position he now trains newcomers for, as he’s moved on to being our resident Shipping Clerk.
Shipping is a constantly changing, dynamic department. An average day for Derek requires a lot of pivoting between different elements of his job at the drop of a hat. The rapid pace of a day in the shipping department rarely slows down (unless, according to Derek, he’s handling the sometimes extensive paperwork required for international label clients). In addition to his primary focus in shipping, Derek is always keeping us organized, keeping an eye on inventory intake and management of our enormous amount of raw label stock, laminate, and printing materials.
When he’s not at EIM or practicing his bass and vocals with his bandmates, Derek and his friends can be found out and about exploring New Hampshire, getting up to fun activities like snowboarding, and, no surprise, attending local concerts.
All in all, Derek’s unusual method of job hunting has turned out great! “We play out almost every weekend now, places like Area 23 and Penuche’s Ale House in Concord, outdoor festivals, a bunch of places in Massachusetts, all over. It’s really fun,” Derek says. “People even come to our shows because they saw us on YouTube. It’s really cool. That’s never happened before in all the other bands I’ve been in.” Today you can find Kilroy playing gigs all over southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts!
Into alternative rock? Check out Kilroy’s YouTube channel!
Liked getting to know Derek? Meet some of our other Label Experts!
