Meet Jason ‘Gordo’ Gordon | Musician & Small Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason ‘Gordo’ Gordon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi ‘Gordo’, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process has evolved with the business over time. In the beginning I wasn’t even sure it was a good idea. I mean, the music business is generally not a sure thing if you’re looking at things form a strictly financial standpoint. However, at the time I had several years of writing songs, performing, recording, putting albums together and doing guerrilla-style marketing and promotion under my belt. After taking a couple of music business courses I was struck by the idea of professionalizing what I was already doing. Starting Gordophonic Records was a way of putting everything I was doing under one umbrella. I initially thought of it as a clearing house for the myriad artistic endeavors in my catalog, but as I moved forward others showed an interest in being involved. I feel honored that I get to collaborate with a group of incredible musicians and help their ideas become tangible artistic statements in the wider creative conversation of our music scene.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Trying to get a leg up professionally has never been easy for me, and sometimes looking back it seems like all I see is a series of hurdles that I managed to overcome through sheer will. I arrived at where I am today through pure boneheaded focus and perseverance. My lifelong dedication to music and the creative process keeps me going. Making something out of nothing will always be magical to me. I have no illusions that I am the best at what I do because I am constantly learning new things and discovering new avenues. I have little interest in competition but I always try to challenge myself do things differently and that’s probably what sets me apart from someone who would take more of a cookie-cutter approach. Over time I have learned that there’s no accounting for taste and that what appeals to others may not be what floats your boat…but if it’s good you’ll find your audience. The bottom line for me is that the work must stand on its own merits at the end of the day. My story is essentially no different than any other artist who feels compelled to create because they are miserable sons of bitches if they don’t!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would probably start by taking them to the mountains to show them why I moved here in the first place. Hiking and some beers around the campfire. Sadly, some of my favorite places have been shut down or don’t exist anymore because of the pandemic. Under normal circumstances I’d take them to see a show at The Gothic or Red Rocks. I’d give them whiplash with back-to-back sessions at Grandma’s House and Trve if we’re on Broadway, or Joyride and Sloans Lake up north. A trip to Wax Trax would most likely be on the books. For food I’d hip them to one of the numerous and delicious Mexican places in my neighborhood or AJ’s if they’re into BBQ.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate a shoutout to Joe Pro, who passed recently. An incredible drummer and a blinding beam of light. I met Joe several years ago through my pal Joshua Finley and he has been a constant source of encouragement and good vibes ever since I started doing my thing here in Denver. Just ask anyone: Joe’s contribution to the music scene has been HUGE. The pandemic put a damper on everything in my part of the world, but we hooked up a few months into it and he came down to record some tracks in my home studio. I was incredibly thankful for this time because I had not been able to socialize or play much and I was quickly losing faith in what I was doing. Tracking and hanging with Joe made me pull my head out of my ass and get back to work! We were in the middle of collaborating on several projects when he left this realm. While I am sad about what folks won’t hear, there are a couple things coming down the pike that will blow some minds. Joe’s work will transcend space and time. I learned a lot from him and I will always be thankful for the time we spent together.

Website: https://www.gordophonicrecords.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grannytweed/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leadfootgordon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gordophonicrecords

Image Credits
Zach Shoffner, Rachel Saccardi, Gordo, Gordo, Gordo, Alex R Cady