Jan 1, 2004 12:00 PM, Compiled by Sarah Benzuly

Who: Mark Pinske, COO at Crest Audio

Main Responsibilities: lead the decision-making, coordination of the employees and implementation of the overall company plan and budgets

Previous Lives

• 2000-present, general manager, Architectural Acoustics and MediaMatrix

• 1998-2000, sales and marketing, CreamWare U.S.

• 1996-1998, product development manager, CreamWare U.S.

• 1987-1996, chief engineer/studio owner, Skylab Studios (Gainesville, Fla.), recorded numerous albums, live sound engineer for acts such as David Lee Roth, Terence Trent Darby, Men at Work, Bobby Brown

• 1980-1987, chief recording engineer/live sound engineer for Frank Zappa

• 1976-1980, numerous positions at Quad Eight Electronics

How did you make the switch from chief recording engineer for Frank Zappa to management positions? Well, it was the other way around. I did live sound for many years and played in bands. But when I moved to Los Angeles, I took a job as an engineer at Quad Eight Electronics. I worked my way up the ladder and managed a large manufacturing division for them before I took the audition for Frank Zappa.

My favorite moment with Zappa in the studio was when…I got back at him for saying, “I'm not a robot you know, I can only stay interested in these things for mere moments.” That was when Bob Dylan asked him what kind of engineer “this here Pinske was.” Frank said, “He gets a better drum sound in 20 minutes than most engineers can get in hours.”

The most exciting live show I engineered was…Live at the Palladium in New York on Halloween 1981. That was also the first live satellite broadcast for MTV where I had to do a simulcast mix at the same time for the FM radio station so the subscribers for MTV could hear it in stereo.

The one profession I would least like to try would be…dentistry. I have no interest in spending my time looking into other people's mouths.

The last great concert I saw was…Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

Currently in my CD changer: Weather Report (Tale Spinnin'), newer stuff like Linkin Park

When I'm not at work, you can find me…at the movies, playing golf and maybe doing a little fishing.

Send Your “Current” News to Sarah Benzuly at sbenzuly@primediabusiness.com.

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