2007 Preview

Kickin' back with Brad Lukowich

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
Published October 4, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Dirk Shadd] Brad Lukowich swears the music industry isn't sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. "No, no, no,'' he said. "It's business, business, business.''

Brad Lukowich swears the music industry isn't sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.

"No, no, no," he said. "It's business, business, business."

The Lightning defenseman should know. Lukowich, 31, whose love of music always leads him to the nearest show, and whose status as an athlete gets him backstage, was a roadie for Nickelback one summer.

(Look below for links to Brad's top five all-time bands and five bands you should know.)

The Cranbrook, British Columbia, native now runs Lockout Entertainment, which manages the band Neverset.

"They light stuff on fire. They knock it down. They put on an amazing show. They leave it out there every time."

He wants everyone to experience that rush. So at his new bar, Luke's Sports Grill in Dallas, where he still lives with wife Cara and daughters Michaela, 4, and Marley, 6 months, karaoke artists will perform with a live band.

Why do people like karaoke? I just don't get it.

It's hilarious. They can't sing, but when they're up there and they're doing it, they think they can and are having a good time. If they have the guts to do it, more power to them.

Why the live band?

You get to go up there with the wireless and bang your head, and you get to be a lead singer of a group rather than just reading it off a monitor. It's the real deal. We have lights, smoke, a disco ball, lasers.

How did music become so important to you?

There was always music playing in our house, and my dad's dad played the violin. So there was always music in the family. I also remember sitting downstairs with my dad's old records in an unfinished basement. And I had headphones, and I'd do radio shows. I'd DJ it up. I had Doors records, and that's how I fell in love with The Doors - The Beatles, the Stones, The Doors.

Long live rock, right?

I've always been kind of a rock guy. I love classical. That's where everything comes from. If you can listen to that classical stuff, you can relate it to heavy metal, death metal to everything in between. My sister is the same as me. She's the one who got me into Metallica. She's a rockin' chick.

You have a recording studio in your Dallas home.

I just sit there and plug into it. Right now, I play drums, and I'm really working on my guitar. I record my own stuff at my own speed. Something that comes to mind in my head, I'll grab a microphone and I'll record it and scream and do it almost like a poem and stretch it out later.

So you're a producer, too?

I'm not the most talented guy, but I can give the guys some ideas. And then they bring it to me, and I'm behind the board. That's what I'm really looking for.

The name of your company, Lockout Entertainment, isn't an accident, is it?

During the (2004-05) lockout, I had nothing to do, and I'm a terrible golfer. I love music, and it just fell into place. I had bands living with me every couple of weeks for a week at a time. They'd be playing in the studio, and I'd be like, 'Man, try this out.' They'd give me a little bit of a look like, 'That's some pretty good ideas.' That's how the whole thing was born to get into the business.

How did you meet your wife, Cara?

I caught her out of the corner of my eye driving down the road (in Dallas when he played for the Stars). She was in front of the building. While I was at a stop sign, I looked over. 'Hmm.' I drove all around the building again and came back and looked at her again, but I didn't have the guts to talk to her.

So you got someone to talk to her for you?

Some person on the side of the road. 'Hey, man, tell that chick I'm going up here to eat.' He told her who I was, and I didn't want to make a scene or make her uncomfortable. So I went to the place, and she showed up and said, 'Sorry, I have a boyfriend but didn't want to blow you off.' I told her, 'Here's my number. Call me if things don't work out.'

She obviously had never seen you karaoke.

I don't karaoke. I play for real.

The Doors

Sevendust

Three Days Grace

Nickelback

Metallica

Luke's 5 bands you should know (excluding Neverset , which goes without saying)

Shinedown

Breaking Benjamin

Seether

Brown Brigade

Hellyeah

[Last modified October 5, 2007, 11:33:08]