This month we would like to feature our client The Gaslamp Killer. We have registered multiple trademarks for “GLK” and formed his business entities. With our help, The Gaslamp Killer now has the legal infrastructure in place to protect his brand and business. We gave William aka The Gaslamp Killer a call to get his thoughts on why he hired a lawyer and his advice for budding creative businesses.
Instrumentalepathy by The Gaslamp Killer
How has having a lawyer helped your business?
I am a musician who profits from my creative output. The fear of paperwork is real and you can easily feel overwhelmed from it. My legal matters kept me away from the things I needed to do creatively. By working with an attorney I was able to ask questions for things like taxes to writing off expenses which allowed me to spend more time making music.
What are the main benefits you have seen from having your LLC and trademarks registered?
The main benefit is knowing that there won’t be any drama if someone were to confront me about my business. It gives me extreme confidence since I release lots of content. You might be known internationally but it’s not legit until you have your legal aspects together to shield your business.
You’ve gone from DJ’ing local venues to playing festivals, founding Low End Theory, and creating a record label. What advice would you give to creative businesses to achieve the next level?
I said yes to everything. I took every opportunity, every gig, and every chance to meet new people. I would play for free and go to shows even if I had to pay. In order to get to the next level you need to put yourself out there and collaborate with anybody. Your community is incredibly important to your success.
How important is sticking to authenticity although the mainstream may not be accepting of your differences?
I got my career started DJ’ing clubs in San Diego. People didn’t really like my music back then because it was too different. To be honest I wanted to be accepted. I didn’t want to be alternative, but my sound is who I am. At the end of the day I just stuck to myself and people began to recognize it. I found LA to be a great place to live because it has all those pockets of culture that are different from everywhere else.
*Our conversation with The Gaslamp Killer has been paraphrased to fit an online format
