VIENNA, Austria – Highlighting six decades of providing quality sound in the recording and live sound industries, HARMAN’s AKG introduces Steve Pageot, a GRAMMY-winning engineer and Platinum producer, as the latest endorsee of its professional microphone line. An expert musician with multiple instruments, including guitar, piano and jazz flute, and in multiple genres from classical to hip-hop, Pageot has been developing his musical talent from the age of three and continues to develop his talent with the help of AKG.
For nearly 30 years, Pageot has developed his sound through hard work and dedication. From a young age, he practiced his instruments with his family to perfect each one. After graduating from high school and winning a national music competition playing the flute, he earned a degree in electronic engineering and computer programming. Pageot spent his first years out of school designing electronic circuit boards. With an immaculate ear and expertise in engineering, Pageot’s pursuit of a career in music began by building his first studio.
“I was always busy, working to elevate my crafts,” stated the Montreal, Canada native. “Music became a career in my eyes before it actually was. I knew I had to make it big in the business, so I worked hard and presented myself and projects, knowing they would be the highest level.”
On his first trip to present his work to top-level executives in New York in 1993, a man who would become one of the most influential moguls in the industry turned down Pageot’s first EP. “I had a great meeting with Puff Daddy, but he told me right to my face he wasn’t interested. That didn’t stop me.”
Pageot went back to Montreal to begin analyzing his music after the discouraging meeting. “I realized the standard of music in Canada wasn’t up to pace with the New York style,” he continued. “While my mixes were great, nothing was punching – I needed more bass and drums, so I got back to work.”
At the age of 27, after fine-tuning his tracks, Pageot brought back his works to New York and was signed by producer Ron Lawrence, an associate with Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Records. His first official project as a producer, The War is On by Krayzie Bone, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and Lazy Bone went platinum. “I was so honored to be associated with a production company that was known around the nation. When that first platinum plaque was delivered to me, I knew I belonged.”
Working constantly on producing and engineering mixes in his studio – sometimes one a day – one track was picked up by Aretha Franklin, which eventually earned Pageot a GRAMMY. In 2003, Franklin and Pageot’s song “Wonderful” took the GRAMMY for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
As an endorser of AKG, Pageot hopes to raise the bar of excellence already established by the world’s leading microphone manufacturer. “Like Quincy Jones was to my generation, I want to establish the blueprint in musical accomplishments through AKG,” continued Pageot. “AKG develops top-of-the-line microphones, ensuring anything they design and offer to the industry is perfect – something I’ve strived for my entire career.”
“Within minutes of using AKG’s P820 tube microphone, it was as if I found the love of my life,” he said. “The mic catches every nuance when you record vocals or instruments. There is no question when you play back recordings in the studio if the track is excellent or poor quality. You can focus on each individual track easily to perfect your recordings.”
“Steve brings another level of greatness to our AKG recording artists and our renown family of endorsees,” stated Joseph Wagoner, project manager, wireless-tour-install, AKG. “We are proud to have him in the studio, in the booth and on stage promoting the diversity of our P820 tube and know he will be a valuable asset in our efforts around the globe.”
For more information about AKG’s P820 microphone and Steve Pageot, please visit http://www.akg.com.
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 12,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.8 billion for the twelve months ending June 30, 2011. The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.
