Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Upchurch.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Richard. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
One morning while on holiday with extended family and all the kids, I had enough with junk toys. It’s seemed there were all these plastic toys with built-in sounds that were, well, irritating to kids and adults. I thought to myself, what if I made a gadget where you could input your own sound and play. What if this gadget was designed for everyone, not just children.
So in 2010, I build one recording device for my nephew. He took it to show and tell where his teachers asked where they could get one. So I built five for his teachers. My sister in law suggested I open an online store, so I built 10. I am still building them today.
BrandNewNoise has collaborated with The Black Keys, Flaming Lips, Tedeschi Trucks Band, artist Shantell Martin, Gostly International, and others. Fans of BrandNewNoise include David Byrne, RZA (Wu-Tang Clan), Jimmy Fallon, Bon Iver, Philip Glass, Mark Motherbaugh (Devo), to just name a few. I often say I sell to kids and rock-stars alike.
Has it been a smooth road?
Anything worth your time always involves some form of struggle or conflict; if not, then you’re doing something wrong. I think the biggest struggle can be staying present in your work. There are so many distractions, roadblocks, excuses you can make to give up. The real work is moving forward at your own rate.
The best advice I got was in graduate school. A professor said, “walk through every open door. If you find yourself in a room that isn’t interesting then there is always another door to walk through. By the time you’ve found the most interesting room, it won’t look like what you imagined the endpoint to be, but you will see that you were on the same path the whole time.”
I studied Studio Art as an undergrad at Wake Forest University. From there I was a touring musician for nine years. When that road came to an end I started producing records and recording film scores. That led me back to school for Audio Technology at NYU. Somehow, all the years later, I realized BrandNewNoise is culmination of my interests – art and music. It certainly doesn’t look like what I thought it would look like down the road but I see now that it’s exactly where I am supposed to be.
Then there are always standard issues like sourcing (quality wood and electronic parts), purchasing equipment, growing at a steady rate. building community, pricing, getting involved in tradeshows, etc. There is a constant learning curve.
In the beginning of BrandNewNoise, I was making my gadgets in a 5th-floor walk-up apartment in Manhattan. I would cut and sand the wood on my roof, build the electronics in my kitchen, assemble in my bedroom. It was a build one, sell one operation. Then MoMA placed my first large order for 500, and I realized I need more space quickly, So I moved to Brooklyn and got a shop space in Red Hook.
My first large order of electronics arrived from China and were completely wired wrong. So I (and my small team) had to hand solder and rewire 3000 circuit boards.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with BrandNewNoise – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
BrandNewNoise hand builds sound gadgets. What that means is we build each unit by hand- from the wooden box, the design and screen-print, to the custom build and installation of the electronics. What we are known for is creating a design that is simple for a universal experience.
The basic idea is “two buttons and a knob.” There is a record button, playback button, and pitch shift knob. You talk, sing, beatbox, whatever you want while holding the record button. Press playback and then turn the knob to hear your recording fast (think chipmunks) or slow (think Barry White). There are versions with loop switches, mailbox flag so you can leave messages around the house, we make a xylophone, kalimba, and units with delay features (think echo chamber).
I am most proud of the community I have built around the company. Since day one I have hired interesting people from every imaginable background possible. I have worked with “at risk youth” and international students as an internship provider for programs like Exalt Youth, Good Shepard Services, and Downtown International School (Brooklyn). I like knowing that I am not just building another product, but building community.
While other tech companies are building “one device does it all”, I am building anti-technology technology. Sure I love my smartphone and laptop, but let’s be honest, each time I pick them up its work. So BrandNewNoise is technology to take you away from work, into the realm of play. It’s just that simple.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I am fairly new to Dallas coming from Brooklyn NY and I have to say I really love getting to know the city. So let’s get to it, Tex-Mex and margaritas. We could stop here but I guess I’ll go on.
While it takes work and a bit extra time to stay off the highways, there are so many great pockets and really beautiful neighborhoods. I like to ride my 1973 Honda CB350 through all the back streets and hit places like Small Brew Pub in Oak Cliff, grab brunch at the Old Monk on Saturdays, catch a show at the Granada or a big band like Bon Iver at the Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum, grab a cocktail at Lounge Here in Casa Linda area, sit on the patio with my family and dogs at Sundown at the Granada or Gloria’s. There is space and lots patio space for enjoying the company of others.
It’s a small community. My wife, Jill Montgomery, told me when we first started dating that I needed to go and find my people, that they were here. So I started looking for studio space by riding around, popping in somewhere that looked cool and asking for advice. I stopped in at Neighbor in Oak Cliff, where JP and Erin told me I need to check out the Cedars. So I rode over to Full City Rooster and met Michael, who introduced to whole other set of folks. That keeps happening and I love it. My buddy Ted says, “Dallas is a ‘can do’ town.” I think he’s right.
Breaking up with New York is no easy breakup. The toughest transition for me was car culture. I miss walking, cycling to work, subway commutes. I miss the constant cultural diversity you get by simply being on the streets of NY.
Pricing:
- Lil Mib (Message in a Box) $66.00
- Loopy Lou $76.00
- Zoots (thumb piano) $90.00
- Phone Home Xylophone $250.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 5706 Goodwin Ave Dallas TX 75206
- Website: https://brandnewnoise.myshopify.com/
- Email: info@brandnewnoise.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandnewnoise/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandnewnoise/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/brandnewnoisebk
- Other: brandnewnoise.com
Image Credit:
Lauren Kallen
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
