Asia, once regarded at best as a minor player in the pop music world, is now producing some of the most exciting musical artists on the planet, and one of the most sought after producers of this growing genre is America's own David K. Eng. You may not be familiar with the name if you're not in the music business, but Eng, who is well known in the industry, has been at the forefront of almost every popular musical trend starting with 'no-wave' punk in the 1970's, and moving through the ever changing landscape of pop music all the way to the present. He is responsible for selling over 20 million records worldwide and has earned 13 gold and platinum Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards, and with new projects being produced in his studios in Nashville and Bangkok, he's still going strong.
Like many famous producers, David Eng started his early career as a guitarist. Playing in New York's cutting edge rock clubs like world famous Max's Kansas City, and the legendary CBGB's, he often shared cramped stages and dressing rooms with up and coming talent who would go on to become rock icons such as Blondie, The Ramones, Talking Heads, David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter), NY Dolls, Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers and more. Eng was also the guitarist for Dorian Zero, whose song "In Transit to Bermuda" was recently featured in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".
Seeking to expand his musical base to also include producing and engineering, Eng founded Bayside Sound Recording Studios in Queens, New York City in 1979, but it was during the 1980's that his career really began gathering steam. 10-percent of Billboard's r&b, rock, and hip-hop charts toppers were recorded at Bayside Sound by artists such as Kiss, James Brown, Anthrax, Marshall Crenshaw, Latoya Jackson, Chaka Khan, Salt N Pepa, Kid N Play, Full Force, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Eddie Palmieri, Najee, Whodini, Dana Dane, MC Shan, Marley Marl, MC Search, UTFO, Sweet Tee, Kwame, The Real Roxanne, The Weather Girls, Chubb Rock, Todd Terry, Michael Peters, choreographer for Michael Jackson, and even baseball great Daryl Strawberry. Other notable Bayside Studios rock clients included musical celebrities Bobby ”Monster Mash” Pickett, Elliot “Simon Says” Chiprut, and legendary producer Jimmy Miller, who had produced The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton’s Blind Faith, Plasmatics and Steve Winwood’s Traffic.
Eng's work as a musician, songwriter, producer, mixing engineer and label owner soon expanded into management and consulting. In 1984 Eng made it onto the Billboard charts as producer and songwriter of Paula Anderson's dance hit, "Four Year Battle" on Atlantic Records. But that hit was just the start of something even bigger. In 1985 Eng established himself as a hip-hop pioneer, producing "Inspector Gadget" by the Bad Boys which was the first Billboard-charting rap song to incorporate a television theme song, and spear-headed the fusion of hip-hop and TV/pop culture--a style that is still going strong in the 21st century.
Soon after, Eng became one of the trailblazers capitalizing and expanding on the hip-hop genre by producing "12:41" the first recordings of KRS-One (Kris Parker), and DJ Scott LaRock who would go on to gain international fame as Boogie Down Productions. Other artists of note he produced with during the latter part of the eighties were Earth Wind and Fire's Jessica Cleaves, and Marky Mark, later gaining fame as Hollywood leading man Mark Wahlberg.
Following these successes, Eng was one of an elite crew picked by Clarence Avant (aka The Black Godfather) founder of Tabu Records and former chairman of Motown Records, to produce and write songs for Kid Flash's 1988 debut album, "He's In Effect" released on Tabu/Columbia Records.
When the 90's rolled around, Eng's career continued picking up speed. Forming the management and record company 'Motor Jam Records' in partnership with Steve Salem, and distribution by East West/Elektra Warner Bros. Records, Eng would achieve his first international hit after discovering Canadian pop/reggae phenomenon, Snow. In 1993, with Eng as manager and executive producer, Snow soared to the top of the charts with the album, "12 Inches of Snow" whose single, "Informer" held the prestigious number one spot on Billboard's American pop charts for seven straight weeks, and would go on to sell over five millions records worldwide. The single would be listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful reggae single in U.S. history.
Riding the wave of success, Eng opened a Toronto, Canada branch of his Bayside Sound Recording Studios where he managed Juno Award nominated dance artist Belinda. Also achieving international fame under Eng's management and the Bayside banner were dancehall artists Chaka Demus & Pliers who recorded "Murder She Wrote" and dance artist Dominica "Gotta Let You Go."
Continuing to expand internationally, Eng established a base in Jamaica during the mid 90's where he executive produced the All-Star Remix of Snow's "Anything For You" featuring Beanie Man, Buju Banton and Nadine Sutherland. The All-Star Remix reached the number one spot in Jamaica and became the country's top-selling single of 1995.
Following personal and professional travels throughout Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Singapore, and Malaysia, in 1996 Eng finally settled in Bangkok, Thailand, where he established Dimsum Entertainment whose first venture executive produced a million seller album for Thai pop artist Joey Boy. That success was followed up with an album by Thailand's most ubiquitous songwriter, Boyd Kosiyabong. Soon after, Eng returned to the United States, joining AV8 Records and Eightball Records, where he assumed the role of consultant and advisor.
Midway through the new millennium Eng brought Dimsum Entertainment back to his native New York City with an eye toward developing and producing Asian artists for the American market. Merging his talents with Underground Garage which had been founded by Little Steven Van Zant and Alex Ewen, Eng introduced their syndicated radio show to the Asian market. A few years later, Eng, Ewen, and 'Eppy' Epstein re-opened Long Island's famous music venue "My Father's Place", and formed Road Warrior Entertainment, developing and signing new artists, as well as promoting live concerts.
David Kenneth Eng’s formidable music business career which spans over four decades and three continents has resulted in a long string of successes. His experience as a musician, songwriter, producer, mixing engineer and label owner has not only made him uniquely qualified to tackle almost any musical project from inception to final product, but gives him a rare perspective on the daily, hands-on, nuts and bolts operations of music production; a rare talent found in only a handful of music industry professionals.
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