Timeline

Carl with Jon Schnepp.

“There’s a lot I want to experience, but not a lot I want to actually do.”
-Random Quote, Courtesy of Seth Godin.

1975

  • Born in Ohio with large red V on forehead.

1977

  • Parents relocated family to Nokomis, Florida.

1980

  • Cried every day during Kindergarten Show And Tell.
  • Anti-Social tendencies already in full-effect.

1981

  • Had a hard time concentrating in 1st grade.
  • Obsessed with Star Wars.

1982

  • Age 7: Began programming on his TRS-80 Color Computer.

1983

  • Started a fake club on the playground called The No Violence Club.
  • Got chased up a tree by local neighborhood inhabitant, B. Nelson Johnson, who will go on to drum in Carl’s first band.

1984

  • Entered Nokomis Elementary School’s gifted program.
  • Studied Entrepreneurship and Japanese language.
  • Began trumpet lessons.
  • Was so small and meek that he was given the nickname Sir Guppy.

1985

  • Started playing D&D.
  • Met Mump-Dase at Venice Public Library.

1986

  • Began attending Venice Area Middle School.
  • Got his first Vision Skateboard.

1987

  • Had an English class with the cast-wearing Mump-Dase.
  • Won 1st Place in a sailing race at Venice Yacht Club.

1988

  • Got first electric guitar and combo amp for Christmas (both Yamaha brand).
  • Filled back of amp with elbow macaroni. Left trail of it behind wherever he went.
  • Started practicing scales and finger exercises all hours of the day.
  • First public guitar performance… with Venice Area Middle School Concert Band. Basic Band Blues in the cafeteria.

1989

  • Began attending Venice High School.
  • Learned about non-conformity from Joshua Garman, a black-trenchcoat-wearing philosophy-goth loner with 6-inch-tall hair… he illustrated a notebook-paper and ink comic called The Man, in which various subcultures of high school students were creatively massacred by a super villain version of himself.
  • Received Steve Vai’s Flex-Able for Christmas. Heard an internal message saying, “This is what you will do.” Powerful!
  • Read Whitley Strieber’s Communion for the first time.
  • Met Jesse Gura and convinced him to buy a bass guitar. Got turned on to Jello Biafra’s No More Cocoons.
  • Had lots of acne, really skinny, pale, got picked on a lot. Lived on slices of American cheese.

1990

  • Met Chewbode at Venice High School, under the pretense of creating music for his video game called Brimstone: The Uncanny Vigilante.
  • Read Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy on recommendation by Mump-Dase.
  • Bought Steve Vai’s Passion & Warfare. To this day, this is still his favorite album.
  • Diet primarily consisted of mini chocolate donuts and Oreo cookies (a secret plot by his mother to force him to gain weight), alternating with militant veganism.

1991

  • Invented the pseudonym, Sir Millard Mulch.
  • Started playing guitar in a local pseudo-punk band with Jesse Gura and B. Nelson Johnson called Pope Urban II, renamed to (for blood in the stool…), then renamed to Voice of Nothing.
  • Met W. Spoon on school bus.
  • Attended Hare Krishna temple in Tampa, FL for the first time.
  • Started learning drum techniques from B. Nelson Johnson.
  • Purchased Mr. Bungle debut cassette. Was so mind-blown that he skipped school the next day to listen to it all day long.
  • Started reading Ayn Rand, at the request of guitar teacher, Christopher Schlegel.

1992

  • Sold first 4-song cassette demo with Voice of Nothing, called Boring P.P. Demo.
  • First job, telemarketing. Used all of the money to buy an American Fender Stratocaster, Blue-Burst with Lace Sensor Pickups (eventually replaced with Fluorescent Green Dimarzio Vertical Humbuckers).

1993

  • Started hanging out in a local diner (Wag’s) all night with Flail, who went on to do several Sir Millard Mulch album covers, t-shirts, logos, and comic illustrations.
  • First job in a print shop, part-time during high school. Liked the smell of the ink and photocopiers. Began learning graphic design.
  • Second Voice of Nothing cassette, called post hoc, ergo propter hoc.
  • Kramer (Shimmy Disc) offers to produce Voice of Nothing at his studio in New York. Previous acts who had their first album on his label: Ween, Gwar. Intimidated by the idea of recording in a real studio all the way in New York, the kids turn him down and go back to practicing once a month in bedrooms.
  • Met Harold.
  • Saw his first Steve Vai and Devin Townsend performance. Infuriated.
  • Discovered The Book of the SubGenius.
  • Got a haircut for the first time in 4 years, and performed with a 9-Iron in the Venice High School Lip-Synch.

1994

  • Somehow graduated from Venice High School after 5 years with awful grades. Was scared the diploma would be revoked.
  • Bought Atari 1040 STe with Cubase from friend of the family, began midi sequencing. Put guitar in back of closet and didn’t touch it for months.
  • Voice of Nothing opens for Victims Family in Tampa, Florida, then Voice of Nothing abruptly breaks up. Then Victims Family breaks up.
  • Age 18: Invited to move to San Francisco and start a band with Larry Boothroyd of Victims Family and a guy named Jason. Declined out of anxiety and fear. Larry and Jason’s band, Saturn’s Flea Collar, goes on to release their album on Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles Records.

1995

  • Started record label, Ringfinger Entertainment, named after his self-entertaining practice of flipping people off with his ring finger.
  • Released first solo cassette album under the pseudonym Sir Millard Mulch, entitled, Nice, Nice, Very Nice… Hosted a spelling bee at the release party.
  • Met Ian Koss (Publisher of INK19) outside Ween concert in St. Petersburg, Florida. First magazine review occurred shortly thereafter!
  • Began teaching guitar at Troll Music.
  • Started a band called Strugglebuggy with Denver Bon and James Pitts, performing several midi-composed pieces. Gave up.
  • Quit giving guitar lessons to kids who only liked bad music, and got a job washing dishes at the all-night diner previously mentioned, which had been recently sold and reopened as Jerry’s.
  • Quit dishwashing job.
  • Walked around Venice, Florida for hours every day. 20 years old. No idea what to do.
  • Visited Jesse Gura in Gainesville, Florida. Sat alone in Jesse’s apartment for a week, eating microwaved waffles.
  • Switched from guitar to bass guitar after seeing Rob Wright of Nomeansno playing in Tallahassee, Florida.
  • Formed pronk band, Tepado, with drummer B. Nelson Johnson and James Pitts on Lead Guitar.
  • Traveled (with Mump-Dase and Flail) to North Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana to see Mr. Bungle perform for 3 consecutive nights on their Disco Volante tour. Came up with scheme to interview Trey Spruance: pretended to work with a magazine.
  • Saw mountains for the first time!
  • Took very important Music Appreciation Class at Manatee Community College along with Mump-Dase.

1996

  • Worked at Wal-Mart for exactly one day, after 2 weeks of computer training.
  • Worked at Eckerd Drug Store… in the pharmacy. Laughed at customers too much.
  • Met William Maier on the set of local low-budget movie, Project Omicron.
  • Met Stew Mclain, Brad Fries, and Darrin Johnson, who all played in another local band called Simon Said…
  • Got call from Les Claypool’s record label, Prawnsong. Les really liked Tepado but was shutting down the label to focus on graphics and animation. Sorry.
  • Tepado disbanded.
  • Enrolled in Manatee Community College, full-time music courses.
  • Recorded Sir Millard Mulch’s 7-Pot Boiling Delusions cassette. Hired drummer Pat McDonald, who immediately moved to Nashville to perform with Victor Wooten, Tanya Tucker, and Charlie Daniels Band.
  • Sold instruments, one-by-one, to buy session hours at Truth Studios. Example: “Guitar tracks done? Sell guitar to pay to record bass tracks!” Sad, indeed. Left with no instruments.
  • Began correspondence with Devin Townsend and Tracy Turner. Daily emails. Frequent phone conversations. “Millard, you’re my hero,” Devin said.

1997

  • First “close-encounter” experience.
  • Received first fan letter from Ruta Sepetys, Steve Vai’s manager. Whoa. What?
  • Won a songwriting contest on local radio station, got to meet Steve Vai as the prize.
  • Worked overnight stocking shelves at the Dollar Tree at Sarasota Square Mall.
  • Drove around, screaming.
  • Sat in Denny’s all night with Will Maier, getting more and more confused, wondering what the proper course of action should be.
  • Quit music school just before the finals during 3rd semester.
  • Worked at Target, briefly.
  • Recorded awful demo in 8-track studio with Will Maier, called L.I.V. (Tyler) In The Universe.
  • Age 22: First commercial plane flight. Swore he would never fly again.

1998

  • Started record label, Ed Furniture. Mom was upset at the name.
  • Released first CD as Sir Millard Mulch: 50 Intellectually Stimulating Themes From A Cheap Amusement Park For Robots & Aliens, Vol. 1
  • Was invited to appear on Devin Townsend’s Infinity album. Never received ADAT tapes.
  • Worked as a roadie for Ani DiFranco at one show in Tallahassee, Florida. Was paid $50.
  • Bought Ibanez 6-String bass, trading in Mump-Dase’s Fender Jazz bass towards it, and subsequently promising Mump-Dase Eternal Guest List Membership.
  • First printed Sir Millard Mulch interview ever… INK19 Magazine!
  • Began writing post-modern reviews and celebrity interviews for INK19 Magazine, Print Edition.
  • Attended Dragon*Con for the first time.

1999

  • Performed a bass karaoke set at New York Music & Internet Expo.
  • Met Trey Spruance at Mr. Bungle concert, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Discovered that Trey was familiar enough with Sir Millard Mulch’s 7 Pot-Boiling Delusions cassette that he was able to quote the liner notes.
  • Bought his first Apple computer, a blue & white G3.
  • Brief Schenectady / Albany Radio / Public Access Upstate New York Tour as drummer with L.I.V. (Tyler) In The Universe. Drove all the way there from Florida with no map.
  • Released Sir Millard Mulch’s To Hell With All Of You, I Just Wanna Grow My Vegetables! CD
  • Performed at Dragon*Con, theatrical portion of show was boo’ed off stage by thousands.
  • Joined YMCA, re-enrolled in Manatee Community College (English, History).
  • Started working at Imprint.
  • Performed at Zappaween 5 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Book BBQ. Thrown off stage in 6 minutes.
  • Dropped out of Manatee Community College.
  • Took first real full-time job in graphic design at advertising agency!
  • Traveled to San Francisco (from Florida, on a Greyhound bus) to see Mr. Bungle perform on New Years Eve.
  • Recorded experimental album under the name Midvale School For The Gifted with Ralph and Larry from Victims Family.

2000

  • Along with Chewbode, co-created a fictional invention called D.E.M.I. (Device To End The Music Industry) and marketed it with full-color offset tri-fold brochures at New York Music & Internet Expo. Most in attendance believed it was real.
  • Appeared at Dragon*Con.
  • US Tour, parody of Coast To Coast AM with Art Bell. Shows in Atlanta, Birmingham, New Orleans, Dallas, San Francisco, and Oakland.
  • Purchased Apple Dual G4
  • Endorsement with Steinberg / Cubase.
  • Rented an office space for Ed Furniture in Downtown Venice, Florida.
  • Created a sort of Fan Club called D.E.F.O.E. (Defray Ed Furniture’s Outlandish Expenses.)
  • Received first e-mail from Martin Pursley.
  • Visited emergency room for mysterious chest pains.

2001

  • Got first haircut in 2 years.
  • Released The De-Evolution of Yasmine Bleeth EP on CD.
  • Performed at Dragon*Con.
  • Met Dave Meros of Spock’s Beard.
  • Took private bass lesson from Jeff Berlin.
  • Started local band with Darrin Johnson and Walter Rossmann called Handstands On The Carpet, named after a line from the movie, Bugsy. Practiced every week, then band degenerated.
  • Recorded “serious” adaptation album for L.I.V. (Tyler) In The Universe called Army of Sexy Uniform Girls during Christmas break. Ten songs never released.
  • Quit music, became obsessed with business and management.

2002

  • Began working on large-scale album project, tentatively titled, The World’s Greatest Salesman! Recruited HisCheapMoves and LevelNivelo as co-writers.
  • Saw UFO.
  • Moved to San Francisco.
  • Steve Vai was played early demos of How To Sell… by his personal assistant and was so amused that he seriously considered signing Sir Millard Mulch to a new division of his record label, Favored Nations. After much thought, Steve decided to simply distribute two Sir Millard Mulch albums through his label’s website.
  • Met Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club.
  • Met Dr. Hal, one of the original members of the Church of the SubGenius.
  • Worked at The Gap Corporate HQ as an illustrator.
  • Gap contract ended. Got minimum wage job at Guitar Center. Pretended not to be a musician, for the sake of avoiding conversations about music.
  • Began hanging out with Trey Spruance of Mr. Bungle / Secret Chiefs 3.
  • Offered “Record Deal” through Web of Mimicry.

2003

  • Invited to open for Devin Townsend Band on U.S. Tour. Idea then canceled: Devin opened for Symphony X on US Tour instead. Somehow managed to burn bridges with Tracy over this.
  • Quit Guitar Center. Financial hardship.
  • Moved back to Florida, deleted websites and e-mail accounts.
  • Put album on hold.
  • Joined YMCA.
  • Took challenging sales position with advertising agency for two months, then snapped and quit.
  • Stayed home alone. Struggled with intense “metanoia.”
  • Started working on album again, integrating elements of esoteric philosophy — Hermeticism, Alchemy, Freemasonry, and Tarot — into the album concept.

2004

  • Grew full beard for first time. Lived on Ramen.
  • Started growing hair long again.
  • Began playing City of Heroes obsessively.
  • Traveled to Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Picked up by Trey Spruance at San Jose airport, then dropped off at freezing log cabin in the mountains and left for days with no cellphone reception or transportation.
  • Attended Sleepytime Gorilla Museum / Secret Chiefs 3 shows.
  • Delivered proofs of album artwork and rough mixes of How To Sell… to Trey.
  • Slept on Santa Cruz beach, then had breakfast with Tim Smolens of Estradasphere.
  • Went to emergency room for choking on infected uvula.

2005

  • Traveled again to Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and Los Angeles on “Premotional Tour.”
  • Visited Steve Vai’s Mothership Studio, where Passion & Warfare was recorded!
  • Met Eman Laerton of You Have Bad Taste In Music.
  • Seemingly productive meeting with Trey. Ridiculous marketing plan put in place. Parallel Corporate Mimicry Records set up to compete with Web of Mimicry.
  • Upon returning to Florida, Trey Spruance disappears and does not respond to e-mails or phone calls for a full ten months.
  • Self-released 3-CD concept album: How To Sell The Whole F#@!ing Universe To Everybody… Once And For All! with the vague endorsement of Mimicry Records.
  • Reviewed in DRUM!, Modern Drummer, Kerrang, Decibel, and a handful of international music magazines in non-English languages.
  • For the first time, made substantial income from creative career!
  • Got a severe sunburn. Went to the emergency room twice in one day.
  • Planned a month-long promo tour with pianist Lale Larson from Sweden. Got intimidated and wimped out.
  • Performed at Steve Allen Theater in Los Angeles, as drummer for L.I.V. (Tyler) In The Universe. Show was hosted by Brandon Small of Metalocalypse / Dethklok fame.
  • Self-published How To Sell… book.
  • Filmed and released 10-Chapter Ibanez Instructional DVD Sampler, directed by Chewbode.
  • Began work on 90-minute Sir Millard Mulch documentary.
  • Purchased drzoltan.com domain and began planning the new meme.

2006

  • Re-Released The De-Evolution of Yasmine Bleeth CD with additional track, Green Milk Conspiracy.
  • Mini-tour as drummer with L.I.V. (Tyler) In The Universe, performing at 40-Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, and a handful of small clubs and house parties.
  • Traveled to Philadelphia to meet with Lale Larson at ROSfest. Was recognized and signed autographs in hotel lobby.
  • Visited Skywalker Ranch, given a private tour along with “powerful friends.”
  • Attended session with Nathaniel Branden of Ayn Rand fame.
  • Killed off Sir Millard Mulch. Joined YMCA. Started socializing a lot.
  • Cashed-in IRA, quit job.
  • Purchased Apple Macbook 13″ and moved to Los Angeles. No car, no job.
  • Rented a room in a house.
  • Had lunch with Steve Vai.
  • Worked as a keyboard tech and general personal assistant for Ryo Okumoto of Spock’s Beard.
  • Met producer Brendan Davis.
  • Got in a death-defying car accident, in the rain, on the 405. Hit and run by TWO black sport utility vehicles, consecutively.

2007

  • First half of the year: Overwhelmed by Los Angeles. Almost defeated.
  • Got haircut for first time in 3 years. Shaved off beard.
  • Traveled back to Florida, then back to California. Califlorida.
  • Tried to get a job, worked as a contract graphic artist sporadically.
  • Personally selected for invite-only audition for Steve Vai’s band. Failed audition.
  • Met and spoke with filmmaker Kevin Smith in Los Angeles Airport. Wow.
  • Began recording first Dr. Zoltan album, Why I Am So Wise, Why I Am So Clever, And Why I Write Such Good Songs for a full month at a private studio in Northern California.
  • Met Steve Bartek and Bear McCreary at John Avila’s birthday party.
  • Designed Church Across America site for Eman Laerton.
  • Scripted and began filming Dr. Zoltan video show, perhaps mistakenly titled a “Podcast.” Produced 3 Episodes: 6 Things To Say At A Hollywood Party, Rage Against The Machine ARE The Machine, and Understanding Music Through Geometry.
  • After 6 years of mixed contract, part-time, and self-employed status, took position as a full-time graphic artist in Downtown Los Angeles.
  • Began producing weekly audio podcast with Will Maier and Eman Laerton, called Spam Musubi.
  • Began conducting Anti-Sociology Studies.

2008

  • Became a Vegan.
  • Created FlashPressKits.com
  • Animated 3 short commercials for WillMaierica.com.
  • Recruited Marco Minnemann for drum tracks on new Dr. Zoltan album.
  • Attended NAMM in Anaheim.
  • Endorsement with Toontrack, makers of Drumkit From Hell.
  • Began writing for mental_floss.
  • Resigned from full-time graphic artist / marketing position in downtown Los Angeles.
  • Attended live studio broadcast of G4’s Attack of the Show.
  • Launched CarlKingCreative.com, a freelance portfolio site.
  • Appeared as Dr. Zoltan in music video directed by Eric Fensler (creator of the infamous G.I. Joe spoofs) for the band TRS-80.
  • Performed as Dr. Zoltan with guest Marco Minnemann at Tomorrow Show, hosted by Brendon Small of Metalocalypse.
  • Launched iTunes Podcast, “The Anti-Social Talk Show.”
  • Printed War On Fun T-Shirts in 3 color variations.
  • Hung out at the DW Drums Headquarters with Terry Bozzio, Patrick O’Hearn, Marco Minnemann, and the president of the company. Sat around in Terry’s laboratory and talked about Bill Murray.
  • Attended UFO Conference in Los Angeles, saw Whitley Strieber panel discussion.
  • Wrote first Dr. Zoltan fiction short-story.
  • Designed a system known as “Dr. Zoltan’s True Musicality Measurement Equation.”
  • Started Dr. Zoltan audio series called, “Why Are You Asking Me?”
  • Published interview with Bad Religion Drummer, Brooks Wackerman.
  • Launched Bokonon / Goldstein 2008 Presidential Campaign.
  • Performed as Dr. Zoltan at Westside Eclectic with Will Maier & Eman Laerton.
  • Performed as Dr. Zoltan at Garage Comedy.
  • Released 6-song Dr. Zoltan EP: Emily Dickinson Kindly Stops For Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors.
  • Released 81 Ideas On Creative Career — publicized / reviewed by Roger Von Oech (Author of “A Whack On The Side Of The Head”) and various Creating Thinking Blogs.
  • Released entire Sir Millard Mulch / Dr. Zoltan discography as 192K mp3 files for free download.
  • Licensed Dr. Zoltan songs to Mike & Ike’s Lemonade for online video game.
  • Learned CSS, XHTML, and how to build custom WordPress Templates.
  • Wrote and Recorded “FreeFall (Catchy Folk Tune To Celebrate The End of the Republic)” with Will Maier. Released on September 11.
  • Redesigned Dr. Zoltan Website powered by WordPress.
  • Bought an HD Video Camera.
  • Went snowboarding for the first time: Mammoth Mountain.
  • Launched Culture of Intellectuals Forum.
  • Dr. Zoltan’s “Hacking Music” article published in 2600 Magazine.
  • Visited Mt. Shasta, the place where Steve Vai’s “For The Love Of God” video was filmed.

2009

  • Attended NAMM in Anaheim. Took a walk with Devin Townsend, told John Dolmayan that his work is “monumental.”
  • Finished 30-minute demo of Dr. Zoltan’s “Why I Am So Wise, Why I Am So Clever, And Why I Write Such Good Songs.”
  • Visited BIL Conference in Long Beach, CA.
  • Formed commercial music scoring team, Aktuator, with Steve Cox.
  • Lost 50 pounds by eating less and exercising more.
  • Stayed the night in the hospital for the first time. Appendicitis scare.
  • Traveled to Connecticut to create animated TV show with Mump-Dase.
  • Began practicing Hatha Yoga.
  • Updated J.J. Abrams Wikipedia Entry.
  • Began studying Flash Cartoon Animation.
  • Launched Hollywood Drum community website with Steve Krugman.
  • Signed book deal with MWP, publishers of Save The Cat and Hardware Wars. Available everywhere in 2010.
  • Provided original music cues for Cooking With Werner Herzog parody web series, starring Will Maier and directed by John Webb.
  • Published interview with Craig Anton of Tom Goes To The Mayor.
  • Met Terry Rossio. Writer of Shrek, Men In Black, Godzilla, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Mask of Zorro, and Aladdin. Gave me a pile of books.
  • Wrote liner notes for the re-release of Victims Family – White Bread Blues. Other contributors: Les Claypool, Steve Albini.
  • Finished 127 pages of screenplays for 4-episode animated TV mini-series. Now what?
  • Released 55-minute Dr. Zoltan Øbelisk album: “Why I Am So Wise, Why I Am So Clever, And Why I Write Such Good Songs…” with guests Marco Minnemann and Lalle Larsson.

2010

  • Shot interviews with Mikael Akerfeldt from Opeth, Mr. Paul Reed Smith, Derek Roddy, Bryan Beller, Tony Levin, Orianthi, Nick Catanese of Black Label Society for NAMM 2010.
  • Wrote my first Logical Fallacy: “Fallacy of Consequent Invention – assumes that technology more recently introduced to the market is more advanced than that which precedes it. Examples: Blu-Ray, G.M.O. Food, Karate Kid Remake.”
  • Launched Bend Bars / Lift Gates, a cartoon screenwriting portfolio site. Featuring parody animation scripts for He-Man, G.I. Joe, and Transformers.
  • Finished pitch for original animated TV series, The Mysterious Octopus, co-written with Michael Elliott.
  • Dr. Zoltan Øbelisk’s “Why I Am So Wise, Why I Am So Clever, And Why I Write Such Good Songs” reviewed in Decibel Magazine, Issue #66. “King could out-compose Danny Elfman with both frontal lobes tied behind his scrotum.”
  • Entered Creative Screenwriting Magazine 2010 Contest with a 30-minute teleplay episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Dance of the Twi’lek.
  • Attended 5-Hour Writing Masterclass with author, Peter David (The Incredible Hulk, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek).
  • Entered Creative Screenwriting Magazine Cyberspace Open Spring 2010 Contest with five-minute scene: Cuyahoga!
  • Finished book on creative careers for MWP.
  • Called “Complicated” and “Impressive” and “Mysterious” in Marco Minnemann article published in Modern Drummer Magazine, July Issue.
  • Attended 2010 MWP Publisher Summit.
  • Hosted mental_floss Late Movies: Do Robots Belong In Music?
  • Wrote a Creativity Philosophy blog entry every morning for 6 weeks.
  • Got married on X-Day by Pastor Eman Laerton near Santa Monica Beach, in front of some Freemasons.
  • Recorded Joss Whedon and Felicia Day panel discussions at Comic-Con for Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Said hi to Bear McCreary, hung out with some of Morgan Spurlock’s camera crew.
  • Won 6-Month Fellowship to TheOffice for sci-fi screenplay synopsis.
  • Storyline Consultant for Downhill: The Bill Johnson Story, a feature documentary to be released in 2010 by Ski Channel.
  • Interviewed on screenwriting podcast, On-The-Page Episode 160, five episodes after Bob Odenkirk. Why am I always just a little too late?
  • Met Jim Marrs.
  • Directed Halloween Episode of GuitarTricks Channel.
  • Began hiring my friends to work for me.
  • Launched www.duckinalightbulb.com, to coincide with book by MWP.
  • Met Lost Producer, Carlton Cuse, on my birthday.
  • Outlined sci-fi feature-length film and wrote first act of screenplay.
  • Directed Kickstarter video, Scattered Over Saturn, for Kristen Hilkert and Alexandria Cree.
  • Grew hair long again, after 3 years of large forehead syndrome.
  • Changed to mostly raw, low-G.I. diet combined with high-intensity training after reading Body By Science.
  • Bought 27-inch Quad-Core iMac.
  • Opened 1,000 sq. ft. full-time creative studio in L.A. area.
  • Adopted a kitten from an animal shelter.

2011

  • Released Mysterious Octopus Animated TV Show Concept to the public.
  • Took small multimedia crew to NAMM 2011 and interviewed Steve Vai, Devin Townsend, Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, Orianthi, Opeth, Alex Skolnick of Testament, Bruce Kulick of Kiss, Paul Gilbert, Shinedown, Marty Friedman of Megadeth, Mastadon, Mike Clark from Suicidal Tendencies, and others.
  • Launched Podcast for “So, You’re A Creative Genius… Now What?”
  • So, You’re A Creative Genius… Now What? Book released on June 1 by MWP.
  • Worked on set of Omega Wave video shoot for San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Band, Forbidden directed by Jon Schnepp.
  • Book reached #1 on Amazon Bestsellers in Performing Arts Business category during June Release, and AGAIN 6 months later, in December.
  • Attended Press Conference at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, for the launch of Steve Vai’s GuitarTV.com. Recognized from the stage, as Sir Millard Mulch, by Steve. Famous!
  • Began writing sci-fi short story.
  • Appeared as featured guest speaker for the New York Film Academy’s “Industry Speaker Series” at the school’s Universal Studios campus in Los Angeles.
  • Produced animated short, Veronica’s Original Magic Intelligence Teahouse, animated by Ben Li and written by Martin Pursley.
  • Animated and released Frank Zappa cartoon, Will That Be An Aisle Or A Window?. Video was posted on Dweezil Zappa’s official site.
  • Directed and Animated GuitarTricks Channel Halloween Special 2011.
  • Re-released Declaration of War On Fun video, with musical guest Marco Minnemann.
  • Attended Long Beach ComicCon. Met Team Unicorn and J. Scott Campbell.
  • Musical cue co-written with Stephen Cox aired on Discovery Channel’s “Desert Car Kings.”
  • Animated a Commercial for So You’re A Creative Genius Now What? published by MWP
  • Celebrated 30th Anniversary of “Boy With The Perfectly Square Butthole” with recording contest. What a disaster.
  • Directed live GuitarTV / GuitarTricks.com guitar lesson broadcast at Steve Vai’s Mothership Studio.
  • Self-published a sci-fi short story on iTunes, Kindle, and Nook called Cuyahoga!
  • Released a collection of animated shorts, under the brand name Advanced Cryogenetics.
  • 10 Myths About Introverts article reached 500,000 views.
  • Released eBook, Beyond Guitar (In Only 15 Minutes) on Amazon Kindle.
  • Emailed with Gail Zappa. Talked on the phone with Dweezil Zappa.
  • Went on first vacation in 2 years. Missed live performance of John Tesh by mere days.

2012

  • Relaunched boutique record label & store, MutantMall.com.
  • Directed Photoshoot for upcoming Lee Wanner album.
  • Programmed and co-hosted The Complicated Music Hour on Melbourne, FL’s WFIT show, The Lacking Organization.
  • Founded CarlKingdom, LLC.
  • Bought a Fanny Pack.
  • Began playing Tuba. Quit playing Tuba. Too hard.
  • Took 3 months off from creative projects to get anxiety problems under control.
  • Rescued an Indian Ringneck Parrot, named him Hola!
  • Private tour of Dreamworks Animation with Zeke Piestrup, lunch with director Tim Johnson, met the COO.
  • First printing of So, You’re A Creative Genius… Now What? book sold out after one year.
  • Won Bronze from 33rd Annual Telly Awards for Directing / Producing GuitarTricks.com 2011 Halloween Special — in two categories: How To / Instructional and Use of Humor.
  • 10 Myths About Introverts reaches over 1 MILLION unique viewers.
  • Became #2 Google Result for keyword Introverts, second only to Wikipedia.
  • Launched Kickstarter campaign to fund Morgan Ågren: A Drummer Documentary. Set goal at $10,000. Raised $17,333.77.
  • Directed and Animated a 5-minute Welcome / Safety Video for Hard Summer 2012, a huge electronic music festival in downtown L.A. Performers included: Skrillex, Bloc Party, and Bootsy Collins.
  • Hired first studio assistant, Mandee Pro.

2013

  • Filmed Allan Holdsworth Band (with Virgil Donati) at Baked Potato, North Hollywood.
  • Released Commercial for Thomas Lang’s Big Drum Bonanza 2013.
  • Produced promo video for Dweezil Zappa’s Dweezilla music camp.
  • Apocalypse Later: Harold Camping vs. The End of the World screens at Dances With Films / Chinese Theaters in Hollywood.
  • Hosted live performance by Mark Critchley (itch), frantic pianist from Vancouver, at Leigh McClosky’s Olandar.
  • Attended CineGear 2013 at Paramount Pictures, Hollywood.
  • Attended Sony F-55 Masterclass at Sony Pictures with Cinematographer Alister Chapman.
  • Visited Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  • Attended ARRI Alexa workshop.
  • Frank, the Bearded Dragon and Chau Chau, the Indian Ringneck accepted into King family.
  • Directed and edited Virgil Donati Mini-Doc for In This Life.
  • Began filming The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? with Jon Schnepp (Metalocalypse).
  • Documented Titmouse’s Smash Party 2013 in Hollywood, CA.
  • Released Full-Length Documentary, Morgan Ågren’s Conundrum: A Percussive Misadventure on DVD and Vimeo-On-Demand, with special guest appearances by Mats Öberg, Devin Townsend, Marco Minnemann , Mike Keneally, Dweezil Zappa, Tosin Abasi, Thomas Lang, Danny Carey, Brendon Small, Dave Elitch, Simon Phillips, Joe Travers, Raanen Bozzio, Daedelus And Others…
  • Shot studio recording session with Shawn Amos.

2014

  • Filmed interview with Kevin Smith for Jon Schnepp’s “The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened?”
  • Character Millard Nullings returns for the 2nd book of Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children.
  • Contributed sound design to Ben Li’s animated short for Titmouse’s 5-Second Animation Day 2014, screened at Egyptian Theater, Hollywood.
  • Filmed and edited 20-minute VAI: Sex & Religion documentary starring Devin Townsend. Will most likely not be released to the public. Sorry!
  • Shot & Edited Dino Cazares / Fear Factory Promo for Seymour Duncan Retribution Pickups.
  • Interviewed Mark Borchardt for Audio Podcast.
  • Shot & Edited Guitar World / Stephen Chesney Seymour Duncan Promo.
  • Began documenting recording of Dweezil Zappa’s first album in 10 years.
  • Filmed Scholar Interviews at Society of Biblical Literature, San Diego, CA
  • Documented Thomas Lang Drumming Bootcamp, Thousand Oaks, CA
  • Continued work on Jon Schnepp’s Death of Superman Lives Documentary.
  • Filmed Product Shots for Millennia Media.
  • Released 3.5 Hours of Morgan Ågren Deleted Scenes called CONUNDRUM: Undone through Vimeo On Demand.
  • Documented Big Drum Bonanza 2014 @ DrumChannel.
  • Shot & Edited DrumChannel.com Testimonial Commercial.
  • Apocalypse Later: Harold Camping vs. The End of the World released on Hulu.
  • Attended RED Training for DIT at AbelCine, Burbank.
  • Interviewed Drummer Gregg Bissonette for Audio Podcast.
  • Attended CineGear Expo 2014 @ Paramount.
  • Shot Music Video for StOrk / Paper Angels w/ Shane Gibson R.I.P.

2015

  • The Real Carl King TV Show: Episode 1
  • Directed / Edited Renaud Music Video With Virgil Donati
  • Got into Silkscreening, began printing T-Shirts. Stopped.
  • Filmed Jonas Neubauer Interview for Chris Higgins
  • Produced Dweezil Zappa Tour Promo

2016

2017

2018

  • Exhibited at Wondercon in Anaheim With Joanie Brosas

2019

2020

2021

2022

  • Work begins on new animated pilot: Dragontooth Inn, starring Dan Foster and Stephanie Southerland.