Music is where it all started for Squank Entertainment, an RIAA-registered record label since 2001. Founder James Michael House began writing and producing music at a young age, so producing music through the company was a natural progression.
The first project to emerge was "Universal Reversal," a freestyle jazz-fusion album featuring guests such as Joseph Wooten and Don Latarski, who played alongside James Michael House (JMH) and others. Production had been scheduled months in advance for September 10-14, 2001. With musicians arriving from out of town, the 9/11 terrorist attacks became an unforgettable part of the experience as everyone pushed forward with Squank Entertainment's first production.
Another project came along in 2004, when Squank helped singer-songwriter Olen Kent make an acoustic album called A Different Cycle. Olen was living in poverty at the time, calling a storage unit in Eugene home. The production was taken on as a charitable project to help a local artist in need of an opportunity.
A Different Cycle is a blend of country, folk, rock, and other styles, highlighted by Olen's rich vocals and quirky style. JMH served as producer and engineer while also handling the CD's photography and art design. He played bass, guitar, and percussion on several songs as well.
In 2005, the first Squanky Kong album, A Brief Trip to Reality, was released as a compilation of early works, bringing together previously unreleased music produced as demos and studio experiments. It marked the beginning of JMH's exploration of a creative passion that would become the company's flagship project.
Another project was taken on in 2005 as part of the Independent Artist Alliance initiative and its continuing goal of helping independent artists. JMH and Squank Entertainment partnered with White Moon Productions to produce Halie Loren's debut pop album, Full Circle. Co-produced by JMH and Loren, the album was completed at Squank Studios.
While finishing Full Circle, JMH began working on Squanky Kong's debut album, the 2008 release Under a Raven's Review. This ambitious album was meant to launch SK as the flagship brand of Squank Entertainment. The 2007-08 recession caused key financing to fall through, and the album's final production and release never reached the heights originally planned. Even so, it played a critical role in the continued development of Squanky Kong.
Squank Entertainment's next production arrived in 2015 with the Squanky Kong EP Imminent Insurrection, a raw production created with minimal resources in a North Hollywood, California, rehearsal studio. The project accompanied a renewed effort to form a live Squanky Kong show and touring band.
In 2019, production began on the company's most ambitious project to date. With sessions spanning Oregon, Los Angeles, and even Nashville, it raised the bar beyond any previous Squank Entertainment project. Featuring new talent recruited in Los Angeles, special guests, and Grammy Award-winning engineers, the Squanky Kong album Dawn of the Cataclysm was released digitally in the fall of 2021 and received positive reviews across the board.
| Artist | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|
| [Project Alpha:] Universal Reversal | Universal Reversal | 2003 |
| Olen Kent | A Different Cycle | 2004 |
| Squanky Kong | A Brief Trip to Reality | 2005 |
| Squanky Kong | Under a Raven's Review | 2008 |
| Squanky Kong | Imminent Insurrection | 2015 |
| Squanky Kong | Pressure Tank 2020 (Single) (Music Video) | 2021 |
| Squanky Kong | Dawn of the Cataclysm | 2021 |
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