At Venture Shift: Coverflow performing

Bambi Francisco Roizen · July 18, 2011 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/1cd5

Five more reasons to attend Venture Shift, July 20, in San Francisco

At Vator, one of our traditions is to end our evening events with a band. And, not just any-old band. Our bands are comprised of high-tech influencers, including top venture capitalists, and executives, such as Facebook's CFO. These gentlemen - number crunchers and tech geeks by day - turn into jamming rockers at night.

As always, Coverflow will be performing at the end of our San Francisco event this Wednesday, July 20, at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco. This time, however, the event is not Splash, but rather Venture Shift, an evening event we're co-producing with Bullpen Capital that will showcase venture heavyweights onstage and in the crowd.

In preparation of their performance, here's some background on our musical stars. As you'll see, while they're quite successful in their day jobs, they all secretly want to be rock stars, and most started playing an instrument at 10 years old, except for Raj Kapoor, who learned to sing in the shower, while in college.

We start with Coverflow's lead singer, Raj Kapoor, the only partner at Mayfield who likes wearing gold jackets at night.

When did you start playing an instrument? Never. Learned how to sing in the shower in 1994 at Harvard Business School.

Do you secretly want to be a rock star? Absolutely

Who's your favorite artist? Foo Fighters

What's your favorite song you like to play? Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Did you play in your high school band? No

How is performing onstage, similar to performing your jobs?
You are selling as a VC (entrepreneurs, BD partners, recruits, your partners). Performing is a form of selling.

Favorite genre? Atl Rock

When did you start playing an instrument?

I started playing bass when I was 10 because my two best friends were starting a band and I did not want to be left out.

Do you secretly want to be a rock star? Of course

Who's your favorite artist? Led Zeppelin

What's your favorite song you like to play? Spirit of Radio, by Rush

Did you play in your high school band? Nope

When did you start playing an instrument? I started playing guitar when I was 10.

Do you secretly want to be a rock star? Absolutely. It's not a secret.

Who's your favorite artist? Rush

What's your favorite song you like to play? Lights Out - UFO

Did you play in your high school band? I played in a band in high school and I was in chamber singers.

How is performing onstage, similar to performing your jobs?
I'm in a leadership position. It's important for me to be able to confidently deliver an engaging message. Playing in a band requires teamwork, communication, humility, and precision, all attributes of a great organization.

When did you start playing an instrument? I started playing guitar when I was 12, but switched to drums when I was 15.

Do you secretly want to be a rock star? I think every musician fantasizes about being a rock star. But realistically, being a professional touring musician is like being a broadway actor, or even a doctor -- there's very little flexibility and you have a super-rigid schedule. Even though being a startup entrepreneur is a 24-hour-a-day job, it's more flexible, and freedom is important to me. That said, if Van Halen called me up and asked if I'd join, I'd say "f** yeah."

Who's your favorite artist? My biggest musical influence is a prog rock band called Dream Theater. Though lately I've been listening to a lot of Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Green Day, Matisyahu, and Iron Maiden. My favorite bands as a kid were Van Halen and Motley Crue. Growing up I was also really into death metal bands like Deicide and Suffocation. Eminem and Jay Z are great too.

What's your favorite song you like to play? The crowd really gets going when we play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, which is fun. "This Love" by Maroon 5 is a really simple song, but it's got such a funky groove that it's really fun to play. We're also working on a Lady Gaga song (really) that I think will be awesome.

Did you play in your high school band? I was an outcast in high school and played drums in a death metal band called Nefarious that pretty much scared away any potentially normal friends I could have had. Here's a YouTube clip.

How is performing onstage, similar to performing your jobs? I constantly compare consumer internet to music, probably to the dismay of my co-workers. For example, anyone who works with me has heard me say "this design needs a lead singer" when I think there are too many links drawing attention away from the main task. In general, making a website that people love is very similar to writing a hit song -- there are some formulas involved, but it's mostly an art.

When did you start playing an instrument? Started playing guitar when I was 10.

Do you secretly want to be a rock star? Would love to be a rock star. Got a slight taste of it (!) during college days in Delhi, playing for Euphoria (www.dhoom.com), which later became India’s largest selling rock band.

Who's your favorite artist? Guitar extraordinaire, Steve Vai.

What's your favorite song you like to play? Still of The Night by Whitesnake. Getting rusty on it though.

Did you play in your high school band? Yes

How is performing onstage, similar to performing your jobs? It’s all about the team.

Favorite genre? 80’s rock

Bambi Francisco Roizen

Founder and CEO of Vator, a media and research firm for entrepreneurs and investors; Managing Director of Vator Health Fund; Co-Founder of Invent Health; Author and award-winning journalist.

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