Kevin Zinger is an entrepreneur, entertainment industry executive, and documentary film producer who has spent the last 30 years building a self-contained empire that includes companies with household names ranging from SRH and Suburban Noize Records to the Netflix documentary “Saving Banksy.”
Zinger found himself producing and promoting shows all over San Diego County by the age of 19. “I was so young when I started that legally I wasn’t old enough to get into the clubs I was producing shows at,” Zinger laughs. The production company, “SRH - Supporting Radical Habits - Productions,” would later evolve into a lifestyle brand and clothing line that is still owned and managed by Zinger and co-founder, Ryan White, 30 years later.
Zinger and White helped bands like Sublime (who he now manages), Pennywise, Offspring, and other acts from the ‘90s SoCal punk and hip-hop genres, to break onto the scene by promoting shows and clubs all over Southern California. “It was pre-internet and before social media. Back then we built scenes through word of mouth and punk rock street promotion, it was special to be a part of that, and knowing that SRH helped some of our favorite bands establish a foundation” recounts Zinger.
In a natural progression, Zinger started managing the bands that he booked — overseeing everything from touring to day-to-day administration. Today, he directs several top managers and agents as co-founder of The Regime 72 Management firm with partner Ivory Daniel. The firm employs a team of industry professionals who help foster the day-to-day careers of a wide range of high-profile clients in the music, art, film, and sports sectors. The company's roster includes names such as Sublime, House Of Pain, Everlast, Amigo The Devil, Evidence, Makua Rothman, Common Kings, Long Beach Dub Allstars, and Fishbone.
Zinger also co-founded The Empire Agency, which is a full-fledged booking agency for musicians, bands + personalities. The Empire Agency celebrates over 100 working artists and bands on their roster.
Zinger owns and operates 8 fully self-funded independent record labels including Suburban Noize Records, Island Empire Records, Liars Club, Americana Vibes, Bigger Picture Recordings, Battle Axe Records, and Mensch House Records. Each label has a thriving artist roster + catalog. Zinger and his label groups have had over 50 records in the top 100, with each label focusing on a wide variety of music from Rock, Americana, Reggae, Punk and Hip Hop. With hundreds of Executive Producer credits and 5 Grammy awards under his belt, his label group under the parent company Regime Music Group is one of the top independent labels in today’s business.
In addition to the previously mentioned directory, Zinger also owns and runs the Skratch N’ Sniff radio program with his partner and hosts Malcolm and DJ Mike Check. The radio show takes some of the biggest songs from rock + hip-hop and blends them to make an unbelievable mix that fans of both genres are tuning into in droves. Since its debut on 91X in San Diego, the show has become a smash radio success with syndication to nearly 65 affiliates throughout the U.S., including San Diego, Boston, Tampa, and Atlanta.
His most recent film endeavor “Can’t Be Stopped” recently wrapped and is set to premiere in late 2021. It will be the follow-up to the first documentary he produced “Saving Banksy,” which was released on Netflix and climbed to the #1 spot for several weeks in 2017 in the documentary category. The hit film focuses on unauthorized sales of artist BANKSY'S work — examining the conflicting philosophies of street art and profiteering and guiding viewers on a journey through the dialogue of underground street and graffiti art culture. Zinger won an Emmy in 2011 to add to his Grammy collection and with “Saving Banksy” winning “Most Innovative Documentary Feature” and “Best Documentary Feature” at the Hollywood Film Festival, it’s doubtful Zinger will stop his filmmaking journey until he adds a coveted Oscar to his collection.
Zinger’s passion for art also led him to open the Mayfair Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles where he helped curate the art installations and music catalog around the hotel. Zinger also opened two legendary galleries with fine artists Kelly “Risk” Graval. Regime Contemporary (Downtown LA) and Buckshot Gallery (Santa Monica) hosted showings and works from some of the biggest names in art including Risk, Tristan Eaton, Jim “Taz” Evans, Shepard Fairey, Banksy, Defer, Chaz and more.
In 2020, Zinger self-funded and started his own charity called Saved At Seven, a name that he credits to his mother who he says was the voice of reason and calm in his youth. When Zinger was 7 years old, he saved his mother’s life in a pool after she slipped and fell in. “It was a crazy experience after the accident, as the story ended up on the front page of a bunch of newspapers. People would say ‘I saw you in the LA Times, you saved your mom.’ But after I grew up and reflected back on it all, it was actually me who got saved that day. If my mom’s voice of reason and guidelines were missing from my life who knows what would have happened to me.” Saved at Seven helps youths whose parents have been incarcerated by assisting them in developing skills in art, music, sports, academics, or any talent/interest that can help them mold a positive future. Through financing and a mentor program, Saved at Seven is adding a positive influence and building skills that will help these young adults throughout their lives. The overarching goal is to break the cycle of incarceration that plagues so many families.
In his off time — which isn’t much — Zinger is an accomplished surfer with dozens of first-place finishes. His other interests are as diverse as his businesses and include everything from boxing to odd skills like solving a Rubix Cube in 1 minute. “My Father’s greatest lesson to me was to experience as much as you can every single day. I’m always trying to learn and experience new things.”
Zinger’s eclectic life personally and professionally has given him the knowledge to explore a diverse mix of mediums. His entrepreneurial endeavors are a direct reflection of the respect he holds for creative industries. From the shows he promoted in his teens to the acclaimed names associated with one or more of his businesses today, Zinger’s roster of accomplished ventures reflects decades of dedication, knowledge, and above all - passion.