Meet Mike Floros

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike Floros and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’m pretty sure everyone has heard the statement, “No risk/No reward.” In 2014, my wife encouraged me to re-renter the musical arena-mostly to save myself from going bats#it crazy on my sportbikes. At that point, It had been 15 years since I played guitar or even bothered to write a song. Within 6 months of picking up the instrument, I’d become a better player than I had been previously and also had a better grasp at what it took to write a good song. By nine months I’d released an EP. Within one year I was working through my new home studio and within 2.5 years, I scored my first record deal with my band, SteelCity. By 2018, I’d embarked on starting my own S Corp, Idora Entertainment. In doing so, it helped create greater visibility for my work and brought other musicians into the fold. Currently, SteelCity is on the largest, most recognizable Melodic Hard Rock label in the world. We share label status with bands like Journey, Winger, and Stryper-all classic bands from the heyday of Hard Rock. My other band, Love In Chains, has released 2 albums and has music featured in motion pictures. Without the initial push from my wife and taking that risk of putting the music out there, none of this would have happened. I’d still be sitting on the sidelines thinking, “Man, I could do that.” As Tom Cruise’s character in Risky Business said, “Sometimes you just gotta say WTF…make your move.” Truer words have never been spoken, LOL.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
While music is most definitely a passion and emotional outlet, I do have a career outside of it as a Respiratory Therapist. I’ve been in that field for 33 years. There is nothing about the job that is easy because, on a daily basis, we face a new set of circumstances and challenges. And while there is a great deal of politics in the entertainment industry, at its core, the medical field is brutally honest. You rely on your knowledge to provide best practices and if there’s one lesson that carries over to the musical realm, I believe that’s it. Whether it’s writing a song, engaging with label executives, or relating to a crowd at your concert, people can sense honesty. As Idora Entertainment and its artists continue to grow, that sentiment will remain.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Los Angeles is a unique place because it has a great deal to offer. Beaches, Mountains, sports, twisty roads for driving/riding enthusiasts…it’s all here. How the second largest city in the USA has no Little Italy still boggles the mind but I digress. Most of my friends that visit are usually into music. As such, they want to visit the famous Rock N Roll clubs like The Rainbow or The Whisky. After doing the usual things like seeing the Hollywood Walk of Fame or visiting the Santa Monica Pier, I like to get out of the city. I’ve found that, while the touristy places are always appreciated, my friends usually like the day trips outside of L.A. It’s much more fun to visit places like Ventura and Santa Barbara. The best place to visit, at least from my point of view, is Solvang & Santa Ynez. It’s about 1.5-2 hours away and it’s California Dutch Country. Solvang has been called “The Dutch Capital of America.” It’s also the area where the movie Sideways was filmed, as it’s one of CA’s wine areas, too. There’s nothing quite like going wine tasting and then fattening yourself up with a bunch of Dutch treats!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that deserve a shoutout. First and foremost, my wife. She’s the person who encouraged me to get the ball rolling again in my musical world. There are so many people who’ve helped along the way because, as anyone knows, making music isn’t a “one-person thing.” It’s a complete team effort. My shout-outs go to Facebook groups like The Melodic Mafia, Glam Hot Metal, and Glam Rock City, whose members not only encouraged me to seek out musicians and create new music but also continually support those ventures. Idora, Love In Chains, and SteelCity all owe their success to the people supporting the music. Idora Entertainment is currently in the process of taking on partners and looking to sign new artists with those partners. That doesn’t happen without both integrity and support.

Website: www.idoraentertainment.com 

Image Credits
1. Idora Entertainment: Mike Floros, Nello Dell’Omo 2. SteelCity, Reverence: Nello Dell’Omo 3. Love In Chains, Everyday Heroes: Nello Dell’Omo 4. SteelCity MORC Livestream: Joe Schaeffer 5. Love In Chains at Masquerade: Shannon Wilk