Why, hello. Thank you for stopping by for another installment of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight. So far this week we have spoken with a member of Absolutepunk, as well as one of the most widely recognized publicists in alternative music, and now we’re headed across the pond to highlight a writer who has spent the last six years developing an entertainment site for people who aren’t afraid to admit they like a little bit of everything. If you have a recommendation for a writer that should be highlighted in the weeks ahead, please email james@haulix.com and share their story.
Hailing from the UK with a passion for writing that just won’t quit, Zach Redrup has been helping spearhead a revolution in music blogging through his site Dead Press! since 2007. He recognizes that most music fans love multiple genres of music, and over the years since launching his site has continually strived to cover as diverse a variety of talent as he and his team possibly could. From Lady Gaga to Metallica, you never know who will appear on the front page of Dead Press! on any given day, but the content that does make the cut is always well worth your time. You’ll find no sugar coated or biased articles here; the good and the bad are revealed for what they are, and it’s in that unflinching honesty that Redrup has found the most success. We spoke with Zach about all this, as well as where he sees the industry headed in the years to come, and now you can read his story right here on the Haulix blog.
As always, if you like what you read be sure to reach out an let Zach know. He can be found on Twitter, just like Dead Press!, and is often found covering festivals around the UK. If you have any additional questions about Dead Press!, please comment at the end of this post and we will do our best to get you an answer.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:
ZR: My name is Zach Redrup and I’m the founder and editor of DEAD PRESS!
H: DEAD PRESS! has been around since 2007, but you have been a music fan for many years. Do you recall the first album you really connected with?
ZR: Well, the first album that I ever purchased was ANThology by Alien Ant Farm and, to be honest, I still have a connection with that record due to the nostalgia and the fact it has some great songs on it. I really became a music fan during the surging popularity of nu-metal, so I had and still do have a great love for bands like Korn and Slipknot. However, as I’ve grown older my music taste has expanded. It’s strange to think now how close minded I was about music back in high school.
H: Though many writers seem to have similar goals, they all have a unique origin story. When did you realize you wanted to work in music?
ZR: To begin with I used to contribute towards another site, which I won’t name, but basically the management of the site changed at the beginning of 2007 and lost contact with a lot of its original contributors, myself included. I got a taste of it then and wanted to continue but more on my own terms. As such, DEAD PRESS! was born and has been going ever since. Of course, as most music fans, I’ve always had that dream of being in a big successful rock band for a living. But we can all dream, can’t we?
H: What is the story behind the name DEAD PRESS!? Did you consider any other names before settling on that one?
ZR: I’m quite a fan of having duality within meanings or representation. Essentially, DEAD PRESS! has several meanings, the main one all comes down to personal preference. Originally, the meaning behind the name was due to our unbiased and honest nature and views with our articles. We don’t like to sugar coat things due to popularity or to bulk up numbers/readership because of an artist or band being ‘the next big thing’. Lots of publications, including some of the biggest ones, do this and as such the true press is dead, so therefore the name DEAD PRESS! fits with that. Another meaning some have interpreted it to be is the fact that it’s online and printed press is dying, put simply it is a DEAD PRESS!. A lot of people chuckle at the initials of the site too, DP!. It does mean double penetration in some contexts, but that only helps people to remember. Besides, music penetrates both ears, so the humorous side still rings true.
H: There are a growing number of sites attempting to cater to people with a wide variety of tastes. What is it about the content on DEAD PRESS! that sets you apart from the competition?
ZR: As I mentioned before, I think something that sets us apart from a lot of other publications out there is that we cater to the readers who want a true and honest view on new music and acts both established and up-and-coming. No one likes trashing the little man, but if we sugar coat that and let the (pardon my language) filter through, we’ll end up with even more of those bands you absolutely loathe. If they’re bad, we’ll say so. If they’re an incredible talent that deserves your attention, we’ll make sure you know their name.
H: The site’s bio says a revamp in 2010 lead to a new drive to contribute to the music scene. Aside from the design of the site, what changed?
ZR: The biggest change that happened in 2010 was that the site truly evolved from a portfolio of articles (mainly reviews) from myself and instead into a fully functioning site. From 2010 we shoved the site over to a professional host, gave it a full domain, began contributing news on a daily basis, included features and also recruited a bunch of both writers and music fans to help contribute towards the site and encourage people to listen to the great music out there and avoid the dirt.
H: You were a lone wolf when the site started, but now have a team of contributors. At what point did you begin to build your team, and how did you go about finding new writers?
ZR: As I said before, this was one of the biggest changes to occur for our revamp back in 2010. In the beginning, I recruited a few people from my Music Journalism course at university at the time of the revamp to help contribute and build the site to new heights. As the site developed and grew, so did the readership interest along with people who also wanted to get involved with things.
H: You offer a variety of content on your site, including reviews. Some have said the rise of social media in recent years has lessened the need for critics. Do you agree?
ZR: I both agree and disagree at the same time. Social media in terms of media critics acts as a double-edged sword. On the plus side, it helps to promote the names of bands who may have otherwise struggled and even disbanded without the aid of social media to widen their name. In turn, that also raises the awareness of the more underground publications such as ourselves, allowing readers to know there are alternatives out there. However, this also encourages people to start up a quick blog in minutes, shove up a few articles and instantly brand themselves as a ‘music journalist’.
H: Whether or not reviews are always a part of DEAD PRESS!, you will certainly continue to feature new bands. Where do you go when you want to discover new talent?
ZR: There are many ways I find out about new bands. The power of word of mouth will never die and should never be underestimated, but again, social media is a great way to uncover new bands and talent you may otherwise have been none the wiser to discover. From a quick tweet, a little song posted on Facebook or a recommended song/video off the back of a band you already love on YouTube can help you find a new favorite. I’ve always personally found the recommendations on Last.fm a great source of new music too, and of course due to the nature of DEAD PRESS!, I manage to discover a lot of great new bands who have sent in their material for me to check out. It’s one of the better perks of the site.
H: Let’s turn the tables and talk about the bands who come to you. What advice would you offer someone who wanted to increase their chances of sticking out from the plethora of bands vying for your attention?
ZR: It’s rather cliché but it’s true; originality is one of the biggest keys to getting some extra attention towards your band. Though you want to get your music heard, don’t nag and don’t spam. You don’t want to start off with a bad reputation. However, you want to keep yourselves active and constantly doing stuff. With such a grand amount of bands forever boring born, it’s easy for you to be lost in the shuffle. Work hard on your music, get rid of all of the tweaks, be original, keep your name out there, play as many shows as possible, appreciate your fans and keep professional.
H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?
ZR: As I’m old fashioned, if bands offer a physical copy of their record is always a preference, but as we all know digital download is the future. The best thing to offer to me personally is great, professional and enjoyable music. The more information provided without sending the equivalent of a novel is the best procedure. Be detailed yet straight to the point.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
ZR: It saddens me how the pleasures of a physical record, where you can hold the music, enjoy the artwork, study the lyrics and learn the band and their material inside and out is quickly dying. It’s never going to happen, but if the CD could come back in true force that would be fantastic. That, and if anyone could get Reuben to reform, I’d really appreciate it.
H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?
ZR: We have a lot planned for DEAD PRESS! over the coming months. Along with bulking up our content in both quantity and potency we’re also getting a full site redesign soon, hopefully starting to get some shows on the go, sponsoring some of the better festivals and tours coming up, having some merchandise available, continuing to promote and push the talented artists out there and always delivering content that people would want to read and check out.
