Welcome to the second installment of the Haulix PR Spotlight. The purpose of this column is to highlight the people who work behind-the-scenes to help your favorite bands gain exposure in the media. Some will be business owners, while others grind away their days for a larger corporation, but the one thing they all share is a drive to succeed that knows no bounds. If you know someone who fits this description that you feel deserves to be highlighted in this column, please email james@haulix.com and share their story with us.
If you are hoping to work in the alternative music realm, you will not get far before hearing the name Mike Cubillos. A publicist for over a decade, Cubillos has built a reputation through his company Earshot Media as one of the most influential publicists in the music industry. In our interview, Mike opens up about his early days in the business, his decision to leave the world of major labels and start Earshot, the problems he sees young artists make, and what advice he has to offer others hoping to have a career in this often tumultuous industry.
On a personal note, I have worked with Mike on a weekly bases since I started in the music industry over half a decade ago, and I cannot begin to think of everything he has taught me in that time. There are some people in life you look to as competition, while others you see only as who you hope to one day become. Mike Cubillos is the latter of those two for myself and many others, and it was honor to work with him on this feature.
As always, if you would like to learn more about Mike and his current projects, be sure to follow Earshot PR on Twitter and Facebook. If you have any additional questions for Mike, please do not hesitate to mention in them in the comments section located at the end of this post.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the company you work for, and your role at said business:
MC: My name is Mike Cubillos and I own and operate Earshot Media a independent publicity company.
H: We have a lot of ground to cover, but there is not better place to start than the beginning. What was the first album you remember truly connecting with?
MC: I’d have to say the first album I remember connecting with as the Ramones Rocket to Russia. My brother brought home a European import copy and something about the simplicity of the songs and those great melodies drew me in as a kid.
H: Do you recall when you first realized you wanted to work in the entertainment industry? What was the initial inspiration to start down this path?
MC: I initially wanted to get into to TV Production or something on the programming end of the TV business, but in college I did a few internships at record labels since I’d always been a big time music geek. Even as a kid I subscribed to magazines like Rolling Stone and I’d read Billboard at the library whenever I could. When I realized I could parlay my obsession with music into a career, I ran with it.
H: You started Earshot back in 1998, but you had a history in the industry before that point. What was your first job in the industry?
MC: My first real job after interning was working as an assistant in the PR department for a label called Zoo Entertainment which was part of BMG. It was sort of a “mini major” with acts like Tool. Matthew Sweet, Killing Joke, Green Jello, etc. I learned so much from my time at Zoo and I’m really glad I was able to get that in house label experience. I have very fond memories of that job and all of the people I worked with, many of who I still keep in contact with today.
H: Before stepping out on your own you were a member of the Mercury Records team. What lead you to go independent?
MC: I was one of the west coast publicists for Mercury Records and most of the west coast staff was laid off when the label went through a major merger. It was a blessing in disguise because it was the push I needed to go out on my own.
H: Where did the name Earshot come from? Did you have any other names in mind before settling on that one?
MC: I just felt the name had a bit of a ring to it and liked that it had some sort of vague connection to music/listening. Not long after I started a nu-metal band came out with the same name which was a bit of a bummer, ha… but I don’t think they’re around anymore so at least I can say I outlasted them. : ) I had a few other names I was considering but I don’t even recall what they were. If I could go back and pick another name I probably would, but it’s too late now I suppose.
H: As someone who has worked in and deal directly with major labels for a number of years, what do you think about claims they are no longer a necessity in the modern music industry?
MC: I think that major labels definitely still serve a purpose. The marketing push that major labels can give to an artist is invaluable. That said, I think an artist can achieve great success without being on a major. There are a ton of examples out there of indie acts that are proving this to be true.
H: You were pitching bands to publications long before anyone heard of Myspace, and certainly before the term social media was as prominent as it is today. Do you have any nostalgia for those early years of PR, or do you prefer the quicker pace of today’s media?
MC: I definitely do get nostalgic for my early years doing PR. It’s sad that so many great print magazines have gone under. Publications like Meanstreet, Bam, Flipside, etc are sorely missed. Also, the idea that we used to fax press releases and media alerts or send them via snail mail seems so archaic but it wasn’t that long ago that this was the case. There’s no question that social media and the Internet has made a lot of aspects of a publicists job much easier but it’s also brought along a lot of new challenges.
H: As a publicist, what advice would you offer writers hoping to work with your clients?
MC: I would say be professional. A lot of people assume that since it’s the “music business” that some of the general principals of professionalism don’t apply, and that’s far from the case. Remember that no one owes you anything and if you want labels/publicists/managers to trust that you are a legit writer or blog or publication, you need to earn that trust.
H: We would never ask you to give away your secret to success, but what advice would you offer to aspiring publicists hoping to make a career in today’s music industry?
MC: Again I would go back to being professional. Be willing to work hard and prove yourself. Make yourself indispensable to your employers/clients. Read a lot–especially anything related to the music scene/music business. Do your research.
H: Piracy is one of the most discussed topics in the industry today. Do you feel album leaks are preventable? If so, how would you advise an artist to keep their music safe while still getting the word out?
MC: I don’t know that album leaks are 100 percent preventable, but tools like Haulix have become invaluable in helping to control who gets advance music and gauging if the people you sent music to listened to and if so how often. I would advise artist that is concerned about their album leaking to take a precautionary approach to servicing the music out to the media, ie…sending music out to a very targeted list of trusted contacts and outlets rather than mass servicing it to everyone at once.
H: When it comes to working with your clients, how do you prefer to share their music with press? What is it about this method that appeals to you the most?
MC: Again, Haulix has been a godsend in that it’s a secure and fast way to get music out to the people who need it. I like that you can also gauge who downloaded the music once it’s sent and can monitor when they last listened to it.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
MC: I wish some people would be a bit more open minded. People seem to have pre-conceived notions of what they think a band is based on the label they’re on or what they look like and sometimes that gets in the way of discovering great new music. I also wish more people were willing to take chances on helping to “break” artists rather than waiting around until someone else helps “break” them before they jump on the bandwagon.
H: Your roster is as eclectic now as ever before. Do you have any plans or releases on the horizon you’d like to share with our readers?
MC: I just hope Earshot can continue to grow. In addition to music, we’ve worked with clothing companies, websites, artists, charitable organizations, tours, events, books etc. and I hope to do more of that in the future.
