Hello and welcome to another week of music industry exploration here on the official blog of Haulix. We are kicking off our month of metal-related coverage a day early this afternoon, and hope you’ll stick around throughout October to see and read all that we have in store. If you have a suggestion for a future column or interview, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.
Considering that today is the unofficial start of our month of metal, we figured there was no better way to begin our journey than with the story of an individual who has only just begun their career in music. Ebony Jeanette is an audiophile hailing from the state of Ohio with a passion for writing and promotion that matches any professional working in the industry today. Her drive know no limit, and it’s because of her determination that she has quickly become a staple of the alternative music scene. From conducting interviews and writing reviews for various publications, to internships with some of the biggest labels in heavy music, Ebony is making her name known throughout the business. and this afternoon we could not be more excited to share her story.
If you would like to stay up to date with everything Ebony is working on, please be sure to bookmark Substream and UTG. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:
EJ: My name is Ebony Jeanette, I work for Substream Magazine and Under The Gun Review. My role is a contributing writer; reviews, interviews, and lots of headbanging!
H: When you think of your earliest memories of music, what comes to mind?
EJ: My mom is a jazz and soul singer, some of my earliest memories are trying to pretend I was asleep when she would come home from her shows! I used to always get way too excited because I knew she was out performing and I could brag about it to my friends at school the next day. My Grandfather played trumpet for Duke Ellington and I remember hearing stories about it and looking at pictures. I was always asking to see the actual trumpet which my mother still has but keeps under serious wraps!
H: What was the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still own it?
EJ: The first album I purchased was not metal at all haha! Miss Thang by Monica – I mowed the lawn for CD money and yes I still have it 🙂
H: You’re in the process of participating in an internship within the industry right now, so you’ve obviously been pursuing a career in the industry for awhile. What attracted you to the entertainment industry in the first place?
EJ: Actually I recently completed my internship with Century Media Records. I now help out sometimes at Nuclear Blast Records when they need an extra hand. Being the child of an entertainer I pretty much had no choice but to learn and love music. The best part about the industry is it’s unique and multidimensional culture, no matter what kind of music you love, there is always a sense of family and camaraderie. There is just no other place like being in the middle of a moshpit with complete strangers who will instantly pick you up if you fall or front and center singing or screaming along to your favorite band.
H: What was your first ‘gig’ in the industry? Unpaid work counts.
EJ: My first gig was being the “merch girl” for my mom’s jazz shows.
H: You’ve been working with Century Media. How did you land your internship, and what drew you to CM?
EJ: What I love about CM is IN FLAMES!! Seriously though, some of my favorite metal bands are CM bands so it was an honor for me to work on their behalf. I landed the internship with persistence!! I was living in Columbus, Ohio at the time booking my own shows and doing indie PR for local bands. I emailed the publicists at the label and sent my resume. Then I continued to network with label employees and bands (writing about CM bands for Substream Magazine) until I was offered a meeting with the LA office. I flew to LA where I was interviewed and accepted into the internship program. I then moved from Columbus, Ohio to Los Angeles to intern and the rest is history!
H: It’s safe to say you have a love for heavy music, but you’ve worked with other genres as well. Are you open to a career outside of heavy music?
EJ: I am a metalhead to my core but YES! I am willing to work with all genres because I think being eclectic makes you better at your craft in general. Music publicity is such a flexible field that I am able to work with multiple genres at once which is what I do now via my indie PR company, Ebony Jeanette PR.
H: In addition to interning you have been doing a lot of freelance journalism work. Who is your biggest inspiration as a writer?
EJ: My biggest inspiration as a writer is actually publicist Mitch Schneider, who is former Rolling Stone Magazine rock-music journalist. If you don’t know him, get to! MSO PR is one of the best Public Relations firms in North America.
H: It’s not big secret that music generally does not pay that well, and as an intern I imagine your pay may very well be non-existent. What keeps you going?
EJ: When a band gets so stoked over a press hit I’ve garnered for them, that is what makes it all worth it! I am actually contributing to their career which is the best kind of payment!
H: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
EJ: The biggest challenge would have to be making sure artists are getting paid fairly for their music specifically regarding internet radio and streaming, and record releases (leaked content). The rise of the internet totally shook the music industry and we are all still working out the kinks. Things are getting better but it’s definitely a challenge.
H: Where do you go to discover new music?
EJ: SHOWS! I love LA for their venues, you can always discover some cool underground stuff in the most random and offbeat places. I also turn to my friend Charlie for random metal recommendations.
H: Speaking of music discovery, you probably receive a lot of submissions from talent vying for a spot on your news feed. What advice can you offer young artists hoping to stand out in your inbox?
EJ: Tweet me! Working in this business, we get so many emails per day it can be hard to stand out. The best way to contact me is twitter @ebonyjeanettepr
H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?
EJ: I actually like and use Haulix! It’s just so easy to navigate and you can include all of your press assets in just one zip/download.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
EJ: Hmm, I would probably get rid of pay to play! It’s so hard on beginner bands and it also lowers the stock of quality promoters and booking agents.
H: What is your ultimate career goal?
EJ: An LA office for EJPR ran by two employees and two interns and to write at my leisure to cover bands I love. I will also be out the road at least 6 months out of the year as a tour manager.
H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?
EJ: I will be traveling to France for Midem festival 2014 which I am very excited about!
Greetings, everyone! Another Friday has found its way into our lives, which means it’s time to reflect on everything happening at Haulix HQ.
The past few days have been rather hectic here at Haulix. Our product team continues to refine our protection and distribution tools while also laying the groundwork for the mobile platform we revealed in last week’s update. We wish them the best in all they have on the horizon and promise to bring you more information on everything product related as soon as it’s ready to be shared.
On the blog end of things, we have been anxiously preparing for October, which we recently dubbed ‘metal month.’ Our normal features will run as planned, but throughout the month of October we will be highlighting various members of the metal world and their efforts to keep the genre alive in 2013. I thought about revealing some of the names we have on the horizon in this post, but then I thought it might spoil the fun and decided to hold off another. That said, a little bird told me people who follow Haulix on Twitter are the first to learn about updates to both the product and blog (hint hint).
There are probably a billion things on your to-do list this weekend, but if you can find the time to just relax and read for awhile we promise it will make a world of difference to your overall well being. You probably have a few books or articles saved for such an occasion, but here are a few weekend reading suggestions from us to you, just in case:
Hello and welcome to a very special edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. We have featured a number of young journalists in recent months, but today we could not be more excited to highlight the efforts of someone who has been writing about music since before the internet was a thing average people cared about. If you or someone you know would make would like to be considered for a future installment of this series, please email james@haulix.com and share your story.
In 1985 a young man by the name of Doug Van Pelt started a fanzine called Heaven’s Metal to discuss and promote the world of Christian hard rock and metal after developing a love for journalism while working for his college newspaper. This was the same year Alternative Press, Spin, and Metal Edge Magazine launched, and like each of those now iconic publications the efforts of Van Pelt would soon begin to impact the lives of countless people around the world. He placed an ad for his new publication in the classified sections of numerous music rags (aka “old school Craigslist”), and before he knew it subscriptions began rolling in.
In 1995 Heaven’s Metal reached a crossroads. A change in the industry lead to the word ‘metal’ being somewhat tainted from a marketing perspective and Van Pelt decided it was best to change the magazine’s name to HM. The publication still focused on the heavier side of Christian rock, but also opened its doors up to a variety of new, rising alternative artists as well. It was a risk that could have drove away subscribers, but instead paid off in continued sustainability and news readers.
Things remained more or less good for HM magazine in the years following the name change until the rise of digital publications and social networking brought a new world of challenges to print publications in the mid-2000s. HM held on as long as possible to its physical format, including offering simultaneous digital editions beginning in 2007, but in December 2011 the zine was forced to go completely digital in an effort to cut costs. Van Pelt remained editor for another year, then in February of 2013 sold HM to current editor David Stagg. He remains on staff as a contributor, and today we’re honored to share his story.
We spoke with Doug Van Pelt about his life in the music industry from the beginning of Heaven’s Metal to today, and I think you’ll find the stories he has to share are truly one-of-a-kind. Doug has seen the best and worst the industry has to offer, and I guarantee you there is something everyone can learn from his experiences.
If you want to stay up-to-date with Doug’s efforts moving forward, be sure you bookmark and frequent HM. Additional questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: You are by far the person with the most experience in music journalism that we have featured to date. Do you remember the first album you truly fell in love with? How did you discover it?
DVP: First album I truly fell in love with? Wow. That’s a tough one. Early albums I spent many “miles” with in life: Kiss – Destroyer Aerosmith – Rocks Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti UFO – Strangers in the Night Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush – Live
I can hear the next song start to play in my head before the previous one finishes tracking on all those albums above.
Kiss had me listening closely. I loved the grooves of Aerosmith and felt they were superior to Kiss.
Physical Graffiti might be my Desert Island disc, or one of them, if I get about five to bring with. Ten Years Gone, Down by the Seaside, Kashmir, Bron-y-aur. Great, tunes that stand up to the test of time, for sure.
UFO – Strangers in the Night. Michael Schenker’s lead breaks are just so fluid, melodic and have so much feeling. They’re like musical songs within a song. Love the UFO song structure, the backdrop of keys, drums, rhythms. Great songs all. Best live album ever. The solo that builds and builds and then explodes in “I’m A Loser” is so sweet. The solo in “Rock Bottom” kinda does that as well. “Love to Love” has so much building emotion. Love that tune. Frank Marino was the living guitar hero of my day. Such an expert at controlling feedback and crafting great, hypnotizing guitar sounds and leads. His solo – “Electric Reflections of War,” followed by “World Anthem” and then “Purple Haze” is such a great concert closer.
Scorpions – Tokyo Tapes has two epic songs – no three – that are just beautiful, featuring Uli Jon Roth just going off: “We’ll Burn the Sky,” which is just a majestic melodic metal tune. Klaus Meine’s vocals and Uli’s singing leads are beyond great in this tune. The song “In Trance” is another killer tune and “Fly to the Rainbow” has a divebombing solo a la Hendrix/Marino that is fantastic.
First album I fell in love with might be Stryper’sSoldiers Under Command and the song “First Love” specifically. It mixed my love for a forgiving Messiah (Jesus) with my love for melodic metal – both flowing beautiful lead vocals and emotive guitar leads. It was one of the first albums I loved that I was able to express myself with writing about and helped me get into doing music journalism.
H: You started HM as a fanzine in 1985. What attracted you to the world of journalism in the first place?
DVP: I was a student at the University of Texas in Austin and their policy of letting students write for the school paper (The Daily Texan) allowed me to write album reviews of recent Christian rock albums, so I was able to express my love for Christian rock, evaluate in a critical way and even turn people on to artists of faith, which would, in some ways, expose others to my faith. Using art to start a spiritual conversation was kind of a natural thing and it left room for people to be more comfortable entering into this conversation than did, say, street evangelism, which was kind of confrontational to a fault sometimes. These reviews of albums led to a concert review here and then a feature article to promote an upcoming concert with Stryper, which was their first out-of-California tour for the band – hitting five or so cities in Texas. This experience of working with an editor, planning the editorial, setting up the interview with Rick Orienza – the publicist at Enigma Records – and doing the interview with Robert Sweet and selecting the photos to use and writing the piece was my first big experience in rock journalism. That was kind of when the idea of starting a Christian heavy metal magazine started to gel.
H: According to the Magazine wikipedia, you found early success thanks to a classified ad place in Kerrang! Magazine. Could you share with us a bit about the early days of HM (then called ‘Heaven’s Metal’) and the aforementioned ad?
DVP: Yeah, this was in 1985 – long before the days of “filesharing.” We shared music back then by making “mixtapes” on cassette and sending them through the mail with heavy metal “penpals,” so to speak. Metal Edge had a section in their magazine (Metal Edge started in 1985, by the way, as did Alternative Press, Spin and HM.) There was an “underground” of music traders, music fans and metalheads. Word was spread in those days through classified ads in magazines, free local music newspapers and actual (physical) bulletin boards with notes like, “Looking to start metal band. Need guitarist. Must have chops without attitude,” or “must have look," hahaha. I took out classified ads in other underground Christian rock publications, like The Advocate, The Cutting Edge and also bought a classified ad in CCM Magazine, Cornerstone Magazine and Kerrang! Magazine. The ad in Kerrang! was booked at a good time, because unbeknownst to me it was going to be the magazine’s 100th issue and feature a new distribution onto US soil with an increased print run of 100,000 more copies than usual. How beneficial was that? It had Motley Crue on the cover (of course, they ruled metal mags in those days). The response I got from all those classified ads was positive and the growth was on. Heaven’s Metal Magazine started to spread by word of mouth and via classified ads like those.
H: Who was the first artist you worked with for HM? Why did you seek them out?
DVP: The first issue had photos I took of Stryper in Austin, Texas, on that show that I referenced earlier, which I had written about in the local student newspaper – The Daily Texan. The next issue had Jerusalem on the cover, but that feature article was done without an interview. I did my first real "So & So Says” interview without really trying in that issue, by interviewing a band called Prophet, which had a beautiful melodic rock song,called “Everything You Are,” which bled like a Christian metal worship song, I tell ya. Check out the video (let’s see if a quick search on youtube can drag it out): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsa8D_lMBac
Yeah! Tell me that doesn’t hint at being faith-based. Turns out it was not, at least according to Scott Metaxas, the bass player (I think) that I interviewed for that issue.
H: You changed the name from Heaven’s Metal to HM Magazine in 1995, then brought back the name in the 2000s for a fanzine accompaniment to the magazine that later became a part of the regular publication. What inspired you to make this change initially, and why did you choose to bring it back?
DVP: The name change came in 1995, when metal as a viable mainstream and commercial genre took severe hits and the industry considered metal dead. I shortened Heaven’s Metal to HM as a way to transition beyond that change.
Later in 2004 I woke up in the middle of the night with an idea and about seven or eight points to relaunch Heaven’s Metal as a dude publication to serve those older and new metal bands and fans. We had been trying to serve this part of the scene, but the mix was important, as the younger readers didn’t think bands like Bride or Whitecross were hip. At that point (around 2001 to 2004) this metal coverage was relegated to one or two pages. I still wanted to be able to champion what was good, so this idea sounded like a good platform to do that. We got nearly 600 subscribers in just a few short months (no retail distro), so it seemed like a success. My wife (at the time) didn’t like the idea of doing more work and I look back now and wish I hadn’t, but I’m not sure that would’ve saved our marriage that was severed by her in 2012/2013. After awhile the fanzine (which is what I called it since it was printed on standard bond paper and all black and white), started to lose money. I decided at that point to move it to a section inside the magazine. Like a zine within a magazine.
H: Aside from focusing on heavy-leaning Christian rock bands, what would you say separates the content offered by HM from that being created by your competitors?
DVP: It depends on what you mean by competitors. If you’re referring to Alternative Press, that’s one thing. If you’re referring to Jesus Freak Hideout or CCM or some other online Christian hard music publication, that’s another. The content differences may not be that great. From time to time the content you’ll find in HM is from hard music veterans, which makes a big difference. Not all of our content is written from these types of writers, but when it is it can be engaging and excellent. I don’t think HM (and I’m speaking of my own writing for the magazine) has been 100% brilliant. At times, though, it’s been really good. And good rock journalism is an artform and fun to read. There’s some other good coverage of music out there, to be sure.
H: You were a journalist before social media was even an idea, and in the years since Myspace launched have evolved your publications in many ways to meet the demands of our hyper-connected society. Do you ever have nostalgia for the days before the internet, or do you prefer the urgency of modern times?
DVP: That’s a great question. It’s true that HM predates that stuff. When HM (Heaven’s Metal Magazine) started in the mid-80s, music sharing was on mixtapes sent through the USPS. It was as fun or funner, but obviously a lot less immediate than digital file sharing.
If I was to choose time travel vs. staying in the present, I would choose the present. I like technology. If I was going to use time travel (as I spell out in my novel, Desert High), I’d use that technology to go back to a specific time in my high school football career and right a terrible wrong that occurred.
H: HM went strictly digital in recent years, but remained a print publication well into the 2000s. How do you feel about having made the transition away from physical the product, and do you ever think we’ll see a time when print is popular once again?
DVP: Advertising sales went from 30K per issue to 15 and below. It wouldn’t cover the print bills and other overhead, so it’s not so much about print as it was economics. I’d love to see print make a comeback. Holding something in your hands is superior to the value-less (or less valued) online content. With the right investment and right marketing to promote the magazine and increase circulation, it could be successful. Not sure how you could interest record companies whose advertising budgets have been cut could make it up and start advertising again.
H: What is the biggest drawback to running an all digital publication? DVP: Hmmmm? Good question. Perhaps it is the public’s perception that it should be free.
H: As a writer with decades of experiences, what is the most common mistake you see younger writers make when starting their journalism careers?
DVP: Maybe not knowing or learning the balance of knowing when to avoid first person language (most of the time) and when to use it. Not sure what to criticize here. I don’t have any fresh mistakes in my mind to use. One problem might be lack of confidence. A shyness and hesitancy to go for anything.
H: HM has been responsible for breaking a number of heavy acts over the years. When you want to discover new music, where do you turn? How has your search for new music changed over the years?
DVP: Part of it is just being a part of the scene. When you care, you just pay attention and you stay caught up. Also, when you become a respected media outlet, then publicists and news comes to you. It makes scouting easier and not so necessary. Due to this aspect, I didn’t have to do much scouting over the years. A magnet attracts metal. (smile).
H: I see bands on Twitter looking for coverage from HM from time to time. What advice would you offer artists hoping to stand out from others vying for attention in your inbox and social feeds?
DVP: Hmmm. I would say avoid begging. Avoid the assumption that i’m looking for links to click and new music to hear. You know, journalists are like anyone, we listen to our friends. when you have a bro that tells you, “Dude, you need to hear this band such and such. They are so cool.” Getting credibility isn’t easy, but just doing your job – making music and playing live – and credibility will come (if it’s good).
H: Do you think there is still a need for physical press kits?
DVP: Yeah, I sure like to hear music on different platforms (before my car stereo broke, playing a cd in my car was very helpful and it offered undivided and very loud attention.
H: What is the biggest mistake you see young artists make?
DVP: rushing their music production, not letting time and tweaking “season” their music. An easy criticism would be “trying to look like all the rest” of the bands out there.
H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?
DVP: any platform that allows me to download the tracks, along with album artwork and lyrics … and the ability to do this without an expiration date coming too soon. if i drag my feet, i hate to have to chase down the publicist and request a download again. that’s happened more than a few times.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
DVP: hmmmm. small, independent labels and festivals not paying their ad invoices!
H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?
DVP: I plan on illustrating a children’s book I’ve written. and I’m writing a book about the suffering and lessons learned experienced during the last year and a half of my life. I’m writing articles and reviews for HM still.
Welcome back to Haulix Advice. This column runs at least once a week on our blog and aims to help independent artists further their careers with tips and pointers from people currently working in the music industry. If you have a suggestion for a future column or are interested in contributing to this series with a piece of your own, please contact james@haulix.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Crowdfunding is all the rage these days. From bands leaving their labels in search of more control, to artists seeking financial support to put and/or keep themselves on the road, musicians around the world are turning to crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo in growing numbers in hopes of furthering their careers. We do not work directly with any of these services, but after viewing countless campaigns we felt an advice column offering tips for creating successful crowdfunding efforts was long overdue. Letters were sent to our industry friends, debates were had, and now we’re proud to present you with 4 tips to better your campaign. We cannot guarantee your goal will be met, but we can help you position yourself for the best reception possible. The rest, as they say, is up to you.
1. There is no substitute for quality – Your diehards fans will likely support you no matter how your campaign page looks, but for the vast majority of people visiting your page first impressions could mean the difference between a visit and a donation. Above all else, a high quality video introduction to your campaign is a must. State your reasoning for the campaign, a timeline for completion, rewards for giving, and anything else your visitors will need to know in a manner that is both entertaining and informative. This isn’t a cry for help, but an invitation to work together toward an end result, and if you want them on board you will have to win them over. Videos are viewed far more often than text is read on these campaigns, so make sure your visuals are as crisp as can be.
Speaking of text, it’s worth your time (and future money) to have someone look over all the messaging you will be posting and distributing through a campaign. Again, quality is everything, and if you want to convince people their money will be put to good use that starts by showing them you’re capable of stringing complete sentences together. Sloppy writings reflects a sloppy work ethic, and no one wants to put their money in the hands of people who they think will deliver a less than quality product.
2. Do your research – If you’re an artist or band starting a campaign today or at any point in the future there is an almost certain likelihood another artist (or group of artists) has funded a campaign similar to yours in the past. You may have an idea of what you need and how you want to present it, but there is no education on how people view crowdfunding available that compares to what you can learn from reviewing the efforts of those who have come before you. Find what you like and don’t like about a number of campaigns that have already ended and use that information to better your own crowdfunding efforts.
3. Be as open as you can possibly be with your potential supporters – I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read a headline on social networks where a band or artist is asking for a ridiculously lofty amount of money to fund a project that other artists have completed for less without properly explaining their needs, but I assure you it’s a lot. People want to know where their money is going, and that is especially true when it comes to crowdfunding. The more information you can offer fans about how you plan to use the money contributed to your campaign the better, and the same goes for information related to when donors can expect to receive their pledge-related merchandise.
4. Don’t be cheap – Everyone has at least one friend they feel does not support them to the same extent that individual is supported. Such relationships may last a long time, but eventually the people getting the short end of the stick will realize they can make better friends and will choose to no longer associate with the ones who did not support them. The same idea can be applied to bands hoping to launch successful crowdfunding campaigns. If you want people to feel comfortable with supporting your future efforts you need to show them support by offering the best pledge rewards possible. People know you’re trying to raise funds, but that does not make it okay to charge $25 for a physical CD that could just as easily be purchased after its released for $10 (or less). Diehards may go for such price gouging tactics, but the casual listener wants more bang for their buck, and you will have to adapt to those demands if you want to succeed in funding your next project.
Additional insight from around the industry:
“Creating a successful crowd funding campaign requires two things. First, you need an effective pitch that includes a quality video, a descriptive story, and a thoughtful reward system that shows you’ve thought about your backers as something more than a consumer. After all, they’re investors, not consumers, and their faith in you to provide a desirable product should be accepted graciously. Second, you need a marketing campaign that ensures you are reaching every single person who has shown interest in your project/product before. If you can get your already established fan base to get excited and help promote, you’ll drastically increase your reach. People have an innate fear of missing out, and you have to convince your casual listeners/fans that your campaign is the next big thing and they don’t want to look back and regret being able to say they were part of something special.” – Alex Wiese, Jocelyn
“The Deep North used Indiegogo last spring to help fund our two-week recording session at Rocking Horse Studio in Pittsfield, NH. We found it really helpful to spend time researching other crowdfunding success stories before we even started planning our campaign. After seeing what tips others have shared, we knew we’d need a high-quality video that stayed under two minutes, a chart outlining where exactly our funds would be going, and interesting prizes that fans of any age would love to have. We also made sure to reach out to friends and family personally, instead of just posting the same link on social media every day. We had a lot of fun watching the campaign take off, and we’re really looking forward to sending out the rewards to everyone who donated.” – Rebecca Frank, The Deep North
“When it comes to crowdfunding, it seems to me that there are lines that should not be crossed. Putting together typical bundles does not incite the motivation for a fan to really dive into a project. Offering unique, personalized options helps funders feel they are really part of something. Asking for more money than necessary is a turn off if you can’t justify what it will be used for. Patent Pending are a great example of quality crowdfunding. Chimaira asked for $30,000 and ended up with $60,758, although they ended up canceling some donation options. Make sure to be honest and make good on all of your incentives for donations. – Derek Scancarelli, Under The Gun Review
"When trying to go the avenue of a crowdfunding campaign there are a few things to think about to increase your chances of success. First thing to do is to truly map out what you need as apposed to what you want. Ask too much and you look greedy, ask for too little and you could get stuck with an unfinished project that your fans will not be thrilled to wait for while you try to figure it all out. Most importantly DON’T BE A CHEAP ASS!!! It’s all about your fans, so don’t ask $20 for your CD (who the fuck buys CD’s for $20 anymore?). Your incentive packages need to be amazing, remember these are your most loyal fans and YOU are asking them for their support. Don’t forget what it’s like to be a fan, so give them what you would want from your favorite band.” – Danny Fonorow, Jonas Sees In Color
Hello once again and welcome to the latest edition of Haulix Blogger Spotlight. This week we’re focusing our efforts on highlighting those who are just starting to make their voices known in digital journalism, and today’s talent certainly unlike any we’ve featured before. If you or someone you know would like to be featured in an upcoming column, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.
People begin writing about music for a variety of reasons, but one we’ve come across far more often than the rest is the simple desire to help expose regional talent to a larger audience. Such motivations have been the foundation of countless magazines and websites, including the one we’re going to learn about today, and if you ask me it’s the most pure way to get into journalism today. People who follow this desire to essentially become free marketing tools for artists are selfless individuals who have dedicated their own time and skills to further the dreams of people they may never know on a personal level solely because they believe in the art those individuals create. The reward for such efforts is usually very little, but still thousands continue to write each day. Today we’re telling the story of one such individual, and his name is Brad Michelson.
Growing up in Vancouver, Brad Michelson realized at an early age that there were no regional outlets for artists in his area to promote their activities online. He took it upon himself to make a change in his scene, and in 2008 launch the site From The Garage. Through photos, video, and editorial work Brad showcases the best acts Vancouver has to offer, as well as a variety of international talent (whenever they happen to stop in his area), and we’re excited to share his journey with you this afternoon.
Every time I start to feel like the stories we feature are becoming oddly repetitive, someone like Brad Michaelson comes along and turns the whole process on its head. His views on music and approach to branding his business are different from essentially everyone we have featured to date, and judging from the success he’s found already there’s something to be learned from his efforts. You can stay up-to-date with everything Brad is working on by bookmarking From The Garage. If you have any additional questions or comments, feel free to add them at the end of this post.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:
BM: My name is Brad Michelson and I run FromTheGarage.net.
H: To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?
BM: Blink 182 was the band that really sparked my interest in music. I wasn’t ever really that into music before then. One of my friends introduced me to Enema Of The State and Take Off Your Pants And Jacket when I was about 11. I didn’t really understand the music but it was fun and catchy. After falling in love with those records, my life basically revolved around music.
H: Most people enjoy music, but not everyone decides to start a zine. What attracted you to the world of entertainment journalism?
BM: When I was in the eleventh grade, I realized I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Some of my friends were into science. Some were good at math. I somehow discovered that I liked to write, so I decided to start writing about music. I began writing for a small youth publication in my home province of BC called YouThink. Later that year, after meeting someone I looked up to in the Canadian music journalism world, I decided that starting a website and putting up music-related content was something I wanted to do. This was before YouTube really took off, so whoever wanted to do that kind of stuff still had a bit of a monopoly over content for their local scenes. It kind of just took off from there.
H: Where does the name From The Garage originate?
BM: I played in a couple crappy bands in high school, and we played a battle of the bands show at one point called Out Of The Garage. I remember looking at one of the posters I had left over for the show and thinking it had a ring to it. I’m horrible at coming up with names for things, so I changed it to From The Garage kind of went with it. Don’t even ask what my bands were called.
H: There are a growing number of sites competing for attention in alternative music blogging. What is it about the content offered by your site that sets you apart?
BM: Well at the time I was really pushing FTG there weren’t a lot of other music blogs around Vancouver. Vancouver Is Awesome wasn’t out yet, Miss 604 was just starting I think, and as far as I knew at the time, not a lot of blogs were covering local music outside of the Theory Of A Dead Man scene. I think the first interview I did for FTG was with Hey Ocean, and they had been around for a couple years. This was right before they got popular, which was great. It was tapping into that BC and Canadian indie music scenes before people really knew what to call it. So if I have to say there was one thing FTG was good at was that I was able to identify which bands were going to be getting attention soon, and get content on those acts while they were in Vancouver.
H: You focus more on multimedia (photo, video) features than news posts. Was this always the case?
BM: Well I started FTG with the idea of it being a blog-type site in a zine format. Most of the content was video based. Back then I did video interviews and video reviews, but I eventually grew to hate being on camera, so I ended up moving, like most people do now, into taking photos and filming bands play live.
H: There is very little advertising on your site, if any. Do you have plans to monetize in the future? If so, how do you plan to approach it?
BM: Nope, FTG hasn’t really gone into advertising. I was able to keep the running costs of the site pretty low so it was and is still manageable. In an older version of the site, when it was still tolerable for people to do this, I used to have Google ads. I think I got about $100 over the course of two and a half years from that.
H: Your social network presence is very light. How do you promote your work?
BM: It’s kind of interesting, actually. The views on FTG content come from social platforms outside of the actual site. I host all of our content on things like Flickr, YouTube, and Tumblr. So most of our traffic is generated from social media platforms, from people looking for specific content or getting referred to specific content from other websites curating the work. The internet is an amazing thing.
H: Where do you look when hoping to discover new music?
BM: That’s a good question. When I was in high school, I was one of those kids who always got their new music from music blogs. They barely exist anymore since Blogspot started taking them down for piracy issues. Basically, people would post a band, a small description, three bands they sounded like, and then a link to download an album. I would spend a ton of time learning about a bunch of weird and diverse genres from all over the place. Now I get a lot of referrals from friends. I get a lot of press releases in my inbox during the week so sometimes I discover new bands from there. But my favourite place to find new music is just by going to see bands play live. There’s nothing like falling in love with a band with your eyes and ears.
H: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see young artists make when attempting to promote themselves online?
BM: Promoting small artists is a very tricky thing. I think one of the biggest mistakes that new bands make is taking themselves too seriously too quickly without backing that confidence up with hard work. That means if they’re over-hyping themselves, they better make damn good music or put on an awesome live performance. But writing and playing are very different than promoting. Yes, one needs the other, but whoever is decided to be the networking member of the band needs to know how to shake hands and who not to piss off. The music business is fickle but it’s navigable.
H: When it comes to receiving music for feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?
BM: I think that Bandcamp has been the best service for streaming, buying, and downloading music since it launched. Not only is it free for artists to use, but they added physical merch sale capabilities last year that basically make it what MySpace and Big Cartel did for bands mixed into one. The design also fits with the minimalist aesthetic that almost all successful websites use nowadays. On top of that, it’s really easy to use regardless of whether you’re selling your music or giving it away for free.
H: How do you feel about music piracy? Can it be prevented?
BM: I’m a serial music pirate. I don’t remember the last time I payed for an album. I get funny looks from some people when I say that, but the reality is that there is no incentive for me not to at this point. The way I justify it is that if a band I really like comes into town, I have no problem spending $60 on a few pieces of merch. Not only is that money going directly to the artist, but it’s always nice to have physical mementos from your favourite artists. I’d like to see more people take that philosophy.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
BM: That’s a pretty tough question, mostly because the industry is in a transitional period where it doesn’t quite know how to make money and it’s still kind of clinging on old practices to scrape pennies together. What kind of industry is this if artists as big as Rihanna have to pay for a high-budget music video out of pocket in the hopes of actually making money off of record sales? That model clearly isn’t working anymore and it would be interesting to see what comes out of the ashes once it dies. As a consumer, I’m optimistic.
H: What is your ultimate career goal?
BM: If you asked me that two years ago I would have had a completely different answer to this, but at this point in my life I don’t really know. I do a bunch of different things now. Aside from my arts writing, I also do some political and international news reporting. I still shoot a lot of concerts, sometimes getting photos published in some cool magazines. I broke into the PR industry last year after starting SpotColour Entertainment (http://www.spotcolour.ca) with my cousin. We represent a handful of cool bands out of BC right now. And on top of that I’ve also been doing some social media community management and development work. So, to answer your question, I have no idea.
H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?
BM: Well, I moved to New York at the beginning of July in the hope of finding greener pastures. I’ve been working a bunch of different jobs at various companies and I’m just working towards finding what I want to start doing for a career. So, after signing a one-year lease over here, I’ll be spending the next 12 months figuring those things out.
Hello and welcome to a new week of music industry coverage and advice here on the Haulix blog. We have a couple crazy interviews in the days ahead, as well as an advice column you’ll want to bookmark for future reference. If you have any recommendations for future columns or features, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.
So far in this series we have focused heavily on individuals who have already developed their own brand and dedicated online following, but this week we’re going to start out by focusing on someone who has only just begun their journey into the music industry. Though she not spent as much time as some of our other highlighted talents, the insight she has on what is happening right now with young minds and music is second-to-none, and we’re honored to share her story.
Heather Hawke, like many of today’s top bloggers, grew up on a steady diet of pop punk following a young introduction to Blink-182. She never wanted a career as a child, but when she reached an age where it became clear she would eventually need a job title she knew music was the only place for her. After months of networking and a few forays into others areas of the business that weren’t what she expected, Heather realized her love of photography and writing would best be served through her own efforts, and not long after Decorated Youth Magazine was born.
Today’s spotlight is more about getting your foot in the door of the industry than it is further building an established brand. Heather Hawke is fully aware of the vast landscape of competitors facing her publication, and yet she fearlessly forges ahead because deep down she knows she’s onto something special that people will take notice of in time. Her journey is one we can all learn from, and you can read about her adventure at the end of this post.
If you would like to learn more about Heather Hawke and her ongoing efforts to make music a better place, be sure you bookmark and frequent Decorated Youth Magazine. Additional questions or comments can be left below.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:
HH:My name is Heather Hawke I am the Founder/ Photographer/ Graphic Designer/ Writer & Editor of Decorated Youth Magazine.
H: To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?
HH:From as long as I can remember whenever my family and I would go on vacations we’d listen to music (which ranged from Metallica to 90’s pop music) every night before bed, which inevitably sparked my interest in music. Although, it wasn’t until middle school when a friend showed me Blink 182 that I dove headfirst into music and the pop punk scene.
The years that followed I became infatuated with bands like New Found Glory, Green Day, Simple Plan, The All American Rejects, The Starting Line, Yellowcard, Motion City Soundtrack, Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, and The Early November. All those bands had a huge impact on the way I perceived music and ultimately the fact that it’s the only industry I see myself working in.
H: Do you remember the first song you fell in love with?
HH:This is a really tough question because I’m not the type of person who falls in love with one song, I fall in love with entire albums. The first four albums that started my love for music were New Found Glory ‘Sticks and Stones’, Simple Plan ‘No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls…’, and Blink 182’s ‘Enema Of The State’ and ‘Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.’
H: Where did the idea to launch your own site come from? Did you write anywhere else before stepping out on your own?
HH:I never had intentions of becoming a journalist. Although as a child I was always documenting family vacations and outings either taking photos or writing, at that age I didn’t comprehend that people had to have careers so it never crossed my mind that I’d be doing either for a living. When I was old enough to comprehend that people had to have jobs, the music industry was my only go to.
In 2005 at the age of 17 and when Myspace was in full effect, I started to ‘friend’ people who worked in the music industry, especially the people who worked at record labels. It was around this time I realized that I had to start thinking about what to do after high school. I knew that I wanted to be in the music industry, I just had to figure out a way to break into it.
When you live in a small city that has no record labels, one alternative radio station, only a couple small venues and recording studios, and doesn’t get that many tours coming through, it’s tough to get your foot in the door. I did reach out to most of the recording studios and the venues and happened to get a reply from one of the studios in late 2009.
Although I got to sit in a recording session and it was completely my own doing, I felt obligated to go. Even before I went in I had preconceived notions that working at a recording studio wasn’t going to be the right thing for me (partly because of the fact I’m completely deaf in the left ear and the other because I’m stubborn and wished it was a record label).
Coming out of the session, I was heartbroken that my notions were correct. I had no idea what path to take next. I had terrifying fears of never actually getting into the industry let alone if I’d actually like it if I did manage to break into it.
In the winter of 2010 some things happened that changed my life, but it was the biggest blessing in disguise that I ever received. I say it was a blessing in disguise because the path it led me to was me casually searching the local jobs section on Craigslist that following January and it was by fate that I came across an ad for a Production Assistant for an independent movie that was being filmed in my city, that movie was ‘The Motel Life’ starring Emile Hirsch, Dakota Fanning and Stephen Dorff. That same day that I reached out, I got an interview and was hired on the spot. That job was only 2 months long (from pre-production to post production), but it was the hardest and yet one of the best experiences of my life. I met so many hardworking and dedicated people that it ultimately changed the way I looked at my life, and it especially changed my work ethic.
From then on I began to do any and everything I could to pursue my dreams and one was reaching out to Shannah Lauren (Owner of Inspirer.nu Magazine/ and one of those industry people that I friended on Myspace). She was looking for journalists for her site and I rushed to apply and even though I had zero experience, she gave me a chance and let me write for the site.
I worked for Inspirer.nu Magazine for a year, starting out just posting music news, writing “Band You Should Knows,” as well as writing album reviews. After I became aware that I could also start interviewing musicians I immersed myself in them.
I feel that although it was only a year that I was writing for Inspirer.nu the fact that I dove headfirst into it because I knew that it was my break into the industry, led me to learn and grow so much in that short period of time. Since I felt like that, I knew it was time to pursue my own website which is Decorated Youth.
H: Who or what is your biggest inspiration as a writer?
HH: As a book reader the authors J.K. Rowling, Jonathan Safran Foer, John Green, Ellen Hopkins, and Kevin Brooks have been some of my early inspirations. I’m also constantly inspirited by other publications like Local Wolves Magazine, Naked Magazine, Hightlight Magazine, Venture Magazine, Relevant Magazine, Varience Magazine and of course Alternative Press has been my go to for the last decade.
However, my biggest inspiration is definitely songwriting. The songwriting that goes into acts such as; One Republic, A Rocket To The Moon/ Nick Santino, Local Natives, Vampire Weekend, The Paper Kites, Dallas Green, John Mayer, The Format/fun., Paramore and Fall Out Boy to name a few, are impeccable.
H: What is the origin of the name Decorated Youth?
HH: The word ‘Decorated’ in our name is figurative. Everyone is decorated with their past; emotions, people, careers, passions, beliefs ect. and it makes everyone who they are. With this magazine I want to show the readers what these individuals are “decorated with” to have them stand apart from others in their industry. My goal is to make entertainment journalism more personable and relatable.
I knew I wanted ‘Youth’ in the name to not only represent my generation by age, but to also represent in a figuratively sense the start of something. Since youth is where everything starts there is so much room for growth.
H: Your site mentions that your focus is quality over quantity. What is it about the content offered on your site that sets it apart from competitors?
HH: Quality refers to in-depth interviews. For example, with our first print issue we featured the nonprofit organization These Numbers Have Faces which had a 7 page spread, if you add them up 6 of those pages were all words and they weren’t even our cover feature.
Quantity refers to the number of features we have, which goes for online as well as in print. We don’t post music news (like tour/album announcements) to gain an audience, we’d rather post a few article here and there to gain loyal readers. Our first two print issues we only have seven features in each, in this third issue (that’s going to be release on Sept. 22) we have six interviews and a few photo galleries of live shows. We’d rather have a forty two page print issue with six or seven features, than a forty two page issue with fifteen or twenty features.
Since our motto is quality over quantity I try to always put as much effort into each interview question as possible, in hopes to always having the best interview I can get from that individual/group. When I’m researching who I’m about to interview, for the most part I learn a lot about them in other interviews which can make it a very tricky thing to ask questions that haven’t been answered already. My goal is to come up with those questions.
There are some questions that I use regularly with musicians that have to do with the writing process because those are important things to include, but even if they are a small unsigned band or unknown individual I always spend the same amount of time with each interview from start to publish. Our logic is if you’re going to spend time doing an interview why not make it the best it can be? Why put time into questions that people can find the answer to somewhere else? I also don’t just include questions about their most recent work, I try to go back to their start and tell their story to give the readers a timeframe.
Most musicians dread doing interviews and I can see why when everyone either asks irrelevant questions or questions that can be found online. I want to interview those individuals and take the dread out of doing interviews, I want them to feel like it’s their first interview again.
H: As far as I can tell there is no advertising to be found on your site. Do you have plans to monetize in the future? If so, how do you plant to approach it?
HH: Another thing that sets Decorated Youth Magazine apart from the rest is that we never have and never will have advertising, not even tour/album posters in our magazine. It kind of goes hand in hand with quality over quantity in that I don’t want any fillers, on the site or in the print issues. I also wholeheartedly believe that the best advertising is world of mouth, so if I want to advertise a specific tour or album I either will get in touch with a publicist on doing an interview or go to that live show to cover it.
H: Every site is in a constant state of development. What are you focusing on currently as far as growth and expansion is concerned?
HH: As of right now since it is just me running the magazine and I’ve just starting releasing the print issues in June I’m only looking as far ahead as the next issue, because I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
There’s a great quote that says “focus on one thing and do it well.” So as of right now my main focus lies in balancing putting everything together in a quick manner for the print issue while still posting features on our actual site. Once I have the hang of that I’ll start to brainstorm how I else I can evolve.
H: Have you done any marketing for Decorated Youth yet? If so, can you tell us what worked best for you?
HH: I haven’t had time for traditional marketing, but I’ve found that just doing interviews with people and actually putting time into it and caring is the best marketing anyone can do. Word of mouth works wonders in the industry and if you actually put time and energy into every interview and story people will take notice and want to share it.
H: There are a number of young artists and bands featured on your site. Where do you turn when hoping to discover new music?
HH: Social media. I rarely go out of my way and try to find the next best thing. Most of the time I discover my next favorite musician(s) from people I follow on social media sites. People are always posting about music they love, the key is to trust them and actually listen to it. I also hear a lot of great music in commercials and soundtracks.
H: Some people believe there is no need for critics in the digital age. Do you agree? (Support your response)
HH: I disagree. For the people who read what critics post, critics in the digital age seem even more important than ever. I say that because in this digital age we want everything right now, so if somebody reads a bad review of something they probably won’t take the time to go out and test it for themselves. Can you even imagine what people would do without critics? They’d have to actually test out everything themselves!
Another good thing about critics in the digital age is that since there is so much content it can be overwhelming trying to keep up with everything being released, so when it’s reviewed it makes the unknown known.
H: When it comes to receiving music for feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?
HH: I love Dropbox because it goes everywhere I go and almost everyone has it, but I’ve also just started receiving a few Haulix downloads which I’ve been really enjoying. It’s simple and has a clean layout.
H: What is the hardest part of this ‘job’ you’ve made for yourself?
HH: Prioritizing. Besides doing everything for Decorated Youth I also have a (almost full time) day job, so I’m still trying to work out balancing everything whether it’s; editing live photos, reaching out to people to do features on, researching interview questions, finding time for phone interviews, decided what to post online vs. in a print issue, turning the interviews into stories and then of course putting the whole print issue together. It takes most of my free time, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love every aspect about it because I know it’ll eventually get me to where I envision myself.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
HH: It’s not necessary about changing the music industry itself, but changing the way “fans” approach it. When I talk to people about the bands that they say they really love, I have to be the one telling them that they are releasing a new album or going out on tour. Otherwise they would have no idea. I wish music lovers cared about music enough to stay updated with their favorite bands.
H: What is your ultimate career goal?
HH: To have a steady career in the music industry. My goal has always been to work in A&R, although music supervision is a close second. There are so many opportunities out there I’m still trying to get my footing around what I really want to pursue in this industry.
H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?
HH: For Decorated Youth I’m planning out the fourth issue which is going to be released in early November just in time for our one year birthday. I can’t say if I have something clever up my sleeve quite yet as I don’t want to jinx it.
Personally, there’s a few upcoming concerts that I hope to shoot to keep building my photography portfolio.
Hello, everyone! Another work week has come and gone, leaving us with a slew of new updates to share with all of you. I expect this update to be a bit longer than usual, so let’s cut right to the chase…
HAULIX MOBILE IS COMING! Yes, you read that right. After reading requests from every corner of the music industry we finally started developing a mobile version of Haulix earlier this week in order to offer journalists better access to promotional materials on the go. This process will take some time to complete, but seeing as this is one of our most requested updates I figured a little news was better than nothing.
Continuing with product updates, we just launched a new background process that scans your contact lists and searches for invalid email accounts. If it finds invalid accounts, it lists them in a group on your Contacts screen highlighted in bold red. It is then up to you to fix the email addresses or remove them from your list. We’re also in the process of putting the finishing touches on an Email Activity screen that will show you the status of your email invitations (eg. Opens, Unsubscribes, Bounces, Deliveries). Expect more details in the coming weeks.
As far as the blog is concerned the past few days have been like any other. Each day a new feature is posted, and each afternoon we do whatever we are able to promote said efforts. In case you missed a post, here’s a rundown of every feature we ran this week:
We’ll be back on Monday with another tale from insider the music industry. Until then, stay safe and cause as much trouble as humanly possible without getting arrested. Life is for the living.
Hello and welcome to the latest Haulix spotlight feature. Our PR series is taking the week off due to the incredibly lengthy process of interview transcription, so instead we’re bringing you the story of a blogger who saw an opening in the digital journalism world and made it his own. If you or someone you know would would be a good fit for a future edition of our spotlight series, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.
When I was younger I spent a lot of time thinking about what life on the road was like for my favorite artists. In my mind the lifestyle of a musician was something akin to the best moments of Almost Famous and This Is Spinal Tap rolled into one, but as I grew older I learned that is rarely the case. The vast majority of artists working today spend a lot of their time in vans, or some variation thereof, and until a few years ago life inside those mobile homes was the stuff of internet legend. Then one day a young man by the name of Joshua Weidling realized that he could expose the behind-the-scenes life of bands large and small to others through multimedia blogging, and not long after Digital Tour Bus was born.
Fast forward to 2013, and the same young man who had a vision in 2009 now stands at the forefront of digital journalism as one of the top video bloggers in the alternative music scene. Even better, however, is how far the site as a whole has come in that time. From relatively simple beginnings, Digital Tour Bus has blossomed into a one-stop shop for all things related to music, and they show no signs of slowing their growth anytime soon.
My first encounter with Digital Tour Bus came in 2010 when I was thinking of using a similar idea for a new feature on the site I was writing for at the time. A friend in publicity mentioned the existence of DTB to me and I remember thinking that I could have kicked myself for not coming up with their concept myself. I logged onto the site a few hours later and quickly fell in love with everything Josh and his team were doing. Three years later, I still stop by DTB regularly, and I believe you will too soon after reading this feature.
If you would like to learn more about Joshua and his ongoing efforts in music, be sure to bookmark Digital Tour Bus. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:
JW: My name is Joshua Weidling and I’m the owner/founder of Digital Tour Bus, www.digitaltourbus.com.
H: To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?
JW: Believe it or not, I wasn’t really a “fan” of music when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I really got into music. I attribute my interest to one of my good friends, Jon Lewchenko (current drummer of Chicago-based, Mighty Fox). He joined a band and asked me if I could promote one of their upcoming local shows. I really enjoyed being involved in the local music scene and decided to dive in.
H: Do you remember the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still own it?
JW: I believe the first album I purchased was “Stop” from the Plain White T’s and I still own it today. The T’s have always been my favorite band and still hold a special place in my heart.
H: Interviews play a big role in what you do. What first sparked your interest in journalism?
JW: My interest in journalism sparked during my senior year of high school when I started working for a local music magazine called, Crescendo Magazine. When I first started, it was just to help out with Marketing and Advertising, but after a few months, I started to come up with many of the spread ideas for the physical issues. I also wrote at least one article in each issue, although my writing was far from stellar, at the time.
H: You were involved in booking and promotions before writing. Are you still active in that area of the industry?
JW: Booking and promotions is where I got my start in music. It was something that I really enjoyed doing and not to give myself too much credit, but I was pretty good at it. At this point, I’m not directly involved in this part of the industry, but due to my knowledge of the touring industry, I have a few promoter friends who consult with me when they are looking to bid on a tour package.
H: So let’s talk about the origin of your site. Did you write online before stepping out on your own?
JW: I did write a little bit online before starting Digital Tour Bus. I wrote for both, Crescendo Magazine’s website and another site called, For The Sound. Neither of these sites are still active, to my knowledge.
H: What was the inspiration for Digital Tour Bus?
JW: I’ve always felt the need to push the envelope and do something that is unique and different. Digital Tour Bus has served as my outlet for creativity for almost 5 years. When I came up with the idea behind the site, my goal was to give fans access to a part of a band’s life that was, at the time, mostly private.
H: Most sites we ask how their name came to be, but yours is fairly straightforward. That said, it is unquestionably unique. Who was the first band to let you film their ride? How did it come together?
JW: The first band to let me film their ride was the Equal Vision band, Damiera. They were playing a show I put together at a venue in my hometown. That video is and will remain, unreleased. I can admit, when I started doing Digital Tour Bus, I had no film experience and had no clue what I’m doing. I bought my camera, which I still use today, when I decided to develop the idea in January of 2009. That being said, the video I shot with Damiera didn’t fit the standards I set for myself shortly after my first couple of video shoots.
H: What was the original goal of Digital Tour Bus? Has that changed over time?
JW: The original goal was simple, take fans inside the touring vehicles of their favorite bands and artists. Although that is still part of our goal and lives strong in our “Bus Invaders” video series, our overall goal has become much more broad. Today our goal and tagline is “Bringing You On Tour” and essentially what that means is, we want to give our visitors features and news that will both entertain and educate our audience about touring music.
H: How many contributors do you have at DTB? What do you look for in new writing talent?
JW: Between all of DTB’s video editors and concert reviewers, there is a rotating cast of between 10-15 people working on stuff for the site at all times. At the moment, I’m the only person who posts content to Digital Tour Bus’ website, YouTube channel and our other social accounts. The public imagine of Digital Tour Bus is very important to me, but I’ve recently started letting go of some of my personal tasks due to the site expanding past what I can handle on my own.
H: Episode 500 of your ‘Bus Invaders’ series is fast-approaching. Do you have anything special planned for the occasion?
JW: I wish I could say yes and reveal some elaborate video or event that I’m working on, but to be honest, episode 500 is just going to be a regular release in the series. As of right now, episode numbers are just a way for me to tell viewers how many videos of each series exist and I’m more focused on developing some new video series that I’m working on, as well as schedule video shoots with some unexpected touring acts.
H: I noticed a few ads on the site. How much effort have you put into monetizing the site thus far, and do you plan to expand those efforts moving forward?
JW: We currently use Google’s Adsense to monetize the site, but we’re currently working on a few new revenue streams that will take some of the weight off of this source of revenue. I can’t go into detail about all of our future monetization plans, but I can say that we have a definite plan to launch a merchandise store very soon.
H: What are your thoughts on ‘pay walls’ and/or premium content offerings?
JW: Honestly, I’m not a fan of pay walls, especially for sites, like mine, that are in growth mode. It would be dumb for me to limit access to our most popular series, Bus Invaders, since I believe most of the potential reach for the series hasn’t been tapped yet. For larger sites, I believe pay walls can work, but have to be dealt with very carefully. With the internet being and ever growing and changing platform, restricting access can drive visitors into the open arms of your non-pay wall competitors. On the other hand, I am in favor of offering content on a “pay-what-you-want” basis. Although most people will choose to pay nothing, there are many people who are willing to pay for content that is available for free, just to support the creators. Services like Flattr is a good example of this mentality.
H: You’ve featured a number of young artists on your site. Where do you turn when seeking new music?
JW: I’m a big fan of Spotify, for streaming full albums, and YouTube, for checking out singles and music videos.
H: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see young artists make when attempting to promote themselves online?
JW: Easily, the biggest mistake that I see young artists, as well as established artists, making, almost across the board, is thinking they’re too good to talk to interact with their fans. Creating a conversation is so important when trying to establish a fan base and so many fans simply think that having good music is enough. Good music was enough before the internet, but those days are long gone. Also, a big mistake is artists caring too much about the numbers. Having 20,000 likes on Facebook means absolutely nothing if those people aren’t willing to come out to a show or buy your album. I currently manage a band named, Jocelyn, out of Iowa City, IA and although they only have 8,625 likes on Facebook, they recently managed to raise of $20,000 on Kickstarter from over 600 backers. Also, they just finished up their first tour and they drew more people per night then bands that have 50,000+ likes on Facebook and a record label backing them. If artists want to make it in the modern music industry, they better start interacting with your fans and stop treating them as just a number.
H: When it comes to receiving music for feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?
JW: Like I said previously, I like checking out music on Spotify and YouTube, when available, but if it’s pre-release of an album, services like Haulix are great. I’m not saying this just because this is an interview on Haulix, but because it is probably the most widely used service by independent publicists, at this point. All of the major labels have their own platforms and I personally think they are a big hassle. If possible, I’d like to get all music to be sent to me the same way. Personally, I prefer to streaming music when I can. I avoid downloading albums like the plague. There’s only so much space on my computer and external hard drives.
H: What is the hardest part of this ‘job’ you’ve made for yourself?
JW: My overall goal is to release content consistently, but this is also the hardest part of what I do. This is, in part, due to there being so much flexibility in my schedule. I’ve learned that the more organization that I can add to my daily life, the easier staying consistent becomes. Being complacent is the mortal enemy of a person who owns their own business, so I always try to stay positive and reach for the stars to keep myself focused.
H: How do you feel about music piracy? Can it be prevented?
JW: I’m completely over music piracy and everyone’s focus on it. The big dogs in the music industry, are still, so focus on the unattainable task of eliminating it that they’ve destroyed many of their opportunities for new revenue streams. Any labels who aren’t using streaming services, like Spotify, are not only missing out on a new and growing revenue stream, but on huge promotional opportunities as well. If labels aren’t willing to make their releases available on the platform of the listener’s choice, that is when people resort to illegal methods of maintaining music. Also, sometimes it is easier to obtain a music legally then it is to purchase it. For instance, when albums are released on separate dates in different parts of the world, people become impatient and find a way to get the album on its first release date.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
JW: If I could change one thing, it would be the industry’s constant resistance to change and innovation. Technology is a beautiful thing, but not when you work in an industry that has refused to embrace it to the point that it’s too late.
H: What is your ultimate career goal?
JW: My ultimate goal is to be able to make a comfortable living doing what I love. At this point in my life, doing Digital Tour Bus fulfills my creative goals, but you can never predict what the future holds. If you would have told my younger self that, at age 23, I’d being doing what I do, I would have laughed. The American Dream is alive and it lives in the people who you feature in this interview series.
H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?
JW: In the coming months, be prepared for a lot more videos for both our current series, Bus Invaders, Tour Tips (Top 5) and Crazy Tour Stories, and new series that I’m currently developing. Also, look out for new additions and changes to Digital Tour Bus’ website, as well as a merchandise store.
Welcome to another edition of our ongoing Haulix Advice series. Last week we discussed how to better market yourself going into a tour or festival appearance. This week we’re staying in line with that idea and looking at what needs to be done after your set. Your songs may win over the crowd, but if efforts are not made to retain those newly interested music fans your growth will be significantly stunted.
One of the biggest problems young artists face after developing a live show is how to retain new listeners they engage during performances. Fans who comes to see you will (in theory) remain fans following your show regardless of your direct interaction with them, but those unfamiliar with your music prior to seeing you live are far more fickle. They may be interested in what you have to offer, but to them you could be any one of the countless bands they’ve yet to discover and if you do not act fast you’ll lose their attention as fast, if not faster than you earned it.
We are not exactly known for our work with touring, but we realize how vital the live performance is in the career of artists who use our service and wanted to do our part in helping the talent we love further develop. To do this, we spoke with a number of industry professionals and put together a list of ___ tips to help better your fan retention efforts. You can read our advice, as well as insight from a number of our friends in the industry, below. Any questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.
1. Never underestimate the power of a strong email list – Email marketing is one of the oldest forms of digital brand promotion, and to this day it continues to be one of the most effective. Permission-based email marketing has a higher return on investment than unsolicited email, direct mail, or traditional advertising and has revolutionized the way we do business. Having an email list signup at shows encourages fans to become involved in future efforts at zero cost to them and essentially removes any major barriers to entrance someone interested in your art may encounter. It’s the easiest way for someone to show an interest in getting to know more about you, and if used properly can yield a dedicated and engaged following. That said, if used for spamming and/or endless product promotion the same list that once held a world of potential could be the first step toward failure as annoyed music fans begin sharing their bad experience with others. We suggest using lists like this or this to refine your email marketing skills before diving too heavily into this area of fan engagement, but cannot emphasize enough how important of a role it can play in long term retention.
2. All hail the mighty power of social media – We often open these lists with the most obvious answer, but this time that title moves to tip number two. Social media is the easiest, fastest, and most direct way to engage those who are just discovering your music following a live event. By reviewing your tagged messages and searching social feeds for non-tagged mentions of your name you are able to see and interact with music fans curious about your future efforts. This opens a direct line of communication between you and music fans that, if used for conversation and not hard selling, can yield dedicated and engaged new listeners. Much like email, however, incorrect messaging and/or a perceived lack of interest in who listeners are as individuals will only serve to hurt you in the long run. The people you’re hoping to reach know that you know they liked your music, but that doesn’t mean they need to sell them on purchasing whatever you have available. They’re looking for a relationship. Give it to them.
3. Post media from events and request those who attend do the same – Nightly gigs may become a way of life for you, but for the people who attend your shows any night may be the only night they see live music all year. Concerts are not a regular occurrence in life for most people, so when they do have the opportunity to attend something special they like being able to keep that memory with them for as long as possible. Blurry cell phone photos hastily posted to Instagram are one way to create such keepsakes, but your band can help fans keep their memories near by actively posting your own imagery and video from each performance. By hosting such media on your personal accounts, you establish a connection with fans who spot themselves as having been part of something that will never happen the same way again. It also promotes engagement on updates (likes, comments, etc.) and encourages those who see themselves to tell others about the image, which in turn brings additional new eyes to your page.
Additional insight from around the industry:
“Talk to them! Utilize social media to build relationships with new fans. That doesn’t mean you’re tweeting kids to buy your album – you’re talking to them as fans of all music. Plus, you can make someone’s day just by talking to them – everyone loves when a band responds.” – Jack Appleby, Siren Records
“We live in a social media world these days. Fans have access to bands in a way that is accessible like never before. I think because of this the industry is now driven just as much by the fans connection to the band as the music itself. So having band some time and reach out to their new twitter and facebook followers on a personal level is a quick way to cement a solid relationship following a fest. It is a simple gesture to show the new fans that they are just as important to the band as the band is to them.” – Josh Hammond, Publicist
“I would say whatever you do, do not let too much time pass between ending your festival run and getting back to every city you just played. Even if it means playing your new fans basement. Be humble and remember your fans don’t owe you anything, you owe it to your fans to over deliver every night.” – Danny Fonorow, Jonas Sees In Color
“This one is probably a no brainer, but stay incredibly active on social media. It’s really easy to take "time off” after a long tour or festival, but you want to stay in people’s minds, so they can continue to connect with you, the first week or two after a tour is crucial in getting people to not just enjoy your band, but want to support your band.“ – Tyler Osborne, Under The Gun Review
Hello and welcome to another edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. This week we have an unplanned theme of sites specializing in multimedia features over classic news posting, and I think it offers a rather interest take on where the digital journalism industry may be headed in the years ahead. Yesterday’s talent and today’s could not be more different, but their shared interest in film and how it can help further develop music communities puts them side-by-side on the forefront of music coverage, and we’re honored to share their stories with you.
Music, like many things, is often a family business, and in today’s feature that saying expands to the world of music journalism. Robert Herrera joined forces with his brother, Alberto, in 2008 after a mutual friend asked them to film footage of his band’s upcoming performance. The brothers were happy to oblige, and in the process of working of the project fell in love with the notion of sharing the music that interested them with others through the use of video.
Cut to a few months after that initial performance and the Herrera brothers are now inundated with requests from bands requesting their video expertise at an upcoming performance. The brothers realize a market exists for what they do, and not long after PunkVideosRock came into existence. The site was simple at first, offering performances captured by the brothers, but over time it evolved into a full fledged news outlet, offering far more than your basic live performance video. The brothers continued to refine their craft and in time realized there was a need to launch a second website to properly promote all their efforts. They’re still working as hard as ever today, but we were lucky enough to sit Robert down for a conversation about all they’ve accomplished, and the insight he offers on the industry is unlike any found on our blog before now.
Robert is one of the most active people in the music industry and will no doubt see his notoriety grow in the years to come. If you want to stay up-to-date with everything he’s working on, be sure to follow PunkVideosRock and FrontRowLive. Additional questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.
If you know of someone who would be a good fit for this series, including yourself, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:
H: To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?
RH: New Found Glory is the reason I got into music.
H: What was the first album you ever purchased with your own money? Do you still own it today?
RH: The first album I ever purchased was “Sticks and Stones” from New Found Glory. A friend of mine would always talk to me about them so she burned me a copy of the album to give them a listen and I instantly fell in love so I had to go out and buy it. I still own the record and I’m pretty sure I still have the burned one too.
H: We have a lot of ground to cover here, but if we’re starting from the top then we’re starting with your love of conducting interviews. What attracted you to the world of journalism in the first place?
RH: Actually it’s funny because I’ve always hated being in front of anything. Whenever I had presentations in school I would try and find ways around it even if it meant double the work. I’ve always been a camera operator so when Punkvideosrock began, we just wanted to shoot live videos and exclusives. I didn’t care for interviews. In 2008 I was asked to do a couple of interviews for Warped Tour so I gave it a try. I still didn’t like it. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I decided to try again and this time I really enjoyed it. I loved the fact that I got to see a different side of an artist that most people don’t get to see. Since then, interviews have been all I’ve been wanting to do. In fact, I want to go back to school but this time to get a degree in Broadcast Journalism.
H: You started PunkVideoRock with your brother, Alberto, in 2007. Can you tell us the origin story of your first publication?
RH: My brother, Alberto, and I started Punkvideosrock in March 2007 at a small coffee shop called No Future Cafe in Pasadena when our friends in RAYAH asked us to shoot a live video of their sold out show. After that show and video, various local bands began asking us to shoot their shows in various venues around California.
H: Where did the idea to focus on video content come from? Were you always the host and Alberto the cameraman?
RH: Ever since I went on tour and shot live videos with my friends in a touring band [RAYAH] I became fascinated with capturing the art of live performance. Since the inception of Punkvideosrock my brother has been the center camera on tripod as well as audio engineer and I have been the roaming camera and now on-camera host.
H: What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced as a young entrepreneur and blogger?
RH: In the beginning bands would cancel on us a lot, it was pretty disappointing because at times they didn’t bother to tell us before we left to the venue. But today one of the biggest obstacles is gas. We live 40 minutes from Hollywood and about 50 minutes from Orange County but there is always traffic. I’ve had to decline interviews just because I couldn’t afford to fill the tank for the third time that week.
H: Who is your biggest inspiration as a journalist?
RH: I was a skateboarder before anything else so I always followed Sal Masakela. He’s always been the household name for extreme sports hosting. I was also really into Carson Daly on TRL. The funny thing is that I never expected nor had an interest to be a journalist let alone on camera. I’m socially awkward. Always have been. I still follow [Sal & Carson] and love their work but at the moment my biggest inspiration is Ryan Seacrest, any show that has his name on it turns to gold. I want to brand myself like him someday.
H: When and how did Front Row Live Entertainment come into existence?
RH: Front Row Live began in January 2011. I wanted to expand to a broader audience as well as conduct red carpet interviews that will eventually get me a spot on tv. Our Front Row Live debut coincided with a debut live video we shot for late Actor/Musician Cory Monteith’s band Bonnie Dune at Chain Reaction.
H: Why two websites instead of one? Do you find branding yourself is easier or more difficult with multiple outlets?
RH: We have two websites instead of one because the audience of each site is completely opposite from each other. Some people don’t even know PVR & FRLE are owned by the same two people. It’s always nice when a PVR fan comes across a video of me interviewing Snoop Dog or Backstreet Boys and they freak out because I also interviewed their favorite hardcore band prior to it.
H: Video content has become a growing focus of essentially every news outlet in recent years, both as a form of content and an avenue for profit. Have you monetized your efforts yet? If not, do you have plans to do so?
RH: We are actually Youtube Partners on both channels so we do monetize from our content.
H: In the past year you have attended a number of major events, which has given you access to some of the biggest names in pop culture. Who is on your interview bucket list?
RH: My interview bucket list is One Direction, Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber.
H: In addition to covering all today’s top talent, you do a great job of exposing new talent as well. Where do you turn when looking to discover new music?
RH: I actually turn to facebook a lot when looking for new music. There are times when I just scroll down on the feeds and listen to various new music posted by other friends.
H: What are the most common mistakes you see young artists making when attempting to market themselves?
RH: The most common mistake I see with young artists is that they play shows in the same area or venue every single week or so, at this point your practically begging your friends and family to come and support you again and again. I think they should scatter their shows especially since every show has a certain number of pre-sale tickets one must sell to play. I also don’t see too many bands promoting at shows anymore, talking to potential new fans always works.
H: When it comes to receiving music for feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?
RH: I have always preferred youtube because it has a bigger reach but lately I have been thinking of giving Soundcloud a shot.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
RH: One thing I would change about the music industry is that they bring record stores back. It’s depressing buying an album at target, walmart, best buy, etc.
H: At the end of the day, what is your ultimate career goal?
RH: My ultimate goal is to become a mixture of Ryan Seacrest, Carson Daly, and Sal Masakela. I want to host interviews on tv and I want to give radio a try. I would still be running my sites but letting other up and comer’s host the interviews.
H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?
RH: We have been getting ready for another season of The X Factor and The Voice. I have also been sending out applications to major networks to do some freelance hosting for them. Lastly, I’m looking into going to school again for a degree in broadcast journalism. Everything I have learned in hosting I have picked up as I went, it wouldn’t hurt to learn it the right way as well as having that degree in my possession.
