Hello and welcome to the final Industry Spotlight of the week. We have spent the past several months attempting to seek out a fast-growing PR company that would allow us to interview not one, but all of the people involved to gain a complete picture of life in this industry. We finally found that perfect PR company early last month and today we will begin sharing their story. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
It may be hard for some of our readers to imagine a time before every song you could ever hope to listen to fit in a device less than half the size of your palm, but in all actuality those days are not that far gone. Before iPods there were portable CD players (with anti-skip protection), and before those we had Walkman cassette players that often doubled as portable AM/FM devices. For a brief period before tapes, we even had portable record players. They were clunky, but they allowed anyone to take their favorite 45s on the go, and it’s in traveling with her very own portable record player that Adrenaline PR CEO Maria Ferrero first fell in love with music.
Since 2003 Maria Ferrero and her team at Adrenaline PR have been helping the best and brightest talent from across the rock landscape share their art with the world, but Maria’s journey as a music professional actually began two decades earlier when she joined the team at MegaForce Records. Since then she has been one of the music world’s go-to publicists for all things heavy, and we could not be more thrilled to share her story with all of you this afternoon.
I have personally Maria for a little over six years, and I cannot begin to count all the lessons she has helped me learn along the way. She probably knows as much, if not more about the world of rock and roll than whoever you could think to name as the smartest person in rock. More importantly, she’s one of the kindest souls you will ever encounter.
If you would like to learn more about Maria’s efforts in the music world, please make it a point to follow Adrenaline PR on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: Hey there, thank you for joining us. Before we dive in, please take a moment to introduce yourself:
M: Maria Ferrero, CEO of Adrenaline PR and partner in Breaking Bands Management (Exodus, Forrest Day, Shattered Sun), with Chuck Billy and Jon and Marsha Zazula.
H: We like to begin every interview by learning a bit about the life of the people we are speaking with. Tell me, what are your earliest memories of music?
M: Listening to my records on a small portable record player that I would plug into the wall and carry around with me – lots of Elton John 45’s back then – My earliest heavy music memory was walking in Cheryl Briggs bedroom at age 11 and hearing Black Sabbath Paranoid for the first time – LIFE CHANGER!
H: How about the first album you ever purchased with your own money?
M: Motorhead on clear vinyl on Iron Records 1981 but I do remember crying when I made my confirmation in 4th or 5th grade asking my sister to PLEASE buy me the soundtrack to Tommy.
H: Can you recall the first artist or group you obsessed over? Bonus points if you share an early ‘crazy fan’ moment from your life.
M: Elton John and my CRAZY fan moment was 3 years ago, I was leaving a hotel in Hawaii to return to my home in NJ I noticed a whale on the front page of the news paper I picked it up and saw a tiny shot of Elton John – I looked it up and saw that he was performing that night in Hawaii – miraculously obtained a 8th row seat I then texted my friend Kirk Hammett (Metallica) that I’m staying in Hawaii an extra night to see Elton – he said great I will see you there. Then, I asked that Kirk please bring me backstage to meet Elton if possible…So that night at the gig Elton’s tour manager, who apparently knew me from a band we used to manage – brought myself along with Kirk Hammett with his lovely wife Lani, backstage to meet Elton. Well…I immediately took a picture as Elton walked in the room to meet us… The TM said no worries well take pictures later – I realized I WAS BEING FANGIRL, anyway Elton was amazing we were backstage googling heavy metal bands he told Kirk how he loved the Metallica & Lou Reed [project] and that his Cello players love heavy metal too and the TM said – “Elton, you’re going to be late we have to go.” Elton said, “I’m having too much fun.” …He did go on late that night (our fault – too much fun) then a year later there was a photo of Reese Witherspoon who sat a few rows in front of me at the Elton Show in Philly, and low and behold there I was in People Mag with Reese at the Elton show.
My other fan moment was at the Golden Gods one year when Eric Peterson of Testament and his wife were walking to the BLACK CARPET for press opportunities and Eric’s wife said, “Don’t you ever get star struck?” I said, “Only really over Ozzy.” Well – one minute later – Ozzy was standing next to me on the Black Carpet. I could not even move I was petrified. I’ve also met and conversed with Barbara Streisand, Jack Nicholson, Christopher Walken and Tracy Morgan – ALL making me feel that I live a charmed life.
H: They say everyone has a series of moments or experiences in life that steer them towards the careers they ultimately pursue. Are you able to pinpoint any moments in your life that flipped the switched on the ‘publicity’ bulb?
M: Anthrax just had a new singer join. Joe Belladonna – my boss at Crazed Management – said to type a letter to all of the European magazines to ask if they want to do interviews with the guys that we will be coming over to their countries. So I sent the letters, got great responses and Jon Z, Joe Belladonna, and Scott Ian went to Europe and did the press. When they came back from the trip Jon said it all went really well and I am now dubbed the publicist – I did not know what that meant at the time – I was 17 – and now at 48 I realize this is how I cut my teeth in PR.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to aspiring publicity professionals who may be reading this now, what would it be?
M: NEVER give up and don’t take no for an answer.
H: What are the biggest challenges facing publicists today?
M: Managers not thinking outside the box, people thinking in black and white only, and being distracted by bullsh#*!
H: More specifically, what are the biggest challenges facing Adrenaline PR today? Finding clients? Growth? Recognition? What are the problems you are working to solve at the moment?
M: no problems my friend – and when there are problems – they don’t last that long.
H: Without going too in-depth, please walk us through a typical day at work:
M: Arrive 9:30-10:30, sit in my chair, accommodate requests, answer thousands of emails, facilitate press, have meetings and conference calls to strategize (arguing when necessary). Leave the chair to use the restroom or grab a bite or let my 2 Chinese Shar pei out to relieve themselves. End the day around 6-8 pm.
H: What are your current career goals?
M: Keep it going and growing as long as possible. Success to me is longevity – I learned this from Judas Priest.
H: What is one thing you hope Adrenaline is able to accomplish this year?
M: Take nothing and turn it into something and make a difference for ALL.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
M: Technology – the way people are stealing music and money right out of the hands of the artists
H: You have been a Haulix client for a while now. What do you like about our service?
M: Private, secure, reliable, watermarks, and analytics.
H: Are there any opening at Adrenaline PR? If so, how should those interested in joining the team go about applying?
M:Just email me – maria@adrenalinepr.com
H: What should artists reading this ask before hiring a publicist?
M: “Are you passionate about our music or about what your job is?”
H: What is the biggest misconception people have about publicity/publicists?
M: That press helps sell music. It’s not that black and white.
H: Aside from paychecks and steady employment, how do you measure you personal level of success at what you do?
M: Making a difference for people is where it begins and ends for me.
This interview will continue on Monday with a brief look at Maria’s early year in music. Stay tuned!
