Month: May 2016

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News

OP-ED: What movies got right about streaming is everything music got wrong

The following opinion piece was written by Haulix Digital Marketing Coordinator James Shotwell. We’d love to hear your opinion on this piece, so once you finish reading head over to Twitter and tell us what you think.

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Before I dive too deep into this piece I want to stress that I am a huge supporter of streaming services in general. The age of streaming has made it possible for artists at every level to continue making money on older releases long after consumer interest in purchasing those titles has been depleted. We can argue all day about whether or not the royalty rate is acceptable (it’s not), but that is another conversation for another. Streaming provides a steady stream of income for artists even when they have nothing new to promote, which in turn makes it possible for more artists to continue creating even when their latest release is less than well received by the general public.

Okay? Okay.

The more I think about the digital age and how it has impacted the entertainment industry as a whole the more I realize that the film industry may have handled the war against piracy far better than those working in music. Unless a film is being released on VOD (video on demand), those interested in seeing a new title still have to buy a ticket and visit a theater in order to experience the film immediately following its release. Those who are not willing to do that must wait for the film to hit VOD (usually three months after a theatrical debut) or wait for the title to be made available on streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime (which typically happens six-nine months after the theatrical debut). Some may choose to pirate the film before that happens, but if they do their only viewing option is a significantly lower quality product, often captured by handycam or similar home video recording device.

This is not the case with music. Aside from a very select number of releases, every new album is made available on streaming services and in stores at the exact same time. More often than not, full streams of new releases hit the internet days before an album goes on sale, so even if you bought a copy through pre-order you are able to access the music as the same time as everyone who didn’t bother to support the artist in question. As long as you have access to YouTube you can more than likely hear a new release in full 2-3 days before it’s available for sale, and if you have an account through Spotify, Tidal, or AppleMusic you can hear the vast majority of all music ever made available in the digital format for less than the cost of one album in stores. 

This is a long way of saying new release streaming on release day is a bad recipe for financial success. The ease of access does not raise the value of a product in the streaming age, it diminishes it. Why should consumers even consider paying $10 for an album they can essentially access for free? If I pay $10 a month for a streaming service and stream at least 1000 songs each month that means each song stream cost me one cent. As we already know, artists do not receive even a penny per stream, so the actual value of each song played is less than a cent. Add offline streaming to the mix, which is the equivalent to downloading an mp3 onto your computer or mobile device, and you’ve basically got an endless supply of digital albums at your disposal whenever you need them.

One could argue that cost to produce a movie is far greater than the cost of producing an album, which justifies the need to push direct sales and rentals longer than music, but cost of production matters very little in this situation. No artist or record label releases music hoping to make just enough money to cover the cost of production. Artists and their labels want to make as much money as possible, and I believe they may be selling themselves short by rushing to streaming services on release day.

If you think about it, the promotional efforts for new movies and new albums are basically the same across the board. A trailer for a film is like a music video or single for an album. Filmmakers and actors do interviews to build awareness for their upcoming release just like musicians. Stills from the movie are like promo photos for an artist or group. Posters are album covers. The difference is, when release day comes you still have to go to a theater to see the film. It’s not available on your phone as soon as you wake up unless it’s purchased in advance on a VOD platform. Your excitement for a new film may been building for weeks or months, just like it would for new music music, but on release day there is still a barrier to entry because studios understand those who really want the product are still willing pay for it. Those who are not as excited will wait for the cost to decrease or for the title to hit streaming platforms. Some will pirate the material, sure, but those people were never likely to buy a ticket or purchase the film in the first place.

If I had to pinpoint where music went wrong I would wager it happened somewhere around the dawn of the new millennium. Napster targeted music long before film piracy was a hot topic, and no one really knew how to respond. The music industry panicked, and soon the powers that be decided that the best way to fight piracy was to give everything away themselves in hopes of controlling the conversation. Their reasoning in this action was sound at the time: If labels and artists control how people access free content they can directly interact with and market to fans that are eager to hear the material. 

As time carried on however, the ability to control the conversation by granting immediate/advance access began to shrink. Streams went from being hosted on an artist’s website to being available through third party platforms like Soundcloud and YouTube, which in turn made the material embeddable for anyone with a website. As you can guess, and as we now know thanks to numerous studies, this approach didn’t really solve anything except how easy it was for people to access music. According to a 2015 report from Cisco, music piracy is currently 48% worse than it was in 2008, and it’s expected to double by 2020. 

A great example of immediate streaming hindering the sales potential of a record can be found by examining the rollout of Kanye West’s latest release, The Life Of Pablo. The album, which allegedly received 250 million streams during in its first week of availability in February 2016, was released exclusively through Tidal without an option for fans to buy the record. This lead to a surge in Tidal signups, which in turn garnered a good deal of press for the platform, but it also lead to a surge in music piracy. According to a report from TorrentFreak, a rip of the The Life Of Pablo was pirated through torrent sites more than half a million times in that same first week. This does not take into account direct downloads of the pirated album – AKA downloads from services like ZippyShare or MediaFire – which would likely place the number of stolen copies closer to, if not above, one million in a single week.

The Life Of Pablo was eventually made available for download on April 1 for $20. The album moved the equivalent to 90,000 units and hit number one on Billboard with more than half of its ‘sales’ being generated by streaming equivalent albums. That means Kanye actually sold, at most, around 40,000 downloads. Compared to the 327,000 first week album sales (pure album sales, no streaming) of his previous release, Yeezus, this is a dramatic 87% slide in first week sales. Furthermore, The Life Of Pablo has not sold more than 1000 downloads in a single week since its second week of availability, which puts Kanye’s total pure sales for this release to date (May 31, 2016) around 55,000 or less. 

Kanye is not the only one covering low actual sales with big streaming numbers. The rate of streams is impressive, but the payout most likely is far lower than the total that could have been made from actual album sales. With this in mind, I posit that streaming’s impact on overall sales would be much lower if new releases didn’t hit streaming platform for a month(+) after their initial release. We cannot undo the last decade of content being made available instantaneously, largely for free, overnight, but we can adjust our release efforts moving forward in hopes of creating greater demand for downloads and physical product. 

Some believe people are not willing to buy albums anymore because they do not want to risk purchasing something they might not like, but again that is exactly what happens in the world of film. Trailers for new movies can be very misleading, and we’ve all been fooled by a good trailer for a bad movie. Still, consumers spend billions of dollars every year to see new titles of all sizes in theaters or on demand. One could also argue the risk is even greater with film, as most ticket prices – especially for 3D films – are far higher than the cost of a record and they only allow for a single viewing/entertainment experience. Downloads and physical sales allow consumers to spend time with material, and more often than not repeated plays of a record have a tendency to change people’s views of the material.

Fans who are unwilling or unable to purchase an album outright can and will wait for the record to be available on a subscription platform. What artists and labels alike need to do is create demand up front, push sales hard for a short period, then – only after the core buying market has been depleted – make the content available everywhere. Once your product is a click away, especially at little to no cost to the consumer, you’re forever fighting an uphill battle for sales where consumers win far more often than content creators.

James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Manager for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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News

What to do after someone writes about your band

Gaining the attention of blogs and their readers is no easy feat, especially for unsigned talent with little-to-no history. You can write the best songs and have the nicest videos, but if you do not know how to network and pitch yourselves no one will ever learn about your talent. Once they do however, there will only be a small window of time for you to capitalize on having won a moment of their attention, and this afternoon we’re going to learn what you should do in the hours after first receiving media attention.

1. Take time to celebrate, but realize there is still a lot left to accomplish.

I was never in a band that became popular enough to appear on sites like Absolutepunk or the like, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t spend many nights wishing one of the influential tastemakers of the scene mentioned my efforts in their publication. If your music/video/album gets mentioned, celebrate! You’ve taken yet another step towards your goal of a career in music, and while it’s certainly not enough to pay the bills it does serve as a strong reminder other people in the world care about your art. Don’t take that for granted.

2. Tell everyone in the world about the news (and ask them to share it).

This one probably goes without saying, but the unwritten rule of exposure on music outlets is that the band featured will publicly share and/or promote the publication’s content once its live. Don’t just share link to stories with fans, but ask them to share it as well, and don’t be afraid to request they comment on the post if time allows. Sites that see a bump in traffic or discussions from coverage of your band are likely to cover your band again in the future because they believe there is a value to your content that other unsigned acts cannot provide. In order to show them that value you will need the help of your fans, and its up to you to sell them on sharing your work.

3. Engage the comments section, but don’t antagonize them.

If the reason you’re reading this post is because the first article about your music just went live, you need to understand the response in the comments section may be very slow at first. As much as sites love to help expose young talent, people are not always quick to comment (especially in a positive sense) about something they are unfamiliar with. A great way to combat this is to actively participate in discussions taking place in the comments section of articles about your band. Answer questions for people, offer insight into your creative process, and generally speaking do whatever you can to be a decent human being that is open to criticism. It’s not that difficult, but it can make a world of difference in how quickly people become engaged with your art.

4. Say “thank you” and/or support the publication that wrote about you.

You would not believe the power the phrases “please” and “thank you” have in the music industry. From labels, to bands, publicists, and everyone in between you would be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks they hear either of those phrases too often. People tend to do as they please and take what they want without giving much though to the process behind it all, but you can stand out from the countless unsigned artists of the world by voicing your appreciation to the sites that give you space on their front page. It does not have to be anything formal, but it should be sincere. People remember those who are kind to them, and they’re far more likely to want to work with you again in the future as a result.

5. Don’t be afraid to begin teasing your next announcement.

Once people learn about your art it’s very likely they will want to know everything they can about your current efforts. Using social media and the comments sections on posts about your work, take a moment to tell people about everything else you have going on while your name is still fresh on their minds. They might not buy the album or see the tour you’re trying to promote, but at least they’ll know of it and will have the ability to share that information with others if such opportunities present themselves.

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News

Music piracy is worse now than ever before, but there is hope

Fact: File-sharing in North America has grown 44% from 2008 to 2014. This runs counter to essentially every news article written by mainstream press, which often sites the rise in streaming platforms as an argument for why piracy is no longer a big deal, but it IS a big deal. Actually, it’s bigger than big. The continuing rise of piracy tells us that even though access to music through legal means is seemingly easier than ever before people are still turning to illegal activity in order to enjoy their favorite entertainers.

The U.S. Copyright Office put out a report in February 2015 titled ‘Copyright and the Music Marketplace’ where regarding piracy, the editor stated, “Unlike in the Napster era, stakeholders now seem resigned to this marketplace condition and the perhaps irreversible impact it has had on the industry.” As much as this thought makes us cringe, it’s not entirely untrue. Every single music industry client we have had over the years has expressed a certain level of expectation regarding leaks. They don’t want them to happen, but they expect the will, even if they take extra measure to prevent such activity from take place. They believe those who wish to leak something will aways find a way to do so, and we at Haulix have made it our mission to prove that does not have to be the case.

When someone signs up for Haulix they are making it known they will no longer sit back while pirates steal the work of their artists and freely share that content online. With the help of our state-of-the-art watermarking technology, as well as secure email distribution, we offer front line defense against leaks, with additional security measures being implemented on a regular basis. Should a clients material still find its way online, we also have tools in place to aide in the removal of leaked files from the internet. Our ‘Automated Takedown’ service, for example, crawls the web endlessly in search of pirated materials. Once located, the system logs the link, auto-submits an RIAA takedown notice, and then tracks the action of the link host until the files have been erased or removed.

Just because digital piracy has been present for more than a decade does not mean it has to continue to exist for the foreseeable future, but labels and artists alike must take action in order to make a change. Signing up for Haulix is the first step to ensuring your future releases are safe from pirates, and we have a team of industry experts on hand waiting to assist you in making sure your content is not only safe, but also presented to the press in a way that reflect the brand(s) you are trying to develop. We believe a future without piracy is very much a possibility, and we are working every day to provide industry professionals with the tools they need to help us win the war against leaks. If you’re ready to join our ranks, click here to start your free 30-day trial today.

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News

Monday Motivation: The sacrifices of others

In the digital age, brands of all sizes try to spin holidays as an excuse to promote their products. Not us. Not today.

We usually use this space to promote a band who has been in regular rotation around the Haulix offices, but today is a little bit different. Here in the United States it’s Memorial Day, which is a time we as a nation set aside our work and hobbies to reflect on those who died fighting to protect the freedoms many of us take for granted. 

As a music tech company, it would have been difficult to think of creative ways to tie what we do to the efforts of those we lost in battle without minimizing their valiant efforts, so we’re not going to go that route at all. We fight piracy, but we are not fighters. We defend an artist’s right to make a living off their creativity, but we are not defenders, or at least not in a literal sense. We are a team of people who sit behind computers and try to create new ways for people to securely share media. That’s it. We take pride in what we do, but to think it all compares with real soldiers who fight real wars and risk everything to ensure our safety would be foolish. 

We recognize that we are only able to exist as we do today because of those brave men and women who are no longer with us. Our business, as well as the lifestyles of our team members, are possible because thousands of people we will never know died fighting for something greater than themselves. We can write blogs like this, attend parades, say prayers, and thank the veterans fortunate enough to make it home, but when all is said and done we still don’t feel like it’s enough. There is no way to express how grateful we are for the lives and careers we have been able to lead because of those who came before us, but we strive each and every day to be the best versions of ourselves possible so that their sacrifice has not been in vein. People died so that we could not only live, but thrive, and it’s on us to make the most of that opportunity. It’s also on us to remind one another to never forget the cost of our freedom or those who paid the bill. 

So today, listen to whatever it is that brings you joy, and remember those who died so you could chase dreams, attend concerts, and altogether live the life you lead today. And if anyone reading this has fought for us and made it home – THANK YOU.

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Job Board News

Music Industry Job Board (5/29/18)

A lot has been written about the supposed dire state of the music industry, but truth be told there are a number of successful and growing companies, including record labels, that are thriving in 2016. In this column we bring together every job opening we can find from the companies responsible for building the future of the business and present them to you, our reader, in hopes of aiding you on your journey to join the global music industry professional family.

Each week we scour the internet for the latest and greatest job postings throughout the music industry. You can help us better serve our community by sending any job openings you find or have to james@haulix.com. Be sure to include the name of the company hiring, a detailed description of the position being offered, a desired start date, contact information, and any additional supplemental information you feel may be needed.

New openings:

Assistant to Head of Music Brand Partnerships (CAA – NYC) 

Job summary: As the assistant to the head of the Music Brand Partnerships department, you will be handling day to day responsibilities for the department head; you will also be handling deal logistics, contracts, creative, and department scheduling. This is a sales role where you will also have the opportunity to learn how to pitch and create deals between our roster of music clients and brands.

Administrative Assistant – A&R (Capitol Records) 

Job summary: We are currently seeking an Administrative Assistant to support the EVP of A&R at Capitol Music Group. He/she will help maintain a very busy schedule, handle heavy phone traffic, and serve as a point person for the department. The ideal candidate will come from music or entertainment and have previous experience supporting an executive. Must be very efficient and highly detail oriented; multitasking and working on tight deadlines in a fast- paced environment is crucial.

Manager, Database Development (CD Baby – Portland, OR) 

Job summary: Begin your career in the new music industry! As the first online digital AND physical music distributor to open its doors to independent artists, CD Baby was a major force in the dismantling of the major-label system; we worked with Justin Vernon before he was Bon Iver, with Jack Johnson back when everyone thought we were talking about the boxer, with Ingrid Michaelson before her songs were on every TV show known to man. If you’re excited by the idea of helping great independent artists make a living doing what they love without giving control of their careers over to people or companies that only care about the bottom line, then CD Baby is the place for you.We are looking for an experienced leader for our Data and Analytics team. This is a role for a technical manager who enjoys being hands-on with technology and writing code in addition to leading.

Marketing Prod Producer (Apple Music – Santa Clara, CA) 

Job summary: We’re looking for an experienced marketing producer to provide exceptional leadership across Apple Retail marketing-driven projects for Apple Music, iTunes Store, and App Store

Customer Support for Music Platform (The DJ Pool LLC – Brooklyn, NY) 

Job summary: Digital DJ Pool is an exciting music company, located in Brooklyn, that helps artists and record labels promote new music by connecting them with DJs around the world.We need a support specialist ready to be on the front lines for our users. We’re looking for a problem solver who is motivated by success; someone who is ambitious and pays great attention to detail; someone who is enthusiastic and has excellent decision making skills; a self-directed excellent communicator who can grow with our company and who is excited to be part of a startup.

Box office and patron services assistant (Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra – Los Angeles) 

Job summary: LACO’s marketing team is responsible for positioning the Orchestra in the community to create a positive and attractive image that promotes organizational pride, good publicity, robust and effective fundraising and realized ticket income. The team’s primary goals are to develop excellent relationships with existing and new patrons, reach annual sales goals, achieve full houses to develop patrons who become lifelong music lovers, and ultimately donors to support the Orchestra.In support of the marketing and advancement departments, the box office and patron services assistant provides support for box office, ticketing and patron services, serving as a front-line contact for LACO patrons at all times. This position embraces LACO’s tagline of “making great music personal” in all interactions with the Orchestra’s patrons and the community at large.

Social Content Specialist (Mad Decent Records – Los Angeles)

Job summary: Social Media Specialistwww.maddecent.comMad Decent records, founded by grammy nominated artist Diplo, is currently seeking a Social Content Specialist to join our growing office in Los Angeles. We are looking for the right individual with a passion for forward thinking music and social media experience at a label, ad agency, lifestyle brand, or entertainment company. This role with be responsible for helping create content for our digital presence across social media, online marketing initiatives (organic, paid, etc), Mobile, and PR strategy. This individual with also be continuously looking for creative and new ways to connect with our large fan base and drive digital, social and mobile projects.

Marketing Coordinator, Disney Music Group (Disney – Burbank)

Job summary: Duties will include working with all departments of the company including Marketing, Promotion, Publicity, Sales and Creative as well as artists and their support teams. The ideal candidate should be detail-oriented with an ability to handle multiple projects at once and prioritize within a fast-paced work environment. Excellent communication skills are a necessity.

CRM Marketing Manager (Sonos – Seattle)

Job summary: Sonos has the possibility to connect and engage with our audience like never before. Great brands connect with their audience in authentic and meaningful ways, with relevant and insightful messaging. We’re looking for a multi-talented CRM/Marketing expert to help connect us with our current and potential audience in real-time, to pour over analytics, identify themes, and generate intelligently-automated systems that help us fulfil our promise of filling every home with music.

Artist Management Assistant (Ineffable Music – Emeryville)

Job summary: Ineffable Music is looking for a detail oriented, organized artist management assistant whose work ethic matches their love of music. We are a small company with a start up vibe and a family atmosphere. We are looking for a team player and out of the box thinker, who is ready to grow and innovate.

Digital Marketing Manager (Berklee – Boston)

Job summary: Under the direction of the Associate Director of Digital Marketing and Social Media, the Digital Marketing Manager is responsible for implementing online and social media marketing campaigns to fuel awareness of the college, build interest in our programs, and drive high levels of engagement among targeted audiences to support college goals. Projects include executing social media marketing campaigns; synthesizing regular analytics reports detailing the college’s online presence including website analytics, online advertising campaigns, sentiment analysis, and social media; and developing Berklee’s social media presence on emerging platforms.

Customer Service Professional for Online Record Store (SoundStageDirect – Doylestown, PA)

Job summary: As a customer service representative, you will work as part of a small team to obtain accurate information regarding purchases and communicate this information to our customers via phone/email/live chat. Customer satisfaction is always our top priority. You will need to know how to prioritize a sometimes heavy workload, be efficient, and follow up with customers in a timely manner. At times, data entry and updating the website may be required, so attention to detail and communicating with our team is very important.

Business Development Manager (Spotify – NYC)

Job summary: Spotify’s Global Business Development team develops strategic relationships with partners to distribute and promote our service and discover new business lines. You’ll help shape and launch these partnerships, by working with both external and internal stakeholders, including the rest of the business development team, operations, marketing, ad sales, analytics, product, finance, and legal.

Digital Marketing Manager (LiveNation – Beverly Hills, CA)

Job summary: The Digital Marketing Manager will lead the building and execution of multi-channel marketing programs for Live Nation U.S. Concerts’ Tours & Artists. This role is a key member of our team to help maximize awareness for our national tours, as well as support Live Nation Artists with targeted marketing campaigns to promote ticketing selling and promotional programs to support new music and special projects. Key areas of responsibility include all aspects of building, trafficking and executing targeted email + mobile + website based marketing programs. The manager will also play key role in evaluating campaign effectiveness & driving performance improvements.

E-Commerce Marketing Manager (Vans – Cypress, CA)

Job summary: As the Marketing Manager for the eCommerce team, you are a pro-active leader who excels at successfully collaborating with your cross-functional partners, internal and vendor based, to drive traffic to our site and improve the consumer experience. You will focus on strategy for your objectives while connecting with and establishing meaningful relationships with your peers. You will create detailed project proposals, and you are not afraid to get into the weeds. You will take this unique opportunity to use your analytical skills (#datanerd) and expertise in SEM to merge your innovative marketing and eCommerce skillset to create meaningful programs that reach our consumers. Your creative and strategic processes will drive and measure all eCommerce marketing efforts to successfully increase traffic, sales, and conversions.  You will develop your team and influence them to grow to their greatest potential. You and your team are an instrumental part of showcasing our culture of creative expression as well as our vision and values through imagery and impactful brand stories.

Music Account Executive (CBS Radio – Washington D.C.)

Job summary: CBS Radio Washington, DC is looking for seasoned sales professionals to develop dynamic marketing campaigns for new and existing clients. The ideal candidate will be someone who can develop new client relationships through cold calling, networking and referrals from existing clients; have an innovative approach to client development and be a team player. This person will continually contact, develop and pursue direct advertising accounts for WPGC and WIAD (Music formats). These individuals are also held accountable for achieving sales budgets and collecting on the accounts. Candidates must have a positive attitude and a drive to win. Self-motivation is essential. If you’re interested in a position thriving in a highly energetic sales environment – this job is the opportunity for you!

Marketing Coordinator (66 Audio LLC – Culver City, CA)

Job summary: 66 Audio is a fast-growing, successful startup working on exciting projects in the space where music and sports collide. We’re looking for a passionate person who’s eager to learn and excited to wear different hats. You’ll have the opportunity and freedom to do everything sports, audio and technology related, while bringing your own ideas to the table and executing them as a team. As a small startup company, there is a lot of room to move up and expand your role at 66 Audio based on performance. Risk is encouraged, your voice will be heard, and you’ll work intimately with a winning team to grow the future of a thriving consumer electronics brand – worldwide.

Coordinator, Digital Operations (Sony – NYC)

Job summary: The Coordinator, Digital Operations will work closely with the Digital Operations and Digital Marketing & Sales departments to oversee video registration and distribution for all RED labels.

Talent Scout (O-Town Records – Orlando)

Job summary: O-Town Music Group is seeking an Artist & Repertoire Manager. A&R Managers are creative people with good business skills and a solid understanding of the music marketplace. It is not enough to like the music, an A&R Manager needs an excellent knowledge of the contemporary music scene and to understand what sells.The main job is picking acts that will be successful and then working with the act to find the right producers and writers. The process is very much a nurturing one to ensure the band or solo artist impacts at the right time with the right material. Besides scouting for new artist the a&r manager also manages the current roster of artist. Duties include booking performances for artist, updating social media for artist,booking tv appearances and publicity for artist, booking recording studios for artist and much more.

Director of Marketing (Ryman Auditorium – Nashville)

Job summary: Develop and implement short and long term strategies & plans to drive overall revenue and profitability; increase attendance at Ryman and Opry House concerts; encourage consumer, partner, artist and community engagement; grow Ryman brand.  Work with VP/GM to develop and implement special and proprietary projects and programming. Lead Ryman marketing and box office departments

Marketing Coordinator (Live Nation – San Francisco)

Job summary: As a junior member of the Live Nation Northern California marketing team, your job is to provide multiple levels of marketing support to the local marketing team. This is an ideal role for someone who wants to learn all aspects of the live music marketing world.

Account Strategist (Pandora – Santa Monica)

Job summary: Pandora is looking for an experienced Account Strategist who has a background in digital advertising with a proven track record of building and maintaining strong client relationships. This individual will partner directly with the sales team to build strategic media partnerships while providing a high level of client service for assigned Advertisers, Agencies within the Automotive vertical.

Marketing Associate (Sony – NYC)

Job summary: The Marketing Associate’s focus is frontline contact with clients and assisting the team in servicing the diverse needs of our professional music user clients. This involves contacting clients via email, telephone and in person on a day to day basis, and all other aspects of client relations.

Label Relations Representative, Apple Music (Apple – Culver City)

Job summary: Member of the Label Relations team, responsible for leading on the designated label partnership for Apple Music. Seeking a highly motivated individual responsible for all facets of the label partnership, maximizing sales, and driving customer engagement with key content release strategy across Apple Music and iTunes. A strong advocate for our label partners, with a major emphasis on delivering on editorial and business priorities for Apple Music. This role works cross-functionally to facilitate partner, business and operational needs with the ultimate goal of identifying and driving collective growth opportunities.

Marketing Coordinator (UMG – Hollywood)

Job summary: In this dynamic position, the Marketing Coordinator will serve as key component of the marketing team, acting as the administrative support point person for Capitol Music Group’s marketing department. The ideal candidate will possess strong administrative, organizational, and creative skills. Prior marketing and administrative experience in the music/entertainment field is required.

Music Data Journalist, Next Big Sound (Pandora – NYC)

Job summary: Pandora is seeking a Data Journalist, Next Big Sound to support our editorial efforts, curation and analysis of the Next Big Sound suite of charts. The role will be responsible for curation, analysis, and annotation of existing and future charts charts on a weekly basis. You will work closely with our editorial, PR, communication, and marketing teams to develop and publish articles based on chart analysis and data-driven research. You are familiar with statistics and data visualization, and comfortable communicating complicated concepts to any audience. You are excited to propose the stories and projects you believe have the highest impact and value for an audience at the intersection of music and data. In addition, familiarity with relevant programming languages such as Python and Javascript (D3.js) is desired, but more importantly you are a documented self-starter and eager to learn.

Marketing Coordinator, Promotions & Partnerships (LA Philharminoic – Los Angeles)

Job summary: Assist Marketing Manager, Partnerships and Promotions with planning, execution and tracking of promotional programs for both Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl seasons.

Copywriter (EMP Museum – Seattle)

Job summary: The Copywriter develops, writes, edits, and proofreads content for EMP’s marketing collateral, press materials, website, and other communications as needed. Our ideal candidate is a writer who is enthusiastic about popular culture and devoted to crafting smart, creative, engaging copy that resonates with readers. This position will work cross-functionally with EMP’s creative, marketing, curatorial, education, and advancement teams.

Account Director (Spotify – Los Angeles)

Job summary: We are looking for an outstanding Ad Sales Account Director to join our team in Los Angeles. We’re looking for someone with a proven record of revenue generation and a deep interest and passion for online media and innovation. We want someone who loves our product and knows how to sell creative solutions for clients and partners. You should be confident without ever being arrogant and you work hard, but know how to have fun. Above all, your work will impact the way the world experiences music.

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Job Board News

Haulix Weekly Update #130: “I just like to smell my lunch”

Hello and welcome to another Haulix company update. We are thrilled that you were able to find time in your busy schedule to visit our blog, and we hope you continue to visit for years to come. We like to take time each week to reflect on our highs and lows, which is really why this post exists. Before we dive into life at HQ however, we wanted to share a song that has been stuck in ours heads all week long. Enjoy:

As I mentioned above, each and every weekend we like to take a brief break from our regularly scheduled programming to update and reflect on everything happening at Haulix HQ. We are far more than a music blog, as many of you already know, and posts like this give us an opportunity to share more our efforts with all of you.

Development news:

The image above is the first official screenshot of the new Haulix website. We are less than a month away from the long-awaited reveal of what we’ve been calling Project Falcon, and we honestly cannot wait to share the updated platform with the world at large. Our team has been working seven days a week for over a month to get us to this point, and we can finally see the end in sight. Just be patient a short while longer and we’ll have a wealth of new information to share. We promise, the wait is almost over.

Blog news:

We recently returned for a trip to Music Biz 2016 in Nashville, and while we were on the ground a number of our readers made themselves known. We love meeting people who enjoy Haulix, and we love even more when those people want to discuss our business, as well as the industry in general. When we got back to Minneapolis you could feel a renewed excitement for our content efforts, and we hope that passion is reflect in the work we have been delivering. If you’ve not been keeping up, click here to visit our archives.

That is all the news we have to share this week. Tune in next week for a new podcast, an updated job board, and much more.

XOXO

Haulix

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Ask a Music Journalist: What Makes a Compelling Band Bio?

This post is the latest in our ongoing content collaboration series with the fine folks at Sonicbids. If you’re in a band, look them up!

Crafting a bio that will pique the interest of every writer who reads it is impossible. There’s no way to achieve universal appeal; the relationship between press-seeking bands and music writers is just too subjective. But there are clear commonalities in the bios that do attract attention – as well as recurring issues in the ones that don’t.

I checked out about 20 Sonicbids artists who’ve played in the New York City area recently to pinpoint some of those positive characteristics. But before we get into the good, here are the top ways that bios drove me to look elsewhere:

  • Outdated: I saw a few bios that seemed great – until I realized the most recent dated info in there was from three years ago.
  • All caps: You know caps indicate yelling on the internet, right? Please stop yelling at us. Exclamation mark overload: it’s as jarring (and distracting) as writing in all caps.
  • Too many details: I don’t need to know your entire life story. Just hit the highlights.
  • Accolades and awards, little else: I appreciate learning about your accomplishments, but don’t forget to actually describe your music.
  • No paragraph breaks: TL;DR
  • Too informal: Don’t write your bio like you’re in a Facebook chat. Use punctuation and correct grammar. And no emoticons – jeez.

Again, there’s no way to write a bio that successfully implores every single writer who sees it to check out your tunes. However, if you cover all your bases in a way that’s clear yet creative, you’ll at least have a chance of luring us in.

Check out these three bios I found that I think are best poised to earn the interest of a writer who covers like-minded music. None of them are flawless – but they’re pretty damn close.

(Note: In case you’re wondering, I have no preexisting relationship with any of these musicians. I chose to feature them purely based on the quality of the bios provided in their Sonicbids EPKs.)

1. Jackie Venson

It is legend that a blistering Jackie Venson guitar solo knocked Pluto straight out of planetary existence.

Venson’s “…astonishing mix of raw soul, superb musicianship and laid back grace…” (Austin American Statesman, June 2014) has been compared to the likes of Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse and fellow Austin native Gary Clark, Jr. Originally a classical pianist, Jackie picked up the guitar, shortly after graduating from Berklee College of Music, and made the giant leap from the tradition of classical music to the raw and gritty blues.

Enthralled with music since the age of 8, this young singer/songwriter/musician instantly captures your attention with a vibrant musical soul and passionate control of her instruments, that reach far beyond her tender age. As she mindfully blends Blues, Rock, R&B, Soul and more, with her introspective lyrics, the message is clear. When you’re listening to Jackie you hear the “Truth in Music.”

In recognition of her dedication to her craft, Bestfan.com said “Venson is no dilettante, wannabe performer, however a real staple of what a musician can achieve when they put in their 10,000 hours for both musical schooling, and late night pub sessions for practical honing.”

Her live performances revisits what makes music so powerful: emotion and passion. She thrives without the flash, instead favoring a clean sound, genuine soul, and meaningful connection with her audience. Music is not only what Venson does – but also defines who she is and reminds her where she wants to be: performing.

Having finished her second tour of Europe and the recent declaration of “Jackie Venson Day” (May 21st) in the “Live Music Capital of the World” Austin, TX, there’s no doubt she has every reason to lead the way with the trademark smile that accompanies her magnificent musicianship.

The first sentence is an attention-grabber: It positions Jackie Venson as an established legend. That’s an ambitious claim, but because of the jokey implausibility of the description, we don’t take it too literally – it just makes us want to know more.

Venson’s bio employs accolades from the press to describe her sound, a nice alternative to simply listing quotes from writers with their corresponding publications. There’s also plenty of her own (or her publicist’s) words to relate her sound, story, and even live performance style, too. The final section leaves us in the present – what she’s just wrapped up (a tour and a pretty stellar award), as well as what’s next for the Austin artist.

2. River Whyless

Asheville, North Carolina’s River Whyless is a band much like that titular body of water – a mingling of currents, a flow of time and physical space, all brought together in a murmuring sense of purpose. It is the expression of a group of musicians, three of which are songwriters, who have played together in various forms since their college days in the North Carolina mountains. Their forthcoming EP, their first release since their 2012 debut album, is the next evolution of the band’s collective voice.

Composed of Ryan O’Keefe (guitars, vocals), Halli Anderson (violin, vocals), Alex McWalters (drums, percussion) and Daniel Shearin (bass, vocals, harmonium, cello, banjo), the band found themselves at a bit of a crossroads when preparing music for a new release. “Sometimes each songwriter really differs quite a bit from the other,” said O’Keefe. “We had to figure out how to incorporate everyone’s writing style into a cohesive idea. These were the five songs where we could find that common thread.”

After the “long and arduous, DIY” process of recording their first album over a period of many months back in 2011, the band elected to decamp to Louisville, Kentucky’s La La Land Studio to work with Kevin Ratterman (Andrew Bird, My Morning Jacket, Ben Sollee) on their new recordings. “We like to get out of town when we write and record. Putting our minds and bodies in a creative place tends to yield the most honest results. In an atmosphere like La La Land you can eat, sleep and breathe the music you’re working on without the distractions of everyday life. I enjoy that,” added O’Keefe. “We recorded mostly live with just a few overdubs. Kevin likes to move at a good clip in order to capture that magical, synchronistic moment. He also records to tape and uses all this great gear. Tracking this way was new and exciting to us and, I think it shows in the songs.” Recording this way captured the chemistry and intuitive bonds of long-time collaborators hitting their stride. As a band who has toured heavily over the years, it reflects River Whyless as a cohesive unit, where each member anticipates the other’s move, and effortlessly complements it. The new EP was recorded and mixed in just four days. “I’m more proud of these songs than any others we’ve recorded,” glowed O’Keefe. And it’s easy to see why.

The machinery-like percussion that leads track four, “Miles of Skyline,” is interwoven with clock-like guitar patterns alongside Shearin’s lead vocals. The weeping guitar of “Fine Companion” underpins the stridently hopeful lyrics. “Maple Sap” builds on its multiple metaphors of firewood and sap to ask universal questions we grapple with in stillness with ourselves. “Bath Salt” has a loping rhythm that showcases Anderson’s voice finding a mark between Sandy Denny’s ethereal plea and Crystal Gayle’s country swoon. The English trad-folk sounds are the band’s obvious touchstones, putting them in a category similar to contemporaries like Fleet Foxes and Stornoway.

All the info boxes are checked in this bio for River Whyless. Right away, we learn where they’re from, what they sound like, when their debut album was released (with a loose indication of how long they’ve been playing) and that a new EP is on the way.

Following that, the band members and their instruments are listed, and we get some quotes that put that forthcoming release into context. Then we’re taken back to the first recording; it’s compared to the new one, which is presented with telling details (the producer on board, how the studio affected the process).

The band’s extensive touring history gets a mention, but the focus is steady on the current promotional push. And even though River Whyless’ bio is chock-full of details, it doesn’t sacrifice style. The writing is just flowery enough that it’s interesting; creative personifications like “machinery-like percussion” and “clock-like guitar patterns” make for accurate yet intriguing descriptions of the band’s sound.

3. JoJo Worthington

A soft tour-de-force, her vocalizations, ingenuity with looping techniques, and completely refreshing take on the often blasé instrument, the ukulele, is pushing this Experimental-Folk musician to create some of the most forward-thinking music of her generation. JoJo Worthington is a Canadian artist hailing from Waterloo, Ontario, creating soundscapes wherever she goes. With haunting choral loops, orchestral ukulele riffs, and striking spacey vocals, JoJo draws the onlookers in, slowly and with complete control. With a nod to influences of the present, St. Vincent, Grimes, Alt-J, S. Carey, and others, she finds a beautiful, swelling sound completely her own; a rare find in a sea of ukulele-based music.

Worthington’s latest work, “7” released in January 2015, is a full musical to say the least. This eleven-track album includes a whirlwind of sounds coming at you in all different directions, each song different from the next, creating a beautiful potpourri of brightly coloured, strange and varied sounds and influences.

“Worthington’s voice is indelible, now familiar to the listener and reassuring to his/her ears, it guides the head through all encompassing instrumental swells and strong group vocals to a soft conclusion.” – The Scene Magazine.

“A victorious Canadian songstress” – Variety Magazine

“From enchanting, sparse vocals and uke numbers to fully produced multi-instrumental epics, you’ll get a full musical experience from JoJo.” – Hamilton Blues Lovers

Growing up in a musical family, JoJo became obsessed with music at a very young age by first being influenced by classical music. Many singing lessons and musicals later, JoJo began writing songs on guitar in bands and other ensembles. But decided at sixteen she wanted to go solo, this time with the ukulele. With now over 10 years of performance experience, JoJo has performed extensively throughout Canada and has had the privilege of collaborating and performing with other artists such as: James Hill, The Grapes of Wrath, Steve Poltz, Craig Cardiff, The Great Lake Swimmers, Jacob Moon, Ariana Gillis, Calum Graham, Jake Robertson, Ambre McLean, The Vaudevillian and more.

What sold me about this Canadian artist’s bio is probably obvious to you: it’s emphasizing her unique take on ukulele-based music. (You should consider that as advice to figure out your own interesting angle, then lead with that.)

Once she’s likened to other artists not even remotely associated with that instrument, I’m compelled to find out how that’s even possible, and I head straight for her SoundCloud – before even finishing the paragraph.

Her latest release is the next talking point, then we’re thrown some superb pull quotes from the press. We’re given background information after that; we find out she’s been playing practically all her life and began focusing on her chosen instrument at 16. We also learn approximately how long ago that was, and who she’s toured with since, giving us the remaining bit to complete our understanding of the career level Worthington has reached.

Jhoni Jackson is an Atlanta-bred music journalist currently based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she juggles owning a venue called Club 77, freelance writing and, of course, going to the beach as often as possible.

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When You Come to a Musical Risk, Take It

This post is the latest in our ongoing collaboration series with the fine artists and people involved with Muddy Paw PR. Enjoy!

I recently finished writing a song I had started, and it was unusual. It was unusual because I started it in one room of the house I was renting, and finished it in another room of the place where I was living….nearly 900 miles away.

No, I’m not talking about a summer beach house or a timeshare or something like that. Instead, this all came about because of a big career risk I took. That was to leave virtually everything I knew behind—my friends, family, backing band and collaborators—and quite literally packing up a moving truck and relocating from upstate NY to Nashville, TN.

At the beginning of recording my first full-length album, Take The Risk, I faced an epiphany that put me through the emotional gamut. Despite the fantastic musicians I was sharing the stage with, a circle of supportive family and friends, positive word-of-mouth about my songs and live show, and a steadily growing fan base, I needed to move. For a variety of reasons, the connections, opportunities, and avenues for my career to continue on a forward path just weren’t there.

This was an absolutely terrifying thought. I kept myself distracted with the recording and all that was going on with it. Because of schedules, gigs, and so on, we were often working at odd hours, and there were plenty of artistic choices to be considered, tracking to be arranged, and problems to be solved. Then, late one night, still buzzed off of the overdubs we’d added to a track and how great the final playback had sounded, I weighed my options. I could stay and play it safe, always saying “What If….?”. Or, I could gamble on my gut instinct and move somewhere else. At worst, I would fail, and at least I would know it wasn’t meant to be. The choice then was easy.

I wanted a city with a music scene that would be sympathetic to me: a high-energy rock and roll singer-songwriter whose music draws on a variety of genres. I wanted to balance my love and respect for these roots with a thirst for exploring new sounds in them. There were several shortlisted names, but Nashville stuck out as the clear winner. It was a city that felt honest, that would “get me” and where I was trying to go with my music, and crammed with studios, musicians and industry pros in town. And with its “big small town” feel, pride for its history, and positive vibe, I knew I could feel good living there too.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing from there on out. There was the matter of where to live.  Completing the album stretched out far beyond anything I had imagined, for reasons beyond any of my control (more on that some other time). Goodbyes had to be said to various people. Small details (like bank accounts), and big details (like how I would get my car there when I would need to drive a moving truck down) had to be ironed out. I pinched pennies and stuck to a tight budget. I had some very stressful days and coasted on little sleep for a lot of it, until I found myself a resident of Nashville, loving every adventure each new day brought.

Right now, as I write this, I’m working on finishing a song that I started writing….after I moved here. My album is about to come out, bringing new opportunities and possibilities. A friendly promoter in town gave me advice on venues where I can play out and who to contact. I have a meeting next week on Music Row. A song from the album was recently shortlisted for a sync spot in an independent film. I’ve only just gotten started, and there’s a lot more to do, and a lot more work that I’ll have to put in. I knew that when I made this decision, when I paid my first month’s rent, when I was doing the 16-hour drive in the moving truck, caught up in traffic jams, construction and unexpected lane closures that put me constantly off-schedule.

I know what I’ve done is not for everybody. You may not want to move far from home, play a final show with your current bandmates, or live in Nashville (on that at least, I would quickly ask “Why not?”). You may not need to do any of these things, because your life and musical career are going just great now. But what I hope you’ll take away from all this is that you and your music are not limited by any circumstances but those that you put yourself in. Advancing your career will require you to take chances and roll the dice to move forward, in all sorts of ways. So, like I named my forthcoming album: Take The Risk.

What’s a young rock-and-roll musician to do when he finds himself at an artistic crossroads? For Bryan Howell, the answer was simple, even if getting there turned out to be anything but: his first full-length album, ‘Take The Risk,’ which drops August 5th. The sheer amount of one-in-a-million happenings that brought it all together could very likely fill a book. Instead, they’ve been distilled into an album filled with energetic street-poet rock songs, with some achingly gorgeous change-ups lending the whole thing a fulfilling depth. Onstage, it somehow goes further. Tall and thin, with a shock of high-swept hair, he dances atop speakers, high-fives audience members, or Cheshire-cat-grins as his bandmates, affectionately refered to as The Standalones, play alongside him while cradling his trusty, beat-up Telecaster. The passion and energy is palpable—and you can bet that same energy comes through on ‘Take the Risk.’ You can keep up with Howell and listen to his brand of street-poet rock HERE.

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News

Band takes fan engagement in a new direction with help hotline

Modern Baseball have made their way onto our blog several times in the past month, usually as a tie-in with the release of their most recent record (Holy Ghost), but this post is different. This is a story about a band recognizing an opportunity to not only further engage with fans, but help them, and how practically every other artist working today should follow their lead. 

Modern Baseball is currently preparing to embark on their North American headlining tour with Joyce Manor and Thin Lips. With the tour start growing closer by the day, the band has announced the creation of a help hotline that fans can text during shows for assistance if they are feeling unsafe. Maybe this means they are being verbally harassed by fellow concert-goers, or perhaps they are worried about the possibility of assault. Whatever the case, Modern Baseball is taking a proactive approach to ensuring everyone is able to enjoy their time seeing the band.

To get word out about the hotline, Modern Baseball has paired with Screaming Females singer and artist Marissa Paternoster and artist Perry Shall to create a brief animated video explaining the hotline. Fans at shows feeling unsafe are encouraged to text (201)731-6626. MTV News has a great interview with singers/guitarists Brendan Lukens and Jacob Ewald today explaining the creation of the hotline and the importance of safe space. You can view the video below:

The alternative music scene has been overwhelmed by stories of assault and harassment over the past two years, but Modern Baseball are one of the few bands we’ve found that are taking a direct approach to making fans feel safe at their performances. A hotline like the one mentioned above is not expensive or all that hard to setup, so maybe this move will inspire others to do something similar.

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Journalism Tips: Save some art for yourself

Music writing can be a double-edged sword as far as fandom is concerned. The fact you’re in a position to influence a group of consumers makes it possible for you to get closer to your favorite artists than you probably would otherwise, but it also means you have to continue following those artists’ every move long after your initial interest in their work has begun to fade. This is honestly a best case scenario because more often than not writing about music means you have to not only know, but learn to appreciate the works of many artists whom you would otherwise not make time to experience. Establishing a career in writing requires that you be engaged with the wide world of music, and that entails keeping tabs on far more artists than those you personally enjoy. Over time this can make the joy of writing feel a lot more like work than most would care to admit. But that’s because writing is just that — work.

This is not a complaint, per say, but rather a matter of fact. You cannot make it in music writing simply by covering the artists you enjoy when you enjoy them. You need follow-through, and more importantly you need to engage the fans of artists regularly in order to ensure people continue to care your writing and/or publication exists.

When I began writing about music I did so because I felt there were artists I knew and enjoyed that most of the world had yet to recognize. If you could find my first hundred articles I can almost guarantee every single one would be based on an artist or group I admired at the time, and if I’m being completely honest I would also wager most of those posts are fairly similar. They each praise a group I loved at the time, and they each argue others should feel the same. I built my initial following by covering bands like A Day To Remember, Chiodos, Secret Secret Dino Club, and The Wonder Years whenever possible, and I made it a point to interview someone from the band every time a new piece of news presented an opportunity for discussion. As word of my work grew, so did interest from others bands and labels about having their talent promoted through my channels. I was completely blown away by these requests, so of course I agree to almost every one that hit my inbox, and as I began to network with the industry at large my writing began to encompass more and more bands. Some acts I enjoyed, but most were perfectly average in my mind, and looking back now I know the only reason I covered them is because I felt that it is what my (arguably non-existent) audience wanted. Whether or not that was true is something I’ll never truly know, but I do know that covering a wide array of talent helped me navigate the industry and secure full-time work in the business I love the most. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Do I continue to cover any and everything that comes my way as a result? Hell no.

It’s incredibly difficult to land a job in music that allows you to share everything you love all the time. Most jobs are far more focused than that, be it covering solely alternative music or perhaps just hip-hop. Finding a paid position that covers everything is rarer than a Morrissey performance that goes off without a hitch, and they are becoming increasingly hard to come by as the demand for specific content curators continues to rise. I used to have a big problem with this because I felt, and still do believe, that everyone is able to enjoy a little bit of everything. I might not love country music, but there are several country artists I enjoy. The same goes for musicals, top 40 radio pop, and obscure shoe gaze bands. None of these areas of music are where I spend the majority of my time, but they each are filled with wonderful talent that is deserving of exposure and praise. Just because this is true however does not mean I am the person to tell you these acts exist. I can tweet about it, sure, but I cannot dedicate every minute of my day to telling you about everything I love as I once did. That is not my job.

At first, the need to separate the work I am paid to do from the work I would like to do was incredibly frustrating. I felt as though my initial mission to help more people discover great music had been compromised by the need for a paycheck, but over time I came to realize that was not true. Having full-time employment gave me more freedom than I had ever had before as far as creative pursuits were concerned, and though I couldn’t argue the need to cover everything I could do more to help a specific set of artists and bands than ever before. Instead of writing about 40 or 50 acts a week I wrote about 10 at most, but I made sure to make each piece released as good as it could be. Having less artists to cover made it possible for me to dig deeper with my coverage and, ultimately, provide higher quality content to my readers.

But what about all that other stuff I loved? Did I turn my back on a world of talent just because they didn’t fit my 9-5 lifestyle?

Of course not.

I still love a wide array of bands as I always have, but these days I keep some things I love to myself if for no other reason than the ability to enjoy certain songs or records without turning that enjoyment into work. Before I had full-time work in music I viewed everything I enjoyed as something I would eventually cover, which in turn made everything I enjoyed some form of work. Maybe it wasn’t hard work, but it was work nonetheless, and as a result my relationship with music began to change. The idea of listening to music for the sake of simply enjoying it became an absurd concept, as I hadn’t purely enjoyed music for years on end. I liked it, and I wouldn’t know what to do without it, but at the end of the day I was trying to put food on my table based on what I was listening to, and that put a lot of undue pressure on myself, as well as the talent.

When I speak to aspiring writers and music professionals today I encourage them to experience as much music as possible. As soon as I do this I immediately tag my comments by adding that not every great song or record needs to become the sole focus of their work moving forward. It’s not only perfectly acceptable, it’s needed. If you lose your ability to simply enjoy music you will be unable to accurately critique it. The reason anyone begins chasing after a career in music in the first place is based on their love of enjoying music in their youth, and when you lose the ability to appreciate music in that way you begin to lose track of why you work in music. It’s not about clicks, and it’s certainly not about being the first person to hear the next buzz worthy release. It’s about celebrating art and the appreciation of art, as well as making others aware of undiscovered talent. You can only do this to the best of your abilities if you too are still able to be wowed by music. If you’ve lost that passion, or even if you believe it has begun to fade, take a step back from writing and unplug from everything except your stereo. Put on the records that first inspired your career aspirations and reconnect with the source of your drive to succeed. Never lose your passion.

James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Manager for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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