If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
Jack London, the author behind The Call of the Wild, has long been quoted as having offered the following credo to friends in the months before his death:
I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
Knowing London was near death when he spoke these words may lead you to believe he was referring to how he wanted his body disposed of in the wake of his passing (cremation as opposed to burial), but such ideas could not be further from the truth. Jack London was not speaking to what he described as “going into the silence,” but rather about life! The words above tell of a man’s determination to live life to the absolute fullest for he knows not what comes next. We all must die, but we must choose to live.
With all this in mind, it’s time to turn our focus from London to a few of the countless people his work has inspired. Stick To Your Guns has been carrying the banner for a particular subgenre of hardcore music that is derived from life experience rather than ego and id for the better part of fifteen years. Their collective journey has not been an easy one, but their music has withstood the rise of social media, the age of streaming, and the dissolution of chain record stores, among other industry-changing evolutions, all while their peers have struggled to maintain their footing in this business. We could debate the numerous reasons for why this might be all day, but the simple answer is most likely the right one: This band makes music people relate to.
On Better Ash Than Dust, a new EP of material arriving in stores on September 23, Stick to Your Guns pull back the curtain on their lives both on and off the road a bit more than ever before. The EP is a collection of material that could only have been written by people who have twenty-five or more years on this Earth because it speaks to revelations that can only be understood with the passing of time. It’s a reflection on the way we slowly grasp the roles our parents and other early influencers played in developing the people we grow up to become, as well as our responsibility to be a positive influence on those around us. To say it’s optimistic might be going a bit far, but there are silver linings to even the darkest ideas that offer hope for a brighter future through perseverance.
When you listen to Better Ash Than Dust you are reminded of the simple, but very important fact that life is constantly propelling you forward and all you can do is make the most of the time you have been given. You can decide who you become and how you spend your time, but as you mature you begin to appreciate the fragility of life in ways that can drastically alter your perception of the world around you. Stick To Your Guns use this EP to urge people to appreciate the loss of naivety that comes with age and to use their knowledge to not only life themselves up, but also those around you. It’s as simple and as difficult as “treat others as you want to be treated,” but it’s absolutely essential in order to get the most out of life.
When listening to this EP, I think not only of Jack London, but also of George Carlin. In a recently unearthed special, Carlin goes into a long-winded discussion of the things he enjoys in life and why he puts so much effort into appreciating them to the fullest. I could write the whole bit here, but he summarizes it well by suggesting that life is one big show, and he’s here to enjoy every minute of it. He recognized long before he left this planet that there is no second performance in life, and there is no option to rewind. We’re here and then we’re gone, so we better do what we can with the time we have because we rarely are given the knowledge of just how much time we have left.
This is your wake up call. Life is short and you’ve got living to do. Let Stick To Your Guns remind you of this in the days ahead, and support the band by picking up a copy of Better Ash Than Dust as soon as possible.
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 (RIP). 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.
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.
Job summary: TIDAL is looking for New York City’s best producers to manage key company initiatives which include exclusive artist releases, multi-dimensional marketing programs and TIDAL X events and livestreams. Programs are multi-faceted in nature and require cross functional coordination. Ideal candidates will present the ability to breakdown work packages, assess level of effort, and choreograph a subsequent plan of attack. Producers are required to make crucial decisions, often under pressure, and therefore must exemplify a solutions-first approach. They are passionate about process, advocate for great ideas, and seek flawless delivery from start-to-finish. Tidal is seeking people at a variety of experience levels and all are welcome to apply.
Job summary: We are looking for a smart, ambitious, and hardworking Sales Coordinator to join our team based in the Los Angeles office. In this role, you will provide administrative support but also work on a variety of sales and marketing programs across teams in the West region. You will work closely with the Global Revenue Organization and report directly to the Vice President of Sales for the West Region.
Job summary: The Associate Manager, Music will assist Vice President of Music & Production full capacity. The Associate Music Manager of On-Air Promotion is responsible for the procurement and selection of popular and needle drop music, creative direction of original songs, organization and communication with all music production libraries, facilitating music licenses and clearances, developing data for music budgets and reporting of all promo music used for royalty distribution.
Job summary: The Marketing and Communications Manager operates within LOUD’s Production and Installation Marketing team to manage the strategy and execution of all elements of customer-facing mass communication, including electronic and print media, social media and events (trade shows and demos). This position combines elements of creative (content generation), management (of the department) and strategic responsibilities that will drive the company’s appearance and message to the market.
Job summary: The Executive Assistant will assist the SVP, Global Digital Accounts and VP, Research & Analysis with day-to-day administration and supporting tasks related to the preparation and distribution of pertinent department tools & reports to the Sales & Marketing organization.
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.
Job summary: ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:
Performing live broadcasts that are entertaining and informative.
Preparing and researching for broadcast.Protecting the station’s FCC license.
Monitoring the music and commercial logs for the airshift.
Ensuring that promotions and contests are executed properly.
Operating the control board and performing production work.
Making personal appearances at station events and remote broadcasts.
Create and maintain station(s) website content including email blasts, uploading and editing of audio and video for web use, blogging, loyalty programs, contests, etc.
Design new templates as needed using the content management systems utilized by CBS Radio.
Job summary: As an integral member of the Corporate Sponsorship team, the will play an important role in the maintenance and fulfillment of LA Phil’s corporate program at the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Job summary: The International Marketing team provides international exploitation services for all US based frontline labels within Sony Music USA.This role is a Manager Level position with a potential for Director Level depending on experience. The candidate will be responsible for the development and execution of international marketing and promotion campaigns for Sony US repertoire.
Job summary: As a Digital Marketing Manager you will be part of the Growth and Retention marketing team at Pandora. You will work cross functionally internally and externally with our agency partners, media vendors, brand marketing and marketing analytics team as well as other internal stakeholders to bring our direct response programs to life. We are seeking an experienced candidate that knows performance marketing inside and out and can handle end to end program management including campaign strategy and ideation, tracking and deployment, and can provide campaign insights and results. This role will also include all ad ops responsibilities including trafficking and tracking of campaigns to ensure they meet internal KPI’s.
Job summary: Warner Bros. Television seeks a Director, Music for the TV Music department. To service the clearance and creative needs of the WBTV and WHTV shows, including song placement, acquisition of rights, fee negotiation, and hiring musicians and singers for scoring/recording sessions. Negotiates music library blanket deals and provides back up on artist and writer waivers, Step-Out Agreements and Certificates of Authorship.
Job summary: One of Live Nation joint ventures is seeking a Digital Marketing Coordinator who will support continued development and growth for a diverse roster of artists. Responsibilities will include supporting the digital marketing team, drafting social copy, executing promotional campaigns, designing and implementing creative marketing plans, securing digital retail merchandising, facilitating requests between partners, managers and artists and maintaining artist web and social platforms. This Coordinator will be responsible for shaping both digital strategy and the execution of plans, including social media publishing, on a daily basis.
Job summary: We are presently looking for a Music Editor with knowledge of popular music for a temporary, short term assignment. You must be detail-oriented, self-motivated, and comfortable with technology, and able to maintain focus on tasks and deliverables under tight deadlines.
Job summary: CAA is seeking a highly motivated individual to serve in a support role within our Music Touring department, consisting of Country, CCM, Contemporary, and EDM music. The ideal candidates should be motivated, quick-thinking and open to working in a fast-paced environment while performing administrative tasks. The individual should be flexible, highly organized and have the ability to multi-task. This is a great opportunity to learn the music touring business, as the position can lead to other opportunities within the Music Touring department.
Job summary: he A&R Department operates as the primary source of talent scouting and record making within Warner Music Group. It is A&R that allows us to locate and sign new talent and continue making records for currently signed artists.
Job summary: We are a Brooklyn based music startup, studio and production space. We’re building an app that will offer cultural institutions and artists a new set of tools for the distribution of good music. As one of those cultural institutions, we are also launching a label of our own.
We’re looking for someone to spearhead our marketing strategy. That someone is philosophical about messaging and analytical about results. Cares deeply about music and the people who make it. Is passionate about technology, can keep up with the speed of innovation. Wants to be a part of something positive, and can infect others with their excitement about it.
Job summary: Red Bull’s Artist Marketing department is a team of passionate, arts-driven creators and curators committed to inspiring artist development and innovation in music. The Artist Marketing Manager role at U.S. HQ is focused on artist- and industry-facing custom projects that develop and sustain the brand’s high volume of artist relationships. He/she is an excellent project manager first, an expert at converting creative ideas into realistic timelines with actionable tasks that deliver tangible results. Secondly, he/she is a creative manager with diverse music taste and a solid network of 1:1 music industry and artist relationships.
Job summary: The Coordinator, Warner Music Artist Services will assist the EVP, Warner Music Artist Services, and SVP, Warner Music Artist Services with day-to-day administration and supporting tasks.
Detailed Job Description/ Responsibilities:
Manage executive’s calendars, answering phones, schedule meetings, arrange conference calls, book travel including domestic & international flights, hotel, & transportation, and ordering supplies, etc.
Submit, track, & maintain travel and entertainment expenses.
Plan and coordinate both domestic & international team meetings.
Plan, coordinate and take notes of account and internal meetings.
Aide in the preparation and dissemination of business reviews, Spreadsheets, and ad hoc PowerPoint presentations.
Job summary: The Chief Marketing Officer will oversee all marketing, sales, communications, and customer service functions of the Atlanta Symphony and Atlanta Symphony Hall. In addition, the CMO is responsible for coordination of customer experience with the Woodruff Arts Center team. The CMO will report to the Executive Director, and will be charged with the following overall responsibilities:·
Managing all Atlanta Symphony (ASO) earned revenue streams· Developing and implementing strategies for earned revenue growth across the organization
Overseeing ASO, SH, and ASO Presents (ASOP) brand and imaging in the community and worldwide
Ensuring maximum net profit from ASO popular, special concert, and Chastain Park and Verizon Amphitheater programming
Job summary: A Magic Leap Audio Generalist is a well-rounded professional capable of doing everything necessary to sonify an interactive experience. From working with producers and collaborators to conceptualizing the audio direction; recording and directing dialogue; conceiving and creating music; creating and gathering sound effects; and integrating it all into a realistic, effective and compelling interactive audio environment. The ideal candidate embraces the technical challenges that arise at the cutting edge of a new frontier in computing.
Job summary: We are looking for an outstanding Sales Planner that will join our US Ad Sales team in Seattle. You will be responsible for assisting the full sales cycle from pre-sales through campaign execution. You must be professional, organized and motivated as well as have the drive to succeed in a start-up environment. You will be a reliable support resource who can anticipate client and sales team needs. This role includes analysis, planning, research, project management and brainstorming. Above all, your work will impact the way the world experiences music.
Job summary: The Manager Fan Engagement & Channel Management position exists to (i) ideate and implement artist specific social media, web, and direct to consumer initiatives on behalf of a designated roster of Warner Bros. Records’ artists and (ii) drive fan acquisition, engagement, and retention across all social media platforms. The position will be the main artist contact for all digital fan engagement initiatives.
Additionally, the Manager Fan Engagement & Channel Management position will have a high degree of visibility across all company departments and will manage all aspects of specific WBR artists’ social media projects to ensure all details of the initiatives and goals are delivered in a timely and concise manner. This person will manage timelines, budgets, content/product development, and marketing for the various platforms.
Job summary: We are currently looking for someone who enjoys maintaining productive working relationships, servicing others and listening to gospel music!
Hello, everyone! There are grey skies hanging over Minneapolis today, and because of this the temperature has fallen from the mid-70s to somewhere in the mid-60s. We consider this a blessing of sorts, as our entire team lives for Fall weather. The leaves are changing, cider mills are popping up, and a wealth of fantastic releases are beginning to trickle into record stores across the nation. One of our favorite albums of the year arrived in stores this morning, and to celebrate we thought we’d share a video for one of the album cuts we are currently obsessing over:
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:
If you look closely at the Haulix website you will notice a few cosmetic/aesthetic changes occurring in the weeks ahead. While we do not have any plans to bring the updated platform to the public before 2017 we are actively working to improve the way our platform looks and feels, especially for those who may have never interacted with our brand before. If you like what you see, feel free to tell us. If you hate what you see, please tell us so we can make any necessary changes.
Blog news:
With our platform overhaul taking a breather for the remainder of the year you can expect to see a lot of content and change coming to our blog. You may have noticed a new layout this week, but we are not ready to say this is the look we are sticking with for the foreseeable future. Like with our company website, we want this blog to more accurately reflect the quality product and services we offer industry professionals around the globe. That said, we are not going to stop publishing content 6 days a week or recording new episodes of our podcast. In fact, we are actually quite proud of everything we have going on right now. If you missed anything as of late, especially our podcasts, please head over to our archiveand catch up ASAP.
That’s all we have for this week. Tune in next week for a new job board, a very long podcast, and much more.
The following post is a guest editorial from Ian Baldwin of See & Hear Design. Ian is one of our absolutely favorite designers and an all-round good guy with deeply rooted ties to the music business. Heed his advice.
You Have To Check-In and Post Weekly
It is easy to be missed or ignored on social media news feeds. The question is: how can a band or solo artist in 2016 not get lost in a world of noise? In this article, you will find some suggestions that have worked for me and my bands in the past.
For the best results, I recommend you show up at all of these places constantly. Having a weekly output of content or interaction with fans is the best way to stay at the front of people’s minds. We all run on weekly schedules — weekly meetings, meet ups, classes, coffee dates, rehearsals, tv shows, sporting events, etc.
The same goes for our behavior online. We show up to see what is going on over on Facebook. We check Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Most of us check our email at least once a week. We check the news on our favorite websites. We listen to podcasts. There are many more that I could list, but let’s get to the good and profitable stuff.
One thing I did need to mention is you will connect with your fans the most during your live performances. This is where you and your fans are the most vulnerable and will connect on a more personal level. Use what resources you have online to maximum your reach and attract people to your shows. Entertain them and give them something to talk about the next day.
Here are 5 places that you can find and connect with other musicians and music fans on a deeper level. These are in no particular order — just the order I thought of them.
1. Chorus.fm
Chorus.fm is everything you loved about Absolute Punk but much, much better. You can check up on the latest news on the homepage of the website and leave your thoughts on the forums side of the site. Jason Tate has cultivated a growing community (15,359 members) of passionate music fans who not only love talking about music but many other things as well (sports, entertainment, politics, technology, and more).
You can post about your band in a thread that you start yourself as well as post anything new you have released in the Self-Promotion Thread. It’s a great place to interact and make new friends that could turn into some of your most loyal fans. In my use of this site, I noticed that a lot of musicians are a part of the site and stay pretty active.
You can find me mostly in the Graphic Design Thread that I started and theSelf-Promotion Thread. My profile on Chorus can be found here. I plan on being more active on Chorus once I transition into a part-time day job.
2. Facebook Groups
I’m sure that if you are on Facebook you are a part of a Facebook Group. The nice thing about Facebook Groups is that your groups can be open or closed. You could have a private group just for your band to help keep everyone on the same page. On the flip side, having an open group for your fans to talk to and interact with you helps you stay more connected and in the know about what your band is up to.
Notifications from a group go right to a person’snotifications so they won’t miss a single thing you post within the group.
This is one way to beat the Facebook algorithm we have all come to loathe so much. Ask your fans to like and share anything important you post on your band’s Facebook wall to help spread your message. Doing this will also let their friends and family know about your band.
One other bonus to having a Facebook Group for your band is that all of your fans can connect and talk to each other about you and why they love your band so much. How cool is that?! Get creative about how you involve your fans in what you are working on.
3. Contests
Alright, so contests aren’t really a place. But you could have a contest online that will help more potential fans discover you — and the prize for that contest could be two tickets to your upcoming concert with that well-known headliner you are playing with! Just an idea. I won’t charge you for that one. 😉
I’m sure many of you have ran contests before but I wanted to remind you that they still work. Here are some ideas.
You could have your current fans submit fan art and you vote on which you think is the best.
Give your fans the stems to a single you put out and have them create a remix.
Partner with your local venues, restaurants, coffee shops or brands and see if they can throw in anything as a prize. (What business doesn’t love some inexpensive marketing where they have to do little to no work?!)
Cross promotion works and you’ll be surprised by how many brands are willing to work with a band if your music fits in with their marketing or customers lives. You just need to ask — the worst they can say is no.
4. Email Newsletters
So you are probably thinking this right now, “Ian, email is ancient. Why would anyone read or subscribe to a newsletter from my band?” Well, I have news for you: Everyone still uses email and it is one of the best ways to stay connected with your fans. Sites like Bandcamp and NoiseTrade can help you start building your email list to stay in touch with your fans. The trade off is when that new fan gives you their email and zip code you give them something in return — normally a free song.
Having a person’s email and zip code does two things for you.
You can email that person the band has a new release or tour announcement.
You have their zip code so you know if you have a 50 or more fans within the same are that it might be worth taking a trip to their city and playing a gig. (You have proof that you can show the venue that X number of people liked your music enough to download it and give you their email.)
That isn’t guaranteed attendance to a concert but it is data worth having to make calculated risk on where to play out of town shows. Plus you could take a poll on your new Facebook Group to see how many people would be interested in coming out to a show if you came to their city.
Once you have all of your emails, you can import them into MailChimp and send your fans weekly newsletters just like I am doing with you. MailChimpis free for up to 2,000 subscribers. It is what I use to send my newsletter to you every week.
5. Podcasts
I talked about podcasts in a previous newsletter and blog post. They are so great because a podcast makes you feel like you are in the room with that person or group and are part of the conversation. You can refer to your fans as the audience and give them the inside scoop about what is going on with the band. Hawthorne Heights is currently doing this and it working out very well for them. They talk about current events, tour stories, upcoming shows, answer fan questions and much more. I personally love hearing about the behind the scenes of how my favorite bands operate and I’m sure many others do as well.
On top of having your own podcast you could ask to be a guest on an already established podcast and share your story or discuss a topic you find interesting. Here are some podcasts that I would recommend reaching out to be a guest. Don’t forget to do your research and listen to one or two episodes and make yourself familiar with the style of each podcast. The hosts will thank you for it!
Just tell them a bit about your band and what you would like to talk about. This would be good to do around the time of an upcoming release or tour so that their audience has time to check out what you are plugging.
Remember the worst anyone can say is no. If that happens, just move on and ask someone else.
Podcasting is huge now and you can definitely find someone to have you on their show. I recommend listening to The Podcast Dude to learn how to be a guest on a podcast or start your own — if that is something you decide to do. I personally use a Blue Microphones Snowball USB Microphone whenever I am on a podcast and it works great. I’m not a podcasting expert, thoughAaron Dowd is and if you reach to him on Twitter to ask a question about podcasting, tell him I sent you his way.
LAUNCH Music Conference 2017
This isn’t connecting with bands or fans online but it is something much better — a conference. I went to LAUNCH last year and had a blast! No pun intended. Meeting people face-to-face is the best way to connect and let people know what you are about. My mission at LAUNCH last year was to meet new people in the music industry, discover new bands, and just be a part of the community at the conference.
Of course, I printed business cards and promoted Hear&See, but that was just a bonus. I would ask the person I was talking to what they were doing at the conference first and what they were trying to get out of it. I made a lot of new friends and finally met some people I had been following on Twitter for a few years. You know who you are!
If you’re in a band you can register to play a LAUNCH right now. The conference is April 13th-16th, 2017. This is something that can enhance your career and expand your network. The more people that know about you and your band the better. Even if they aren’t buying your music, booking a show for you, or signing you to a label; them knowing you just adds to your reach and you being ubiquitous (seeming to be seen or talked about everywhere). I plan on going again in 2017 and I hope to see some of you there. 😃
This was originally sent to Hear&See newsletter subscribers. Read these articles before anyone else by subscribing.
If you enjoyed reading this and want to talk about music, growing your fanbase or want to hire Ian to work on a project you can email, or reach out to him on Twitter or Instagram.
YouTube exists for one purpose and it does that one thing very well. YouTube is where you go to upload and share videos with the world. It’s a simple idea that has brought together a global community of creative people in a way that wasn’t even possible two decades back, but the time has come for the world’s largest video community to think about the future and how they will empower their creators to keep the views counts rising for many years to come.
This week, YouTube announced the beta launch of a “Community” tab, which is intended to make it easier for content creators to engage with their audience. It’s not about video as much as it is building a better relationship with your viewers through a variety of updates. Creators can now use text, images and animated GIFs to engage fans between uploads.
Commenting about the launch in their official blog announcement, YouTube wrote:
“This is a first step and, with creator and fan feedback, we look forward to rolling out new features and functions as well as including more creators in the months ahead.
As creators, your ideas and feedback shape our platform, inspire new features, and help us decide what to prioritize. It’s you who ultimately build YouTube and as the new Community product shows, together, we make YouTube better for everyone.”
You can view a video detailing the launch and how it will impact at least one YouTube channel below:
It’s amazing the impact that Eleven (well, 011) from the Netflix show ’Stranger Things’ had made with so few lines. Played by Millie Bobby Brown, she said so much without using many words at all.
In a sea of online marketing tips and tactics, there is too much focus on frequent updates.
You should always be posting a photo, a link to a pre-order, and announcing upcoming shows. Post photos of new lyrics, and clips from the studio! Cross post to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and your Tumblr. Don’t forget Snapchat and your thrown together email list!
But what if your silence spoke volumes? In our current world of supply vs. demand, there is no shortage of “content” from countless bands and labels. Is your message like that of a someone on a street corner, shouting into a megaphone at people who are doing their best to ignore the noise?
When Eleven saved Mike from falling into the quarry, she had ONE word to say; “Go.” Yes, she broke the bullies arm with her mind which speaks many volumes, but there was no need for extra words. No speech. No long-winded talk. Just, “go.“
Is your music powerful enough to "break arms” without the need to constantly let everyone know, “hey, I can break arms!“
What about when Lucas Sinclair wanted he wanted to tell Mike’s mom? Forcefully closing a door with her mind was impressive. And again, another simple line. “No” was enough to get the rest of Eleven’s point across.
How impactful can your tour date announcements be if they’re cluttered with hashtags? That Instagram update auto-posted to Twitter saves you time, sure, but you know it looks like crap, right?
Again – it’s all about impact. A Nike commercial can show runners in various states of their workout, with no words, no narration, and then a simple tag-line at the end. “Just Do It” is iconic, of course, but that didn’t happen overnight. Heck, it took a minute for word to get out that Dillinger Escape Plan had a great live show (and they never had to Tweet about their “sick live show”).
If your updates look like, smell like, and are written like every other musical act out there, don’t be shocked when no one pays attention.
Seth Werkheiser is the quiz master of metal trivia at Skulltoaster. He’s also the founder of some music sites you may have heard of, including Noise Creep (2009) + Buzzgrinder (2001). He’s anti-Facebook, anti-clickbait, and anti-growth hacking. You should most definitely follow him on Twitter. Yes, right now.
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell chats with Ian Graham of Cheap Girls about his band’s upcoming album, ’God’s Ex Wife.’ This is not a typical album for the band, but in fact it is a collection of what Ian calls “other songs,” which for one reason or another have not been previously released. Ian tells James the story behind the compilation, why now is the time for an album like this to be released, and where he sees himself and the band going in the future. Being that Ian and James have both lived in Michigan, the two also discuss their home state and the way the music scene has changed in recent years.
The song you hear in this episode is “Better Thoughts Instead” performed by Cheap Girl. To purchase the song or hear it in full please head over to Cheap Girls’ online store.
You may already know this, but Inside Music is available on iTunes. Click here to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
The Vergeconfirmed earlier this week that some big changes are coming to Twitter in the weeks ahead. The news and opinion publication published a report yesterday that claims the social media platform is preparing to cut down on exactly which types of content count toward the platform’s 140-character limit. Beginning September 19, Media attachments such as images, GIFs, videos, polls, and quoted tweets will no longer reduce the count. Links, on the other hand, will still count for 23-characters.
Another change will be the exclusion of usernames from character counts on replies. When tweeting at or in response to another users that person’s Twitter handle will no longer count against the total number of characters allowed in a tweet.
It is unclear whether or not all these changes will happen simultaneously or if they will be spread out over a series of updates, but Twitter will at least begin the transition process next Monday.
“This is the most notable change we’ve made in recent times around conversation in particular, and around giving people the full expressiveness of the 140 characters,” CEO Jack Dorsey told The Verge in May. “I’m excited to see even more dialog because of this.”
Twitter previously considered extended the length of tweets beyond 140-characters, but the company later decided against the move. This change should satisfy those needing a bit more space without changing the way most people use/experience Twitter. We’ll bring you more news on any additional changes that may be happening as soon as more information is made available.
The following post is the latest in our ongoing content collaboration series with the fine folks at SonicBids. Enjoy!
Like a luxury car loaded down with options, recording with a ton of gear has some downsides. There’s a lot that can go wrong, and it’s expensive. What about stripping things down, all the way down, and recording your band with a single mic?
The Cowboy Junkies did it back in 1987 for their album The Trinity Session, and the results were solid enough that the record earned a four-star review from Rolling Stone, in which Anthony DeCurtis praises the consistent ambience in which “the entire record seems like one continuously unfolding song.”
But getting a good recording from a single mic seems like a tall order, and goes against everything we’ve been taught. Close mic’d drums, isolation booths, and attempts to eradicate any sort of bleed have been part of the business for recording artists almost forever.
Is it realistic to get a great sound with players gathered around a single microphone, and would that mic need to cost as much as that luxury car in the first paragraph? Yes… and no.
1. Pick a mic
Technology often does us the favor of reducing the price of things we need. You can get this Blue Microphones Yeti USB mic for under $140, and it’s made for just this sort of project. Of course, if you have access to a really nice large-diaphragm condenser mic, try that, too – but it needs to be a stereo microphone, like the Yeti.
If a stereo mic isn’t available, you might have to fall back on two condenser mics in the XY pattern (crisscrossing one another to form an X). Test your mic options and see what sounds best. You’re looking for clarity, even for the instruments that are farther from the mic capsule, and an ability to absorb nearer sounds (like lead vocals) without distorting.
2. Pick a space
The Cowboy Junkies set up in a church. Using a large room is preferred for this sort of project, like a lecture hall or auditorium. If that’s not an option, use a living room, complete with furniture and a TV.
It doesn’t matter where you go, but the room needs to sound good and be devoid of large outside noises like creaking radiators or someone mowing the lawn right outside the window. Avoid rooms with a lot of glass, and keep your single mic far away from any large windows.
3. Get everybody to play quietly
It’s absolutely critical that everyone in your band finds his or her quiet voice, a process that can be harder than it sounds. After all, the instruments need to be quiet enough that the players can hear your lead vocalist, and there needs to be a little headroom so you can all get a little louder on certain passages.
Drummers may want to switch to brushes. Guitarists may go acoustic. Bassists may turn to the upright. Practice something you’ve probably never practiced before: playing below conversational volume.
4. Create balance in the room
Once you’ve found the sweet spot in the room, arrange your instruments and players so that the loudest instruments are farther away. You lead singer needs to be closest to the microphone, close enough to hear vocal details, but not so close that sound from the instruments is blocked. Do test recordings and adjust the placement of your instruments until a good balance is achieved.
This is also the time to check for tripping hazards, tuck cords away, and remove extraneous sound sources from the area – vibrating phones in pockets, jingling wallet chains, or crunchy leather jackets. This will be a live recording, so breath sounds and creaky floors will be part of it. Don’t add any more sonic artifacts than you have to.
5. Record without telling your band
A live recording has to be as pressure-free and fun as possible to get everyone playing well at the same time. It goes without saying that you have to be well rehearsed, but you also need to be having a good time. Once your sound is good and your instruments are balanced, it’s time to discreetly press record and do some “practice” takes that could be the real deal. Work through all of your songs before anyone knows you’re recording. Chances are, some of these will be final takes.
Continue working until you have three takes of each song. More than that and people start to get bored with the material. Now you can sleep on it, leaving everything in position, and come back tomorrow for the enjoyable process of picking the best take. If you go zero-for-three on one of your songs, you can always track it a couple more times.
6. Resist the temptation to overdub
Remember that consistent mood that made the whole album feel like one song? You’ve just created that vibe for your recording… and you’ll ruin it by cutting and pasting stuff, adding overdubs, or editing the track for length (such as adding a fade-out). The beauty of live recordings is their immediacy and honesty. Glory in that, and make a record that will whisper in your fans’ ears.
Jesse Sterling Harrison is an author, recording artist, and part-time farmer. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, three daughters, and a herd of ducks.
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
Steinbeck’s The Catcher in the Rye is a timeless piece of American literature that has no doubt influenced generations of people. To this day there are schools all over the country assigning students to read the story of Holden Caufield, and in places where it is not considered required reading it is still being discovered by people searching for something that understands feelings of teenage angst and alienation. It would be easy for most to spend hours debating the best passages from the book, but as I was listening to Tidal Wave, the latest album from Long Island based rock band Taking Back Sunday, one quote in particular came to mind:
“The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”
Thinking back to the band’s landmark debut album, Tell All Your Friends, it’s hard to believe how far Taking Back Sunday have come. That record, which was lyrically born from heartache, angst, alienation, and the feeling of never being quite good enough, introduced Taking Back Sunday to the world as a group of passionate young men unsure of their place in the world. The use of violent imagery and brash honesty helped to emphasize their willingness to do anything in their power to find somewhere they could call home, despite the fact they seemingly had no idea what such a place would look like.
I was fourteen when Tell All Your Friends was released, and like countless youth across the globe I found myself feeling a connection to the band’s longing for peace and stability in this often turbulent world. I did not completely grasp all the stories of heartache or how they had unfolded, but I (thought I) knew the feeling of being brokenhearted enough to appreciate the sentiment of their lyricism. So much so, in fact, that I could often by found scribbling my favorite over-emotional lyrics onto notebook covers during class or referencing various song titles with a customized screen name on the once popular social networking site known as MySpace. For myself and others like me there had never been enough band that had so completely and uniquely captured the feeling of youthful discomfort as Taking Back Sunday, and as a result we became devoted followers of their message who would flock to shows far and wide to sing-a-long with our newfound heroes.
Time passed, and with each new album Taking Back Sunday continued to evolve without fully abandoning the concepts and sound that initially launched their career. The band documented new struggles with the same one of a kind perspective that had helped set their adolescent problems apart, but the wildfire of hype for each new creation was nothing like the first wave of praise the band had received. Some would claim Taking Back Sunday had a problem developing their sound in a way that was continually interesting, while others felt the decision to focus on problems beyond angst and bad relationships caused the band to lose some intangible edge. I never agreed with these critiques myself, but I did feel the band struggled to maintain the forward momentum of their first two records as the third, fourth, and fifth were shared with the world.
Then came Tidal Wave, which I was fortunate enough to hear for the first time about a month ago. It only took about three songs off the new record for me to realize that Taking Back Sunday had finally reached whatever creative pinnacle they had been striving towards since the release of ‘Tell All Your Friends.’ The boys who were willing to die as long as they could first prove themselves as gentleman have grown into the men who have willingly sacrificed their freedom for a life spent connecting with people all over the globe through their art. What they were once willing to die for has become the reason they continue living, and everyone – from the band to their fans – is better off as a result.
The thing no one ever tells you about growing up is how the loss of naivety through experience will impact the way you view every aspect of your life. The big things that once felt so important often take a backseat to simpler concepts like family and self-acceptance when one finally has a clear grasp of the finality of death. Whether realized through your own skirmishes or the struggles of those around you, most people do not fully appreciate the futility of life until they’ve felt the loss of one. Even then, finding how to push forward when you know full well you too will one day expire takes an immeasurable amount of strength that billions around the globe struggle to find on a daily basis. It’s a tough truth, but one that must be accepted in order to move forward, and you must move forward. If not, you are as good as dead.
This, and other ideas related to the constant passing of time and our inability to stop or slow it are what makes Tidal Wave something truly spectacular. Taking Back Sunday has created an album that can and will stand alongside Tom Petty’s Wildflowers and Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA as albums that perfectly capture the relentless enthusiasm of the human spirit. It’s the realization of what the group has been working toward for the better part of two decades, and it marks an ever-so-slight pivot in sound that should help the band to engage a larger share of the modern rock audience than their previous albums.
I believe Tidal Wave is the album Taking Back Sunday was put on this Earth to make, and hearing it gives me the strength to keep working towards my own goals. I might not know where I am headed, but I know I am doing what my soul tells me I need to be doing, and that’s good enough for now.
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 (RIP). 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.
