Month: May 2020

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News Podcasts

King Falcon appears on the latest Inside Music Podcast

king falcon band

Fast-rising New York duo King Falcon stop by Inside Music to discuss the challenges of promoting new music in the age of COVID-19.

The music business will never be like it was before March 2020. The spread of COVID-19 not only brought touring to a halt, but it also forced the industry to rethink its promotional efforts completely. Artists at every level of the music business found themselves challenged to make people care about their creativity without being able to meet and engage with them in person. When this era ends, the lessons gained from this time will continue to inform future promotional decisions. There is no going back, and it’s not worth it to try.

King Falcon is not an arena headlining band. The duo barely had a chance to make their name known before coronavirus brought the entertainment industry to a halt. Like many other indie artists, the group has to choose between pushing ahead in any way possible or doing their best to wait until the current pandemic ends. They believe constant progress is the key to establishing their name among the modern rock great, and they are working hard to find exciting ways to engage oversaturated social media users until live music returns.

Luckily, the music King Falcon produces is great. The band’s songs provide a much needed moment of escapism from our trying times. It’s the kind of wild, unpredictable rock that shakes your soul and moves your feet.

On this episode of Inside Music, host James Shotwell chats with fast-rising group King Falcon about the challenge of promoting new music in the age of COVID. King Falcon shares the difficulties they’ve been experiencing as a new group trying to be heard, but also the positives of needing to think outside the box when it comes to marketing. You can stream the group’s latest single, “Shake! Shake! Shake!,” wherever you find music.

Inside Music Podcast · King Falcon (Michael Rubin)

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Editorials Haulix Recommendations

Haulix Recommends: Behemoth – ‘A Forest’ EP

Black metal masters Behemoth are leveraging the attention garnered from their recent cover of The Cure to share their most exciting music to date.

Behemoth is a band that needs no introduction. For the better part of thirty years, the Polish metal titans have been blazing a trail entirely their own through the world of music. They are partially responsible for making black metal something people around the globe recognize as art, and they spare no expense in seeing just how far they can push themselves as both musicians and creatives. No two Behemoth offerings are the same, but the group’s latest, A Forest, is in a league all its own. 

A four-track release arriving just coronavirus cabin fever is setting in, A Forest speaks to Behemoth’s relentless pursuit of musical mastery. Highlighted by a cover of The Cure’s 1980 track “A Forest,” which appears twice (once as a studio cut and once as a live cut), the record showcases the group’s innate ability to make any idea their own. Behemoth builds on the already dark themes and energy of the original track to produce an expansive black metal offering that lures you into a brooding state of madness from where there is no escape. It’s a song you want to live inside, and the video plays like the arthouse horror film:

At the risk of overstating its brilliance, A Forest is Behemoth at their very best. Their cover of The Cure transforms a classic rock song into something far more sinister without sacrificing the core elements that make the track great, which is enough to warrant a purchase, but the EP also features two new songs that fans won’t soon forget. “Shadows ov Ea Cast Upon Golgotha” finds the group delivering a driving anthem with ferocious riffs and thundering drums, while the closer, “Evoe,” feels like a call to arms for the devil’s army. It’s the kind of heavy songwriter that inspires uprisings and leads to chaos in the streets. In other words, it’s precisely what we need.

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Industry News News Podcasts

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus appears on Inside Music #200

Ronnie Winter of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus stops by Inside Music to celebrate our podcasting milestone and share updates from COVID-19 lockdown.

Making a living in alternative music is a difficult task. Reaching the point of profitability and continuing to excel for five years is almost impossible. Continuing to grow and build an audience for nearly two decades is a feat so insurmountable most artists never come close to achieving it. Still, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is not most artists. The band learned early on that fans are as much as a factor in success as their songwriting, and they harnessed that understanding to establish themselves as one of the most widely-recognized names in rock worldwide.

Vocalist and founding member Ronnie Winter will be the first to tell you that hard work and fan engagement alone is not enough to produce a successful career in music. Luck also plays a much more significant role in success stories than many people are willing to admit. For every artist that gets ahead by engaging with fans and writing good songs, hundreds more utilizing the same techniques and never go anywhere. That is because most musicians are only as good as their fans, and how listeners react to music is what ultimately determines an artist’s fate. People can love a song, but do they like it enough to tell people about it? Do they align themselves with the group or artist so much that they feel intimately involved in that person’s career trajectory? These things matter just as much, if not more than having talent.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus treat fans as if they are members of the band. The group dedicates a large amount of time to reading and replying to messages, as well as interacting with followers through live events online. That devotion to their audience has produced a global following that is willing to go above and beyond to ensure RJA continues to create and deliver songs that matter, and no amount of marketing money or label involvement can duplicate that kind of artist-fan relationship.

To celebrate 200 episodes of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell shares a video chat with Red Jumpsuit Apparatus frontman Ron Winters. Ron tells James about his band’s enduring legacy in alternative rock, his work to engage with fans during COVID, and how the group’s recent single (“Brace Yourself“) became an unexpected quarantine anthem.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will release their highly anticipated new EP, Emergency, later this year.

Inside Music Podcast · The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Ronnie Winters)

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Industry News News

Why Joe Rogan’s Spotify Deal is GOOD for Musicians [Video]

Joe Rogan is taking his massively successful podcast to Spotify in an exclusive deal that is upending the entertainment business.

The Joe Rogan Experience is the most popular podcast on the planet. Each month, the show’s in-depth interviews earn 190 million downloads and generate over 300 million YouTube views. That engagement translates to a ton of cash for Rogan and every platform hosting his show, but soon fans will have only one place to turn for their JRE fix.

Spotify announced an exclusive partnership with Joe Rogan on Tuesday, May 19, that will bring both the audio and video version of his platform to the service by the end of 2020. News of the deal and Rogan’s rumored $100-million payday has upended every facet of the entertainment business, with executives and artists at every level wondering what the move means for the future of audio. After all, podcasting is huge, but is it 9-figures huge?

To put this deal into perspective, an artist promoting their music through Spotify would need at least 28 billion streams to earn that much money. Drake, the most successful artist in Spotify history, only crossed the 28 billion stream threshold in late 2019.

But the deal is done and there is no turning back. Artists will continue to complain, but we see a lot of good things developing as a result of this announcement. For starters, a more Spotify users raises the likelihood of increased streams and discovery. Then there is the video element to Rogan’s deal, which will require a massive UI update that creates a world of possibilities for all creators.

In this Music Biz News update, host James Shotwell breaks down Rogan’s deal and explores the many ways his Spotify partnership will help artists everywhere in time.

Get more of the latest music headlines and learn how to succeed as an artist by subscribing to our YouTube channel!

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Industry News News Podcasts

Little Hurt appears on Inside Music Podcast #199

Colin Dieden, otherwise known as Little Hurt, stops by Inside Music to discuss new beginnings and fighting the urge to run away from your problems.

The entertainment industry loves a comeback story. The secret most tales never reveal is that no one leaves in the first place. You may have a moment in the sun that gives way to time spent working behind the scenes, but everyone who seems to suddenly disappears never actually goes away. More often than not, they merely step back to refocus, reorganize, and plan the next phase of their career. Colin Dieden, better known to the world now as Little Hurt, is no exception.

In virtually any year before 2019, the world knew Colin Dieden as the frontman for The Mowglis. This thriving pop-rock group that built a strong following thanks to infectious melodies and memorable hooks. Colin eventually parted ways with the group, but not before establishing himself as one of the best living songwriters working in music today. That recognition provided the time he needed to figure out his next moves, which eventually brings us to where we are today.

Little Hurt is the project Colin Dieden was born to share. It’s an amalgamation of everything he’s experienced and learned throughout his life, and it’s delivered with a grounded sense of optimism that the world desperately needs. Dieden isn’t trying to sugar-coat the reality of existence in these uncertain times. Instead, he’s trying to shift our collective perspective to one that views challenges as an opportunity to grow and develop. You may consider it educational if it weren’t so likely to make you dance, but regardless, it’s going to make you think.

On the latest episode of Inside Music, host James Shotwell calls Colin to discuss his new project and living in the age of COVID. Colin is one of the best songwriters on the planet, and Little Hurt proves that his best work is still to come. The chat featured here covers the birth of Little Hurt, the story behind the band’s new single “Alaska,” and how the coronavirus is shifting release strategies throughout the music business.

Inside Music Podcast · Little Hurt (Colin Dieden)

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Industry News News

Inside The First Socially Distant Concert [Video]

A new era of live music kicked off in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on Monday, May 18. The crowd was ready, the artists were thrilled, but no one could ignore the elephant in the room.

Everyone asking when America would see live music return caught a glimpse of what the immediate future holds Monday night, May 18, when Bishop Gunn frontman Travis McCready hit the stage at TempleLive in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Hailed as the first “socially distant” concert, the performance welcomed a tiny crowd into a massive space with new rules put in place to keep everyone safe from COVID-19.

The capacity for the TempleLive performance was 229, a fraction of the venue’s standard 1000. Though its unclear how many tickets were sold, photos and videos of the event reveal people scattered throughout the site in what Ticketmaster is calling “fan pods.” The concept, which is likely to gain popularity in the months ahead, allows consumers to purchase enough tickets to sit with friends without allowing other attendees to sit too close.

Other new ideas implemented for the event included temperature checks for all attendees, limits on bathroom occupancy, and the placement of twenty-five sanitation stations throughout the venue.

In our latest Music Biz News update, host James Shotwell takes us inside TempleLive in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to learn how the event came together, what it looked like, and we may lie ahead for the future of live music.

Until there is a vaccine for coronavirus that is widely available to the general public we will likely see more “socially distant” concerts taking place. Whether or not they look like this event is anybody’s guess. Hosting live music in the age of COVID is an experiment, and anyone attending is a test subject. Rules and regulations will shift as needed to ensure the safety and comfort of the crowd. If that doesn’t feel safe to you, go ahead and stay home. Music is resilient. The concerts you dream of will inevitably return. We’re just not sure when that will happen.

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Editorials News Recommendations

Haulix Recommends: Best Ex – ‘Good At Feeling Bad’

Combining equal parts heartache and hopefulness, the enchanting new EP from Best Ex will make you dance and cry, possibly at the same time.

Oh, to be young and finding yourself under the (pre-COVID) lights of New York City. It sounds like a fantasy to many, one that movies and books explore repeatedly, but for Mariel Loveland, it’s a real-life experience. She’s overcoming heartache and learning what matters most to her in a place where the possibilities are endless, and she captures every sensation on Good At Feeling Bad, the latest EP from Best Ex.

Not one to fall into the tropes of Bukowski or Salinger that entangle many of her musical peers, Loveland’s style of storytelling is one of wide-eyed optimism presented in the face of uncertainty with unabashed honesty. She’s neither the hero nor the villain in her journey. Her perspective is that of a world traveler that has felt the overwhelming joy of mass acceptance and the cold chill of failure. Good At Feeling Bad is about what comes after all that, which is where the real adventure begins. Loveland knows anything is possible, and she’s open to whatever the next chapter entails.

“Gap Tooth (On My Mind),” the opening track and recent single, places the notion of caring for one’s self front and center. It begins as any breakup song would, with an evident longing for a connection that has recently severed, but as the first verse gives way to the chorus, a more grounded and rational way of thinking emerges. Loveland’s broken heart is begging for something immediate to soothe the wound, such as a kiss from a stranger or a night lived with reckless abandon, but her mind knows better. Life has taught her that trying to fill the void the exists when someone you love leaves with anything less than a more significant emotional connection will ultimately lead to a pang of more profound sadness. A wild night might be fun, but the next day she will wake with the same longing in her soul, so what is the point?

Later, on “Lemons,” Loveland breaks from the adage of making lemonade to suggest biting the lemons life serves instead. That message, which is mirrored on the track “Bad Love,” perfectly encapsulates how age and experience are informing her perspective on life. You can go through your time on this planet sugar-coating reality to make it more palatable, or you can face challenges head-on and learn from them. The music of Best Ex tells us that running from the truth never gets you very far and that real growth stems from putting in the work to be the person you are to become. 

But Loveland isn’t foolish enough to believe such decisions are easy. “Feed The Sharks,” for example, ruminates on the feelings of regret and unease that follow difficult choices. She understands that knowing what you should be doing and following through with it are two different things. Personal development is not a straight path. It’s a complex web of choices and feelings that rage like tornadoes in our chest, and even when we do what is best for us, we often feel bad. Luckily, she’s getting good at living with that feeling.

Haulix Recommends is a recurring feature where the Haulix staff chooses one or more recent releases from their clients. Click here to discover more great music being promoted through Haulix.

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Haulix Industry News News

Join Haulix for a FREE Music PR Panel This Thursday, May 21

Haulix is kicking off a new digital webinar series by bringing together three premiere rock music publicists for a free panel later this week.

Coronavirus has prevented thousands of events from happening, including a wide variety of music conferences. We know that nothing in the digital space can replicate the feeling of rubbing shoulders with your industry peers, but we are doing our best to keep the spirit of education and networking alive during these uncertain times.

Haulix LIVE! is a new digital webinar series brought to you by Haulix, the industry standard for music promotion. Each free event will feature conversations with leaders in music promotion and publicity, and it all kicks off this Thursday, May 21, with a panel on rock music PR. Click here to register.

About our panelists:

Amy Sciarretto is the queen of all things at Atom Splitter PR. She’s worked with everyone and has the stories to prove it. Her current clients include Trivium, Killswitch Engage, Alice Cooper, Falling In Reverse, and recent GRAMMY-nominees I Prevail. There is no problem she cannot solve, and no group she cannot break.

Charley Bezer is the VP of PR at Cosa Nostra Publicity. She has a reputation for helping alternative bands receive mainstream attention, and she sets the bar for determination. Her recent work with Dance Gavin Dance resulted in a number one placement on the US album sales chart, as well as multiple appearances on other influential charts, both stateside and around the world.

Maria Ferrero is an internationally-recognized music publicity maven and CEO of Adrenaline PR. Her resume reads like a who’s who of famous rock artists from all corners of the genre. She’s currently working with Lamb Of God to promote their highly-anticipated tenth studio album, as well as numerous other bands.

These three PR powerhouses have never sat on a panel together before, and you can be there to learn from their combined experiences FOR FREE. Click here to register for our event.

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Industry News News

Dropkick Murphys to play fan-less concert at Fenway Park with Bruce Springsteen

The era of concerts without fans is upon us, and the Dropkick Murphys are leading the revolution with an event at one of America’s most iconic venues.

The Dropkick Murphys are a forward-thinking group that has built their career on songs for the working class that finds thematic roots in topics like immigration, acceptance, and family. They write music for people caught in the struggle of life, which right now, is everyone.

Back in March, Dropkick Murphys delivered an excellent live stream concert to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day after COVID-19 canceled their scheduled performances in Boston. It was one of the first multi-cam events of its kind in the coronavirus era, and it set the bar for digital production. Now, the band is going to do it again, albeit in a much bigger way.

Dropkick Murphys return Friday, May 29, for their Streaming Outta Fenway free live stream performance. The band will be joined (remotely) by longtime friend Bruce Springsteen for a unique “double play” of one DKM song and one Springsteen song. The full-electric performance–with no live audience–will be simulcast worldwide from Fenway Park in Boston on Friday, May 29 at 6:00 PM Eastern Time / 3:00 PM Pacific Time on the band’s Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Twitch pages. The event will raise money for multiple charities and is presented by Boston-area tech company Pega, a leading provider of digital transformation software.

The Streaming Outta Fenway performance from Dropkick Murphys is one in a long history of shows the band has played at the park, but it will be the first–and possibly the only–time that a band plays on the baseball diamond at Fenway Park. The infield dirt is considered “sacred ground” to baseball fans, but with the baseball season on hold because of COVID-19, an exception has been made for the beloved Boston band. 

The first-ever live-streamed music performance from the venerated ballpark adds a new chapter to Fenway’s music history, with two of its foremost history-makers. Dropkick Murphys have rallied the fans for the Red Sox’ four World Series championships this century, as well as headlining Fenway in 2011. Bruce Springsteen performed the first-ever ballpark-wide concert at Fenway back in 2003. The event also marks the first music performance without an in-person audience at a major U.S. arena, stadium or ballpark.

During the live stream, a text-to-donate campaign will support three non-profits: Boston Resiliency Fund, Feeding America®, and Habitat for Humanity, Greater Boston. 

The Dropkick Murphys live stream will be directed by the band’s longtime friend Josh Adams from MindPool Live, who has also directed two  DKM concert films. Leading online video hosting platform Brightcove will distribute the live stream across the web.

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Industry News News

Are Music Business Degrees Worth Student Loan Debt? [Video]

With high school graduations taking place around the country, the latest episode of Music Biz considers whether or not aspiring music professionals need higher education.

People born in the late-1900s and early-2000s grew up believing that college was an essential stepping stone to a good life. If you want a high paying job, then you need a degree. If you want good job security, then you need to specialize. If your career path requires networking, then no place has more people hoping to become someone worth knowing than the campus of any college and university on the planet.

But times have changed. As student loan debt cripples generations of adults, young people today are rethinking the value of a college education. Most will agree that a degree is a must-have item in specific fields, such as engineering and medicine, but what music is another story altogether. For every person who excels through the music industry ranks thanks in part to their degree, someone else gets ahead thanks to hard work and strong digital networking skills.

Nearly every week, we receive questions from readers, listeners, and viewers about the importance of earning a degree in the music business. The answer is not simple, but today, we are going to do our best to put the issue to rest.

On the latest episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell examines the value of earning a degree in the music business. He looks at how industry programs vary between schools, the challenges presented by skipping college, and one major thing that both paths to success require individuals to do if they want to get ahead.

The short answer is that there are no simple answers. A college graduate and a hardworking person building a name for themselves outside the education system often have an equal shot at landing a career. What separates most future professionals is a combination of talent and determination, not to mention heart, and how motivated a person is to give their all to the industry.

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