I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, video is the future of communication. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but from everything I’ve seen in 2016 it appears to be an undeniable truth. In a time where fake news is causing a kind of global disruption we have never really witnessed before, video driven content can be a powerful tool for shaping the dialogue around pretty much anything.
There will always be a need for the written word, so please do not consider this post as a reason to slack off or stop writing every day. You need to write, but you also need to recognize the fact that people are consuming more information than ever these days through many more channels than ever before. A good amount of people still read the news, but many also listen to news related podcasts and watch lengthy video editorials about hot topics. Some learn everything they carry with them each day through video segments shared over Facebook. You can believe that is a good thing or not, but that doesn’t change the fact its true, and if you want to continue growing your audience in the new year you’re going to need to focus more on video. Here’s why:
Video helps people know, like, and trust you.
One of the coolest things about the internet has always been the fact it enables everyone to have a voice and share their opinion. As social media has taken off and further empowered this idea the ability for any one writer or thinker to stand out has become incredibly difficult. Discerning one writer’s work from another when most are communicating in 140 characters or less can be hard on consumers, but there is no denying who you are when you put yourself on video for the world to see. By presenting your thoughts and opinions through video you are able to establish a connection with your audience that the written world simply cannot duplicate. People will feel like they know you even they you have never met, and if you choose to broadcast live you can interact with your audience in real time (something, again, that written word cannot offer).
Videos can humanize you in a way the written word cannot
There is no escaping troll culture. No matter where you go or what you write there will inevitably some – likely anonymous – commenter who tells you that you are somehow a lesser than them and the rest of the human race. It happens to everyone everywhere online and making video content will not change that, but it can lead to a more immediate connection between you and your audience. People seeking out information online regarding the things they love are looking to hear that information from people who share their passion, and our brains are wired in such a way that we make that judgment far faster visually than we do through text. You can give the appearance of looking smart and informed far easier than you can make people believe you know what you’re talking about through text. Again, this is both a good and bad thing, but it’s a truth nonetheless. By putting yourself front and center you are inviting the audience to experience life with you, as well as through you, and if they enjoy that journey they will stick around, binging your updates as if they were the latest Netflix original series.
People are consuming more and more content on the go, and most of what they consume is video.
The Ericsson Mobility Report highlights how 50 percent of mobile data traffic currently comes from video, and in 2016 that number is expected to rise to 52%. Reuters predicts video will grow 14 times within five years and account for 70 percent of mobile network traffic. You can debate whether or not written word provides more depth and detail, but there is no denying what these numbers tell us about how consuming behavior is changing in the digital age. People want video, and there are no signs of that trend changing in the coming years.
If you don’t embrace video you will get left behind. It’s that simple.
Jason Bales and his brother, Justin, began their adventure in music writing as a way to share their love of rock music with the world. Those simple ambitions quickly turned into something greater, and not long after an early version of what would eventually become Face The Noise was born. Covering all areas of rock, the Bales brothers use their site to connect with music fans all over the world with a clean site design and timely updates. We recognized their passion for writing the moment we set eyes on their site, and we knew immediately that we wanted to capture their journey while it was still in its infancy.
HAULIX: Thanks for doing this, Jason. Can you start by telling me the origin story of Face The Noise?
Jason: Absolutely! Thanks for having me. Face The Noise really started a few years ago under the name ‘Rokonnection.’ My brother, Justin, and I were playing video games one summer day, bored out of our minds, and we decided to start a website devoted to rock music. At the time, we were pretty one-sided with what we listened to. Both of us were still in high school, and my computer skills were at a pretty beginner level, but nonetheless, Rokonnection launched and actually had a little bit of success. It wasn’t until a couple years into my college career that I decided to take it seriously. Rokonnection seemed too one-sided, so a name change was in order. After all, there are plenty of great genres of music other than rock. I graduated with a degree in Music Business and Philosophy, and after graduation started up Face The Noise. It has actually only been active for about two months, and we are starting to get back to where we were, as far as views are concerned (content quality surpassed Rokonnection immediately), with the other website.
H: Is there any story behind the name or how you settled on it?
J: The name actually just came to me. Rokonnection took quite a bit of back and forth between Justin and I, but Face The Noise popped into my head without any warning. I loved it immediately and just stuck with it.
H: I know you cover a variety of genres/styles on your site. How would you describe your blog to someone who had never visited it before?
J: Our blog currently does not have the manpower to keep up-to-date with every little thing that happens in the music world. However, we pride ourselves on outstanding and well-written content and an as unbiased as possible view. Our bread and butter, if you will, is our reviews and interviews. We strive to make them interesting and fun to read or listen to.
H: Is there one genre in particular that you feel you cover better than others, or is there a certain type of feature that you feel is the best example of your publication?
J: Absolutely. Face The Noise covers rock and metal more than any other genre, and that is because of my background. I’ve been working with rock and metal publicists for years now, so I obviously have a lot more relationships formed in that area. I’m hoping that the other genres will catch up by 2017, so if you are a publicist that handles genres other than rock or metal, feel free to contact us!
H: What was the first thing you wrote about on your site, and how did that set the tone for what you do today?
J: Oh, wow. I honestly can’t remember what the first thing I wrote for Rokonnection was, but I do remember setting up an interview with Hollywood Undead. Remember, we were very beginner at this stage in our lives. Justin, Kyle (my best friend), and I started looking into doing interviews and what not. We had a couple under our belts, but nothing as big as Hollywood Undead. Their publicist hooked us up with an interview at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it was one of the greatest moments of my life. We went backstage and met the band. The interview went well. Everyone was so down to earth. That was probably when I really realized how cool this hobby (it is a hobby until you get paid, right?) really is. I think this really pushed me to succeed because I wanted more experiences like that.
H: What separates Face The Noise from similar music blogs?
J: Going back to a couple of questions ago, our well-written content and unbiased perspective is quite unique. Without stepping on any toes, I see a few music websites and blogs that tend to look more towards what one might consider ‘click-bait.’ Face The Noise will never let that happen. Of course, our social media may attempt to intrigue a viewer to click into an article, but that article will always be exactly as advertised. The content will be relevant and well thought out. I saw an article the other day while scrolling through Facebook, by a rather large music publication, that had a title something along the lines of “[insert band name] sucks, finally set to retire.” That is as rude as it is unentertaining. I’m sure it picked up quite a few clicks, but at what cost? We treat music as art at Face The Noise.
H: On the topic of blogging, there are some who say the necessity for music sites is dwindling as social media becomes the launching pad for the majority of conversation online. Why do you feel blogs still matter?
J: I think that blogs, at least the good ones, provide knowledge and information that some random Joe on Facebook could never provide. Album reviews and interviews are engaging and entertaining. The same is generally not said of Facebook comments or Twitter tweets. This may come off as egocentric, but music websites provide a bit of expertise in the subject.
H: You obviously receive a lot of advance music for consideration on your site. What service do you prefer and why?
J: The absolute best way to receive music is through the mail. Absolutely nothing beats opening a package and finding a brand new CD to listen to. That said, bands just do not have the money, and publicists do not have the time, to do that sort of thing any more. It is changing rapidly with streaming and what not. Haulix is great, as far as online music promotion services go. I promise no one paid me to say that! I hear a lot of good things around the publicist community about it, and it is so much better than getting an album through Dropbox.
H: Are you currently hiring at your site? If so, how can people submit an application?
J: Well, let’s define “hiring.” If by hiring you mean providing volunteer writers and photographers with a relaxed atmosphere to share their work, then yes. Money will not be involved. Simply put, we aren’t currently making any money. If we ever start, so will our staff members. An application can be submitted under the “Jobs” (and we use that term loosely) section of the website.
H: What are your longterm goals for Face The Noise? Short term (year or less)?
J: Our long-term goal would have to be to become the best music website in the world. We want nothing less. I would love for this to become much more than a hobby. As far as short-term goes, it would be cool to start picking up a couple extra writers and expand our content, increase the number of interviews we have on YouTube, get a few extra e-mails every day, finally get to exclusively premiere a song, and meet Tyler and Josh from Twenty One Pilots. The last goal is the only one that should take more than a year.
H: What’s the easiest way for people to keep up with everything you do?
J: Social media – Our Facebook and Twitter for news and reviews, and YouTube for interviews.
It has been way too long since we updated our Blogger Spotlight series, but whatever delays have come up in recent months end today. We have a string of interviews with the next generation of music writing leaders to share in the coming weeks, and we think among them will be one or two people whose work you soon come to depend on in order to know everything great in the world of entertainment. We only promote the sites and people we believe in, so you can rest assured that if you’re learning of them here on Haulix Daily then there is something to their work worth reading. We get the future we support, and this is our way of hoping to influence a positive change in how we discuss music. Enjoy.
Jessica Klinner has been building her reputation in the worlds of alternative music and journalism for several years now, but 2016 has found her coming of age in a big way. After taking lead of Highlight Magazine earlier in the year Jessica has continue to carve a path for herself in this industry that has quickly established her as one of the more knowledge and intelligent voices found within the world where Warped Tour mainstays and pop-rock newcomers collide. We turn to Jessica’s work whenever we need to find the next band who will remind us of the positive power music can wield, but also to learn about the young writers she has chosen to take under her wing. Few websites have a contributing staff as talented and driven as Highlight, and Jessica’s work behind-the-scenes is partly responsible for that. Here, in a rare discussion about her journey, Jessica tells us how she made it this far, and offer a quick tease as to where she may be headed in the future.
Haulix: Hello, Jessica. How are you doing today? Is it as hot there as it is here in Minneapolis?
Jessica: I’m doing great! I don’t know how hot it’s been in Minneapolis, but it feels like Satan’s armpit here in central Alabama! The humidity is absolutely stifling. Hopefully you’re not experiencing heat to that awful of a degree!
H: You have a long history with Highlight Magazine. Can you tell us how you first learned of the site, and when you initially joined the team?
J: I’ve been involved with Highlight since the very beginning. I was brought on as a writer before the first issue launched in April of 2012. I had been following co-founder Ashley Osborn on Tumblr because I was a fan of her photography. She posted that she was starting an online magazine and needed writers and photographers to join the team. I had just finished my first semester of college and had no clue what I wanted to do with my English degree at the end of my undergraduate career. At the time, I had dreams of becoming a photographer, but didn’t think I was anywhere near good enough to shoot shows for an outlet. Instead, I submitted an essay I wrote for a college scholarship (because it was the only writing sample I had up to that point) and got an email about a month later asking me to join the writing team. They must have not had very many writers apply because I’m pretty sure that essay was terrible haha!
H: You’re a great writer, so I imagine you wouldn’t have much trouble finding a place willing to share your work. What made Highlight the place for you?
J: Thank you! At the time that I joined Highlight, no content had even been published on the site and no issues had been released so I wasn’t sure what I was getting into–I just knew that I wanted to write. Since the beginning, Highlight has been based around positivity and highlighting the genuine artists in the music industry. That was set in place when I joined the team and I loved that concept. Throughout my time at Highlight, that focus has become even more important to me because of how negative the industry can be. I also just loved the community surrounding Highlight. We were all just a bunch of kids working on a passion project. So many of our contributors have gone on to do amazing things in the industry.
H: You’re now at the helm of the site. When did that happen, and how?
J: I took over the site in April of this year. Jenn Stookey (former editor in chief) and Cara Bahniuk (co-founder and art director) had been discussing the possibility of stopping the monthly issues. They approached me to see if I was up for taking over the site because they didn’t want Highlight to end completely. I had been serving as managing editor for the magazine for over a year and was more than ready and willing to take over.
H: For those who have never run a site before, can you give us a rundown of your duties and responsibilities?
J: Absolutely! I spend most of the day replying to emails and sending out pitches for future features. This is probably my favorite thing to do because I love connecting with people in the music industry and discovering new artists/bands. All this is done between juggling my real job functions at an 8-5. When I get home, I normally answer more emails and schedule posts for the next day. I also edit through all the posts, set up photo shoots, request photo passes for our photographers, and many more things I’m currently forgetting about.
H: How would you describe Highlight Magazine to someone who has never heard of it before?
J: Well first and foremost we are a website focused on positivity and highlighting the genuine artists in the industry. When Highlight first began, we were mainly focused on the Warped Tour scene, but as editors have changed, we have grown outside of that and now cover a wide variety of genres. We LOVE featuring up-and-coming acts and running fun features. We aren’t so much focused on news posts as we are presenting quality content to our readers.
H: Now that you no longer publish a digital monthly magazine, what are the main draws of the site that separate Highlight from your competition?
J: When we were putting out our monthly issues, we used all in-house photographers for every single feature that we did. There were exceptions at times because of scheduling conflicts and other complications, but I’d say out of the 50 issues we produced, 98% of the photographs were taken by our staff photographers. When we moved to just a website, I was nervous that we would lose that. I wanted to still be able to give our photographers the chance to do photo shoots with bands, but didn’t know if publicists would be up for it since we were no longer doing the issues. Luckily because of the history we have, our photographers have still been able to do photo shoots with bands.
Also we really try to feature all different types of artists. We want to expose our readers to artists and bands who love what they do. You won’t find us featuring a band that has a bad reputation. We really want to give credit where credit is due. We don’t post as much news as I’d like, but I’m really proud of the content that is posted on the site every day.
H: Looking toward the future, where do you see Highlight Magazine in a year from now? Two years?
J: Before the end of this year, I want to go live with a brand new website. We are in desperate need of a digital face lift at Highlight. Beyond that, I would love for us to be able to get to a point where we can pay our contributors. It’s something we’ve been trying to work out for years, but just haven’t been able to make it happen yet. And in a dream world, I would love to go back to making monthly issues and get Highlight in print. That’s the ultimate goal.
H: What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were just getting started in music writing?
J: It’s not as glamorous as you think. I was drawn to music writing because I read Alternative Press religiously and looked up to the editors and writers who were on staff at the time. But as I got more and more involved in the industry, I started to see through the facade and realized that everything is not as it seems. The bands you look up to aren’t always the nicest and people are often more concerned about money and sales than featuring bands that deserve recognition.
H: If the site disappears tomorrow (and we hope it doesn’t), what would be your favorite memory from the you spent working on it?
J: There’s been so many, but I think my favorite memory would be just getting to know all of the contributors. I’ve made some really great friends through Highlight, and I get to visit with many of them on a regular basis and meet new ones whenever I travel. I wouldn’t be who I am without Highlight, and I’m so thankful to Jenn and Cara for giving me a shot at running the site 🙂
Look, we get it. You may have read the headline above and scoffed when you saw we were trying to get you to read about a website with the word ‘crap’ in its name, but trust us – this one is worth you time.
Corey Kleinsasser may have an interesting approach to developing a brand for his work, but that is only one of the things that makes him unique in the world of writing. Kleinsasser has found a way to penetrate the world of concert reviews, which has been overflowing with contributors for the better part of the decade, with unique insight informed by an almost constant presence at live events. Concert Crap scours the world of live performance for the best and most peculiar stories, including those that involve acts most of the world has yet to discover. The site’s inclusive approach to coverage, coupled with their clear passion for helping developing talent, has made their front page one of the many bookmarks we keep in our browsers, and we believe after learning of Corey’s journey you will become a regular visitor as well. Enjoy:
HAULIX: Thanks for agreeing to chat with me, Corey. Let’s start with the history of your website. When did you first decide you wanted to write about music?
Corey: I first started Concert Crap in October 2013, initially for a class in college. I had always wanted to start a blog even before and this was a good excuse to, and to continue even after the class ended. I had gone to many concerts before, during and after the class ended and at first it was going to be just journal entries to look back on years later but it grew into so much more.
H: Is this site your first blog, or did you start somewhere else and step out on your own?
Corey: This is my first blog and writing gig. I have always had a passion for writing and music so this was the perfect combination.
H: Concert Crap is a pretty straightforward name for a music blog. Why did you choose it?
C: Honestly, it was the first thing that came to my mind when thinking of a name. “Concert Stuff” sounded pretty boring, and crap was a little more appealing.
H: From a marketing/business perspective it seems like the name of your site might limit your reach and the type of artists you’re able to work with. Have you found that to be true at all?
C: My only negative experience from this was one artist representative tell me that the name wasn’t very appealing, and it did get me thinking that it may not be the best title, but there has been much more positive feedback from it than negative. People usually have to do a vocal double take and ask again what the name is. But when they do, they say it’s a great name.
H: We should probably discuss the content of your site if we’re going to talk about its appeal. How would you explain the content found on Concert Crap to someone who has never visited your site before?
C: We focus on all things music. The biggest thing we do is interview artists. Many up and coming, and some you may know. We cover all types of genres. We also review albums, shows, songs, have show and tour announcements, photo galleries, and recently we’ve been adding talk show segments to engage more with our users and each other.
H: You claim to be someone who has attended many concerts. How many would you say you’ve seen, and which was your first?
C: I’ve gone to at least 100 concerts in my lifetime. My first was in 2004 and the local radio station here in Southern California, KROQ, hosted their annual summer concert Weenie Roast. The first band that played was one of my favorites at the time, and still now, Story of the Year. Others that played were Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yellowcard, New Found Glory, The Hives, Velvet Revolver, and more.
H: How often do you go to shows? How about your staff as a whole?
C: During previous years I used to go to 2-5 shows a month. It’s been cut down recently to 1-3 shows a month because I have a full time job on time of Concert Crap and a girlfriend and others I enjoy spending time with outside of music. The Concert Crap staff usually goes to about 3-7 shows a month at the moment but we’re definitely going to increase that number soon.
H: Has there been any one band to really impress you in a live setting this year?
C: From Ashes to New is an amazing band to see live. I just recently saw Myka Relocate for the second time, as well as interview them a second time before their set and their great dudes on and off the stage. I saw both of these bands at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, both play to a small crowd, but I hope both can become much bigger than that over the next few years.
H: You do offer a lot of content that is not coverage of live events. Are there any specific genres/styles you focus your editorial efforts around?
C: Usually, I enjoy interviewing bands that I want to get to know more on a personal level. I’m very much into the post hardcore, metal, metalcore scene and I always love covering those artists to get to know them better. Those seem to be the artists that I get many press releases for as well. But we are open to all genres and artists.
H: There are a lot of music blogs right now. More than ever before, in fact. What sets your site apart from the rest?
C: We cover artists that you know and many you may not know. We post consistently on our social medias and engage with our audience and cater to many of their needs. We share their content and ask for their opinions on many things in music. Come for the artists you know and stay for the ones you may not know. We’re just like the casual fan and are viewing a explaining everything through your eyes.
H: How do you market your website and its content? Have any methods shown better results than others?
C: We cover all the major social media platforms. Instagram is the one we have the most fans on and the one we post the most for. We always post breaking music news and entertaining content to keep our fans happy, not just on Instagram but all our socials. I have yet to try to advertise since I haven’t made enough money to do that quite yet.
H: There are currently no ads on your site. Do you have plan to monetize your work moving forward?
C: When we gain more traffic I driven to the site we can monetize for ads. I’m hoping that will be very soon.
H: You obviously receive a lot of advance music for consideration on your site. What service do you prefer and why?
C: I LOVE Haulix. It seems to be the easiest advance music site. It’s very neat and clean. Organization is key and I’m just like this in person. Everything fits on one page and it’s visually appealing. If I need to download the album, it’s quick and very easy to use.
H: Are you currently hiring at your site? If so, how can people submit an application?
C: Yes, we are always hiring for writers and photographers. They can contact me at corey.kleinsasser@gmail.com.
H: What are your long term goals for (I think you meant Concert Crap) Face The Noise? Short term (year or less)?
C: I am hoping that I can eventually do this full time with a full time staff. If we can have our own business space that would be even better. My short term goals are just to keep growing it as much as I can at a greater speed than I currently am.
H: What’s the easiest way for people to keep up with everything you do?
C: Follow us on all our social medias and Youtube and always visit our site consistently as we’re ramping up content much more than ever.
The Haulix blog was founded as a way to support the people who make it possible for us to do what we love. A service like ours only succeeds if both the clients and their customers/contacts are happy with the platform we provide. Word of mouth means everything in a buyer’s market, and we believe it is only fitting that we do our part to promote the dreams and releases of those who support our own ambitions. Establishing a career in music is hard enough as is, so we figure it’s best if we all stick together and help one another whenever possible.
Jay Encina, founder of Noise Barrage, is someone who didn’t necessarily start writing about music with the intention of making such work his career. Jay knew of a friend from another hobby who needed some contributors to further develop his own music blog, and Jay reached out to help. One things lead to another, and before he knew it Jay had fallen in love, but finding a reliable outlet for his writing proved to be harder than initially thought. The first site he joined eventually fell apart, as did the one he joined after that. Frustrated, but still wanting to make a name for himself in music, Jay ultimately settled on doing his own thing, which came with the added bonus of becoming his own boss. Now Jay could control the flow of content, as well as the longevity of the site itself, and that is what he continues to do to this day.
I first encounter Jay’s writing on a whim. Every now and then, whenever we have time to seek out new talent to highlight, I scour the music blogosphere using various Google phrases to seek out sites and writers whose work I’ve never read. On one such occasion several months back it was Jay’s name that came up, and I immediately made a mental note of the clear love for music that radiates from every post he makes. I believe Jay is still very much developing his own voice, but he has a clear passion for writing that will carry him until he hammers out any professional refinement his craft may need. As far as the future of music bloggers go, Jay is one of the brightest minds I’ve come across, and I feel in time his ability to connect with readers will become better still.
Recently, Jay accepted an offer from us to appear here on the Haulix blog. You can read highlights from the conversation that followed below. Afterward, visit Noise Barrage and add the site to your bookmarks.
H: Hello, Jay. Please introduce yourself, the site you call home, and your role at that publication to our readers…
J: My name is Jay Encina and I run Noise Barrage. I pretty much do everything on Noise Barrage. News posting, interviews, writing reviews, running the social media accounts… you name it, I do it.
H: We are thrilled to have you on the blog. I’ve been following your work for a few months now and I like the content your outlet is creating. When did you originally take an interest in music writing, and how long was it before you stepped out with a site of your own?
J: You know I really wouldn’t be able to pin point when my interest in music writing began exactly. I love writing in general. I used to write poems, short stories, etc. That kind of stuff. Music has always been a part of my life and I used to play in bands when I was a teenager. I guess I could say my interest in music writing began when I started getting into music magazines like Alternative Press and Revolver Magazine. I remember, I have always been drawn to the music review sections of those two publications. Those sections inspired me so much that one day, I just started writing my personal views on whatever albums or artists I was listening at that time. It started off as just some sort of private thing I do and I have never intended to post it online. I started doing it “professionally” when a friend of mine from another online hobby started his own music blog. It was called Butcher’s Block Entertainment and he needed some help in doing music reviews so I volunteered to do it. BBE closed a few months after I joined so I looked around for sites that was needing some sort of help. I was still so green so I never went after big publication jobs so I jumped in on another smaller one named What Counts Media. From my time there is when I met my good friend and New Jersey-based photographer Steph Malfatto. As I did in BBE, I was a music reviewer on What Counts Media. Just like BBE, What Counts closed down after a couple of months of me jumping on board. Frustrated, I just started doing my own thing. By then, my life was getting a bit hectic so I’ve had a series of starting up and closing down before I settled on Noise Barrage.
H: There are a ton of music blogs in existence right now, so why not join an already established site instead?
J: This might come out as something negative, but I’m a control freak. I’ve always wanted to be in charge and I figured, if I want to be able to cover and write whatever I want without any site owners or editors vetoing it, I need to put up and run my own site so I can have complete creative freedom with it.
H: What do you feel separates your site and its content from other blogs and zines covering the same areas of music?
J: It’s based on my own musical taste. This may sound harsh but I listen to every single music that is e-mailed to me by publicists or labels and if I don’t like it, you will not see it up on Noise Barrage. I do Noise Barrage for my own happiness and not for anyone else. Noise Barrage is 100% me and it also shows in the style and quality of music I feature on the site.
H: If you had to pitch Noise Barrage to someone who had never seen or heard of the site before, how would you describe it?
J: It’s the best of both worlds. Noise Barrage features your favorite mainstream bands alongside some of the best, obscure, up-and-coming bands out there. It is also a work of passion and dedication from a music fan who chose to give back to the industry that has pulled him out of some the darkest moments in his life without asking anything, not even monetarily, in return.
H: What are your goals for Noise Barrage? Please feel free to tell us those that are both short and long term in nature.
J: I really don’t have any long term plan for Noise Barrage. The site was conceived out of passion and, at the moment, I see the site as a hobby, an outlet to express my musical views and not really a career. I think I’m just blessed and lucky that my hard work on it are being recognized and that people in the industry are approaching me to have their artists on the site.
H: How big is your contributor pool? Are you looking to add to your ranks?
J: Right now, it’s just me, myself and I. I tried getting some help before but it didn’t worked out so I decided to just keep it as it is for the time being.
H: What type of coverage brings the most traffic to your site? I imagine anything that gets shared by artists probably goes over well, but in terms of features, reviews, news, editorials, etc – what brings in readers?
J: Since I’ve started Noise Barrage, I have noticed that the articles that features smaller bands gets viewed more than those articles that features “bigger” bands. I’m not really surprise with this trend as these bands are the most aggressive when it comes to sharing any press they get. Not saying the bigger bands aren’t but these smaller bands are hungrier to get wherever they get and every press coverage matters so much.
H: There are no ads on Noise Barrage right now. Do you have any monetization plans?
J: I’ve thought of it but I went against it. I mean it would be nice to make money out of this but at the same time, I don’t want to lose the integrity of why I started the site in the first place. It’s a work of passion and a way for me to contribute to the music industry. I’ll probably explore the option down the road but for now, it’s not really something I am aiming to do.
H: How can we expect to see your site evolve over the next year?
J: As I’ve said above, I really don’t have any long term plans for the site. I think if there is one thing I want to do with the site is expand it to cover more than music. I have always wanted to cover some aspects of the nerd/geek culture like comic books, movies, video games and maybe pro wrestling but right now I am very satisfied of how the site is and will just continue on what I’m doing with it.
H: I see you cover a lot of unsigned artists. If someone reading this now wants to pitch you new music, how should they go about it?
J: I am very easy to approach. They can tweet the site’s Twitter account, message the site’s Facebook page, email me on the site’s email account or even get ahold of me on my personal social media account. As long as you’re cordial and not being rude, I will do my best to accommodate you.
H: Where do you see you, Jay, 5 years from now?
J: This is something that I haven’t figured out yet. I’m currently in college so hopefully by that point, I’ve already graduated. I’ve been with my girlfriend for almost 6 years now so I foresee, by that point, we are on our way in starting our family. That’s where I see myself personally. Professionally, what I really want to do is to be an A&R for a record label. I want to be able to help up-and-coming bands and help shape up the future of the music industry. I think that goes in hand-and-hand with my ideals of giving back to the industry that has given me a lot.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to aspiring industry professionals, what would it be?
J: Just do it. No ifs and buts. If people shuts you down and say you can’t do this or that on their publication, start your own. Just throw yourself out there and don’t hesitate. Also, be nice and respectful. When I first started, people told me that the industry is so cut throat and so I have to be ruthless and cut throat too. I went against their advice. I was nice and cheerful and cordial in dealing with people and I think it helped me get to where I’m at right now. Also patience. A lot of them. It’s a busy industry and sometimes an answer to inquiry can take days, weeks, even months to get a reply. Don’t bombard people with emails about your requests or inquiries. That is a surefire way of getting into an industry professional’s bad side.
H: I think that covers everything. Before I let you go, is there anything you would like to add?
J: Nothing to add but I just wanted to thank you guys for giving me this huge opportunity. When I first started Noise Barrage, I have never ever imagined being featured by another outlet for my work on the site but it’s just really nice to be recognized for the hours of hard work and dedication you put into giving the best content for your readers. It’s something more valuable to me than any monetary compensation.
As someone who has given nearly a decade of their life to the world of music journalism I am constantly on the hunt to find those who will populate the next generation of music writers. My hope is that by sharing their stories here on this blog we can bring the kind of awareness and support to their efforts I never had myself, and I like to think that so far we have accomplished that in one way or another. I know I have found numerous new voices to love and follow since launching our Blogger Spotlight series, and I sincerely hope you feel the same. There are many talented writers out there, but most never come across anyone willing to shout their praises from the rooftop. I guess in a way singing their praise has become part of my job, and today I want to introduce you to one young woman with a blindingly bright future in music you won’t soon forget.
Meghin Moore does not have a site of her own. So far, Meghin has played the contributor role at a number of popular blogs, most notably lead by her time at Modern Vinyl. I came across Meghin’s work earlier this month while researching some young pop punk bands, and I was immediately taken back by her strong interview skills. It’s rare to see someone just starting out who understands that artists hate to be asked the same silly questions every time they get a microphone shoved into their face, and from what I have seen Meghin has made a very clear effort to be anything but what people might expect. Her interviews with bands range from personal to silly, with questions of inspiration appearing alongside those inquiring about donut preferences. Through it all Meghin maintains a fun, yet serious tone that really engages the reader, as well as the artists she is speaking to.
I knew right away we needed to have Meghin on our blog, and lucky for us she was willing to answer some of our questions. You can find highlights from our conversation below.
H: To help us begin, why don’t you go ahead and introduce yourself, as well as the outlets you have contributed to so far.
MM: I’m Meghin Moore. Currently, I’m living in Fredericksburg, Virginia, nestled between D.C. and Richmond, which are two cities I absolutely love. I’m also the interview lady over at Modern Vinyl, where I’m coming up on my one-year anniversary with them! Before that, I wrote for a very little site based out of Seattle called Hiibye, which helped me go from a “news reporter” train of thought over to one of a “music journalist.”
I graduated from Penn State back in 2013 with a degree in broadcast journalism. I wrote for the student-run news organization, Onward State, during my junior and senior years. During my time with them, I interned at WTOP, a wonderful news station based in Washington, D.C., where I spent a lot of time writing for the radio station’s website. When I was a freshman at Penn State, I briefly wrote for ForTheSound, but I stopped because I put more of a focus on academics and athletics over everything else that first year.
H: I’m told you’re still relatively new to the world of writing. Can you tell us how you initially got your start in music journalism?
MM: Yeah, I’m still getting the hang of things, and I know there’s a lot I still have to learn. In order for me to talk about my start in music journalism, I need to go back to my middle school roots, where I was constantly talking about new bands I discovered and how I wanted to share that information with my friends. I’ve always wanted to work in the journalism field, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gone through various phases. Initially, I wanted to be a television news anchor. That phase lasted from my later elementary school years through my sophomore year of college. I shifted gears a little, stuck with the broadcast route, but was considering international reporting. That phase didn’t last very long, because I fell in love with the world of web writing and digital media.
Throughout all of that, my friends and family told me that with my love of music, as well as my love of blogging, I should look into music journalism. While I love paying attention to the news, and still have that yearning to go out and be a reporter of some sort, I always keep coming back to music journalism. It’s a little weird how that works. It’s something I’ve been looking into over the past year, and I’d say I’m fairly happy with where it’s taking me!
H: Speaking of your origins in music writing, can you tell us where your inspiration to write stems from?
MM: My inspiration stems from my journalism experience. When I interview a band, I tend to ask some fairly unconventional questions, and that’s because I want to know about stories that bands and artists might not normally talk about in interviews. I blend my journalism teachings in with a hint of creativity, just to mix things up a bit.
With that said, I grew up reading magazines like Rolling Stone and Alternative Press, as well as various music-related websites. I also watched MTV News religiously as a kid, back when there was more of a focus on music on that channel. I’d say some of my inspiration comes from writers at those outlets, such as Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield and Matt Taibbi, MTV News’ Kurt Loder, as well as Alternative Press’ Annie Zaleski, to name just a few. I also grew up listening to the AP Podcast, which has also inspired me over the years.
H: As for music, who were your early favorites? Most people don’t get into music unless someone or some group my a big impact on their childhood/teen years.
MM: This is a really tough question for me to answer, because I’ve been surrounded by music for as long as I can remember. I could end up writing a novel about this! My earliest music memory is going through tapes and tapes of The Lion King soundtrack. Ultimately, my mom decided it was time for me to stop ruining cassettes, and bought it for me as a CD. Later on in the 90s, I would play CDs by Aqua, the Spice Girls, Britney Spears, *NSYNC and other boy bands, as the pop music craze really sucked me in. I can’t really remember a time when I didn’t have a tape player, a CD player, or even an iPod with me, just to keep music with me as I traveled to and from school. When I was a fifth grader, my backpack was filled with more CDs than anything else for me to listen to on the bus. As I got older, my tastes started to become more refined. In middle school, I was introduced to The Get Up Kids and Dashboard Confessional by my father, who bought A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar and Guilt Show because he thought I’d like them, and because he liked their album art. Jack’s Mannequin (and all of Andrew McMahon’s projects) has been one of my favorite bands, which pretty much catapulted me into what I listen to now, as a 24-year-old. I’d say that my 7th/8th grade years had an immensely huge impact on me, and that 2005 was a pivotal year for me, both musically, as well as in terms of my personal life. Even today it’s hard for me to pick favorites; it’s a constantly rotating list.
H: I first came across your work when you interviewed Well Kept Things for our friends at Modern Vinyl. Have you had the opportunities to conduct many interviews at this point in your writing career?
MM: I have! Writing for Modern Vinyl has been great, because I’ve had the opportunity to speak with some wonderful artists and industry folk. The ones I’ve done for MV have been a lot of fun. Admittedly, I know my interviewing skills could use some work, but I’m constantly learning about what works and what doesn’t. I think that writing for Onward State, taking a plethora of hands-on broadcast journalism classes at Penn State, as well as being an on-camera personality for my school district’s news program during my high school days have helped my interview skills.
H: Do you enjoy interviews, or is there another style of writing/feature you prefer to create?
MM: Interviewing is great. I’ve always been full of questions, and I love being able to have some sort of dialogue with people. One of the best things about interviewing is actually getting to hear a narrative of sorts from the artist’s mouth. It’s always fascinating to hear tour tales, their history and whatever else they have to say. It’s also great when artists talk about social justice issues plaguing the scene today, and try to help open up that dialogue within their interview.
I guess besides interviews, I like creating playlists, and to an extent, lists. I don’t do many of those as often as I do interviews, but when I do create those pieces, I tend to pour a whole lot of creativity and thought into them; almost as much as my interview questions!
H: When it comes to piecing together materials for artist features, what kind of research do you do?
MM: I put a lot of research into what features I put together. I scour the Internet for their social media accounts, just to see what’s going on there. If I’m not familiar with an artist, I listen to as much of their music as I can. I try to take a step further than is probably necessary, and look at other interviews they’ve done, especially the more recent ones, just to make sure that I’m not asking something that they constantly get asked. Sometimes it can get a little banal and repetitive to have to answer the same question over and over again; people who follow the band want to see new questions answered. I try to make features a bit personal as well, bringing in any interesting tidbits I find on their social media accounts if I can; one of the most recent examples of this is in my interview with Well Kept Things, where their only interest on their band Facebook page is Paula’s Donuts –obviously I’ve got to ask them about that!
H: Without taking into consideration the time spent writing a feature, which I know can run the gamut from minutes to hours or even days, how much time would you say typically goes into the features you create?
MM: It really does depend. I’ve cranked out some features in a few hours, while it’s taken days for other ones. I don’t want to throw something out there haphazardly. I think a lot of the time that I take when creating features is based on me double and triple-checking it over and over again, and going through and making sure that I’ve picked out any errors before it goes live. It helps to have some great editors who help me out, and I’m really thankful to have Chris Lantinen and James Cassar on my team. They’ve been extremely helpful.
If you add in the time that I research a band for a feature, that will change things as well. If I’m familiar with a band, it doesn’t take as long, but if I’m not familiar with a band, that can take at least a few hours to go through and listen to what they’ve got out there. It’s just hard to put a specific figure on something like this, because it starts to all blend together and I’ve always been bad with numbers.
H: Your dedication to creating quality work is evident in everything I’ve seen so far, but knowing how blogging works I assume you are not getting paid for the hours logged. Passion doesn’t pay the bills, so why do you continue working so hard?
MM: Passion doesn’t pay the bills, yes, but it can lead to bigger and better opportunities in the future…at least that’s what I keep telling myself. I’ve been job searching since I graduated for my first “big” journalism career, and it’s been rough at times, especially since the world of journalism can be so competitive. I keep working so hard because I know that one day, my hard work will get noticed, and I’ll gain more recognition and start to kick things off from there. The other reason why I keep working so hard is because it keeps me busy. If I’m not off working on a Modern Vinyl piece, or even figuring out how to tweak my resume for the umpteenth time, I tend to lose focus and fall into a rut. Staying busy helps keep me happy and focused.
H: If writing about music could be a launching pad that helped you get into another industry endeavor, what other areas of the business would interest you?
MM: Honestly? I don’t know. With my background in broadcast journalism, podcasting would be cool, or even hosting or working with a radio show at some point. I’ve always been fascinated with the music industry itself, but never really put a lot of thought about what I’d get into if writing about music was a launching pad. I think it’d be cool to go into PR, and actually work with bands to get press releases out and to coordinate things. Like I said, there’s still a lot I need to learn about the inner workings of the industry, but just thinking about a future in it keeps me optimistic.
H: What would you say is the greatest lesson you have learned about the music industry from your time writing about it?
MM: It’s a lot darker than I initially thought it was, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that it’s not as easy to break into. As a woman, I know I’m eventually going to run into issues like many others before me have dealt with, and that thought terrifies me. Sexism, misogyny and sexual assault/harassment are still hugely problematic, and unfortunately, I had a brush with it at Warped Tour as a teenager. Now that I’m at the age of being a twentysomething, I’ve realized that shows, festivals and concerts really need to be safe places, no matter where they are. Sadly, I’ve read stories of women who have experienced similar issues while actually working in the industry. It’s really discouraging, and one day, I’m hoping to see a bigger change emerge in the scene. Respect is key here. Respect people, and they’ll respect you back.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to those just now considering a career in music or music writing, what would you say?
MM: To someone just now considering a career in music, or even as a music journalist, I would say do what makes you happy. It shouldn’t matter what other people think of your work. If you’re absolutely happy with it, and have a lot of passion, don’t let that stop you from going after what you want! There’s always going to be people out there who don’t want to see you succeed, and people out there who will criticize your every move just to try to break you down. Don’t let anybody get to you; just follow your passion. I guess that’s two pieces of advice, but they really go hand-in-hand with each other.
H: If we fast-forward to one year from now, where do you see yourself?
MM: It’s hard to predict where I’ll see myself a year from now, but I do see myself loving what I do and continuing to write about music as a side project. No matter where I end up, I know that this music thing is still definitely going be in the picture. It’s something that’s just stuck with me for years, and I don’t see that going away any time soon unless something drastic happens that completely turns me off of it.
H: What is the biggest obstacle you face right now in your professional life, and what are you doing to overcome it?
MM: The biggest obstacle is actually finding and holding down a nine-to-five job; something that can support and hopefully advance my music writing. As I mentioned earlier, I’m stubborn, and my job search has been filled with more disappointment than I initially thought it would be. I’m two-and-a-half years out of college, and I’ll be honest, it’s been a rough, rocky journey for me. I’m trying my hardest to actually get myself out there, to find a great job in the journalism industry. I’ve been working on my resume, I’ve been trying to figure out how to write better cover letters, but at the same time, I’m trying not to let my disappointment in my search finally get to me and break me down. I feel like the biggest obstacle in this is also my lack of proper experience. It goes into that cycle of finding a job, only to get rejected because you don’t have enough experience or the experience that someone’s really looking for, but to get experience is hard because nobody wants to hire you.
H: I think that is all I have for now. Before I let you go, is there anything else you would like to add?
MM: I just want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to answer some of these really insightful questions. They really made me think! I’d also like to thank Chris and James (again) for being absolutely awesome editors, and letting me be a part of the Modern Vinyl family. The past year has just been incredible by working with the site, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the site.
As someone who spends a lot of time writing about the life of those attempting to make a living online, it’s always refreshing to encounter an individual who is more focused on their authenticity than financial gain. There is nothing wrong with wishing to be successful, and there is certainly nothing wrong with wishing your site could be your full time job, but if you’re creating content because you believe it will lead to financial success then you are destined to fail. Success in writing only comes after you have learned to be confident in using your voice to express your opinion regardless of how it impacts your potential for clicks on any given day.
Tina Roumeliotis, founder of The Daily Listening, understands the importance of creating something first and foremost because it’s what you want to do. She knows that longterm success for any website is usually determined by page views, but right now her main focus is creating quality content she and the rest of her staff actually want to read. That is the kind of thing we admire here at the Haulix blog, and just a few weeks ago we asked Tina to share her journey in music with us. You can read highlights from our conversation below.
2015 has been a year where many music blogs have disappeared from the internet, but thanks to outlets like The Daily Listening we are confident there will still be great original content for music fans to enjoy for many years to come. We highly recommend you follow TDL on Twitter and Like their official Facebook.
H: Hello, Tina. Would you please help us begin by introducing yourself and your site to our readers?
T: Hey there! I’m Tina Roumeliotis. I’m from New York and I am the founding-editor-in-chief of The Daily Listening. TDL is a new music site dedicated to cultivating a community of music enthusiasts. I also write for BUZZNET while contributing to a few other sites around the web.
H: You’re active in music beyond the work done on The Daily Listening, but it seems safe to say that is your online hub. What drove you to launch a site all your own in a time when competition for clicks amongst blogs is at an all time high?
T: Very good question! I have been writing for BUZZNET for 3 years now and I just felt it was time to branch out and start something of my own. I am so grateful for everything BUZZNET has allowed me to achieve. I had always wanted to write, especially about music, but I was at a standstill, not really knowing how or where I should start. I spent a lot of time asking people around me for advice but I’ve always found that most of them weren’t too keen on sharing any information, which ultimately frustrated me and left me feeling very lost and isolated. Then BUZZNET came along and I was psyched that I had the opportunity to join a user-generated community where my work was being featured daily. It really heightened my confidence and showed me what I was made of, plus being featured so often really pushed me to step up my game. I really didn’t have anyone in my ear telling me what I should or shouldn’t write about so everything I’ve learned and accomplished over the years has been an independent journey. I had been looking for a paying job in my field for quite some time (honestly, I still am) and I found that I just didn’t fit in to their boxes of what a music journalist should be. Having access to all of that freedom opened my eyes to what I could achieve on my own. I think it spoiled me a little in the sense that I value the opportunity to work independently and be in charge.
As for the competition for clicks, it’s quite overwhelming when you think about it. Before TDL launched, I researched tons of blogs and almost backed out for fear of just being another fish in the sea. But then, as always, while listening to a new record, I was reminded of why I had to do this. We’re only 4 months old, and while my goal is to do everything in my power to make the site a success, I refuse to “sell out,” so to speak just for a page view. My mission is to be genuine while still being 100% professional. If readers would rather read a snarky review with a misleading title over a heartfelt, personal one, so be it. I don’t necessarily view other blogs as competition but rather something we all have in common. Like, “Oh hey! I started my own site so I can ramble about music, too! Right on!”
H: For people who have never visited your site before, how do you describe the content found on The Daily Listening?
T: Our content is 100% authentic. We don’t do gimmicks nor do we partake in any gloss. It’s not about the scene or what everyone says you should be listening to but about what is heard and how music ignites that spark in us. My main goal with this site is to bring back those real, honest conversations about music and our personal stories of connection that have been sadly concealed with how a song sounds or how much it’s selling rather than how it makes you feel. We do touch on the sound of course, but it shouldn’t be the main focus.
Here’s a little breakdown of our main columns:
– Daily Discovery is a way to shine a light on new artists we’ve recently discovered while Get Stoked About is a segment on those on-the-rise artists who are about to take the world by storm.
– Our Listening Party segment is all about curling up in bed or wherever you choose to relax while streaming an album front to back without any distractions. We also give artists the chance to talk about their new release, if possible.
– In Retrospect has been a big one this year being that so many albums are celebrating their 10th and 20th anniversary. We dive into those albums while sharing our own personal stories of what they mean to us, how they impacted the music industry and how they helped shape us into who we are today.
– The Staff Musings segment is basically just a free for all. I tell my writers all the time that if a song pops up from like 5 or 10 years ago and it ignites something in you, write about it. Music, no matter when it was released, is always relevant in my book, so if there’s a meaningful, personal story they want to share, I’m all for it.
– Our monthly mixtapes are a new, fun addition as well. A best of the month, if you will.
H: We mentioned this a moment ago, but there is a great deal of competition amongst blogs covering the same areas of music as you. What do you believe sets your site apart?
T: What sets The Daily Listening apart from most blogs is that deep down we are all just music nerds on our bedroom floors, diving into an album with lyric booklet in hand, discovering our own truths. We’re not trying to impress anyone or show off how cool we are, but if we do impress someone, we’re honored. Haha. To me, music is so personal so when I share my discoveries with the world, it’s almost as if I’m handing you my diary. Of course, two people could listen to the same song and not feel it the way the other has but that’s what makes it so special.
I think the biggest thing for me is refusing to partake in the age-old debate of negativity, which I’ve discussed in Our Policy up on the site. I’ve noticed a lot of pretentiousness in music journalism where a writer feels that their opinion is superior to anyone else’s while completely disrespecting an artist’s time and effort on a project. I’ve lost a lot of respect for certain sites who display that attitude and I think it serves no purpose. There is enough negativity on the internet and I don’t intend on contributing to it. To me, it’s also about the connection between writer and publicist/band. Our job is to share their music with the world and by being immature, you’re not only hurting your own reputation but the reputation of said artist. Kindness really is the only way to go and I hope people see that when they visit the site.
H: The first thing I noticed about your work was your passion for writing. So many young bloggers today believe throwing up an embed and post title counts as being a ‘journalist,’ but you seem to be taking a traditional, far more editorial leaning approach to content. Would you say this is true? Why is the written word so important to you?
T: Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I really appreciate that! I would definitely agree. Although it’s been said that attention spans are at an all time low recently, I really appreciate when someone dives into an album or a song while sharing their perspective on it in a more lengthy piece. It bothers me to learn that a two-sentence article was written by someone who got paid for it yet here I am pouring my heart out for free. I’ve always dreamed of being a magazine editor and to have my work actually published in an actual magazine or newspaper that I can hold with my hands would be the epitome of awesome for me.
I think I was a born a writer, to be honest. I’ve always been introverted and very much in tune with my emotions. I’m always in my head, even while listening to music so that kind of fueled my passion to write about music. The written word is so important because, like music, it holds so much impact. What we choose to write about and put into the world has the potential to reach so many people who need reassurance; to know they’re not alone and that everything they’re feeling is valid. It’s a way to feel out the noise in your head while developing your character. So at the end of the day words really can make an impact. Plus, just the word ‘editorial’ alone makes my inner nerd all giddy. 😛
H: Are there blogs, dead or alive, that inspired the type of content found on The Daily Listening. If so, who?
T: Hmm. Not really, to be honest. I think my music collection and the pitches I receive in my inbox inspires our content. Of course there are a few blogs I adore but mostly I just do my own thing. Oddly enough, it seems to be resonating.
H: How large is your team of contributors? Are you looking to add to the team?
T: As of right now we have 7 contributors, including myself. I’m so proud of each and every one of my writers and I feel so lucky that I was able to find like-minded individuals who share the same values. We are always looking to add to our team so check out the site for more info!
H: With that in mind, how would you describe your ideal Daily Listening team member?
T: The ideal Daily Listening team member is:
– Obsessed with music (duh)
– Willing to dig deeper than what Top 40 feeds us
– Enjoys writing and sharing personal stories of how a song/album changed or helped their lives in any way
– Enthusiastic
– Down-to-earth and respectful
– Eager to learn
H: A lot of sites exist solely to promote music, which I guess is accomplished anytime a post is made, but when you think about the life of a site over the longterm simply helping people discover music is not a very hard goal to achieve. When you think of The Daily Listening as a company or publication, what goals do you have for its future? Where is all this headed?
T: Good question! As of right now, it is just me and my writers from around the world coming together to “share stories around the campfire” as I like to refer to it. I ultimately started the site because I had been talking about it for quite some time and I got sick of hearing myself talk about it so I went and did it. The mere thought of it turning into a “company,” not gonna lie, makes me starry-eyed as everything I’ve ever dreamed dances in front of me. But at the same time, I’m not not afraid to admit that I’m still a rookie. I’m still learning the ropes of the industry; figuring out what I do and don’t want and how I can create the life that I’ve always wanted. I don’t fit into this scene. I absolutely knew that the day I wrote my first article. So it’s basically about gaining more confidence to be more assertive so I don’t wind up regretting anything down the line. I think we’re headed towards good things, though.
H: I noticed that there does not currently appear to be any kind of advertising on The Daily Listening. Do you have plans to monetize your efforts in the future? If so, can you please shed some light on how you plan to accomplish that?
T: Like I’ve previously stated, we’re only 4 months old. I definitely want to start having some advertising on the site in the near future, but like I said, I’ve never really owned my own site before, so I’m still in the beginning stages of learning everything I need to know to take TDL further. It would be awesome to have some money coming in for a change. 😛
H: Money isn’t everything, obviously, but it is good to have personal goals outside of simply building the best site possible. What are your professionals goals with the site? Do you hope this leads to something bigger, or do you want The Daily Listening to become your full-time role in music?
T: I definitely want to be known for The Daily Listening, along with my previous work but I’m always open to new opportunities. Let’s be honest, whether you respect the big names or not, there’s always going to be a major part of you that hopes for that amount of success for your own endeavors. At this point though, I’m focusing on educating myself more on the business aspects so that I’m ready if something should appear on the table in the future. I’m a big fan of the saying, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” I often feel so overwhelmed with where I think I should be at this point in my life but then I have to remind myself to take it one step at a time.
H: Without going too in-depth, please walk us through your content planning efforts.
T: Sometimes I feel like I plan content in my sleep haha! I have a special notebook where I write out everything that needs to be covered for the week and so forth. It’s best to write everything out so things don’t get overwhelming, especially when your inbox looks like a scene from Hoarders! As for the pitches I receive, not everyone gets to be featured so I always tell people that the worst I will say to you is, “No, I’m just not feeling it.” I do listen to everything that’s sent my way, though and its all a matter of what perks my ears up, etc.
H: What advice would you offer any young or aspiring writers who may be reading this feature now?
T: First off, you’re in the right place! Keep reading Haulix because this is the place for everything you’re going to need to start your career in the music industry. Second, keep this at the forefront of your mind: There is a future in what you love. As a kid running home from school every day to catch TRL, I never imagined I’d ever get to do what I am doing. The fact that I managed to do it on my own is even more mind-blowing.
Find a place that allows you the freedom that I found with BUZZNET. Having your work displayed is the best way to hone your craft and step up your game. When the right people take notice, it can lead to incredible things.
Don’t ask for permission to accomplish your dreams. You have everything you need to get started. Contact PR agencies, record labels, or even bands themselves and start making those personal connections. It may be intimidating but remember who you are and what you stand for. Eventually, those people will be seeking you out and asking you to feature some of the best up-and-coming acts out there!
Most of all, don’t do it just to be a part of the scene. Cultivate your own voice and don’t try to mimic what the others are doing. There is a time and a place for everything so keep it classy, always.
Your word is the most important thing you can ever give a client. Be kind, respectful and professional all of the time.
If you’re looking for a place to start your career, The Daily Listening is a safe, friendly community to begin! Check out our site for more info and I’d be more than happy to chat and help out in any way! 🙂
Last but not least, don’t forget to enjoy the music. Sometimes we get so wrapped up on what we’re going to say about it that we forget to turn off our devices and just listen.
H: Where do you see yourself in a year? How about in 5 years?
T: Ahhh, this question always sends me into a freak out. If you were to tell me a year ago I’d be maintaining my own site, I’d have probably told you that you’re crazy. In a year, I hope to find myself in a place where I don’t have to worry as much. Finding a place where I feel like I belong has been a battle throughout most of my life, so I hope to be in a job that appreciates everything I have to offer. I don’t like the feeling of settling for something because I feel like I have no other prospects. As for 5 years…let’s just say I hope to not be where I am right now haha. I have ideas. It’s just going to take a lot more time, blood, sweat and tears to get there. All in due time. 🙂
H: I think that covers everything. Before I let you go, are there any additional thoughts you would like to share with our audience?
We spent the first half of September sharing the journeys of people who were either returning to music writing after time away or those who had just launched their first website. We thought after two years of stories about people at various levels of success it would be nice to return to the very beginning and see what it’s like for those just starting today. Today’s spotlight, as well as those you will see later this month, highlights individuals who have found a way to become a staple of the current music writing community. Many are writers whose work we follow very closely, but others just came onto our radar.
Don Saas is the Managing Editor at Baeble Music. He’s also the Associate Editor at GameSpot. Unlike many writers who begin their journey in music writing with a site of their own, Don started when he joined the Baeble team as an intern in 2012. From there, Don worked his way through the ranks, learning everything he could every step of the way, and as his talent developed so did his online following. Now he helps keep the site alive day-to-day, in addition to his work at GameSpot, and he somehow finds time to also maintain a personal blog dedicated to his love of film. Don does a little bit of everything as far as entertainment writing is concerned, and he sets the bar for quality in each field.
I first learned of Don Saas’ existence after a close PR friend told me it was practically a sin that we had not yet featured him on this blog. I had been a longtime reader of Baeble Music, the site where he currently serves as Managing Editor, but for one reason or another our paths had never crossed. Now that I know him, or at least know him more than I did before, I feel like I need to make up for lost time. Don’s a great guy creating quality content on a regular basis, and he has one of the sharpest wits in music today.
Don and I connected through email last week, and I was able to ask him several questions about his career in writing. You can read highlights from our conversation below. If you want to learn even more about Don, I highly suggest you follow him on Twitter. Oh, and don’t forget to bookmark Baeble Music.
H: Thanks for joining us, Don. We had a number of readers suggest we have you on the blog. Can you tell our audience a bit about your current efforts in writing, both for Baeble and beyond?
D: Well, at the moment, I’m the Managing Editor of Baeble Music and I’m an Associate Editor at GameSpot where I write about video games. I also have a personal blog where I write about movies but I’m pretty busy with my work with Baeble and GameSpot so I don’t have as much time to write about film as I’d like.
H: Let’s step back a bit further in your history. To who or what do you attribute your passion for writing?
D: When I was four, my dad read a page or two of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit to me every night. It took nearly a year for us to finish the book. But the world that Tolkien crafted in that story (and, when I was older, Lord of the Rings) sparked my imagination. I was fascinated with the idea that you could just create worlds like that out of thin air, and I wanted to do that. And I read voraciously as a kid. We couldn’t keep enough books in the house to keep me occupied. We were regular visitors to the local library in my small town in West Virginia.
And so I read everything my parents would let me get my hands on. But when I was a little older, I discovered R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books. As a grown-up, you can look back and laugh at the books being simple or childish, but when you’re a kid, that was sort of the whole point. And I probably read 75% of the Goosebumps books that existed when I was little (plus almost all of the Choose Your Own Adventure style stories) and I started writing my own short fiction.
Public schooling made me fall out of love with writing in a pretty devastating way. It was all so formal, and my stories were always a little weird, and my voice was always a little conversational, and I didn’t really fit into what the teachers in Philippi were looking for from writing and so I didn’t do any creative writing for years and years. But, fortunately, I had some great English teachers in college who made me fall back in love with it and remember that creative pursuits were so important to who I was as a person.
H: You’ve made a name for yourself through writing about music, as well as video games. When did you first start writing about each, and what inspired you to do so?
D: I didn’t start writing about music for the first time in any serious way until I was hired to be an intern at Baeble for the Spring of 2012. And I didn’t start writing about video games in a serious way until the Fall of 2014 when I was hired by GameSpot.
My inspiration for pursuing writing as a career is kind of a long story but I’ll give you the short version. I went to West Virginia University where I studied political science. American politics nearly killed me and I almost failed out of college because the state of our country was so heartbreaking to me as a progressive that I could barely work up the motivation to go to class. I went several semesters in a row without finishing a single course because I just couldn’t make myself care about college.
But I’m not capable of just sitting around and doing nothing. But that’s what I was doing. For weeks at time, the most constructive thing I would do with my life was hang out in my apartment and watch movies and play video games. And I just couldn’t feel that worthless anymore, and I decided that if I was going to just watch movies all day, I might as well write about the films I’m watching. Movies are one of my great passions in life (possibly my greatest passion; I’ve written at least a first draft of six feature-length screenplays), and so I made a blog where I reviewed films (and it eventually grew to involve TV, music, books, and video games in a less intense way).
I started that blog in February of 2011, and in November of that year, I realized that I enjoyed it more than anything I’d been doing in school the previous four years. And so I decided to try my hand at writing about culture professionally. And I had a friend from a summer camp I’d gone to in high school who had been in an acapella group at NYU with the then current Managing Editor of Baeble, Joe Puglisi (who is now a Creative Strategist for Buzzfeed), and he got me an interview and that got me the internship (and years of writing for the site after that til I took over this year) and writing for a living has been what I’ve tried to do ever since.
H: Did you have any experience writing for other sites before joining the Baeble team?
D: I had my blog, but that was the only cultural writing experience I had before this.
H: For those unfamiliar with the world of Baeble, could you give us a brief description of the content you offer, as well as what you specifically contribute to the site?
D: Baeble is primarily a platform for original video content based out of Brooklyn, NY. We curate exclusive sessions, concerts, and interviews with up-and-coming as well as established artists to feature on the site. Our metier are indie/alternative acts with crossover appeal, and some of our best content includes concerts with Mumford & Sons, Foster the People, Charli XCX, and Chvrches. We jokingly refer to it in the site as mall indie, but we find room on the site for smaller acts that we’re also passionate about as well as legitimate established mainstream stars including Third Eye Blind, AWOLNATION, and Carly Rae Jepsen.
However, we also have an editorial end where we provide concert coverage, review albums, share new music, interview artists, and provide op-ed content that we think is exciting and that would be of interest to our viewers and readers. And as the Managing Editor, it’s my job to write my own content for the site as well as manage our team of writers, including our freelance team and our intern team. I’m also an on-camera personality for the site in a video interview series we have called The Rock Geek. Think of it as Sex & the City meets Narduwar. We have the third episode coming out soon and it features Carly Rae Jepsen and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.
H: How has your role at Baeble evolved since you joined the team?
D: I’ve been part of the Baeble family for over three and a half years now. I began as an editorial intern in the Spring of 2012. Once my internship ended, I stayed on with the site as a contributing writer, working from home in West Virginia. I reviewed albums and did artist interviews and provided an occasional op-ed. But my best work from that period was that I got to cover the Bonnaroo Music & Arts festival for the site for two years in a row, with both editorial and photos. Getting to be five feet away from Tom Petty and take his picture and listen to him play “Refugee” was easily one of the top 5 experiences of my whole life.
And then the Managing Editor position on the site opened up in February of this year, and I applied and I was hired. I actually found out I got the job the day before my 26th birthday which kept that particular milestone from being a low-grade existential crisis. I moved back to the city in the middle of March to take over the position, and I’ve been here and loving it ever since.
H: You also write for Gamespot. How did that come together?
D: I was awake at a time of day that I was usually asleep.
That joke aside, the former Reviews Editor of GameSpot, Kevin VanOrd, tweeted that he was looking for a good writer who also enjoyed professional wrestling and played the wrestling video games. I’ve been watching wrestling off & on my entire life and I played the games, and I happened to be awake when Kevin tweeted this (instead of asleep which was the norm because I was also a bartender at the time and worked nights and I so I was usually asleep in the morning/early afternoon). I sent him my piece on seeing Elton John on Sunday at Bonnaroo that year. He liked it. He offered me that review, and I wound up with the job title of Associate Editor which is a fancy way of saying I’m a freelancer that’s on the CBS Interactive payroll.
H: What are the differences in writing about music vs. writing about games?
D: I can play a video game and beat it once, and I’ll feel comfortable writing about it. Obviously, if I play it more than once, I’ll feel even more comfortable writing about it, but one go is more than enough for a thorough review. It’s the same with a film. If I watch a film multiple times, my writing will be even better, but my first pass will still get the job done that needs to be done. Music requires more familiarity.
There are so many moving parts of music: lyrics, melody, rhythm, production. You have to really let music – especially good music – percolate in your mind before you can even begin to attempt to write about it. You need to know all of the technical elements of the composition of music (which is admittedly my major shortcoming as a music writer) and you need to be able to talk about genre and you need to talk about what you think the artist was trying to accomplish with this piece. There’s so much to take in for any given record or song, and more than any other medium, music rewards that familiarity. Kid A is my favorite album of all time, but each time I listen to it – and I’ve heard it dozens and dozens of times – I find something I missed before.
Gaming is also, by nature, a more mechanical experience than music. Music – with the exception of studio produced and polished material – is an inherently aesthetic and experimental genre. We’re finally starting to get games that value real aesthetics and narratives as much as the typical gaming power fantasy, but that power fantasy is the norm. And too much games criticism boils down to “this game functions” versus engaging with it as a piece of art, but that’s sadly understandable when so many AAA video game releases (Call of Duty, Halo, Madden, etc.) are yearly releases that all fit into more or less the same formula you were given last year. If a band released a record as functionally similar to its predecessors as each Assassins Creed game is, they’d be laughed out of the room.
H: I noticed on your personal site that there is a podcast you’re involved with as well. Can you tell us about it?
D: My cousin and I had a podcast called The Saas Perspective (cause we lazy and terrible with names) where I, the cinephile, made him, the casual film-goer, watch films that I thought were underappreciated or underseen as well as a section where we discussed newer, more culturally relevant releases. We had to put the podcast on hold after over a year of more or less uninterrupted releases because I moved to NYC and between the GameSpot work and the Baeble work, I just didn’t have time to keep my end of the bargain of consuming whatever bit of culture we were talking about that week.
H: As someone who has managed to make a career out of writing, what advice do you offer to those who seek to follow in your footsteps?
D: Be realistic about what a career in writing means. Understand that when you’re first getting your feet in the door, you’re probably going to have to do unpaid internships or write for exposure. This isn’t Almost Famous. You’re not Cameron Crowe. You’re not going to be traveling the world with Led Zeppelin right out of the game. Being paid in “exposure” is bullshit, and I hate it as a raging socialist who gets that it’s just taking advantage of folks who want to be published, but that’s a reality of working as a writer – particularly working as a culture writer.
The other big advice I can give is to remember that writing’s a craft, and you have to work at it. Even if nobody is publishing you, write for yourself. Start a blog. Update it regularly. If you want to be a writer, write at least 1000 words every day about the topic you’re passionate about. You’re going to suck at first. I was terrible at first. Sometimes, I go back and read my first reviews on my blog and laugh at how little of a handle I had on my voice, but that’s the point of the early days. You’re supposed to suck. Don’t be afraid to be bad. Eventually, if you work at it hard enough, you’ll be less bad and folks will want to publish you. And after you work your way through the “exposure” years – and it will probably be years; I worked at the mall and at a bar for years to support myself as a writer – folks will finally give you paid freelance work. And, one day – if robots from Google don’t replace all of us with AI clickbait generators (I’m joking but only half) – you can find a staff job somewhere. And at each step in this process, you have to push yourself to be better. Nobody else will, and there are hundreds of people out there hungrier than you are for the job and the paycheck. I can promise you that.
H: Do you feel as if you’ve ‘made it’ in the world of writing? Is that a point that can even be reached?
D: I can pay my bills with my writing. In February of this year, I was working at a slots lounge in West Virginia making minimum wage and scraping by with tips and the money I was making with GameSpot. The fact that I don’t have to worry about defaulting on my student loans because my customers decided not to tip me that week is the best anti-anxiety medicine on the planet. If you can pay your bills as a writer, you’ve made it. Writing for writing’s sake is great, but it’s even better when it puts food on your table.
H: At this point in your career, what are you aspiring to? Are there any goals you’ve set for the years, or years in the immediate future?
D: Right now, my only goal is maximize the potential of Baeble’s editorial. We’ve got an incredible platform for video. I’d argue we easily have one of the best platforms for concerts and session videos on the net. And I want Baeble’s editorial to be as polished and memorable as our video content. I didn’t have any management experience in terms of journalism before I took over as Baeble’s Managing Editor, and so, these last six months have been a major learning experience for me, and I think I’m finally starting to hit my groove. And I want my legacy at Baeble to be that I’m the best Managing Editor we’ve had so far and that I did the most I could to transform what folks think of when they think of editorial content on the site.
H: What do you believe is the key to longterm success in the ever-turbulent world of writing?
D: Be flexible. I write about music for my day job, and I make extra money on the side writing about games. And if I really needed to, I could get work writing about film fairly quickly (I know more about film than I do about music or games at the end of the day). And being able to adapt to whatever market has the most need for your services is very important. My preference as a writer is for longer-form critical pieces that dig a little deeper than just being a “review” but I also know that the money on the internet today is in shareable, shortform content, and I had to push myself to be better at those sorts of pieces. You won’t get a staff position on a site if your skillset is very limited. You absolutely need to be able to wear many hats as a writer. That might be more important than any notion of “raw” talent as a writer.
H: If we could talk to Don Saas five years from now, what is he probably doing?
D: My bosses will probably be mad if I say anything besides “leading Baeble Music forward as the premiere music site on the net” so I’ll say that. Hopefully though, we can also add “published screenwriter” or “published novelist” to that list as well. I love my cultural writing, but fiction also has my heart, and I hope I can find more time to devote to it in the future. It’s a little tough at the moment since I have two gigs that are so demanding.
H: I think that is all I have right now. Before I let you go, is there anything else you’d like to mention?
D: I just wanted to say thanks for talking to me. And for folks that are looking to do this for a living, know that it’s absolutely doable. You just have to work at it whenever you have a free moment, and you need to forge connections in the industry that you want to be a part of. Networking helped me out at the end of the day as much as honing my craft, and that’s the way this industry works for better and for worse.
2015 has been a transformative year for the music blogging community. Sites big and small have been falling apart while the lack of paying positions continues to shrink. Everyone has a drive to succeed and the passion needed to create great content, but people can only chase a dream for so long before they need some kind of return for their effort. We have highlighted a number of influential voices who have chosen to walk away from the sites and columns that first gave them a name in music, and to be honest we can’t blame a single one for their decision. Music writing is, and will likely forever continue to be, a cutthroat corner of the entertainment industry.
Joshua Hammond has appeared on the Haulix blog before. He spent several years running a site of his own before deciding to walk away and start freelance writing for a variety of sites he had no ownership stake in whatsoever. From there, Josh transitioned into the world of music PR as a member of the Reybee publicity team, which gave him a full time position in the entertainment world he never expected to hold. That said, the move was one Josh needed, if only to have enough time away from writing to find the passion to start over again.
Recently, Josh decided to return to blogging by launching a new site dedicated to the world of folk and americana. Mother Church Pew, which launched in the last few weeks, is Josh’s first attempt at running a site of his own in half a decade. Such a move struck me as curious, so last week I had a conversation with Josh about his motivations for returning to music writing, as well as his goals for the new site. You can find highlights from our conversation below.
H: To help us begin, please tell everyone a little about your history in music writing. This isn’t your first time tackling the journalism side of the industry.
J: Roughly 100 years ago in industry time, I started an indie blog in Kansas City called Popwreckoning. It was more of a hobby than anything, but it built a pretty decent following and was getting somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 reads a day by the time I left. I ended up leaving it behind to find homes at Under The Gun, The Deli, Property of Zack, Diffuser and High Voltage (to name a few.)
H: The last site you ran, PopWreckoning, lead a long life online. What initially lead you to step away from site leadership, and what was it that inspired your recent return?
J: PopWreckoning and I had a very complicated relationship towards the end of its life. In reality, life got in the way in a mental capacity. I was working on the site when both my grandfather and my mother (unexpectedly) passed away. So there was some guilt attached to that I guess. It made it hard to keep going I guess? So I opted to walk away and do something new rather than stick around a place with a black cloud hovering above it, even if it was my baby.
H: You have also spent time contributing to various sites you have no ownership stake in at all. What would you say you gained from those experiences that you might not have found when running a site of your own?
J: I find that freelancing I have more of an opportunity to express my voice. I always found that at Popwreckoning I was stuck behind the scenes working on the editorial side of things. The spreadsheeting and assigning. When I’m writing for someone else I can just speak.
H: Let’s take a step back and talking about writing in a more general sense. When did you first realize you had a passion for the written word?
J: It sounds extremely silly, but I can remember be a really young child (4 or 5 years old) and writing stories at home. I always had a passion for creating things with words. I can’t really remember a time when I didn’t want to write.
H: Do you attribute your interest in writing to anyone or anything?
J: My grandmother use to read to me when I was younger. She would also push me to read the words myself and retell the story as I would have written it. I believe that my love of words probably comes from that.
H: Back to the world of music, you’ve spent the last few years working in the world of publicity. Having worked on both sides of the journalism fence, what has doing PR taught you about music blogging?
J: I think if anything it has taught me to look for unique angles. Everyone who writes can give an opinion. I’ve learned that music journalism is far bigger than my perspective on anything. It is about finding the story that one one is telling and pushing it out into the world. It has made me look for the most interesting bits of stories in a way I guess.
H: Are there any common/frequent mistakes you see sites make when dealing with PR you can pass on?
J: I think that the most common mistake I see being made is that writers on the smallest level of blogging are not open to working with the smaller bands. Everyone is looking for the quick hit and biggest name. Frankly I find that boring. There is so much music out there that people are overlooking, but you have to dig and search for it. I think there is something special about being the person finding a band to love rather than recycling the bands that everyone already loves. I’d rather read a site where I’m going to learn something new any day of the week.
H: Now onto your new effort, Mother Church Pew. What’s the story behind the name?
J: The name comes from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It is referred to as “The Mother Church of Country Music” in the Americana circles. You walk in to this extremely old room in Nashville, where literally EVERYONE who matters has played and you can feel the history of the room. The venue is set up like a old church and there are these very worn and beat up pews that fill the room. When I saw that I was really taken by the fact that people had sat in these seats and watched Cash and Elvis and countless others play. I wanted to play tribute to that concept because it is as Americana as it comes.
H: What type of content will we find on the site, and how often are you going to be updating it?
J: We’re leaning very folk, americana and roots on the site. We’re trying to very modern in our coverage in a hype machine kind of way, providing lots out interactive parts where you can listen to music as you read. I think that’s important today in a world where streaming has become so vital.
H: You’ve already ran some great content. What has it been like re-entering the world of blogging?
J: It has been hard. I’m often swamped with publicity stuff, so writing has had to be done on my own time. I’m lucky to have a great partner in Susan Hubbard, who also runs a little blog in Nashville, East of 8th. She bails me out a lot when I’m overwhelmed.
H: Do you have any goals for the site, or for yourself through the site?
J: Really I’m doing this for the music. I missed the part of discovery when I was running PopWreckoning. I always loved digging through emails to find a new band that kicked me in the face emotionally. So I guess the goal in this is to rediscover that part of me that I had lost when I walked away.
H: You told me in our email exchange that you’ve been planning what to run in the future. How far out does your content calendar stretch? Do you feel that kind of planning is key to success, or just sanity?
J: I have things planned through about the second week in October right now in terms of album reviews. Schedules always change and things always pop up, but there are blueprints.
H: Are you looking for more contributors? If so, how can people get in touch?
J: We’re happy to take a little help here and there if someone has something they’re really passionate about, but for the most part we’re keeping the site simple and between Susan and I. I can be emailed at joshua@motherchurchpew.com
H: Looking ahead to the future, where is Josh Hammond in five years?
J: Honestly, I’ll be 40. I’m hoping to be living in a cute house in Nashville and hopefully still be part of the game.
H: Thinking even more longterm, do you feel music is your home at this point? Do you see yourself exploring careers that lie outside the entertainment industry?
J: I 100 percent feel at home in music. I worked extremely hard to get here and I can’t see myself being happy doing anything else.
H: I think that is all I have for now. before I let you go, is there anything else you would like to mention?
J: Everyone should listen to the amazing trio of guys bursting out of the Oklahoma music scene right now; Parker Millsap, John Moreland and John Fulbright. Amazing things happening in that scene right now. It is definitely worth paying attention to.
We have dedicated a good amount of our Blogger Spotlight series to people who have dedicated years to running or contributing to a particular site. Those are the people who have war stories to share, both good and bad, and we have always maintained they have something to teach newcomers, as well as their peers. Every site is different, after all, so there really is no one way to do anything in this business. We simply try to highlight those we feel are doing something special, and through doing so hope to help them get a few steps further in their career.
Brandon Delano is not a veteran music blogger. In fact, he could very well still be considered a rookie, but after years of contributing to Shockwave Magazine Brandon recently decided to step out on his own with a site called Side Stage Magazine. The blog is very young, with less than six months of content in total, but every single post is filled with a clear love for music that speaks to Brandon’s passion for this industry. We know he hasn’t gotten very far yet, but we believe as long as he continues down the path he is currently on he will find success in the future.
We had a chance to speak with Brandon about the challenges of starting a site in 2015, as well as the things he hopes to accomplish through his work with Side Stage. You can read his responses below. If you would like to know more about Brandon or his work, we highly suggest you bookmark Side Stage Magazine today.
H: Before we dive into your site, let’s talk about you. Please give our readers a little background on your history in music writing:
B: Well I’m more of a photographer vs being a writer. Ive always been into live music and was always that guy who took a camera along with him to the show. I guess my first break was shooting a band called Saint Diablo when they played Mayhem Fest. They really liked the pictures and I started to look more at how I could become a concert photographer. From there I met up with their manager at the time Tony Wilson of The Lafeyette Agency and thanks to them I was able to shoot In This Moment at The National in Richmond, VA adn things just kind of took off from there.
H: Where do you believe your interest in writing comes from? How about your connection to music?
B: My connection to music goes way back to when I was a kid. My sister was into music and I followed her interests in the type of music that attracted me. My first show was Judas Priest and Cinderella back in ‘88 I think and Ive been hooked ever since. Between my mom and sister we just always had music playing in the house.
H: Have you done any work in music outside writing, perhaps being in a band yourself?
B: Ive never been in a band or anything, I tried to learn the guitar as a teenager but it just never sunk in. Other than having a lot of friends who are musicians I pretty much just find myself behind the camera.
H: The reason I wanted to speak with you is due to the fact you recently launched a brand new music blog, Side Stage Magazine. In a world overrun with music news sites, what inspired you to create one of your own?
B: Yes, I just recently launched my own website Side Stage Magazine. I had been helping run a magazine called Shockwave Magazine for a friend of mine named Vince Anderson out of Baltimore, MD, but there just came a time where it was time to move on. I owe Vince a lot as far as teaching me the ins and outs of running a magazine. I thought if Im going to put the hours, and hardwork involved in running a magazine, tha it might as well be mine. So late one night I decided to jump in head first and launch a magazine.
H: I’m honestly a little impressed you were able to land the name you chose. Were there any other contenders for blog names before settling on the one you now use?
B: At first I was at a loss for coming up with a name, then of course everything I came up was taken. I was suprised when I searched for Side Stage Magazine it was available so I grabbed it up.
H: How would you describe the content found on your site if you were talking to someone who had never visited before?
B: Right now the content is more rock and heavy metal based, but Im hoping to be able to cover more genres of music such as country etc. Eventually maybe even add internet radio and some type of podcast.
H: You’re well aware the is a vast amount of competition for clicks in the music blogging world today, so what would you say sets your new site apart from the rest?
B: Honestly right now its still in its baby stages, so its still growing and searching for its identity. Im hoping that it will grow to a site where people will go to get the latest news in music, listen to music, as well as enjoy a podcast if those features get added at some point.
H: I noticed you have a tab for columns, but no content for that page just yet. Do you plan to begin running editorials and other in-depth piece in the coming months?
B: I feel that the columns section could be an area that sets us apart. Im reaching out to musicians and kicking ideas around on the types of columns to include. It could be a column of life on the road told by an actively touring national musician or musicians talking about gear. Of course I would hope to have columns about upcoming releases and tours as well.
H: You have a lot of content for being a relatively new website. How big is the Side Stage team? Are you looking to add to your numbers?
B: Right now the Side Stage Team is very small. I would say there are roughly 5 or so of us. We are looking to expand that and have writers, photographers, and editors across the country. I feel that building a staff is very important and the dynamics of the staff have to be there. Its hard juggling assignments because there are times where multiple staff members want to cover the same show. Im looking to build a diverse staff that would cover all major genres of music and as I do that the site would evolve to reflect that.
H: You cover a lot of big rock acts, but do you have a place for up and comers as well? I’m sure a few of our readers may want to pitch you on their music/talent.
B: I believe in the saying that every national was once a local. So I do want to spotlight local bands on the site. I have to figure out how that is going to work once we have more staff spread across the country. I feel the good thing about an online magazine is that it hs the potential for a local or regional band on the east coast to reach people on the west coast who may have otherwise never heard of them.
H: At the end of the day, what do you hope to accomplish with Side Stage? Do you have any longterm goals?
B: The short term goals woul dbe to get the site to a point where its stable in regards to how it looks and flows. Long term I would like to see it grow into a brand. We are working on logos and banners for the site which we may put on stickers, t-shirts etc.
H: As you currently receive no money for your work on the site, why do you do it?
B: Right now its an expensive hobby based on the love of music and the live show. I think anyone who gets into this for money has gotten into it for the wrong reasons. There are times where I ask myself why am I doing this but at the end of the day I just feel at home with a camera at a live show.
H: Are you working to monetize the site? If so, how?
B: Hopefully as the site grows we will have the numbers to bring in some advertisments and make a few dollars to pay staff for the expenses of doing all this, or at least to pay for the site.
H: If you could offer any advice to people reading this who may be considering a site of their own, what would you say?
B: My advice for anyone looking to get into concert photography, or launching a magazine is to do it. The worse thing that could happen is it fail. But if you dont make that initial leap how will you ever know. If you have a love for music then get out to a live show and document your experience either thru writing or from behind a camera.
