Tag: Chicago

Blogger Spotlight: Jack Appleby (Absolutepunk)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date August 12, 2013

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight. As you may have noticed, we are increasing the amount of content we post here on our blog, including the debut of several new columns. Our hope is that you will continue to join us as we explore the people working behind-the-scenes to bring the music industry to a screen near you every day, and would love to hear any suggestions you have for future features. If you have a recommendation, please email james@haulix.com and share your idea.

We have written in the past that making a career in the music industry today often requires taking on multiple job titles. With that in mind, it is our pleasure to share with you a new interview with Absolutepunk contributor Jack Appleby.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and for Jack Appleby that place was Mind Equals Blown. You may recall his name being mentioned during our previous spotlight with MEB founder Drew Maroon, and the reason for that connection is the major role Appleby played in thrusting the site towards the forefront of digital music coverage. He and Maroon have developed a brand together that continues to grow and evolve daily, and it did not take long for others in the industry to notice his talent. We spoke with Appleby about his time with MEB, the decision to join Absolutepunk, and where he sees his own future in the industry headed. You can read our conversation below.

Jack Appleby is often found discussing new music, promoting the bands he manages, and generally being an amazing person on Twitter. If you want to read his writing, be sure to check out Absolutepunk and the pages of Mind Equal Blown. Jack recently joined the team at Siren Records, so head over to their Facebook and learn what they have planned for the remainder of 2013.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

JA: I’m Jack Appleby, and I’m over at AbsolutePunk. I organize exclusives, write reviews, cover shows, contribute to social media – a little bit of everything.

H: For lack of a better phrase, you’re a bit of a “Jack of all trades” when it comes to the music industry. When did you first know you wanted to work in music, and where did you first find work (unpaid efforts count too)?

JA: Haha, well – I still don’t have aspirations of making a career of music, but it’s certainly a field I enjoy participating in. I prefer music as a hobby, since it’s damn near impossible to make a good living in the industry. And my first of many unpaid (but completely worthwhile) efforts came via Mind Equals Blown.

H: When we interviewed Drew Maroon from Mind Equals Blown, he said the site really started to take off after you came on board. How did you come to work with Drew, and what can you tell us about the early days of MEB?

JA: Back in college, I was Editor-In-Chief of my university’s newspaper and wanted to apply my skills to music. On a whim, I Googled “music blogs” and came across MEB back in its .blogspot glory. I reached out to Drew, offering to help recruit and train a staff – we teamed up, and MindEqualsBlown.net was born.

Like every music site, MEB grew out of a passion for music and writing (and, you know – wanting to meet our favorite musicians and hear their music first). We wrote reviews, but took a focus on features and in-depth stories even in the early stages – every site had reviews, but no one was approaching happenings in the “scene” (or whatever it’s called) from a serious, journalistic approach. We also emphasized the editing process – all of our pieces ran through the same editing filter as the newspapers I’d worked on. Most reviews and editorials saw multiple edits from multiple editors before publishing, a rarity with most student-based music blogs. None of us were interested in news blurbs and the obvious hits they bring, so we focused on strong content.

H: You’re now a member of the AbsolutePunk staff. At what point did you make the switch, and what attracted you to the world of AbsolutePunk?

JA: As the Managing Editor at MEB, my role revolved around leadership, infrastructure, and editing – I loved running the site, but as I pursued a career in social media, my time for side-projects became increasingly limited. Around the same time my career pursuits became serious, Thomas Nassiff inquired whether I’d be interested in writing at AbsolutePunk, a site I’d always admired. AP.net’s emphasis on community and discussion always fascinated me, and the chance to focus on my own writing again was a huge appeal. It was incredibly tough leaving a site I’d helped create, but in the Fall of 2011, I moved over to AbsolutePunk.

H: Would you say your time at MEB helped prepare you for Absolutepunk? If so, how?

JA: Actually, MEB prepped me more for my career path. I graduated with an interest in business, tech, and social media, but no true “dream job” or specific path in mind. When I finally landed a meeting with Ayzenberg Group (a full-service advertising agency in Pasadena, CA), my time at MEB became the interview’s focus – turned out my content focus and promotional tactics on the site were enough to land me a social media gig. I’ve been at Ayzenberg for two years now, and absolutely love what I do – and I have MEB to thank for that.

H: Like many, you have earned little-to-nothing in return for your efforts at both of these sites. What motivates you to continue dedicating your time day in and day out?

JA: More than anything, I love having the ability to support musicians I believe in. Whether it’s premiering a new song, reviewing a record, or simply tweeting about a band, I love being able to contribute to the music. It seems so few bands know how to expose themselves to the world, and I’m happy to lend a hand in any way possible.

And working with my favorite musicians never loses its luster. I’ve managed to tone down the starstruck effect, but make no mistake – I’m still giddy when I meet a musician I’ve admired for the first time. Over the last year, I’ve interviewed musical idols, helped guide new bands, sat in the studio while favorites as they record – I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.

H: Beyond writing, you also recently added another gig to your list of titles. Care to share that role and how it came to be?

JA: Gladly! I’m ecstatic to say I’ve joined the Siren Records team. You likely know the label for Peace’d Out (Vinnie Caruana, Steve Choi of RX Bandits) and their vinyl offerings.

About a year ago, I worked publicity with Donny and James on Silver Snakes’ debut album, one of the early Siren releases. We’d run into each other on occasion and chat music, vinyl, all the things – until one day, they asked me if I’d like to come aboard. It was a pretty easy yes – I’m excited to work with these guys and continue developing the label.

H: Working at a label is a dream shared by many aspiring music industry professionals. If you had to choose, would you continue writing or spearhead label life full time?

JA: I think I’ve struck a healthy balance – I doubt I’d be happy exclusively committing to one role. I love having the ability to work with any band I please on the writing side, and I enjoy having weight and influence on the label side – they give different satisfaction. And again, music’s just a hobby, though one I’m heavily invested in – having the chance to dabble in everything is important to me.

H: Fortunately, you get to do both as long as you’d like, and each offers its own opportunities to expose new talent. Where do you go when you’re seeking out new music?

JA: Friends, the AP.net community, and band buddies are my go-to’s – none of us are shy about passing along new music. If I’m hungry for new stuff, I tend to scour Twitter to see what the rest of the AbsolutePunk staff is playing. I never use algorithm-based sources like Pandora – I’d rather focus on Spotify and Rdio’s “Related Artists” sections, where I’ve found some surprisingly great new bands. I’m lucky enough to have an inbox full of music as well, so there’s always something to check out.

H: Speaking of music discovery, what advice can you offer young artists hoping to stand out in your inbox?

JA: Please do yourself a favor, bands – include a “Recommended If You Like” in your email. And that doesn’t mean say you’re just like Brand New – give honest comparisons that are specific enough to be associated with your sound, yet relevant enough that most writers would know them. It doesn’t trivialize your music – it gives writers a reason to open your email instead of the other hundreds we receive. What’s more, it allows writers to pass music to the appropriate colleague; I’m not a big pop-punk or metal guy, but if you include a RIYL, I know who I can send the music to, even without listening.

Also, offer a stream in your email. Writers don’t have enough hard drive space to download every album sent our way, so send an online stream, with all of your band’s information (name, location, social media links, etc). Or, be smart and send us both a stream link and download link in the same email – give us the opportunity to explore your music however’s best for us.

And please, if you send me a download, have the iTunes info attached to the tracks already. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve lost editing song names and track listing to make an album play as intended.

And no caps. Don’t send me email in all caps. I’ll fight you.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

JA: Thanks to leak culture, it’s become increasingly difficult for publicists to send advances of albums, making it near impossible to publish reviews before or around a record’s release. Anything that makes a publicist more comfortable sending me music early works for me, and Haulix’s watermarking and secure online player seem to do the trick. Sound quality is incredibly important as well – nothing’s more frustrating than receiving an advance in 128 kbps. Whenever possible, I’ll try to get my hands on the WAV files, though 320 kbps is certainly acceptable and deliverable through Haulix. But more than anything, it’s the multiple methods of listening that wins me over. I operate off of several computers, and love analyzing music in my car – having both stream and download options is a huge win.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

JA: I’d definitely encourage music fans to rethink how they support their favorite bands. While I’ve got my own theories as to why no one can make a dime in this industry, I’m always baffled by how little music fans contribute to their supposed passion. If a band releases a record you love, go buy it – then go to their show – then buy a shirt – then show your friends – then tweet about it – then do whatever’s next. So many people are happy being passive listeners when it takes such a small effort to help the cause. Seriously, just tweeting about a band accomplishes more than you realize – you could be introducing a band to their next biggest fan.

H: You tweet a lot about having big plans for the future. Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?

JA: Lots of exciting things happening at Siren Records, though not much I can share at the moment. We’ll definitely have some Peace’d Out news soon, including info about their first full-length. There’s a few projects taking shape that’ll blow your mind, but those will reveal themselves in the next few months – plus, vinyl, vinyl, vinyl.

I’m also managing Culprit, who’s releasing their sophomore EP on August 20 via Easy Killer Records, so make sure you watch for that.

And there’s always new things brewing at AbsolutePunk – it’s sounding like the mythical new design may come sooner than later, but you’ll have to talk to Jason Tate for details. Some damn good music coming this fall as well, so hopefully lots more features, song premieres, and reviews.

Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Thomas Nassiff (Fuse)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date July 31, 2013

Welcome to a special Wendesday edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. In preparation for the launch of a new feature next month that will likely take up large portion of our spotlight series, we thought it would be fun to squeeze an extra blogger interview into July before we bid it farewell. If you were hoping for a new advice column, don’t fret. We still plan to run one of those later this week.

Unlike the vast majority of conventional careers paths people choose to follow, working in the music industry today rarely comes with any guarantee of stability. You have to go where the work is, always, and even then you never know what may happen. You can be the best at what you do, but if it’s not what is needed at any given time you may find yourself browsing Craigslist at two in the morning wondering how you’re going to pay rent until things even out. If you do, that’s okay, because the truth is almost everyone in this business has taken a similar roller coaster like journey themselves and will likely do so once or twice more before they retire, die, or wake up on the wrong side of forty realizing that maybe teaching wasn’t such a bad alternative after all. Today’s spotlighted blogger recently moved hundreds of miles to keep his pursuit of a career in music alive, and we’re confident his guidance will aide those of you who find yourselves in similar situations.

Thomas Nassiff originally came onto our radar by way of Absolutepunk in late 2009, but his passion for music dates back to the seminal pop punk records of the 2002/2003 era. Through years of news coverage, reviews, interviews, and in-depth editorial efforts, Thomas has developed a reputation for being one of the thought-provoking minds covering the alternative music scene, and he shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. In fact, he recently joined the Fuse TV team and started his own record label, which sold out its first release in less than a day. We talked about all this and more with Thomas, and I’m relatively sure the results are one of the longest spotlight pieces we’ve done to date.

As always, if you like what you read in this article, please be sure to support Thomas and his variety of projects. Read Absolutepunk and Fuse, buy music from Paper + Plastick Records, as well as Bad Timing Records, and don’t forget to follow his every move via Twitter.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

TN: My name is Thomas Nassiff and I’m a web content manager at Fuse.tv in New York City. I also label manage Paper + Plastick Records, run Bad Timing Records and write for AbsolutePunk.net in my spare time. I would like to note that throughout the entirety of doing this interview, I am listening to “Bailamos” which is a smash hit single by Enrique Iglesias.

H: You’ve become a bit of a staple in the alternative community in recent years, but that wasn’t always the case. When did you first fall in love with music, and at what age did you start pursuing an interest in the music industry?

TN: I got into this kind of music in sixth or seventh grade, which is when I started listening to Yellowcard and New Found Glory. So like 2002/2003 or whatever I guess. Good to note that “Bailamos” came out in 2002 as well. I am a little younger so Ocean Avenue and Sticks and Stones were my gateway records. I don’t know at what age I expressed an interest in the “music industry,” but I started writing for AbsolutePunk in my freshman year of college, in 2009, and everything else I’ve done has sort of stemmed from the relationships I made at AP.net.

H: It has been said the first album you connect with reflects the genre you will forever show favoritism towards. Do you feel that is correct?

TN: For me this is certainly true. Before Yellowcard, New Found Glory, Green Day and blink-182 etc. etc., the only music I really listened to was my dad’s music. Stuff like Bruce Springsteen, Dire Straits, Boston, classic rock like that. I still love those artists, Springsteen is my favorite artist of all time actually, but certainly in my formative years I connected with pop-punk songs the most and that is the genre I latched onto for many years after that. I think on a general scale, the bands you first come to love can have an impact on the people who hang out with, who can influence what genres you “graduate” on toward.

H: Unlike many of our featured bloggers, you actually have a degree in journalism. Did your interest in music influence your decision to pursue journalism in college?

TN: Everything sort of happened at the same time. I went into college as a pre-med psychology major and started to write user reviews for AP.net just to do something cool with my free time. You have a lot of free time in freshman year of college. On the first day of my second semester, it was the first week of January in 2010, and I went to my first chemistry class, I remember very precisely that it was under 20 degrees that morning in Gainesville, FL, and I walked into the classroom to find the professor wearing a Hawaiian shirt and jorts, running around the classroom yelling shit about the periodic table. I walked out of the classroom about 10 minutes later, completely horrified and realizing that I hate elements, filled out some paperwork to become a journalism major (this was a shot in the dark, but I always found that writing came relatively easy to me), and then sent an email to Linda Ferreira (AbsolutePunk.net “mail lady”), asking her if they needed any help editing user reviews. I got hired a couple months later.

H: You made a name for yourself as a music writer through your efforts at Absolutepunk. How did you come to work with that site?

TN: I guess I accidentally answered that question above. Sorry, if I wasn’t listening to “Bailamos” I would have read ahead and avoided this awkward moment. The site brought me on to edit user reviews but I quickly started to pick up reviews of records that were looked over, until I earned my stripes enough to volunteer for writing reviews for bigger releases. Writers like Chris Fallon and Blake Solomon were the ones who inspired me most to start writing for the site. I wish I could be as funny as Blake in writing, if he was doing this interview he would have though of a much funnier angle with the “Bailamos” thing. I also started posting news and doing exclusives and interviews very quickly once I got hired; I had an interest in doing those things and I think one of the best parts about the way Jason Tate manages the AP.net staff is that every staffer is welcome to do any type of content they want. It really allows you to experience new things and try your hand at anything you want.

H: Earlier this year you caused quite a fuss online after posting a negative review of a new album from the band Transit. Now that a few months have past, what do you think of when reflecting on that time? Did you learn anything from the experience?

TN: Well to be honest I was pretty well prepared for that fiasco based on my experience with the Matt Wilson / Set Your Goals thing. With Set Your Goals, the band ignored the record review (at least publicly), but a shitstorm ensued when Matt called me an asshole for buying one of their T-shirts at Warped Tour. I learned most from that experience, and also from other less publicized experiences, that it’s usually not worth it to get into a back-and-forth with the band or band member about whatever they are mad about. Similar to how artists have the freedom to write whatever kind of music they want, annoying bloggers have the freedom to blog about whatever they want. Artists know this of course…especially a band like Transit, who saw so much positive praise reigned down upon them from the blogosphere when they released Listen & Forgive, one of the best records of 2011.

With this new Transit record, I don’t really know why the band chose to react to the review in a public manner. When they did, and when I saw the #GFYTN hashtag, that was at least something that could turn into something memorable and something to laugh at in the future, and that’s what it is now. That’s all it is, really. That and the first 1,000-comment review on AbsolutePunk. The band and I are on perfectly fine terms, I talked to Joe Boynton extensively at Skate & Surf this year. I understand why they didn’t appreciate that review, but at some point as a person who writes about music sometimes, you have to just tell your true opinion regardless of what might happen to personal relationships. Or else why are you even writing about records? What is the point of having a public opinion if it’s not the opinion you feel when you’re talking about the record with your best friend? Let someone else write about the record at that point.

H: You recently joined the Fuse team, and can now be found covering a wide array of music for their online presence. What drew you to the world of Fuse?

TN: I wasn’t looking for a job when I found out about this opening at Fuse, but it was the coolest opportunity ever for me. I am so happy to work here now and be in New York City. One of the web content managers who used to work here (she left shortly after I arrived) found a review I wrote for The Menzingers’ latest LP, and she tells me that she doesn’t really like to read reviews but she really liked that one specifically. She followed me on Twitter and we started to talk sometimes, and one day she asked me to send her my resume. So I did and shortly after I had a couple webcam interviews with the web team and eventually they decided to bring me on board. This job is a lot different from anything I have done in the past, but I like it a lot and I love that I’m learning a lot of new skills while I’m here.

H: To take on this new job, you had to join the ranks of industry professionals who have moved across country in pursuit of work (in your case, Florida to NYC). Did you always have an interest in New York, or did it simply “come with the territory”? Do you have any guidance for individuals who may soon be faced with a similar decision of whether or not to make the move?

TN: Moving to New York, or moving anywhere, in pursuit of work was not really in my plans. I had my mind set on staying in Gainesville for a while and working at Paper + Plastick and doing freelance publicity. I love Gainesville, it’s my favorite place. But the opportunity at Fuse was so good and the timing was so good that it changed my plans. Everyone is different in terms of whether they want to leave their hometown or their college town, but my only advice is to just do what feels most right. If it feels like a career-starter, it’s probably worth moving for. It’s hard to turn down the prospect of stability.

H: Let’s get back to the music. When you’re looking to discover new talent, what sources do you find to be the most reliable?

TN: PropertyOfZack is the fastest website in terms of posting news, so if I’m looking to stay up to date on what’s new or just keep track of bands I already know, I’m probably looking on that site. AbsolutePunk is the best in terms of gauging how new bands are progressing because of the comment section on the site. You can look at a band’s news posts on AP.net and see numeric proof (by number of comments) of that band becoming more popular among the audience.

H: Speaking of music discovery, you recently launched a label of your own (Bad Timing Records). Do you have any plans to begin promoting and releasing talent of your own? If so, what would you look for in a band you may one day consider signing?

TN: We had a lot of fun pressing Acceptance’s Phantoms for the first time and we are looking into more catalog releases. Old stuff that we can do for the first time on vinyl. But there are two very new, very unknown bands that I like a lot and I am trying to decide whether I want to take that step and try to do that artist development. I have some experience doing that with Paper + Plastick but it would have to be a band I feel strongly about that just wouldn’t make sense on P+P. I think for Bad Timing I would look for a band that I very much enjoy, very much want to listen to every day, and very much believe could make an impact, even a small one, among people who have similar tastes as me.

H: What about when the bands come to you for news coverage? What advice would you offer bands hoping to stand out from the others vying for attention in your inbox or social feeds?

TN: Man, it is the hardest thing in the world to get someone’s attention sometimes. I don’t even know how to answer this question really, because there are times when I click on links for no real reason and other times when I just am too busy and I delete those types of emails. Some pretty generic tips are to always include a link to stream your music instead of a link to download it, and always make sure you compose emails that actually read like a competent human wrote them. The best tip is to write the best songs you can write and try your best to get people talking about your band, because word-of-mouth suggestions are the greatest publicity.

H: In the digital age, do you feel there is still a need for physical press kits?

TN: Absolutely not. Never. No. Not in this lifetime. Don’t send me anything in the mail unless I ordered it from you or you asked me if I wanted it.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

TN: This is probably a broken record at this point in the history of this feature, but the best service is Haulix. That’s not even an opinion really; it’s almost factual. Universal uses an embarrassing stream/downloading thing that looks like something from the age of dial-up Internet. It’s almost so bad that it actually makes me not want to listen. PlayMPE is a good idea but has terrible execution. Short of receiving a straight-up download link (Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Service, etc.) when I request a record, I prefer Haulix. I will say that SoundCloud private streams are cool for young bands who need a free alternative, but Haulix provides a lot more security. We use it at Paper + Plastick and I consider it to be the best option if you need watermarking service.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

TN: I wish people were not so inundated with new music every day. It is a gift and a curse. Music is so accessible, so easily obtained, that at some point it switched from consumers seeking out new music to consumers trying to sift through all the new music that was being hurled at them. It’s at the point where people won’t download a free MP3 because it’s too much of a hassle. You literally can’t give your music away. That sucks. On the flipside, it’s easier than ever to discover new music with streaming services like Spotify and Rdio. So it’s harder and easier, because why would this industry ever be straightforward?

H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?

TN: I am going to go watch Less Than Jake play three shows in three days in Gainesville at the end of August. And I’ll go to Riot Fest Chicago in September and Fest 12 in October, again in Gainesville. I am probably going to listen to the new Balance & Composure album a lot when it comes out. I am going to heavily promote the new Red City Radio record that’s coming out via Paper + Plastick, because it’s my favorite punk record since that aforementioned Menzingers LP. I also am going to listen to Less Than Jake’s new record a lot, because it’s their best work in a decade. And I will definitely be anticipating the new Katy Perry album.

Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Matt Darcy (Nefarious Realm)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date July 26, 2013

One theme that has run rampant throughout our Blogger Spotlight series thus far has been the seemingly endless variety of side projects within the industry each writer maintains. Be it working a full and/or part time job outside of their site, running a record label, working freelance, playing in a band, or something else entirely, bloggers tend to be immersed in the culture they write about. Today’s writer is no different in that aspect, but they way it all came to be is a story entirely his own.

Matt Darcy is the founder and editor for Nerfarious Realm, a metal, hardcore, and extreme music themed publication that has also dabbled in booking and live event production. Since 2006, Darcy and the contributors that help keep Nefarious Realm up to date have been setting the pace for independent heavy music bloggers with news and features while simultaneously covering a wide array of unsigned talent from around the globe. By welcoming all things heavy with an open mind, Nefarious Realm has become a staple of the music community, both regionally and abroad, which in itself a sort of small wonder. They even have a record label, Threshold Of Pain, which launched earlier this year with hopes of becoming the next boutique vinyl outlet.

As you read through Matt’s story and the life of Nefarious Realm, keep in mind that everything the site has accomplished, including all the bands helped through booking and coverage, resulted from one music fan chasing their desire to share their interest with others. Now that Nefarious has a full team of contributors, each with their own ideas for the next evolution of the site, it seems the future is brighter than ever.

Be sure you follow Nefarious Realm on Twitter, and don’t forget to Like the site on Facebook. If you have any question for Matt, feel free to add them in the comments below.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

MD: I’m Matt Darcy and I am the founder, boss, editor, webmaster, everything at Nefarious Realm.

H: Let’s start at the beginning. When did you first fall in love with music (be album specific, if possible)?

MD: It was seeing Metallica’s video on MTV (back when the M was for music) for “The Memory Remains,” since then I was hooked. Within months I had all of their previous albums leading up to ‘Reload.’

H: Usually we move from that question to something related to how you first started writing about music, but your site/company is a bit different than the normal publication. In addition to the site, which has news, features, and reviews, you’ve also put on a number of live productions throughout New England. How did you first get started working in music, and where did the idea for Nefarious develop?

MD: It initially started in 2006, I was really big on customizing Myspace layouts and looked into getting my own website. I met a few bands around that time and offered to promote them on the website, which looked awful. The website was pretty dormant like that until around 2007 when I presented my first show then started hosting concerts on a steady basis in 2009. It was booking that initially started it all. I would use the website to better promote the shows and the bands.

H: Where did the inspiration for the name Nefarious Realm productions come from?

MD: If I recall, I happened to think “nefarious” was an awesome word in my early teens that was and still is a word not very much used. It’s a synonym for “sinister” or “wicked.” And “realm” is a “place”, so it’s a wicked place for music.

H: We mentioned your live productions above, but you actually don’t do as much booking as you did in previous years. What inspired you to change your focus towards journalism and the site?

MD: I never intended to become a promoter in the area, I really wanted to be more of a media source, it just happened that way. I was actually laid off from my day job in late 2011 and that’s when I decided to fully transition the website and to make it into something bigger, something more sustainable, something better. I had all the time to put into it at that point, and it was not having the time to develop the website that was holding me back. So it kind of worked out. hahaha.

H: There is a growing number of sites competing in the metal news realm. What does Nefarious offer that sets your efforts apart from the rest?

MD: Nefarious Realm does not post silly gossip, rumors, or tabloid stories, not saying anything is wrong with that, but I want to offer details, insights, thoughts, and content that’s more worth while, while entertaining. Also we look to post about bands, labels, and other topics that don’t get coverage as much. While just about everyone posts about the big names, a lot do not mention smaller or lesser known acts that many enjoy. Throughout the years, and especially coming from a mainstream background, there are literally worlds of music out there waiting to be discovered and heard. One thing that you can always find on what we post is tour dates included on almost every post and more complete details about a release and how to get it.

H: The rise of social media has given more people a voice on an international level than ever before and has lead many to argue that there is less/no need for professional critics. You do reviews on your site, but have a number of additional features as well. Where do you stand on the need for critics in modern times?

MD: People will always look to a professional source for approval for music, especially since we usually get our hands on it first. So if you want to read about the first thoughts, you need to look for what the established sources and critics are saying. I don’t exactly agree with the less/no need part. With literally everyone able to post their opinion on some form of medium, I think more people are getting flooded with, “this sucks” or “this is killer,” with no actual backing explanation, therefore looking to the pros for insight.

H: One of the most talked about features on your site in recent memory is the ‘The Number Of The Compilation,’ a 666-track compilation you have been working on since early 2013. Can you tell us a bit about the project, your guidelines for submissions, and how far along you are in terms of getting it to your readers?

MD: Aside from being a news source, we want to help bands and labels get heard, and as I said there’s a worlds of music out there, taking 666 songs from bands and labels all over the globe and putting them into the hands of people for free will bring people to the forefront of discovering new good music. In regards to guidelines, simply a good recording is all, plus supplying a few bits of general info. Of course not all bands create good music, never mind get a good recording of it so every bit of music is listened to before being accepted. Complete details can be found on the website (http://nefariousrealm.com/homenew/?p=5484). The compilation is about half way complete. The queue of bands to go through is a couple hundred as well, plus more labels keep hopping on board. As far as I researched, it’s the biggest compilation of it’s size and caliber.

H: Speaking of showcasing new talent, you have worked with countless unsigned bands over the years. Where do you go to find new music?

MD: Making friends in various bands and other figures always have referrals, relationships are a strong part in this industry. I’m also lucky to be in an area that has a thriving scene. A lot of the bands around here know each other and work together, so in a short time, you’ll end up seeing/meeting that band you keep hearing about. I do browse Bandcamp a lot as well, I’ve found a few gems simply bopping from band to band, of which I have featured and still listen to on a regular basis.

H: Let’s say the artists want to come to you. What advice would you offer a band hoping to stand out from the countless others vying for coverage?

MD: Stop sending emails, even more so posting on social media walls, “Check this out.” Google “how to form a press release” look at news websites and study the content that’s provided. That is what you should be contacting sources with. Give the outlet everything needed to make a post. “This is totally br00tal, check the vid” is not going to cut it. Being a band with their shit together while creating good music helps.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

MD: I despise getting stuff from website services that every time I click on the website, I get a popup and need to hunt for the correct link to click that is not an advertisement. Haulix is great because it’s not only neat, but provides access to current available catalogs and makes obtaining new releases very easy.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

MD: The elitism and the arrogance. Taste in music varies person to person and honestly who cares if a given person doesn’t like this or doesn’t like that. Matters if YOU like it. The constant hating on Youtube videos and the comments sections on several websites is appalling. Just think what would happen if all these people spent that moment saying something positive or constructive, or even spreading the word of a band you like instead of bashing a band you don’t.

H: You write a lot about having big plans for the future. Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what Nefarious has planned for the remainder of 2013?

MD: Moving forward, we are looking into creating more unique features and articles. Also, we have additional none-website/digital projects in motion. Threshold of Pain Records which is a specialty vinyl-only record label has already started. As well we are looking to do several limited posters with renowned artists. We may even be throwing a show again soon. There’s a couple other things too we want to do, but don’t have the time to actually get to at this time

Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Drew Maroon (Mind Equals Blown)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date July 15, 2013

A new week has begun, and with it we have another fantastic Blogger Spotlight to share with all of you.

In a time where many music blogs are running as fast as they can to join larger organizations in hopes of monetization, Mind Equals Blown stands apart as a force for independent thought in a cluttered online world. There coverage rests mainly in the alternative world, but they have been known to venture into the realm of pop and beyond whenever their editors deemed talent worthy of their feed. Between news, lists, editorials, and reviews that are more in depth than the efforts of many major publications, MEB has carved a nice niche for themselves on the fringe of modern music blogging that is quickly finding a fervent following. At the head of it all is Drew Maroon, a twenty-something with a love for music than runs deeper than the ocean. We spoke with Drew about his work on MEB, how he came to work in music, and where he sees his efforts headed in the future. You can find his responses following the MEB logo below.

As always, if you enjoy this spotlight piece please make sure you do whatever you can to support the efforts of Drew and the people who make Mind Equals Blown a reality every day. Click here to Follow MEB on Twitter, and click here to Like them on Facebook.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

DM: My name is Drew Maroon. I’m the founder, owner, editor and whatever else you can think of at Mind Equals Blown.

H: You have had a presence in blogging for a few years. Is Mind Equals Blown your first website? If not, would you please tell us how you got your start in writing?

DM: Yeah, MEB was my first. I started MEB during my freshman year at the University of Florida. I’m a metalhead who essentially has no metalhead friends. I would find all these cool metal bands that I wanted to talk about and my friends wanted nothing to do with it, so I began writing about them online through MEB. Basically, it just snowballed from there. It didn’t really take off until that winter when Jack Appleby (now of Absolute Punk) came on board. He really pushed MEB to the next level.

The site since then has really taken on a life of its own. Our staff is solely to praise for its success. It is a group effort.

H: What initially drove you to have an interest in the music industry? Being in your twenties and having now gone through the ringer of freelance, do you still see this business as a viable career option?

DM: There are all these fantastic bands that go unnoticed for whatever reason. I just wanted to help them get the exposure they deserved. Sometimes a quick blog post is all a band needs to get in front of the right person.

I do see the business as a viable career option, yes. But, you have to love it. I think very few people make a lot of money doing what they love, so it’s a choice. I’ve actually changed my major and I’m pursuing my MBA in hopes of doing something like this for a living.

H: Mind Equals Blown is one of the biggest sites not yet attached to a major company, like SpinMedia. Are you choosing to stay independent on purpose? If so, what drives your DIY ethic?

DM: We are proudly independent at the moment. The site exists because of all of the hard work and dedication of the awesome staffers that MEB has. No one earns a dime (myself included) so everyone who works for MEB does so on a volunteer basis.

To me, that is amazing. These people work so hard to produce something they’re proud of and passionate about. The staff is the absolute heart and soul of this site and it would be nowhere today without them and all their hard work.

H: In terms of content, what is it about MEB that separates your offerings from those of your numerous competitors?

DM: I hope people associate us with in-depth features and editorials. For me, that is where music journalism lies – with the story. Album reviews are great and all, but the real interesting aspect is the story behind the album, you know. Why did the artist change their sound a bit? What influenced them? Most of the time there is a very interesting story just waiting to be written.

That is the direction I’m constantly pushing MEB in and I think we’ve done a great job with our first little step.

H: MEB tends to write longer news articles and in-depth features. With that in mind, how do you feel about the ‘buzzfeed-ification’ of news (ie, move to shorter stories and more lists) online?

DM: Glad to see we are associated with in-depth features! However, people like different things. I don’t mind lists every now-and-again, but I’d always choose a good story over a ‘Top 10 whatever’ list. That isn’t to say they’re not entertaining in their own way. Oftentimes they are very fun! I think lists like that can be a great addition to strong content, but shouldn’t be the main source of content.

H: You cover a variety of talent on your site. How do you go about discovering new bands?

DM: This is where our staff shines brightest. Every staff member has a vast and unique scope of music that influences what they cover and what they write about.

Personally, I like to click through Bandcamp. Bandcamp has a ton of awesome metal music just waiting to be heard.

H: Let’s say the artists come to you. What advice would you offer those hoping to gain your attention via email or other social means?

DM: Good music is always going to rise to the top. If you make great music you will eventually get the exposure you deserve. Other than that, keep it simple. Get straight to the point and link me to somewhere where I can stream your music. Also, if I have to ‘like’ your Facebook page to hear a song, I’m immediately moving on.

I want to help promote your band, that is why the site was started to begin with. Feel free to reach out to us on the @mindequalsblown Twitter, Facebook or individually to staff members.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

DM: Not to be perceived as being biased, but definitely Haulix. Haulix takes all of the hassle out of receiving new music. It simply combines everything on one page and provides you with promo pictures, bios, videos and whatever else. Since most of the publicists we work with tend to use it, it’s nice to be able to quick switch back to your full catalog of promos you’ve received.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

DM: To see artists get a bigger return on their music. The scene is driven by touring and merch – that seems so backwards to me. I think the industry is broken as it is, but we are slowly moving into a new age where we can directly support artists we feel rightly deserve it.

Look at Protest the Hero – they did an Indiegogo for their new album and raised the money in less than 24 hours. They then went on to almost triple their original asking amount. This is a band that takes their time between records and, as a result, puts out quality music every time. I was more than happy to drop $50 for their new album.

Maybe someday in the future the industry can get to a happy medium between labels and this ability to directly support a band.

H: You write a lot about having big plans on the horizon. Can you tell us a bit about what MEB has planned for the remainder of 2013?

DM: We are always cooking up a lot of fun stuff over on MEB, some that sees the light of day and a lot that doesn’t. We’re always going to be pushing out more original features and quality content, sticking with what we do best. We’re continuing to grow and evolve. We may be a 5 year old site but I still feel as if we’re just getting started!

Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Jameson Ketchum (Substream Music Press)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date July 12, 2013

The latest edition of our Blogger Spotlight is not exactly a fitting title. You see, even in 2013 not every journalist working in music writes solely online. A very select few have been able to find lasting work in print (ie those newspaper-like things you see in bookstores that are now on ipads, only in paper-form), and today’s featured interview is with one of our personal favorites.

In an age where it seems everyone is rushing to digital, Substream Music Press is one of the few remaining print publications in the alternative scene. It’s not that they don’t appreciate digital, and they certainly recognize the changing times, but they also know how actually holding a magazine can add weight to words. Managing Editor James Ketchum is today’s featured writer, and his insight offers a unique look into a part of the music journalism world that may not be around much longer.

As always, if you like what you read, please support our featured writers and the publications that post their work. Follow Jameson and Substream on Twitter. If you’re not a twitter person, Substream also has an entertaining Facebook page as well. Click here for information on subscribing to Substream Music Press.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the publication you work for, and your role at said site:

Substream: Jameson Ketchum and I’m the Managing Editor at Substream Music Press Magazine.

H: Everyone’s backstory is different, and from following your adventures on Instagram it’s clear you have had many titles during your time in the music industry. What inspired you to seek a career in music, and how did you get from that initial inspiration to writing?

Substream: I remember being 15 years old, sitting in my English class, writing Dashboard Confessional (“This Ruined Puzzle”) lyrics in my notebook. Yeah, I was that kid. It was this feeling where I couldn’t write anything of my own just yet but I had to write. More honestly, I wasn’t confident enough yet to put my own thoughts or poetry down on paper, but I just had this itch where I had to write, even if it wasn’t my own words. There was some kind of magical therapy in the act itself. I always knew that, even if I didn’t become a “real writer”, that writing was my jag that I loved more than anything else in school. It took me a very long time to figure out where I was best suited as far as actually striving to make a career in music. I don’t know if I’d say I set out initially to create a career out of what I was doing. I did freelance work for a few years while I ran an online publication with a friend and business partner. Looking back now, I owe a lot to that first publication as it allowed me to make more contacts in the industry as well as learn how each different job worked. The sentiment with that first publication was “Well, I don’t have the experience yet to start applying to be a paid or full time writer, so I guess I’ll just do it myself until someone notices”. That is a philosophy I highly recommend!

H: You are the first of our featured writers who currently works for a publication that still thrives in the physical form. How does Substream make physical work in a digital era, and do you have any plans to move completely online in the future?

Substream: That’s the continual thought rolling around in our minds. Obviously, other publications have seen success having moved completely to digital, which was a move made out of financial necessity, even if they claim otherwise. It’s been interesting to see the competition make cutbacks to their product while doing their best to showcase these downgrades under the guise of “improvements for the readers”. Meanwhile, Substream has added more pages, improved the design work, became a bound publication and snagged bigger and bigger acts. Being a physical magazine is nowhere near as easy as it used to be. I get so excited if I see a kid reading a ANY magazine at the store because that’s such an antiquated notion these days. We do have a digital side of Substream. We use our website to not only post up-to-the-minute news but to give readers a further insight into their favorite article or interview. We post “Continuations” on the site so that whatever we had to cut from the physical mag, will still have a home somewhere. The key is quality and consistent content.

 H: What would you say separates the content offered by Substream from other publications covering similar areas of music, beyond having a physical product?

Substream: We’ve always been known as the magazine that really spotlights the up and comers. We pride ourselves on showing you a band before anyone else does. We gave now vastly successful acts such as Paramore, Owl City and Travie McCoy their first covers. We genuinely love working with the bands personally rather than going through a hundred handlers to get an interview completed. We care about the music AND the people and I think that shows in our pages.

H: When it comes to planning content for a publication that runs online and in the physical form, how do you decide which artists make it to the actual magazine?  

Substream: We have a few guidelines that we’ve honed over the years. Say we give a lesser known act a smaller feature online. If we see the band really backing us, promoting the piece, keeping up with us, seeing what other opportunities we have for them, then of course that makes us happy and more likely to feature them in the future. But let me speak to bands for a moment, you HAVE to have something going on. If you’re still playing in your garage, your promos were taken by a girl in your yearbook class, have no releases and no future plans, then we’d really be doing you a disservice by featuring you. It won’t get you anywhere and it only makes the both of us look bad. I mean that with the utmost respect because we truly do want to see these smaller acts grow.

 H: You also happen to work in public relations with a number of rising artists. Which came first: The journalism or the publicity?

Substream: The journalism definitely came first, but it was because of the journalism that I was able to dip my toes in the waters of another endeavor. By being a writer, I was dealing with publicists all day long, making sure I met their needs when it came to chasing down an interview or review. I really listened to what they wanted and what they expected. Since at the time I was working for such a small publication, we made it a point to really learn as much as we could from each contact. Eventually, I began to think that I had learned their side of the transaction so well that maybe I could try my hand at it. Not only had I been working as a journalist, but I was also touring at the time so I was learning first hand what the band themselves expected from those working for them. The more experience you can gain firsthand, by touring and working very closely with the bands themselves, the more you’re going to put your heart into what you do in this industry. I didn’t start in publicity in a very conventional way. I work with some of the most talented publicists in the business and I still learn from them everyday. It’s a good balance of book smarts and experience.

H: As someone who not only covers new music, but actively works to get it exposed in multiple ways, how do you go about seeking new talent?

Substream: It’s an ever-changing mission. When I started out, it was all about referrals from friends or bands you had worked with early on. You have to always be asking around, going to festivals and scouting nonstop. It’s nice to have publications and websites that largely feature unsigned acts. If it’s a reputable site or publication, you can bet that they did their research which will lead you to a potentially great find.

 H: Let’s say the artists want to come to you. What advice would you offer a band hoping to stand out from the countless others vying for coverage?

Substream: As a publication, you’re so inundated with bands requesting coverage through social media (not the most professional of ways) or cold emails, so it’s become tougher and tougher to sift through the acts that aren’t quite up to snuff. Bands really have to create a personal and professional email pitch when approaching a publication in that medium. Do not blast out an impersonal email to 100 outlets, do not send unsolicited attachments or download links as these will often go to spam or will simply not be read because of all the red flags. I cannot stress this enough; do your research on the outlet you’re pitching to. Nothing is worse than getting a pitch from a band that is nowhere near what your publication usually covers. Be creative but again, be professional. Do not pitch to a major publication if you do not have quality promo photos and recordings. I have to state this again; it will do you no good to be featured in a publication if you don’t have any skin in the game.    

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

Substream: I swear I’m not just saying this, but Haulix really is the best. I’ve never had any hangups with it unlike many of the other services. I always get a little extra excited when I see I have new music through Haulix because I know I can jam it in mere seconds with no hassles.

  H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Substream: I recently, independently from Substream, wrote an article for Heartsupport.com on the lack of leadership in this particular music scene. The egos on some of these bands that have been publicized and seemingly encouraged lately has been pretty upsetting to witness.

Secondly, while the internet and social networking has no doubt been an amazing tool for the music industry but it has also somewhat devalued the job of the journalist. Just as digital cameras made everyone a photographer, blogs have made everyone a writer. I don’t believe I’d change it though as competition just creates a better product.   

H: You write a lot about having big plans for the future. Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what Substream has planned for the remainder of 2013?

Substream: We plan on rounding out the year with some big names on the cover including at least one that you will not see coming! We’ll be amping up some of our less music-oriented sections in the hopes of expanding our reach and fan interest. It’s a really exciting time at Substream. We can’t wait to show you what’s next!

Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Jacob Tender (Under The Gun Review)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date July 8, 2013

For your average sixteen-year-old, the idea of getting a head start on their future career path sounds more like the suggestion of a fun-hating adult than a well-meaning piece of advice offered by someone with experience. Jacob Randall Tender is no average person however, and by the time when he was fighting for permission to drive without supervision he was already sinking his (baby) teeth into the music industry with early blogging efforts.

Fast forward to the present day. Tender, now a recent college graduate, has developed a reputation within the music industry that many of his peers are still striving to attain. Through his work with Under The Gun Review he has not only earned the respect of others in journalism, but has managed to elevate his voice (and that of his coworkers) to a level of influence that he never could have imagined sitting alone in his room all those years ago. Add to this his work developing young artists, as well as his publicity work through Bottle Cap Media, and you have the ingredients for one of the industry’s most promising young minds.

After you read our exclusive interview, make sure to let Jacob know what you thought of his answers by contacting him on Twitter. After that, take a moment to follow UTG and we guarantee you’ll never miss another headline.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

JT:My name is Jacob Tender and I’m an Editor and part owner of Under The Gun Review dot net.

H: You have an interesting back story in blogging. How did you get your start in writing, and what motivated you to seek work in the music industry?

JT: I suppose my first foray into the blogosphere was a WordPress.com account I started to vent frustration about whatever bugged me in the musical world I had begun to immerse myself in. I wrote a few opinion pieces, a review or two, then I started posting news. After about a year, I packed up shop and moved to UTG with another writer I had picked up along the way.

Being from the Midwest with no Internet connection, save for my Blackberry, I put a lot of my time into music and writing strings of words about it. It felt like a natural fit and I’ve been doing it since.

H: You’ve written for multiple sites in the past. What lead you to join Under The Gun Review?

JT:I joined Under The Gun Review because it fit. I had been a reader of the site for some time. This made me familiar with some of the writers and the general tone of the webzine. I loved their voice and when asked to come aboard, I jumped in wholeheartedly because I felt that UTG was set apart from the rest. Less monotone, more snarky. The sass brought me in, the humor and friendliness of the team made me stay.

H: Unlike a lot of music blogs, Under The Gun started covering one kind of music and later expanded to a wide variety of genres. What lead you to this change, and was it the same motivation that later lead you to include comedy and film in your efforts as well?

JT: When I started with Under The Gun, the subject matter was very much in line with what was popular in the Warped Tour scene. While we still cover those types of musical acts quite heavily, there has been a vast increase in subject matter outside of those genres popular on the aforementioned tour.

I think that this can be attributed to maturing tastes amongst the staff and new staff members brought into the fold. New blood brings new taste. New taste brings varied content. This is something I personally strive for when bringing on new writers. I love when I see a band written about for the first time on the site. It’s a new market for them and it’s an opportunity for us to reach a new audience.

Our branching into film and comedy was even more natural. We obviously all love music, but we have a fire in our hearts for film and jokes as well. We wanted to expand our movie recommendations from our staff emails to a more public setting. Thus, we expanded. I think this varied coverage provides something a lot of our music blog competitors don’t.

H: What do you feel Under The Gun Review offers readers that they cannot find on other sites?

JT: Aside from the entertainment beyond music that can be found daily on the site, UTG offers a more personable, conversational, and occasionally controversial writing style.

Rather than writing a sentence in summary of an embedded song stream, we prefer a long-form format. We like to give readers something to read that might inspire them to talk about the subject. Whether that be in the comment section of the article or with their friends at school or a bar, we’re just happy to have a platform to share our take on things with people who care too.

H: A lot of people look to you and your site for new music. Where do you discover new artists?

JT: As our readers look to us, we look to other publications. I personally have a daunting RSS aggregation that feeds tons of great new music into my MacBook every day from blogs big and small.

I’m also big on recommendations and I’ve built relationships with people based on the music suggested to me. I love checking out new artists.
SoundCloud and Shuffler.fm are also fantastic resources for finding emerging artists on the cusp of their discovery.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

JT: That’s a great question. Firstly and most prominently, if it’s not watermarked in some way, you’re doing it wrong. In an age where an album can go from privately distributed to shared on a massive scale in a matter of hours, accountability is key. If one person is to blame for destroying a release campaign, they should take responsibility for it. Not using services like Haulix to do that for you is silly. I love Haulix for that reason and I assure anyone reading this that I wasn’t asked or bribed to say that. I’m crushed when an album leaks ahead of its release date, even more so when it’s a full month ahead of landing on shelves for sale. The technology is there, use it.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

JT: I wish for larger payouts for artists.

Things are tough right now. We’re in a really strange phase in music sales and distribution. Leaks are more frequent and downloads are at all time highs. At the same time, vinyl sales are up like nobody imagined and BandCamp is making it easier for artists to sell their music digitally on their own terms. Spotify and Rdio are doing their part in decreasing downloads and even though it’s something, their payouts to artists are minuscule.

If I could even hope for any sort of change, it’s that when things even out they do so in favor of the people who write the music we enjoy in the first place. This way my favorite artists can live more comfortably when getting home from tour (if they are able) to write more music instead of returning to part time, low wage jobs. Selling shirts is cool, selling music is cooler.

H: You tweet a lot about having big plans for the future. Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what UTG has planned for the remainder of 2013?

JT: UTG is always cooking. This year, our readers can expect plenty of new features, interviews, and articles from staff new and old. We’re upping our presence offline at festivals and concerts too, so if you see me or one of our staff, stop by and chat with us. We have the most friendly staff on the Internet, and possibly the most sarcastic.