Ahead of their fifth studio album, Kingdemonium, Hammer King frontman Titan Fox reveals the secrets to heavy metal success in 2022.
Have you heard about Hammer King? They’re not the biggest band in the world, but they’re on their way. For the better part of a decade, Hammer King has been working toward global domination with an incendiary take on heavy metal that emphasizes storytelling and precision musicianship over commercial viability. Their latest record, Kingdemonium, continues this trend with an unforgettable collection of tracks that challenges the listener while still delivering on the unique promise of the band.
People have a skewed perspective of the music landscape. There may be more musicians competing for attention and sales, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there is more great music to consume. If anything, listeners have to dig deeper to find relevant music, and that requires time many aren’t willing or able to make.
Thankfully, marketing and publicity can still do wonders for the right talent. There are no guarantees in this life, but an artist or group can find a promotional partner that helps them achieve the impossible—get noticed. Hammer King has done that by partnering with Napalm Records and Freeman Promotions. By surrounding themselves with people who understand their vision, the group can focus more on their craft, knowing the other work is being handled with their best interest at heart.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell chats with frontman Titan Fox V about the new record, evolving as a musician, and thinking globally about music with deep personal meaning. It’s an engaging and inspiring chat that lasts just under ten minutes. Enjoy!
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Take an inside look at how Minnesota’s High School for Recording Arts Vocational Discovery program uses Haulix to teach students about the music industry.
GRAMMY Award-winning and NAACP Image Award-nominated group Sounds of Blackness are celebrating the release of their latest single, “Juneteenth Celebration,” with a little help from Haulix and the High School of Recording Arts. The track, written and produced by Music Director Gary Hines, was recorded at Atomic K Studios and Winterland Studios in Minneapolis earlier this year.
Promoting the new track is a group of students from the Vocational Discovery program, a paid extension of Minnesota’s High School For The Recording Arts in partnership with Rock The Cause Records. The students in this program use Haulix to share new releases with the industry at large and, in doing so, sharpen their skills for careers later in life. The “Juneteenth Celebration” campaign will include promotion to Gospel, Urban, College, and NPR radio formats and over 1300 Black American media contacts.
Sounds of Blackness, 2022
“What we’re really doing here is teaching these young people how to become communications specialists or communications occupations specialists,” explains Vick Vern Award-winning educator and Rock The Cause Records founder Scott Herold. “We use the Haulix platform to teach them business writing, [such as] writing press releases, media communications, how to service news stories, music, and video, to the media, how to build relationships with media contacts, and how to use Haulix as a tool to effectively—and more importantly, cost-effectively—deliver new media to radio, television, podcasters, and everyone we want to build relationships with who can benefit from the content we are providing to them.”
Over the last four years, more than 60 historically underserved populations of youths have learned to use Haulix as part of the school’s paid Vocational Discovery program. Students earn $15 per hour as paid interns for Rock The Cause Records and communicate daily with media professionals worldwide through the promotional distribution service.
“We mentor our young people to use Haulix because many of them are artists themselves,” says Herold. “They want to understand how to get their content to the media, and Haulix is a very cost-effect way to deliver that media. It’s also very user-friendly compared to other services. If you’re an independent artist or label, this is the best, most cost-effective way to share your music. The customer service is also fantastic. I can email the team on a Sunday night, and I will hear back right away. It’s a great way to learn about the industry.”
Herold’s efforts have already paid off. Since starting his program, Herold’s students have worked on promotional campaigns for more than three dozen releases from local and national artists. Students have also worked on film and book release campaigns.
While promoting the previous Sounds of Blackness single, “Time for Reparations,” HSRA students were able to secure airplay at more than 60 stations nationwide, including 26 BDS reporting. The song was also nominated for a 2022 NAACP Vision Award.
When asked if musicians ever question the involvement of his pupils, Herold laughs. “It’s always an interesting subject to broach because a lot of artists worry about you turning their album over to an intern instead of some top person, but when you explain the program and who these young people are, and the results they’re getting, most artists say, “You know what? It’s the 21st century, and I want to support those kids. After what we’ve seen in this country with the civil rights uprising, the killing of George Floyd, and the disparities we have in America today, many artists are on board. They realize that if they can help [these students] out and connect with them through their music, they want to do that.”
High School For The Recording Arts is a pioneering force in education. Dubbed “hip-hop high” for its first-in-the-world approach to connecting with at-risk youth through a hip-hop music program, the HSRA is a tuition-free school where students learn about the music business and other creative endeavors. You can learn more about the HSRA and its programs on the school’s official website.
“We’re always looking for new projects to work on,” adds Herold. “We’re also looking for other companies to partner with for careers for these young people. We have young people ready to work for other PR firms. We can take the first 90 or 120 days and have them paid for by a county or federal program, so you get an opportunity to know the intern before you bring them on permanently.”
He continues, “We’re also looking for donations from the private sector, like artists, musicians, or anyone that wants to support the program. You can reach me at rockstar@irockthecause.org or email me at scottherold@hsra.org.”
In our latest ‘Fast Five’ interview, alternative artist Ali Slater explains how her day job helped prepare her for music promotion.
Ali Slater did not plan on becoming a musician. When the coronavirus pandemic began, she hadn’t as much as started a demo. Two years and several vaccine shots later, however, Slater is riding high on a wave of positive press from the release of her first EP. She’s become one of the most sought-after new stars of alternative music, and she’s done so largely from the comfort of her home.
Sitting in the center of a Venn diagram consisting of rock, pop, and alternative music, Slater draws influence from every corner of pop culture. She would probably tell you her home lies in the hearts of anyone who dreams of Vans Warped Tour returning, but I’d argue she’s not that easy to classify. Slater may sell herself as alt, but she’s a storyteller above all else, and her knack for engaging songwriting is making her a household name.
But getting to this point was never easy. Many artists launched projects during the pandemic. Most of those efforts came and went without much fuss if they ever got released at all. Consumers were overwhelmed by the amount of content promoted to them, not to mention their worries over the global pandemic, and most couldn’t find the time or mental space to care about music discovery.
But Ali Slater made people care. By utilizing skills she gained through working in the beauty field, Slater could maneuver social media with ease, which was helpful during a time when everyone was stuck at home on their phones. The world is opening up now, and Slater is preparing to meet her fans face-to-face, many for the first time.
In our latest ‘Fast Five’ interview, Music Biz host James Shotwell chats with Ali Slater about her quick rise through the alternative ranks. Slater explains her approach to marketing, how paid advertising helped her gain fans early on, and how she’s pivoting her promotional efforts as the world reopens. Check it out:
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Ronnie Winter of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus stops by Inside Music to celebrate our podcasting milestone and share updates from COVID-19 lockdown.
Making a living in alternative music is a difficult task. Reaching the point of profitability and continuing to excel for five years is almost impossible. Continuing to grow and build an audience for nearly two decades is a feat so insurmountable most artists never come close to achieving it. Still, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is not most artists. The band learned early on that fans are as much as a factor in success as their songwriting, and they harnessed that understanding to establish themselves as one of the most widely-recognized names in rock worldwide.
Vocalist and founding member Ronnie Winter will be the first to tell you that hard work and fan engagement alone is not enough to produce a successful career in music. Luck also plays a much more significant role in success stories than many people are willing to admit. For every artist that gets ahead by engaging with fans and writing good songs, hundreds more utilizing the same techniques and never go anywhere. That is because most musicians are only as good as their fans, and how listeners react to music is what ultimately determines an artist’s fate. People can love a song, but do they like it enough to tell people about it? Do they align themselves with the group or artist so much that they feel intimately involved in that person’s career trajectory? These things matter just as much, if not more than having talent.
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus treat fans as if they are members of the band. The group dedicates a large amount of time to reading and replying to messages, as well as interacting with followers through live events online. That devotion to their audience has produced a global following that is willing to go above and beyond to ensure RJA continues to create and deliver songs that matter, and no amount of marketing money or label involvement can duplicate that kind of artist-fan relationship.
To celebrate 200 episodes of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell shares a video chat with Red Jumpsuit Apparatus frontman Ron Winters. Ron tells James about his band’s enduring legacy in alternative rock, his work to engage with fans during COVID, and how the group’s recent single (“Brace Yourself“) became an unexpected quarantine anthem.
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will release their highly anticipated new EP, Emergency, later this year.
With the release of Ivy on the horizon, Charmer frontman David Daignault stops by Inside Music to discuss songwriting, Covid-19, and more.
On this episode of Inside Music, host James Shotwell chats with Charmer member David Daignault about Ivy, Covid-19, and more. David is a Northern Michigan resident with a unique perspective on songwriting that shines throughout Ivy. He spends the record simultaneously ending threads he’s been building for years and igniting new ideas that may very well carry forward into future releases. His storytelling, coupled with the band’s penchant for unpredictability, makes Ivy more of an experience than a traditional record, and far more special.
Charmer is the product of midwestern skies and long drives nestled between fields and small towns caught in the slow decline of the rust belt. Their music longs to capture and preserve every moment despite a clear understanding that all we are is fleeting. The journeys we take will be forgotten, just like all of us, but that doesn’t mean we should take anything for granted. Charmer celebrates the minutia of existence, from the salty sweat of summer to the raindrops that trickle-down windows, and how every interaction is an opportunity for growth.
Ivy, the band’s second album, builds upon the foundation of hopeful optimism found on Charmer’s previous releases with biting honesty. The record is a snapshot of the time in everyone’s life when they stop long enough to realize everything, including themselves, is changing. The tracks demand listeners let go of their collective nostalgia for the times they thought they would live forever, urging us to live in the present. It’s about moving on, for better and worse, while never losing sight of the things that matter most.
Charmer releases Ivy on April 3 through No Sleep Records. You can stream the album’s lead single, “Slumber,” below.
Ahead of Hollywood Undead’s new album, George “Johnny 3 Tears” Ragan stops by Inside Music to share his strategy for remaining relevant in the entertainment business.
No one could have predicted the success of Hollywood Undead, including its members. After finding viral success through MySpace during the golden age of social media, the genre-bending group found themselves rising to the top of the alternative music scene. Over a decade and a half later, the band has multiple RIAA certifications, chart-topping records, and sold-out shows on four continents. They’ve also changed countless lives.
On February 14, Hollywood Undead will continue its legacy of releasing boundary-pushing music with New Empire Vol. 1, the first of a two-part release. The nine-track album showcases a little bit of everything the group has become known for, but it also does not shy away from experimentation. Hollywood Undead understands that we are living in confusing times, and they vent their frustrations over the state of things throughout the release. It’s a cathartic collection of anthems meant to start conversations not only about the world around us, but the thoughts and feelings inside us as well.
George “Johnny 3 Tears” Ragan has been with Hollywood Undead since its inception. His appearance on the latest episode of Inside Music is both informative and celebratory. George has witnessed the countless ways the entertainment business can destroy musicians, as well as the many ways people unwittingly sabotage their careers, and he’s here to share his knowledge with listeners. George also opens up about Hollywood Undead’s work in the marijuana industry, and why the group felt it was so important to share two records with fans in 2020. Check it out:
During a brief break from life on the road, We The Kings‘ Travis Clark stops by Inside Music to discuss his career in entertainment.
With enough luck, anyone can go viral. Becoming an internet sensation happens so often in 2020 that it is no longer considered weird or unusual for something completely random to be appreciated and almost immediately forgotten by millions around the world. There may be short term value in such success, like when a song becomes popular on TikTok and earns millions of Spotify plays as a result, but even the best viral stars find a hard time building a career that stands the test of time.
We The King were viral sensations before social media became something everyone looked at every hour of the day. The band’s breakout smash, “Check Yes Juliet.” injected a high-energy dose of sugary goodness into the alternative world and established the group as one of the most accessible acts to toe the line between pop-rock and pop-punk in some time.
Fast-forward to a decade later, and We The Kings continue to breathe positivity into the alternative landscape. The group has outlasted most of their genre peers, thanks mainly to an enduring connection with fans. Every major event in the band’s life over the last decade is present in their music, and that honesty has given fans a perfect soundtrack for personal development. The community built around We The Kings’ music is growing together, and that accomplishment is entirely due to the group’s efforts at transparency.
On this episode of Inside Music, We The Kings frontman Travis Clark hops on the phone with host James Shotwell to discuss his unique career in entertainment. Travis explains the critical moments on the band’s journey where one or two decisions shaped everything that followed, as well as the influence of his personal life on his creative output. He also shares a story about how he came to write for Avril Lavigne, and what fans should expect from We The Kings in the new year.
Making your way in the world today is no easy feat. Savage After Midnight has found a way to break new ground in rock, but reaching this point took nearly a decade of hard work and dedication. Today, vocalist Shi Eubank tells his version of events to Inside Music.
The business of music is a tricky affair. The members of Savage After Midnight have been playing together for the better part of a decade, but the group’s debut EP did not reach the public until Summer 2019. The reasons for this are numerous, and they include everything from a name change to label discussions. The band has seen firsthand how hard it can be to navigate the entertainment industry. However, none of the hurdles they have encountered could destroy their passion for music.
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When you hear Savage After Midnight, you begin to understand the group’s journey. Their music speaks to the underdog mentality of never expecting anything and never taking handouts. Life is never going to go the way you want it to unless you actively work toward the things you want. Savage After Midnight urges listeners to realize their worth and to stand (ten feet) tall in the face of adversity, no matter what comes your way.
You may be thinking that all of this sounds familiar. After all, rock music is filled with motivational anthems about taking one’s life into their own hands. But Savage After Midnight is not your typical rock band. The group has spent the last several years refining their sound and songwriting to such a precise point that every note hits with a genuine sense of authority. You know what they’re saying comes from a place of personal experience, and because of that, you listen intently.
While on tour in arenas across North America with Shinedown, Savage After Midnight frontman Shi Eubank sat down with Inside Music host James Shotwell to discuss the business of music. Shi tells James about the challenges of opening an arena tour, as well as the struggles of creating radio edits for song promotion. He even shares insight into Savage After Midnight’s plans to break through the noise of social media and leave a lasting impact on rock.
In what is easily our most explicit and offensive episode to date, GWAR stops by Inside Music to share their perspective on the human condition.
Recently, a Facebook page went viral for suggesting people gather in rural Nevada to raid Area 51, a secretive military base that allegedly houses alien life. Most wrote the page off as a joke, which it was, but several dozen people did meet to celebrate their mutual interest in extraterrestrial life. After all, wouldn’t it be great to know that we are not alone in the universe?
What many failed to realize during this craze was that aliens are already among us. GWAR has been decimating human beings around the world for decades with their unique take on rock and an unbelievable live show. The group is here on Earth to share their knowledge of the universe and cut mankind down to size. They are the judge and jury, the protectors of the heavens, and the ones we were made to worship.
Fans of GWAR find solace in the band’s ruthless approach to satire. Many followers have been doused in blood and other fluids, which often are projected from the corpses of political and cultural figures who are murdered during the group’s performances, and most would tell you such experiences are a right of passage. There is simply no show like a GWAR show.
During a recent stop in Grand Rapids, one member of GWAR sat down with Inside Music host James Shotwell to share his latest insights on the human condition. For nearly twenty minutes, the mysteries of the world’s most outrageous band are revealed in extremely graphic detail. From political leanings to new music, as well as sex, drugs, and the state of rock today, nothing is off-limits in this wild conversation. Enjoy!
Ahead of his debut solo album, Sun Songs, iconic rock musician Art Alexakis stops by Inside Music to share how it all came together.
Art Alexakis is a rock and roll legend. There has rarely been a time in the last three decades where Alexakis’ creativity was not present in the world of pop culture. From his influential work with Everclear to his work on stage and screen, Alexakis has created a path in entertainment that is uniquely his own.
Some may think Alexakis has done everything a person in entertainment could hope to achieve. He’s had numerous singles top the charts of pop and rock radio, toured the world, and went platinum with songs and records in a time when people actually had to visit record stores to purchase music. He was billed as a rock star when the term still meant something, and he continues to hold that title today.
But with all that success and experience, Alexakis still seeks new challenges in his life and art. This October, he will release his debut solo album, Sun Songs, after years of telling himself he would see the record through. The album contains songs that infuse the songwriting and music style fans have come to expect with a wide range of sonic influences that are sure to keep listeners new and old on their toes.
To promote the release of Sun Songs, Art Alexakis recently called Inside Music host James Shotwell to chat about his career, his politics, and his recent infatuation with Bob Seger. The resulting conversation touched on the man Alexakis was when his journey in music began and the one he became through his experience in the spotlight. It’s a revealing look at a person who created the soundtrack to existence for countless millions, and it’s told as one he can tell it.
