matt nistler Archives - Haulix Daily

Hello and welcome to a new week of industry insight here on the official blog of Haulix. We have featured over a dozen notable industry writers up to this point, and this afternoon we could not be more excited to share another great mind with all of you. If you have a recommendation for a site or writer we should highlight in a future installment of this series, please do not hesitate to contact james@haulix,com and share your story.

Some say it takes a village to raise a child, and in a similar sense it takes a team of contributors to make a music blog great. Anyone can start a website with a few dollars and an internet connection, but without support from at least one other person the quality and consistency of content will suffer in time. Finding a good partner takes about as much hard work as it does luck, and for today’s highlighted blogger the search to find a like-minded individual crossed several state lines.

Matt Nistler is one-half of the creative power behind The Sound Alarm, a site which we first highlighted earlier this year during a conversation with co-founder Kayla Guyette. He went to school for graphic design, but thanks to positive reinforcement from people in his life decided to pursue an interest in writing (that also lends itself to design work from time to time). That interest lead to the launch of one of the most interesting blogs currently covering alternative music, and we could not be more excited to share his journey up to this point.

The Sound Alarm is not your typical website. They don’t see the need for news posts that could be found anywhere on the net willing to cover music and they rarely worry themselves with whether or not they post every single day. Their focus has always been quality over quantity, and through our discussion with Matt you’ll learn how that has made all the difference in their success. If you would like to know more, head over to The Sound Alarm and see what Matt has spent the past several years developing. You can leave any additional questions for Matt in the comment below.

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

MN: My name is Matt Nistler and I’m the co-founder of a music website called The Sound Alarm.

H: If you had to pinpoint when it all began, what would you cite as the moment you fell in love with music?

MN: I’m not sure there is any one moment that I fell in love with music, as it is something that I’ve been drawn to throughout my life. But I would say the moment I knew I was in love with our music scene was when I first attended the Vans Warped Tour. There was just something magical about getting to see so many bands that I looked up to all in the same place.

H: What was the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still own it?

MN: The first album I ever purchased was Sweet Dreams by La Bouche. I was so stoked walking down the cassette aisle of Best Buy knowing I’d be able to listen to “Be My Lover” any time I wanted. (Apparently grade school me was a Euro-dance fan?). I like to think my music tastes have slightly improved in the years since. I still have that cassette in a closet somewhere back at my parent’s house. The singer actually died in a plane crash in 2001, so there won’t be any more La Bouche purchases in my future. Kind of depressing.

H: You started The Sound Alarm in 2010. Did you have any experience in the music industry before that time?

MN: Yes, prior to The Sound Alarm I was a contributor for a different music publication, The Daily Chorus. It was probably most known for the “Top Unsigned” list. I also conducted a number of interviews for SmartPunk and managed an indie rock band as well. I enjoy taking on music-related graphic design projects too when I have time.

H: You studied Graphic Design in school. What drew you to the world of journalism?

MN: I always enjoyed writing essays in school and was often complimented on my writing, so pursuing the world of journalism just made sense. I was the layout editor at my college’s newspaper, so sitting in on the weekly meetings helped me fine-tune those skills even further. I love that I have the opportunity at The Sound Alarm to combine my passions of music, journalism, and graphic design.

H: What inspired you to start your own business, and how did you come to know co-founder Kayla Guyette?

MN: I came in contact with Kayla while coordinating an interview with the band that I was managing. She was an editor for a different publication at the time and I was very impressed with her professionalism. A few months later we came in contact again and realized we were both interested in starting up a music website of our own. We were seeking editorial and creative freedom and The Sound Alarm was born.

H: Where does the name ‘The Sound Alarm’ come from?

MN: The Sound Alarm is a play on words. Most people hear the phrase “sound the alarm!” when something bad happens that deserves everyone’s attention. “The Sound Alarm” flip-flops that idea by alerting our readers of good sounds that deserve their attention. That’s where our slogan “alerting you first of the hottest new music” originates from.

H: Kayla shed some light on this for us, but one thing that makes your site unique is the focus on features over news. Was this always the case? What attracted you to this approach?

MN: When we started The Sound Alarm, it was never our intention to post every possible news story. We knew there were many other publications already doing. Instead, we opted to devote our time towards actually checking out the music of the bands we post about and coordinating features (such as “Six Picks”) with our favorites. We do still post some news stories though, as it is important to have our readers up-to-date on what albums and tours to be on the lookout for, but everything we post is with an intentional filter.

H: It’s not about being better than anyone else, but what would you say separates the content found on The Sound Alarm from what is being offered on any number of sites covering similar areas of music?

MN : One of the reasons why Kayla and I started The Sound Alarm was that we both felt there was a lack of positivity and overabundance of gossip in the music press business. As fans of music we wanted to know what new music to check out and also wanted fans to get to know their favorite bands better. There were too many blogs that were quick to point out which band member was dating which other band member, who got arrested, and who had their…uhm…private parts posted online. We pride ourselves on the overall positivity in the content that we post, the fun features (such as contests and fan- interviews), and the quality of what is posted.

H: The Sound Alarm is an independently run site that has made no mentions of plans to introduce a payment plan anytime soon. What is the ultimate goal of TSA?

MN: As cliché as it may sound, if we can introduce even one reader to a new favorite song or band, then we feel we are accomplishing our goals as a music community. We would obviously love The Sound Alarm to someday be a profitable enough venture to be our only jobs, for now we are more than happy running things independently for the love of spreading great music.

H: You have helped many bands get their start through The Sound Alarm. Where do you look when hoping to discover new music?

MN: I generally get caught up on most of my music news through the press releases I receive in my email inbox. I’m also constantly browsing Spotify and Facebook Pages to find new bands to check out. I do miss the days when MySpace was more relevant. It was a great way to discover up-and-coming bands.

H: What advice would you offer talent hoping to one day appear on The Sound Alarm?

MN: Before you reach out to the press, make sure you have at least a few studio recordings. They don’t have to be completely perfect and mastered, but if your only samples are rough demos recorded on your MacBook, then we’re both better off waiting until you have a more clean recording. Having a solid press kit and promo photo help as well. Regardless, make sure to run spell check before reaching out to us, since if we can’t take your email seriously, we’ll probably have trouble taking your music seriously too. Lastly, make sure your style of music at least somewhat encompasses the genres we cover (mostly pop/rock, punk, indie/rock, etc.) too. It’s cool that you’re an aspiring yodeler, but we’re probably not going to post about it.

H: What is the biggest mistake you see young artists make?

MN: The biggest mistake I see young artists make is lack of accessibility. By this, I mean it is important to connect with your fans as much as possible, both in the real world and on social networks. Meet with fans before and after the show. Hold video chats or acoustic performances online. Be active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Stay humble. On the flip side, if you’re only focusing on promoting and not on writing a great song, then you’re completely missing the mark, too. It’s a delicate balance.

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

MN: As our staff is based all over the world, we prefer digital streams and digital downloads. I still have a place in my heart for physical copies, but when it comes to sharing music with our staff, it is much more convenient to share a hyperlink than to go to the post office to mail a CD.

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

MN: I wish the music industry was still as booming and influential as it was in its heyday. I miss when the only way to hear new music was to go to the store and pick up the new cassette or CD, or turn on the radio. The digital age is great and has many benefits, but it has also led to a lot of job cuts in the music industry and I think some of the mystique has been lost of going to the store, picking up the album, and running home to page through the accompanying booklet.

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

MN : This is an exciting time of year with all of the upcoming fall tours and album releases that are just being announced. Keep checking back on www.thesoundalarm.com and find us on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram (@TheSoundAlarm) for all of the latest happenings and features. Thank you for the interview!

We read every letter sent to the Haulix inbox, and before we get started on the first Blogger Spotlight of the week I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your continued support. We’ve been planning a lot of great content for the fall and winter, but we’re always on the lookout for new ideas as well. If you have a writer you feel deserves a moment in our spotlight, or if you have an idea for a future ‘Haulix Advice’ column, email james@haulix.com and we’ll be sure to respond as soon as we possibly can. Now, back to your originally scheduled programming…

New England has long been a hotbed of talent for the alternative music scene, and in today’s Blogger Spotlight we’re featuring a Boston resident whose responsible for giving many recent genre favorites their first big break.

Kayla Guyette did not set out to change the music industry when she and co-founder Matt Nistler launched The Sound Alarm back in 2009, but over the course of the last four years they have each played a role in doing just that. By moving the focus away from constant news updates about bands you can learn about on any of the seemingly endless number of so-called ‘news’ sites, The Sound Alarm has opted to focus on nurturing developing talent and doing whatever they can to share new ideas with those willing to listen. This passion for pushing the industry forward is evident in everything Kayla has done with TSA up to this point, and her insight on finding success in an overcrowded industry is indispensable.

As always, if you enjoy this feature please do whatever you can to support the efforts of Kayla Guyette and the entire Sound Alarm family. Like their Facebook, follow their Twitter, and whenever you have a chance, drop by and see what’s new on their front page.

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

KG: I’m Kayla Guyette, better known as Kayley Guyette, and I am the co-founder and editor of The Sound Alarm.  

H: Everyone has to start somewhere. When did you discover you wanted to write about music, and at what point did that transition to writing online?

KG: To be honest, I only started writing about music as a way to promote a couple of local bands I loved. It was my soul motivation behind becoming a writer for University Of New Haven’s Pulp Magazine in August 2008. While writing for them I discovered I really enjoyed writing about music.

  H: The Sound Alarm launched in 2009. How did the site come together, and what inspire you to set out with your own publication?

KG: Before The Sound Alarm I was an editor of another site and wasn’t happy there. I decided I was better off becoming my own boss and began planning the launch of my own site. I had reached out to Matt Nistler, the other co-founder and editor of TSA, to help with the graphic design. I had covered an artist he managed and was really impressed with how easy he was to work with. Much to my surprise he wanted to start up a site of his own and both wanted the same things – for the site to be fun and a place to support the underdog artists.

  H: What is it about The Sound Alarm’s coverage that separates your efforts from those of your countless competitors?

KG: The Sound Alarm is completely volunteer based. Everyone on staff, including myself and Matt, do some combination of working full-time, part-time, going to school and have other obligations. Due to this we all only work on the site when we have the time. Matt and I don’t assign articles instead our staff signs up from a database we keep. A writer chooses to cover an artist from the database it’s because they want to not because they have to which is something I find makes for better articles.

H: Many sites we features post dozens of updates every day, but TSA tends to be a bit more selective in what makes the front page. What do you look for when seeking fresh content for your site?

KG: Well I avoid doing news posts with a passion. I’d rather focus my time on original content than posting news other sites have had up for hours. As for seeking new artists, it all depends on if I like their sound or not, if I love an artist I’ll find a way to cover them. I feel as though the TSA readers and I have similar tastes and music so if I love an artist chances are they will too.

H: One of your most popular features has been your ‘Six Picks’ column. How do you feel about people who think the rising popularity of list-based content, or ‘the Buzzfeedification of the internet’ is a bad thing? Do you feel they’re overdone?

KG: I love our Six Picks feature and back it 100%. I can only assume those who think it’s a bad thing haven’t done countless interviews with the nearly the same questions in each one. It honestly gets boring after a while for me and I’m sure for the artists as well. Six Picks are short and fun for the artists while giving their fans something new to read. I do think list-based content has a risk of becoming overdone since it’s easier to do than full-length interviews. With TSA I aim to have good balance of Six Picks and other coverage.

 H: Like many sites, you and co-owner Matt Nistler are located in different parts of the country (different time zones, even). Do you see the distance as a challenge or advantage? Why?

KG: When it comes to TSA I only know distance and different time zones since our writers are also all located in different parts of the US, UK and Australia. I do see benefits to this because now we have access to local artists from many different places rather than being limited to one central hub. If I woke up tomorrow and TSA had an office in one location we all worked out of I’m not sure it would run as smoothly as it does now.

H: When it comes to discovering new music, what sources have you found to be the most reliable?

KG: I’m an avid TV watcher and discover a good amount of music from TV shows. If I hear a song I like, right away I track down the artist and listen to more. I also use social media to help discover new artists as well. I’ll start on the page of an artist I like then check out artists they’ve played with, tweeted about, etc. till I find one I enjoy.

  H: Let’s say the bands are coming to you. What advice would you offer to those hoping to make an appearance on The Sound Alarm in the months ahead?

KG: This is a topic that in general I could go on and on about, so I’ll limit myself to three. The first would be make sure the pitch email you’re sending is clear and well written. It doesn’t have to be perfect but if it comes down to decoding what is said in an email or hitting delete, I’ll be hitting delete. The next would be make sure your sound fits with what TSA covers, which is mostly pop-rock. While I won’t turn away a heavy metal or hip-hop artist chances are our staff won’t choose to cover them. My final piece of advice is a part of a long running TSA joke and that is make sure you’re asking us to cover music. Matt and I receive a good amount of requests to post about mental health, legal and environmental issues. All these requests are individually addressed too, not a result of a mass mailing.

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

KG: Since there is no central hub for TSA we prefer streams and downloads. It’s easier, quicker and much more cost effective to send a link and a password to the writer than it is to send a CD. I’ve had artists send me every track they have ever recorded by email attachment and it’s nearly maxed out my inbox and had my phone freaking out. So when it comes to TSA send us streams or a download link.

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

KG: I’d like to see record labels, publicity companies, etc. reaching out to publications of all sizes to see what artists are on their respective radars. It’s not something I’ve heard of happening and seems like it has great potential to benefit all parties involved. Off the top of my head I can name three artists who I think have what it takes to make it onto a label. However, I sadly don’t think they ever well since they don’t have the means to get the attention of a label on their own. So I’d like to be able to tip off higher powers in the music industry to up and comers.

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

KG: With the summer winding down and us approaching holiday season (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s) I’m thinking ahead to doing some holiday based Six Picks. I am planning on recruiting some new writers for TSA in the coming months. Other than that it’s just business as usual for us.