Tag: Metal

News

Blogger Spotlight: Don De Leaumont (The Great Southern Brainfart)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date January 27, 2014

Hello and welcome to another week of music industry insight and advice here on the official blog of Haulix. We have had an incredible January thus far, but there is a part of us that believes the best content may still be on the horizon. If you like what you see and want to be involved in a future article on this site, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

In a world where there are literally dozens of new music blogs popping up every month it can be hard to choose a name for your digital publication that sticks out to readers in our increasingly-distracted world. Don De Leaumont overcame this hurdle by branding his efforts The Great Southern Brainfart, and in the interview below he shares with us the realization of a dream nearly three decades in the making.

Dreams are quite amazing when you think about it. They come to us when we’re least expecting it and drive us to do things we would otherwise never consider. They live in our souls, propelling us forward on life’s journey and helping us choose which paths to take next without ever providing us with any guarantee of success. We pursue them in spite of this because to not act would be to live a life unfulfilled, and that is a fate far worse than death.

Don De Leaumont has been pursuing his dreams of a life in music since he was very young. Inspired by the record collection of a close friend’s older brother, Don picked up a guitar in his youth and never looked back. As he grew older he realized he also had a passion for music discussion, and not long after The Great Southern Brainfart came into existence. It’s a place Don can share his thoughts on music and engage with others who seek discussion beyond daily headlines, and truth be told it’s one of our favorite heavy music blogs to frequent.

If you would like to learn more about Don and his adventures in the world of hard rock we highly recommend visiting The Great Southern Brainfart on a regular basis. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: For the record, give us your name, job title, and the publication you’re here to discuss:

D: Sure, my name is Don de Leaumont and the site is called The Great Southern Brainfart.

H: [laughs]

D: That’s pretty much the reaction everyone gives. I’m the head of the site and pretty much do everything.

H: Let’s start with your history. What are the earliest memories you have of your life with music?

D: Well I grew up in New Orleans, so music was everywhere. For as long as I can remember my parents were playing music in the house. They weren’t musicians, but there was always music. We had a stereo in every room. A lot of singer/songwriter and folk music. They liked Crosby, Stills, and Nash type stuff – not exactly the hippie stuff. Also, because of New Orleans I grew up with a lot of jazz music. Dr. John and things like that. Music was always a constant.

H: So it’s safe to say it was always an influence on you?

D: Definitely, and I think I get my opinionated side from my dad. [laughs] He was a bit of a music snob, so I think it runs in my blood.

H: Do you remember the first album you bought with your own money?

D: Probably Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I turned 40 this year, so that came out a time when people my age were really getting into music. It was huge!

H: You write primarily about metal, so when did that genre become a part of your life?

D: I never had an older brother, but I had a cool friend with an older brother. I think it was around 83 and my friend’s brother was really into metal. I remember hearing it from next door and wanting to know what it was he was listening to. I asked him and he told me a bunch of artists to listen to. It wasn’t just one record, but Dio, then Sabbath, then Ratt. I think I went home the next day with five records, including Twisted Sister and Motley Crue. That was when music really opened up for me.

H: Can you pinpoint the moment you began to consider a career in music?

D: I’m also a musician. When I discovered those records from that friend’s brother I was pulled into the world of guitar and Twisted Sister is when I realized it was what interested me. Writing about music though I would probably say happened closer to 88. I loved rock magazines, but I always thought they never asked the questions I would want to ask someone. I would read interviews and come up with things I would have added if I were having the conversation.

I never really pursued writing until the blogging age came around. About 4 or 5 years ago I decided to try my hand at it and that’s what I have been doing ever since.

H: So, let’s talk about the name. What is the story behind The Great Southern Brainfart?

D: As you may have noticed I pretty much have diarrhea of the mouth when talking and fingers when typing stuff. Everything about me just kind of comes flying out of me. The title is a spin on the Pantera album, The Great Southern Trend Kill. It just kind of stuck with me and personified who I was. I never thought or imagined I would be called ‘The Brainfart,’ but it just kind of happened. I roll with it. [Laughs]

H: How would you explain your site to someone who has never visited it before?

D: It’s not your typical news site. I don’t do copy/paste headlines and news blurbs and I pride myself on original content. When you come to the site you’re going to see interviews conducted by me, reviews written by me, editorials by me, and so on. When I’m talking to someone about it I say “When you want to read about music, but don’t care to read the same headlines floating around every else online you should come to the site.” It’s kind of like my lunch table. We sit around and talk about music. If you don’t like it, step up and say something. We can debate it. I love to do that!

H: What would you say are your goals with the site?

D: I don’t do it to monetize or otherwise make money. I look at it like I look at playing music: It’s a place to getaway for myself and my readers. It’s place to voice my opinions on music and you know, stir the pot a little. I think a lot of people play it safe or nice, and I want the site to be a place where I discuss music like in the same way I would talk to my best friend.

H: Have you thought about expanding your staff?

D: I have had a few friends work for me as contributors over the years. I am going to be working with some more in the year to come, but for the most part I feel like some of my favorite sites began to lose my interest when they had too many hands in the pot. You can lose control of the quality. I’m sure that’s subjective though, just like everything else, but the site is my baby and I like to be in control of the content featured on it. I want to keep things as consistent as possible.

H: When it comes to receiving albums for review/feature purposes, which services do you prefer and why?

D: It may sound corny, but I honestly believe there is nothing better than Haulix. When I first started I was receiving boxes of CDs for consideration,a nd after a while it became a bit overwhelming. A site like Haulix simplifies everything. I get an email, login, and from there can not only stream the album I went there for, but also see every other release sent my way from people using Haulix. It’s all in one place, and I can preview materials before downloading or reviewing them.

Some labels and PR groups use their own services, which can be cool, but I love Haulix because it’s all in one place. There are so many people asking for coverage that it’s nice to have it all accessible from one source.

H:What is your ultimate career goal?

D: To be honest, at some point I think it would be fun to write a book about my adventures. I’m only five years in at this point, but maybe in another five years I will write about my adventures in music. Maybe only a few people would find it interesting, but I think it would be fun.

Otherwise, I’ve thought about expanding to podcasts, but at the end of the day I want to have a site that people enjoy coming to. I want to entertain my readers and offer them something different than what can be found on other sites online.

H: Okay, we’ve reached the end of our time together. What can you tell us about your plans for 2014?

D: I think 2014 is going to be a really fun year. Every year has been better than the one before, and I think this one is going to have a lot of shows and a lot of interviews. I am going to aim higher with my coverage and try to work with some bigger names than I have in the past. I want to create better content and push myself to do more in general.

H: That sounds great. Before we let you go, any final thoughts?

D: If you’re looking online and you don’t like what you’re reading, start your own damn site. Start a revolution all your own. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. If you have a voice, use it, and don’t hold back!

Tags 2014, don de leaumont, Feature, haulix, heavy metal blogger, interview, Metal, Music Business, music industry, testimonial, the great southern brainfart, the great southern trendkill

News

Industry Profile: Simon Füllemann (Indie Recordings)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date January 20, 2014

Hello and welcome to a brand new week of music industry insight and advice here on the official blog of Haulix. We have been working on the features that will be released this week since the final months of 2013, and to be perfectly honest we think it’s sum of our best content to date. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

We set a personal goal for ourselves to highlight more people who lived outside the US in 2014, and today we further those efforts with the story of Norway resident and metal industry legend Simon Füllemann.

The current Head of Marketing and Export for Indie Recordings in Oslo, Simon Füllemann is one of the music industry’s most dedicated and interesting young minds. He is a founding member guitarist of Cataract, as well as the former CFO of Metal Blade Records. He eats, sleeps, and breathes music to an extent most aspiring professionals can only dream of at this point in their career, and in the interview below he sheds some light on how he helps bands reach music fans worldwide on a day-to-day basis.

Simon came onto our radar through his publicity efforts, which impressed us immediately. It was not until we began working on this feature that we realized the full extent of the history he had in the business, and we feel very honored that he chose to share his story with us. If you would like to learn more about his efforts in the industry, please make it a point to follow Indie Recordings on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: Hello there! To help get us started, would you please tell everyone your name, job title, and the company you currently work for:

S: Hi, my name is Simon Füllemann, I am head of Marketing & Export and I am responsible for the international development of Indie Recordings AS, Olso, Norway.

H: Not to out you geographically, but I am pretty sure you’re the first professional from your country to be featured on the blog. Can you please tell our readers a bit about your location?

S: Well, that can mean two things as I am originally Swiss. I moved to Norway 2.5 years ago for the above reason after bei at Metal Blade Europe. Oslo is Winter and cold right now. We have short days (around 09.30-15.30ish) right now. Norway is a beautiful country with lots of nature and friendly people. The capital, Oslo, where I live is not the usual big city compared to other metropoles. It has only about 600.000 people living in the centre and around in different suburbs approx. 1.5Mio.

H: We like to kick things off with a little walk down memory lane. When you think of your earliest memories with music, what are the first moments that come to mind?

S: Oh, that was my 1st Abba record I got in 1978, ha ha. I remember that day very well I loved Abba, especially Agnetha, ha ha. Then I had another revelation when I got the Sex Pistols record “Never Mind the bolocks”. It was so different and so well produced (I got into Rainbow a bit later otherwise I guess it wouldnt have been such a revelation :)). When it comes to Metal it all started with Slayer and Metallica for me. I was not especially fond of the true heavy metal bands. I needed it a little faster and dirtier. I remember getting Kill em All and also Show no Mercy. I felt like a newborn music kid. Also my 1st ever show of a local band and a german band called Poison was significant to me as it made me want to play music on my own and learn bass (later on guitar).

H: Do you recall one or two albums that made a significant impact on you as a young person? Can you share them with us and provide a bit of insight on why they were/are so meaningful to you?

S: There is several, yes. Metallica “Ride the Lighting” for example. It still has on of the top 3 guitar sound out there. It was just so mind blowingly great and innovative. I still have it on permanent rotation. Slayer “Reign in Blood”. THE thrash metal record there is. It was so brutal, voilent and well prodcued I couldnt stop listening. I thought this is what hell sounds and looks like. Another recore is “Seven Churches” from Possessed. It was Death Metals birth for me even though listened to Death or Mantas, massacre, etc before but this record had all and stated Death Metal for the 1st time ever. When it comes to more poppier stuff I had revelations with Cheap Trick “Heaven Tonight”. This record just sounds so punk but pop. Its a typical Sound City record that sounds brilliant. Same goes for “The record” from Fear. when it comes to punk alongside with Black Flag. I am hooked still. REM “Automatic for the people” is another milestone. It helped me through tough times in live. Its just so emotional and deep.

The record that made me 100% switch from Bass to learning guitar was Dr. Feelgood from Moetley Crue. That guitar sound was amazing and so huge. The song kickstart my heart is still Top 10 in my Fav songs of all time.

There is tons more but I guess I stop here :).

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

S: It was Abba “Waterloo”. I was in love with Agnetha, ha ha. After that it Sex Pistols “Never mind the Bollocks”. No, I sold all my Abba record to buy Metal records in about 83. I still own a copy of Sex Pistols though.

H: Having an interest in music is common for just about everyone, but deciding to pursue a career on the business end of entertainment requires a special kind of drive. When did you realize a life in music was the type you wanted to lead?

S: That was very early.I started playing and working with music in 1989 though. Actually it was in 1991 when I decided I want to dedicate100% of my life to music but it was impossible back then in Switzerland. Until 200650% of my life was dedicated to bands I was in, labels I founded, magazines I co-worked, etc. At that time, when living in Switzerland, it was impossible to make a living of the music that I loved most – which was metal and punk. And I didnt wanted to work at a major or pop oriented label just for the sake of working in the industry. So I always did my own thing and worked 50% on a regular job to get around. In 2005 – after two years nearly constantly touring with my old band – I was approached by Metal Blade and I made the step. I thought what the heck, just jump 100% in it and do your 50% on top, cant get better than that! It was a big step I realized years later, not then. The Music industry is very different with very special characters that you need to learn to deal with.

H: What was your first job in music (paid or unpaid), and how did it come together?

S: I played in a band from 89-92. We played our 1st show on Dec. 21, 1991 and that was my 1st money I got in the industry. I will never forget :). Before that I helped an underground magazine and label to spread the world as it was called back then. Today its called marketing, ha ha. But my 1st real and payed gig was the one I mentioned.

H: You now find yourself as Indie Reocrdings. Where did you learn about the job you now have, and what can you tell us about the application process?

S: I was working at Metal Blade and Indie Distribution was my distributor in Norway. So the connection was there already before I joined the Recordings side of things. How it came all together was that I met a wonderful Norwegian Girl at some point. We tried to live in Germany together but it didnt work for the both of us, we became more and more unhappy, so we decided to move. I contacted Indie and they were looking for experience to push their label forward internationally. So it all came together at the right point and I took the chance. I sent the resumee but they knew my work already so it was not that much of application process going on actually.

H: From what I understand, the label was founded by Erik and Espen Røhne. How long after launch did you join the label?

S: Yes, that is correct. Indie Distribution AS was founded by the two brothers. And then in 2006 Erlend Gjerde and those two founded the Label. I joined in April 2011.

H: You work with a diverse selection of talent at Indie Recording. How would you describe the music on your label to people unfamiliar with your previous releases?

S: We cover Rock and Metal, mainly focused on top international acts that have a special twist in the music to it and Norwegian acts. As a norwegian based label and having so many great bands in our country it is a must to push it to the best. Prefect examples are Kvelertak, 1349, Satyricon or when it comes to international acts, Cult of Luna.

H: Piracy has been a hot topic for well over a decade at this point, but there is still plenty to be said. What efforts have you taken to avoid music leaks?

S: We have haulix, a perfect watermarked system, to spread our records and it served us really well. We also hired companies to take down links of our records from pirate sites. And we live in the world of streaming up here, so that help big times to minimize the piracy.

H: Before settling on your method of music protection and secure distribution, did you try any other methods of delivery that proved less effective?

S: yes, we did different things. We tried to limited the physical promo copies to key journalists. The other got it after release. We watermared the CDs, etc. Nothing helped as much as the switch to watermarked digital promotion.

H: Your base is in Norway, but there are publications all over the world that cover the artists on your roster. How do you approach marketing new talent on a global scale, and what advice would you offer aspiring publicist hoping to one day work on the same level as you?

S: Well, that is a tough one as it works on several layers. What most people forget is that the music industry is one network, so key is to be connected and respect other people work. You have to know your role and where your strength lies as well as find the right team around you that share the same passion and enthusiasm working our bands. That is the key 1st and foremost in my eyes. And you dont start working an artist worldwide usually if you dont sign a huge artist that is know everywhere – which is not often the case, you start in several local markets, focusing your attempts and strengths. This is based on the bands fanbase and/or where they get the best feedback and lay weight on in their touring cycle. This brings me to another point. I am convinced that only the right team can make a success of a band. You need a good band/mgmt, a booking agent, label and promotion team. Those need to work hand in hand and work on a plan, focus on the same aim and go for it. Doubt and unfocused work doesnt bring success. So, its not me basically, its a great team that helps us succeed.

H: What is the biggest misconception people have about life in the music industry?

S: That you have the coolest life with tons of money. Its the opposite actually, a 24/7 job with not a lot of money. Vacation? I guess I have 10-14 days with my phone not reachable over x-mas/new year max. The rest of the time – even when I am off – I have my phone/mails with me. The music industry lives fast and there is tons of events and shows you should/have to attend outside your regular working hours.

H: At this point in life, what is your ultimate career goal?

S: Being happy and being able to work with what I love most: Music.

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

S: This an issue on several layers. When it comes to the business I would say it would be the healthiest for a lot to finally wake up and try to be one step ahead of thing instead of blaming others/other things and running behind all the time. Be innovative and creative. On a personal level, I would get the big egos out of the industry – its a team players world. Wise decisions are based on wise men.

H: 2014 is right around the corner. What can you tell us about Indie Recordings’ plans for the future?

S: Sure, we have great releases coming up for 2014 that we are very proud of. These are bigger names like Kampfar or Keep of Kalessin as well as great newcomers like Woland or Vredehammer. Beside that we will focus on expanding our team and being ahead of things. Using the social network and the streaming world in a combined effort to reach more people. 2014 will be a cahnging world for most industry players, I hope they are prepared.

H: That’s all I have for now. Before I let you go, is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

S: Thank you very much for giving me the chance for this interview. Keep your eyes open and think ahead. The world is different from country to country. Challenges have therefore different roots and different angles. Educate, learn and find your team to make a dream come true.

Tags haulix, indie recordings, interview, Metal, music industry, norway, Simon Füllemann, testimonial

Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Alex Arnold (Lambgoat)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date November 5, 2013

Hello, everyone! Today is a very special day for the Haulix blog as we’re fortunate enough to be sharing the story of one of the biggest and longest-running hard rock news outlets online. This site has been praised and criticized for a number of years, and this afternoon we’re going to learn about the man who makes it all happen. If you have any recommendations for future installments of our spotlight series, or if you have any questions about our products, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter.

I do not recall when I became a regular reader of music blogs, but if I had to guess the early years of the new millennium would be a great place to start. Sites were far simpler back then, and the amount of competition for exclusives was far less cutthroat than it is today. Those wanting punk news visited Punknews, those wanting emo/alt-rock visited Absolutepunk, and those wanting to learn about the heavier side of rock spent countless hours browsing the site at the center of today’s article.

Founded in 1999, Lambgoat has been the go-to destination for fans of hardcore, metal, and other forms of extreme music for well over a decade at this point. Their news feed is one of the fastest online, and rarely does more than a few days go by without some exclusive breaking as a result of their efforts. I knew when we launched this column that the mind behind Lambgoat, and the answer given by owner Alex Arnold certainly did not disappoint. You can read about his journey in music below.

As someone who spent years reading about music before ever deciding to write about it himself, I do not know that I would be who I am today without having discovered Lambgoat all those years ago. The sense of community shared by its users, not to mention the endless love shown towards independent artists has created an environment that makes discussing music fun once more. The competition to be the place where those conversations take place is fiercer than ever today, but I have no doubts Lambgoat will continue to reign atop the metal world for many years to come.

If you would like to stay on top of everything Alex has going on, make sure you bookmark and frequent Lambgoat. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

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

AA: My name is Alex Arnold, I work for Lambgoat. My role is pretty much everything: owner, writer, developer, designer, intern, etc.

H: We have a lot of ground to cover here, but let’s start with the basics: When you think of your earliest memories of music, what comes to mind?

AA: That’s a long time ago. Some of my earliest memories are dancing around my living room with my sisters while the Beatles’ ‘White’ album played. No, I wasn’t alive when it came out, but luckily it was part of my parents’ vinyl collection. I also have fond memories of my father listening to Bob Marley and Billy Joel, two artists I still thoroughly enjoy to this day.

H: Do you recall the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still own it today?

AA: No, I honestly don’t. But it may have been a Herbie Hancock cassette tape (which must be in a box somewhere. I would never have thrown it out). I think I heard his song “Rocket” on TV and was enthralled. My older sister was a big influence to me, and I was soon immersed in the world of alternative, and particularly, industrial music. I was really into The Cure, Front 242, and Skinny Puppy, among many others. I bought a ton of tapes. Notably, my sister also turned me on to the Violent Femmes, Black Flag, and Suicidal Tendencies.

H: What initially attracted you to writing/blogging?

AA: My father was an advertiser and writer, so I was always relatively confident that I could express myself on paper, so to speak. However, I can’t say that I was particularly interested in writing per se. Though I’ve always been an avid reader, I honestly had no great desire to write.

H: Who or what is your biggest inspiration as a writer?

AA: Wow, that’s a difficult question for me. I honestly can’t think of any writers who’ve really inspired me. My father was certainly an influence, but more so because he was always able to verbalize complex thoughts and ideas. Much of the reading I did when I was younger was of the nonfiction sort, authors of which don’t tend to engender much inspiration (not to diminish their craft).

H: Onto the site. Lambgoat launched in 1999. long before the majority of the sites operating today were even concepts in the back of their creator’s minds. What drove you to launch your own site, and what was the original purpose of Lambgoat?

AA: Quite frankly, the original motivation for Lambgoat was a real-world environment for practicing web design and development, a career which I had just launched. I was passionate about music, so it seemed like a natural theme for the website. But I certainly had no lofty aspirations.

H: The name Lambgoat is one I have heard explained in about a dozen ways across various forums and music hangouts. What is the true origin of the site’s name?

AA: Contrary to belief, the name does not come from the Integrity song whose lyrics include, “The lamb and the goat have finally fused as one.” In fact, the name lambgoat predates that song by several years. Moreover, I wasn’t even aware of Integrity’s existence prior to launching the site. I wish that I had some amazing tale explaining the origin of the name. I do not. I had a friend in high school with whom I would jam. We would frequently make up songs and record them on my trusty Tascam multi-track cassette recorder. One day we were attempting to parody some Satanic death metal, and the phrase “lamb goat” materialized in a nonsensical way. I believe they came from my friend’s mouth, though I can’t say for sure. Regardless, it was a phrase that for whatever reason I would never forget. Not long thereafter, it became the name of a short-lived band. And several years later I dug it up as the name for my site. It’s something I’m constantly explaining, but I’m glad that I used it. It’s much more interesting that HardcoreNews.com or MetalCenter.net or whatever.

H: At what point did the site evolve from a simple outlet for your ideas into a full blown news operation? What lead you to make this change?

AA: Circa 1999/2000, there weren’t many websites for heavy music. In fact, compared to today’s endless supply of online destinations, there weren’t that many websites period. I was surprised that people actually started visiting the site, and when they did, I started feeling obligated to improve and add to its content. I suppose we first hit our stride in 2003 or so.

H: Many of the young sites we feature have yet to dive deeply into the world of monetization, but Lambgoat has been running advertisements for a number of years. Is the site a full time job for you at this point? Do you have any advice to offer younger bloggers hoping to find some income in the world of internet journalism?

AA: I did indeed try to monetize the site to some degree early on. Frankly, I get bored easily. In the absence of financial reward, there’s little motivation to post tour dates for hardcore band X at 9am year after year, haha. I wouldn’t dedicate several hours of each day for 14 years to Lambgoat without any sort of financial benefit. I’m all for helping the scene, etc., but I have a lot of other things that I enjoy doing with my time, not the least of which is hanging out with my family.

Lambgoat could be a full-time job, but it is not. I have a “real” full-time job as a web-developer. I’m busy as hell, but busy is good, I guess.

My best advice to aspiring Internet journalists is to focus on everything but the money initially. You need to worry about content, and content alone, for a period of time. The money will come later. Don’t put the cart before the horse, as they say, or you’re not going to get far. Making money is hard, especially this late in the Internet “game.” There is too much competition out there. Unless you have a large amount of money up-front to invest in marketing, etc., you need to be in it for the long haul.

H: How many contributors do you have on your team? What do you look for when recruiting new staffers?

AA: We’ve had a ton of help over the years from various album reviewers, interviewers, and writers. A select few have been integral, but most stuck around for a month and moved on, haha. Right now we are very thin. I have two people who do album reviews semi-regularly, and one person who writes occasionally. I do everything else. I have been trying to enlist my wife for help during the past year, but she’s busy too with her own stuff, so it’s difficult to maintain consistency in that regard.

In the past, it was easy to find young people willing to help for free. But times have changed, and most competent people want to be paid. This is completely understandable, but it makes things difficult when you’re a small outfit with almost no editorial budget.

H: Building off that, what makes a good news post? I’m sure you’re inundated with press releases and submissions daily, so how do you decide what makes the cut?

AA: Great question. I’d be the first to say that most of our news posts consist of boring, plain vanilla content. After all, there’s not much compelling about tour dates or label signings. If we only posted what we considered to be “exciting” content, we’ve have very little on our site. For every dramatic band break-up, or hitman-hiring metal singer news item, there are 100 other run-of-the-mill items. At this point, we just try not to waste peoples’ time. We tend to post about bands that have some sort of following. And we don’t post about Kerry King visiting a gun show or whatever. If you want to know everything about everybody, Blabbermouth is much better than we are for that. Lars Ulrich was at an art premiere last week? Really? Sorry, but Lambgoat would rather post Misery Signals tour dates.

H: Forums are becoming far less common on news sites these days, but yours continues to thrive. To what do you attribute this success?

AA: I don’t know if “thrive” is the right word, haha. I don’t even know how to describe the board. I’m not sure whether to laugh or to cry when I ponder it. I will say that it is difficult to maintain interest in an online forum these days when there are so many other places to interact – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It was much easier in 2004 when there were very few places to “hang out” online. I’m not sure how viable our message board is at this point, but we still do get a decent amount of activity there, though I won’t sit here and extol the virtues of said activity, haha.

H: Speaking of thriving, Lambgoat has towered above its competition for a number of years, even as the number of music blogging sites exploded in recent times. What do you think it is about the content offered on Lambgoat that sets you apart for your competitors?

AA: I think we were in the right place at the right time. There were only a few music websites in 2000, and almost none focused on metal and/or hardcore. And even then, most of those only updated their content every few days or so. We were one of the first to provide constant updates throughout the day. If we launched last year or this year, we’d be nothing. There are just too many sites doing the same thing. When Suicide Silence announces a new singer, there are 50 other sites posting the same press release. It’s really rather ridiculous. I just try to maintain a usable site, post news-worthy items, and deliver consistency. It’s really all we can do at this point. There are a ton of fly-by-night metal websites and blogs out there. They’ll disappear and we’ll still be here, doing the same thing, year after year (that actually sounds sad when I read it back, haha). But I think that’s what our readers appreciate most – our consistency.

H: I’ve noticed video content is not a big part of Lambgoat outside of news posts. Do you have any plans to expand you multimedia offerings going forward?

AA: We’ve definitely given it some thought in the past. I’d like to offer more in that regard, but for now, we have no concrete plans to tackle the video realm. Check back in next year and I might be singing a different tune though!

H: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?

AA: There are so many bands out there. Too many bands, frankly. It’s extremely difficult to stand out. Spend a few hours writing some nifty riffs, do a little Pro-Tools recording, upload to YouTube, and suddenly you’re legit. Ok, you’re really not, but you’re affecting those that are. Prospective listeners have difficulty discerning “real” bands from half-ass ones, and the whole scene is diluted as a result.

H: Where do you go to discover new music?

AA: I honsetly don’t, haha. If new music finds me, so be it, but I don’t seek it out. I hear a ton of stuff through Lambgoat, so I don’t really embark upon any discovery missions otherwise. I’m content listening to the same old stuff, whether it’s the Beatles, Roy Buchanan, Roger Waters or whatever.

H: Speaking of music discovery, you probably receive a lot of submissions from talent vying for a spot on your news feed. What advice can you offer young artists hoping to stand out in your inbox?

AA: I’ve seen everything. And almost none of it works. There is just too much to comb through. Your best bet, whether it’s with Lambgoat or any other site, is to establish personal contact with someone. Sending some template email to a general inbox at some sizeable organization will almost never yield results.

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

AA: Since I don’t review stuff personally, I honestly don’t pay too much attention to the various services. That said, I do prefer Haulix among those I’ve used. And I’m not just saying that for your benefit either.

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

AA: Artists need more money from record sales. Period. If you sell 50,000 copies of an album, but don’t earn any royalties for said album, something is amiss. Granted, for decades record labels were raping artists, but now bands are getting raped by the general public too, haha. Of course, the tide does appear to be turning to some degree with crowdfunding growing in popularity. When Protest The Hero raises over $300,000, you at least know they’re getting paid.

H: What is your ultimate career goal?

AA: Wow, haha…. I don’t know. I wish I had one! I don’t know what a good goal to have is in this business. Make enough to hire a bunch of people and read books all day? I’m not sure.

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

AA: There are so many things I want to do with regard to Lambgoat: unsigned band album reviews, a tour dates section, more interviews, more features, a better mobile experience… the list goes on and on. There’s not nearly enough time in the day for me to accomplish everything I’d like. I don’t know that there will be anything out of the ordinary taking place during the next few months, but I am going to do my best to work on a more mobile-friendly website. I’ve been putting it off for far too long.

Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Zach Duvall (Last Rites)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date October 14, 2013

Hello and welcome to another exciting week of music industry insight and know-how here on the official blog of Haulix. It’s Columbus Day here in the states, and we have admittedly done nothing to acknowledge its occurrence. If you got the day off – consider yourself lucky. The rest of us will have to settle for a bit of escapism by way of our latest Blogger Spotlight column, which yet again focuses on the world of heavy metal. If you have a site or writer you feel deserves time in our spotlight, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your recommendation.

Many of you may have been reading the site featured today for years without even knowing it. For a long time the site we now call Last Rites was known throughout the world as MetalReview, but hoping to carve their own niche the owners thought it best to step out with a more unique name. We’re fans of the new identity, and after today’s feature I believe you will be too.

Zach Duvall, like many of you reading this right now, started out life in the industry as a fan with a desire to tell others about the music that interested him. He had read MetalReview for years, even going as far as to become a regular on their long-running forums, but it wasn’t until a chance meeting with a number of contributors in 2009 that he decided to become a writer himself. Now four years in, Zach has become an integral part of Last Rites, and is one of many team members helping make the site one of the leading outlets for metal news today.

If you would like to keep tabs on everything Zach is working on, make sure you bookmark Last Rites at your earliest convenience. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

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

Zach Duvall: My name is Zach Duvall, and I write for a heavy metal blog called Last Rites, which was formerly MetalReview.com. I primarily write album reviews, but provide the occasional editorial or interview, and have started doing more behind-the-scenes work at the site as well.

H: Your site is known for its coverage of metal. Have you been a metalhead since birth? If not, when did you discover the heavier side of music?

ZD: I wouldn’t say I have been a metalhead since birth. My parents barely listened to anything of the “harder” style, so I discovered it through the “bad kids” in elementary school. But really, when I was about 10 a good friend of mine (still a great friend) let me hear Metallica’s …And Justice For All and that changed everything for me. The track “Blackened” completed changed my life.

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

ZD: Boy this is tough. Honestly it was probably some 80s pop music. I think I had a Fat Boys hip-hop tape, or maybe Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA. Can’t remember if that was a present or purchase. As for metal, it was surely a Metallica album, possibly the black album, since “Enter Sandman” was the biggest thing on the planet when I was in middle school. And of course I still own it, even if my view of it has changed over the years.  

H: Entertainment journalism is not exactly a path many follow in life. What first attracted you to the world of music coverage?

ZD: I have always loved sharing great music with others, and, from what certain friends would tell you, have a slightly strong opinion on things. So it turned out to be a pretty natural hobby for me to take up, and the added bonus has been connecting with bands and labels, and knowing that I’m helping out good people and quality artists.

H: Did you write for any sites before Last Rites (formerly Metal Review)?

ZD: Nope, that was the first, and I was quite honestly pretty intimidated at first.  

H: The logical follow-up: Where did you first come across Last Rites, and what lead you to join the team?

ZD: Well, I read the old MetalReview for years before eventually becoming a very active member on the forums. I became “internet friends” with a bunch of the crew and other forum regulars, and the Facebook connections began. I eventually met up with several of them at Scion Rock Fest 2009 in Atlanta, and was told I should think of writing. A few months later half of the team ambushed me on Facebook and told me to join up.

  H: Who was the first artist you worked with as a writer? Can you tell us a bit about that experience?

ZD: My first review was of a great German band named Valborg. I had actually won the album in a MetalReview contest just a month or so previously, and knew it would be cool to write about. I look back on it now and laugh at my tentative writing, trying to hard to make some profound point. But little did I know that writing about Valborg would introduce me to an entire great family of bands on the Zeitgeister label in Germany (Owl, Woburn House, and Klabautamann are other great bands on the label), while allowing me to get “internet acquainted” with one of the most active members of those bands. From the very beginning, this hobby was revealing its true worth to me, and those connections have only grown over the last four years.  

H: Last Rites is a relatively new name for the site. What were the reasons for the change, and how has your audience changed (if at all) following the move?

ZD: Well, if you search on Google for the words “metal” and “review,” you don’t exactly get great results. There are several sites with some combination of the words in their name, so we didn’t stand out despite having what we felt was a superior product. We needed to develop a brand, something that was distinctive. Other than some forum regulars complaining that their internet world was being destroyed by the brand change, I’m not sure it has affected our audience much at all. If anything it looks way cooler when we see ourselves quoted in a press release.

  H: LR is one of the few music sites still using forums, and that is in no way a complaint. Do you feel having a built-in community has helped your site thrive over time?

ZD: I certainly have met some amazing people through the forums, both people on staff and others. Activity on the forums is certainly not what it used to be, and the rise of Facebook, Twitter, and everything else is probably a huge reason for that. At this point, I’m not sure the forums add or take away from the overall site experience, but I do not think the MetalReview/Last Rites readership would have grown as it did over the years without that extra community feel. I probably never would have become involved.

H: I’ve noticed a drop in the number of forums being implemented on younger sites in recent years. Do you feel these web communities are missing something?

ZD: Well, it’s tough to say. Managing a forum is a complete asspain, that’s for sure. There are idiots to moderate, and you have to decide exactly how much you want to police things. Then there is the programming side of it I’m sure, even though I don’t get into it. So in that sense, I feel like newer sites may have decided that their time is better spent on creating content. In the wake of the rise of the Twitterverse, forums may be slowly dying anyway. It’s a bit sad, because it’s far less personal, but I feel as if that is just the reality of the situation.

H: I’ve noticed there is far more original news and written feature coverage than new media content. Do you any plans to expand further into video/photo moving forward?

ZD: Well, we just resurrected our podcast, and one of our guys really wants to keep that going. I wasn’t sure initially if people would actually pay attention to it, but it was extremely well received and I think it’ll be a great feature moving forward. Plus it’s just fun getting on Skype and shooting the shit with the guys. It would also be fun to find a staff member solely dedicated to covering metal shows, and adding photos and video. Because I don’t go to the number of shows I used to, it won’t be me, but if someone else added it, game on.

  H: Writing styles change site-by-site these days, and from what I can tell LR strives do produce more long form content than ‘bulletin board’ style. What do you think makes a great news story?

ZD: I think great music makes a great story, if not necessarily news. Sometimes I will push out a shorter review or news blurb (coverage of the new Ihsahn single, for example), just to help out with content, but those long form reviews are what I enjoy the most. The best music makes the gig both fun and easy, and when music really seeps into me, finding words is no problem.

H: There are a number of people who contribute to LR on a regular basis. How big is the team?

ZD: The team is officially about 15-18 people, but some of those are more in a contributor type role. I’d say the regular team is about 10 folks.  

H: You, like many in music journalism, make little-to-no money for your efforts. Why do you keep writing?

ZD: All of those reasons stated above. I just love music, and after years of struggling with wanting to actually play it again (after playing in high school), I realized that the writing gig was a great way for me to become involved, and to help out. Plus, it’s a great thing to keep me sane when my 9-5 job becomes mundane or stressful.

H: Some people believe there is no need for critics in the digital age. Do you agree? (Support your response)

ZD: In the age when everything is readily available for free consumption, you don’t necessarily need to read a review to know how to spend your cash, but the act of discussion is still valid in and of itself. Plus, the folks who believe that we don’t need critics are likely spending their time critiquing the critics in some expression of scene politics, which to me just means that they love internet dickishness more than they actually love the music. And that, quite frankly, is sad. Besides, if there wasn’t still a need for critics and promotion, labels wouldn’t constantly be sending me so much free music and begging me to listen to it. For small labels and upstart bands, blogs like Last Rites are still the best way to spread their name.

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

ZD: Without tooting your guys’ horn too much, Haulix and similar services have been the best way. It’s great just having a link in an email. I think it says something that only a few labels are still using ipool or something else you have to log into.

H: There are a growing number of sites competing for attention in the metal realm. What is it about the content offered on LR that separates you from the competition?

ZD: I think we have as good a collection of writing talent as anyone out there. There are times that I feel almost inadequate to be amongst dudes who are not only such great writers, but so informed and insightful about metal and all music. I also feel as if we’d be pretty good evidence against notions that metalheads are dumb, droolin’ troglodytes.

H: What would you say is the most difficult part of this ‘job’ you’ve created for yourself?

ZD: Having to tell an honest, hardworking band that quite frankly they just don’t have it. I always attempt to frame such arguments without sounding like a dick, critiquing in a constructive manner as much as possible, but sometimes it is still difficult. Sure, occasionally I’ll cover an album by guys who are clearly writing trash just to write trash, and I will treat it as such, but if it is a group of hardworking kids that have the fire but not the fuel? That’s tough.

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

ZD: I’m not sure there is anything I would change that would make much of a difference. Economic mechanisms are going to behave as they will, and the music industry certainly fits that model. What I would change, however, if human behavior. The biggest problem for music and art in general is that people just don’t try to find something better. Most people don’t even try a little, and that’s all it takes, trying just a little. If everyone who claims to have an appreciation of great music, film, and human expression would occasionally go out of their comfort zone even the slightest, the appreciation of art worldwide would increase substantially, and deserving artists would thrive.

H: What is your ultimate career goal?

ZD: Honestly, doing it right now. Keep writing about great music. I’m not sure I really have a desire to make money on this, or at least not to make it a career. Besides, I don’t think Last Rites could exactly match the 401K I get at my actual job.

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

ZD: I will just keep doing what I do, finding something interesting to write about, and cover it. I try to keep variety going not just for our readership, but for my own enjoyment as well. On the slate over the next couple weeks I have a couple high profile black metal acts and something a little more on the oddball side. As a full site, Last Rites has some big things planned, but I’m not going to spoil that here, sorry. Other than that, year-end-list time is coming up before long, and that’s always a blast. Gives me an excuse to make up fake awards and toss them at deserving recipients.

News

Industry Spotlight: Zach Shaw (Metal Insider)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date October 7, 2013

Hello and welcome to another exciting week of music industry insight here on the official blog of Haulix. We have been teasing a rise in metal coverage this month, and today’s we diving head first into one of the biggest online heavy music communities in existence. If you have a site or writer you think would be a great fit for a future installment of this column, please email james@haulix.com and share your story.

In the early days of zines, long before anyone had even heard of the internet, people who wanted to get into music writing had to know far less about the industry than people today. If you wanted to write about your favorite heavy bands, you could do just that and likely find an audience of similarly obsessed metal heads who shared your infatuation enough to read your thoughts without concerning yourself all that much with the rest of the music community. While it’s still possible to have those humble beginnings in 2013, those hoping to make a career out of music need to know going in that being able to appreciate a variety of music is key to finding success in this industry. Today’s highlighted talent is proof of that notion, and we are delighted to share his journey with all of you.

Zach Shaw is the type of person most teens dream of becoming as far as a career in the music industry is concerned. He has a great job at one of the coolest companies around (The Syndicate), exists primarily in NYC, and spends a good portion of each day knee deep in the world of music through his efforts as Assistant Editor for the almighty music outlet, Metal Insider. We spoke with Zach about his time with online metal community, the goals of the site, and what advice he would offer those just getting their start in music. You can find his responses below.

If you would like to stay up-to-date with all Zach’s activities, please be sure to bookmark and frequent Metal Insider. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

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

ZS: My name is Zach Shaw. I am the Assistant Editor and main news contributor for Metal Insider.

H: Everyone has to start somewhere. What was the first album you loved?

ZS: Red Hot Chili Peppers ’Californication.’ I always knew about the band from VH1 and MTV, but you know when you hear a song on the radio and you instantly have memories attached to that song? For me, I just remember having this cassette that just had “The Other Side” on it. This is when I was a kid and I was starting a new school in a new town. I would listen to that cassette every day in the car with my mom over and over again on the way to school. That transitioned into me getting the album and I ended up loving every track on it.

H: That’s not what I expected to hear to be honest. I figured you would have a metal genre staple at the top of your list.

ZS: As much as it may damage my reputation, I’ll always admit to being a sucker for a catchy pop song, like Lady Gaga or Rihanna, just as much as I love brutal metal as well. The truth is that you really need the ability to appreciate a variety of music if you want to work in music. At least in my opinion, anyways.

H: What inspired you to get into music journalism?

ZS: I think what really got me into this was watching Behind The Music on VH1, if we’re being completely honest. I mean, just watching Motley Crue struggling with drugs and fighting through. Just watching how these bands became big made me think, “I want to be a part of that.”

H: So you have this interest in music that you recognize. What happened next?

ZS: Being in the right place at the right time and mingling with other people in the industry. The way I actually got into it is that Metal Insider actually kicked off with an industry summit, or panel, at the New England Metal And Hardcore festival. I thought it would be a great opportunity to ask questions of people in the industry, and what I discovered while I was there is that it’s the perfect place to get your start. Go to events, go to shows, and meet people. Whether they’re writers covering the show or people sitting at the merch table, just getting your name out there matters a lot.

H: I had never heard about this summit until I began researching for this feature. It’s a great idea.

ZS: Yea, I think the way they did it was more to introduce Metal Insider. Whenever I interview a band and tell them about what Metal Insider does I tell them we cover Pantera as much as we cover Spotify, or Warner Bros. We want to be an industry insider site as well. I wish we could continue doing that (summits), but it just takes so much advance time and energy that we do not have.

H: There are a growing number of sites that feature content similar to yours. What sets Metal Insider apart?

ZS: We try to not only deliver the news, but to deliver as much insight into the news as well. There is always a borderline between opinion and facts, and you don’t want to overload the reader, but we try give as much insight to the reader as we are able. We try to say ‘so this happened, and here’s why this is interesting.“ That’s really our goal – to inform the reader as much as possible.

H: That actually leads into our next question as well. A lot of sites are shortening their post length, but Metal Insider is known for more long form, editorialized writing. What do you think makes a great news post?

ZS: I think it’s the story. As much traffic as Mike Portnoy or Pantera brings, if it’s just announcing a signing or in-store there will not be a lot of interest. It really depends on the action and what’s happening. Tour news is good because it involves a lot of bands. Unfortunately, break ups also bring a lot of traffic. But I think it all depends on the actually story and who is involved. It’s about finding stuff that will make people say, "that happened? Tell me more.”

H: When it comes to recruiting, what do you look for in a new contributor?

ZS: I would say we’ve been more lucky as of late in regards to new writers. We’ve been trying to do more outreach and we’re still trying to figure out the right formula. it’s kind of difficult because not only is it about whether or not they can write, but if they have the language. You can easily copy/paste a press release with all the main facts, but then trying to add a bit more flavor to it so that it’s actually fun to read is key as well.

H: You feature a lot of young talent on Metal Insider. When a band submits their press materials to you, what are you looking for as a writer?

ZS: Me personally, I always think it’s good to have notoriety. Whether that means a member in the band used to work with someone more recognizable, or if that means the band has toured with known acts. It sounds awful, but that’s usually a good way for a band to market themselves.

Also, if the music is good. There are certainly bands we cover because our readers like them and we don’t care for them as much, but we strive to highlight bands we really like. It’s hard to be too specific because we have such vast taste, but any kind of notoriety does help.

H: What advice would you offer a band hoping to gain exposure on a site like Metal Insider?

ZS: First of all, know your blog. I get so many emails saying ‘hello, we are this band. we would love to see you review our album.“ If people looked at our site they would know we don’t do review unless it’s a very rare occasion. So bands should do their research on sites and decide what type of content they want from that site. If you’re specific in your messaging there is a better chance you’ll receive a response.

H: Building off that, I’ve noticed that you do not do a lot of reviews on Metal Insider. What is the story behind that?

ZS: We always try to be positive in our material. We don’t like to shit on bands just to shit on bands. There are some bands we feel we have to comment on how stupid their activities are, but most of the time we try to be positive.

Any even though we don’t do review we offer other options. We do interviews, news, exclusive band lists, etc. So I think we make up for the fact that we don’t have reviews by offering other opportunities for bands to receive exposure on our weskit.

H: When it comes to receiving music from industry contacts, what methods do you prefer?

ZS: Haulix is definitely a great way to receive music. Even coming from a publicist standpoint, it’s really easy to send and control who you send music. Haulix gives you more than just music, it allows for photos and press releases as well. But outside of Haulix, Bandcamp is fine. As long as you have a place for me to listen to music I’m okay with it. I know some people prefer downloads or physical copies, but as long as you can provide a way for me to listen to your music and learn about your music that’s good. Having everything in one place really helps.

H: What is the ultimate goal of Metal Insider?

ZS: I think the goal is to inform as many people as possible about what is going on in the metal community, and also making sure Metal Insider is part of that message. Not only raising aware for the metal community, but for Metal Insider as well – as a community.

Tags 2013, business, haulix, Heavy Metal, interview, Metal, music, music industry, press, testimonial

News

Blogger Spotlight: Jonathan Barkan (Bloody-Disgusting)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date August 6, 2013

Hello, everyone. Welcome to a new month and a new edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight. We have a lot of new content coming your way in August, including new columns that I cannot reveal just yet, so make sure you follow Haulix on Twitter and Facebook to ensure you never miss another update.

So far, all of the writers we have featured in this column have written for publications known primarily for their music coverage. While those writers have keen insight on building a reputation within the music industry, there is something equally worthwhile to be said about those whose music coverage serves as one piece of a much larger online community, and that’s why today’s featured talent is none other than Bloody-Disgusting’s Jonathan Barkan.

Bloody-Disgusting has been the number one online destination for all things related to horror films and the community that supports them since its launch in 2001. While Barkan was not a part of the site at that time, he was a follower, and over the course of several years worked his way to being the Music Editor. Now, with the help of contributors, Barkan leads the Bloody-Disgusting music department with an ear for all things rock and roll. From news, to reviews, song premieres, video exclusives, contests, and beyond, Jonathan and his team have made Bloody-Disgusting just as important to the heavy music community as it is to those who love Jason Vorhees.

We spoke with Jonathan about his rise through the ranks of Bloody-Disgusting, the art that got him interested in this line of work, and a whole lot more in order to complete this spotlight. His knowledge of working as part of a team in the digital realms should be considered indispensable, and his drive to make a name for himself is downright admirable. If you enjoy what he has to say, please make it a point to follow Jonathan and Bloody-Disgusting on Twitter. If you have any additional questions, feel free to add them in the comments section below.

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

JB: My name is Jonathan Barkan and I am the Music Editor for Bloody-Disgusting.com.

H: Since you work for a site covering multiple areas of entertainment, it seems only right to figure out what got you into the unique position you hold. What was the first album and horror movie you fell in love with, and at what point did you know you wanted to work in entertainment?

JB: The first album that I truly fell in love with was Metallica’s Black Album, which is also the album the spurred me to learn how to play guitar. The first horror movie that I remember clear as day was A Nightmare On Elm St. Part 4. The scene where Krueger bursts through Joey’s waterbed is my first horror movie memory, not to mention my first movie memory! Since then my tastes have obviously changed and evolved but that album and that film hold special places in my heart.

I knew that I wanted to work in entertainment from fairly early on. I was always so entranced by the creativity that went into making a film, recording an album, etc…, and then creating a whole package to go with it. I was the kid that loved reading video game manuals. I was the kid who read through CD booklets. I wanted books with pictures not because they were easier to read but because it was a direct path into the mind of the author, to see what they wanted me to see. The amount of work, love, and passion that goes into a fully realized product is astounding and it always appealed to me to learn more about that in the hopes that I could one day be a part of it.

H: You’re the first person to be featured who writes at a site that isn’t essentially known for its music coverage. How did you come to work at Bloody-Disgusting? If there’s anything more to the story, can you also provide a bit of background on BD’s music coverage (launch, etc)?

JB: So my story of how I came to write at Bloody-Disgusting is a bit amusing. I had been coming to the site pretty much since its launch in 2001 as, by that point in my life, I was a horror hound. So, one day in October 2009 I went to BD and suddenly saw a brand new area: The ‘Music’ section. I immediately sent a PM to the author of one of the articles not realizing that it was Tom Owen, the co-owner of Bloody-Disgusting. I expressed my deep interest in contributing for the site, citing my certificate in Music Production and Engineering as well as my band playing/guitar tech experience as reasons why they should bring me on board. Keep in mind that I had zero blogging experience as well as zero music industry experience. This was all brand new to me.

So, in the beginning I was asked to write 1-2 album reviews per month. Once give that clearance, I got in touch with every record label I could think of to begin getting advance copies of albums for review. But then labels began saying things like, “Hey! On top of a review, how would you like to interview the band?” How could I say no? I started doing video, email, and phone interviews, contests, and more. Within two months I was posting 4-5 articles per day and I was landing opportunities that I’d never before thought possible. Since then, I was elevated to the Editor position and I’ve been going along ever since!

To make it very short, I pestered the hell out of Tom and Brad Miska (the other co-owner) until they took me on. Sometimes nagging CAN work!

H: Though the list of bands that could potentially appear on BD is rather endless, it’s safe to say you tend to focus on all things related to rock and roll. How would you describe the coverage offered by your music department?

JB: I look at bands to see if they challenge conventions of society, the industry, and what is “popular”. At the same time, we obviously love bands that love horror and incorporate it into their theme in some way, shape, or form. It doesn’t have to be through look, such as bands like Slipknot, Motionless In White, Mushroomhead, etc… It can be lyrically, thematically, tonally, and more.

From news to exclusives, premieres to interviews, editorials to contests, rants to lists, the coverage we offer is fairly endless. Horror fans love seeing passion and we want to cultivate that. We wants the readers to know that we love hearing from them, even if their opinion is completely contradictory to our own.

H: Aside from the presence of every horror fan in the world, what is it about your coverage on BD that separates what you do from the numerous music blogs around the world covering essentially the same talent?

JB: I love to think outside of the box. I want the bands to be excited to appear on BD. I want them to think, “This is something different, something I’ve never done before or been asked before! Let me show my love and passion here because it’s not the same thing that I’ve done over and over for days/weeks/months/years!” I want bands to have fun and get creative, which, in turn, shows in the article. Readers can tell when someone is being genuine and they feed off of that.

H: The team at Bloody-Disgusting is spread throughout the country. You live in Michigan, for example, while site creator Brad Miska resides in California. What are the biggest challenges you face in this digital office space, and do you think it’s better or worse than having a physical location you report to daily?

JB: It can be very challenging to maintain constant and open communication. However, we are always working very hard to ensure that we are all on the same page in terms of article scheduling, back-end business, upcoming features, etc…

I would love to know what a physical location for Bloody-Disgusting would be like! I’m guessing we’d have a screening room and watch horror movies constantly. I would definitely gain about 15lbs just from all the popcorn we’d be eating!

H: What do you think of the rising popularity of absurd subgenres throughout the metal community in recent years? Do you think whether you call yourselves “metal” or “subterranean New England metalcore” makes that big of a difference in the grand scheme of things?

JB: In many ways I think it can be very useful for bands to appeal themselves to particular audiences. However, there comes a point when it’s too much and these subgenres can turn off people just as much as they can guide them. The argument between “djent” vs. “prog metal” vs. “tech metal”, for example, can get a bit ridiculous. If someone enjoys music, does it really matter what genre it’s from? Music should be shared, not contained.

H: You have featured a lot of rising heavy acts over the years. Where do you go when you want to discover new music?

JB: I love checking out Reddit as well as hearing about bands via word of mouth from friends. But the best place for me is honestly in the vast amount of press releases I receive. Engaging headlines and well written band descriptions can be just the thing to draw me in and, ultimately, provide coverage.

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?

JB: You should absolutely check your spelling and grammar. A poorly written, poorly phrased email is a HUGE turn off.

Also, don’t presume that I’m 100% going to write about you. If you’re a rising band, have humility. Nothing makes me hit the ‘Delete’ button faster than a message from a band stating how I NEED to write about them because they are the biggest thing since sliced bread.

Lastly, show me that you’re into being on Bloody-Disgusting for a reason. Don’t send me a copy-paste email that doesn’t address our readers and their interests in any way. If you’re some band that doesn’t care about horror movies or care about the horror crowd, why even come to me?

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

JB: I definitely think there is something to be said about holding something in your hands. I grew up before the internet was even available. I bought cassette tapes. I watched movies on VHS and dealt with tracking on my VCR. I still respect the feeling of being able to see and feel a physical manifestation of an artist’s work.

That being said, the convenience of digital cannot be denied. Throwing an album on my MP3 player and plugging it into my car for long drives is just incredible. So I believe that there is place for both.

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

JB: If it’s for a feature consideration, either an album download link via Haulix (which is honestly the service I use the most) or Sendspace would work great. If the label wants my opinion on a band, a simple YouTube link works great. It’s fast, I can load it in HD for good sound, and I don’t have to go through the rigmarole of downloading a file, unzipping it, dropping it into iTunes, deleting the zip file, deleting the folder, blah blah blah. It’s a hassle.

For review, absolutely a download link or a physical CD (which I ultimately rip onto my computer and then put on my MP3 player or play through my sound system).

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

JB: I would change the antiquated notions that things cannot/should not change. The world is moving at breakneck speed and social media and the internet has dramatically changed the playing field. The music industry has to accept this and find new solutions rather than taking tried and true methods from ten years ago and trying to make them applicable in today’s world. The music industry needs to embrace radical, risky, innovative ideas that shock and wonder people. People will spend money in the right places if they are given the right reason and the right method.

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

JB: As of now, just doing what I do! I always try to challenge myself to bring new ideas and new coverage to the site so we’ll just have to see what lightning bolt strikes me next!

Tags 2013, bloody-disgusting, business, haulix, horror, interview, Metal, music, music biz, music indsutry, Music PR, musicbiz, Publicity, testimonial

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

News

Blogger Spotlight: Chris Harris (GunShyAssassin)

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date June 19, 2013

Continuing our ongoing feature highlighting the people behind the industry’s best sites and zines, today we are excited to unveil a new interview with Gun Shy Assassin founder Chris Harris. Chris has a long history in journalism, both in music and out, and has been doing a number of interesting things with his site in recent months. Through editorialized reporting, which often leaves us laughing at our desks, Harris and his team have carved a unique niche in the heavy music world that continues to propel them to further up the reporting hierarchy. You can learn about the man behind GSA, as well as the advice he has for those hoping to make it in metal, below.

After you read our interview, be sure to stop by Gun Shy Assassin to see and read Chris’ work. We also encourage you to Like GSA on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

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

C: My name is Chris Harris, and I am the founder and CEO of GunShyAssassin.com, a three-year-old metal site named after a line in a Pig Destroyer song; bonus points if you know the tune.

H: You have worked in music journalism for a number of years. What first inspired you to enter this career field?

C: I’d say I’m a journalist first, a music journalist second – only because the depth of my experience is not limited to one field of journalism alone. I have written for a number of national publications and organizations, doing hard-hittin investigative pieces and fluff stories on pop stars. My love of music first drew me in, and it is now my passion for it that keeps trying to push me back out.

H: They say the first album a person falls in love with represents the genre they will follow later in life. What was the first album you truly connected with?

C: "They" don’t know shit. Because Jane’s Addiction’s “Nothing’s Shocking” led to my liking Swedish black metal.

H: There are an ever-growing number of metal websites in existence that offers news comparable to GSA. What is it about your content that sets GSA apart from the rest?

C: Honesty. At the end of the day, we’re one of the only metal sites that’ll actually call it like it is, without of fear of reprisal. We’ll desescrate sacred cows, we’ll pick apart bands people hail as important, and we deliver honest commentary from some of metal’s heaviest thinkers, including Early Graves frontman John Strachan, Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage, Revocation’s Dave Davidson, Mark Hunter of Chimaira, Brian Fair of Shadows Fall, and Tim Williams, frontman for Vision of Disorder. With our guest column series, we’ve become something of a hotbed for metal musicians who aspire to write.

H: You have featured a number of indie/unsigned bands on GSA. What are your sources for music discovery?

C: Of course. Most contact us, but we run a weekly feature on unsigned bands who just happen to be readers, too. Sometimes, we come across gems in the rough, But that’s only sometimes.

H: What advice would you offer to bands and artists hoping to appear on GSA in the future?

C: Be smart and play your ass off.

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

C: Haulix is pretty solid.

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

C: The rampant favoritism that seems to pervade.

H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what GSA has planned for the remainder of 2013?

C: More guest columns, more sarcastic criticism, more contests, more reviews, more interviews, and more exclusives. Also, we’ll have more updates from Chris Adler of Lamb of God, the focus of a casual series of interviews you’ll find only on GSA.

Tags blogger, chris harris, chrisharris, gun shy assassin, GunShyAssassin, interview, journalist, Metal, music biz, music industry, Publicity, testimonial

News

Success With Digital Promos: Earsplit PR

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date June 19, 2013

**This is part of a series of interviews that showcase Haulix customers who successfully use digital promos in their day to day operations.**

Earsplit PR, an independent publicity collective, was spawned accidentally back in 1999 when founding tag team Liz Ciavarella and Dave Brenner worked at Nuclear Blast Records together. What started as a side gig to help promote bands that deserved more recognition turned into a full-fledged husband and wife business venture that represents some of metal’s top tier bands. The company specializes in extreme metal marketing/promotions and helps get bands and their music/tours noticed by consumers both stateside and abroad.

When asked how many artists and what genres of music they deal with, Earsplit had this to say, “Our roster is forever expanding/morphing. We’re always working several dozen highly active bands at any one time. Right now we have over 200 clients; some are active touring bands, others are lower-key studio-type projects (others are simply working on new records and temporarily dormant). We interact with an incredible array of musicians, managers and label folks over the course of a day. EarsplitPR focuses predominantly on the metal realm and other forms of heavy music; everything from classic heavy metal to lo-fi cult black metal, American and Swedish death metal bands who’ve been active for 20-30 years, brand new indie acts, experimental/genre-bending scene forerunners and anything in between.”

When it comes to a typical work day, “[It’s] long and hectic. It’s generally an endless stream of email, phone calls and various forms of communication between labels, bands, management companies and writers. Press releases are written, interviews are scheduled, reviews are logged, speakers are blown… it’s always an adventure at the Earsplit Compound. There’s never a moment where something doesn’t need to be done."

We asked how strong of an impact written buzz from the media is, before an album is released. "It is one of many factors that go into building an album for release, and definitely an important one. With the incessant flood of music available to metalheads, and music fans in general, these days, it’s integral that a band stay in the spotlight.”

Digital promos were always meant to decrease or eliminate the costs that traditionally came with mailing out physical discs. Earsplit added, “While physical product is always a treat, it’s generally not cost effective to mail 300 – 400 CDs any more nor do you get the same response. Promoting records digitally allows us to reach a far wider audience." Since going digital, their job has literally changed. "Our rates are far more affordable now that manufacturing and mailing costs have generally been eliminated from the equation. A single package containing two CDs to Europe can cost up to $7 each; that adds up quickly when you’re trying to hit even just a handful of editors and writers.”

Has watermarking proved to be a sufficient defense against early leaking? Earsplit responded, “While watermarking isn’t on its own a foolproof method in preventing leaks, it is a major deterrent. On the rare occasion we’ve had a track leak via Haulix, the staff was very on point and immediately traced it to the leaking party.”

In conclusion, we were eager to hear their take on where the music industry is headed, as well as their advice for anyone considering moving to a digital promotion strategy. “Like anything else in life, change is imminent. We are not a record label, but speaking from our perspective — as fans and as publicists —the digital market is definitely taking over. That however doesn’t mean the death of the music industry. It just means a need for different sales strategies. Bands are touring more; they’re selling more merch. Diehard fans are buying vinyl again and though more and more folks are purchasing the digital release, there will always be fans — and we think this goes for metalheads in particular who are generally more “collector” prone — who appreciate packaging and the sheer excitement of buying a new CD. There are also more properly-promoted indie labels sprouting up and selling more product than ever. [This] creates a bit of a "middle class” in the record sales market, rather than a band being either a major act or an unknown band.“ They continued, ”[As far as their experience moving to digital promotions] just what we said earlier: [benefits are] cost effectiveness, a farther reach and the security in Haulix’ watermark capabilities has really helped us in all our promoting endeavors.“

Tags business, digital promo, earsplit, interview, Metal, music biz, music industry, Music PR, Publicity

News

Success With Digital Promos: Clawhammer PR

Post author By James Shotwell
Post date June 19, 2013

**This is first in a series of interviews that showcase Haulix customers who successfully use digital promos in their day to day operations.**

Clawhammer PR, ran by Scott Alisoglu and Ryan Ogle, provides promotion and media relations services for underground metal bands and labels. Ryan gave us a glimpse into their business. “We take the burden off their shoulders so the bands can focus on their music and the labels can focus on day-to-day operations.” Both coming from a journalist background he says, “I feel like having seen the PR game from a writer’s perspective gave us a little extra insight when we first got things rolling, nearly three years ago.”

Promoting In A Challenging Industry

When asked how many artists and what genres of music they handle, Ryan had this to say, “Since day one we’ve worked with a variety of acts and labels that fall under the ever-expanding metal umbrella. We’ve worked everything from metalcore to avant-garde black metal and even a couple of very cool folksy, atmospheric, cerebrally awe-inspiring bands. We seem to have found somewhat of a niche with the death metal crowd though thanks to clients like Dark Descent Records, Ibex Moon Records, Chaos Records, Abyss Records, Rotting Corpse Records, Deathgasm Records and our brothers in the band Gravehill. We’re also currently handling North American promotion for Listenable Records and Debemur Morti Productions (both from France). Nordvis Production is a very cool label that have allowed us to throw some twisted little black metal-based curveballs at folks and Chicago’s Mortal Music have given us a diverse collection of bands to work with as well.” He adds, “We’ve got a very cool collection of independent bands that we work with as well in Abacinate, Shroud of Despondency, Ironwood, Apostate and trad-metal machine Johnny Lokke. That’s the beautiful thing about metal; it’s such an expansive genre. It’s impossible to get bored working with or even being a fan of this style of music.”

Day-To-Day Operations

From the way it sounds, there is no such thing as a typical day at Clawhammer headquarters. “Working with clients and contacts spread out across the globe means there is no such thing as business hours and one of us is almost always on the case in regards to email replies.” Ryan continues, “I typically spend a good portion of the first half of my day assembling and proofing press releases. Once those are approved, they’re sent out, which of course leads to more emails to sort through. There’s also lots of tweaking of images and artwork, converting music files, press reports, brainstorming, bio writing/tweaking and following up with contacts in regards to coverage.”

The Media’s Impact On The Success Of An Album

Though it might be obvious, we wanted to pick Ryan’s brain on how big of an impact the media plays when it comes to writing publications and pre-release streaming of tracks in order to have successful opening sales. “It [media] plays a huge part. Granted anyone can go online and listen to or download almost any release before it come out, especially now that streaming has become such a major promotional tool, and they can judge for themselves, but reviews are still vital. You want to know an album is even worth spending the time it takes to sit down with it.” He continues, “Pre-release coverage is huge for lesser-known and indie acts that might not have the funds to do a lot of advertising or that aren’t quite suited for radio either. Obviously, Metallica is going to sell regardless of how many (or few) reviews they get before their record drops, but a band like Gravehill benefits greatly from pre-release coverage. The more reviews they get increases the chance that someone new will read about them and get interested enough to check out the disc. We try to get a release out to the media at least 4 – 6 weeks prior to release. It doesn’t always work that way, but it is the best way to go. If you get people talking before the street date, it’s only fair to assume that you’ll see results right away.”

A New Strategy For Promoting

The traditional promotion model for pre-release music involves manufacturing discs and physically mailing them out to the media. When asked what he dislikes about this strategy, Ryan had this to say. “First and foremost, the cost of mailing CDs is a huge click on the ‘dislike’ button on the Facebook page of life (if Facebook were to ever incorporate a dislike button). Metal isn’t exactly a lucrative genre, so sending out 200 – 300 physical CDs and promo packs to writers who may or may not give the release the time of day could easily break the bank for a smaller label. From a writer’s perspective, two weeks worth of packages can create more clutter than I (or my wife) care to sort through. Sure, a fully-packaged retail copy of an album is a cool perk and we try to accommodate when a writer asks for one, or even just a simple slipcase promo, but we really try to push the digital. I guess that’s kind of hypocritical considering I prefer vinyl over anything else when it comes to my personal collection, but it just makes more sense for a band or label to focus its resources on things like advertising, a stronger online presence or even touring and/or merch than sending out a couple hundred discs that would serve them better in a distro than as a promo. That’s just one point of view though and we do recommend to our clients that they do some mailing, but most outlets are totally cool with getting digitals these days. I suppose I could get ‘green’ on everyone here too and gripe about how wasteful and harmful to our environment physical mailings are. All those precious tress…In all seriousness though, mailings are a necessary part of it; I would just rather throw my cash in other directions.”

Working With Digital Promos

As an alternative to mailing out physical promos, we were interested to hear how using a digital promo service changed the job of someone in the Public Relations business. “Before we got rolling with Haulix, we utilized sites like Sendspace or Yousendit, which were nice in that they were free, but that was really the only advantage,” Ryan explains. “The service makes things much more streamlined and easy to keep tabs on. I can log-in and look at a list of who has downloaded a certain promo and follow up with those people individually, rather than just sending out a blanket email to our entire database. That allows us to give things that personal touch, which I think our contacts really respond to. There’s a strong sense of community in the metal scene and, even though we’re spread out across the globe and most of our interaction comes via email/social networking, many of consider one another friends. Since Haulix allows us to keep track of things, I can reach out on a more personal level rather than, “Hey everyone, please let me know if you checked out the new Blut Aus Nord yet.” That can make a huge difference when pushing for coverage.”

Watermarking

We couldn’t talk about digital promos without diving into watermarking. Ryan has unique insight into this technology. “It’s becoming a very good deterrent. Most writers have just grown to expect that a digital promo is going to come watermarked and they have seen examples made of a few that have had leaked promos traced back to them. Nobody wants to carry the stigma of being “that guy.” It puts your journalistic integrity in question and the number of outlets that would want to work with you decreases significantly. We recently got an email from a client who had discovered two of his upcoming releases had been leaked onto the internet and were made available for download. Months of planning, preparation and hype all went right down the drain. Needless to say, he was pissed. I immediately went and snagged the offending files, sent them to Haulix to test for a watermark and none was found. Said client had a different PR company handling things on the European side who did not use a service like Haulix and was sending out non-watermarked physical promos (another downside to mailing CDs), so whoever leaked the album got away with it. Watermarking could have easily prevented this. An album is going to wind up on the internet within a few hours of release regardless of the measures taken, but it’s almost pointless to put the time and effort into pre-release hype and promotion if someone from the media is going to post it online for everyone and their brother a month before its release.”

The Future Of The Music Industry

On the subject of deterring leaking, we were curious to get a philosophical vision of the future of CD sales, digital sales and the overall future of the music industry. “That’s a really good question and one with limitless answers. I think illegal downloading, oversaturated music scenes and lack of originality and substance from artists is really hurting the industry as a whole. The huge drop in sales and concert attendance is the only proof of that you need. I almost feel like the days of the major label are coming to an end; at least in a conventional manner. You can see the shift when they’re trying to sell you a single on a video game, a cell phone, on reality TV, YouTube or anywhere else besides on an actual album. To me, that’s almost insulting. You’re robbing a generation of fans of the ‘album experience’ and instead just throwing some flavorless piece of bubblegum for them to chomp on until the next one comes along. It’s been like that since day one, but technology has pushed things over the top. Fans are finally getting tired of it and are speaking with their dollars. There will always be a huge majority of the population that will gladly graze on whatever pasture you put them in, but those fans that demand something with substance aren’t going to bat an eyelash when they see some clown from American Idol trying to sell a song his producer wrote for him. I think Orwell said it best when he wrote, “If there is hope, it lies in the proles.” By that I mean the indies and the smaller labels/companies are recognizing this discontent sentiment, have shared it themselves for a long time and are responding by seeking out artists that actually have something to offer. These are the guys that realize the bottom line has bottomed out and are more concerned with putting out quality music than anything else. That being said, integrity doesn’t pay the bills and these labels and bands have got to keep coming up with creative ideas to grab people’s attention. I see a lot of focus being put on artwork, concepts, bonus dvds and many other bells & whistles that all add to that album experience I mentioned earlier. There’s also a huge vinyl resurgence underway right now and the purists are loving it. I’m even seeing more and more bands offering cassettes again, which I think is great. There’s something about that analog hiss that warms my heart. It’s becoming cool again to have an actual collection. You can have friends over to your house and show off your stack of records or revel in the novelty of throwing a tape in the deck. That kind of brings back that old feeling of what made music special in the first place. Will these old-school mediums save the industry? No chance in hell. But they are comforting signs that tell me no matter how ridiculous things get, there’s always going to be a fraction of people out there keeping the true spirit of things alive. I’ll end my ramblings by saying the way we listen and the way the music is marketed might change with each new gadget, thereby keeping the industry in a constant state of flux, but the heart and soul of it all will always remain the same. It is a shame that so much talent goes unnoticed and has to struggle financially because they don’t fit the corporate mold, but a creative mind will always find a way to get the music to the ears of those who will appreciate it.”

With digital promotion strategies becoming more accepted in the industry, Ryan was asked what he would say to a label or firm who is considering going digital – to get them to take the leap. Ryan responded, “Everyone is a critic and thanks to the advent of the blog, everyone and anyone with an internet connection can make that statement come true. Print magazines are declining and the bigger websites are so overloaded with work, you have to start looking elsewhere for media coverage. Where ten years ago the list of folks who got advanced promos might have fit on a sheet of paper, that list can easily fill a massive database today. It’s counter-productive to spend the time and money getting all of these people your music when you can do it with a few mouse-clicks and at a fraction of the cost. You know exactly where your music is going, you know exactly when it gets there and you know it’s secure upon arrival. The bottom-line is that the industry has largely gone digital, so it’s a no-brainer that promotion should as well.”

Tags clawhammer pr, digital promo, interview, Metal, music biz, music industry