Tag: Music PR

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Industry Spotlight: Rey Roldan (Another Reybee Production) – Part 1

Hello and welcome to the official blog of Haulix. We are thrilled to have you join us, and whether this is your first time or ninety-second we certainly hope you find something in this post to love. We built this site to inspire and inform the future of the music business, which is a goal we shared with everyone who participates in our features. If you have any questions about the content of the blog, or if you would like more information regarding the distributional services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Today we are excited to unveil the first in a two-part interview feature with Rey Roldan, founder of Another Reybee Production. We originally started working on this feature way back in August of 2013, but due to email troubles and scheduling troubles we had to start, stop, start, stop, and start all over again. It’s okay though, because we have finally had a chance to learn the story behind this powerful force in Music PR and are now prepared to present his journey to you.

It would be pretty difficult for you to find anyone working in music today who has not crossed paths with Rey Roldan at one point or another. From working with top 40 acts like Britney Spears and Duran Duran, to helping develop more buzzworthy alternative acts than I could possibly attempt to name here, Rey has spent the better part of the last two decades helping the world’s greatest talent find attention in the public eye. He started in the label world, but it’s when he decided to step out on his own that his career really began to take off.

I have known Rey for over half a decade at this point and can say beyond the shadow of a doubt he is one of the nicest, most professional, and often funniest people you will ever meet in the music industry. Everybody has a Rey Roldan story, and every single one makes him out to be someone you want as your new best friend. The insight he has to share is priceless, and we thank him for taking the time to share it with us.

As we mentioned above, due to the length of this feature we have decided to cut the final interview into two chunks, starting below with Rey’s life before launching his own PR firm. We will bring you the second half, which focuses on Another Reybee Production and the possibilities that lie on the horizon, later this week. If you would like to learn more about Rey and his efforts in music PR, please take a moment to follow him on Twitter. 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 that business:

R: I’m Rey Roldan of Another Reybee Productions, Inc… or Reybee Prods, for short… or Reybee, even shorter. I’m the Prez guy at the company. I founded in back in the Fall of 2004… and ten years later, we’re still going strong!

H: Let’s start at the beginning. When you think of your earliest interactions with music, what comes to mind?

R: I think of sitting on the stairs of the home I grew up in with my sister Joy. I’m gonna date myself here, but we were listening to a radio broadcast on an old radio/cassette player… and I remember hearing the radio DJ say that Elvis Presley has died. I know I was aware of music before then, but when I think of my most vivid memory concerning music, that comes to mind. I was still a wee lad, but for some reason, that sticks out.

H: What was your first concert experience like, and who took you to the show?

R: You know, it’s funny… I kinda don’t exactly remember my first concert. I remember going to tons of concerts before the age of ten, but was my “first concert” when I went to Disney World and saw a live cover band do disco classics? Was it when I went to see U2 in a tiny little club before they even had a full-length album out? Was it seeing Bruce Springsteen with my brothers and sister when we tailgated in the parking lot? I can’t remember. I was going to live shows even before my age hit the second digits.

H: How about the first album you purchased with your own money? (Bonus points if you remember the format)

R: The very first album I purchased… well, there were two. Sex Pistols “Never Mind the Bollocks” and Meat Loaf “Bat Out of Hell”. I bought them on vinyl for $2.77 at a local grocery store where I grew up in Parsippany, NJ (interesting trivia: Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell” was also one half of my very first two CDs I ever purchased. The other was Psychedelic Furs “Mirror Moves”). I’d spend hours in that store, flipping through the six racks of vinyl. At that age (8? 9?), I didn’t know what I was looking for… I just picked up records because I liked the band names or titles. My dad gave me a great allowance the time ($20 a week!) and I spent most of it on vinyl and at the arcade. I remember seeing Sex Pistols and it screamed “buy me”. I didn’t know anything about them. But I liked the cover and it just reeked of debauchery. It had “sex” in the name, and that just made it “feel” naughty. Meat Loaf’s album… well, my older sibs liked it and I wanted a copy of my own.

H: Thinking back on your life now, are you able to pinpoint any pivotal moments or experiences that steered you toward the career you have today?

R: I used to read music magazines ALL the time… I remember reading this magazine “Song Hits” and watching videos of New Wave bands like Missing Persons, Duran Duran, Romeovoid, Devo, etc. on a local channel called U-68 (pre-MTV) and thinking that I wanted to be surrounded by music all the time. But what made me want to be on the “other” side (instead of being just a listener) was when my brother Rex brought be backstage to a Paul Young concert when he played at Boston College’s student center. I remember walking back there and meeting Paul, and seeing how much fun it was backstage, and thinking that I wanted to be backstage all the time. I had been backstage lots of time before then, but this time, I felt like I wasn’t just a fan taking up space but part of an elite group since my brother helped put on the show.

H: I know you studied creative writing in college. Are there any long lost Rey Roldan manuscripts sitting in your closet/attic that may one day see the light of day?

R: There are TONS… I have two novels written, one screenplay done, a whole slew of short stories, and my memoirs that are still being written. They’re all on 3 ¼” floppy disc though… Hmmm.

H: Was publicity the first thing you wanted to do in the music industry? If not, can you tell us what initially sparked your interest in the world of PR?

R: God no… I wanted to be a journalist. And for a while, I was. I was a staff writer for my college newspaper (as well as the weekly cartoonist about a drunken, lazy rabbit named “Chester”… Yeah, he was modeled after myself). I was writing record reviews, interviewing artists, going to concerts, hanging out backstage, etc. When I graduated from Boston College, I joined a group of five people who were starting up a brand new entertainment biweekly newspaper in Boston called The Improper Bostonian (it still exists). I zoomed up the ranks from Staff Writer to Music Editor in a few months. But I was far too impatient to write for just one media outlet, so I started writing for magazines across the US like Meanstreet (in Los Angeles), QRM (in New Orleans), Cake Magazine (Minneapolis), ROCKRGRL (Seattle), among many others. I started a bunch of magazines in Boston too, but I wasn’t making enough money to make a living, so I decided it was time for me to grow up and get a real job. Since I dealt with publicists all the time and learned the tools and tricks of the trade from my friends in the industry (I’ve always been REALLY observant and inquisitive), I set my sights on a job in the industry… I moved out of Boston and back home to Jersey, and started my trajectory as a publicist.

H: Your first role in PR came from I.R.S. Records. What do you recall about the application process, as well as the world of music PR in general at the time?

R: Getting that job at I.R.S. was the easiest thing ever. I didn’t even have to apply. The head of publicity at the time, Steve Karas, was one of my mentors. He told me about a potential job opening up there… and so I set up a visit to the office. What he didn’t tell me was that he was quitting I.R.S. and moving to A&M, and there would be a new head of publicity that I’d be meeting instead. I walked in and the new head of publicity basically asked me, “What can you start?” The new guy didn’t really know what he was doing (I think it was one of his first jobs running a press department)… so I basically taught myself how to do everything. I basically had to train myself how to set up press days, how to organize press campaigns, how to pitch. Luckily, I.R.S. had a great roster and a great history, so nearly every call I made (again, this was pre-internet, so emails didn’t exist yet) was returned. Among the first projects I spearheaded was The Go-Go’s greatest hits double disc set and a new album by late 80s legend Kirsty MacColl. It was amazing… but again, since it was pre-internet, there was a LOT of phone calls to make… I even remember having to pitch via fax machine. Each pitch had to be personal because of that… Unlike today where there are tools that can send emails in bulk, I had to make each phone call individually… It was a very hands-on experience back then… and there was a LOT of real, human interaction.

H: From this point you begin a decade-long run of publicity gigs, switching labels/companies every few years. You are now your own boss, so I do not want to dwell on the past too much, but what can you tell us about those experiences and how you eventually settled on stepping out with a company of your own?

R: I don’t mean this is any negative way, but when I worked for people, I was more interested in learning what NOT to do… My previous bosses were all good at their jobs, and while I paid attention to how they landed press, I was more interested in what made them fail. I worked for mean bosses (who would yell and scream all day), “too nice” bosses (who would let their artists and press walk all over them), pretentious bosses (who were too concerned with their own careers and not their artists’ lives), and bosses who were too scattered (and never could run a solid campaign). So, when I felt confident enough in my own abilities and learned how NOT to do publicity, I set out on my own… It was scary but it all worked out perfectly. I won’t say that I didn’t have any rough patches, but truthfully, I’ve been very lucky.

H: Before we get any further, what was the first Reybee Production (as this is ‘Another’)? As a follow-up, where does the name ‘Reybee’ come from?

R: Haha… You’re the first person to ever ask that. When I was a kid, my nickname was “Reybee”. I’ve always had an active imagination… One of my lifelong hobbies is painting… I paint “portraits” of cheeses and bees. For the longest time, I would sign my paintings “A Reybee Production”… I’m also a writer/author/journalist and some of my short stories were published as “A Reybee Production”. So when it came time for me to come up with the name of my PR firm, I decided to refer back to that and coin it “Another Reybee Production”. Since I’m so creatively restless, I didn’t want to limit my company to be JUST about Public Relations, so when I’m ready to branch off into another direction, the name “Another Reybee Production” can encompass that too. It’s very open-ended.

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Advice: Be Your Own Publicist

Hello, everyone. Today we are continuing our efforts to advise current and future musicians by sharing a guest post from our friends at Behind The Curtains Media focusing on the importance of understanding the ins and outs of music publicity. The person behind this feature has spent years in a band themselves, and it’s because of the lessons learned through those experiences that we are able to share this information today. If you have any questions about the content of the blog, or if you would like more information regarding the distributional services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Since 2006 I’ve been on the artists’ side of the publicity world. I’ve worked with amazing publicists such as Raybee, Stunt Crew, The Cornerstone Agency, Big Picture Media and The Catalyst Publicity Group, to name a few. My job at the time felt like nothing other than reading up on features and occasionally doing interviews (which even then I needed numerous reminders). Thinking back and being in the position I’m currently in, I feel we were all spoiled brats and never truly understood the work that was being done behind the curtains.

It wasn’t until the 2012 Warped Tour that I became very active on the band side of publicity. I wanted to make sure we were making the most of the service while also making our publicist’s job easier by organizing and assigning the daily interviews to members of the band. Each day, I would go down to the press tent, take a look at the 3 or 4 interviews we had, shoot the outlet a text confirmation and chat with Warped Tour Press Coordinator, Bethany Watson. She really opened my eyes about the world of publicity and I remember her saying, “You have 3 or 4 interviews today out of that list of 40 outlets that are going to be here. Why don’t you publicize yourself and just talk to all of them and who knows, maybe they’ll interview you or feature you.” That really motivated me by bringing a whole new challenge to the table. From that point forth I would come in, take a snap shot of the daily press sheet, respectfully approach all the outlets in between their scheduled interviews and some days I would land 10+ interviews with outlets that I wasn’t even scheduled for, not to mention I had the contact sheet available to follow up with anyone I spoke to.

At this point I wasn’t even remotely close to thinking about being a publicist, I was just trying to do as much as I possible to get my band, The Venetia Fair, to the next level. In keeping in touch with these outlets and becoming personal friends with a lot of them, they were often happy to assist with getting my band and even bands on my label (SwitchBitch Records) some extra exposure and features.

In August 2011 my amazing friend and publicist Chrissy Borsellino did some solo publicity work for my label (prior to her joining Catalyst). She introduced me to some new outlets, taught me how to write up proper press releases and basically gave me a general understanding of how to do the work on my own. Even at this point I had no interest in doing publicity, but I didn’t want to rely on her for favors all the time, so I took on publicity for SBR artists.

When Chrissy joined The Catalyst Publicity Group we used them for all of The Venetia Fair releases until the day came where being an independent band and not having any funds caught up to us. Unfortunately it happened at the worst possible time, right when SwitchBitch Records was to release The Venetia Fair’s ‘Every Sick, Disgusting Thought We’ve Got In Our Brain’. Being that this was my label’s first vinyl release and it was for my own band, it was a blessing in disguise in that it was yet again another motivational pivot point that really lit a flame under my ass in that I needed the release to be huge!

At that I had so much support from friends at outlets. Christian from Absolute Punk taught me how to intro my emails, Dave from HellHound Music taught me various ways to write up press releases, Matt of Under the Gun would literally get on the phone and not hang up until I knew the ins and outs of everything. Would you believe between that from exclusives on the vinyl to reviews to interviews to contests I landed 88 features from 8/1/13-9/20/13 to the point where I stopped keeping track after 9/20. Eighty-fucking-eight! Don’t believe me? Shoot me an email and I’ll send you all the links. I was told that the average from professional publicists was about 8-15 posts per month. The excitement that that brought me was/is hands down the nerdiest thing in the world.

A problem I ran into was that I was running campaigns as a SwitchBitch Records in-house publicity company which was fine for this particular vinyl release however even though SBR released TVF’s vinyl, it was important that TVF as a band was/is labeled as an “independent” artist in order to keep potential larger opportunities available. That said, in future TVF campaigns, outlets would inaccurately post TVF as an SBR artist, which is not their fault at all, but would cause confusion and require me sending a follow up email requesting the edit. Hence the birth of Behind The Curtains Media!

Avoiding confusion was one of many reasons for launching Behind The Curtains Media. A main reason to be honest is I really love the fact that it keeps me in touch with friends at media outlets. I know that sounds really stupid, but if you ask any outlet that has posted or done anything with us, they will tell you that not only do I respond, but I probably am a little too curious as to how they’re all doing and being sure they are all doing well. I know, lame right? But I really do care about them all and am extremely appreciative for everything they do. You have no idea! Aside from that I like the freedom to pick and choose artists that I think are good people, creative musicians and deserve some assistance in obtaining some visibility.

The last and final key to Behind The Curtains Media was getting our SBR general manager/coordinator Hanna Yando on board. She is just about to graduate with her degree in Public Relations and I can’t stress enough how smart, hard working and easy to get along with this girl is. If she weren’t on the team, I honestly don’t think I could have been able to have the courage to take the last few and major steps needed to lead up to the launch of the firm. The combination of my first hand connections to outlets and her 4 years of school training truly allow us to pull off some amazing stuff. 

Big thanks to everyone for all the love and support and giving me a fun project to work on while driving around the country with my stupid band!

Thanks for having me James and Haulix!

Love Always,

-Mike Abiuso / Behind The Curtains Media

Connect with Behind The Curtains Media:

BehindTheCurtainsMedia.com

Facebook.com/BehindTheCurtainsMedia

Twitter.com/BTCMteam

Mike@BehindTheCurtainsMedia.com

Hanna@BehindTheCurtainsMedia.com

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PR Spotlight: Nate Sirotta (Total Assault)

Hello and welcome to the first post of the new week. We were getting a little bored with the posting schedule as of late, so this week we’re switching things up and starting things off with a brand new PR spotlight. If you know of a person or PR group that we should highlight in a future spotlight, please email james@haulix.com and share your story. We look forward to hearing from you.

We’ve learned multiple times in this series that no two people have the same journey into the music industry, and today’s talent is no different. Nate Sirotta is a one-man PR machine with years of experience in the music business. From fronting nationally touring bands, to working with some of the biggest names in music, Nate has taken the road less traveled a number of times in life and always come out better for the effort. Now 27, Sirotta finds himself one of the go-to publicists for alternative rock, and as you’ll learn in our interview he still has plenty he hopes to accomplish.

Nate is a close friend of mine in music, and over the last five years of writing I’ve come to consider him one of the hardest working publicists in any genre of music. His drive to succeed has already lead him to the top of the music PR game, and instead of being content with that success he continues to grind, hoping to help as many young artists as possible along the way. It’s an honor to share his journey with all of you, and I certainly hope it helps guide aspiring professionals towards further success in their own careers.

If you would like to learn more about Nate’s work, check out Total Assault and Impulse Artists. Additional questions or 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:

NS: My name is Nate Sirotta – Director of Digital Marketing at Total Assault and CEO/founder of Impulse Artists.

H: Everyone has to start somewhere. What are your earliest memories of music, and to whom do you attribute your discovery of it?

NS: I was brought up in a musical family. My mom and grandparents always stressed the importance of music in life, which is where my initial inspiration came from. I started playing in bands as a drummer when I was 15, and then started fronting a band called Down for the Count when I was 18, which eventually went on to tour nationally in the Warped Tour/indie-band circuit. I attribute all of my networking ability and PR background to the experience of building that band from the ground up and self-managing the business end for nearly five years before I entered the professional world at the age of 23.

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

NS: I’m not sure if it was actually the first album, but New Found Glory’s self-titled album was definitely one of the first albums to really light a fire and instill a drive for success in the music industry. I do indeed still have that compact disc in my possession today.

H: You were born and raised in California, which is where you reside today. When did you realize you wanted to work in the entertainment business? Did you have any specific career goals at that time?

NS: Having pursued music as a writer and performer before digging in as a publicist and artist manager, I started wanting it as a freshman in high school. I spent about eight years learning the ropes via trial and error, meeting as many industry folks and fellow musicians as I could, and rehearsing endless hours in a tiny lockout. I think at the start of all that my initial goal was to be a successful musician as opposed to a publicist, but the drive and passion for the industry has always remained the same. It has been an awakening experience for me to realize a passion equally as fulfilling as writing and performing – the opportunity to help artists that I believe in achieve their goals and really maintain a hands-on mentality throughout. For me, the fact that bands and artists value my opinion and seek out my guidance is more than I could have ever asked for.

H: Publicity is an interesting career choice for anyone to make, and that goes double for those who aspire to a career in music. What attracted you to the PR side of the industry in the first place?

NS: Without knowing it, I was acting as a publicist for my own band throughout my days as a musician. I was a natural at building relationships and pitching my band to everyone and anyone who would listen, so this career path has never really seemed like “work.” Additionally, the opportunity to expose artists that I love to people that will listen is beyond fulfilling. You don’t always get to work with artists that you love, but when those projects come along, it makes everything worth it.

H: What was your first gig in the music industry (paid or unpaid), and how did you land the position?

NS: I was hired as a junior publicist for a company called Transfer Media Group in 2010, which was my first real PR gig. I had a close friend from high school who was working there at the time, and she got me the interview. I was hired on the spot and worked there for about a year before working as an independent publicist.

H: You started your own company, Impulse (artist management and public relations), back in 2009. What inspired you to step out on your own?

NS: It felt like the natural thing to do after several years of self-managing a band. I figured I would utilize my network and knowledge to try and break bands that I believed in. Impulse is definitely more focused on PR and digital marketing at the moment, but there will come a time where we take on management projects that make sense and that I’m head-over-heels for. There is so much talent out there with very little opportunity in front of them, so it’s exciting for me to be able to create opportunities.

H: Who was the first band to join the Impulse roster, and how did you come to work with them?

NS: The first band to join the Impulse roster was a pop/rock band from Pennsylvania called The Brightlife, who have since disbanded. They were good friends of mine who opened for my band on a 2008 headlining tour, and I was pumped at the opportunity to help them grow.

H: There seem to be more small management and PR firms popping up by the day. What is one piece of advice you would offer aspiring publicists that no one told you back in the early days of your career?

NS: I think persistence is the most important quality that many industry professionals tend to lack. It takes a long time to get things off the ground, to solidify your network, to ensure a perpetually growing network, and most of all – to see income. It bums me out when a boutique company has a good thing going and then decides to pack it up after six months because they didn’t land “that one project” or get “that big piece.” It requires failure and mistakes to do great things. It requires time to see results. Stay the course and good things will happen.

H: Earlier this year you joined the team at Total Assault. Please tell us a little about your role at the company and what it is you do on a day-to-day basis.

NS: I am currently Director of Digital Marketing at Total Assault, and manage a team of two other digital publicists. I correspond with clients on a daily basis, build marketing plans, pitch ideas and stories to writers and editors, monitor media coverage, and am constantly trying to grow our company’s contact database and strengthen relationships.

H: What is the biggest difference between what you do at Total Assault and the work done with Impulse?

NS: The biggest difference is not necessarily in what I do, but with whom I work. I work with a lot of major labels and Top 40 artists at Total Assault, whereas at Impulse I work with mostly indie artists and labels looking to lay the groundwork for a strong online presence.

H: As a publicist, what is the biggest mistake you notice young bands making when trying to garner attention from blogs/listeners?

NS: Over-selling. Every writer from here to the moon has read every elevator speech ever written in the history of mankind. I’ve found more success in 2-3 sentence pitches than in lengthy, multi-paragraph ones that often times get overlooked. The press can smell bull %$*# from a mile away, so it’s important to not insult their intelligence with an overly salesy approach.

H: Impulse has worked with a number of small bands over the years. Where do you turn when you’re looking to discover new music?

NS: Word of mouth is where it’s at. I do frequent the blog circuit to see what’s buzzing, but personal recommendations and referrals from my contemporaries are my primary source for quality music.

H: Let’s say the tables have turned and the bands are coming to you. What advice would you offer a band hoping to work with you in order to make themselves stand out from their competition?

NS: Help me help you. I’ve seen so many artists with budgets come to me asking to solve their problems and make them magically relevant. It doesn’t work that way. In order for a publicist to have an impact, the work ethic needs to be there on the band’s end – actively posting new and compelling social content, BEING ON TOP OF YOUR EMAIL, rehearsing and perfecting a live show, providing quality content to work with, engaging fans, and ultimately wanting to further themselves as artists.

H: Writers must contact you constantly. If you could make one suggestion to strengthen their efforts in setting up coverage, what would it be?

NS: Be respectful and be flexible. Please don’t be demanding. I don’t care if your blog gets five million unique views a day and you recently covered Katy Perry’s brother’s lawyer’s aunt’s bridal shower – if you start demanding credentials that I can’t necessarily provide, I will not go to bat for you. I try to accommodate everyone who is interested in covering my artists, so as long as you act like a professional and give me enough notice, I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen.

H: Do you feel there is still a need for record labels in the modern music industry? Why?

NS: I think it’s important for labels to exist. They provide an all-encompassing aspect of the industry that covers artist management, distribution, publishing, PR, and booking. I think that record labels maintain the small amount of chivalry left in the industry – despite the fact that many people might think the exact opposite. I’ve probably met more honest, hard working label reps who actually believe in their artists than I have managers, booking agents, and….*gasp*…publicists.

H: Piracy is one of the most discussed topic in the industry today. Do you feel album leaks are preventable? If so, how would you advise an artist to keep their music safe while still getting the word out?

NS: The further we get into the digital age, the less likely it will be for records to be kept fully under wraps. It’s important to keep certain files and sounds protected, but labels will always lose money due to piracy and artists will always have to find alternate forms of income to stay afloat. If money isn’t lost from piracy, it will be lost in some other way, shape, or form. Especially for baby bands and indie artists, an album leaking wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. In the beginning, exposure and awareness should always be the number one priority.

H: When it comes to working with your clients, how do you prefer to share their music with press? What is it about this method that appeals to you the most?

NS: I definitely try and avoid making writers/editors download anything. A private Soundcloud link is usually my first approach, and if they request a download – I’ll be happy to give it to them if I can. The easier you make the album to listen to, the more likely the press is to cover it.

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

NS: I would love to see people taking calls and meeting in person more than doing things via email or IMs. The personal aspect of the industry has progressively diminished over the past twenty years, and I think relationships would be stronger, deals would be made faster, and the level of general understanding in the professional arena would be much higher and more comprehensive.

H: Your roster is as eclectic now as ever before. Do you have any plans or releases on the horizon you’d like to share with our readers?

NS: I thought you’d never ask :p

I’ve been working with Culprit for about three years now, and they’re on the verge of dropping their new EP on August 20th – very excited for that one. I also just started working on Pepper’s new record, which comes out on September 3rd. So far, it’s turning out to be one of the most fun projects I’ve ever been a part of. I could go on and on about new releases, but I’ll spare the readers for now.

This was a really cool experience, by the way. Thanks for having me and letting me unload on some topics I feel strongly about.

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Blogger Spotlight: Zach Redrup (Dead Press!)

Why, hello. Thank you for stopping by for another installment of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight. So far this week we have spoken with a member of Absolutepunk, as well as one of the most widely recognized publicists in alternative music, and now we’re headed across the pond to highlight a writer who has spent the last six years developing an entertainment site for people who aren’t afraid to admit they like a little bit of everything. If you have a recommendation for a writer that should be highlighted in the weeks ahead, please email james@haulix.com and share their story.

Hailing from the UK with a passion for writing that just won’t quit, Zach Redrup has been helping spearhead a revolution in music blogging through his site Dead Press! since 2007. He recognizes that most music fans love multiple genres of music, and over the years since launching his site has continually strived to cover as diverse a variety of talent as he and his team possibly could. From Lady Gaga to Metallica, you never know who will appear on the front page of Dead Press! on any given day, but the content that does make the cut is always well worth your time. You’ll find no sugar coated or biased articles here; the good and the bad are revealed for what they are, and it’s in that unflinching honesty that Redrup has found the most success. We spoke with Zach about all this, as well as where he sees the industry headed in the years to come, and now you can read his story right here on the Haulix blog.

As always, if you like what you read be sure to reach out an let Zach know. He can be found on Twitter, just like Dead Press!, and is often found covering festivals around the UK. If you have any additional questions about Dead Press!, please comment at the end of this post and we will do our best to get you an answer.

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

ZR: My name is Zach Redrup and I’m the founder and editor of DEAD PRESS!

H: DEAD PRESS! has been around since 2007, but you have been a music fan for many years. Do you recall the first album you really connected with?

ZR: Well, the first album that I ever purchased was ANThology by Alien Ant Farm and, to be honest, I still have a connection with that record due to the nostalgia and the fact it has some great songs on it. I really became a music fan during the surging popularity of nu-metal, so I had and still do have a great love for bands like Korn and Slipknot. However, as I’ve grown older my music taste has expanded. It’s strange to think now how close minded I was about music back in high school.

H: Though many writers seem to have similar goals, they all have a unique origin story. When did you realize you wanted to work in music?

ZR: To begin with I used to contribute towards another site, which I won’t name, but basically the management of the site changed at the beginning of 2007 and lost contact with a lot of its original contributors, myself included. I got a taste of it then and wanted to continue but more on my own terms. As such, DEAD PRESS! was born and has been going ever since. Of course, as most music fans, I’ve always had that dream of being in a big successful rock band for a living. But we can all dream, can’t we?

H: What is the story behind the name DEAD PRESS!? Did you consider any other names before settling on that one?

ZR: I’m quite a fan of having duality within meanings or representation. Essentially, DEAD PRESS! has several meanings, the main one all comes down to personal preference. Originally, the meaning behind the name was due to our unbiased and honest nature and views with our articles. We don’t like to sugar coat things due to popularity or to bulk up numbers/readership because of an artist or band being ‘the next big thing’. Lots of publications, including some of the biggest ones, do this and as such the true press is dead, so therefore the name DEAD PRESS! fits with that. Another meaning some have interpreted it to be is the fact that it’s online and printed press is dying, put simply it is a DEAD PRESS!. A lot of people chuckle at the initials of the site too, DP!. It does mean double penetration in some contexts, but that only helps people to remember. Besides, music penetrates both ears, so the humorous side still rings true.

H: There are a growing number of sites attempting to cater to people with a wide variety of tastes. What is it about the content on DEAD PRESS! that sets you apart from the competition?

ZR: As I mentioned before, I think something that sets us apart from a lot of other publications out there is that we cater to the readers who want a true and honest view on new music and acts both established and up-and-coming. No one likes trashing the little man, but if we sugar coat that and let the (pardon my language) filter through, we’ll end up with even more of those bands you absolutely loathe. If they’re bad, we’ll say so. If they’re an incredible talent that deserves your attention, we’ll make sure you know their name.

H: The site’s bio says a revamp in 2010 lead to a new drive to contribute to the music scene. Aside from the design of the site, what changed?

ZR: The biggest change that happened in 2010 was that the site truly evolved from a portfolio of articles (mainly reviews) from myself and instead into a fully functioning site. From 2010 we shoved the site over to a professional host, gave it a full domain, began contributing news on a daily basis, included features and also recruited a bunch of both writers and music fans to help contribute towards the site and encourage people to listen to the great music out there and avoid the dirt.

H: You were a lone wolf when the site started, but now have a team of contributors. At what point did you begin to build your team, and how did you go about finding new writers?

ZR: As I said before, this was one of the biggest changes to occur for our revamp back in 2010. In the beginning, I recruited a few people from my Music Journalism course at university at the time of the revamp to help contribute and build the site to new heights. As the site developed and grew, so did the readership interest along with people who also wanted to get involved with things.

H: You offer a variety of content on your site, including reviews. Some have said the rise of social media in recent years has lessened the need for critics. Do you agree?

ZR: I both agree and disagree at the same time. Social media in terms of media critics acts as a double-edged sword. On the plus side, it helps to promote the names of bands who may have otherwise struggled and even disbanded without the aid of social media to widen their name. In turn, that also raises the awareness of the more underground publications such as ourselves, allowing readers to know there are alternatives out there. However, this also encourages people to start up a quick blog in minutes, shove up a few articles and instantly brand themselves as a ‘music journalist’.

H: Whether or not reviews are always a part of DEAD PRESS!, you will certainly continue to feature new bands. Where do you go when you want to discover new talent?

ZR: There are many ways I find out about new bands. The power of word of mouth will never die and should never be underestimated, but again, social media is a great way to uncover new bands and talent you may otherwise have been none the wiser to discover. From a quick tweet, a little song posted on Facebook or a recommended song/video off the back of a band you already love on YouTube can help you find a new favorite. I’ve always personally found the recommendations on Last.fm a great source of new music too, and of course due to the nature of DEAD PRESS!, I manage to discover a lot of great new bands who have sent in their material for me to check out. It’s one of the better perks of the site.

H: Let’s turn the tables and talk about the bands who come to you. What advice would you offer someone who wanted to increase their chances of sticking out from the plethora of bands vying for your attention?

ZR: It’s rather cliché but it’s true; originality is one of the biggest keys to getting some extra attention towards your band. Though you want to get your music heard, don’t nag and don’t spam. You don’t want to start off with a bad reputation. However, you want to keep yourselves active and constantly doing stuff. With such a grand amount of bands forever boring born, it’s easy for you to be lost in the shuffle. Work hard on your music, get rid of all of the tweaks, be original, keep your name out there, play as many shows as possible, appreciate your fans and keep professional.

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

ZR: As I’m old fashioned, if bands offer a physical copy of their record is always a preference, but as we all know digital download is the future. The best thing to offer to me personally is great, professional and enjoyable music. The more information provided without sending the equivalent of a novel is the best procedure. Be detailed yet straight to the point.

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

ZR: It saddens me how the pleasures of a physical record, where you can hold the music, enjoy the artwork, study the lyrics and learn the band and their material inside and out is quickly dying. It’s never going to happen, but if the CD could come back in true force that would be fantastic. That, and if anyone could get Reuben to reform, I’d really appreciate it.

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

ZR: We have a lot planned for DEAD PRESS! over the coming months. Along with bulking up our content in both quantity and potency we’re also getting a full site redesign soon, hopefully starting to get some shows on the go, sponsoring some of the better festivals and tours coming up, having some merchandise available, continuing to promote and push the talented artists out there and always delivering content that people would want to read and check out.

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News

PR Spotlight: Jamie Coletta (SideOneDummy Records)

Hello, and welcome to the very first Haulix PR Spotlight. We have enjoyed getting to know the blogger community over the last two months, and we certainly plan to continue that series as long as there are writers willing to talk to us, but we also want to highlight those working everyday to get talent in front of journalists around the world. If you know a PR talent we should feature in a future installment of this column, email james@haulix.com and tell us their story.

Designer Roy Halston Frowick once said “Buzz and the right publicist are not only important, but crucial in show business.” If you’re a rising punk talent who isn’t afraid of a great pop song and people with the type of personality you cannot help but love, the right publicist for you may be SideOneDummy Records‘ Jamie Coletta. Since joining the team in 2012, Jamie has furthered SideOneDummy’s already well established brand online and off while simultaneously helping develop new talent from a wide variety of genres. She has been working nonstop within the industry for the better part of the last half decade, and in that time has worked with nearly every type of artist or group you can imagine. We are honored to have her serve as our first highlighted publicist, and hope the insight she provides will aide future PR stars in bettering their efforts.

As always, if you like what you read, be sure to reach out and let Jamie know you enjoyed her interview. She can be found on Twitter, just like SideOneDummy, and is often spotted singing at the top of her lungs while standing side stage at pop punk festivals across the country. If you have any additional questions for her, please do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section at the end of this post.

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

JC: Jamie Coletta, SideOneDummy Records, publicist. I handle in-house radio promotion.

H: You’re an East Coast girl who now resides on the West Coast, so surely you have a story to tell. When did you first realize you wanted to work in music?

JC: That’s hard to pinpoint but it probably all started from some random night at the Living Room (RIP) in Providence, RI. I would go there all the time in high school just to be around live music. I helped bands flyer from time to time, joined street teams and eventually starting booking local shows.

Once I got to college and realized that my school had an actual degree in music business, I knew that was the only option for me. I actually didn’t even get accepted at first because my grades were so low (woops). I ended up writing an essay about my favorite concert of all time (Yellowcard/Something Corporate/The Format @ Bentley College, 2004) that convinced them to let me into the program.

I moved to LA after college because I knew that it was the only place in the world I would be happy. And I am.

H: Where did you first find work in the industry (and yes, working for free counts in this case)?

JC: My first internship was at Riot Act Media with a great publicist named David Lewis.

H: Okay, now the big question: Where did you first find paying work in music, and how did you go about landing that job?

JC: My first paid job was assisting an independent publicist at Fly PR. It was short-lived, though, because only a few months after starting, I got hired to work at a major label and obviously took it.

H: Many may believe the ultimate goal of people working in music is to be part of a major label, but your career has gone another path. You were at onetime a member of one of the largest labels still around, then chose to go the indie route and joined the SideOneDummy Records team. What inspired this change of pace?

JC: Honestly? I didn’t like it. I never set out to be a major label publicist or work with pop music but I needed (and wanted) the experience. The majors are basically a jungle and if you’re into that sort of thing, then go for it. Personally, I’ve always wanted to work with the bands I love and have a direct hand in their success. That just wasn’t going to happen at a major pop label so after a few years, I decided to move on. I’m grateful for the entire experience, though, especially meeting people like Rey Roldan who put me in touch with the SideOne team.

H: There has been increasing talk of the necessity for labels ever since the rise of social media. Having gone from major to indie, do you feel smaller labels serve more important/lasting purpose than majors?

JC: Smaller labels have the ability to give you more of a hands-on approach and really work as hard as possible for their artists. Majors just shell out cash and hire a bunch of super smart people to make shit happen. You can still end up on the back burner at both but with an indie, your team is much more likely to care about your music and success, I feel.

H: Most of the artists you work with now fall under the punk category, but that was not always the case. Have you found any major differences between the various genres and artists you have worked with? Is any particular genre necessarily easier than another?

JC: Well our roster is definitely not strictly punk – we’ve got a really diverse mix of bands and artists here so that’s rad. But yeah, I’ve worked in a whole bunch of different genres now and I think it all depends on you. Personally I like punk and alternative so I tend to find it easier to work within those worlds because it’s what I feel most passionate about. Although a mentor once told me that a good publicist should be able to work PR for a bar of soap…

H: As a publicist, what advice would you offer writers hoping to work with your clients?

JC:  

H: Piracy is one of the most discussed topic in the industry today. Do you feel album leaks are preventable? If so, how would you advise an artist to keep their music safe while still getting the word out? If you can, share an experience.

JC: It’s hard to say. If you don’t want your album leaking, then you really just need to be super selective with who you give it to. If you can, utilize a service like Haulix or something that will let you watermark the promo so you can track it if it does leak.

But at the same time, I feel like a leak is a sign that people care so much about the record that they’re willing to go through any length to get it early. Does it suck, especially after you & your team have been working your butts off on a release? Of course it does. But it’s a part of the industry now so you just have to be mindful of that when preparing a release.

H: When it comes to working with your clients, how do you prefer to share their music with press? What is it about this method that appeals to you the most?

JC: I would always rather show someone music in person, mostly because I can display my excitement better that way. But since we live in a digital age and the majority of my contacts are spread across the country, I use Haulix, Soundcloud and YouTube primarily. Each have their own unique benefits but overall I just like the process to be quick and painless for a writer whose trying to decide if they’re into something or not.

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

JC: There are so many talented musicians in the punk/alt community that get categorized as Warped Tour or Hot Topic bands and for whatever reason, that holds a negative connotation in the mainstream music world. I think that sucks.

Oh also, there is a major difference between hardcore and metal. Thanks
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H: Your roster is as eclectic now as ever before. Do you have any plans or releases on the horizon you’d like to share with our readers?

JC: We’re putting out Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants new album later this month and I’m predicting that to be one of the best country/americana records of the year, hands down. Otherwise we have a bunch of surprises up our sleeves for the next couple months so you’ll just have to stay tuned for that.

Categories
News

Blogger Spotlight: Jonathan Barkan (Bloody-Disgusting)

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!

Categories
News

Haulix Advice: 4 Aspects Of Artist Branding

In an attempt to split the information shared into easily digestible pieces, this discussion on branding is being spread across the next few weeks. This is part one, and next Friday part two will go live.

Branding may very well be the buzz word to end all buzz words, but when you get past its overuse in the business world you find it is a very real topic that many artists struggle to grasp. We want to help with that, and today we’re looking at 4 aspects of branding that effect all artists. There will be plenty more to come on this topic in the weeks ahead (3-4 at a time), but for now this should at the very least point those completely lost in the right direction. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to add them at the end of this post.

1. Music – This one is a given, but it bares repeating. Your music is your brand, and every element of it that finds its way to your fans will leave an impression on them. With that in mind, make sure what you’re putting out is the best representation of who you are (or want to be seen as) possible. This needs to be at the forefront of your mind from the first time your pen touches paper, to the moment you’re sitting in the studio mixing your completed tracks. Does the recording sound the way you hear the music in your mind? Am I being honest with myself and fans through these lyrics? Shallow, cash-grabbing efforts will almost always yield short-term returns, but those last make a career out of this business do so by being themselves. Always.

2. Image (Photos) – There is nothing worse than discovering a great talent who has no idea what they’re doing with their image. Fashion may not be your thing, and it certainly doesn’t need to be in order to take control of this of your brand, but you do need to recognize there is more to being an artist than simply creating great art. For all intents and purposes, you are a business, and as such you need to present your product (the music) in a way that is appetizing to as many of the senses as possible. There may not be a rule book for how any one sound needs to look, but I am sure we can all think of artists who have gotten it wrong from time to time. Remember when Garth Brooks thought he could have emo bangs and release an album as Chris Gaines? Yea, I tried to forget too.

3. Social media presence – I feel like we are getting close to beating a dead horse with this topic, but not a week goes by that I do not see a talented band or artist who fails to grasp the purpose of social media. It is not a soapbox for product promotion, though it can help your sales. Sites like Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook exist for the purpose of creating new communities based on interests, and artists need to learn to see their presence on these sites as the hub of their online community. Don’t just talk at fans, engage with them. Listen to what they have to say, reply to their questions, and in between that get the word out about your latest promotions. If your fans feel like they are in fact a part of the community, they are far more likely to help with  promotion than someone who feels as if they are receiving a steady stream of advertising. No one wants a wall of ads on the browser, and even if they like what you do they probably won’t stick around that long if sales are all that’s on your mind.

4. Stage presence – There is no better environment to get the word out about your brand than the concert setting. Even if the audience did not specifically come to see you, they are in the venue to hear great music, and if you can provide that they may very well become fans before heading home. In addition to following the golden rule to “practice, practice practice,” make sure you and your bandmates have an idea what the audience will see while you’re on stage. It may be all about the music, but in this setting the visual element can play a large factor in how the audio is received. Don’t be someone you’re not just for a few extra claps, but do make an effort to engage the audience with what is happening on stage so they feel compelled to see it again the next time you’re in town.

Categories
Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Thomas Nassiff (Fuse)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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News

Blogger Spotlight: Brian Leak (Under The Gun Review)

Hello, and welcome back to the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. This week we have two very interesting and completely different individuals to introduce you to, and the first comes to us from the land of Northern California.

Though we have featured writers from Under The Gun Review in this series before, today is the first time in the history of this column that we’re highlighting an individual who also happens to be a parent. Brian Lion is the Front Page Editor for UTG, and over the last few years he has helped steer the site’s development, strengthened the overall grammatical proficiency of the staff, and brought countless new eyes and ideas to the world of Under The Gun. He didn’t start at UTG, but he’s certainly made it his home, and in doing so greatly impacted the overall quality of the site’s offerings. When he expressed an interest in this series, we knew his insight would offer invaluable aide to other chasing the dream of a career in entertainment.

Below you will learn about Brian’s history with music, his earliest efforts in the industry, where he sees himself in the future, and what advice he has to offer others hoping to make their way through this business. His story is one-of-a-kind, and we’re grateful that he’s chosen to share it with us.

Brian is always seeking new opportunities in music, and those looking to keep up with his efforts would be wise to follow him on Twitter. Under The Gun Review also offers a social media feed you need in your life, so be sure to Follow them on Twitter and Like their Facebook at your earliest convenience.

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

BL: My name is Brian Leak, alternatively and more than likely known as Brian Lion. I work for Under the Gun Review where I am the Front Page Editor. I mainly read and edit each and every post on the site but I also do interviews, reviews, music and film news, a column when I’m able, and pretty much anything else I can dabble in. I just recently had my first photog experience shooting for RX Bandits.

H: UTG is not the first publication you have written for, but you certainly seem to have made it your home. Where did you get your start in writing, and what initially attracted you to the entertainment industry?

BL: This is true. My first publication was a print magazine/paper based in Chico, CA which was called Synthesis. I mainly did interviews with bands and some actors. Since then, I’ve written for a handful of others as well with UTG being my primary den. I’ve always loved music and film, for as long as I can remember. I used to watch VH1’s top 10 countdown constantly when I was a kid and I would watch tons of 80s and 90s action movies with my stepdad; the Lethal Weapon series, Jean Claude, Jackie Chan, Arnold, etc. It all just fascinated me so much. Whether it be music, film or television, they were just different worlds you could get encapsulated in. Part of me always felt like I would love to be involved with it in some way. That early on, writing hadn’t necessarily crossed my mind but over time as I started reading more and more online, I started to gain an interest in the industry and thought that it was a very special way to explore the things I loved from a different side.

H: What drew you to the position of Front Page Editor at UTG, and why do you feel its purpose is important?

BL: I’ve always been lucky enough to fully grasp the English language and have never truly struggled in that area. I won a couple spelling bees when I was younger and some awards for regional writing events and such and a lot of my teachers and family always told me that writing would in some way be what I would do. At the time, I never really believed that or thought too much on it but as I got older and began noticing an unfortunate lack of literacy around me, it sort of became a pet peeve — spelling and grammar that is. When I was in high school, I had considered working towards becoming an English teacher but I was a teenager and wanted to be such, so that much work didn’t sound as appealing to me once I really put thought into it. Eventually, after having immersed myself into writing about music and film, editing other peoples’ mistakes in the same field only made sense as I would see errors going unnoticed otherwise and felt obligated to remedy that. I just can’t let shit go.

H: In recent years Under The Gun has evolved from covering music to featuring news on film and stand-up comedy as well. Aside from these expansions, what do you feel separate the efforts of UTG from those of similar websites?

BL: Well these expansions are huge for us of course but it’s all about the way we execute our content. We have a very interesting cast of characters on staff spanning the US with one staffer in Europe as well and with that many unique personalities, you’re bound to have some strong convictions, views, and ideas. As a group, we’ve had some of the most hilarious, interesting, and even sometimes aggravating conversations that I think I’ve ever had.

We try our best to allow our contributors to use their voice as they please because that to me is what will make an article more interesting for a reader. There are plenty of sites out there that you can go to for formulaic news, but we try to add ourselves into our content to create a more relatable and enjoyable atmosphere for our readership. Aside from that, timeliness is next to Godliness and original content is our bread and butter. With a sociable and well-connected staff, you can pull a lot of great resources to score some really cool content from friends in the industry. We just try our best to come up with new features and continue expanding as we’re able.

H: One thing that sets you apart from many bloggers is that you also happen to be a father. How has starting a family changed the way you approach your work?

BL: That’s a great question. In one sense, it has made me want to work harder of course but there’re always times when I wish I could just take an entire week off and do nothing but play with my little girl and do whatever we want. I can’t say that that feeling won’t grow even more in the future as she gets older and can interact more but this is my dream and I like to think that it will lead to more and more great opportunities as it already has over the years.

H: Some might think having a child may detract people from chasing their dreams, but you clearly don’t see things that way. What advice would you offer others who find themselves in a situation similar to yours?

BL: Obviously, your child should come before anything and everything, but at the same time, if you give up on a dream in the process, especially one that you’ve made great headway in, then you’re failing your child as much if not more than you’re failing yourself. Writing was always about my own personal gain until we had her. Now it’s just that much more important that I make this work and continue to expand so that it does lead to those other great opportunities that will hopefully benefit not just me, but my family as well.

As far as advice I’d offer others in a similar situation — if possible, do not give up on your dream, but don’t let it take over your life to where you become a stranger to your kid(s). I know that in a reversed situation, I would likely be upset to find out that my parents gave up on something they loved because of me for some reason. I would feel guilty and or disappointed in them and I don’t want my daughter to feel that way about me when she grows up. I want her to be proud that I accomplished my goals just as I will be of her.

H: As someone who not only covers new music, but film as well, how do you go about discovering new talent?

BL: Word of mouth first and foremost, but I’ve bookmarked a lot of sites over the years that I explore now and then. Bandcamp, which is a gold mine of undiscovered talent, has been one of my go-to resources for finding new music. Pandora has introduced me to some artists I was unfamiliar with, and just sites like UTG that I always followed. Finding new music is one my absolute favorite things. Discovering an incredible new band is like Christmas, but usually better because you don’t have act like you like something if you really hate it. No need for gift receipts.

As far as film, I use Letterboxd which is amazing and has helped me come across countless mind-blowing films. I used to just search through Rotten Tomatoes and see what was coming out. It’s pretty good for seeing ratings on more obscure stuff that you may be interested in. I’ve stumbled upon some pretty cool things online, sometimes using StumbleUpon. Go figure. Short Of The Week is a great site for discovering new short films, which many that know me will tell you is a huge interest of mine.

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?

BL: Oh, man. Originality is key, but even that is hard to create these days in a sea of similar bands trying to grab your attention. I’ve seen almost every bait deviation there is and coming across one that really draws me in is few and far between. I personally don’t like when people try too hard. Sincerity is nice and I want to be wowed. Me being an editor, it’s incredibly frustrating when I’m not even sure what the band is trying to ask of me. If you can’t spell or form sentences, you may want to get someone who can to write up your press releases. That’s for starters. As much as I understand the urgency and excitement, I don’t like when people are pushy about it. They should know that almost anyone they’re trying to pitch their material to is going to be a very busy person. I’m a sucker for cleverness; puns and esoteric pop culture references. That’s how you can get me to do a double take and put my headphones on.

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

BL: I personally like to just be able to click to Bandcamp or Soundcloud; some simple streaming platform. I don’t really want to have to download something before I’ve heard it. Physical copies are always nice, too. For film, online screeners seem to be typical and I like that. Again, physical copies are fine with me as well. Other than that, if need be, Dropbox and or WeTransfer are great for a quick exchanges.

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

BL: Uhhh, one thing…that’s difficult. I think I would take out a lot of the ferocity and venom from the competition. For being a medium that is so universally loved, there is a lot of hate and facetiousness involved behind the scenes, and sometimes in the headlines. It can be daunting and exhausting when you’re trying to enjoy your work while bands and artists start feuds and other writers and publications find it necessary to bash what you do because they do it differently. Sometimes they do nothing differently and they’re just clearly vicious people that feel better about themselves by slandering others. I can’t say I’m not a shit-talker but when it comes to my work, I try to respect my peers at least. If I don’t like the way they’re doing something, I look at it as their problem, not mine.

H: Your team writes a lot about having big plans on the horizon. Can you tell us a bit about what UTG has planned for the remainder of 2013?

BL: More original content, more features, more coverage. Hopefully some more indie film screenings like we did last year with Iwrestledabearonce. We should be covering another handful of festivals before the year’s end as well. We just had a staffer attend AFI Docs for reviews which was very unique amongst our peers and helps expand our film coverage. We’ve discussed maybe putting out some merch. Maybe we’ll launch a Kickstarter just to fit in.

“Yes! The danger must be growing / For the rowers keep on rowing / And they’re certainly not showing / Any signs that they are slowing!”

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News

Haulix Advice: Making The Most Of Email Interviews

The last few editions of our Haulix Advice column have focused on making introductions and getting your music in front of people who will [hopefully] share it with their readers. Today we’re focusing on selling what lies behind the music: Yourself.

Once your music begins getting traction online, the time will come when you desire to setup additional features for your band with notable publications. Interviews are always a great route to go, but all too often the bigger outlets do not have the free time needed to execute a face-to-face feature with rising acts and an email interview (sometimes referred to as a form interview) may have to suffice suffice. This may seem like a negative, as everyone tends to express themselves better through conversation than statement, but with careful thought and consideration fill-in-the-blank questionnaires can be a gateway to a deeper relationship with your fans, as well as an effective marketing tool. After all, any opportunity for exposure is better than none, and rarely will you come across an opportunity as customizable as this.

For everything a form interview lacks in terms of human interaction it more than makes up for in the endless freedom offered to the artist. The questions outlined should be viewed as starting points for conversation with the reader rather than individual bullet points. Make your introductions quick and be sure to answer everything clearly, but keep in mind every response is another opportunity to connect with listeners on a deeper level. They want the details (that’s why you’re being asked you questions), so make sure you take your time to answer everything in full. That may sound fairly obvious, but having spent last half decade in journalism I cannot count the number of one-word or single sentence responses I’ve received from artists of all sizes. It’s not engaging or entertaining to read. Ever.

In terms of reaching new listeners, form interviews offer you the opportunity to discuss elements of your art that may pull in the casual webzine reader. In depth information regarding your inspiration, goals, antics on stage and behind-the-scenes, views on music, and the like can offer the publications printing the article an angle to sell, and with the right hook you’ll be reeling in new listeners in no time (pun unfortunately intended).

To offer additional insight on how artists can make the most out of email interviews and the reasoning behind why it’s important, I turned to a few notable members of the music world for advice. You can read their insight below. If you have additional tips for artists reading this column, please feel free to comment at the end of this post and add your two cents. 

“I think the short responses in interviews via email are not because the artist or musician doesn’t care, it’s because either: 1) The artist feels as sense of entitlement because someone cares enough about their art to interview them about it. OR 2) They aren’t viewing their art as a business. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to act professional. no one wants to work with unprofessional artists who are flakey and don’t care about their perception to the public. – Mike Sacchetti, Bad News Bears

In the unfortunate event that an interviewer is left with no other option but to send out an e-mail interview as opposed to doing a phoner or in-person, it’s important that the artist(s) being questioned elaborate on their answers to make for an interesting and insightful read. There is generally no way for the interviewer to anticipate how the artist(s) will respond so more often than not, an e-mail interview will not flow as well as an in-person or phone interview would, as the interviewer doesn’t have the opportunity to ask follow-up questions in regards to the artists’ answers.

I would suggest that the interviewee read all of the questions before they begin answering because it has been my experience that the artist will answer with similar responses multiple times throughout the interview due to the order of the questions. Many times, the artist(s) will answer a question as well as a succeeding one at the same time which isn’t always necessarily a good thing in terms of length and an engrossing read. This also falls into the responsibility of the interviewer to ask engaging and unique questions to hopefully get the most out of the interviewee, in way of in-depth responses.

In some instances, an artist will be cooperative enough to allow you to send some follow-up questions if you’re unclear on something they answered or you feel that you need to expand on something that could ultimately make for more piquant content. It would be nice if all artists offered this option knowing that an e-mail will typically need a little more life than what is breathed into it in the initial transaction. – Brian Lion, Under The Gun Review

When filling out digital interviews, every band should take the time to make sure they not only hand in thoughtful answers, but responses that are professional. Time and time again, I read and put together interviews where artists don’t take the time to even run spell check over their answers, which can reflect poorly on your band. Put in a few extra minutes, look over your answers and make sure what you’re saying is representative of how you want your band to be perceived. – Tyler Osborne, ToZ Productions

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