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Blogger Spotlight: Matt Darcy (Nefarious Realm)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Haulix Advice: Setting Up Tour Press

Today’s Haulix Advice column is intended for artists with more than one tour under their belt. We understand those of you just getting started may be excited by notion of having press cover your first tour, but we highly recommend waiting until you’ve crossed stateliness a time or two before taking the following steps.

As you move forward in your pursuit of national acclaim, touring offers a number of unique promotional opportunities that will help drive awareness to your music and (hopefully) add a little boost to ticket sales. In oder for any of that to happen, however, you will need to put together a plan of attack far in advance of your first date, and that is what we’re going to discuss today.

It may seem a bit premature, but artists hoping to maximize the exposure they are able to pull out of a single tour would be wise to begin planning those effort almost as early as they begin booking said shows. As a band, you should work together to develop a list of everyone you want to invite to a show, all the content you hope to create during the run, sites that offer pre-tour promotional options (playlists, interviews), and a list of potential sites and publications who may be interested in hosting said content. Be specific. Know when you plan your tour to start, as well as the promotion, and use a calendar to plan when you would ideally like your content to run. Once you’re on the road, finding the time to plan is going to be near impossible, and you’ll likely have a number of other issues and needs to attend to as well. Having a plan helps to not only suppress the stress of last minute organizing, but also creates a blueprint to follow if/when things do go off the rails (and let face it: they probably will).

As soon as you confirm your dates, take time to research writers who may work in the vicinity of your shows and email them with details on your performance no later than one month prior to the tour. Invite them to come, but be careful to not beg. Writers want to believe they’re either going to see the next great band no one has heard, an underrated juggernaut deserving of more attention, or an established act whose live show is even better than their album, not a group of musicians trying too hard to be famous. Pick an angle that works for you and use it to entice the reader. Remember: This may be your first time interacting with this individual, so make sure your initial impression is a good one. Being friendly and concise goes a long way.

A month out from your first date also happens to be the ideal time to begin locking in your tour content exclusives. This could be any number of items, but the two most popular tend to be tour blogs and acoustic performance videos. Both are great tools for furthering awareness of your efforts, and neither is all that difficult to create. Once you know what your content will be, develop a list of sites you would like to partner with for the premieres and begin contacting them. Again, being specific is key. Make sure your message includes information about your efforts, the tour, and as specific details regarding the content you would like to share with their readers. If it’s a tour blog, tell them how often you were hoping to run it. If it’s a performance video, give them a target week for release. Being too specific may turn some away, so make sure you allow room for customization. The sites you want to work with have a lot of experience in this type of content, and more importantly they know what works best with their readers. Trust them.

When you’re a week out from the tour, send reminders to outlets you have not heard from and check in on everyone who said they may attend. Provide contact information, including a phone number, and request the writer do the same. Every venue is different, and you nerve know when your press plans may have to change on account of an outside force.

Check in with your contacts again the day of the show to confirm their travel plans, as well as yours. Coordinate a time that works with your schedule for the day and do whatever you can to be early. If you’re completing an interview with said writer, check in advance for type of interview (voice or video) and prepare accordingly. We’ll have more tips for video interviews in an upcoming edition of Haulix Advice.

As with every Haulix Advice column, we asked a number of industry professionals to offer additional insight on setting up tour press. You can read what they had to say below.

If you have any questions or comment, feel free to leave at the end of this post and we’ll do our best to reply soon.

“My best suggestion to any up and coming artist who is looking to do their own press would be to 1- know their music websites and 2-Contact as many journalist as possible. Start off with doing a google search to see who has covered artists like you, or other artists you have toured with. After making a list of what outlets covered those artists, as well as their contact information, reach out to each journalist individually. Tell them about your band, when your last release came out, send some examples of music as well as tour dates. Always include the best way to reach you! It’s a ton of work but absolutely is worth the effort. Also, whenever you send physical music to a journals ALWAYS include contact information and a bio. The worst thing you could do is waste your time sending a CD to a writer and then them having no clue how to contact you” – Jenna LoMonaco, Kobalt Music Group

“As a smaller band, especially without a publicist, getting press for your tour is a daunting task. Even if you’re only playing 10-15 cities, that’s 10-15 unique local markets that you have to sift through and try to find the best way to promote your show. The best thing for your band is going to be getting local newspaper and radio stations to run any sort of coverage *before* you play your show in the area, to try to encourage turnout. However, many writers will only want to cover your show post-event and many radio stations will ask for tickets to give away in exchange for coverage. This shouldn’t be a worry for you – you’ll want to commit press passes and free tickets at each show in exchange for promotion. In terms of national and online media, make sure you know where writers are located, especially the ones that like your band. If a website gives your EP a good review, make a note that the writer is located in X market so you can offer him a free ticket to review your show. Keep an organized list of contacts that help you out in each local market, too – this (hopefully) won’t be the last time you play in that area, so you’ll want to hit these people up again in the future.” – Thomas Nasiff, Fuse/Bad Timing Records/Paper+Plastick

“There are two sides of tour press: Before, and after. Before you go on tour, you should be setting up press with sites that do pre-tour features. PropertyOfZack does Playlists, a way for touring packages to let us know what they’ll be listening to on the road. We include the tour dates in there for extra press.

Then for after, you have Road Blogs, interviews, acoustic sessions, and more. Make sure people haven’t forgotten about the tour once it ends. Keep the content coming” – Zack Zarrillo, PropertyOfZack

“Always plan to start your tour press no later than a month out from the first date. The less time you give yourselves, the less chance of an effective press campaign. The less effective your campaign is, the less impact it will have in show attendance.” – Patrick Ryan Williford, Persistent Heart Media

“No outlet is too small – if you’ve got the time and a .blogspot-type writer has reached out, make the relationship and take the interview. Any press is good press, and you never know where a writer will end up – taking that interview when a site is small could benefit you tenfold down the line.” – Jack Appleby, Siren Records

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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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Blogger Spotlight: Drew Beringer (Absolutepunk)

Hello, and welcome another installment of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. This time we’re returning to the world of SpinMedia with another look at the alternative music portal that has been leading the online news game for the better part of the last decade.

When most people think of Absolutepunk, they probably associate the name Jason Tate with being in control. While Jason is the creator of AP (and a nice guy to chat with), none of what you see on a day-to-day basis would be possible without the efforts of Senior Editor Drew Beringer. He’s the guy that sits at SpinMedia HQ and represents Absolutepunk, and in a way the Absolutevoices group as well. He has been writing and networking throughout the music industry for years, and the insight he’s able to provide having now found full time work in writing is indispensable for the aspiring (or veteran) journalist.

After you read through Drew’s history and thoughts on the industry, drop by Absolutepunk and see what’s new in the world of alternative music. Also, be sure to Follow AP on Twitter and Like their official Facebook. Drew has a Twitter as well, so send him a note if you enjoy his interview.

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

DB: Hey, I’m Drew Beringer and I’m the senior editor for AbsolutePunk.net. I basically have a hand in everything on the site, but I don’t want to take too much credit because we have an awesome staff that creates and writes amazing stuff.

H: What initially inspired you to get into music journalism, and how did that interest lead you to join the AbsolutePunk team?

DB: I’ll never call myself a journalist – I never took any writing or journalism classes in college (although I was an English major at one point and did a lot of writing for that). I’ve always been a very opinionated person and I love music so I just started writing my own “reviews” in a Xanga blog years ago. In the fall of 2005, Jason Tate (our CEO/Founder) put out a call for new reviewers on the site and I submitted a review of Emery’s “The Question” and about three days later, Jason IM’d me and asked me if I wanted to write for AP.net. It’s been a match made in heaven ever since.

H: Unlike many who write about music online, you actually work on AP.net as your full time job. How would you compare your daily routine from freelance days to now?

DB: The only difference is that I can dedicate all my time to AbsolutePunk.net now instead of just when I wasn’t working at whatever job I had at the time. And it’s a huge difference. I’m extremely fortunate and blessed to be paid to write about music and I never take it for granted. I’m able to do a podcast with Jason once or twice a week, write 3 reviews in a day and post a lot of news articles a day instead of only writing one review when I had time and sparingly posting news. It’s easier for me to put together new features and set up cool exclusives for the site. In my “old” life, I’d maybe have time to post some news in the morning before heading off to work and then whenever I got home that night I’d use whatever energy I had left to write a review or whatever. It’s an amazing feeling to just be able to use all my time to write and put together a lot of cool stuff for the site. My only wish is that more of our staff could have this freedom because they’re all very talented and if they could pool all their resources into the site, we’d be virtually unstoppable. It’ll happen eventually.

H: AbsolutePunk has changed a lot over the years, from starting as a purely punk site to expanding into movies, hip hop, and recently even comedy. Are these changes done to lure in more readers, or better cater to those you already have?

DB: Of course we want to lure in more readers and users with all our changes and features, but that’s only a small part of it. The reason I decided to expand into adding more hip-hop and comedy content is because our current (and may I add fantastic) users have shown a ton of interest in that in our forums. So basically a little bit of column A, a little bit of column B. The community on AP.net is by far the best online community and a lot of these users bring new music, interests, whatever to the site daily in those forums. I read each forum obsessively and I want to cater our content to those who’ve been visiting the site for days, months, years. I want their voice and interests to also be represented on the front page of the site. I think our comedy content has been great so far and a lot of credit goes to Cody Nelson. He’s very knowledgeable about that scene and is bringing us great features and ideas daily. Since my hire in 2005, I’ve been trying to get hip-hop represented on the site. It’s been a struggle at times, but I think our user base has evolved with the times and are more open-minded to all genres and not just punk music anymore. There are still some obstacles but it’s overall been a great success. Jake Jenkins has done a wonderful job with his reviews and Keagan Ilvonen has always been into the genre too. And a lot of great hip-hop and comedy contributions and recommendations have come our community – I’d be wrong to not mention the stellar stuff I read in the forums from users like deadkidsean, williek311, Argentine, FondestMemory, phaynes1, Star Slight, Ari Christos, Holly Hox, and weworemasks, as well as past users like Fullcollapse3k, Skabum14, Love As Arson, and Trainsaw, amongst many others. It’s those members of our community who’ve made our hip-hop coverage a success and they continue to challenge us to create our best content. I’m also happy that I’m not the only staff member to carry that heavy load of reviewing and covering the genre along with all my other responsibilities.

H: AP is known for breaking bands who otherwise may never have a chance to shine. What do you look for when seeking new music, and where do you go to discover it?

DB: This is always the toughest question for me to answer because it varies on a case to case basis. It could be lyrics or vocals or the music or a combination of all three. There isn’t one particular element I look for when listening to new music – it just has to catch my attention in some way. For example, I love Dessa because her voice, flow, and lyrics are intoxicating. But I love the new Deafheaven album because the music is so devastating and enthralling. It’s never the same thing. I discover any and all music either from the hundreds of emails I get per day, my friends here in LA, and the forums on our site.

H: Let’s talk about when bands come to you. What do you look for in a pitch letter, and what advice would you offer those hoping to contact you about being featured on AP in the future?

DB: I don’t need a long pitch – just give me a brief summary of what you’re about, what you think you sound like, and your music. And if it catches my eye or ear – I’ll check it out. If I don’t get back to a band or review something – it doesn’t mean I hate you or the music, it just means I’m a super busy dude who gets hundreds of these queries a week. I may come back to it later in time and if I dig it, I do whatever I can to support it and promote it. I guess that’s horrible advice, but if you write good/great music, it’ll get the attention it deserves.

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

DB: I prefer a watermarked (to keep be accountable of course) zip download with high quality mp3s. Now I don’t always get that, so I roll with what I get. Haulix is cool because you can download and stream and it has the capability of supplying high quality stuff if the label/PR people provide it. But really whatever gives me the highest quality music most efficiently will always be my preference.

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

DB: Almost everything and I don’t anyone would want to read a lengthy essay from me about the topic. The internet is the wild west right for music (source: Jay-Z) right now and the way you get people to listen and support your music changes nearly every day. I do hate how the industry is punishing listeners and medium-to-smaller bands for the mistakes they made in the past. But it’s also an exciting time for the music industry in that we don’t know what’s coming next and that many artists (big and small) are proving that you don’t need a label to be successful.

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

DB: Just that you’ll always get high-quality and honest editorials, features, and opinions from AbsolutePunk.net. We’re very transparent with all our intentions and we’re music fans just like everyone else who visits the site. The long-awaited AP.net 3.0 is in development and it’s going to wow a lot of people. We have so many talented writers – whether it’s veterans like Thomas Nassiff, Alex DiVicenzo, and Christian Wagner or rookies like Kelly Doherty, Chris Collum, and Craig Manning – bringing forward new ideas and content daily. It just blows my mind. I seen staff members like Ryan Gardner and Dre Okorley rise up and lead new features and it’s so awesome. It’s those guys along with the rest of the staff that makes the future of AbsolutePunk.net so exciting. It’s their hard work and talent that makes guys like me look so smart and our site the best.

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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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Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Drew Maroon (Mind Equals Blown)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Jameson Ketchum (Substream Music Press)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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


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

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




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

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



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

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

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



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

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

Categories
News

Haulix Tips: Setting Up An Exclusive

In recent weeks we have talked a lot about breaking the ice with journalists, and the reaction from all of you has been overwhelming. We want to continue helping you lay the groundwork for a genre takeover, and today we’re outlining one avenue to ensuring your music reaches as many potential new fans as  possible: Setting up exclusives.

This probably will not come as a surprise, but bloggers LOVE exclusives. It’s the only original content aside from opinion pieces they have to get ahead of the competition, and if you play your cards right they may see your music as the latest ‘must hear’ piece of content on the net. 

The first thing you need to know about setting up exclusives is something everyone who succeeds learns early on: Relationships are everything. While bloggers are always open to discovering new music, but using their brand to back a new project is serious business, and most are not likely to jump at an offer from someone they are not familiar with. Before you even consider attempting to setup exclusives, make sure you’ve taken the proper steps to first introduce yourself and your efforts to the publication in question. This can be as simple as an email with a link to your music, or as over-the-top as a physical press kit sent to their home office. Either way, first impressions are everything. Journalists will associate everything you do and offer moving forward with however you first came on their radar, so make sure your introduction is fitting for the brand you’re trying to promote.

Secondly, make sure your requests provide the publication with everything they need in order to create great content. If you offer a song, make sure there is an mp3 and Soundcloud link ready to go. If it’s artwork or other information not available when making the initial offer, outline when the content will be available and provide as much supplementary information as possible. Keep in mind that time is something no journalist has to waste, so doing as much of the legwork as possible ahead of time reads to them as less work required on their part. It doesn’t guarantee they will bite, of course, but it never hurts to be present yourself as prepared as possible.

Finally, always keep in mind that every publication is different and not every piece of content you create will be loved by everyone. Even major artists sometimes struggles to lock in exclusives, so don’t be discouraged if your initial efforts fail. It can take awhile to properly network within the music industry, especially when you’re trying to get new content to people who are metaphorically drowning in unheard music, but with patience, kindness, and just a bit of chivalry you will see doors open in time.

I know some of you may be reading this and thinking, “As much as I love your attempts to help, nothing in the preceding paragraphs is all that description.” If that applies to you, pat yourself on the back because you, my friend, are correct. The reason we kept things vague this week is because there is no one way to setup an exclusive. Every publication is different, and the variety of things they each look for in potential exclusive content is as numerous as the number of sites in existence. Following our guidelines will aide you in getting your foot in the door, but after that point your continued success is on you. Still, in an attempt to be slightly more helpful, we asked a number offer industry peers to send us advice they had for bands hoping to setup exclusives. Here’s what they had to say:

“Be sure your pitch includes all the key information that the website will need in order to run the exclusive including what they’re premiering, when you’d like it to run, what you’re promoting and a bio/fact sheet on your band.” – Jamie Coletta, SideOneDummy Records

“I would highly recommend researching the proper editor (plus contact information) and send them your best pitch that exemplifies what the band has going on and showcases your top accolades.” – Jen Appel, The Catalyst Publicity Group

“Clear subject. Realized intent. Short body. Social links.” – Zack Zarrillo, PropertyOfZack.com

“I prefer to write about and promote my friends. Reach out to me on Twitter, start a conversation about a mutual interest. That’s a good place to start.” – Jacob Tender, Underthegunreview.net

“What I do is this: I approach a publication with an album, telling them that I’m seeking an exclusive with them. I allow them to listen to the album. I tell them they have 24 hours to say pass or take before I move on to the next publication.” – Josh Hammond, Publicist

Categories
News

Blogger Spotlight: Angela Mastrogiacomo (Infectious Magazine)

It’s Tuesday once again, which means it’s time to continue our ongoing series highlighting the best and brightest behind today’s online music scene.

Hailing from the border of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Angela Mastrogiacomo has spent the last few years carving a niche in the music industry by developing the news  and opinion outlet Infectious Magazine. Covering everything from rock to pop with a variety of columns and video features, Angela has single-handedly built a blossoming entertainment empire with Infectious that continues to grow with each passing week. Her love for music and passion for writing is only matched by her creativity, and as we learn in our exclusive interview, she has her eyes set on big things in the months ahead.

Read on to discover Angela’s history music, the uniqueness of Infectious, and how this twenty-something plans to turn her hobby into a career by unveiling a new component to her master plan. If you want to see some of Angela’s work, be sure to visit Infectious Magazine and follow the site on Twitter.

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

My name is Angela.  I am the founder/editor of InfectiousMagazine.com.  I run and oversee daily operations at InfectiousMagazine.com

H: You are the first female we have featured in our Blogger profiles. What inspired you to begin writing in the first place?

That’s awesome! I first began writing when I was about 6, with a collection of short  stories aimed at children. Eventually, that grew into creative fiction, and then once I began the magazine, feature writing (though I still dabble in creative). It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly inspired me—I hate to use the cliché that it helps you work out your emotions, but it’s an incredibly useful outlet, and whenever I’m writing, there’s a sense of calm and accomplishment.

H: Once you realized you wanted to write, how did you know music was the type of content you wanted to cover?

To be honest, this was completely serendipitous. I’ve always wanted to make writing an integral part of my life, but it had a tendency to be more fiction based. After happening across a local band (The Coming Weak) opening for a national act, I was instantly awe-struck. I believe there are instances in life where we will, for whatever reason be drawn to and inspired by certain people and instances, which will end up shaping our life. For me, this was it. I felt so compelled to interview them, review their album, and just do anything I could to get their name out there. This was the birth of Infectious and there was no looking back. 

H: Infectious is one of many sites that covers the alternative, or as some say “Warped Tour” music scene. What do you think sets your site and its content apart from others covering the same talent?

I think every site has a selling point in a sense, and I think ours is the interviews we do. Anyone can bring news, but it’s those features (columns, contests, etc) that make a site stand apart. I like to think that in addition to being reliable, and quick to bring our readers the news, we offer a unique perspective in our interviews, with unique, interesting questions. I also like to think that the passion oozing from each and every one of our staff members comes through. We live and breathe Infectious, and it is always on our minds. I believe it makes a difference. 

H: Speaking of the world’s largest and wildest traveling festival, do you have plans to cover Warped Tour 2013? If so, who do you look forward to covering?

We do! We’ve covered Warped’s Boston date for the last three years and each year is just such an honor. The entire week or two surrounding the festival date are the most chaotic and fun of the entire year. We have been able to cover some really amazing people in the last few years, and I know this year will be no different. From a personal perspective, I’m really looking forward to Middle Finger Salute, The Exposed, The Swellers, The Tower & The Fool and Action Item. 

H: I noticed you have a large amount of video content on Infectious. How do you find readers respond to interview videos as opposed to those posted in text form? 

Absolutely. I think in one sense, being on YouTube brings with it a lot of competition, but in another, we’ve found the response to be really positive. The thing with video interviews is that they bring a lot of life and perspective into things. Text is easily misinterpreted, but when you can see your favorite band, watch their emotions and perspectives play out in real time, it’s a truly interesting experience (I think!).

H: When it comes to writing and featuring new bands, what do you look for talent wise?

The thing is, talent and taste is so subjective, and I think it’s important to be aware of that. What I look for most, is passion and drive.

H: Let’s say a band wants to contact you about featuring their music on your site. What advice would you offer bands to help themselves stand out for from the others vying for your attention?

This is an excellent question. If you personalize your email, I am MUCH more likely to take notice and want to work with you. This sort of circles back to the last question, but I’d much rather work with a band that is just starting out and full of passion, drive, and ambition, than a band who may have a larger following but is just totally complacent and only interested in putting in minimal effort.

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

Haulix is by far one of the best services for review and feature consideration. It’s incredibly simple, customizable and best of all, it really does help protect against leaks, which I think we can all agree is an industry sigh of relief.

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

Ah, this is a tough one! There’s so much I’d want to do, but it all comes back to passion. It’s so cutthroat, and I think that passion and talent gets buried under money and greed much of the time.

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

Definitely, thanks for asking! In addition to continuing to bring you loads of content and contests, and expand the magazine side of things, we’re just launching a public relations side as well, and currently taking on new clients. You can find out more about that here:

http://www.infectiousmagazine.com/public-relations-services/

And of course, we’d love for you to follow us on our networks and come say hi. Thanks so much, Haulix!

Categories
News

Blogger Spotlight: Sean Reid (AlreadyHeard)

For our latest spotlight we’re headed across the Atlantic Ocean for a conversation with someone who has been involved in a number of influential music sites. Sean Reid cut his teeth developing AlterThePress in the early days of his writing career. In time, Reid networked his way into a position writing the UK News Roundup for the team at Absolutepunk. After years refining his work with both these efforts, Reid realized he had bigger vision, and not longer after Already Heard was born.

Putting the talent in the UK first, Already Heard has built a reputation for in depth news coverage that matches sites who have existed far longer. Reid has taken the lessons learned from his years working with other people’s projects and created an outlet that stands apart in a scene flooded with familiarity. Being the first UK blogger to appear on our site, we could not be more excited to share how the international music community engages with our product and the labels who choose to use it. If you would like to know more about Sean’s work,  Like Already Heard on Facebook or follow the site on Twitter.

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

S: I’m Sean Reid and I am the Founder and Senior Editor for an Alternative music website called Already Heard, which is based in the United Kingdom.
H: You have been blogging about music for a few years now. Where did you get your start, and how did Already Heard come into existence?

S: I started writing/blogging about music in August 2008 when I joined a site called Alter The Press. I parted ways with that site after three years. I then took a slight step back for a few months. During this time I wrote for a few sites; Under The Gun Review, Rock Louder and Stencil Magazine. 
I guess Already Heard started in late 2011 under the name of Play Crack The Sky Music. I missed the day in, day out interaction of running a site, communicating with bands, labels and PR groups so I started PCTS with help from a friend (Mikey Brown) as a tester to see if I could do something by myself. After a few months we put that on hiatus and relaunched in April 2012 as Already Heard. Since then we’ve had multiple writers and photographers join the team, resulting in a constant growth of the site.
H: There are a number of sites trying to become the next top alternative music community. What do you think separates Already Heard from the competition?

S: For starters we put a strong emphasis on UK-only news. Speaking from experience theres far too many sites covering the same news which is mostly US-heavy. I’ve lost count the amount of times I’ve opened up my Google Reader feed and seen the same story from multiple sites, multiple times. In my opinion there are far too many news-centric sites.
On top of that, we all contribute to the site alongside full-time jobs/study, so we prefer to use our time more wisely by creating original content that you’re not going to see elsewhere. 
From the start of Already Heard, I wanted the focus to be on original content, and even though its taken sometime to get there, I feel we’re now at a stage where we are heading in the right direction.
H: Though you cover a number of artists around the globe, you pay special attention to artists hailing from the UK. Any particular reason for this decision?

S: We’re a UK site, all but one of our team live in the UK. Of course that limits us in terms of growing the site, we box ourselves by restricting what content is posted especially when it comes to news. However we the array of reviews, live photos, and features we produce, we’re able to cater to overseas bands. 
H: Speaking of discovering new music, you feature a number of emerging artists on Already Heard. As a tastemaker yourself, where do you go to discover new talent?

S: I live in a small town and I can’t drive so I rarely go to shows to check out new bands, so most new music is through the internet. Some of its through recommendations on social media, some from bands directly contacting the site or through Pubic Relations. 
H: Let’s say an artist wants to be featured on Already Heard. What advice would you offer that inspiring group or individual to help them stand out from the others hoping to make your news feed? 

S: First of all I would say research the site/publication you’re contacting. There has been countless times when I’ve received an email from a band or artist where you can clearly tell they’ve not researched our site. In terms of our site, if I quickly read over your email and you describe yourself as a Rapper or an electro artist or whatever, its highly unlikely you’ll be featured on the site. I think mentioning a band or genre that your site covers often is useful and is more likely to grab my attention.
Secondly I would advise to make sure your presentation is right. For example don’t send an email with just a link to your Soundcloud or Facebook with no information, it’ll be ignored. Also things like correct spelling and grammar go a long way, if your email is full of mistakes and poorly presented, it doesn’t make a good first impression. 
I would also ask to keep it simple yet informative.
H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

S: In terms of streaming, Soundcloud is very reliable and user friendly. Of course there is Haulix who are equally as reliable and user friendly, both for streaming and downloading. It just looks good and has everything you need on one page; the music to hear, the necessary band and album info, as well as images and videos. Its pretty faultless.
Bandcamp and Dropbox also have there advantages but they’re not perfect. The former is a simple audio player with artwork whist Dropbox can sometimes be problematic.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

S: Just one? I guess album leaks would be one thing I would change. I find digital advances are sometimes given out too freely, resulting in the album being leaked hours later. I guess the industry needs to some how be made more strict and secure when it comes to advance releases. 
H: You tweet a lot about having big plans for the future. Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what Already Heard has planned for the remainder of 2013?

S: We’re still a young site but over the coming months we aim on putting more emphasis on our original features and content; developing new ideas and expanding current ones. Our main goal is just to keep growing as a site and by getting the name ‘Already Heard’ out there and recognized. I’ll admit its difficult when there seems to be new sites popping up every week, but the Already Heard team and myself are confident enough we have the right content to stand out from the crowd. 
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