A great music publicist can make people stop and pay attention to your art, but it can be difficult to get them to care about your career.
Publicists are among the hardest-working people in entertainment. Whether you’re a career musician hoping to make people care again or a new artist trying to capture the world’s attention, great music PR can do wonders for your visibility.
But there is a catch—sort of. Publicists can only work with what you give them, and many artists don’t know what PR needs or wants. Most assume a publicist will tell them what they need, but that isn’t true. If a publicist has to ask for something, you’re already behind.
For example, let’s say you reach out to a publicist inquiring about their interest in working your next release but forget to include the release date, music, or artwork. That publicist then has to make a choice. They can either do some research into who you are, what you make, and when you might be releasing music, or they can skip your message and move on to something more actionable. Every publicist is unique, but you can guess which of those two options is most likely to be chosen.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell shares what publicists are looking for when seeking new clients. He gives you everything you need to make sure publicists open your emails, click the links, and return your calls. If that’s what you’re looking for, then click play, and enjoy! We can’t guarantee results, but we can put you in a position to succeed.
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Our friends at Fixt are in need of a driven, full-time publicist to join their growing team. We have been friendlu with this company for many years and know them to be some of the finest individuals in the entire music business. Read the job description below and, if you think you have what it takes, follow the link at the end of this post to submit an application. You can tell them Haulix sent you.
FiXT Publicity is looking to hire a new Full-Time Rock/Metal/Alternative Music focused Publicist in our Burlington, Iowa office.
The ideal candidate for this position will be motivated to become an active part of the team to accelerate company growth, contribute to the continued expansion of the company and client roster, be extremely organized, and should be capable of multitasking and handling multiple deadlines simultaneously. Candidate should have 3+ years of experience as a music publicist with a portfolio of proven accomplishments and a strong work ethic.
Job Duties: • Writing and Sending Press Releases • Handling Artist & Client Relations • Taking Audio/Video Calls with Clients • Researching New Artists / Press Outlets / Partners, etc… • Working with Key Press Contacts to Pitch and Solicit for Features, Reviews, Exclusives, Premiers, Interviews, etc… • Handling an ongoing Client-Roster as well as one-off Campaigns. • Assisting other Team Members with other Campaigns
Requirements: • Must be willing to relocate to our Burlington, Iowa headquarters. • Alternative/Rock/Metal Music Press Knowledge/Experience (Specifically ‘Warped Tour’ related) • Mac OS X Experience • Microsoft Word/Excel Experience • Detail Oriented, ability to prioritize work and work accurately under pressure of deadlines with frequent interruptions and changing priorities. • Must be an effective communicator, dealing with management, artists, customers, partners, etc… • Ability to keep up with fast-paced workflow • Must display Persistence and follow through to achieve goals.
Preferred: Existing Roster to bring with you Marketing / Promotions Experience Existing Music Retailer Relationships (iTunes, Beatport, Amazon, Spotify, etc…) Basecamp Project Management Software Experience (or similar) Creative professional in a Advertising/Marketing Agency
Hello and welcome to the very first ‘Industry Spotlight’ feature of the week. We are thrilled to have you with us this afternoon, and we hope you will make it a point to stop by regularly from here on out. This blog exists to promote and inspire the future of music business, but we are only able to do that if we receive input from our readers. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
You may or may not remember this, but earlier this month we spent two days sharing the story of Adrenaline PR founder Maria Ferrero. Today we are adding a second chapter to the story of Adrenaline PR thanks to an in-depth conversation with Senior Publicist Natalie Camillo, which you can find a few paragraphs below.
Natalie and I have been working together professionally for at least half a decade at this point, and in that time she has been able to align herself with a number of reputable bands and brands from across the music industry. Writing this now I am struggling to recall a single week in the last several years that has passed without some kind of contact from her, and from the way she describes her passion for music in this interview it’s not hard to imagine she will continue that trend of constant contact for many years to come. She’s what some might call a lifer in the industry, and truth be told it’s dedicated people like her that make it possible for the rest of us to hope for the overall growth of our industry in the years to come.
If you would like to learn more about Natalie and her efforts in music after reading this post, please make it a point to follow Adrenaline PR on Twitter. Additional questions and comments should be left at the end of this post.
H: Hey there, thank you for joining us. Before we dive in, please take a moment to introduce yourself:
N: Natalie Camillo, senior publicist and campaign manager at Adrenaline PR!
H: We like to begin every interview by learning a bit about the life of the people we are speaking with. Tell me, what are your earliest memories of music?
N: My earliest memories of music are sitting with my Grandpa Camillo in his basement listening to Frank Sinatra by the fire (that I was always throwing newspaper into and stinking up the place), and getting my first radio at the age of 9 and discovering modern pop music for the first time. My mother and father raised me on oldies, jazz and classic rock until I was about that age.
H: How about the first album you ever purchased with your own money?
N: I have no idea what that would be… probably some nu metal album. But the first album that was ever given to me was probably Smash Mouth’s Fush Yu Mang, or possibly a Frank Sinatra box set. I loved Frank Sinatra when I was little… he might as well have been the only recording artist on the planet.
H: Can you recall the first artist or group you obsessed over? Bonus points if you share an early ‘crazy fan’ moment from your life.
N: I have no shame. I loved *NSYNC and the Spice Girls when I was little. Come on… a little girl coming into her own in the late 90’s? I had to have been about 10 when that stuff first got big… I had Justin Timberlake posters all over my wall. I begged my dad to paint my bedroom walls baby blue when I turned 12 because it was Justin’s favorite color. Yep – I was that kid. Somewhere between that and my introduction to rock radio and nu metal on my middle school bus, I started buying Disturbed, Korn and Incubus CD’s… and thus began my love of heavy music. Everyone has to start somewhere, I unfortunately lived in a country town with no venues or any sort of scene, so radio really was the only introduction to new music I had. Around the same time, I also had a fast introduction to a lot of electronic music, and later on in high school I got into some punk and even rap music. I had a good, well-rounded source of influence. I don’t believe I ever really had a crazy fan moment until I was already working at this job, and at this point it didn’t have the same “sparkle” because I had the professional face on. I can safely say, however, that I often have those “surreal moment” flashbacks where I think, “Man, 14-year-old me would have just FREAKED OUT after meeting that person. How crazy is it that 15 years ago I would have never known that I’d be working with these rock stars I idolized back then”. At 14, I was rocking out on a school bus with my discman… now I’m 27 and talking with these guys directly, scheduling their press days at festivals. Nuts. I mean… Chester and Mike of Linkin Park were standing within a foot of me at the Revolver Golden Gods last month… that was pretty insane. Again, a “14-year-old me” moment. Hybrid Theory is still a great record.
H: They say everyone has a series of moments or experiences in life that steer them towards the careers they ultimately pursue. Are you able to pinpoint any moments in your life that flipped the switched on the ‘publicity’ bulb?
N: I actually wanted to get my start in metal radio promotions, but publicity is where I ended up (and gladly so). Same horse, different color. I realized that I wanted to work in metal in college – again, I always had a love for heavy music but once I got involved with my college radio station, I quickly became the person in charge of CMJ Loud Rock charting, which also meant I chose all of the heavy music rotation. I was in talks with industry folks every day, learning about the industry and the inner workings of promotions. It seemed right up my alley, so I began to pursue it.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to aspiring publicity professionals who may be reading this now, what would it be?
N: Internships. Internships. Internships. Follow your gut and push as hard as you can (within reason) to reach your goals. Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.
H: What are the biggest challenges facing publicists today?
N: Publications not having enough staff to get features done or willingness to try new things to get new bands into their pages, younger bands thinking they know more about publicity or what’s press-worthy than the seasoned publicists they’ve hired, managers not willing to follow our lead or try new things… there’s always something, but in the end, everything works out and everyone works as a team to reach the best endgame.
H: More specifically, what are the biggest challenges facing Adrenaline PR today? Finding clients? Growth? Recognition? What are the problems you are working to solve at the moment?
N: We’re pretty easy going, problem-free people, and we like to squash things before they can even become a problem… so nothing really. We grow more every year and come into bigger and better projects as time goes on based on increased company awareness and many successful campaigns.
H: Without going too in-depth, please walk us through a typical day at work:
N: Every day is different and each of us here have different tasks, but I’ll try to cover it all. Answering emails and phone calls (as well as writing them and making them, obviously) which pertain to all of the below: pitching national and regional press on records/events/tours, setting up interviews and preview press, setting up exclusive press and marketing opportunities like track streams/contesting/music video debuts, etc. and planning with/making timelines for the clients that portray those marketing plans, servicing music digitally (with HAULIX, of course) and following up on that distribution, working on financial documents and keeping track of new and potential clients, gathering and organizing press into outlined reports for our clients, writing a few press releases per day and getting approvals with clients, setting up packed press days for bands in large markets, getting guest list approvals with venues for festivals, club shows, etc., editing our website, keeping track of tour dates and itineraries (lovely PR mavens Arielle and Ally in our office handle the majority of that, however), sending out day sheets/press schedules/guest lists to tour managers and clients… oh, and HAVING FUN! Lots of that. It’s a lot of work, but it’s simple once you have the hang of it and know how to manage your time. It’s good working with all driven, like-minded women in an open and easy-going environment.
H: What are your current career goals?
N: To see where the road takes me… I like being here and I haven’t thought much past it, as irresponsible as some may thing that sounds.
H: What is one thing you hope Adrenaline is able to accomplish this year?
N: We’re doing well – so the goal is to keep that going and keep making a difference for our clients!
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
N: There are a lot of things I’d like to change, and this is a very open-ended question. To keep it simple – I think people should be more open minded about a lot of things.
H: You have been a Haulix client for a while now. What do you like about our service?
N: I love the security aspect as well as the ability to truly track what people are doing with the promos. It takes the guessing game out of, “…well I spent a bunch of money to send a ton of packages out that I hope made it to their final destination… and I’m hoping these folks answer their emails and phone calls when I reach out to check on the packages.” You can see what’s going on, you can reference whether someone got their email, opened it, even listened to it or downloaded it, etc. And my favorite – the ability to create reports to follow up with people based on what they’ve done with the promo.
H: Are there any opening at Adrenaline PR? If so, how should those interested in joining the team go about applying?
N: Email maria@adrenalinepr.com
H: What should artists reading this ask themselves before hiring a publicist?
N: Do you have enough to promote before you take that plunge and make that investment? If you are just a group of guys playing a few basement shows in your hometown and not releasing any music or doing much of anything, you may want to consider waiting until you have something to promote before you dive into the PR pool.
H: What is the biggest misconception people have about publicity/publicists?
N: I’m going to have to second what Maria said. You aren’t going to hire PR and get a platinum record and end up on the cover of Rolling Stone based on that fact alone. A lot of cooks need to be in the kitchen to build up an artist. It takes a village to raise a child…
H: Aside from paychecks and steady employment, how do you measure you personal level of success at what you do?
N: When a client takes the time to say “thank you” or “you’re doing a great job” or even the rare, “we couldn’t have done this without you guys”… that’s really what makes it for me. I know things are truly going well when people take the time to show us appreciation for the hard work.
H: Natalie, from what I have been able to learn prior to this interview it seems a large portion of your industry experience began after entering college. That said, you actually attended York College of Pennsylvania to study communications and the music industry, correct?
N: I did. However, I feel that my extra-curricular activities are what really propelled me into this industry. Specifically working with my college radio station, WVYC, as the FM Program Director and Loud Rock Director (metal music management, for lack of a better term… who at CMJ came up with the term loud rock, anyway?).
H: Did you have any idea publicity would be where you wanted to end up at this time, or was there perhaps another area of the music industry you thought you would work in?
N: I think I was looking towards metal radio promotions, but publicity is just where I ended up based on my job search towards the end of college. I’m happy with my decision, obviously.
H: Like many of our previous guests, you spent a lot of your time in college working for the campus radio station. What can you tell us about your time in that program and the lessons/skills learned?
N: In the most basic terms, I learned how to be a team player and a business professional in a music industry setting. WVYC offered me my first whack at working with real industry professionals in publicity and radio promotion, plus my first position managing anything, really. Those industry professionals steered me towards my vital internship opportunities and all of the conferences and events I took part in that allowed me to network and expand my contacts. Had I not nurtured a few of those relationships (some of which I still have intact today with several managers and publicists at different labels and companies), I wouldn’t be in the seat I am today. For all of those folks that I ever hounded with my questions about the industry when I was 19 – you are the reason I am here. Thank you.
H: As someone who went to school to study music and ultimately did find work in the business, do you think college is the best path to entry for those hoping to get into the business side of music?
N: Honestly, I know plenty of people in this industry that didn’t go to school. I honestly think it has a lot to do with knowing the right people and being in the right place at the right time. But, had I not had the internships or got into the radio station, I wouldn’t know the people that got me into this position, and had I not been in school… you get the connection. School made this happen for me, but it’s not going to be the same for everyone. Additionally, I feel like going to school taught me so many other valuable skills, aside from the education aspect. Just interacting with all different kinds of people in different settings in itself was nurturing.
H: Things really picked up for you in 2008, with roles at Relapse and The Syndicate, and MetalSucks. Did radio pave the way towards these opportunities, or was it a combination of that and other efforts?
N: My connections with the radio station definitely got me into those positions. The Syndicate was a simple street team position, but I knew a few folks over there through metal radio promo that definitely pushed me towards doing that. It was paid too, which was nice as a college student. Same with Relapse, I knew a few people in the promotions department that connected me with their internship coordinator. MetalSucks started out a bit differently… I was already interning at Heavy Hitter Inc. (a radio promotions company that has since closed, but you can find the staff and owners currently working hard at In De Goot and Strong Management) in NYC in the summer of 2008 and I met the MetalSucks guys right around then and expressed my interest in helping out with their project. So I became what I believe was their first “intern”… I basically helped them set up some social media, edit a few posts, etc. Nothing too big, but it was cool to be a part of it. Thanks guys!
H: You joined the MetalInsider team in 2009, briefly, then turned to the world of PR for good upon joining Adrenaline in June of that same year. When did you initially learn of Adrenaline’s existence, and how did you become aware of the job opening?
N: Yep, I was doing some post editing and running of the news feed sidebar for MetalInsider.net towards the end of my college tenure – I wanted to keep myself busy while I was finishing school. The Adrenaline PR connectiom basically went like this: I was setting up an interview for WVYC with one of their clients (I believe it was The Acacia Strain, I suppose Prosthetic had hired Adrenaline to work a few clients and their radio promo team connected me to them) and through creating a relationship with them, I learned an employee was leaving. That employee passed my resume to Maria, who liked me enough to want me around! I was hired the day before I graduated and moved to New Jersey from Pennsylvania two weeks later. Five years later… here I am, still enjoying myself.
H: What was the interview process like?
N: Maria and I went to Panera and we had a long conversational-type interview after she had already reviewed my qualifications. It was clear that we had a connection and that it would be a good fit.
H: Who was the first client you handled at Adrenaline, and what can you tell us about that experience?
N: We all handle a bunch of clients at once, but the first client I really remember sinking my teeth into was Dethklok, you know, the cartoon comedy band from the Adult Swim TV show Metalocalypse. I handled their guest list and press schedules for one of their big tours back in 2009… it was probably the one with Mastodon. Looking back, I probably made a ton of little mistakes before it was done with, but without that experience I wouldn’t be as quick with that kind of work today. We continue to work with Brendon Small on a lot of his projects – he’s a great guy. We also continue to work with Bryan Beller (check out The Aristocrats!) and Gene Hoglan quite often, as well. Also great people – all some of my favorite people to work with.
H: Do any of the lessons you learned in those first few months at Adrenaline leap to mind right now? Our readers appreciate all the insight they can get?
N: The industry is a BIG pond – and I am a small fish. Be a team player, listen more than you talk, don’t drink too much coffee (I snap sometimes), and appreciate every second of your day. No problem is too big, and like Maria says, “Everything always works out”. I’m blessed to be where I am, and I’ll never forget that.
Welcome to the first PR Spotlight of September 2013. We debuted this feature in early August, and the weeks since have been met with a flood of positive feedback. Moving forward we hope to dive deeper than ever before into the lives lead within the music industry, starting with the story of a man who knew from his day in high school that music was the life for him. If you know of a company or publicist you feel should be highlighted in an upcoming edition of this column, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.
Bill Meis has spent more than a decade working his way through the ranks of the music business. From his days as an intern at Sony, to now being the Publicity Manager (Rock and Metal) for Entertainment One Music, Bill has never shied away from a challenge because he knew deep down this was the industry for him. His passion for music and drive to succeed knows no bounds, and in today’s spotlight we learn about the journey he took to find his start, what lead him to join the team at EOne, and a little bit of everything in between. You can read about his adventures below.
On a personal note, I’ve known and worked with Bill for the better part of five years, and in that time I have met no one quite as kind and helpful as him. His love of music comes from somewhere deep in his soul, and his genuine desire to help artists further develop is evident from the moment you meet. I’m proud to call him a friend and am thankful for his guidance. Sharing his story is a bit of an honor for me, and I believe the insight he has to offer will go a long way towards helping a new generation of talent get their start.
If you want to know more about Bill’s work, be sure to check out everyone on Entertainment One Music’s website. 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:
BM: Publicity Manager (Rock and Metal) for Entertainment One Music
H: Everyone has to start somewhere. To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?
BM: My family. My grandfather was an avid piano player and my uncle showed me my first guitar, I’ve been playing ever since. I have some older cousins to thank for showing me my first records when I was around 11 & 12 years old.
H: What was the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still own it today?
BM: The Pearl Jam “Alive” maxi single. I probably have it somewhere. I bought it at Slipped Disc in Valley Stream, Long Island.
H: You actually went to school to study music business. When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in entertainment?
BM: When I was in high school I played in bands with other kids that weren’t into sports. Once we were ready to play outside our parent’s basements and garages we set out to play local shows. That was my first attempt at the music business and when I knew I wanted to do it more professionally, I was about 17.
H: You interned at Sony’s marketing department in early 2002, then joined the team at Red a year later as a production coordinator. After then your own business, and slowly moved away from the major label space. What lead you down the path of small, more independent companies?
BM: It wasn’t something I set out to do. I wasn’t thinking major versus independent while I was making those decisions. They each seemed like the no brainer choice at the time. In hindsight, I feel like I made the right moves. Both for stability sake as well as integrity.
H: There will many roles on your resume before publicist. How did you first find yourself in a PR position, and when did it become your specialty in the business?
BM: When you thrust yourself into this business, you start to wear a lot of hats all the time. When I was in my band from 00-05 I played tour manager, manager and publicist. When I worked at Facedown I worked along side their publicists and saw what they did on a day by day basis. Then when I was working for Ryan Downey / Superhero I was on the other side of the table dealing with each artists respective publicists. Looking back it gave me a good perspective to start with at eOne. It wasn’t until I came to eOne where that’s what my focus was 100%. It was a nice change of pace to only concentrate on one area of the business.
H: For the last four years you have been a part of eOne Entertainment, one of the more diverse labels operating today. What attracted you to the company in the first place?
BM: I had been working with the band Throwdown that was (and still is) signed to eOne (Koch Records at the time), so I was vaguely familiar with the people that worked here and their track record. I had met Scott Givens before and knew he was making some big moves with artists like Hatebreed, In Flames and Otep. So, between that and the fact that their offices had just conveniently moved close to my hometown, it was an easy decision.
H: As someone who has spent a decade in paying positions throughout the industry, what advice would you offer to young professionals aspiring for a career in music?
BM: You really, really have to want to do it. Anyone I’ve seen that has been successful in this business lives it on a daily basis. I’m not just talking about the passionate part either, it doesn’t take much to be passionate about music. I’m talking about the bad parts too, the parts of this business that aren’t attractive. You need to love all of it.
H: eOne is known as much for breaking new talent as it is delivering strong releases from it veteran roster. When you want to find new music, where do you turn?
BM: The internet. Plain and simple. I can’t even remember the last time I saw a press kit or physical demo in our office. Our A&R arm was recently boosted with our partnership with Good Fight Music. Carl Severson is another veteran who has brought a lot to the table. Personally I like to troll Rdio, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Twitter and recommendations from friends for new music.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to young bands hoping to make a mark in the current music industry, what would it be?
BM: Do everything yourself before you ask, or even get the idea in your head that you need to have someone else do something for you. If young bands did that, they’d accomplish so much more. The young bands that distribute their own records, get themselves on their own tours, print their own merch, run their own merch stores, run their own marketing and social media campaigns (successfully) that impress me the most. If you do that, managers, agents and labels will come to you.
H: As a publicist, what advice would you offer writers hoping to work with your clients?
BM: Read their bio first! No seriously, read their bio first.
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?
BM: I don’t think album leaks are preventable, but it is manageable. The more accessible and affordable you make music, the less people will steal it. Plain and simple. There’s not much I can say here that hasn’t been said before. We spit the bit about 10 years ago and we’re paying the price for it now. Hopefully we can keep playing catchup and stay afloat. It seems we have done that so far.
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?
BM: Haulix, obviously! It is my tool of choice when it comes to digital promo distribution. This appeals to me because it’s instantaneous. There’s no envelope stuffing, no costly postage and no paper cuts. It’s also a daily battle between the old dogs who prefer the piece of plastic in their hands and the writers and editors who can work with streams and download links. The ones that do are waiting around a lot less for packages to arrive.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
BM: I wouldn’t change much. It’s really exciting to see where things are going. I know I’ll look back on my time here and be able to say I was a part of a historic time. I would change the way our industry treated technology in the early days. I really feel like if we embraced it back then we would not be in as deep of a hole we’re in now. But like Mustaine says, hindsight is always 20/20.
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?
BM: Black Label Society is releasing a live DVD/CD called “Unblackened” on 9/24. It’s a toned down version of BLS fans might not have seen or heard before. We just debuted the first single via Rollingstone.com last week. A Bill Withers cover of “Aint No Sunshine.” Our metal roster is as strong as it’s ever been. Bands like Within The Ruins, Impending Doom, Reflections, Fit For An Autopsy are setting the bar really high for the bands that come after them. We’ll also have new studio albums from High On Fire, Overkill and Black Label Society next year.
Hello again, everyone. Welcome to the fourth installment of our PR Spotlight series. The first three weeks found us talking to a family man with decades in the business, a woman who had recently moved from a major label to one far more independent, and a twenty-something who is only a year into running her own business. This week we’re headed back to the West Coast to speak to another entrepreneur who spent years working in the record label game before deciding to step out on their own. If you have a recommendation for a firm or publicist you want to see featured in an upcoming spotlight column, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.
Alabama is not the first place many think of when considering the history of punk and hard rock, but without that very state one of the alternative scene’s most influential publicists would not exist. Austin Griswold is the founder and head of Secret Service Publicity, but his career in the entertainment industry dates back much further than his relatively young PR empire. He first moved from his home state to California with little more than a dream and a Chevy Blazer, but in just over a month’s time began to find his footing in the industry. He continued to work hard and over time rose through the ranks of the business, which included years spent at Epitaph Records, before finally stepping out on his own company. We spoke with Austin about all this, as well as his advice to bands and aspiring publicists, and more. You can read his journey and insight into the business below.
On a personal note, I have worked with Austin and watched his skills develop for the better part of six years, which pretty much amounts to my entire professional career in music. He was one of the first publicists to give me a chance to work with known talent, and has always been there to help me if I ever had questions. His work with bands is second to none, and the insight he offers in this interview is just one of many reasons why he’s someone I would hope young publicists aspire to imitate in their own careers.
If you would like to learn more about Austin’s work, you should visit (and bookmark) Secret Service Publicity online. Any questions for Austin can be left 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 business:
AG: My name is Austin Griswold and I am the owner of Secret Service Publicity.
H: Let’s take it from the top! What is the first album you remember falling in love with, and how did you discover it?
AG: I can’t remember if it was Pearl Jam’s Ten or Metallica’s “Black Album.” Both came out the same year and that’s when I really fell in love with music. I think I was probably introduced in part by my older sister and brother but also friends at school. I remember stealing my brother’s issues of SPIN and Rolling Stone to learn about bands and would copy his taste of music.
H: At what point did you realize you wanted to turn your interest in music into a career?
AG: I played, or attempted to play, in bands at a pretty early age. I think from my early teens I knew that I wanted to be involved in music in some form or fashion. It probably wasn’t until I was trying to figure out what my degree in college would be that I decided on music publicity.
H: You have worked in entertainment publicity for a number of years. What attracted you to publicity work in the first place?
AG: It was easier than pre-med in college! No, I gravitated towards public relations my freshman year. I always felt comfortable writing and found I had a skill for publicizing. It was a natural fit for me and I knew I wanted to work as a publicist in either music or at the very least the entertainment industry.
H: What was your first gig in the industry (paid or unpaid), and how did you land the position?
AG: After moving to Los Angeles, my first official job was working as an intern at a film/TV talent management company called Untitled Entertainment. It was an eye opening experience. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do but I got a really good inside look at how a big Hollywood firm worked. I learned a lot, but the biggest lesson was that I needed to get a job that paid. Los Angeles isn’t a cheap place to live.
H: You hail from Alabama, but have spent the better part of the last decade in Los Angeles. When did you make the move to the West Coast, and what inspired the decision to pack up in the first place?
AG: After I graduated from University of Alabama, I moved back home to Birmingham and started interviewing for entry level positions at PR and advertising companies in the area. I quickly found that I wasn’t the least bit interested in doing PR for some fertilizer company or worse. I knew that if I really wanted to work in entertainment and music then Los Angeles was the place for me. In hindsight, I guess Nashville would have been a closer option, but country music wasn’t really my forte at the time. I had always been curious about LA and envisioned myself living there one day. So, I packed up everything I could fit in my Chevy Blazer and left. It took three days driving solo cross country and when I got there I lived in some crack motel on Sunset for about a month until I got my legs under me and my first apartment. It was worth it though!
H: You started at Epitaph records in 2007. Can you tell us a little about how that job came together?
AG: After interning at Untitled Entertainment, I got a paying job at a PR agency called Bender/Helper Impact in West LA. The company handled larger corporate entertainment clients like Dreamworks, FOX, Magnolia Films, etc. While college may have taught me how to write, BHI taught me how to be a publicist. It was like boot camp for PR cadets. I moved up the ranks there pretty quickly over the course of a few years, but my desire to work in music was strong as ever. I came across a job posting for Epitaph, interviewed and never looked back.
H: After a number of years in that role you decided to step out on your own with Secret Service PR. What lead you to this decision?
AG: Epitaph was a great company to work for. I learned a ton there and grew immensely as a publicist. I also got to work with punk rock legends. My boss was Mr. Brett from Bad Religion! Towards the end though, I felt that I wanted to continue my journey, continue growing as a publicist and experience new things in my career. I still have some great friends there and am proud to have them as a client.
H: As someone who has worked publicity in and out of a label setting, do you feel record labels are as necessary for a band’s today as they were when you started in this business?
AG: I think there are a lot of record companies that provide a great service to bands. Under one roof you’ve got radio, touring, marketing and PR support; services that would cost an independent band a ton of cash a la carte. There’s also a certain level of credibility and legitimacy that comes along with being “signed” to a label. However, is a record label a necessity to thrive in today’s music industry? No. There are a dozen different models to get your music distributed and promoted these days as an independent act. Today’s industry is like the Wild Wild West. There’s no order to the madness, and it’s every band for themselves. Only the quality of your music truly matters.
H: Where did the name ‘Secret Service’ come from?
AG: Good question! I had a list of names I was debating. I wanted a name that was exclusive and meant quality. It was much better than the alternatives I came up with.
H: Who was the first band you worked with at Secret Service? How did they react when you approached them about joining a new company with only one employee?
AG: My first client at Secret Service was actually my former label, Epitaph Records. They helped me get off the ground and hired me to work with Thursday and Social Distortion. Outside of that, I also worked with Bowling For Soup and Rival Sons. The manager and label that had hired me for those were familiar with my work at Epitaph. I think my small roster and proven track record of results gave them the confidence that I could get the job done.
H: You’ve been a resident of the sunshine state for a number of years, but now that you are your own boss you could theoretically live anywhere you wanted. What keeps you in LA?
AG: What keeps me in LA is that I really couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. It’s a great place to run my business since most everyone I work with is located here, most of the bands I work with tour through here and there’s a lot of media that is based here. On a personal level, I love this city. It’s where I’ve met most all of my adult friends and have made a life for myself. I can also go to the beach, hike a mountain, go to the lake and go snowboarding most anytime I want. And don’t get me started on the weather…
H: Having found success in leaving home, would you encourage others hoping for a career in the music industry to head out west themselves?
AG: I think it depends on what you’re looking for and how far you’re willing to go for it. It takes a thick skin to be young and just starting out in the workforce here. It’s also a small industry where jobs are few and far between. If you’ve got the dream and have what it takes then I say come on. There’s nothing worse than looking back and saying “what if?”
H: There are a growing number of PR outlets popping up around the country run by aspiring PR stars. What is one common mistake you see people make when they’re just starting in publicity?
AG: Not to sound discouraging but, if you’re just starting out in publicity I wouldn’t advise opening up a PR company. You probably don’t have the experience, knowledge or relationships required to do the job right. A foundation of fundamental public relation skills is a must in order to be successful in your career. If you don’t know how to properly write a press release, don’t have a grasp on grammar, don’t have the ability to communicate in a clear and concise way or have existing media contacts then you probably shouldn’t start a PR company. I’m never one to knock someone else’s hustle, but I find it alarming when “publicists” without any experience or knowledge bamboozle bands into paying them for services that they can never deliver on. Start at the bottom, develop a great work ethic and the needed skills and you should find success later on.
H: In addition to working with signed bands at Secret Service, you have been known to help unsigned talent as well. What do you look for when seeking new talent, and where do you go to find it?
AG: The main thing I look for in new bands is purely talent. One of the benefits from running my own PR company is being able to work with whoever I want. If that’s the raddest band I’ve ever heard with only two friends on Facebook, so be it. If I believe in them, then I will fight for them to the end. I find a lot of bands through word of mouth, going to shows, through social media and even submissions by other industry people.
H: As a publicist, what advice would you offer writers hoping to work with your clients?
AG: With any publicist, I’d advise developing a good relationship with them. You’ll likely be working with them on various projects for a long time. Just because you don’t get that interview you were hoping for doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. As a publicist it’s my job to decide what is in the best interest of my clients in terms of the media, and sometimes that means saying “no.” Don’t give up though, sometimes “no” just means not right now.
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?
AG: I think album leaks are preventable to a point. A good publicist will know who can be trusted and who can’t. Using a watermark service like Haulix gives me the piece-of-mind to send music to my trusted media contacts and while I know they won’t leak the music, I also know that I’m protected. Leaks happen from time to time and it’s unfortunate that one person would feel the need to derail months of hard work and setup, but that’s the reality we live in, in today’s digital age. You have to roll with the punches. In any case, once physical CDs are shipped from distributors to retailers albums inevitably leak. I think hiring a good publicist with experience and long-standing media relationships to be your gatekeeper is the best way to keep music safe and get the media attention you deserve.
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?
I use Haulix to send music to press. It’s the easiest and most secure service I’ve used. It’s simple and straightforward and I know that if there is a leak that I can easily find out where it came from.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
AG: That’s a tough one. We’re living in a time where it’s really difficult for bands/artists to make a living. The days of big advances, massive budgets and touring support are mostly a thing of the past. If I could change one thing it would be to find a revenue stream that works for musicians. That’ll be my next on my list to tackle. Also, I’d put a death nail in the CD. Its day is done.
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?
AG: I’ve got some big plans on the horizon for 2014. I’m looking forward to the continued growth of my company and finding amazing new bands to work with. Right now though, I’m really excited about Balance and Composure’s new album coming in September. It’s ridiculously good!
Hello and welcome to the third installment of our Haulix PR Spotlight series. The last two weeks featured industry veterans with over two decades of experience between them, but this week is a bit different. Instead of highlighting someone more or less settled into an industry career we’re going to a focus on a talented individual who is causing quite a stir with a publicity company she started less than two years ago. Her journey to stability is only beginning, and we’re excited to share her progress thus far. If you have any recommendations for future publicists we should feature, please email james@haulix.com and share your story.
The age of social sharing and digital distribution has made getting your creative works to anyone willing to listen easier than ever, but that simplicity comes with a cost. As much as the ease of use helps you it also aides your numerous competitors in getting their new works out as well. This flood of content has made it harder than ever before to get noticed in the industry, and that very problem has lead many to throw in the towel altogether. Why add to a crowded marketplace when it’s already near-impossible to be heard? If you’re going to make it in this business there is only one answer: Because you have something unique to offer.
Like the rising number of musicians vying for attention these days, there has been an explosion of in the number of small publicity and management firms in recent years. To strike out on your own in the business world takes a lot of drive and confidence, especially in the music industry, and even those who find small amounts of success have a high likelihood of failure within five years time. Still, against seemingly all odds a small amount of these young entrepreneurs are finding solid ground in the industry, and today we could not be more excited to be highlighting one such talent.
Jen Appel did not always dream of being a music industry publicist, but in just over year after launching The Catalyst Publicity Group that is exactly where she has found herself. Backed by a team of hardworking dreamers with similar aspirations for careers in music, Appel has built a blossoming brand that artists big and small call home. Her drive for success is matched only by her passion for music, and it is our hope in sharing her story that another generation of young PR talent may be inspired to take their careers into their own hands.
Jen is a truly great soul who is always willing to speak with aspiring industry professionals. If you have any questions or comments for her, you can reach out via Twitter and she will get back to you within hours. While you wait, be sure to follow The Catalyst Publicity Group so you know what Jen is working on next.
H: For those unaware, please state your name, the company you work for, and your role at said organization:
JA: Jen Appel, CEO & Publicity Director, The Catalyst Publicity Group
H: Let’s start with the basics. What was the first album you connected with, and how did that record come into your life?
JA: I wouldn’t call it the first album I connected with, but Sugarcult Start Static is definitely an album that brings me back. I remember one of my friends suggested we play the album while water skiing out on the lake. I had never heard of Sugarcult before so I thought I would give it a listen. From there it stuck with me and became one of my favorite albums. There isn’t one track on the album that I don’t love, still to this day.
H: You went to school for communications, so I am lead believe you knew for awhile it was what you wanted to do in life. What attracted you to publicity as a career path in the first place?
JA: To be honest, I thought I would end up as an Interior Designer. Throughout high school I was on the Architecture/Interior Design path and quickly fell in love with drafting and building plans. When I first went to Indiana I enrolled in the Interior Design program however I wasn’t too fond of the 3D model building that would take up half of my degree so I decided to change. Halfway through my Freshman year, my advisor suggested I try Public Relations. After meeting the most incredible professor I knew PR was for me. My professor had worked at Saatchi & Saatchi for over 30 years creating some of the most well known commercials and a part of that he was their PR Director. After my Freshman year I interned at a top PR firm here in South Florida and that’s when I knew it was the right career path.
H: At what point did you connect your interest in music with your desire to work in publicity?
JA: Music has always been a passion of mine and my family. My uncle has played in several bands and is a master on the drums. I remember from a really early age trying to learn the drums and attending as many concerts as I could with my family. From there I went on to play in band and orchestra throughout middle and high school but it wasn’t until college that I really connected the two. During my Junior year at Indiana I met one of my best friends, Steph, an incredible singer/songwriter. Somehow we decided that I would “manage” her (and I use that in quotes because I really had no idea what I was doing, at all). It became something fun for me. I didn’t do much but I knew that music was something I wanted to tackle at some point. Skip to 3 years later when I lost my job at a Marketing Firm due to the horrible economy, I decided it was time try out music PR.
H: You started The Catalyst Publicity Group a little over a year ago. What lead you to start your own business?
JA: What lead me to start my own business is simple, I found that people in this industry only cared about themselves and there was a lack of passion for the actual music and musicians. I wanted to start Catalyst to show that there are people out there that care no matter what size your band is and where you are in your career.
H: Who was the first artist you worked with, and what can you tell us about your first experiences pitching new talent?
JA: The first artist I worked with was a pop-punk band out of Dayton, Life After Liftoff. When first pitching new talent it can be difficult especially if the band is smaller. I work with my team to make sure we brainstorm every angle of the artist to ensure we are getting the right pick up.
H: There are a growing number of publicity groups working in the alternative music realm. What is it about Catalyst that separates you from the competition?
JA: We are a family. Not to sound cliche but our team is really close and we make sure to help each other out whenever possible. In addition, our talent is family to us. We make sure at every turn that they are taken care of, even if it is something outside of the PR realm, they are our number one priority. My biggest key is to make sure that everyone is comfortable with their campaign(s) and that we are having fun. Music is supposed to be fun, something that takes you away from your problems, why does it have to be any different with a PR campaign.
H: What do you think is the biggest lesson you have learned in the last year of your career?
JA: Not everyone is nice. This has been a tough lesson to learn over the last year. I’ve always been the type to see the best out of people and think they are also here to help, but that is not always the case. There are some evil crazy people out there that have no problem taking advantage of you to gain full speed ahead.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to aspiring publicists hoping to work in music, what would it be?
JA: Get to know your local/regional music scene, try to take some of the smaller bands on as freelance clients just to get a feel for what it is like. Before you reach out to any PR firms for work remember that typically there are no days off and this certainly is not a 9-5 job. This was the most difficult thing I had to learn when transitioning into music.
H: As someone who has worked with talent both signed and unsigned, do you feel record labels, big or small, are a necessity in the modern music industry?
JA: Yes and no, I believe it is dependent on the talent. It really depends on where the artist is at in their career.
H: As a publicist, what advice would you offer writers hoping to work with your clients?
JA: Please, please take the time to research my clients before an interview. It is just as frustrating for an artist as it is for a publicist when interview questions are so generic. Be creative with your questions, it’ll take your publication and career farther. H: 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.
JA: I would suggest an artist pair up with a PR firm to ensure their music is safe while garnering pre-release press. This is just one way to ensure that your album won’t leak, but these things do happen.
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?
JA: There is the standard press blast and pitching but I really find the best method is to actually chat with press about an artist. I try to get to know the editors I work with, figure out what kind of music they’ll like and pitch them on a case by case basis. I am all about conversing with people and if I can tell someone about a band and show my excitement it’ll take the campaign farther then a typical press release. H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
JA: To be honest, I don’t think I would change anything about the industry. H: Your roster is growing every week it seems. Do you have any plans or releases on the horizon you’d like to share with our readers?
JA: Right now we have several artists on tour so make sure to check out our blog section on the Catalyst site and see if they are coming to a town near you. September will be one of our biggest months to date. Not only are we celebrating our one year anniversary but for the first time Catalyst will be sponsoring the Driven Music Conference in Atlanta Sept 26-29. If any artists are interested in showcasing please head over to DrivenAtlanta.com.
To keep up with everything Catalyst head over to our website: TheCatalystPublicityGroup.com.
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 . 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.
