total assault Archives - Haulix Daily

Surprise! I know our routine the past several weeks has been two blogger spotlights, an industry piece, and at least one advice column, but the time has come for a change. Over the next several week you will begin seeing several new columns pop up, including contributor pieces from a number of notable industry professionals. If you know of a person or publication that would be a great fit for this series, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.

Today we’re leaving the world of blogging and PR to learn about life in another area of music marketing: Social media. It’s probably the biggest paid of buzzwords in business today, and if you want to make a career out of it, especially in entertainment, you need to have skills that are second-to-none. We always knew the day would come when this area of music was explored in a spotlight feature, but we wanted to wait until we found someone who we felt represented the best the industry had to offer. We searched far and wide, then asked some friends, and at the end of the day one name kept coming up more than the rest. Ladies and gentleman, prepare to meet Mr. Steve Busch.

Ten years ago, there were few, if any, jobs in music for people who specialized in digital strategy. The internet was popular, sure, but it wasn’t until the boom of social media that companies began to realize the full potential of their digital reach. Steve Busch was fortunate enough to get into the industry just as social media was beginning to take off, and in the years since he has become a wizard in everything from YouTube to Twitter (and essentially everything in between). He’s worked for a number of companies, but currently calls Total Assault his home. You can read his journey with music below.

If you would like to stay up-to-date on everything Steve is doing, make sure you bookmark and frequent Total Assault. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

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

SB: My name is Steve Busch and I am the Director of Social Media at Total Assault.

H: To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?

SB: I’d have to say much of it came into fruition with MTV. Like many of the kids of my generation, I would religiously watch music videos before school in the morning, then come home and again… music videos all afternoon. I wasn’t allowed to watch Beavis & Butthead, but I would tape it, and wait for my parents to go to bed, and then sneak into the living room and watch the episodes over and over… and believe it or not Bevis and Butthead did a great job of offering music discovery.

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

SB: I sure do. Metallica’s …And Justice For All. I don’t have that CD anymore, or any other CDs for that matter, but it’s on my iTunes. I still listen to it regularly.

H: You’re the first Director of Social Media we have featured, but your journey in music started long before the job you hold now. What first attracted you to the music business, and where did you first find work (unpaid internships count)?

SB: I always felt a connection with music growing up, so much so that I moved to LA from the Bay Area when I was 18 to work “in music.” I started out promoting shows, and from there, put out a few records for local pop punk bands that are no longer together for various reasons, all the while tour managing, which all led to Myspace.

H: You worked with the editorial team at MySpace for a number of years before taking a marketing job at indie label Suburban Noize. Was working in digital marketing always a career goal of yours?

SB: Over my six or so years at MySpace, I was fortunate enough to get a broad scope of experience, working in editorial, content production and artist relations. My experience ran the gamut and to be honest I enjoyed every role I played. I’ve found that digital marketing encompasses all that is creative in building an artist or a brand and I’ve always enjoyed that development process.

H: This is a good point in your journey to note that you, like many of the people we’ve featured, also do a lot of freelance work. Could you tell us a bit about the video work you do and how that all came together? Do you have other projects outside that and TA that are tied to music?

SB: I have produced music for many years, and have licensed songs for films and advertising. I currently make electronic music under a few different pseudonyms including Dead Planets and Killtron. I also produce lyric videos and other video content. It really helps with my position as a digital marketing expert to know what it feels like to be on the other end, with a need to market myself. I’ve learned a lot through the years through trial and error of putting my own creative content out for public consumption.

H: Onto your work at Total Assault. What drew you to this position?

SB: A few different things drew me to my position. I was particularly interested in working with artists from the neutral perspective of a digital marketing team. It’s nice to know we get to solely keep the artist’s interests in mind. I was also excited to develop a team that will inevitably go on to become experts in the field.

H: What is the biggest challenge you face as a Social Media Director on a day-to-day basis?

SB: Oftentimes, we don’t have the control over what content the talent is creating, or the consistency of when they produce content, but it is our responsibility as the social media team to take the content we are given and make it interesting and palatable for public consumption.

H: Social media is a growing career field for many aspiring industry professionals. What are some of the biggest mistakes you see people make when marketing through these channels?

SB: Focusing too much on numbers. For example, I highly advise against buying numbers, which has become quite the trend. Whether it’s Twitter followers, or Youtube views, it’s one of the most counterproductive efforts you can make, and it can have an adverse effect almost immediately. Kids are pretty savvy. They see 100,000 Facebook fans, and only 10 people liking the posts and engaging, they will figure out your ruse quick, and won’t hesitate to call you out on it.

H: There are entire web communities dedicated to mastering the art of social media. What’s one piece of advice you could offer people hoping to better their efforts?

SB: Again, don’t get caught up in the numbers. Put your efforts into creating good, consistent content, and connecting with the fans you do have. Stick to the basics and those Facebook fans and YouTube views will follow. If I could give artists any one piece of advice it would be to be patient and allow the brand to grow organically. It is better to have 10 die hard fans that will promote you to no end than to have an inflated sense of success with no real backing.

H: Total Assault has helped break a number of artists of the years. Where do you turn when hoping to discover new music?

SB: I rely a lot on friends and word of mouth. Blogs like Pretty Much Amazing and Noisey are good for discovery, and the Mishka blog is a good source for new and weird stuff.

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

SB: I think that there is still a role for record labels to play, depending on how one defines “record label.” There is still a large gap between your garage and Madison Square Garden, and many bands lack the tools needed to get from point A to point B, so a label is still necessary in that sense. Major labels are arguably still key, if not necessary for radio play for pop artists. I think those labels that have progressively incorporated a good digital strategy can offer artists something valuable.

H: You’ve had a few job titles in life up to this point. What is your ultimate career goal?

SB: Ultimately, I’d like to comfortably call myself an expert in all things digital strategy.

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

SB: It would be nice to see the music industry create an internet radio solution that could serve as a discovery engine for fans, while being economically viable for both the artist and the platform.

H: Total Assault seems busier than ever. Before we let you go, would you mind sharing with us anything special you have on the horizon?

SB: I am pretty excited about all of our projects right now. We have a new group out of the UK called Charming Liars. They are on the road with Sick Puppies right now, working their butts off. We have a new all girl pop group called Girl Radical that was put together by JC Chasez from N’sync. They prove a great example of building your social presence through consistent, fun and engaging content.

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

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

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

If you would like to learn more about Nate’s work, check out Total Assault and Impulse Artists. Additional questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NS: I thought you’d never ask :p

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

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