Tag: writer

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Blogger Spotlight: Nina Corcoran (WERS, DigBoston)

Hello again. We have been very happy with the response to our decision to expand our posting efforts to seven days a week, but there is still a world of content we wish to share and our patience is not exactly our strongest skill. So, from time to time, we like bend the rules ever so slightly and share an additional post or two in between the regularly scheduled programming to give you an extra excuse to avoid work. This is one of those posts. If you have any questions about the content of the blog, or if you would like more information regarding the distributional services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

There are several career fields where hard works is rewarded with advancement, or at the very least recognition, but the music industry is not one of them. Hard work is what is expected of everyone receiving, or attempting to receive a regular paycheck in this business, and those who advance do so because they take it upon themselves to get their name in front of people with the ability to help their careers. Nina Corcoran is one of these people, and today she shares her story with the Haulix community.

Growing up in a household where the work of The Who might as well have doubled as the soundtrack to existence, Nina Corcoran knew she had a special connection to music from a very early age. The idea of making that connection into anything more than a hobby seemed unrealistic at the time, but as she grew she began to see things in a whole new light. She applied her gift as a writer to the world of music promotion, and very quickly became ‘need to know’ voice in online writing.

I originally crossed paths with Nina when she applied to write for a site I help run, and in the years since I have become a big fan of her work. She is the type of person that always has a plan for the future, even if that plan is to simply make more plans for points further in the future, and she has never once missed a deadline. Her voice is distinct and focused, with a knack for descriptive wordplay that makes relating to her perspective incredibly easy. She also seems to find joy in the hunt for article ideas and the process of pitching said ideas to editors, which is a rare quality in young talent.

If you would like to learn more about Nina’s efforts, please take a moment to follow her on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: Please tell everyone your name, job title, and a few of the publications you currently contribute to:

N: My name is Nina Corcoran and I’m the Web Editor for WERS 88.9fm, an A+E contributor for DigBoston and Under the Gun Review, and a freelancer for various other places.

H: Thanks for joining us, Nina. We have been looking forward to sharing your story. Tell me, has working in music always been your ultimate career goal?

N: Working in music is something that seemed too good to be true, but when I became involved in it, I was surprised to see it was actually possible‎. For a long time I wanted to publish essays and short stories that I could illustrate, too.

H: When you think of your earliest memories with music, what comes to mind?

N: Hm, two things popped into my head: learning how to play piano when I was 6 years old and my mom always playing The Who. I feel like their music is the soundtrack to my childhood, which wound up being the absolute best. As for piano, that was the first instrument I played and I think it’s responsible for my curiosity about the whole music field.

H: Who was the first artist or group you can remember obsessing over? We want to know a bit about the fangirl side of Nina:

N: Definitely Blink-182. When they reunited at the Grammys, I’m pretty sure I cried. The next day at school I had kids coming up to me congratulating me because they knew how much I loved them…. which is really weird looking back on it.

H: Looking back now, can you pinpoint any specific moment or experience that lead you to believe music and writing were the fields for you?

N: Ever since I was very young–like in kindergarten–I knew I wanted to write. I was really shy growing up and spent most of my time listening to new bands and reading music news websites every day after school. Between that, playing music, and my mom’s love of music as well, it felt like a really natural interest. It wasn’t until partway through college that I realized music journalism wasn’t as reserved and closed off as I believed it was.

H: From my research, it seems a lot of your initial experiences in writing in music came with the start of your college career (2010). What were your very first efforts in writing (outside of personal/diary/hobby)?

N: I applied to write for WERS, our school’s radio station, my freshman year and got it. Because of its stature–it’s often ranked the #1 college radio station by the Princeton Review–‎we get huge artists to come in like Bon Iver or Regina Spektor. The first big band I interviewed was Peter Bjorn and John at the Paradise and I remember being so nervous that I forgot to turn my recorder on for the first half of the interview! After that, I think it came down to being recommended. When our school paper needed a music columnist, another student suggested they ask me because he knew I went to a lot of shows.

H: Was music writing always what you wanted to specialize in, or did that focus come a bit later in life?

N: It was something I dreamed of doing but thought was too far-fetched to actually do.

H: I asked that last questions because I’m told you have authored a children’s book. What can you tell us about that experience?

N: Oh! I used to want to write children’s books 7 or 8 years ago. I wrote one in high school about a turtle who is afraid of the dark so he can’t go inside of his shell and published it through an independent company that’s basically free. The pictures are terrible haha.

H: Do you see yourself creating more books in the future, either for children or adults?

N: Sure, I imagine I’ll write another in the next few years. They’re fun. I’m not sure if a publishing house would actually take it, but why not write one.

H: Okay, let’s get back to your journey in music. When you reached college you began writing more and took on a DJ role at WECB. What can you tell us about your time at that station? Was radio always something that interested you?

N: My family has our hearts tied to NPR and radio feels like an important part of growing up, but I never thought to pursue it, DJ-wise. ‎I’ve been doing that since freshman year with one of my best friends. He’s introduced me to so much music; it’s ridiculous. We play a popular song by a band and then a deep cut off that same album and pull from as many genres as we can – garage, classical, rap, minimal electronic, swing, pop, whatever. Hopefully we introduce music to people who don’t have time to do the deep digging and didn’t realize some of these artists sound different from their hit songs.

H: During this time you were also writing for a couple fashion publications, as well as editing fiction for Stork Magazine. Can you tell us a bit about these initial writing gigs and how they came together? Were you pitching these places on certain articles and being brought on, or were there other application processes you had to follow?

N: Emerson College focuses a lot on giving its students experience in their respective fields, and as a result there are a lot of on-campus organizations that mirror that. ‎For a few years I had an online bi-weekly column where I made outfits based off 3 different songs for our fashion group. As for Stork Magazine, a strictly fiction publication, you had to apply to be on staff where you would then workshop submissions sent in. I did a little of that for Concrete Magazine, too. I wrote for our music magazine, Five Cent Sound, in the Around the World section and wrote for Gauge Magazine, a nonfiction publication, about off-beat pitches centered around that issue’s theme, like the history of birdhouses for the “Outside” issue or how HTML coding can lead to an inflated sense of self in teens for the “Code” issue.

H: You eventually moved from WECB to WERS, which is the #1 student-run radio station in the country. Please tell us about your role as a Web Director:

N: I actually have been doing both at the same time. WECB can only be streamed online whereas WERS has a dial (88.9fm) in addition to streaming online, so they’re pretty different in how many people they reach. As the WERS Web Director, I manage the station’s website as well as my own staff of writers and photographers. I assign pieces to staffers, edit everyone’s work, and make sure the site is running smoothly. We have bands perform in-studio every week and get to cover a lot of shows, so it’s quite fun, albeit time-consuming.

H: You continued to write as well, adding more publications to your resume, including Under The Gun Review and Dig Boston. Some would be content writing for one or two outlets, but you seem to be constantly working on finding new sites and magazines to feature your work. What drives you?

N: There’s so much music I’m excited to hear and want to share! I think I just want to get work in other places so more people can start listening to these bands, too. There’s nothing worse than seeing a musician have to give up on their dream because they didn’t get enough support.

H: What are some publications you have tried to work with, but have been unable to sell on a story just yet? Give us your journalistic bucket list:

N: It’s a long list – you ready? All Songs Considered, Pitchfork, Paste, Stereogum, MOJO, ‎Tiny Mix Tapes, The Quietus, FACT, SPIN, Rookie, Complex, Blackbook, Ad Hoc, The Media, The 405, or even the music consultant for fashion magazines like Vogue or Nylon.

H: You recently had an interview with Cloud Nothings get picked up by Paste. A lot of our readers who are interested in writing professionally would love to work on freelance projects like this, but they have no idea how to go about pitching content to publications. What advice do you have to offer on this topic?

N: Do your research. Know who you’re pitching to, why it’s important to them to take it, and why ‎your piece is different from someone else’s. Then tell them that. If what you’re pitching isn’t innovative, either in its content or your delivery, then take a step back and rework that first. There are so many album reviews or interviews out there that are almost cut-and-paste from another site. It’s one thing to cover content that needs to be addressed, but it’s another thing if you’re failing to ask some original questions.

H: Speaking of advice, let’s speak a little more generally. You are currently finishing a college degree and have more experience than several professionals currently working in music. As someone who found a lot of success before even receiving a diploma, what advice would you offer younger minds who may be reading this and considering the pursuit of a career in either writing or music?

N: Don’t let a number limit you. Just because you’re younger than most people in the industry doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying to share what you’re working on. The worst is someone says no and you’ve wasted 5 minutes writing an email or making a call. If you’re enthusiastic about something, it’s likely the person on the other end can sense that.‎ Also push yourself. It’s easier to juggle multiple writing projects than it seems. Doing so actually keep me on schedule and makes me more focused when it comes time to write.

H: If you had to choose between writing full time and working in radio, which would you choose and why?

N: Writing full time. It’s been my passion ever since I was little.

H: While we are on the topic of future jobs, what are your current career goals and how have they changed in the four years since you began pursuing a college degree?

N: I went into college thinking I would write fiction stories and dreamed about music journalism. Now I’m pursuing music journalism and want to write nonfiction memoirs and essays on the side.

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

N: PR makes me feel weird. Reading a hundred emails that all push an artist with claims that they’re the best on the scene right now gets overwhelming. Word of mouth or live performances are the best way for me to consider reviewing someone’s work, but that’s not the way things work. I don’t know. ‎You build friendships with certain labels though that make it easy to consider their material.

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

N: How quickly everything happens. We, as humans, tend to judge a band by the first 20 seconds of a song. We also seem to think this is okay. We push artists in and out of fame quickly, review their year’s worth of work quickly, and skip over the opportunity to hear something new quickly. I wish we could pause and realize how much time understanding the work, context, and effort musicians have made instead of acting weirdly superior to it. Most art is like this, especially with film. It drives me crazy. If musicians aren’t making genuine material, I understand how it can be difficult to feel like it makes sense to pay equal respect to everyone, but a lot of them are. If you don’t like a band now, try again later. Don’t bury their album. I’ve fallen in love with so many bands only after revisiting them farther down the road.

H: You have probably been asked this a lot recently, but what are your immediate plans following graduation?

N: I’ll be staying in Boston to write for DigBoston and Under the Gun Review, freelancing other work, ‎practicing music more often, and searching for the perfect ice cream flavor.

H: I think that covers just about everything. Before I let you go, are there any final thoughts or observations you would like to share with our readers?

N: The only thing I can think of is to experience things. The more people I speak with, the more prominent people’s fear of trying new things is. If you’re comfortable writing about music, review a new restaurant. Go see foreign films, try a free dance class, ask someone to teach you the basics of ice hockey. The more versed you are in activities, the easier it is to speak about them. I find that writing becomes a lot clearer and more relatable when you’re able to tie it to aspects outside of the original topic. Plus it’s fun. The best time to try something–from playing sitar to speaking Italian–is when you have no experience in it because there’s nothing expected of you. The only thing you can do is get better.

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Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Todd Kunsman (Oh So Fresh! Music)

It’s funny how our experiences in life slowly steer us toward the careers we eventually seek. I’m sure most of you can remember a time in your youth when you sat in the back of your parents’ car on a summer day and sang along with whatever was playing on the radio. Metallica, Spin Doctors, Britney Spears, it did not matter who came on next as long as you could sing along (or at least pretend to), preferably at the top of your lungs. That’s an experience almost every child goes through, and it’s something most parents reflect on later as a ‘golden memory’ of their children. For some children, however, it’s something more. They do not know it at the time, of course, and neither do their parents, but for a select few those first car ride sing-a-longs are laying the foundation for a career in music that will likely impact thousands, if not millions over time.

Todd Kunsman remembers those car rides, and from a very young age he knew he wanted to be involved in the world of music. Unfortunately, due to college, work, internships, and the tasks of every day life in between he found making time to do so incredibly difficult. Anything worth doing is worth doing to the best of your abilities, after all, and realizing this Todd waited to begin his journey in the world of music criticism until he had finished school and found time in his demanding schedule for a new project. When that day came, he bought the domain OhSoFreshMusic, and in no time began developing a following passionate about new artist discovery.

Today, OhSoFreshMusic is a hub for people who want to know about the latest trends in music. Through timely news, engaging editorials, interviews, and an ever-expanding collection of unique features Todd has managed to carve a unique niche in the world of music discovery that stands apart from the rest of the blogging world in all the right ways. You can read any article on OhSoFreshMusic and feel the passion the creator of that content had for their subject. If that is not the sign of a truly great zine, I do not know what is.

We spoke with Todd earlier this month about everything he experienced while starting his site, and he was kind enough to offer an in-depth look at everything he went through to get where he is today. If you would like to learn more about Todd and his efforts in music criticism, please take a few moments to follow OhSoFreshMusic on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: Before we begin, please tell everyone your full name, job title, and the site you’re here to discuss:

T: My name is Todd Kunsman and I am the founder, editor, and social media person for Oh So Fresh! Music blog.

H: Thanks for joining us, Todd. I’m a fan of your site, but must admit I have never learned the story behind its name. Would you please tell us the origin story of ‘Oh So Fresh,” and when the site came into existence?

T: I’ve actually wanted to start something music related for a long time, but with College, interning, and working, there really wasn’t much time. However, back in 2010 a few months after graduating college I decided it was time. And to be honest, the name was something that first came to mind and the domain was available so I snagged it. I just had in mind that I wanted a place to find fresh new music and post about fresh faces that might not be getting notice. 

H: Now let’s take a step back and learn a thing or two about you. When you think about your earliest memories with music, what comes to mind first?

T: Probably singing in the car as a young kid to all sorts of different music. My parents listen to a whole mix of stuff, so I’d be jamming out to MC Hammer then Spin Doctors. Pretty embarrassing now that I think about it haha. 

H: Who is the first musician you can remember obsessing over, and how did you originally discover them? Feel free to share any early fan-boy moments you’re able to remember.

T: Man, I would say Bradley Nowell of Sublime. A friend had showed me some of their music back in in middle school because his older brother was a fan and I instantly became addicted to them. I know almost all the lyrics of Sublime’s catalog just because of the constant replays. I’m still a big fan today, especially of Brad. 

H: On what format was the first album (or single) you bought with your own money?

T: Hmm, I know was fairly young and it was probably Will Smith’s Big Willie Style, who didn’t have that album in the mid/late 90s? 

H: Do you remember your first concert experience? Go on, paint us a word picture:

T: I’m quite sure my parents dragged me to some Hall & Oates concert at a local music festival in my town. Not really my type of music, but those guys know how to put on a good show.  

H: Let’s turn our focus to writing. Can you pinpoint any specific moments in life when you realized your abilities in writing could be put to good use in the world of music criticism?

T: I took a journalism elective in College and surprisingly enjoyed it, which then lead to my communications minor. Since music was always a big part of my life, writing gave me a way to talk about the music I love. From there I just kept pursuing different outlets where I could write about music.  

H: Who or what inspires you as a writer?

T: Good music. Every time I hear a song that just catches my attention, the writing just flows easier. It basically gives me more thoughts and passion in the writing when music clicks with me. 

H: How would you describe the content offered on your site to someone who may have never visited your blog before reading this article? 

T: I think the site description says it best: “The freshest music posted on a daily basis. We share some of the best tunes before the mainstream even knows about it.” But, I would also say if indie. hip hop, electronic, and EDM are genres you enjoy, then you’ll find what you are looking for at Oh So Fresh. There is the occasional interview and feature as well to mix it up.  

H: There are a number of sites covering similar areas of entertainment. What is it about the content offered on OSF that separates you from the competition? 

T: I think that we don’t always rush to post the latest track as soon as it comes out. Some blogs really compete with each other to be the “first” sharing a tune. Granted, that can get you more traffic, but I like to listen to a song a few times before sharing. So while a song might of just come out, we might write about 3 hours later or maybe a day later. The music we share are songs that we indeed really like and aren’t just posted for the sake of seeming cool or to be the first ones. 

H: Out of curiosity, how large is the writing team at your site?

T: It’s varied over the years, currently it’s 5 other writers and at one point I had 7. Typically they write a few times a week, but I post multiple times a day. 

H: Are you currently looking for additional team members? If so, what should those interested in contributing to your site do to apply?

T: Sure, I can always use writers or people interested in marketing. All you have to do is email me (osfeditor@gmail.com), tell me a bit about yourself, music you love or currently enjoying, and a bit of your experience. Simple as that! 

H: When you were first starting off, who were some of the first labels/publicists to give you a chance and/or take you seriously in the music industry?

T: There were very limited interest from labels at first, but PR people were there from day one. The one I recall really reaching out first was the Planetary Group, who still send me things today via email and to my home. Really nice group of people right there. 

H: What advice would you offer to someone reading this now who may be considering pursuing a career in the world of music journalism/criticism?

T: Just go for it. It’s a crowded market, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a go. If you are really passionate about it reach out to bloggers or others in the industry. Sure some will ignore you, but others are also willing to share some knowledge if they sense your passion and enthusiasm.  

H: You have featured a number of up and coming artists on your blog, in addition to national headliners. Where do you turn when hoping to discover new music, and what should indie artist looking to appear on your site do to get your attention?

T: There are a ton of places I discover new music. One being my email, I get sent 150+ a day and while plenty are not my style, there are always a few gems in there. Soundcloud has been a big one too because it plays similar songs to something you just listened to or the artist shares tracks of other artists they like. And I occasionally find some great material from other writers out there. 

An artist can grab my attention by an original email, not some mundane robot-like paragraph. it’s more personable and you can get a better sense of the passion they have for their craft. 

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

T: I like Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Audiomack. They all have clean designs and are easy to embed when we create posts, which is perfect for blogs.  

H: How many articles do you write in a week? 

T: I tend to write 4 a day, and maybe like 2-3 during the weekends. Typically it will be between 20-25 a week. 

H: What are your current career goals? 

T: Currently I’ve been interesting in doing more freelance/consulting work in the music/entertainment industries. Whether it’s social media, marketing, blogging, design, or A&R related things. Trying to get as much experience as I can. 

H: What are your goals for the site, and how have those goals changed since launch?

T: I would love to keep seeing the site grow. I’ve had my ups and downs with it (almost quit back in Summer), but I’m glad I stuck with it because I would miss writing and interacting with the music industry. Before it was just a place for me to share music and my friends to check out, now I have more of an audience so I keep them in mind as well.

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

T: I’d say some labels pushing generic sounds out there for a quick buck. It’s no wonder there is a decline in album sales (Besides the Internet causing that as well) and that many artists are getting their music out there without a label. Look at Macklemore winning Grammys as an independent artist. I think a lot of labels need to rethink their strategies and many are starting to realize that. 

H: Who is one artist you think is severely underrated? 

T: That’s a tough one because there are a few I could name, but I’ll go with Jhameel on this one. He’s grown tremendously since he first reached out to me back in 2010, but deserves so much more attention. He’s a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, choreographer, and a generally interesting artist. Think Michael Jackson meets Prince meets modern pop. 

H: What can we expect from your site in the remaining months of 2014?

T: We’ve rolled out a new feature to get College radio stations involved with our site. We just started it so hopefully more will get on board in the next few months and this potentially could be a great feature. Otherwise, great content will continue and hopefully pushing more great artists to the readers. 

H: Okay, I think that covers everything. Before we go our separate ways, do you have any finals thoughts or observations that you would like to share with our readers? The floor is yours:

T: If you are thinking about starting a music blog, just do it. If it’s on your mind go for it because many bloggers are friendly and willing to help with questions you might have. I’ve learned a lot along the way, made plenty of connections, and realized this can be a great resume booster. I’d like to thank anyone who visits the site daily or even if it’s only one time, I’m still surprised people actually have such an interest in my site. I also want to thank anyone who has written or is writing currently because they enjoy the site and love music as much as I do. We all have busy schedules but they still make time to work on posts and emails. Also, I’ll be launching a lifestyle and culture site in late Spring called THVT GOOD, check it out! 

Thanks for interviewing me James!

Categories
News

Blogger Spotlight: Drew Millard (Noisey)

Hello and welcome to the final Blogger Spotlight of the week. We would not say we saved the best for last, but the person highlighted in this feature is certainly one-of-a-kind. 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.

A lot of the sites and bloggers we have featured up to this point are known for writing about specific areas of music. Many are rock bloggers, but one or two have been known for their efforts in pop and/or hip-hop as well. Drew Millard, the man at the center of today’s feature, is actually known for being a critic of music in general.

It’s hard to summarize the world of Vice entertainment for people who have never encountered their journalism tactics, but an incredibly simple explanation would be to say they print all the news other outlets often shy away from. This extends to their music publication, Noisey, which is where Drew Millard can be found grinding away day-to-day. He’s the feature editor for the site, and earlier this week he took a few minutes from his busy schedule to speak about life at one of the world’s most unique entertainment outlets. You can find his thoughts on writing, as well as where he sees himself headed in the future, below.

If you would like to learn more about Drew and his efforts to keep Noisey amongst the most interesting music publications worldwide, we highly recommend taking the time to follow both him and the site on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: To get us started, would you please tell everyone your name, job title, and the publication that keeps you employed: 

D: My name is Drew Turner Millard. I am the Features Editor of Noisey, the music vertical of VICE Magazine. I am six feet tall and live in Brooklyn. I am currently wearing a fitted hat, a white t-shirt, and a pair of leggings (if you’re a dude are you supposed to call them “leggings?” Or is it “tights?” Ore are you just not supposed to talk about it?) under a pair of large Addidas basketball shorts under a pair of large Addidas sweatpants. It is very cold.

H: Thanks again for taking part in this interview, Drew. It’s great to have you. I’m curious, when did you first begin to take an interest in the world of music journalism?

D: I started writing about music in college, where I DJ’d and studied creative writing. I got into music writing because I had no other marketable (lol) skills (lolol). Please do not follow my example. 

H: Was music always a major influence in your life, or is it something you grew to appreciate as a teen (or even later in life)?

D: One of my first memories is breaking my face falling on a gigantic wooden box speaker while dancing to The Beatles. Insert meaning here, I guess. 

H: Who was the first artist you can remember obsessing over, and how did you initially discover them? 

D: I hated the Postal Service when they were cool, does that count? 

H: A lot of the people we speak with pursued other areas of interest in the music business before finding a home in journalism. Some were in bands, others worked publicity. Did you have any roles in music before becoming a writer? 

D: Currently, I DJ (poorly), and in college the singer in a hardcore band whose primary influences were Minor Threat and Four Loko when it still had caffeine in it. 

H: The earliest work from you I have been able to fin online comes from Kill Screen. Did you have any experience writing online before you joined that site?

D: Kill Screen was my first opportunity to write for an audience larger than my family and friends. I’ve had blogs since I was about 14 or so, but fortunately I deleted them after I became horrified by them.

H: What initially lead you to apply for the Kill Screen team, and what can you tell us about your experiences with the site as a whole?

D: I guess I applied to Kill Screen because I’d just moved to New York, I was fresh out of college, and I was thirsty for experience. As far as I know, the personnel over there has turned around significantly, but interning at KS was seriously the most important thing I did in my development as a writer of things that some people do not hate. Shout out Jamin and Ryan and Tom and Yannick. Shout out videogames. Shout out that time I interviewed Dorrough about his iPad. 

H: Outside of full time roles, you’ve done a lot of freelance work over the years. When did you first begin freelance writing, and who was the first outlet to pay you for your work? 

D: The first outlet to pay me for my work was Time Out NY, who let me do a full-page feature on A$AP Rocky where he told me to google “how they treat chickens." 

H: While we’re on the topic of building a name for yourself in the world of entertainment writing, what advice would you offer aspiring professionals considering a career in music criticism?

D: I’d say try to focus not on criticism, but journalism. If you’re just starting out, you’re probably not an expert on shit, so it’s best to not act like one. I’ve found (through, unfortunately, a lot of trial and error) it’s best to ask people who know what they’re talking about on a certain subject to offer insight and criticism rather than trying to bullshit it yourself. Eventually, you’ll learn things, and those things will allow you to say smart things about other things.

H: You joined the Noisey team in October 2012. What can you tell us about the application process? 

D: You enter a dark room. They tell you to stick your hand in a bowl and say it’s full of brains and eyeballs, but it’s actually just cold spaghetti and grapes with the skin peeled off. If you don’t scream, you get the job.

H: Without going too in-depth, please run us through a typical day at work:

D: Arrive. Red bull. Blog post. Water. Edit feature. Peen. Snack. Blog post. Post feature. Emails. Hide from twitter.

H: When people ask you what kind of content they will find on Noisey, how do you respond? It’s certainly not your typical music blog.

D: I think at this point, people sort of know us as the weird cousin of the music blog community. This is probably my fault, because I’m super fucking crazy.

H: Noisey has been known to run some pretty outrageous editorials. Have you received any pitches in recent months that were too ‘out there’ even for your audience?

D: One time a kid pitched me on a profile of Noisey itself, that was pretty dumb. Usually pitches I turn down aren’t dumb enough.

H: On that note, are you currently looking to add any contributors to the Noisey team? If so, how should people go about contacting you?

 D: Unfortunately, Noisey currently is not seeking new contributors. 

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

D: I honestly sort of prefer physical releases, because I hate computers and I hate clicking on things. I’m not gonna lie though, Haulix is pretty dope as far as online distribution methods go. I feel like half the time people upload stuff to SoundCloud and it’s supposed to be private or maybe a public stream of a track from a private album they can’t figure out how to do it right and then suddenly they just leaked their whole album. Which is unchill. People should pay for music.

H: Beyond paychecks and analytics, how do you measure your personal success?

D: I just got off the phone with Plies. Talking to Plies on the phone has always been my measure of personal success. I now consider myself successful. 

H: What are your current career goals?

D: Changing the game and then getting the fuck out. 

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

D: Actual, serious answer: reconcile the need for artists to make a living wage through making the music they want to (not licensing or whatever), with the internet’s demand for free music. Streaming services such as Spotify and Beats Music and Panshark or whatever are good starts, but they only solve the part of the equation where people aren’t outright stealing music. I have friends who are musicians, and $5 royalty checks from services like these are considered normal. That’s fucked up! 

H: Okay, I think that covers everything. Before I let you go, would you like to share any final thoughts or observations with our readers?

D: You should follow @BauceSauce on twitter. And listen to Mariah Carey’s Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, it’s really good.

Categories
Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Robert Herrera (PunkVideosRock)

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. This week we have an unplanned theme of sites specializing in multimedia features over classic news posting, and I think it offers a rather interest take on where the digital journalism industry may be headed in the years ahead. Yesterday’s talent and today’s could not be more different, but their shared interest in film and how it can help further develop music communities puts them side-by-side on the forefront of music coverage, and we’re honored to share their stories with you.

Music, like many things, is often a family business, and in today’s feature that saying expands to the world of music journalism. Robert Herrera joined forces with his brother, Alberto, in 2008 after a mutual friend asked them to film footage of his band’s upcoming performance. The brothers were happy to oblige, and in the process of working of the project fell in love with the notion of sharing the music that interested them with others through the use of video.

Cut to a few months after that initial performance and the Herrera brothers are now inundated with requests from bands requesting their video expertise at an upcoming performance. The brothers realize a market exists for what they do, and not long after PunkVideosRock came into existence. The site was simple at first, offering performances captured by the brothers, but over time it evolved into a full fledged news outlet, offering far more than your basic live performance video. The brothers continued to refine their craft and in time realized there was a need to launch a second website to properly promote all their efforts. They’re still working as hard as ever today, but we were lucky enough to sit Robert down for a conversation about all they’ve accomplished, and the insight he offers on the industry is unlike any found on our blog before now.

Robert is one of the most active people in the music industry and will no doubt see his notoriety grow in the years to come. If you want to stay up-to-date with everything he’s working on, be sure to follow PunkVideosRock and FrontRowLive. Additional questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.

If you know of someone who would be a good fit for this series, including yourself, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.

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

RH: Hey, I am Robert Herrera, Co-Founder & on-camera host for Punkvideosrock.com & FrontRowLiveEnt.com.

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

RH: New Found Glory is the reason I got into music. 

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

RH: The first album I ever purchased was “Sticks and Stones” from New Found Glory. A friend of mine would always talk to me about them so she burned me a copy of the album to give them a listen and I instantly fell in love so I had to go out and buy it.  I still own the record and I’m pretty sure I still have the burned one too.

H: We have a lot of ground to cover here, but if we’re starting from the top then we’re starting with your love of conducting interviews. What attracted you to the world of journalism in the first place?

RH: Actually it’s funny because I’ve always hated being in front of anything. Whenever I had presentations in school I would try and find ways around it even if it meant double the work. I’ve always been a camera operator so when Punkvideosrock began, we just wanted to shoot live videos and exclusives. I didn’t care for interviews. In 2008 I was asked to do a couple of interviews for Warped Tour so I gave it a try. I still didn’t like it. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I decided to try again and this time I really enjoyed it. I loved the fact that I got to see a different side of an artist that most people don’t get to see. Since then, interviews have been all I’ve been wanting to do. In fact, I want to go back to school but this time to get a degree in Broadcast Journalism. 

H: You started PunkVideoRock with your brother, Alberto, in 2007. Can you tell us the origin story of your first publication?

RH: My brother, Alberto, and I started Punkvideosrock in March 2007 at a small coffee shop called No Future Cafe in Pasadena when our friends in RAYAH asked us to shoot a live video of their sold out show. After that show and video, various local bands began asking us to shoot their shows in various venues around California.

H: Where did the idea to focus on video content come from? Were you always the host and Alberto the cameraman?

RH: Ever since I went on tour and shot live videos with my friends in a touring band [RAYAH] I became fascinated with capturing the art of live performance. Since the inception of Punkvideosrock my brother has been the center camera on tripod as well as audio engineer and I have been the roaming camera and now on-camera host.

H: What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced as a young entrepreneur and blogger?

RH: In the beginning bands would cancel on us a lot, it was pretty disappointing because at times they didn’t bother to tell us before we left to the venue. But today one of the biggest obstacles is gas. We live 40 minutes from Hollywood and about 50 minutes from Orange County but there is always traffic. I’ve had to decline interviews just because I couldn’t afford to fill the tank for the third time that week. 

H: Who is your biggest inspiration as a journalist?

RH: I was a skateboarder before anything else so I always followed Sal Masakela. He’s always been the household name for extreme sports hosting. I was also really into Carson Daly on TRL. The funny thing is that I never expected nor had an interest to be a journalist let alone on camera. I’m socially awkward. Always have been. I still follow [Sal & Carson] and love their work but at the moment my biggest inspiration is Ryan Seacrest, any show that has his name on it turns to gold. I want to brand myself like him someday.

H: When and how did Front Row Live Entertainment come into existence?

RH: Front Row Live began in January 2011. I wanted to expand to a broader audience as well as conduct red carpet interviews that will eventually get me a spot on tv. Our Front Row Live debut coincided with a debut live video we shot for late Actor/Musician Cory Monteith’s band Bonnie Dune at Chain Reaction.

H: Why two websites instead of one? Do you find branding yourself is easier or more difficult with multiple outlets?

RH: We have two websites instead of one because the audience of each site is completely opposite from each other. Some people don’t even know PVR & FRLE are owned by the same two people. It’s always nice when a PVR fan comes across a video of me interviewing Snoop Dog or Backstreet Boys and they freak out because I also interviewed their favorite hardcore band prior to it. 

H: Video content has become a growing focus of essentially every news outlet in recent years, both as a form of content and an avenue for profit. Have you monetized your efforts yet? If not, do you have plans to do so?

RH: We are actually Youtube Partners on both channels so we do monetize from our content.

H: In the past year you have attended a number of major events, which has given you access to some of the biggest names in pop culture. Who is on your interview bucket list?

RH: My interview bucket list is One Direction, Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber. 

H: In addition to covering all today’s top talent, you do a great job of exposing new talent as well. Where do you turn when looking to discover new music?

RH: I actually turn to facebook a lot when looking for new music. There are times when I just scroll down on the feeds and listen to various new music posted by other friends. 

H: What are the most common mistakes you see young artists making when attempting to market themselves?

RH: The most common mistake I see with young artists is that they play shows in the same area or venue every single week or so, at this point your practically begging your friends and family to come and support you again and again. I think they should scatter their shows especially since every show has a certain number of pre-sale tickets one must sell to play. I also don’t see too many bands promoting at shows anymore, talking to potential new fans always works.

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

RH: I have always preferred youtube because it has a bigger reach but lately I have been thinking of giving Soundcloud a shot.

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

RH: One thing I would change about the music industry is that they bring record stores back. It’s depressing buying an album at target, walmart, best buy, etc. 

H: At the end of the day, what is your ultimate career goal?

RH: My ultimate goal is to become a mixture of Ryan Seacrest, Carson Daly, and Sal Masakela.  I want to host interviews on tv and I want to give radio a try. I would still be running my sites but letting other up and comer’s host the interviews.

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

RH: We have been getting ready for another season of The X Factor and The Voice. I have also been sending out applications to major networks to do some freelance hosting for them. Lastly, I’m looking into going to school again for a degree in broadcast journalism. Everything I have learned in hosting I have picked up as I went, it wouldn’t hurt to learn it the right way as well as having that degree in my possession. 

Categories
News

Blogger Spotlight: Devin Beaudoin (Fuck Yeah Pop Punk)

Hello and welcome to the second blogger spotlight of September. The holiday through our posting schedule for a loop, so those of you hoping for a new advice column will have to wait until next Thursday to get your fill. Still, there is a lot young bands can learn from the content the young lady in this column has to offer, so we advise you stick around and learn from one of pop punk community’s biggest tastemakers.

If you have a site or writer you would like to see highlighted in a future installment of this series, please email james@haulix.com and share your story.

Tumblr has made it incredibly simple for anyone with an interest in music and the ability to string words together into passable sentences to launch their own digital music zine. This ease of entry has not been lost on young writers, and in the years since the micro-blogging company launched a number of heavily influential sites has risen from its community. Former highlighted site PropertyOfZack is one such entity, and in today’s column we’re going to look at another blog that is fast-becoming a staple of the alternative music scene.

Devin Beaudoin is the creative Canadian mind behind the Fuck Yeah Pop Punk, a Tumblr-based destination that has been growing almost too fast to measure since its launch in 2010. The name may seem a bit abrasive to those unfamiliar with Tumblr’s community, but it’s actually a rather typical name for a blog celebrating a specific subculture. There are (often multiple) Fuck Yeah sites for everything from cats, to dogs, Wes Anderson, and even modernism.

The mission of FYPP has always been to promote the best of the pop punk community, and over time the site has needed to evolve in order to meet the increasing demand for original content from their readers. This need to change and the way it has been handled is what originally attracted us to FYPP for a feature, and in our discussion with Devin we gained some great insight into the challenges facing young blogs today. You can read about her journey below.

If you want to learn more about Devin’s work and stay current with everything pop punk, do yourself a favor and bookmark Fuck Yeah Pop Punk. Additional questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.

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

DB: Hi! I’m Devin Beaudoin, and I’m the Founder/Creator of FuckYeahPopPunk.com.

H: Everyone has to start somewhere, so where would you say your love affair with music began?

DB: I would have to say from my mom. Growing up, my mom always had the radio on in the house, or she was playing music on our gigantic stereo in the living room from her collection of CDs. She started taking me to concerts and music festivals early on in my life, whether it be folk music festivals or gigantic pop music tours. I just completely fell in love with music, the community, everything.

H: Do you recall the first album you bought with your own money? Do you still own that recording today?

DB: I think the first album I bought with my own money was blink-182’s self-titled record. (I’m 21. I was 11 when that album came out, give me a break!) It’s still one of my favourite records of all time, and I still have it somewhere. But since the dawn of the computer age, all of my music is now housed in my iTunes library.

H: As far as writing goes, who are your biggest inspirations?

DB: I don’t think FYPP would be written the way it is today if it weren’t for the teams at AbsolutePunk.net and PropertyOfZack.com. They’re two of the front-runners in the music news website world, and I really admire both teams.

H: Where does your interest in entertainment writing come from?

DB: When I was about 13, I started picking up Alternative Press magazines and reading them front to back, all of the reviews, even if they were bands I didn’t necessarily like or know about. I always liked reading all of the “AP Recommends” articles and finding out about new bands.

H: Okay, onto the good stuff. When did you launch your site?

DB: I launched it back in January of 2010.

H: You are the first ‘Fuck Yeah’ site to be featured on this series, and as far as I know one of the first to ever give creating an actual zine a shot. At what point did you realize your site was destined to be more than the average Tumblr page?

DB: I’ve never done an actual zine, but I think it would be cool to do something in print at some point. I don’t really know when I first realized it and I don’t really think of it that way. I never thought that anyone would even care what an 18 year old girl had to say about pop punk or take my suggestions on bands or anything like that when I started the blog. It still blows me away to this day. My sister and brother-in-law brought to my attention that it was growing a lot more than the average Tumblr page about a year after I made it. As a gift, they purchased my domain for me that year.

H: Do you think FYPP would exist without Tumblr?

DB: Probably. I bounced from blog site to blog site, creating and abandoning blogs because I got bored of the sites (Blogspot, Xanga, etc). So if it weren’t Tumblr, it probably would have been another blogging site. If it did exist, it wouldn’t be called FYPP. The Fuck Yeah aspect of it came from the popularity of Fuck Yeah _____ blogs on Tumblr.

H: Anyone familiar with the Tumblrverse (I think that’s a word now, right?) knows that ‘fuck yeah’ sites are a common occurrence. As you have developed, do you ever wonder if having ‘Fuck’ in your name does or will eventually hold you back?

DB: You know, this has come up in conversation between my boyfriend (who also edits the blog) and I many times. We’ve talked about changing it so many times. I’ve seen a name change go well for friends of mine, who’ve changed the names of their websites, such as xEasycorex going to More Than Sound Collective. Things may change, but for now, we’re sticking with our current name.

H: Pop punk has become a trendy genre to be apart of in recent years, both from a band and blogger perspective. What is it about the content offered on FYPP that separates your content from that of your competitors?

DB: Out of the bloggers who do relatively the same style of blogging that I do, I feel like we stick to our genre. We are Fuck Yeah Pop Punk, not Fuck Yeah Pop Punk, Hardcore, Metalcore, Indie Rock, and so on. I also feel that we post quality over quantity, especially with the suggestions. I want my readers to trust that I put time and effort into the suggestions, genuinely listen to them, and decide whether I think other people would like them. You wouldn’t tell your best friend to check out a band you thought was awful, would you?

H: Speaking of content, your writing style on your site has evolved over time. What do you look for when searching for news and other features to run on the site?

DB: I typically look for bands who obviously fit the pop punk genre, as well as the relativity to what people have been interested in. Just because Soupy tweeted that he watched Wrestlemania, doesn’t mean I have to post about it.

H: How many contributors work on FYPP? What are your requirements for aspiring team members?

DB: As of right now, there are 4 main people who contribute to the blog. I do all of the news posting, suggestions, features and interviews. Mitchell, who is our editor, makes sure there is a consistency in layout and the way we post. Michael and Audrey are my two main reviewers, and I love them for it. Plus, we also have Damo who writes for us on the side of his job at Heavy Magazine in Australia. If you’re looking to write for FYPP, I’m typically always looking for reviewers and photographers. All I ask of a reviewer is to have basic English and grammar skills and have a genuine drive and love for music. It also doesn’t hurt to be okay with deadlines. As for photographers, I’m just looking for talent, and someone who lives near a city where a lot of shows come through.

H: You feature a number of young acts on your site. Where do you turn when you’re looking for new music?

DB: 95% of the time I find them from my email inbox. I usually get 10 – 20 per day, so there are always a lot to choose from. The other 5%, I may stumble upon through Facebook or something like that.

H: Some have said the rise of social media in recent years has lessened the need for critics. Do you agree?

DB: No, I really don’t, but that might just be the kind of the person that I am. I always like to trust the opinions of people who have been writing for a career rather than Billy-Bob who just logged into his Twitter account to complain about it.

H: I’m sure you have a lot of submissions from unsigned bands looking for exposure. What advice would you offer young talent to help them stand out from the competition?

DB: Professionalism goes a long way with me. What sets bands apart are well thought out e-mails, with info, a small bio, what you’re up to, and links to your respective sites (ie. Facebook, Bandcamp, MySpace).

H: What is the biggest mistake you see artists make when promoting themselves?

DB: Bands who try to be, or compare themselves to, bands that are already popular. I feel this is something that has gone on since the dawn of the music industry. If a band is already successful with a unique sound, don’t try and copy it. Find your own unique sound, but don’t over-label yourself and push yourself into a niche. Surf-pop-punk-indie-rock doesn’t define you; you just end up getting lost in the sub-genre.

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

DB: I always prefer to have a download link. That way, I can download it, put it on my phone or iPod and take it on the go with me or drive with it in the car. You can always tell if you love an album if it makes you want to blare it in your car with the windows down.

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

DB: The politics that come about with mega-labels.

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

DB: We are really hoping to get some more merch printed, including t-shirts. Maybe something else fun like coffee mugs or koozies. Other than that, just expanding, reaching out and connecting with our readers. We’ll also continue to be a top quality pop punk website that you guys know and love.

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