March 2021 by Music Connection

March 2021

musicconnection.com

March 2021

musicconnection.com

CONTENTS 36

Informing Music People Since 1977 March 2021 • Vol. 45 • No.3

Andrew Watt The multi-Grammy-nominated producer (Post Malone, Cardi B, Ozzy Osbourne, more), multi-instrumentalist and songwriter discusses the key moments in his burgeoning career and how networking and hard work have paid off.

By Brett Callwood Photos: Kevin Scanlon

Learning to Let Go

By Seth Walker

Departments

15 Tips for DIY Success: Check out these in-depth career insights on the do’s and don’ts of succeeding as an independent music-maker.

By Bobby Borg

58 Directory of Everything Indie Compiled By Denise Coso

20. Producer Crosstalk: Brent Fischer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Rob Putnam 22. Exec Profile: Sun Cho, Chartmetric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Andy Kaufmann 30. Songwriter Profile: Lowell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Andrea Beenham 47. Expert Advice: Looking to Get Your Music Book Published?. . . . . . . . . By Joel Miller 48. Expert Advice: Thin Lizzy’s Eric Bell: Musical Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Brian Tarquin 49. Expert Advice: Indie Music Artists Need Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Jeffery Lakes 78. Tip Jar: Collaborating Via the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Vin 90

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08. Close Up 09. Assignments 10. New Toys 14. Book Store 16. Up Close 18. Studio Mix 23. Business Affairs 24. The Legal Beat 26. Signing Stories 28. Song Biz 32. Film•TV•Theater 34. Mixed Notes

Reviews 50. Album Reviews 52. New Music Critiques 54. Livestream Reviews

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The opinions expressed in Music Connection, as well as all Directory listings and contact information, are provided by various sources in the music industry. Music Connection is not responsible for any business transactions or misadventures that may result from your use of this information.

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Salem, MA 01970 FANSCAPE Email: scott@blackdogpromotions.com 978-594-0328 12777 blackdogpromotions.com W. Jefferson Blvd. Web: Email: grsteffen@aol.com Los Angeles, CA 90066 Web: nationalmusicmarketing.com/company. 214-259-8472 BRYAN FARRISH PROMOTION html Email: clared@fanscape.com 1828 Broadway, 2nd Fl. Web: fanscape.com Santa Monica, 90404 HANDS ON PR &CA MARKETING 310-998-8305 Email: handsonpr@aol.com Additional location: Email: airplay@radio-media.com Web: expertiseinmedia.com Web: radio-media.com Contact: Craig Melone 1999 Bryan St., Ste. 1800 Styles/Specialties: In-house and field Styles/Specialties: labels are Dallas, TX 75201 all styles/indie our forte staff to handle regular rotation on every FILTER CREATIVE commercial stationGROUP in the U.S. and HOWARD ROSEN 350 E. 30th, #6A PROMOTION Canada, generating up to 3,000,000 NewMaricopa York, 10016 1129 Hwy, Ste. listens perNY week on a #238 single station in a 646-202-1683 Fax 646-290-7082 Ojai, CA 93023 single city. Also, college radio, specialty/ Email: miller@filtermmm.com 805-382-2200 mixshow radio, and gigchart.net for gigs Web: filtercreativegroup.com Email: in CA.howie@howiewood.com Web: howiewood.com Additional locations: Contact: Howard Rosen CORNERSTONE Styles/Specialties: 6121 SunsetAve. Blvd.CHR/Top 40, AC, Hot AC, 5908 Barton AAA, Alternative Specialty, Los Angeles,CA CA 90028Mainstream Rock, Los Angeles, 90038 Modern AC, Country, College for artists of 213-217-4500 Fax 323-464-4294 all323-464-4170 label sizes including Independent. Social Email: info@cornerstonepromotion.com, Media, Video, Production pr@cornerstonepromotion.com 2649 N. Troy St., Unit 2 Web: cornerstonepromotion.com Chicago, IL 60647 TV HUMAN ELEMENT Contact: Rob and Jon Cohen 773-294-0052 453 S. Spring St.,Stone Ste. 937 Los Angeles, CA 90013-2089 FLANAGAN’S RADIO PROMOTIONS Additional locations: 213-232-1193 323-876-7027 Email: info@humanelement.tv Email: submissions@FlanaganPromotions.com New York Web: melodymakerproductions.com Web: 71 W.flanaganpromotions.com 23rd St.,creation, 13th Fl.press kit design, Services: Logo Contact: Jon Taylor W., Tom S. New York, NYFlanagan, 10010 materials album cover art, promo (stickers, Styles/Specialties: AAA, rock, AC, consult 212-741-7100 flyers, etc.) audio post production, composition before pressing CD, building a band’s buzz! for TV/films/games, songwriting arrangement, London record production, engineering, mixing, FUTURE STAR MUSIC GROUP +44-0-207-729-2637 mastering, prepping, Los Angeles, CA albums for duplication/ replication, Miami, FL vocal coaching, vocal production, Sao Paulo career consultation. Email: info@futurestarmusic.com 5511.4097.9713 Web: futurestarmusic.com IFANZ.COM Services: We are a full service music CREATIVE BRAND CONSULTING (McCartney Multimedia, Inc.) company: Management, record label, music 2219 S. 48th St., Ste. 1 promotions, DJ 322 Culver Blvd., Ste. 124 publishing, marketing and Tempe, 85282 Playa Del AZ Rey, CA 90293 coalition, consulting and marketing. 888-567-0522 Email: info@ifanz.com Email: ron@creativebrandconsulting.com GAILifanz.com ROBERTS P.R. & INTERNET Web: Web: creativebrandconsulting.com MARKETING 10061 Riverside Dr., Ste. 1400 IMAGINE PR Burbank, CA 91602 CYBER PR New York City 310-734-8193 389 12th St.

Email: Email:info@imagine-team.com gailrobertspr@gmail.com Brooklyn, NY 11215 Web: Web:imagine-team.com gailrobertspr.com 212-239-8384 Contact:contact@arielpublicity.com Gail Roberts Email: J&H PROMOTIONS longstanding music PR Styles/Specialties: Web: cyberprmusic.com P.O. firmBox with295 marketing and online promotion, Indian Rocks, FL 33785 internet publicity, social networking. Firm also DISTINCTIVE PROMO 727-648-4274 handles marketing and media for painters, Email: promo@distinctivepromo.com Email: jhpro@att.net authors, corporations and ecological projects. Web: Web:jandhpromotions.com distinctivepromo.com Contact: Mary Christopher, President GARY GROUP, THE Styles/Specialties: Award-winning 1546 7th St., Ste. 301 EVOLUTION PROMOTION promotions, brand management, ad agency, Santa Monica, 7 Arlene Ave. CA 90404 radio promotions, press/PR, 310-449-7626 Wilmington, MA 01887 representing all genres, from indie to major label. Email: rick@garygroup.com 978-658-3357 Clients: ABC Radio Networks, Dreamworks Web: garygroup.com, Email: info@evolutionpromotion.com Records, Harrah’s Casino, MCA Records, facebook.com/thegarygroup Web: evolutionpromotion.com Jones and Thomas Advertising Styles/Specialties: all styles Agency, Naxos Music, Stringtown *No unsolicited materialRecords, Town location: ofAdditional Los Altos Hills, Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, Polk County Utilities, 3rd Battalion GIANT STEP 3rd Marines, Main Street Bank and Trust and 3039 Dr. 281 N.Hillcrest 7th St., #2 Virgin Records. Los Angeles, CA 90016 Brooklyn, NY 11211 212-219-3567 JJ ENTERTAINMENT Email: maurice@giantstep.net FANSCAPE Email: Joddith@aol.com Web: giantstep.net 12777 W. Jefferson Blvd. Web: lanninggold.com/jjhome.htm Los Angeles, CA 90066 Contact: Jodilocation: Jackson Additional 214-259-8472 Styles: All Email: gregb@fanscape.com 400 S. Main St., #409 Web: fanscape.com JEROME PROMOTIONS Los Angeles, CA 90013 AND MARKETING, INC. Email: esther@giantstep.net Additional location: 5456 Peachtree Blvd., Ste. 451 Atlanta, 3034 MEDIA GIRLIEGA ACTION 404-549-8890 1999 Bryan St., Ste. 1800 & MARKETING, INC. Web: jeromepromotions.com Dallas, TX 75201 243 W. 30th St., 12th Fl. Contact: Bill Jerome, New York, NY 10001 President; Laura Hollister, Sr. Talent Coordinator 212-989-2222 FILTER Services: Independent radio promotion Email:Fourth submissions@girlie.com 1425 Ave. Web: girlieaction.com Seattle, WA 98101 KAREN MORSTAD & ASSOCIATES 800-336-0809 79 E. Putnam Ave. GONZALEZ MARKETING Web: filterdigital.com Greenwich, CT 06830 2804 W. Northern Lights 203-661-1090 Fax99517 203-661-1091 Anchorage, AK FLANAGAN’S RADIO PROMOTIONS Email: kmorstad@karenmorstad.com 907-562-8640 323-876-7027 Web: Web:karenmorstad.com gonzalezmarketing.com Email: Contact:submissions@ Steve Gonzalez KBH ENTERTAINMENT GROUP FlanaganPromotions.com Van Nuys, CA 91405 GREG STEFFEN Web: flanaganpromotions.com 818-786-5994 National Music Marketing Services Contact: Jon Flanagan, Taylor W., Tom S. Email: support@kbhentertainment.com 78 Derby St. Styles/Specialties: AAA, rock, AC, Web: kbhentertainment.com Salem, MA 01970 consult before pressing CD, building a Contact: Brent Harvey 978-594-0328

band’s buzz!

E. Eric Bettelli PUBLISHER E. Eric Bettelli GENERAL MANAGER / ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ericb@musicconnection.com

Denise Coso OPERATIONS MANAGER / DIRECTORIES EDITOR denisec@musicconnection.com

Steve Sattler BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER steve@creativesalesresource.com

Hillorie McLarty

ADVERTISING / MARKETING

hillorier@musicconnection.com

Ray Holt DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING rayh@musicconnection.com

Jessica Pace FILM / TV / THEATER j.marie.pace@gmail.com

Mark Nardone

SENIOR EDITOR / ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

markn@musicconnection.com

John Curry ART DIRECTOR artdirector@musicconnection.com

Joseph Maltese ASSOCIATE EDITOR / SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

josephm@musicconnection.com

Barry Rudolph NEW TOYS

barry@barryrudolph.com

Andrea Beenham SONG BIZ

drea@dreajo.com

Glenn Litwak THE LEGAL BEAT gtllaw59@gmail.com

Brett Callwood BUSINESS AFFAIRS

brettcallwood@gmail.com

FEATURE WRITERS

Andy Kaufmann andy.kaufmann@verizon.net Rob Putnam toe2toe6@hotmail.com Daniel Siwek danielsiwek@roadrunner.com Editorial Interns

Serenety Balthazar • Peyton Phillips intern@musicconnection.com

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Heather Allen, David Arnson, Andrea Beenham, Bobby Borg, Kara Bradford, Pierce Brochetti, Brett Bush, Alexx Calise, Brett Callwood, Miguel Costa, Lindsay Gingerich, Gary Graff, Eric Harabadian, Andy Kaufmann, Glenn Litwak, Andy Mesecher, John Mollenhauer, Kurt Orzeck, Jessica Pace, Rob Putnam, Adam Seyum, Daniel Siwek, Brian Stewart, Jonathan Widran, Ellen Woloshin

ng music PR TIONS promotion, ing. Firm also 5or painters, gical projects. -7566

PHOTOGRAPHERS Heather Allen, David Arnson, JB Brookman, Brett Callwood, Alexx Calise, Daren Cornell, Miguel Costa, Jody Domingue, Jim Donnelly, Kevin Estrada, Apple Kaufmann, David Klein, Alex Kluft, Heather Koepp, Tony Landa, Dave Long, Thomas Long, Charlie Meister, Scott Perham, Garrett Poulos, Alexander G. Seyum, Danny Seyum, Mark Shiwolich, Daniel Siwek, Brian Stewart, Joshua Weesner, Ellen Woloshin

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MANUFACTURED AND PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Music Connection (ISSN# 1091-9791) is published monthly by Music Connection, Inc., 3441 Ocean View Blvd., Glendale, CA 91208. Single copy price is $3.95, Canada $4.95. Subscription rates: $35/one year, $59/two years. Outside the U.S., add $25 (U.S. currency) per year. We are not responsible for unsolicited material, which must be accompanied by return postage. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited. The opinions of contributing writers to this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Music Connection, Inc. Copyright © 2021 by E. Eric Bettelli. All rights reserved. Founded by: J. Michael Dolan / michael@jmichaeldolan.com

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– JONATHAN WIDRAN

SHURE shure.com Nearly a Century of Audio Excellence: Founded in 1925 by S.N. Shure as a one-man company selling AM radio kits and components, Shure is closing in on a century of making people sound extraordinary. A leading global manufacturer of audio equipment known for quality, performance and durability, the Niles, IL-based company makes microphones, wireless mic systems, in-ear monitors, earphones and headphones, conferencing systems and more. No matter what generation, its products are the state-of-the-art “go-to’s” for everything from critical listening to high-stakes moments onstage, in the studio, the meeting room and podcasts. Shure currently has nearly 40 manufacturing facilities and regional sales offices throughout the Americas. Explaining the company’s commitment to excellence, Associate Product Manager Soren Pedersen says, “Shure’s renown in the audio world led to an opportunity to be a prime supplier of microphones and headphones during World War II, and its quality standard came from being up to military specifications. Mr. Shure created the first of its kind throat mic for that era of fighter pilot jets. He knew that if our mics were to ever fail, our troops could be in danger. Shure still designs according to those standards today.” The SM7B: One of Shure’s flagship top music and (in more recent years) podcast and livestreamers’ video game mics is the SM7B, which came out in the late ‘70s and was notably used to record Michael Jackson’s legendary Thriller album, including the spoken Vincent Price portion of the title track. Over the years, it has been chosen in the studio environment over the much more expensive vintage studio condenser mics, typical of those settings. It’s the only dynamic mic whose high-fidelity sound competes with those. The current version was created using modernized processes, but the painstaking design is exactly the same. The wide-range frequency response of the SM7B preserves the natural beauty of the sound it captures. With its detailed audio profile, words may travel far, but they always arrive at their destination with quality and clarity intact. Users can sing or speak at a comfortable angle and it captures the sound with minimum coloration. Shure added advanced electromagnetic shielding to defeat hum from computer monitors and other studio equipment.

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The New MV7: For podcasters, gamers and vocalists, professionallevel audio production is paramount. To answer the increasing demand for audio streaming and recording solutions at home, in the studio or anywhere, Shure’s MV7 Podcast Microphone is the company’s first hybrid XLR/USB microphone. Ideal for both entry level and experienced creators, the MV7’s intuitive design makes it incredibly user-friendly and simple to set up and control. Harnessing the company’s engineering prowess that developed its iconic SM7B Vocal Microphone—a legend in the recording, livestreaming and podcasting sectors—the MV7 dynamic microphone delivers versatility and control, flexible connectivity options, and high-quality audio in a sleek, compact design. The New MV5C Home Office Microphone: Unlike laptop microphones that pick up every sound in the room, the MV5C Home Office Microphone is a directional microphone that prioritizes the user’s voice, not the environment. An ideal solution for any teacher, student or professional, the MV5C is a sleek, digital microphone that provides pristine, studio-quality audio for conferencing and video calls. Featuring Shure’s Speech Enhancement Mode, the microphone enhances the user’s voice for an even clearer sound. The MV5C is also compatible with software video conferencing applications like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Contact Shure, 1-800-516-2525

Jonathan Wyner President Audio Engineering Society

Sourav Nayak VP of Finance Soundstripe

Jonathan Wyner has been promoted to President of the Audio Engineering Society. Wyner’s experience includes 30-plus years as both an active AES member and as an audio technologist. Wyner’s professional industry involvement currently includes his roles as Chief Engineer at M Works Mastering, Education Director for iZotope and Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has served on the AES Board of Directors and Board of Governors. In addition to being an accomplished musician, Wyner has mastered thousands of recordings, with credits that include David Bowie, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Pink Floyd, and Nirvana. For more, contact robert.clyne@aes.org.

Soundstripe, a provider of royalty-free music, stock video and sound effects for use in videos, podcasts and other media projects, has hired Sourav Nayak as its Vice President of Finance. In this new role, Nayak will be responsible for overseeing the company’s financial strategy, capital raising, product pricing, financial planning and analysis and treasury, reporting to Co-CEOs Micah Sannan and Travis Terrell. Prior to Soundstripe, Nayak was Vice President of Finance at Arcadia, a clean energy start-up focused on providing members access to clean and sustainable energy sources through an underlying single energy bill. Reach out to laurie@ jaybirdcom.com for more information.

Jessica Shaw

Audrey J. Ashby

Sony Music Entertainment’s Commercial Music Group (CMG) has promoted Jessica Shaw to Senior Vice President, Sync Licensing. In this role, Shaw will serve as Head of the Sony Music SyncShop, and lead CMG’s syncrelated creative and licensing activities across all entertainment media, including film, television, commercials, video games and emerging new media. She most recently was VP, Sync Licensing, a position she’s held since joining the company in 2014. Previously, Shaw was Director of Music for Advertising at Universal Music Publishing Group and Senior Manager of Strategic Marketing for Warner/Chappell Music from 2009-2013. For more, contact maria.malta@sonymusic.com.

Sony/ATV Music Publishing announced it has promoted Audrey J. Ashby to Senior Vice President, Business Affairs and Catalog. Ashby is based in the company’s N.Y. office and reports to EVP, Business Affairs and General Counsel, Peter Brodsky. As Senior Vice President, Ashby’s responsibilities include fostering and maintaining relationships with Sony/ATV’s legacy songwriters and catalogs, extending existing agreements and negotiating new contracts. Ashby’s career spans over 30 years, beginning at CBS Songs, which became SBK and then EMI. Ashby advanced at EMI to Vice President, Copyright Administration and Research in 2002, and later led its copyright department. Learn more from katie.mcclenny@sonyatv.com.

Dallas Martin

Tim Zawada

A&R executive and noted hip-hop mentor, Dallas Martin, has been named to lead Asylum Records as President of the growing Warner Music Group (WMG) imprint. Martin will remain a member of the Atlantic Records executive team as EVP of A&R. Martin will oversee Asylum alongside Co-President Gabrielle Peluso. In nearly a decade at WMG, Martin has mentored hip-hop greats such as Roddy Ricch, Meek Mill, Wale, Rick Ross, Omarion, and the late Nipsey Hussle, as well as up-and-coming artists like Cordae and Symba. Martin began his career in 2008 as an intern at Def Jam Records under the late Shakir Stewart, whom he credits for fostering his love of the music industry. For more information, contact majeda.hussein@wmg.com.

The Numero Group has announced the hiring of Tim Zawada as their new Managing Director, continuing its expansion from reissue record label into a holistic, 21st Century rights management organization. Previously, Zawada has run his own label, Star Creature Universal Vibrations, cultivating a following through curation and limited pressings of modern disco, boogie, electronic soul and beyond. A Chicago-native, Zawada joins Numero’s headquarters there. As a graduate of the Master’s program at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, he has spent years in Bloomington, where Numero’s Secretly affiliates Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar and Secretly Canadian are rooted. Contact gjakubik@shorefire.com.

Cory Sims

Darcy Fulmer

Audionamix has announced the hiring of Cory Sims. The music licensing veteran and tech advisor will join the Audionamix team as the A.I.-driven audio isolation company launches new initiatives in the music business. Audionamix services rightsholders and artists, as well as major studios and media companies, with audio isolation technologies allowing to separate audio elements. Sims joined Harry Fox Agency in 2017 and led Rumblefish’s business development team on new digital agreements in downloads, streaming, games and karaoke licensing deals. In 2019, Sims founded a boutique consulting firm, CES ADVISR, working with companies at the intersection of music and technology. For more, contact macie@rockpaperscissors.biz.

Loop Media has named former MTV and Universal Music Group executive Darcy Fulmer as its Head of Music. Fulmer will be responsible for overseeing and curating content libraries for music videos, with a mandate to create compelling programming for Loop Media’s apps and platforms, as well as its collection of 24/7 music video channels on TV. Fulmer has had an extensive career programming music. She was the Music Director of the World Famous KROQ-FM and Director of Music Programming for VH1, MTV and MTV2. In addition, Fulmer was Senior Vice-President of Music and Talent for Universal and a music consultant for Napster and Revolt TV. For more information, contact Jon Lindsay Phillips at LoopTV@rlmpr.com.

SVP, Sync Licensing Commercial Music Group, Sony

President Asylum Records

Advisor Audionamix

SVP, Business Affairs and Catalog Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Managing Director The Numero Group

Head of Music Loop Media, Inc.

March 2021

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– BARRY RUDOLPH barry@barryrudolph.com

WARM AUDIO WA-67 TUBE CONDENSER STUDIO MICROPHONE Like the German microphone it is based on, the WA-67 is a multi-patterned condenser with upfront clarity in the mid-range. It uses a brass, 34-mm K67-style capsule with dual, gold-sputtered, 6-micron thick Mylar diaphragms. The front and back diaphragms are centerterminated and the back-plate uses the same drilled-hole pattern as the original. Frequency response is said to be similar as well—it varies depending on which polar pattern you’ve selected—be it cardioid, omni-directional, or figure-of-8. Inside the WA-67 is a specially selected EF86 pentode tube surrounded by a circuit using high quality polystyrene Wima capacitors with a large Solen cap connecting the audio signal to the custom-made LL1965B Lundahl output transformer. Other important stuff: a sturdy, main printed circuit board supports the tube’s socket and transformer, and another board just under the capsule has mini-switches for the polar pattern, -10dB attenuator pad, and 100Hz high-pass filter. This is a well-made, sturdy microphone with a good heft and comes with a separate world power supply unit. I first tried the WA-67 for a voice-over recording with good results using the cardioid pattern for a tight-sounding articulated narration. I got a clear, upfront present lead vocal sound too! And because I prefer the singer to stay close to it, especially for soft to quiet singing, the 100Hz high-pass filter reduced the bass buildup due to the proximity effect. Next, also in cardioid, I switched in the -10dB pad and put the WA-67 right on a guitar amp speaker for an awesome sound that is fat, present and immediate. If you happen to be working in a nice sounding room, try pulling the mic away from the amp and switching to omni-directional or figure-of-8 pattern to include the room’s reflections. The WA-67 sells for $899 MSRP and is an excellent path to the sound of an all-around workhorse microphone that works great for any source, from drums to guitars to acoustic instruments and always vocals! warmaudio.com/wa-67

BABY AUDIO SPACED OUT EFFECT GENERATOR Baby Audio has Spaced Out, a “lush wet-FX generator” plug-in comprised of two main effects: an Echoes delay section and Space, a reverb engine. With just a few clicks, it is very easy to realize exotic-sounding soundscapes. I found, rather then trying to figure out and modifying one of the included and awesome presets to comport with my preconceived notion(s) or ideas, I would just click the Spaced Out Generate button in the middle of the GUI. Not artificial intelligence, Generate is a seemingly random—”roll of the dice” of effect parameter values—every parameter changes with some surprising outcomes all designed to be useful. Most of the time, I would only have to adjust the Wet/Dry amount and be done! Relishing absolute control is fun and creatively freeing—but save the results! The Echoes section has Texture or tonality choices for the delay signals. I liked Reverse; it flips around the delay signal before all other processing. The Space reverb engine starts with four Programs descriptively named: Vacuum, Small Space, Medium Space and Outer Space. Space has up to 250ms of Pre-Delay available, plus the Stardust control sets the amount of high frequency fizz. You can use the section’s HPF and LPF to dial in the overall reverb tone. I also liked using the separate Width control to dial in the reverb’s stereo width anywhere from straight up mono to wider and larger-than-life stereo! Spaced Out comes with 125 presets created by Baby Audio and other artists and producers. This is a creative and trippy plug-in and I use it in just about every mix now! Download it in VST, VST3, AU or AAX formats. Spaced Out sells for $69 MSRP. babyaud.io/spaced-out-plugin

NEWFANGLED AUDIO GENERATE Generate is a new poly-synthesizer developed by Newfangled Audio and distributed by Eventide. Generate combines top-line synthesizer abilities with its revolutionary “chaotic” oscillators. The results are beautifully complex pads, warm moving keys, jittery sequenced basses, (seemingly) out-of-control leads, and fantastical aural textures. This is a new synth that you must download the demo. I was enraptured for hours! I thought programming Generate would be difficult but you can start with any of the huge collections of patches that come with it and just dive in! I liked the Matt Lange and Chris Carter folders. Three Global Synth modules are listed in a row at the top of the visually active GUI. There are five chaotic generators that fade from sine waves to total chaos; they act as the oscillators. The musical textures created include distortion, harmonics, grunge, static, and noise. Next is the Wavefolder with three choices of overtones generation and finally, an ADSR section—the most instantly recognizable synthesizer module in this plug! I just love the square knobs for most tweak-able parameters—when you touch any synth module, be it Global, Envelope 1, Env2, LFO1, LFO2. Sample/Hold, or Sequencer, their perspective parameters show up in a single window. There are also a four band EQ, Chorus, Delay and Reverb. Finally, there is a limiter on the stereo output, as the level of things can get chaotic! Newfangled Audio’s Generate sells for $149 and comes in AAX, AU, VST2 and VST3 versions and runs in either Windows 8.1+ or MACs 10.9 or higher. etide.io/generate 10

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– BARRY RUDOLPH barry@barryrudolph.com

D.W. FEARN UPDATES THE VT-2 Doug Fearn updates his VT-2 Dual Channel Vacuum Tube Microphone Preamplifier. Now, in addition to recording, this ultra-high fidelity class-A microphone pre-amp can be used as a line level amplifier during mixing and/or mastering to impart its wonderful tube color and presence to stereo line level signals. Previously the separate D.W. Fearn LP-1 Line Pad unit was required to lower the level going into the VT-2. The A and B Input rotary switches now have a fourth Line position that adds to the 0dB, -20dB, Lo-Z positions. In the Line position, a 43-dB attenuator is engaged in the signal path. All the new VT-2 Dual Channel units will come this way and it makes them equally at home in recording, mixing, and mastering. Also recently, the entire VT line of gear has been optimized to eliminate the need for an internal cooling fan. Fans have a way of becoming noisy with age (the bearings wear out) and even though the fans in D.W. Fearn gear have always been dead quiet, having no fan at all is even quieter. Like all D.W. Fearn products, the VT-2 uses an all class-A vacuum tube audio path, and is handcrafted in the US using only the finest components available. The new VT-2, from D.W. Fearn | Hazelrigg Industries sells for $5,500 MSRP. dwfearn.com

IZOTOPE NEOVERB Neoverb is a new reverb plug-in that uses three reverb synthesizers and artificial intelligence via its Reverb Assistant to assist in programming reverberation according to your specific directives. There is Exponential Audio’s Reflections Engine that creates the discrete and very important early first reflections, and reverbs 2 and 3 that vary in type depending on the preset—or how you program Neoverb. There are rooms, plates, small and large echo chambers, and halls available. A new idea for a single reverb plug-in because you can mix between the three reverbs by moving a blue orb over an “Ouija Board” planchette called a Blend Pad. Clicking on the Advanced Controls reveals 17 additional parameters available for all three reverb engines. I liked the Input Smoothing feature that compresses transients to reduce spikey attacks in the reverb’s tail ring out. Also good are the two threeband equalizers. Pre-EQ ‘carves’ the incoming signal to reduce certain frequencies from building up in the reverb’s sound and a post-EQ further refines the reverb. Neoverb comes with 100 presets arranged in eight banks categorized by usage, including one bank to store your own collection. Reverb Assistant opens with four general directives you select for conceptualizing and defining a reverb’s basic sound quality and character. Style cross-fades between Realistic to Dramatic, Size and Tone. Once you determine these desired choices in the Reverb Assistant window, Neoverb will analyze the source audio and a reverb will be setup. I found that this works amazingly well—I tried this process on verse, chorus, bridge, lead vocal sections and saved them all as presets. Neoverb sells for $199 MSRP and is also a part of newly released Music Production Suite 4, which also includes RX 8 Standard, Ozone 9 Advanced, Neutron 3 Advanced, Nectar 3, Insight 2, NIMBUS by Exponential Audio and Tonal Balance Control 2. izotope.com/en/products/neoverb.html

YAMAHA PACIFICA 612VIIFMX AND 612VIIX ELECTRIC GUITARS The Yamaha Pacifica series was first launched in 1990 and was inspired by the California live music scene where consistent, night after night performance was important to capture an artist’s individuality and spontaneity. From the beginning, Yamaha Pacifica electric guitars were valued for their great tone, playability and are perfect for any gigging guitarist. Both of the PAC612VIIFMX and PAC612VIIX models feature alder bodies with bolt-on maple necks and rosewood fret boards. The Pacifica 612VIIFMX has a flamed-maple veneer top with a Fired Red finish, and the Pacifica 612VIIX is available in Matte Silk Blue, Teal Green Metallic, and Yellow Natural Satin. Both the new Pacifica models combine renowned Yamaha build-quality and playability with premium third-party components that recalls their L.A. Custom Shop days. There are either Seymour Duncan’s TB-14 Custom 5 and SSL-1 single-coil pickups available while a five-position pickup selector and push-pull coil-split switch deliver tonal versatility. BARRY RUDOLPH is a recording engineer/mixer who Standard are: Graph Tech TUSQ nuts and strings has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He trees, Grover locking tuners and Wilkinson VS50 has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & bridges. Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and more. The Yamaha Pacifica 612VIIFMX and 612VIIX Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility in North electric guitars sell for $1,050 MSRP each. Hollywood called Tones 4 $ Studios. He is a lifetime yamaha.io/PAC612VIIX

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Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. barryrudolph.com

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BOOK S T ORE The Music Mixing Workbook By Bobby Owsinski (paperback) 39.95

Award-winning author Bobby Owsinski’s The Music Mixing Workbook is designed to help anyone relatively new to or confused about the once mysterious process of mixing multiple music elements together. The book features 175 different exercises covering every operation needed to complete a modern professionalsounding mix, complete with tips and tricks that come directly from the A-list pro mixers. The easy-to-follow exercises can be used with any DAW application or hardware console, and on any genre of music.

Major Label Mastering By Evren Goknar (paperback) $42.95

Grammy winner Evren Goknar, a long-time mastering engineer at legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, takes you inside the eyes, ears and mind of a top mastering engineer, giving a step-bystep analysis of audio mastering for musicians, engineers, producers, labels and aspiring engineers. Goknar dissects his profession’s myriad tasks, showing how he and his brethren’s skills can help a recording to reach its highest form.

Your Van Is On Fire: The Miscellaneous Meanderings of a Musician By Seth Walker (paperback) $24.98

Singer-songwriter and visual artist Seth Walker’s Your Van Is On Fire sheds light on the ins, outs and what-have-you’s of life inside the mind of a working artist and the van of a touring musician. The collection recounts Walker’s early years growing up in a musical family and centers on his life making music in the “southern love triangle” of Austin, Nashville and New Orleans, and includes some hilarious, contemplative, and wild tales from the driver’s seat of the van and other random locales. 14 March 2021

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Deep Cuts Trivia: Intelligence Test for the Musically Obsessed By Robert von Goeben (paperback) $19.99

The author, aka Bobby the Beerslayer, brings a consistent sense of fun and imagination to his book, a collection of 400 authoritatively curated music trivia questions for the expert music fan. The book is a companion to the popular web competition, Deep Cuts Music Trivia, which Beerslayer hosts each week with a new theme of genre, era, soundtrack and more. The multiple choice questions run the gamut of musical decades, from vintage ’50s to Classic Rock ‘60s -‘70s to grunge to hip-hop and onward. It’s an engrossing time killer for the musically obsessed, for sure.

Looking to Get Lost By Peter Guralnick (hardcover) $30.00

Bestselling author Peter Guralnick (Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll and Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley) does it once again with this absorbing new treasure of profiles. Guralnick’s books always have great revelations and observations, and this one is no different. It’s packed with new takes on famously familiar faces as well as fascinating profiles of under-appreciated figures, all of them creative artists, musicians and writers, at the height of their powers.

Revolver

By Evan I. Schwartz (paperback) FREE at concordfreepress.com In this novel from Concord Free Press, it’s the end of the 1970s, and two star-crossed high school lovers from Long Island go on a mystical journey that takes them deep into the heart of rock & roll––and puts them on a collision course with their hero, John Lennon. This big-hearted debut novel reminds us of Lennon’s enduring legacy, and inspires us to reimagine a better world.

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– JONATHAN WIDRAN

APOGEE ELECTRONICS apogeedigital.com 35+ Years of Cutting-Edge Sonic Innovations: In 2020, as it celebrated 35 years of trademark audio innovation, Santa Monica, CA-based Apogee Electronics received a unique certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the U.S. This is testament to founder and CEO Betty Bennett’s ongoing commitment to creating and developing cutting edge and top-of-the-market premium audio products. Apogee made its name designing filters that solved many of the initial problems associated with digital audio. The company became an innovator in making studio quality recording available to users at all levels, from multi-channel installation in a commercial facility to personal audio interface in a home environment. Today, its converters and audio interfaces are regarded as the reference standard in the industry, as evidenced by their use on recordings by Lady Gaga, Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, The Chainsmokers, Foo Fighters, Beyoncé, Alabama Shakes, Ryan Tedder and many others. Roger Robindore, Director of Product Evangelism: “Apogee was there at the dawn of digital audio. There were a lot of issues with the early gear, and our products were there to solve them. Everything we do is geared around pushing the boundaries of digital audio, art and science —so we are constantly emerging with new technologies that push the boundaries of what consumers can do in the digital recording realm.”

New USB Mics: Apogee has two new USB mics that plug directly into laptops and phones, perfect for everything from Zoom meetings to capturing state-of-the-art sound, while creating music on these devices. Perfect for making amazing recordings on the go, the HypeMiC features studioquality compression that’s easy to use and brings the magic to vocals, voice-overs, instruments, percussion and podcasts. It’s the only USB mic with a built-in analog compressor. It has a PureDIGITAL connection for pristine sound quality up to 24-bit/96kHz. The ClipMic digital clip-on lavalier microphone helps users capture sound professionally. It combines Apogee’s A/D conversation expertise and advanced studio quality design knowledge to give users’ recording optimum sound quality. Apogee Symphony Desktop: Designed to “put the sound of a Symphony on your desk,” the Apogee Symphony Desktop for Mac, iPad Pro and Windows packs the legendary sound quality of the Apogee Symphony I/O Mk II rack-mount into a sleek 10×10 audio interface that sits on the desk and fits in a bag. It empowers musicians and producers to record, overdub and mix with top AD/DA converters and mic preamps. It includes new features like mic preamp emulation, the Symphony ECS Channel Strip and Clearmountain’s Spaces reverb plug-ins, ultra-low latency recording with hardware DSP and Apogee Native FX plug-ins. Onboard hardware DSP allows the user to enhance the sound of recordings right in the interface before it even reaches the recording software. Contact Apogee Electronics, 310-584-9394 16 March 2021

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Mizz Attitude and Baby Girl’s Pretti Emage Hip-Hop and R&B duo from Tampa, FL, Pretti Emage (like Pretty Image) is made up of two sisters, Jaleesah “Mizz Attitude” Riley aka Queen Jayy and Zayah “Baby Girl” Riley. Since forming, Pretti Emage has performed alongside 95 South, Ying Yang Twins, Dru Hill, Lloyd, Jagged Edge and K Michelle. The duo is featured on Risky Bizness labelmate Shaadoh Session’s new single, “S.W.B.Y.,” and Ghanian Afrobeat artist, Kakra Jay’s “Mama Africa,” and is recording follow-up tracks to their 2020 album Legacy.

God is an Astronaut God Is An Astronaut is an experimental metal four-piece, formed in 2002 by Niels and Torsten Kinsella. The group released its 10th album, Ghost Tapes #10, via Napalm Records in mid-February. Hailing from the Emerald Isle, producerpianist-guitarist Torsten Kinsella is photographed, surrounded by keyboards and pedals at Quill Lane Studio in Glen of the Downs, Ireland. For additional guitars and guest cello swells, the band recruited Jimmy Scanlan and Jo Quail.

Miss Grit is No Impostor The Korean-American multi-instrumentalist Margaret Sohn records as Miss Grit. Her February release, Impostor EP, explores the titular “impostor syndrome,” which Sohn often experienced growing up in a mixed-race household in the Michigan suburbs. Having studied music technology at NYU, Sohn brings modern precision and retro equipment to her compositions. Miss Grit is pictured above in her New York home studio, recording on a Korg MS20 mini and Omnichord OM-84.

SSL Equips Future and 5 Star Production Studios Since defining the Atlanta Trap scene in 2010, Future has delivered eight solo full-length albums and countless collaborations and mixtapes. His engineer, Eric Manco (pictured at the controls), collaborated with Solid State Logic in renovating Atlanta’s 5 Star Production Studios for Future and his team. Along with the amenities of pool tables, conference rooms and entertainment centers that resemble a nightclub, the engineering studios have been equipped with SSL’s AWS 948 console and elta-Control software.

Producer Playback “Learn to translate an artist’s vision into an interesting podcast. What will the show sound like and how will it be structured, formatted and packaged?” – Codi Fischer (Office Ladies, Earwolf Managing Producer) 18 18

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– JOSEPH MALTESE josephm@musicconnection.com

Studio 86 and Dalke’s Gift of Music Studio 86 is a full-service recording studio in Wolcott, CT, owned and operated by Sean Dalke, with guitar and production assistance from Jason Grandell, both of the rock band Half Hearted. Dalke says, “My absolute favorite part of being in a band is writing and recording new music, and I love to help other people bring their visions to life.” In addition to mixing recent Half Hearted tracks, “Gossip” and “Be My Religion,” Dalke has been recruited to write, perform and produce for a new U.K. outlet, Gift of Music, which offers personalized songs to gift to a friend or loved one for any occasion.

The Immediate Family Back in the Studio Quarto Valley Records’ all-star group, The Immediate Family, is composed of legendary session musicians: Danny Kortchmar (guitar and vocals), Waddy Wachtel (guitar and vocals), Leland Sklar (bass), Russ Kunkel (drums) and Steve Postell (guitar and vocals). Individually, the members are behind major records from Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and Carole King, just to name a few. Postell is photographed at Katonah Studios, recording socially distanced overdubs on upcoming tracks to follow up the group’s debut, Slippin’ and Slidin’. Also in the works is a Danny Tedesco-led documentary about The Immediate Family.

Megalaphobe’s Resistance Fantasies Benjamin Levitt is a Brooklyn-based experimental accordionist, as well as singer-guitarist-pianist-pedal aficionado and field recorder, who performs as Megalophobe. At the end of 2020, Levitt released Music for Resistance Fantasies, an ambient album inspired by Marion Storm’s improvisational dance performance, which Levitt scored at the Exponential Festival. The goal of the composition was to be “trippy, but not make a big deal about melting faces,” according to Levitt. Our faces are still recovering.

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PRODUCER CROSSTALK

– ROB PUTNAM

BRENT FISCHER A

mong Grammy-winning producer-composer-arranger Brent Fischer’s earliest memories is one in which he crawled beneath his father’s grand piano as the elder Fischer tapped out tunes. The man on the keys was famed bossa nova jazz artist Clare Fischer. With such an early and ongoing exposure to the family trade, it’s little surprise, then, that Brent began to play bass alongside his dad when he was 15. Later he went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in symphonic percussion. The man’s entire life has been one of immersion in music and the business that surrounds it, working with Prince, Michael Jackson and Usher. In October––deep in the fog of the COVID no-go––Fischer was asked to conduct a small orchestra for L.A. neo-jazz artist April & The Velvet Room at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood. That was only possible, of course, because of rigorous safety measures such as super social distancing, masks and even a purpose-built isolation booth for Fischer himself so that his facial expressions could be seen and understood. “Everything I do in my career has always been detail-oriented,” he explains. “The idea of following safety protocols was just another set of . . . lessons drawn from his details to work out and you can’t let nearly lifelong career as a your guard down for a minute. producer and composer are: “Part of the reason I made this session with only strings, as opposed • Experience. Much of what I’ve to adding some woodwinds or brass, learned came from watching is because string players can perform other people, noting what with their masks on,” he continues. worked, what didn’t and being But is in-person performance truly able to apply those lessons. necessary these days? During the pandemic and its accompanying lockdown, • Education. Music is one of the it’s been common for producers to few fields in which you can work remotely with artists. “You can do function without any formal a lot of great music that way,” Fischer training. But if you plan to concedes. “I did some of it even before be a pro, you should have as the pandemic. The one thing that was much versatility as possible. nice about being in a professional Every musician should have environment was the old adage of the a working knowledge of both whole being greater than the sum of guitar and piano. its parts. When you get people playing • Business skills are essential. in the same room, each instrument I learned all of mine through vibrates sympathetically with the sound trial and error but I also have waves from all of the others. That’s an trusted advisors. enormous boost to the overall vitality of the music.” When Fischer begins work with an artist, usually his first step is to understand his or her vision for the project. “I was once a session coordinator,” he recalls. “There were two different producers and their styles were completely opposite. Some parts were conducive to getting the job done quickly and easily and others were more based on creating a vibe and making sure that everyone was happy. So find out what someone’s style is. Mine is pretty straightforward. If you put something together with care, you’ll have an effect upon people.” Fischer has a number of records on the horizon, which will include his own music and, indeed, some of his father’s. He will soon be featured on producer Warren Huart’s YouTube series Produce Like A Pro. Despite the many challenges, he’s also managed to perform in some live shows, all of which were done with maximum attention to safety. Contact Claris Sayadian-Dodge, 818-427-1675, claris@studioexpresso.com, studioexpresso.com; brentfischer.com; Instagram: @brentfischer_

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Download at www.musicconnection.com/industry-contacts JEFF ANDERSON Lafayette, IN 765-588-7212 Email: janderson@jeffandersonmuse. com Web: http://www.jeffandersonmuse. com/contact Styles: emo, rock, pop Notable Projects: Amanda Overmyer, Anna-Marie Sanderson, Anthony Glise, Jared Yates, Waltz for Venus, Kayla Newton, Joe Peters MATT ANTHONY Parklane Production Studio City, CA (323) 540 9830 Email: matt@parklaneproduction.com Website: parklaneproduction.com Genre: Pop, Rock & R’n’B

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– ANDY KAUFMANN

Sung Cho

The Rise of TikTok TikTok is not new. Three years ago, when I met with friends who have young daughters or sons, all these parents had been hearing was, “Mommy and daddy, can you appear in my TikTok video?” Or they were having headaches because their daughters were spending too much time on TikTok. But they felt okay, because TikTok was safe. TikTok really tried hard so [that] the platform is safe for young ages. And when the pandemic hit, going on stage [went away] but that need [to be noticed] never disappeared. Many young people resorted to TikTok to gain that feeling back. Plus, Trump, instead of killing TikTok, made it even more popular. Now everyone knows about it.

CEO/Founder Chartmetric

Years with Company: 5 Address: 1250 Borregas Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Phone: 650-605-3428 Web: chartmetric.com Email: sung@chartmetric.com Clients: AEG, Warner Music Group, BMG, Live Nation, Paradigm Talent Agency, Rocnation BACKGROUND Five years ago, Sung Cho founded Chartmetric. The data aggregator sifts information from more than 25 streaming and social media platforms into one, easy-to-read package. With 2.3 million artists and over 1,000 radio station subscribers, A&R teams, artist managers and music supervisors also access the service, each paying $140 monthly to glean critical industry insights.

Customization We tried to create something that everyone can use. We provide customization options [so that data can be hidden]. We’re not providing a different product to different people, but what kind of people did we have in mind when we built the product? People working at record labels, artist managers and artists themselves. These are the main targets. Or agencies that are helping artists grow. That’s the focus. People [in those categories] want data insights. Some people want to see this part. Other people want to see that part. We are trying to accommodate those different needs.

“You have better negotiating power if you are gaining fans faster than any other artist.”

Cultural Origins I’m not from the music industry. So how did someone like me come up with an idea like this? It relates to K-pop. As a Korean-born person, the rise of K-pop was inspiring. Also, it was rapidly rising in popularity in the United States and Europe. Now, it’s an international phenomenon. It was very interesting to see Asian music like K-pop resonating. I thought it would be interesting to measure with large-scale data analysis; maybe I could spot some trends. That was the beginning.

Helping Indie Artists I always thought it would be extremely rewarding if I could help indie artists. I’m a huge fan of music talent shows such as The Voice and America’s Got Talent. There are some amazing people struggling to get spotted. Why? Since I am a computer science major (I was a software engineer), I thought maybe I could play a role here. Maybe there’s something I can do to help bridge that gap so artists can focus on what they are best at, which is creativity. Low cost is key, because if it costs $4,000 a month it’s out of bounds. It’s not for indie artists. How can we create a platform that doesn’t cost too much but can deliver powerful insights? That’s the type of tool I wanted to create. Getting Trendy We designed the product to make it easier to spot trends. When I say “trend,” it can mean many things. Artists already know where their fans are. Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora and YouTube all give geographic breakdowns, sometimes even a demographic breakdown. Still, questions remain. Let’s say you gained 50% more fans in Buenos Aires. Is that the result of [doing] better in that city or simply [because] more people signed up for Spotify subscriptions? More people simply listened to more music in Buenos Aires and that resulted in a gain. Those kinds of things are harder to answer, because you have to know other people’s numbers as well—what’s happening in Buenos Aires for other artists and what’s happening for other artists in Latin America. 22 March 2021

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Another question you can ask is, “Where am I ranked? Am I in the top 10th percentile? Or [am I] only in the middle?” That’s also difficult to answer. You have better negotiating power if you are gaining fans faster than any other artist. You go to the [negotiating] table and say, “Given this trend, I will have another 50,000 fans by the time we do the concert.” Relative Performance Let’s say you have 10 million fans on TikTok. That’s an impressive number, but what does having 10 million fans on TikTok mean? Where are you ranked? We show this so you can see, oh, you are performing outstanding on Facebook, but not so well on TikTok or Instagram. [You] have been focusing on Facebook, but on Instagram and TikTok [you] need to invest a little more. Putting Events Into Context In Chartmetric, you will always be able to see growth on Wikipedia, Instagram and YouTube. You can also easily spot any big growth that happens in one day. You can spot those peaks and hiccups. We also provide context. If you did a concert, we mark that. If you appeared on Jimmy Fallon or SNL, we mark that. You can see that this artist appeared on Fallon and that same day gained Instagram fans or a huge increase in Wikipedia page views. Making Improvements We have been focusing on the product and not necessarily educating or helping, so we are talking to people about delivering custom insights. Also, as we hear feedback from users, we try to put [those insights] back into our product. There’s no place where we feel like, oh, we have it right. We are constantly making changes to our product, evolving and talking to users to see what new challenges they are facing and what questions they have.

Playlists as Curation People want instant access to music and instant recommendations. People are becoming less and less patient. Streaming changed everything. Fifty million songs were suddenly accessible at the same time. You can jump to anything at any time and it doesn’t cost extra. People feel lost. I have my favorite artists but I know there is more [out there]. Naturally, curation becomes an interesting concept. Spotify paved the way and invested ahead of any other company. And it has proven to be a popular concept. Increasing Consumption It’s easier than ever to access music. It’s common that one person has multiple subscriptions—YouTube and Spotify or Apple Music and Amazon or Pandora and YouTube. And also devices––Amazon Echo, Google Home and now Apple. With just your voice, you can trigger music at any time. So consumption will continue to go up. And as consumption goes up, people will want to do more with music. Following In the Footsteps of Others Chartmetric makes it easier to see what is happening to other artists. Someone is doing similar music in the same town or in Asia. Maybe there is a trend. Fans are resonating. Learning from those success patterns will teach emerging artists to pave their own way. Chartmetric gives the ability to look up any artist and see where they are with their music. Let’s say two years ago they were small artists and a breakthrough happened. What was that? We don’t have [all the] answers, but we have been collecting data for five years. We know which playlists they were placed on and how many fans they had across different platforms. We have that snapshot which can give insights and tell what actions to take. •

– BRETT CALLWOOD

Epidemic Sound is looking for an A&R. Epidemic say that they are reinventing the music industry. Their 30,000 track catalog is “tailored for storytellers, streaming services, and in-store soundtracks.” They have clients around the world, and offices in New York, L.A., Seoul, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Sydney. This position will be for the Los Angeles location. They need an A&R to liaison between signed artists and Epidemic management. The successful applicant will, “find, nurture, and maximize musicians to offer them the opportunity to partner with us to work develop, and earn money from their music while soundtracking the globe.” Apply at Glassdoor. Encompass Music Partners wants a Creative Assistant. This will be a full-time position for a well-established music production, consulting and contracting company in Los Angeles. “We take pride in producing, coordinating and managing Hollywood’s most ambitious and brilliant music endeavors, while maintaining a strong reputation within our industry and among our clientele.” Apply at EntertainmentCareers.net. The Pocketbook Agency needs an Executive Assistant to Music Industry Executive. They require an eager and motivated assistant to support the label’s founder. The focus of the role is to support the executive with day-to-day operations as well as supporting the other members of the management team. The successful candidate should have a minimum of two years of experience in the entertainment industry and will take pride in the work that they do.

DIY Spotlight Gerard Smith is a familiar face within the Detroit music scene, thanks to his prog-Celtic band, Bill Grogan’s Goat. He’s also released a bunch of solo albums, and is about to drop a new one. He’s come a long way since taking piano lessons at six and learning guitar at 16. Bill Grogan’s Goat formed in 2005 when Smith wanted to broaden Celtic music after only hearing a punk take, or acoustic groups with drum and bass. “After the first album, we started including more progressive rock elements in our arrangements, and we seem to be firmly ensconced in the folk-prog niche now,” he says.

“Typical duties are (but not limited to): scheduling, budgeting, travel planning, interfacing with record companies, preparing documents and deliverables.” Apply at LinkedIn. Apple is looking to hire in Commercial Development, Music Publishing. This position reports to the Global Head of Commercial Development in the Music Publishing group, and will involve both negotiating and maintaining relationships with a diverse set of rights holders. The role will place you in a dynamic and exciting environment where you’ll be inspired to use your experience to innovate along with some of the most hardworking individuals in the industry, providing extraordinary support for different teams across Apple. Apply at Jobs at Apple. For More Career Opportunities, check out musicconnection. com daily. And sign up for MC’s Weekly Bulletin newsletter.

LABELS•RELEASES SIGNINGS

Primary Wave Music has acquired the legendary Sun Records. Seven decades after its founding, Sun Records has been purchased by Primary Wave Music in a multi-million dollar deal. “Sun Records is the original home to some of the biggest legends in music,” said Larry Mestel, CEO and Founder of Primary Wave Music, in a statement. “Sam Phillips treated all of his artists with the utmost respect and provided a space of creativity unlike no other.

Yarin Glam Celebrates Realness Born in Israel and based in L.A., soulful pop artist Yarin Glam has released the “Realness” single from the EP of the same name. “‘Realness’ is about raising awareness towards mental health and self empowerment,” she says. “By sharing my struggles with mental health i’m hoping to raise more awareness, and help people that are going through it as well and might feel alone and misunderstood.” His vision for Sun aligns perfectly with the creative ethos of Primary Wave, and I am overjoyed that this historic label is now a part of our family.” Contact cmonck@primarywave.com for more info. Ophidian I Signs to Seasons of Mist. The Icelandic tech death metal band featuring members of HELFRÓ will release their new album Desolate in the summer. “We are ecstatic to announce that we’ve partnered with Season of Mist for the release of our album Desolate in 2021,” says the band in a press release. “The new album is a product of relentless dedication and we could not imagine a more fitting home than with the incredible team at Season of Mist. Through the years we have been inspired

by many artists from their roster and now we humbly take our place amongst them.” Contact katy@ seasons-of-mist.com for more info. Sabrina Carpenter has signed to Island Records. The singer, songwriter, actress and designer debuts for the label with the new “Skin” single. “I’m so excited to join the Island Records family, Darcus and the team really understood my vision from the moment we first met,” Carpenter said in a statement. “They just got me and have been super supportive. It’s the perfect place for me to start the next chapter of my music career and evolution as an artist. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what we’re working on for this year!” Contact erika.clark@umusic. com for more info.

GERARD SMITH “It’s hard to describe the sound, as there are so many influences mashed together, sometimes in the same song. As a couple of instances, our ‘Danny Boy’ is probably closest to doom metal, but our ‘Raggle Taggle Gypsy’ is overdriven gypsy jazz. ‘The Devil’s Trumpet’ is best described as disco bagpipes.” When we’re not in the midst of a pandemic, Smith takes acoustic Celtic music around Detroit and the Midwest. “I usually throw in a non-Celtic cover once per set,” he says. “I used to travel down to Florida, playing along the route. I also have two solo albums out: Hamtramck: Heaven, and Idylls of the

King of the Road. Both albums contain Celtic and original music.” Decades into his career, Smith knows he’s not going to be handed anything, and continues making things happen for himself. “Write down your ideas, or record them, and get those ideas out in front of people,” he says. “One of the greatest things about art is the share-ability factor. Even if it’s not the greatest stuff in the world, someone will find pleasure in your work.” Smith is currently putting the finishing touches to his third solo album, Lullabies In An Ancient Tongue, packed with special guests on his all-original tracks. Visit gerardsmith.net for the info.

MAGGIE MCCABE

OPPS

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– BRETT CALLWOOD

PROPS

Indie artist Carsie Blanton has found a way to pay her touring band during lockdown. Her monthly “rent parties,” with bassist Joe Plowman and keyboardist Patrick Firth, and by the end of 2020, they had earned more than in any previous year of touring. “My two bandmates have both worked with me for a long time and, like a lot of people, we had a ton of tour dates booked and then they all got canceled in March,” said Blanton in a press release. “I think a lot of people imagine that everybody in the music industry is sort of living the dream and flitting around like Tinkerbell and don’t actually have physical needs, but we all have health insurance. A lot of us have student debt. Music school costs just as much as every other kind of school. And a lot of people have families.” Contact aevenson@ shorefire.com for more info.

THE BIZ

Digital Creators Coalition have launched a new website. “With trade playing an increasingly critical role in fueling economic growth, a new Administration planning

The LEGAL Beat

their first 100 days, and proposed reforms to existing copyright laws around the world, the coalition recognized the need for a united voice for creativity in the digital age,” reads a statement. The website will offer a central resource to point to the creative community’s economic and cultural contributions. Contact katterbury@riaa.com for more info. Moon Crush is offering music vacation packages to frontline workers. Nominated frontline workers and guests will receive virtual meet-and-greets, 2-bedroom condos and music passes for Moon Crush, April 26-May 1, in Miramar Beach, FL. Performances include Jason Isbell, Sheryl Crow, The Revivalists, Lake Street Dive, Margo Price and more. To nominate, go to mooncrush.live/ntbgiveaway. BRETT CALLWOOD has written about music for two decades, originally for Kerrang!, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and more in the U.K. He’s the author of two books, about Detroit proto-punks the MC5 and the Stooges. He’s now the music editor at LA Weekly, and has regular bylines in the SF Weekly, Tucson Weekly and idobi Radio, as well as here in Music Connection. He can be reached at brettcallwood@gmail.com

You Don’t Own Pale Waves British indie pop band Pale Waves released their new single, “You Don’t Own Me,” in January. It’s the fourth single from the sophomore album Who Am I?, which came out Feb. 12, and it’s typically catchy, dark and unsettling (in the best possible way).

Bob Dylan Sued By Co-Writer

BY GLENN LITWAK

seeks damages of $7.25 million. The Levy estate contends that Levy entered into a work-for-hire agreement in 1975 with Dylan, which ordinarily would mean that Dylan would own any and all of Levy’s contribution to the subject songs. However, the agreement, according to the estate, was not a typical work-for-hire agreement. The complaint states:

“Wrongfully, intentionally and without justification induced the Dylan defendants to breach the agreement with plaintiffs by advising and/or instructing the Dylan defendants not to render any revenue, income and/or payments to plaintiffs in connection with the catalog sale.” It is interesting to note that there have been a number of high-profile sales of publishing rights recently from other legacy artists, such as Stevie Nicks and Neil Young. One question is why is this happening now? It could be Dylan’s attorneys will contend a combination of factors, including that the estate will continue to low interest rates, the increased receive its 35% of income from the value of catalogs due to streamuse of the subject compositions, but ing, and tax and estate planning now it will be paid by UMP. Dylan’s considerations. attorneys will probably argue that since Levy never owned any part GLENN LITWAK is a veteran entertainof the songs, his estate should not ment attorney based in Santa Monica, be entitled to a share of the sale to CA. He has represented platinum selling UMP. Dylan’s team will contend that recording artists, Grammy winning music producers, hit songwriters, management he was only hired to co-write the and production companies, music pubsongs in exchange for a share of lishers and independent record labels. the royalties and that’s all the estate Glenn is also a frequent speaker at music industry conferences around the is entitled to. country, such as South by Southwest and the Billboard Music in Film and TV The lawsuit also makes claims Conference. Email Litwak at gtllaw59@ against UMP, stating that it knew gmail.com or visit glennlitwak.com. about the estate’s rights and that Dylan was required to pay Levy “thirty-five percent of any and all income earned by the Compositions and actually received by [the Dylan Defendants] from mechanical rights, electrical transcriptions, reproducing rights, motion picture synchronization and television rights, and all other rights therein.” The estate claims this must include its share of the sale to UMP.

“The agreement terms make clear... that the label ‘work-for-hire’ is a misnomer.” There have been a number of legacy artists who have recently sold their publishing rights for astronomical sums. In December 2020, Bob Dylan reportedly sold his catalog to Universal Music Publishing, UMP, for $300 million. In the 1970’s, Jacques Levy co-wrote seven songs with Dylan for the 1976 album Desire, including “Hurricane,” “Isis” and “Mozambique.” Levy died in 2004. Levy’s estate has now sued (on Jan. 20, 2021) Dylan and UMP, alleging he is owed a share of the $300 million Dylan has apparently received from UMP. The estate

“The agreement terms make clear that the agreement is highly atypical of a work-for-hire agreement, bestowing on plaintiff’s considerable significant material rights and material benefits that are not customarily granted to employees-for-hire, and that the label ‘work-for-hire’ is, in this instance, a misnomer.” The estate claims, since the agreement gave Levy the right to 35% of the income from the seven compositions, it is entitled to 35% of the value of those songs, which should be considered as a part of the sale to UMP. In the lawsuit, the estate claims

This article is a very brief overview of the subject matter and does not constitute legal advice.

24 March 2021

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– BERNARD BAUR

The Truth About TAXI… An Unedited Forum Post from TAXI Member James Kocian h ttp://foru ms.taxi.com/post3 5 3 8 2 0 .h tml#p3 5 3 8 2 0

Hi Friends,

It's beenawh ile, bu t I'm still h ere!! TAXI h as beenth e sing u lar catalyst for me inth e past 2 years. I am closing inon2 years of membersh ip and myexperience h as been ov erwh elming . I will be at th e Road Rallyth is year, as I'v e recentlybeen inv ited tospeak at th e 'Su ccessfu l Members' panel. Th is is all beyond h u mbling tome, and I feel indebted toMich ael and h is incrediblytalented staff.

Taking Risks…

Ina nu tsh ell, TAXI h as motiv ated me and allowed me totak e creativ e risk s; todabble ing enres I didn't ev enk now existed, and todev elop relationsh ips with h ig h -lev el mu sic professionals I oth erwise wou ld NEVER h av e h ad access to.

Major Publishers

Sofar th is year I'v e sig ned 1 3 song s with major pu blish ers. I'm writing with people all ov er th e USA, and h av e made reg u lar trips toNash v ille a part of myrou tine. I'v e beenco-writing with a g u y wh oh as h ad mu ltiple (recent) # 1 's. It bog g les mymind actu ally.

Once in aLifetime Opportunity!

I'm writing HipHoptrack s for a well k nownrapper's next project, and I'm connected toa Mu ltiPlatinu m, Grammy-Winning Produ cer wh oallows/ask s me to reg u larlysend h im material topitch toth e big g est artists inmu sic. Th at inand of itself is enou g h is a once ina lifetime opportu nity, and it's beenong oing for nearlya year. Th ere's more, bu t th is isn't abou t me. It's abou t: T-A-X-I Hav e I mentioned th at I liv e inGREEN BAY, WI? I mean, su re, we h av e th e Pack ers — bu t it isn't exactlya mu sic h u b for anyth ing more th an Jou rneytribu te bar bands.

I reallycan't stress h ow inv alu able TAXI is topeople wh o are willing topu t th e CRAFT into th e ART of song writing and mu sic produ ction. Th e "Forwards" section of th e [TAXI] foru m itself is worth th e membersh ipfee. Wh y?

Fig ured Out What Elements I Missed…

It's not tobrag abou t Forwards. Wh at I did was h it th e [TAXI] Foru ms after I g ot “Retu rns” and fou nd members wh oreceiv ed “Forwards” for th e same listing s. Th enI went and LISTENED. I analyzed th e differences inou r song s. Lyrics. Vocals. Arrang ements. Instru mentations. Produ ctions. I re-read th e listing s, and fig u red ou t wh at elements I missed. And I adju sted according ly. Wh ere else canyou g et th at? Th e su ccess of members (at least th is member) is a TEAM effort. And I am h onored toconsider TAXI part of myteam. It is possible tosu cceed. To“mak e it.” Torealize ou r dreams. Don't qu it. Don't settle. Don't lose h ope. And stick with TAXI.

The World’s Leading Independent A&R Company

1 -8 0 0 -4 5 8 -2 1 1 1 • TAXI.com

March 2021

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ANDREW JANNAKOS Date Signed: Nov. 10, 2020 Label: RCA Nashville Type of Music: Country Management: Anthony Stone and Andrew Cohen (Cohencidence Projects) Booking: N/A Legal: Matt Cottingham - Ritholz Levy Fields LLP Publicity: Emmie Reitzug - Sony Music Web: AndrewJannakos.com A&R: Margaret Tomlin

n 2019, after an illustrious run on Team Adam on Season 16 of NBC’s The Voice, Andrew Jannakos returned home to his small town north of Hoschton, GA and faced a choice: Either go home and do the same things he was doing before, or do everything and anything he possibly could to chase his musical dreams. Fortunately for contemporary country music, the multi-talented singersongwriter got right to work writing and recording new material, blending his authenticity and modern country twang with his pop and hip-hop influences. Last July, a few months after releasing his self-titled debut indie EP, his girlfriend (now wife) posted to his TikTok a whimsical video of him cooking dinner while singing along to his new song “Gone Too Soon.” By the next morning, the clip had racked up 250k likes and ultimately earned him over half a million followers on the platform. Jannakos’ subsequent numbers have been staggering. “Gone Too Soon” has amassed over 14 million on-demand streams to date, and in less than four months, the singer accumulated over 38.4 million video views, 3.8 million likes and 380k TikTok followers. Most importantly where the industry is concerned, the self-released track debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists Chart, debuted at No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and hit the Hot 100.

“A total of 16 labels reached out.” “Once I put my management team together, a total of 16 labels reached out and we literally had 75 Zoom calls, making sure to bring everyone to the table and listen to what they had to say,” says Jannakos. “Impressed by the way Sony Nashville and its subsidiary RCA Nashville had taken the careers of two other viral stars, Luke Combs and Kane Brown to the next level, I had been thinking Sony all along. The key for me was to stay in country and be based in Nashville, though ultimately with this many offers, it was not an easy decision.” As soon as Jannakos and his managers chose Sony, the singer reached out to Sony Music Nashville’s Chairman & CEO Randy Goodman to express his appreciation. “He had the biggest smile,” Jannakos says, “and literally started yelling about how excited he was. Just as importantly, his whole team knew not only ‘Gone Too Soon’ but all the other songs I had recorded and demo’d. Little things like that reflected the sort of commitment any indie artist wants when signing with a major. Country music has been there for me my whole life, and everyone at the label aligns with my vision of developing my career as an artist, performer and musical storyteller in that genre.” – Jonathan Widran 26 March 2021

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NATALIE GELMAN Date Signed: Nov. 16, 2020 Label: Blue Élan Records Type of Music: Singer-songwriter Management: Andrew Hoffman, andrew@industrybites.com Booking: Jim Lenz, jimlenz@tkoco.com Legal: John Seay, john.seay@theseayfirm.com Publicity: Melissa Dragich-Cordero, mdragichcordero@blueelan.com Web: nataliegelman.com A&R: Mary Jurey, mjurey@blueelan.com

ou may have noticed the name Natalie Gelman in our Hot 100 Live Unsigned Bands of 2020 list, an accolade that she fully deserves. That said, she has just signed with Blue Élan Records. With an album on the way, 2021 is looking promising. It’s been a long journey; Gelman started singing when she was a young child in Catholic school. “I sang in choir there and in church, and I sang at home all the time,” she says. “It was serious from the beginning, but it wasn’t until I picked up a guitar at 16 that I started having a vision of what it would look like. That’s when I started busking in the subways, a few months after starting to learn guitar.” As it turns out, that period busking on subways was a gift. One passerby who ended up helping Gelman was entertainment lawyer Steven Beer. He’s been in her corner ever since. Pieces have fallen into place, but it has taken perseverance from the artist.

“I really decided I need a team. I was tired of hustling alone.” “I’m not 20 years old, or 25, or even 30,” she says. “I would love to go back in time and have this happen 10 years ago. But I think it’s inspiring, that if you feel compelled to do something don’t give up. That was the thing with this record. I really decided I need a team. I was tired of hustling alone.” There have been highlights; Gelman opened for Bon Jovi a couple of years ago, and sang with Wyclef Jean. She was also on the front of the New York Times. “Because of busking and auditioning to be a subway performer, I ended up on the national edition of the New York Times as well as in two dozen or so other publications the next morning,” she says. “Ironically, I didn’t get the permit. It’s decided on by other street performers. So all of the press loved me, and then the other performers were like ‘No, you shouldn’t represent us.’ Still, that was another highlight.” Gelman’s deal with Blue Élan came about after a chance meeting with owner Kirk Pasich at a rooftop party. “I went to the bar, and as I was walking back I saw someone had a t-shirt that said Blue Élan on it. I asked if they worked for them, and they did,” she says. “I said that a lot of people tell me I’d be a great fit. It was Kirk, who owns the label. He gave me his card and told me to send him music. I followed up as soon as I got home. I followed up last September and they started coming to my shows in October.” It’s a relationship that works, and we’ll start seeing the fruits when a string of singles and videos will lead to an album in May. And then, who knows? “I’ve already done drive-in concerts. Livestreaming. But I miss playing and actually connecting with people.” – Brett Callwood

DUBBO

Date Signed: November 2020 Label: Babygrande Records - Double 0 Records Type of Music: Trap, Drill, Gangsta Rap & Southern Hip-Hop Booking: N/A Publicity: Tresa Sanders, tresa@tre-media.net Web: linktr.ee/dubbo A&R: N/A

ubbo isn’t just a new rapper—he’s a storyteller who’s already directed a series of rap videos for himself, complete with storylines, narrative arcs and plenty of acting roles for his friends. He’s only been rapping for two years, but when these music videos began to circulate online, his name slowly started to ring bells throughout the Texas independent music scene. “I’m trying to come way different than everybody else,” says the young creator as he opens up about what distinguishes his brand in the rap game. “I direct my own videos. You feel me? Nine times out of ten, all the movies that’s before my videos and anything that’s going on—I direct it.” Dubbo’s raspy vocals and energetic presence in songs like “Beat Up The Belly” are remindful of rappers like Sheck Wes and Y&R Mookey. But the Southern draw in his bars add even more tenacity to his mixture of gangsta rap, trap, drill and southern hip-hop. It’s a sound that he curated with his go-to music producer, Zach Ingraham (pka “Bird”) nearly two years ago—when they recorded their first song, “Trynna Do Right.” And it has since become a blueprint that helped Dubbo land a record deal with Babygrande Records along with an imprint back in November of 2020. “Man, it felt like a dream,” he reflects, on the day that he signed his

“It was the best moment of my life.” first record deal. “It was the best moment of my life. No cap! The best moment I ever had.” Dubbo’s imprint will be a subdivision of Babygrande Records called Double O Records. “Bro, I’m going be that person to sign someone and really change someone’s life. This is what people dream of,” adds Dubbo. This deal also includes an imprint for his music producer—a division that Zach Ingraham has named The Bird House. In December of 2020, Dubbo released his first song as a member of Babygrande Records, a gritty track called “Ben10.” It has become his most streamed song on Spotify and YouTube. Although he spent some of his childhood in Louisiana, Dubbo is a proud Texan who grew up primarily between Dallas and Austin. So, staying true to his Texas roots, Dubbo’s new imprint will be based in his home state and will likely serve as a springboard for a variety of local musicians, where he will be molding their careers and directing their music videos. There are several new projects on the horizon for Double O Records this year, but the highlight of the label’s inaugural season will undoubtedly be the release of the founder’s debut album. A full-length LP that Dubbo promises will be a banger. – Miguel Costa

ALMOST MONDAY Date Signed: August 2019 Label: Hollywood Records Band Members: Dawson Daugherty, vocals; Cole Clisby, guitar; Luke Fabry, bass Type of Music: Indie-Pop Management: Full Stop Management Booking: Marty Diamond Legal: Nicholas C. Ferrara & Associates, PLLC Publicity: The Oriel Company Web: almostmonday.com A&R: Mike Daly

s one of the last bands to get signed by a major label before COVID hit, Almost Monday's origin story is as homespun as it gets: three high school buddies who grew up surfing and skateboarding together in San Diego, playing bar mitzvahs and weddings. “Playing live… is the reason we started,” Almost Monday singer Dawson Daugherty said via Zoom in January. “It was so cool to be in a band and see kids from our high school showing up and buying our merch. Dude, we grinded. From INXS to the Police to Journey, we played so many covers.” After performing about 100 shows, Almost Monday—rounded out by guitarist Cole Clisby and bassist Luke Fabry—began churning out

“It was so cool to be in a band and see kids from our high school showing up and buying our merch.” original material. Consistent with the band’s seemingly easy slide toward stardom, they Googled “best mixers ever,” emailed Mark Needham and saw him at one of their gigs shortly thereafter. “We didn’t see him after the show, though, so we emailed him, and he said we needed work to write bigger songs,” Daugherty recalled. “We weren’t fully there yet, so we didn’t take that as rejection—even though I’m pretty sure it was.” Undeterred, Almost Monday eventually secured Needham, who righted the Almost Monday ship along with producer Simon Oscrof. They also braved their biggest test to date: graduating high school. “That’s when bands tend to fall apart,” Clisby said. “Luke was considering going to Oregon, I was considering Berkeley, and we almost dissolved. But we decided to stay in San Diego together and go to schools there to keep the band going with Mark. He ended up coming to a really DIY art show in Santa Monica in an airplane hangar with no mixing board.” Against their wishes, Needham brought Hollywood Records A&R Executive Director Mike Daly in tow. “It ended up being a good show I guess, because Mike… is one of our really good friends now,” Fabry added. “A week later, [Hollywood] offered us a deal. It was really exciting. We weren’t even on Spotify yet.” Now, Almost Monday have nearly a half-million Spotify followers and an EP, Don’t Say You’re Ordinary, under their belt. Their second is due later this year, after which the optimistic musicians plan to tour heavily and eventually churn out an album. – Kurt Orzeck March 2021

musicconnection.com 27

Hipgnosis Scoops Buckingham, Young & Shakira

The Kings See With their debut album, Youth & Young Manhood, released almost 20 years ago (2003), When You See Yourself is Kings of Leon’s first release in five years, with a four-country tour kicking off in England in June.

edIT Comes to Grips L.A. producer Edward Ma (aka edIT), known for his work with The Glitch Mob and two decades as a deejay and producer working with rappers including Busdriver, Aloe Blacc and Sole, alongside his residency at the Konkrete Jungle, releases his latest album, Come To Grips, following his 2004 debut, Crying Over Pros for No Reason and 2007’s Certified Air Raid Material.

On the heels of the Jimmy Iovine purchase earlier this year, Hipgnosis has now scooped Lindsey Buckingham, Neil Young and Shakira catalogs, securing their spot near the top of the leader board of rights management organizations. Having proposed a sell-off of 1.5 billion shares in late January, which would give them access to over $2 billion USD, the U.K.listed company seems primed to continue acquiring rights to some of the heavy hitters in the business. The Buckingham purchase includes a 100% writing and publishing share of his Fleetwood Mac catalog, encompassing 161 songs—including “Go Your Own Way” and “The Chain,” as well as a 50% share of any unreleased compositions. The Neil Young acquisition includes a 50% worldwide stake in copyright and income of his entire 1,180 composition song catalog, with both a 50% publisher share and 50% writer’s share in his music spanning work with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Crazy Horse, as well as his solo material. As the bestselling female Latin artist of all time, the Shakira purchase includes 100% publisher and writer shares for her entire 145-song catalog.

Sony Buys AWAL and Kobalt

In a deal worth $430 million, Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has confirmed the acquisition of recorded music services firm, AWAL, and performance rights collection agency, Kobalt Neighbouring Rights (KNR), both from Kobalt Music Group, joining forces to form a new division at Sony Music. KNR has been responsible for distributing more than $250 million to over 2,000 artist and label clients to date, including Cardi B., Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, Concord, Secretly Canadian, and others, and will continue to be run by Ann Tausis. Despite the acquisitions, Kobalt retains full ownership of Kobalt Music Publishing, which generated $405 million in net revenues in a year, up 28% year on year, with an estimated 2020 turnover of around half a billion dollars.

AIMP names John Ozier 2021 National Chair

The Executive Committee of the Association of Independent Musical Publishers (AIMP) has named John Ozier as its new National Chair for a two-year term, succeeding Teri Nelson-Carpenter, who remains the President of the Los Angeles Chapter. Ozier has been EVP Creative at Reservoir Media Management and has been President of the Nashville Chapter since 2015. Formed in 1977 with local chapters in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, AIMP’s primary focus is to educate and inform music publishers about industry trends and practices through discussion forums and the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions surrounding issues confronting the music publishing industry. AIMP hosts monthly meetings, forums, workshops, and an ongoing video library. The AIMP Global Music Publishing Summit is set to be held as an online conference this coming June 7-9, 2021, with more details at aimp.org/events.

Insights with Jenna Andrews Revolutionary Love From DiFranco Fagins Wants More The 35th Annual American Songwriter Lyric Contest has announced first place winner, Taylor Fagins, with his single, “We Need More,” which Fagins says is a collection of his own bottled emotions surrounding the continued racial tension in America. 28 March 2021

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Nine-time Grammy nominated independent singer-songwriter and activist, Ani DiFranco, releases her socio-political and deeply personal new studio album, Revolutionary Love.

Having worked as a major label artist, A&R executive, publisher and songwriter, Jenna Andrews has recently launched a new digital series, The Green Room, hosted by dash Radio on YouTube and Twitch and covering mental health and music. Inspired by nonprofit work she did to promote emotional wellness, the program was launched during quarantine to help

– ANDREA BEENHAM

bring people together and give fans some behind-the-scenes insight on the songwriting process. Previous guests of the show have included Lennon Stella, Kiesza and Rebecca Black, and her latest episode, which included songwriter, Alex Hope, manager, Hanna Babbitt, and therapist, Janis Whitlock, featured Tegan and Sara, speaking about the challenges of coming out as LGBTQ+. With Andrews having navigated her own struggles with anxiety and an eating disorder, she emphasizes the importance of having a licensed mental health professional as part of the show. Hoping to inspire and mentor other women, Andrews’ show is produced in partnership with The Jed Foundation, a non-profit founded to foster mental health support for teens and young adults in the U.S., and She Is The Music, an organization seeking to increase the number of female songwriters, engineers, producers, artists and professionals in the industry. More details here: dashradio. com/tag/the-green-room.

BMG Buys Fleetwood

Once the biggest on the block in the music rights space before switching focus to organic musical growth, BMG’s latest acquisition marks a return to the royalties scene. The Fleetwood purchase encompasses 300 recordings, which includes all of the Fleetwood Mac hits—with the exception of Rumours and Tango In The Night, which are both owned by Warner Music Group. BMG will now be included in the renewed success of “Dreams,” following the viral TikTok explosion that generated over 3.2 billion global streams and views. The purchase includes rights to “The Chain,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Landslide.” This now leaves Fleetwood Mac royalties split between competitors—with 80% of Stevie Nicks’ shares at Primary Wave, 100% of Lindsey Buckingham’s song rights at Hipgnosis, and this latest sale of Mick Fleetwood’s royalties with BMG.

Winter, Michael Bublé, Jay-Z, Nancy Wilson, Sonny & Cher, Waylon Jennings, The Partridge Family, The Pet Shop Boys, Martina McBride, Petula Clark, The Fine Young Cannibals, Rush and Dwight Yoakam, among others.

Raleigh Signs Baby Goth

Under a gallon of ink and behind a rising counterculture, alternative pop artist Baby Goth has signed to Raleigh Music Group. Her 2019 self-titled debut EP generated 30 million-plus streams that included collaborations with top artists such as Trippie Redd, Lil Xan and Wiz Khalifa. Baby Goth's music is self-empowering, confident and captures the spirit of today's rebellious youth. In addition to a high-profile collaboration with Halsey, Normani and Megan Thee Stallion on Whipped Cream’s “So Thick'' from the Birds of Prey Soundtrack, Baby Goth is set to release a fulllength debut this year.

Selena Gomez Wants to Dance With her latest single, “Baila Conmigo,” in collaboration with Rauw Alejandro, Selena Gomez is blowing up the charts following the release of “De Una Vez,” her first Spanish single in over a decade. Fans will get her new all-Spanish EP release, Revelación, later this month.

ANDREA BEENHAM (aka Drea Jo) is a freelance writer and marketing consultant based in Southern California. The South-African born, Canadian-raised California transplant has a passion for music, people and fun. She can be reached at drea@dreajo.com

Loretta is Still Enough Loretta Lynn is slated to release her 50th studio album, Still Woman Enough, this month, produced by Patsy Lynn Russell and John Carter Cash, recorded at the Cash Cabin Studio in Tennessee, and including guest artists Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Margo Price and Tanya Tucker.

Sony Signs Mark James

Securing extended rights for three of his top songs, “Suspicious Minds” (Elvis Presley), “Hooked On A Feeling” (Blue Swede), and Grammy-winning “Always on my Mind” (Willie Nelson), Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed a new deal with renowned songwriter Mark James, renewing their 50year alliance. James’ music has been recorded by countless legends across multiple genres, including Bill Withers, Lou Rawls, Johnny

The Marsalis Democracy With a love of jazz that began at 12 years old, a career spanning over four decades, and now sitting as the Director of Jazz Studies at Juilliard, Wynton Marsalis releases his latest album, The Democracy Suite. In a recent interview, Marsalis likened democracy to playing music, stating that it requires constant adjustment and vigilance, since the variables are always changing.

Devmo Sheds Tears TikTok sensation, Devmo, the petite red-headed female rapper from Santa Monica, releases the EP, Tears, about learning to be vulnerable. Previous single, “Too Many Shoes,” went viral for DSW and was used for Jennifer Lopez’s shoe line, and “Are You Ready” played on Love Island U.S. March 2021

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SONGWRITER PROFILE

– ANDREA BEENHAM

Lowell

Resiliency in Motion

anadian singer Lowell is well on her way to go-to songwriter status. Her forthcoming album (Spring 2021) showcases her innate storytelling talent and represents her most vulnerable, intimate lyricism to date. Lowell’s writing began as a response to the death of a friend at age 14. Her gifts soon became obvious and a graduation song she wrote for her high school choir even played on local radio stations. Today, at 29, she’s a force to be reckoned with, both behind the mic and behind the scenes, demonstrating the truest form of musical artistry in an ongoing quest to push herself to new heights. With accolades that include double-platinum for “Not a Love Song” performed by Bülow and gold status for “Selfish” by Madison Beer, as well as certified plaques for her work on songs for JoJo, Demi Lovato and Charlie Puth, Lowell’s reputation continues to grow. Her latest personal releases, “God Is a Fascist” and “Lemonade,” have also turned heads––but her journey to such hard-earned praise was far from orthodox. As a student in the University of Toronto’s music program, she became disenchanted with the prospect of spending years to become a music teacher. She recognized that her real goal was to create and record her own material. Looking back, she confesses that she never really wanted to go to school, but knew that her favorite artists—like Feist, also from Calgary—had moved to Toronto to pursue their music. After performing at open mics, audience members told Lowell that she had something. Much to the horror of her family, she dropped out of school and set a course to record an album, working as a dancer and writing poetry in her spare time to document her experiences. A Via Railway program (“Artists on Board”) offered free or reduced train fare between Toronto and Calgary to artists who applied with a credible demo. She decided to record something, but there was a catch. The contest required acoustic instruments, so she taught herself to play the ukulele. Her demo was accepted, and she won a free trip home. An acquaintance in the music industry passed Lowell’s demo to friends, eventually reaching the hands of Manager, Mike Dixon. Dixon forwarded the demo to Swedish producer Martin Terefe, who is also a member of the band Apparatjik. Lowell debuted as guest vocalist with the band, leading to a mini album (2012’s If You Can, Solve This Jumble), for which Lowell wrote all but the title track. Joining the band for a year, she played shows all over Europe. Terefe also lead her to collaborations with Coldplay, A-Ha and Mew, and shepherded Lowell’s first EP, I Killed Sara V, for Arts & Crafts Records in February 2014. A follow up, full-length album, We Loved Her Dearly, arrived in September 2014. Lowell’s next big step was a 2017 collaboration with Juno awardwinning Canadian artist Bülow, writing all three songs on Bülow’s EP, and Lowell’s sophomore album, Lone Wolf, following in October 2018 (also under Arts & Crafts). Toward the end of 2018, having hit a wall following intense touring and promotion, Lowell took a hiatus and began commuting between Los Angeles and Toronto doing songwriting for other artists. With the pressure of her own deadlines gone, writing came pouring out each morning before her scheduled sessions. Lowell explained that the process felt different and more relaxed. “I was just writing out these songs,” she says. “They were really coming from a super honest place. In the past, I would think about what I can get on the radio, or wanting to be cool. [Now] I was just a human with a pen and paper again—kind of like when I was fourteen.” She continued, “You think that people want to hear some perfect song, but the truth is that people just want something honest and it doesn’t always matter if the math lines up.” As for her best advice, Lowell says, “I really believed in myself and no one was going to tell me otherwise. Even when I failed, I got back up.”

Contact Sarah Avrin, sarah@girlieaction.com, arts-crafts.ca/artists/lowell.html 30 March 2021

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DROPS

Award-winning documentary filmmaker and director Scott Crawford (CREEM: America’s Only Rock’n’Roll Magazine) and producer Paul Rachman (American Hardcore) have launched a Kickstarter campaign in support of their new project, Something Better Change. The film documents 1980s hardcore punk band D.O.A.’s frontman and lead guitarist Joey “Shithead” Keithley’s political journey and run for city council in his native Burnaby, BC Canada, and his 2022 re-election campaign while also exploring how music can create change by helping raise awareness about important social issues and inspiring people to take action. The documentary features U.S. Congressman Beto O’Rourke, Henry Rollins, Keith Morris (Circle Jerks), Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Ian MacKaye (Fugazi), Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) and more. For more information, contact Pam Nashel at pam@ sirenscallpr.com.

KENNY LOGGINS As a sideman and session musician, Lyle Workman has toured and recorded with artists including Beck, Sting, Frank Black, Todd Rundgren and Norah Jones. As a film and television composer, he’s written music for blockbuster comedies including Superbad, The 40 Year Old Virgin and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. On Feb. 19, he released his first album in 10 years, Uncommon Measures, a new instrumental collection featuring a 63-piece orchestra, captured live at Abbey Road Studios in London. Watch a short video on his new release on Blue Canoe Records on YouTube, and for further details, contact Mike Wilpizeski at mikew@ chartroommedia.com. Colson Baker aka Machine Gun Kelly made his directorial debut this year with the 49-minute musical film Downfalls High, which premiered in January on Facebook. Narrated by himself and Travis Barker of Blink-182, the film features Sydney Sweeney and Chase Hudson (Lil Huddy), with musical appearances by blackbear, Iann Dior and Trippie Redd. The film, written by Baker and Mod Sun, was filmed in L.A. in 2020 and centers around an unlikely high school love story. Contact randy. henderson@umusic.com for further details. Music from Hurley Mountain, a documentary film, is available for digital download and streaming on Amazon Prime. Award-winning director Bruce Connors, inspired by Professor Louie & The Crowmatix’s album Music from Hurley Mountain, created the film to tell the story of one Americana town through interviews with members of the Hurley Heritage Society and songs recorded at LRS Studios The Rock ‘n’ Roll Barn on Hurley Mountain Road in Ulster County, New York. Watch the trailer on YouTube and learn more at woodstockrecords.com/ MFHM_DVD.shtml.

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On Feb. 5, Mercury Studios released Critics’ Choice documentary award-winner The Go-Go's on digital and rental services. Directed by Alison Ellwood, the film— which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival—offers an in-depth view of the multi-platinum Los Angeles band and the history they made as the first all-female group writing their own songs and playing their own instruments to top the Billboard charts. With archival footage and interviews with band members Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlen, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock and Kathy Valentine, the film not only documents their rise from the L.A. punk scene, but takes a look at the making of the band’s first new single in almost 20 years, the female empowerment anthem “Club Zero.” The song hit the Top 10 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart. For more information,

contact Carol Kaye at carol@kayosproductions. com. Neil Young recently released Way Down in the Rust Bucket, a never-before released live album and concert film documenting a renowned Nov. 13, 1990 show with Crazy Horse in Santa Cruz, CA. The film features the debut public performances of songs from the album Ragged Glory, released that year and recorded at the Broken Arrow Ranch. The November show ran over three hours, including extended versions of songs such as “Love and Only Love” and “Like a Hurricane.” The performance also marked the first time “Danger Bird,” a cut from Young’s 1975 album Zuma, was played for a live audience. Contact rick.gershon@warnerrecords. com for more information.

OPPS

Registration for the Society for Cinema & Media Studies’ annual conference is now open. The virtual event will take place March 17-21 and offers a forum for scholars and teachers of film and media studies to present and hear new research in the field, network and mentor one another. In spring, SCMS announces the location of next year’s conference and calls for proposals for papers, panels and workshops. Learn more about the conference and register at cmstudies.org. The 2021 SXSW Online virtual event will take place March 16-20 and features more than 230 conference sessions around seven themes: A New Urgency, Challenging Tech’s Path Forward, Cultural Resilience in the Arts,The Rebirth

– JESSICA PACE j.marie.pace@gmail.com

Early this year, OPERA America announced the inaugural participants of the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) Opera Residencies program, a new initiative to support New York City-based composers and librettists of color. Participants receive a fullyear residency at OPERA America’s National Opera Center and direct grants for exploring the art of opera and receiving career mentorship and support from professionals in the field. Applications for the next round of residencies will open in the first quarter of the year. To learn more about grant programs and opportunities available through Opera America, visit opera america.org/programs/services/grants-awards.

PROPS

Kenny Loggins, the Grammy-winning singer behind “Footloose,” recently treated young patients and their families at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego to a virtual performance of

“The Great Adventure,” a custom theme song he recorded for the San Diego Zoo Kids Channel. Viewers around the globe were also able to virtually join Loggins for this event, which included Loggins’ performance as well as wildlife videos set to his music. Proceeds from the sale of the song were donated to the channel, which debuted at the children’s hospital in 2013, and offers animal-centric, family-friendly educational stories to viewers. Loggins also donated three songs from his catalog, the renowned Caddyshack theme “I’m Alright,” “Danny’s Song” and “Go Fish,” exclusively to the channel to be used for wildlife videos. Contact Ryan Romenesko at ryan@jensencom.com for more information. Mary Kay Huse, CEO and co-founder of the livestreaming platform and software company Mandolin, was named to Billboard’s inaugural Change Agents issue. The Change Agents are individuals working for change to help the

music industry survive the pandemic. Mandolin, which was founded to help independent venues and artists survive the pandemic and proactively work toward post-COVID solutions for a hybrid live music industry, is the only livestreamer to make the list. For more information, contact Hannah Schwartz at hschwartz@shorefire.com. The 11th Annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards, held virtually at the end of January, honored composers, songwriters and music supervisors for their scores, soundtracks, original songs and achievements in film, television and video games. Winners included John Legend, Diane Warren, Justin Timberlake, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste, Ben Wallfisch and Emile Mosseri. For a complete list of winners, visit hmmawards.com/hmma-winners. HMMA

of Business, Transforming the Entertainment Landscape, Connection in Disconnection, and An Uncharted Future. Learn more about the themes, schedule and how to attend at sxsw. com/conference/2021-panelpicker-sessions.

This year, poet and activist Aja Monet and playwright, activist and V-Day founder V (formerly Eve Ensler) launched VOICES, a new interdisciplinary performance arts project and campaign to amplify Black women’s stories. Presented by the global activist nonprofit V-Day, dedicated to ending violence against women, VOICES promotes

the vision of ending violence against women (cis women and trans women), nonbinary and gender fluid people across the African continent and diaspora, and the goal of inspiring solidarity through art. In an effort to elevate the voices of Black women artists, V’s play, The Vagina Monologues, will remain a play, but no longer be done as part of V-Day; VOICES will replace it as the feature production. Monet, in her new role as V-Day’s artistic creative director, accepted submissions of poems, monologues and songs by Black women artists around the globe to be curated into a piece for the inaugural production in fall 2021. Learn more at voices.vday.org and contact Anna Zuccaro at anna@unbendablemedia.com for more details. JESSICA PACE is a music journalist-turned-newsreporter based in Durango, CO. She is from Nashville, where she started a writing career by freelancing for publications including American Songwriter and Music Connection. Contact her at j.marie.pace@gmail.com.

Out Take

Winslow Bright

Executive Producer, Music Supervisor Premier Music Group Web: winslowbright.com Contact: gfleisher@shorefire.com As the executive producer and music supervisor at Premier Music Group, Winslow Bright says every day is a little different. “In the span of a day, we could be kicking off a music search for a new client, having calls with a creative team, meeting with a director about an upcoming job, starting demos for original music for a project, calling composers. It’s a huge range, and it keeps everything fresh and fun,” says Bright, who in January gave a keynote speech at SyncSummit on the future of licensing. “With this job, there are a lot of people involved in the process. So in some ways it’s been easier with COVID-19, because everyone is at home and response times are noticeably much faster. Maybe on the other side of the pandemic, things will continue moving at a quicker pace,” she says. “In 2020, I also was often working with songs from more well-known talent, I think because people are looking for comfort, nostalgia and stability in this uncomfortable and unstable time. But hopefully 2021 will see more new music from up-and-coming talent.” Bright says a good music supervisor serves as an “intermediary between music and feeling,” and she works to identify the missing link between the two for clients. “Oftentimes, creative directors bring us a brief and want to tell a story that evolves through different settings, like an arctic tundra, the Sahara, outer space—well, what does that sound like? What do those visual descriptions tell us about music?” In music supervision, projects often entail a scavenger hunt for music, so research skills are a must, Bright says. “You can be asked to find who owned the publishing on something, and you don’t have the option of, ‘I can’t find it.’ You have to find it,” she says. “I was once helping [music supervisor] Randall Poster find a musician in the Netherlands that Wes Anderson wanted for The Grand Budapest Hotel, which was difficult. But there was no other option. Being able to research, being confident in reaching out to people––those are important skills to finding the info that you need.”

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Grimes Sings an A.I. Lullaby Artist-producer-engineer Grimes has partnered with the tech company Endel to launch a new app, “A.I. Lullaby.” The developers capture Grimes’ music and vocals to engineer the sounds, creating interactive, personalized sonic environments in real-time, designed to improve sleep and wellness in children and adults. The project was inspired by Grimes’ experience as a new mother. She defines “A.I Lullaby” as “humane technology founded on a deep philosophy, A.I. safety, immense research and art.”

S.T.O.M.P. (Start Teaching Others More Positivity) S.T.O.M.P., an acronym for Start Teaching Others More Positivity, was originally coined by Chicago DJ and producer, Elektrohorse, before the 2016 Presidential election. In collaborating with Chicago soul singer Floyd Holloway, Nashville country artist Greg Pratt and Southern emcee Terell Skreetzz, Elektrohorse created the “ultimate line-dancing country anthem,” as the genrebending single, “S.T.O.M.P.,” is itself a product of hope and unity. A viral “Line ‘Em Up” dance choreography has helped spread the positivity.

Eddie Van Halen Mural at Guitar Center To commemorate the late Eddie Van Halen’s 66th birthday, artist Robert Vargas teamed up with Guitar Center’s flagship Hollywood store and has painted a 17-feet-tall x 105-feet-long mural of Eddie playing his trademark Frankenstrat guitar. MC photographer David Klein attended the unveiling event and captured L.A.’s BulletBoys’ frontman, Marq Torien, also in attendance. Eddie’s handprints are a centerpiece of Guitar Center’s iconic RockWalk on the Sunset Strip.

DAVID KLEIN

Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road Most Platinum Song in History

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Grammy Award-winning rapper-singer-songwriter Lil Nas X had an astronomical rise to fame in 2019 with a genre-shattering hit, “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. The song became a phenomenon, becoming the longest-running No. 1 single in Billboard Hot 100 history. Still proving it has momentum in 2021, “Old Town Road” has earned the accolade of the most RIAA certified song in history at 14x Platinum, amassing 14 million song unit sales and streams.

– JOSEPH MALTESE josephm@musicconnection.com

Tidbits From Our Tattered Past

2000–Lou Reed–#9

Johnny Marr Receives BOSS’ Lifetime Achievement Award During NAMM’s Believe in Music Week, BOSS presented The Smiths’ guitarist-songwriter Johnny Marr with its Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes artists for their contributions to the music industry while using BOSS gear throughout their careers. As a solo musician, Marr has achieved multiple Top Ten albums, and celebrated collaborations with: The Talking Heads, Modest Mouse, The Avalanches, Hans Zimmer and Billie Eilish, recently recording the score for the forthcoming James Bond film, No Time to Die.

Olivia Rodrigo Driving the Charts The actress who stars as Nini in Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Olivia Rodrigo, has entered the music world in a major way. A recent signee of Geffen Records, Rodrigo’s emotive piano-driven single, “drivers license,” has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard and is already certified Gold. In its first week, “drivers license” amassed over 107M global streams, 76M in the U.S. alone––the second largest U.S. audio streaming ever. Rodrigo set a Spotify record for most streams in a single day, then beat her own record one day later.

Stan Rogers’ Sea Shanties The late Canadian folk artist, Stan Rogers, is experiencing a 2021 renaissance thanks to the niche internet corner we all needed: “Sea Shanty TikTok.” Milions of videos on the platform, in addition to worldwide media coverage, are resurging old-timey work songs, either remixed and reimagined or embracing the storytelling narratives. With Rogers’ “Barrett’s Privateers” as the leading model, the song has experienced a 250% increase in streams each week in the height of the craze. While most users are not aboard a mighty vessel, the spirit is to boost connectedness during COVID-19 restrictions.

In our cover story interview with Lou Reed, the rock icon spoke about the value of writing songs for different voices (Nico, Mo Tucker). “Oh, it’s always fun to write for a different voice. I mean, it can expand what you’re doing, as opposed to just writing for yourself.” Also featured in the issue are Danny Goldberg and his new Artemis Records venture and producer Eric Cadieux.

2011–Jazmine Sullivan–#2 In our candid Q&A with R&B chart-topper Jazmine Sullivan, she told us, “Confidence …yeah, sure, I have more now, but that feeling of somehow never being good enough creeps back every so often.” In our feature on Vocal Producers––Greg Ogan (Leona Lewis), Kuk Harrell (Beyoncé), David Quinones (Jason Derulo) and Makeba Riddick (Rihanna), Harrell said, “It’s about the emotion, not so much about the note.”

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Andrew Watt

, commonly referred to simply as WATT, is in the news right now thanks to the fact that he has executive produced the new album from heavy metal titan Ozzy Osbourne, Ordinary Man. It’s an interesting but perhaps unsurprising move for the producer, songwriter and musician who is still only 30 years old. Throughout his career to this point, Watt has made a conscious effort to work with as many different artists from different corners of the musical universe as possible. His songwriting and production credits include Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Lana Del Rey, Post Malone, Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes. He’s earned Grammy nominations, and the smart money says that he’ll get a win before too long. It all led Monte Lipman, chief executive of Universal Republic Records, to state that Watt has, “this uncanny knack for melody, chord progressions and it’s all effortless. What we’re guilty of is trying to pigeonhole him as a rock guy, because he’s not. He’s a music guy.” He’s based in Los Angeles now, with a home studio in Beverly Hills, but Watt grew up on Long Island with a passing interest in becoming a professional wrestler, until his brother introduced him to the undeniable joys of Seattle grunge icons Nirvana. Like many teens, Watt started jamming and playing in bands with his buddies, but became increasingly frustrated when they proved themselves to be not as determined as he. When he wanted to drive on and perfect the sound, they wanted to stop to play video games or soccer. Not to be held back, Watt learned how to play guitar, bass and drums, and to use computer tools, so he could do everything himself. A break came when he started interning for hip-hop giants the Roots just as they became the house band for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Ever the opportunist, Watt would turn up to every practice with his guitar and got his reward when Captain Kirk Douglas couldn’t make a show and needed to be replaced for the night. “Playing with rappers and MCs full-on, you know, it’s not like they’re singing and stopping,” Watt said in a statement. “They’re attacking the beat. There’s not a lot of room to play. You’ve got to play in the holes or be more like a drummer, play percussively, play parts that kind of just fit in.” He was forced to step this up when he toured Greece with rapper Jared Evans. Upon his return, Watt told his father that he wasn’t returning to school––and was promptly cut off. From that point on, his music was his livelihood. “If my dad hadn’t cut me off in that way and we hadn’t had that strain in our relationship, I wouldn’t have gone into overdrive,” he said in a statement. “I wouldn’t have started to be, like: Okay, well, if I don’t do this then I’m not going to eat. And there was no plan B.” Watt played with Cody Simpson and that led to work with Justin Bieber. Then in 2014, he formed the band California Breed with Glenn Hughes. As we sat down to talk, Watt’s career–– both as producer Andrew Watt and as performing artist WATT, appears to be on an unstoppable upwards trajectory. March 2021

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Music Connection: Let’s start with a bit of background––how did you first get involved with music, and when did you start producing?

doing a lot more than that. Recording the vocal. That, recording the vocal, to me is being the producer. That’s the most important part of the song. The voice is the thing that the world connects Andrew Watt: I was living in New York City, to because everyone loves to sing. It’s the only bit of melody in the song that has and kind of playing gigs everywhere. Every words attached to it. So I think that recordbar, every club, everywhere I could put ing the vocal, working with the vocalist to myself playing music. I wound up getting a get a final vocal, I think that is the most gig playing guitar for an artist, not my own important part of producing, and then music, so I became this hired gun. One gig everything else wraps around it. led to another, one tour led to another, and But I love to produce. I love to see a song I found myself on tour with Justin Bieber. I from the initial chords and melodies and became very good friends with him. I was lyrics, to get close with the artist and all the a hired gun, writing songs for the artists I was working with. He ended up singing one elements are added on top. It’s like a drug. of my songs, and it was a huge hit. That’s when I realized that maybe writing songs for MC: Those huge boards in studios can be initially overwhelming. Were you selfother people was my true calling. taught? MC: Wow, that’s quite a baptism of fire, Watt: Yeah. That’s what it is. It’s all kind going straight in with Bieber… of observing. I had a bass teacher, I took bass lessons for a little less than a year Watt: It wasn’t straight in, I kind of gave when I was younger. That was my formal you the abridged version. I was going artist to artist to artist, but that was the first music training, and then from there I took up the guitar and everything. The studio one that worked, you know? was just watching people work. Working with other people. Grabbing things from MC: How do you set about writing for everyone, everywhere you go. Trying your other people, when you’re used to the own things and having them fail. Then personal approach of writing your own having them really work. material?

MC: In 2014 you released an album with California Breed, the band you were in with Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple/Black Sabbath). How did that band come to be? Watt: I was at a friend of mine’s photography show, in L.A. when I was first starting to come here a lot to do songwriting sessions. I met Glenn at the photography show, and I knew Trapeze. I had my dad’s Trapeze album on vinyl, that I listen to. I knew who Glenn was, and he couldn’t believe that I knew who he was. I was like 22 or 23 at the time. We just started talking, and I guess my line back then was “We should write a song some time.” I would say that to anyone, whoever I met that wrote songs, because I just wanted to write. All I wanted to do was write, write, write, write. We exchanged information, and he looked into me a little bit and was like, “Yes, we should write a song.” So we wrote together, and it was the first time I actually wrote with someone who was much, much older than I was. But music is the great connector. It doesn’t have any restrictions. We wrote, and I think he was wanting to start a new band at the time so he kinda asked me if I’d ever want to be in a band with him. I said yes. That was that. It was really cool, and really great.

Suddenly I found myself in a band with the bass player from Deep Purple and Jason Bonham–Led Zeppelin heritage. Watt: From the day I played guitar, from 10 years old, I was writing. I was making my own things up and just always writing and writing. As you get older and start being in bands, you start learning how to collaborate with other people. I think music is a true art form that’s best with collaboration. So as I got out to L.A., I started writing with other people. Co-writing, and doing sessions. Ali Tamposi is an incredible songwriter and one of my closest friends. We started writing together about eight or nine years ago. When me and her met, we completed each other and made each other’s ideas and songs better. That’s when the songs got good enough to be sung by artists like Justin Bieber. MC: How and when did you make the crossover from songwriting to producing? Watt: I think I was always producing, but I wasn’t credited as so. Yeah, I guess connecting all the dots is really more producing. The title of producer has changed a lot in current music. Now, someone who makes beats on their computer is a producer. Whereas producers of the past, be it a Mutt Lange or even further back, were 38 March 2021

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You keep grabbing things along the way from all the different people that you work with. Things that you liked. Producing is taste level. It’s your taste that you’re deciding––Is this good enough? Is this cool enough? Does this sound good enough? Is this part great enough? It’s all taste. Then you release it to the world, and if they like it, they like your taste. But grabbing things from all these different people and putting them into your own music, it’s really making your own style. MC: As an artist, a creative, do you prefer to produce music for other people or create your own music? Watt: I say this every day, I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world because I get to do so many different things within music. So I’m never bored. Every day I wake up and have a collection of guitars that’s almost amassed 300. “Which guitar do I want to play today?” “Who am I working with today,” and it’s a different person and a different kind of music. It’s so rewarding. So I can’t even pick any one thing that I love. I just love it all, and every day is a different challenge and a different reward.

I was on pop tours up until that moment, [but] all I ever wanted to do was be in a rock band. Suddenly I found myself in a band with the bass player from Deep Purple and Jason Bonham––Led Zeppelin heritage. We were going on tour with Slash and doing all this stuff that was in my rock & roll dreams and what I had really wanted to do as a kid. It was an amazing experience and I met so many people through that band who are in my life today, including Chad Smith from the Chili Peppers, so everything serves a purpose in your life, all the different things. That was a really enriching time in my life. MC: Is that band done, or just on hiatus? Watt: It’s done. Not everything is meant to last forever. MC: When you’re working with different types of artists from across the musical spectrum, does your approach have to be fluid or are there consistencies? Watt: Definitely. I always approach every writing session with a guitar in my hands, even if the final recording doesn’t even include a guitar. I love how I can come

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in there and sit with an artist and break it down on the couch. It all starts there. If a song is showing promise from a bare place, then production can go any kind of way. MC: Regarding your own material, do you prefer to produce it or would you rather have other voices in there to bounce ideas off of? Watt: I always love to collaborate, no matter what I’m making. I have songs

the things I keep saying, and I’m so happy to keep saying it. The changing of your collaborators is what keeps music so interesting for me. I have this thing that I bring and I do, and I have a lot of things that I can do, but when I get in a room I’ll be using that same skill set. When a bunch of other people are in a room that have their different skill sets and come together, it’s just amazing. MC: You’ve produced the new Ozzy Os-

producer and I said that I’d love to work with her dad someday. I said that I was making an album with Post Malone right now, would he ever do a song with Post? At this time, I was never thinking to myself, ‘You could produce an Ozzy Osbourne album.’ It’s just not what I was thinking. I was just like, how could I ever get to what we’re doing. She was like, ‘We all love Post,’ and I’ve told this story like a billion times, but long story short, a couple of months back and forth and we got Ozzy

Why would I not make an album with Ozzy Osbourne if he’s willing to make an album with me? That’s the coolest thing ever. where I’m the only producer, I have songs where there’s three other producers on the songs. I have songs that are 100 percent written by me, I have songs where there’s nine writers on the songs. That’s one of

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bourne album, Ordinary Man, released in February. How did you hook up? Watt: I was at a friend’s party and I met Kelly, who is Ozzy’s daughter and is awesome. She was asking me about being a

in to come through on the song. Then it turned into a relationship of love. I just talked to him this morning. We talk to each other constantly. We made that awesome album together. They say you’re not

supposed to work with your heroes, but sometimes your heroes end up becoming your best friends. That was what it was like for me and Ozzy. MC: Is he easy to work with? He’s a fun guy to talk to... Watt: Yes, he is, because we have common ground. He’s very open, but he knows what he wants. Anyone who knows what they want, it’s usually pretty easy. The arguments that come are all for the best of the song, those aren’t hard. Those are about whatever is best for the song. If somebody is in the studio and doesn’t know what they want to do, then you’re chasing something that doesn’t have an ability to get off the ground. That can be frustrating. Ozzy knows exactly what he wants, so it’s genuinely just a lot of fun. MC: Do you prefer working with a legacy artist such as Ozzy, or a fresh artist who you’re helping to build from fresh? Watt: I love it all. It all has its rewards. Working with someone like an Ozzy, or some of these other legendary artists that I’ve been so lucky to work with, you listen to their catalog, or at least I try to listen to their catalog, and pick out what I love about their music as a fan. Then I try to make songs with them that have some of those familiar elements. Not familiar chords or melodies, but for example with Ozzy, any fan of Black Sabbath––the song “Black Sabbath” was one of my references. How evil those three notes sound together. Evil notes. Within a chord, playing the note next to it makes it scary. We did that on the album. Then the reference was “War Pigs.” Every Sabbath fan loves “War Pigs.” That’s probably Ozzy’s most trademark-able, Sabbath vocal. The thing I grab from that is Ozzy sings in the holes. Everyone loves when he sings in the holes, so we made a couple of songs where there would be holes. They sound nothing like “War Pigs,” but the band stops and Ozzy sings, and suddenly it’s familiar to someone listening. With the legends like that, there’s that. When you’re working with a more current artist who doesn’t have quite the legacy, it’s so much fun because you get to hit new ground for them and go somewhere they haven’t gone yet. Help create a new sound. That is also amazing fun and rewarding. Most of what I’ve done is that. It’s so funny, I’m ticking a lot of boxes from my childhood of people to work with. A lot of people would go and do all the pop, pop, pop. But I’m spending a lot of my time working with my heroes because I love their music so much. I’m still doing the pop stuff at the same time, but why would I not make an album with Ozzy Osbourne if he’s willing to make an album with me? That’s the coolest thing ever. MC: What studio do you prefer to work out of?

Watt: I work out of my house. I have studios all over the world that I’ve made records in, but my homebase is my personal studio. I have everything just the way I want it. All my keyboards, all my guitars, all my drumsets. MC: From your first production credit, how much evolution of the tech, the gear, have you seen? Watt: I think this discussion can lead to an even cooler place. Since I’ve been producing, computers have been around. Pro Tools and computers have been how I have always made my production. In that aspect, it hasn’t changed. I’m always getting new plug-ins, new pieces of analog gear that I’m mixing in with my stuff. Better microphones, better things like that, and to enrich the recordings even more. But something I will say, which is funny to me and I always talk about, is that if you ask a producer like Eddie Kramer or Jimmy Douglass, or a step younger than that, like Bob Rock, if they care to still record on tape, they’ll laugh you out of the room because everyone now––people in younger bands are like, “We’ve got to record to tape because we need that sound.’ I did that, I was that kid. I did that to California Breed, I made them record on tape. I wanted it to sound like Zeppelin. I wanted to sound like all the stuff that I love. But if you ask any of those older producers if they want to record on tape they’ll laugh you out of the room because it’s technology, it’s not the sound. Now, I have a million different plug-ins that I could put on before we record and get it so close to tape, the people in the world that are listening to it would not be able to tell the difference. So modern technology of recording allows us to make the music so much quicker, when you record to tape it may take a full day to do a song. Now with Pro Tools you can go quicker and quicker. To me, what’s most important when you’re recording rock music is keeping the human element. If you have Chad Smith and Duff McKagan and all those guys in a room together, don’t edit it down, make it sound raw and real. A little fucked up. That’s gonna give you the same sound, the same feel, that you’re getting by people playing together. More modern pop songs that are more loop based, I do that all the time as well. That’s more about what’s being said on top that changes so much. But for rock music, tape vs Pro Tools, I care more about how it feels, and that it remains human and doesn’t feel like a computer. Pro Tools is just another tape recorder. You can leave it as it is recorded, you don’t have to edit it. MC: How has the COVID lockdown affected work, if at all? As you work a lot from your home studio, did that ease the impact?

Watt: I mean, it’s very different. I had some projects that included a lot of people together, that had to be stopped. But at my house I have a couple of albums that I’m making now, and it’s a much smaller group of people. We do COVID testing every day so that everyone is safe and then we can sit together in a room, three or four people, knowing everyone is negative. I’ve done a lot of sessions on Zoom now as well. Some of those have been much more fruitful than you would have thought. I’ve recorded people from their houses using Pro Tools with modern technology when I needed a musician to play on something. It’s been really crazy to work this way. MC: Looking ahead into an uncertain 2021, when we don’t know when things will open up, what do you have planned? Watt: I’m working on an album right now, and I’m excited about it. It’s kind of like a collaboration project with all the people that I love to work with and all the people that have come in and out of my life musically. It’s a lot of different people together on each song. It’ll be really fun for people who love music. Contact greg.cortez@42west.net

QUICK FACTS ABOUT ANDREW WATT

• When he was at college, Andrew Watt planned to become a pro wrestler. • Watt knew of Glenn Hughes because of his dad’s Trapeze vinyl album. At the time of meeting, Hughes was stunned that the then22-year-old knew who he was. • Besides the artists mentioned in our Q&A feature, Watt has worked with Rita Ora, Marshmello, Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, the Chainsmokers, Blink-182, 5 Seconds of Summer, Miley Cyrus, Sam Smith and Dua Lipa. • Watt tested positive for COVID in March 2020 but is fine now. • He was Grammy nominated for Producer of the Year in 2020.

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Pursuing a Career in the New Music Industry

15 Tips for DIY Success by Bobby Borg Let there be no mistake

—pursuing a career in the music industry in the 2020s may look easy, but it is highly competitive. The successful musicians you see today in the media—getting millions of hits on YouTube, performing in front of large audiences at the coolest music festivals, or getting streamed on popular playlists—represent only a minuscule percentage of all the musicians in, or trying to break into, the music business today. Knowing these odds, why would anyone continue to pursue a career in the music business? The love of playing music, the tools and technology of the digital age, and the success stories of hardworking artists inspire plenty of people to try. After all, why can’t you

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be one of the lucky ones who achieves tremendous success, or at least makes ends meet, doing what you love as an independent musician? You’re talented, you’re smart, and you’re reading this book to better understand the inner workings of the music industry. You’ve already got a lot going in your favor! While there are no rules or set guidelines that can guarantee a prosperous and long-lasting career, I’ve outlined 15 general tips for career success—from visualizing your dreams to being proactive. Whether you are a rapper, DJ, producer, songwriter, solo artist, band, or anyone else wishing for a successful career in music, these useful tips apply to you!

TIP 1

Realize Your Dreams by Visualizing Them First The first tip for pursuing a successful career in the music business deals with having a clear vision of what you’d like to achieve. You must see, feel, and believe in the potential outcome. If you can clearly hold a picture of success in your mind, your subconscious can bring it to pass. In the early 1990s, in a small club called the Button South in Fort Lauderdale, FL, I witnessed an unknown artist gaze out into the audience and say, “One day I’m going to be a pop star who shocks the world.” He truly believed this. Friends tell me he even kept drawings in a notebook mapping out precisely what his success would look like. With years of hard work, and one successful album and tour after another, that artist made his vision complete. In the best-selling book The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, author Joseph Murphy calls this the “mental-movie method.” In his words, “If I act as though I am . . . I will be.”

TIP 2

Analyze Your Career Motivations Dovetailing nicely from tip number 1, another important tip for career success is to consider just why you are pursuing a career in the music business. Is it for the fun and crazy lifestyle it may offer? Is it for the artistic respect it may earn you among your peers? Or is it for the spiritual satisfaction it may bring, and because there is nothing else in life you would rather do? As you know, fun, artistic respect, and spirituality are not always aligned. Thus, your answers to the above questions are crucial! By understanding your true motivations and what’s most important, you’ll stand firm about what you are (and are not) willing to give up in order to succeed. You’ll surround yourself with people who share your vision and are willing to pay allegiance to that flag. And you’ll accept the consequences of your actions and not whine and bitch about the results in the end. Tour manager-agent-promoter Chris Arnstein calls this approach to self-awareness the “decision-making tree.” Your career decisions (or branches) should be based on the core (or root) of who you truly are as a person. Without this level of self-awareness, you can easily go astray in this business. As they say, if you don’t stand for something, you can easily fall for everything. If you haven’t thought about your real motivation for pursuing music professionally, now is a good time to do so.

TIP 3

Develop a Realistic Outlook by Ignoring the Media Hype You’ll enter the music business from a much stronger position if you refuse to be blinded by all of the media hype or glamour you see and hear in music videos, magazines, and news shows. The expensive houses and yachts and the carefree attitudes and overnight success stories are often spun to make it look like the

music business is an easy path to the good times. The truth is that these “riches” that artists flaunt are often leased, loaned, advanced, or purchased via other businesses and investments just to help a celebrity “look the part.” By developing a realistic outlook, you’ll be better prepared for what may lie ahead and more accepting of this wonderful and crazy business of music. You’ll understand that it could take a great deal of time and money honing your professional skills, building a fan base, and putting up with a great deal of rejection just to get ahead. But you’ll be okay with that. You’ll know deep down inside that the true talents of music lived and breathed their art with no thoughts of ever turning back, and that this determination and tenacity in regard to your craft and career is precisely what is required of you. So get your head together! Focus on the realities of the business, not the fairy tales.

TIP 4

Be Ready to Pay Your Dues, But Use Your Head One of those unavoidable realities of the music business is that pursuing a career will mean paying your dues. Paying your dues essentially means paying the price for your lack of professional experience. That price is your time and hard work, which may yield little or no compensation (in other words, you work for free). However, keep in mind that the more experience you gain, the more valuable a commodity you become. The day will arrive when you’re

WARNING: KNOW YOUR PERSONAL BOUNDARIES While on the topic of paying your dues, you should know that there are many people in the business who will take advantage of your inexperience and make you pay more than your usual dues. Welcome to the “school of hard knocks,” or, as some call it, “the new kid” treatment. In the classic movie Swimming with Sharks, an intern is embarrassed, harassed, insulted, and even bullied by his boss. The intern bravely tolerates this abuse, all in the name of moving up the ladder to success, but it eventually takes a serious toll on him. Should you feel that you are being treated unfairly, stay focused on the bigger picture. Think of the situation as only a stepping stone toward achieving your ultimate vision. However, know your personal boundaries and what you will and will not tolerate. No matter how big the gig may be, draw the line if you feel that the outcome may have a negative impact on your psyche, or if you generally feel that you’re being ripped off! Nothing is worth more than your self-respect and dignity. Don’t forget it!

justly compensated—whether you are a vocalist singing background sessions, or a band paying promoters to play local clubs. Just remember to stay focused on the bigger picture. It’s not always what you earn, but what you learn that matters. Of all the tips for career success, this ranks extremely high.

TIP 5

Expect the Worst to Happen So That the Worst Won’t Seem So Bad At 1/3 of the way through our 15 tips, I think you’re in the right mind-set already to hear one of the toughest tips for pursuing a career in music. Ready for it? Here goes: expect the worst to happen, because it will! The good news, however, is that you can be prepared for it. Remember the old saying, “Shit happens!” Singles get dropped from streaming playlists, bloggers write unfavorable reviews, and people will try to rip you off. Such events are an inevitable part of pursuing a career in music and an aspect that’s certainly not for the thin-skinned. Expect to be knocked down, but learn how to get up quickly and see the lesson in every negative experience. Realize you can’t control everything that happens in this crazy business, but you can definitely control your attitude. You must focus on the positive. To survive in the biz, you must be resilient and prepared to fight forward. As Jon Kabat-Zinn writes in his book Wherever You Go, There You Are, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can surely learn to surf.”

TIP 6

Let Go of Your Fears and Learn How to Go for It According to Danny Sugerman and Jerry Hopkins’ book, No One Here Gets Out Alive, Jim Morrison once asked, “If your life was a movie, would anyone want to watch it?” For many artists, the answer is a flat “no.” They take a “onefoot-in/one-foot-out” approach to their careers and never dive in fully. Jared Leto, of Thirty Seconds to Mars, pursued various opportunities in Washington, D.C.; New York; and Philadelphia before moving out West to pursue his vision as an actor and rocker. He saved a couple hundred dollars, packed a backpack, and bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. With an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and over 10 million records sold, the rest, as they say, is history. If you have what it takes—if you’re realistic, smart, and talented—then what’s holding you back from giving your career your best shot? Is it the fear of moving to the big city, fear of rejection, or fear of going broke? Whatever it is, remember that fear is only a thought that can be replaced by more positive thoughts. As boxer Mike Tyson said during his years as the world champion, “Fear is like fire. It can either cook for you, or it can burn you. Let it cook for you.” Look, what’s the worst that can happen, anyway? You might fall short of your dreams, but you’ll at least know that you gave your career your best shot. You’ll have no regrets! And that, my friends, is priceless! So let go of your fears and learn to go for it. You’ll be glad you did.

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TIP 7

Form Solid Connections in the “Clique of the Future” Make no mistake that networking is a vital part of establishing a successful career in the music industry. But rather than using all your energy trying to break into established and seemingly impenetrable cliques, be sure to recognize others who are talented, intelligent, and ambitious (like your fellow students or local musicians), and create your own “clique of the future.” Get in on the “ground floor” and form solid relationships that will last forever. I got my first break recording in Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios in New York City when two of my longtime college buddies from Berklee College of Music looked me up after graduating. As a result of getting that studio gig, I was able to move from Boston to New York City and start my career in the majors. Thanks, Nunzio and Dave! Look, gang, a lot really does depend on whom you know—and who knows you! The majority of the work you do will be based on word-of-mouth recommendations and personal relationships you form over the years. So be sure to put yourself in situations where you can meet others who are already doing what you want to do, and who are working toward similar goals. Great places to network and make new connections include college courses, songwriting workshops, networking groups, jam sessions, and music conventions. A few conventions worth checking out include MIDEM (midem. com), SXSW (sxsw.com), Durango Songwriters Expo (durango-songwriters-expo.com), and West Coast Songwriters (westcoastsongwriters. org/conference). Finally, for a great read that will improve your

A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH It’s important to take advantage of every opportunity to make connections and find work, but not at the expense of your current situation. A musician who was working with a very successful singer-songwriter (Billy Joel) was growing tired of his life on the road. When he heard of an audition to be part of the house band for a television talk show, he jumped at the opportunity. But to make the audition, the musician had to back out of a prior obligation to Joel. As it turns out, the musician not only failed to get the television gig, but he was also fired from Joel’s band for being unreliable. Remember, if you make a commitment to an employer, band, or cowriter, you must honor it first or suffer the consequences. While networking is important, maintaining the highest professional standard should be your top priority.

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ability to form solid relationships, check out Dale Carnegie’s best-selling book, How to Win Friends and Influence People.

TIP 8

Nurture New Opportunities While You’re Already On the Job Yet another important tip for career success deals with “connecting the dots” and seeking out opportunity. Be clear that the best time to find work is when you’re already working. If you’re currently an employee or a member of a band, use your situation to make new connections. People who see you perform in situations where you feel confident can help you find new opportunities down the road. My friend Mike Inez (now with Alice in Chains and Heart) originally played bass with Ozzy Osbourne when Alice in Chains was Ozzy’s opening act. He was able to connect one gig to the next and stay working for years. Remember that nurturing new career opportunities while you’re still on the job is not deceptive or dishonest; it is a must for survival. The music business is very fickle. Tours are canceled, record releases are postponed, bands are suddenly dumped, music supervisors decide not to use your songs, and producers decide not to use your beats. That’s the reality! And you must be prepared if you want to stay working. It’s only natural for younger musicians to believe that their current musical relationships will exist indefinitely—and they very well might. However, in the words of Miyamoto Musashi in The Book of Five Rings: “The best time to prepare for adversity is when all appears calm.”

TIP 9

TIP 10

Create Your Own Destiny by Being Proactive With only 1/3 of our 15 tips left, it’s a good idea to talk about proactivity! It’s not enough to gain employment or opportunity by simply being good. You need to take control of your career and create your own destiny. Attract attention to those who can help you by first helping yourself. Consider the following: • If you’re a musician who wants to be known as a dynamic live player or a killer studio cat, then form your band and post videos of you performing covers on YouTube. It worked recently for Arnel Pineda, who bypassed millions and got the gig with Journey. • If you’re a songwriter who wants to get your music placed with successful artists and in television commercials and films, then start composing for student films. It worked for indie artist Jonathan Coulton, who now works steadily. • Finally, if you’re a solo artist or band that wants to attract a manager, or record label, or major distributor, cut and release your own record first! It worked for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. In fact, they won four Grammy Awards. You’ll be surprised by how many people you’ll attract in the industry once you set the wheels in motion. This is what the do-it-yourself (DIY) movement is all about. In fact, everyone from band leaders to record company A&R to publishing people expect you to have a buzz before they’ll even take a look at you. Simply put, if you don’t DIY you die. Check out my book, Music Marketing for the DIY Musician, if you want to learn more about this fascinating subject.

Climb Through Back Windows TIP 11 When Front Doors Aren’t Adapt to Change by DiversifyOpening If doors aren’t opening, then climb through back ing Yourself Now windows. As the old saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. To demonstrate this concept, instead of trying to put your recording directly into the hands of higher-ups who are unapproachable and standoffish, get to know these people personally in more casual settings. Jeff “Skunk” Baxter of the classic group the Doobie Brothers says, “It doesn’t matter whether you’re driving an equipment truck or sweeping studio floors; get yourself into the music business any way you can.” You may find that working as an intern for a publishing company or writing for a local music magazine provides great opportunities to make connections. You’ll have the opportunity to get to know people more naturally than you will in situations that make you appear desperate and needy. Look, whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish, consider a variety of approaches to achieving your goals. It’s important to be tenacious and not to abandon your initial plan of attack, but banging your head against the same stone wall is pointless.

Another success tip for pursuing a long-term career in music deals with diversification. It was Charles Darwin who once said, “It is not the strongest of species that tend to survive; it is those that are most adaptable to change.” How true! It really does pay to broaden your career opportunities to increase your earning potential and “staying power” in the music business. Dave Grohl, drummer for the grunge-rock sensation Nirvana, was able to transform his career after Kurt Cobain (Nirvana’s lead singer-songwriter) took his own life. Grohl formed a new band, the Foo Fighters, and assumed the role of vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. The Foo Fighters entered the Billboard charts at No. 24 with their first album and have enjoyed a successful career ever since with several studio albums, a string of hits, and numerous Grammy nominations. If Dave hadn’t been prepared, he could easily have been at the end of his musical career. So what’s your plan to diversify? Is it like independent rapper J-Riv, who operates his own production studio, entertainment company, and urban clothing retail store (6th Ave Stylez)? Whatever it is, J-Riv said it simply in

an interview with Skewln Magazine, “I had to find a hustle that was legit, but at the same time relevant.” Right on, J-Riv. I couldn’t have said it better.

TIP 12

mous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) offer free meetings in a city near you. Conduct a search online today and get to a meeting. This is no joke.

TIP 14

Be Practical About Money by Remember That Finding Keeping It and Making It Grow Your Passion Is a Blessing While on the topic of surviving for the long Within Itself haul, remember that when you make money in the music business, you’ll need to learn how to save it and make it grow. There are far too many musicians who “hit the big time” only to end up penniless. By 2006, producer Scott Storch (Beyoncé, 50 Cent, The Game) had amassed a fortune worth $70 million. As a result of living a lavish lifestyle (he maintained a $10 million home in Miami, a private jet, a 117-foot yacht, 20 luxury cars, and a cocaine habit), Storch was in dire straits by 2007. In 2009, he filed for bankruptcy. Certainly, he wasn’t watching and respecting his money, or his life. What a shame! On the flip side, most super wealthy people, like Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, are extremely conservative. Fortune reported Zuckerberg drives a Volkswagen Hatchback. Says Zuckerberg, “The more clear I keep my life, the more time I spend thinking about how to best serve the community.” So get smart and save and invest your money wisely! It doesn’t take much to get started, so even if you have very few funds, speak with a successful financial planner. The money you invest today could be the money you depend on tomorrow. AFTERTHOUGHT: GOT MORE MONEY? To learn more about money, try books like the best-selling Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Little Book of Common Sense Investing by Jack Bogle, and The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton. Also check out magazines and newspapers like Business Week, Entrepreneur, and the Wall Street Journal.

TIP 13

Maintain Control in the Face of Drugs and Alcohol

Moving on to a point that may be a bit sensitive, I’ve got to bring up the issue of addiction. Drugs and alcohol are a big part of the music culture and have led to the downfall of many successful artists and bands. What might begin as casual partying can end up spiraling out of control. Keep yourself and your band members in check before your life turns into a train wreck! If this advice means nothing to you, at least consider your professional responsibilities to the other members of your band, and to the people who have invested a lot of time and money in your career. Also be aware that the industry is less tolerant of artists who have drug and alcohol problems than it was in the past. With other talent waiting in line to take your place, professionals simply don’t have the time to waste on your personal issues. So, in closing, if you think that you or your bandmates are developing a serious problem with drugs or alcohol, both Alcoholics Anony-

As we approach the end of our list, it’s a good time for a spiritual tip intended to have a profound, long-term effect on your path to success. Allow me to reflect on the gift of love, purpose, and music. I’m totally serious. Read on. When I was very young, I knew precisely what I wanted to accomplish. I would wake each morning driven by a specific agenda— practicing, writing, promoting, etc. When I went to sleep at night, I reflected on what I had accomplished and always felt fulfilled. There has never been a wasted, sad, or lonely day in my life. I can’t imagine things being any other way. So rejoice and feel blessed! You too have something that moves you and gives your life meaning, something that gets you up in the middle of the night with pad and paper in hand to jot down that song idea. It’s not about how much you accomplish, but the fact that you’ve found your inner self, your true purpose! Because, in the end, there’s nothing greater than that!

the preceding tips in mind, up-and-coming artists should at least remember these important basics. Focus on your craft first—put in your time—and be great. Write amazing songs, be amazing on stage, make fans love you and kids want to be like you, and believe in yourself for many, many, many years. Hang out and meet people—support other bands and form powerful alliances. Put your music up on the Internet and let your audience know that you exist. Give fans a reason to care. If the heavens are all aligned, then perhaps things will happen. Till that big day, learn how to bring in income on your axe so that you at least won’t kill yourself at a random day job you hate. Know the business and don’t look for handouts (desperation is repulsive). Have a vision and a clear strategy to get there, and stay away from the haters. They are vampires and will drain your spirit. Always stay positive and never whine. Hopefully, the rest, as they say, will be your amazing history. Peace and good luck! •

TIP 15

Hang On to the Basics

Of course, there are numerous ways to succeed and thrive in the music business. However, with

SAD BUT TRUE: DEATH, DRUGS, AND ROCK & ROLL Finding solutions to drug and alcohol problems is clearly beyond the scope of this book, but one thing’s for sure— you’re not going to find answers to your problems by indulging in extreme behavior. As illustrated below, the problems only worsen. Mike McCready of Pearl Jam was nearly fired at the apex of the group’s career because of his drinking. Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses was booted out of his band for drug abuse. And pop singer Demi Lovato had to cancel a string of shows after relapsing from her sobriety and being hospitalized for complications from drug abuse. Even worse, Layne Staley of Alice in Chains suffered from a heroin addiction that forced his band into a long hiatus, then killed him when he overdosed. Singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse died tragically of alcohol poisoning. And, in a situation that’s very close to me, Jani Lane, the lead singer for one of the groups I worked with, died as a result of poor health conditions related to alcohol. Sad but true.

Bobby Borg

is a professor of music industry studies and an author of several music industry books including Music Marketing for the DIY Musician and Business Basics for Musicians on sale at finer book sellers. Borg can be contacted via bobbyborg.com.

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– SETH WALKER

The Magic of Learning to Let Go “On the road, it's so easy to feed into the woefulness of it all: the long drives, the 1-star motels, the array of impossible semi-deaf sound men, the bags of cash that never come, or the questions of why there is a line of fans around the block waiting for a Rave to begin after your show.”

ao Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, complete with flowing robes and white fu manchu, put it best––“Bend and you will be whole. Curl and you will be straight. Keep empty and you will be filled.” You can’t poke a hole in that now can you? This titan of the mind and human condition was born somewhere around the 5th century BC and his beautiful, timeless writings do more than just hold water all of these moons later. As a touring musician, when I read the simple stanzas of the Tao Te Ching, it’s as if Lao Tzu wrote these words as a manual for emotional neanderthals like myself to navigate the sprawling, slippery and treacherous landscape of the music business. In the early days of my 20-year career running around the globe chasing the muse, I would find myself rigid, white knuckled, trying to force my way into a creative space or an advantageous position. It never came. Never-ever. Not to mention, that sometimes in life, the shit just doesn’t work out. It’s the law of averages. These situations, however, are the moments where if you can embrace and learn to love the questions themselves, you might find yourself falling backwards into the answers. On the road, it's so easy to feed into the woefulness of it all: the long drives, the 1-star motels, the array of impossible semi-deaf sound men, the bags of cash that never come,

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or the questions of why there is a line of fans around the block waiting for a Rave to begin after your show. You just can’t let it rule you. You simply can’t force it one way or the other. It’s a floating amoeba out there and we must go with the proverbial flow and enjoy the ride, oftentimes without a map or steering wheel. The trick is learning to let go, so we can start to hold on to what a gift it is to not be in control. As a musician or artist, that’s where the magic and essence of creativity lies anyway. And if we are open enough, we can dial in some kind of mysterious spiritual channel, serve as a conduit, and let it flow through us. We own nothing. The Buddhist monks create colorful sand mandalas, sometimes taking years to complete. It's an exercise in mediation, healing and transformation. After these beautiful, intricate creations are complete, they erase the work immediately by raking the sand into a jar wrapped in silk, and transporting it to a river to be released back into nature. A lesson in surrender. Along with the Tao Te Ching, I can't think of two better parallels and ideologies to dance with as a musician on the road. Play it beautiful, strong and unabashedly and release it back into the wild. In other words, “Have little and gain, have much and be confused.” And let us not forget the old gem––“Keep it simple stupid.”

SETH WALKER is an Americana artist who combines a gift for melody and lyric alongside a rich, Gospel-drenched, Southern-inflected voice. Residing in Asheville, NC, after stints in Nashville, New Orleans and Austin, he’s released 10 albums over a two decade career and most recently added published author to his resume with the release of a memoir, Your Van Is On Fire. Check him out at sethwalker.com.

–JOEL MILLER

Looking to Get Your Music Book Published?

o, when asked the question, “How is your book Memoir of a Roadie the No. 1 biography on Amazon right now? Without a publicist, manager, agent, or even a publisher, how is that possible?” I don’t have to think about the answer. Today, I’m editing my book like crazy because it has become way more popular than I’d ever thought would happen, and trying to work to pay my bills in between. Listen my friends…. The internet continues to bring us, as artists, opportunity. You no longer need any managers, agents, distributors, publicists, or any other names associated with helping you sell your product. One thing hasn’t changed. No one is going to help you! You, as it’s always been, must help yourself. But the difference now is, it’s easy. The answer is––to plug away. At night, email every website, journalist, fan site, blog, forum, you can find relating to your topic. Most will not get back to you, many have emails that are nonexistent, but you know what––someone will. If you get a few…. That means work harder. Then, you need to share those published articles to EVERYONE you reached out to before. It’s a numbers game. Don’t be shy, and don’t be bashful. There has never been a time where being an artist has been in the palm of your hand. Take your wiener out of your palm and put your CD or book there instead. Before all this though let me give you some tips on how to successfully and speedily put your book on Amazon. Here are some tricks I learned in the process of uploading my book to Amazon. This will save you LOTS of time. First thing is you MUST download their app. Uploading your book as a Word or .pdf file will look like crap every time. Before you start changing your book on the app, here are some things to know. Don’t worry about formatting your book in Word. When you load it into the Amazon app, you are going to have to redo ALL the formatting again. While you can manipulate photos in Word you cannot in the Amazon app. In the Amazon app you only get four options on how to place your photographs. Those options are small, medium, large, and full. You cannot flip or manipulate the photos in the app. I found it best to save all the photographs as jpegs first and then drop them into the app, the way I wanted them. You cannot copy and paste in the app. That means

any corrections made after you start working on the app have to be changed on both your word document and the app. itself. That obviously means twice the work. So, try hard to lock the final edit of your book in before working on the app. You can only change the name of your book for the first couple days. I think it was a couple days, but if I’m wrong it is a very short period of time either way. However, you can update everything else about your book whenever you want. It takes a few days for Amazon to upload the file you changed and you cannot manipulate the file while it is processing through Amazon’s team of sleuths looking for your subliminal

designer friend do it for me. Remember, if you increase or decrease your page count once published you may then have to change your cover jpg size. You can pre-sell your book if you want. I probably should have done that, as people were able to buy/download books before I finished my final edit. Still, I’m a roadie so people don’t expect me to be too literate. Once your book is live, start directing people to your Amazon page. Next, start a Goodreads. com page for your book. You will find that the reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads are important for your sales. Pricing your book: I spent time, not too much, figuring out what I should charge for my book based off of other people’s titles that were similar in content. What I found was when you get to the pricing page for your book, Amazon “suggests” what you should then sell it for. If you don’t select what they want you to, they won’t distribute it worldwide. I selected the cheapest option I could to make my book distribute worldwide, both for digital and paperback releases. I’m looking for more people to read my book than to make more money on fewer sales. It is too expensive to have Amazon make your book with color pages. So, assume you are making black and white pages only. I think the cheapest I could sell my book with color pages was $56; in black and white it is $16.99. My book is not about touring with U2, but Guns ‘N Roses, STP, and Poison. So, my readers can’t afford that $56. Take this opportunity and share yourself to the world. Amazon may be a big corporate beast, but there is no reason you shouldn’t use that to your advantage. Amazon is like your dragon in the Game of Thrones show. It’s so easy to upload a book now. Have a CD? No problem. Look into Tunecore or CDbaby. Again, … easy. What other time has there been in your life to have no excuses? My next step. I’m recording an audiobook. I’m recording it myself, and uploading it myself, to you guessed it… Amazon. And what am I doing with all my extra free time? Well, I’m writing to Music Connection to post this article!

“It’s a numbers game. Don’t be shy, and don’t be bashful.” messages. VERY IMPORTANT––on the top right hand of your app page you will see a button to preview your book, though. Preview your book in the app and not on the upload page. The upload page is slow but the app is fast. I promise, both preview screens show you the same thing. You must preview your book to upload it FYI. Assuming you don’t have a barcode on your book, be sure to checkmark the box that says you want Amazon to provide one. That will hold up your book release by a few days if you forget to do that. The only thing I wasn’t able to do myself was the cover. It’s a real nightmare to adjust that to fit Amazon’s wishes. If your cover gets denied you will receive an email from Amazon in 24-48 hours telling you what size you need to make the cover for bleed. I had to have my graphic

JOEL MILLER’S book Memoir of a Roadie is an autobiography about being a former roadie for Guns N’ Roses, Stone Temple Pilots, The Cranberries and Poison. It is available for sale on Amazon.

March 2021

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– BRIAN TARQUIN

Thin Lizzy’s Eric Bell: Musical Journey

he Irish band Thin Lizzy was renowned for their extraordinary guitarist, Eric Bell. Much like the Yardbirds in the ‘60s, Thin Lizzy showcased many talented guitarists, such as Gary Moore, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson, Snowy White and John Sykes. Born in East Belfast, Northern Ireland, Bell was one of the founding members of Thin Lizzy and had performed in the mid-‘60s with such bands as Them, Van Morrison, Shades of Blue, the Earth Dwellers, the Bluebeats and the Irish showband the Dreams. The magical musical year of 1969 brought Eric together with Phil Lynott (lead vocals, bass), Eric Wrixon (organist) and Brian Downey (drummer) in a chance meeting at the Countdown Club in Dublin. Bell creatively named the band Thin Lizzy, after Tin Lizzy, a robot bird in The Dandy kids comic. The Dandy was one of the top comic books in the U.K., along with The Beano. If you take a closer look at the groundbreaking 1966 John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers album cover, you will see a young Eric Clapton reading a Beano comic. In 1971, Thin Lizzy received a record deal from Decca Records and relocated to London. They released their first three albums: Thin Lizzy, Shades of a Blue Orphanage and Vagabonds of the Western World. Decca released their hit single “Whiskey in the Jar,” a remake of a traditional Irish song. Eric Bell co-wrote many of the songs with Phil Lynott, including “The Rocker” and “Ray Gunn.” Then, in 1973 at a New Year’s show, Bell famously left the band as he dramatically threw his guitar into the air and pushed the amplifiers into the audience during the concert. After leaving Thin Lizzy, Bell went on to a solo career and an interesting stint with Noel Redding, bass player from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. I had the pleasure of interviewing Eric Bell to see his guitar influences and how he embarked on his enriched musical journey. Tell us about how you started playing guitar and who were your big influences? I got a plastic guitar one Christmas when I was about 12 years old, but it was pretty good. It had six different colored strings and really good little frets. It was midway between a toy and a real guitar and about a third of the size of a real guitar. I learned to play the “Harry Lime” on the first string. My first influence was Hank Marvin from the Shadows. The Shadows blew my mind when I first heard them, and I still love listening to them. Hank was definitely the first real guitar hero in Britain. I think he's the only guitar player who got the sound and tone out of a Stratocaster that matched the way it looked. What bands were you in before Thin Lizzy? I was in a few groups that started with some mates when I was going to Orangefield School––The Atlantics, The Deltones––and I played with three different Irish showbands. I turned professional when I was around 17 and went to live in Glasgow with the Bluebeats Showband from Belfast. Then I played with the Shannon Showband that was based in Leeds. A few years later I joined the Dreams Showband in Dublin. I also played in Van

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Morrison's band called Van Morrison and Them Again. I only played about seven gigs with them and left after a drunken night playing in Queen's University, Belfast. I’ve always been a huge fan of Thin Lizzy! As a co-founder of the band, how did it come about that you teamed up with Phil Lynott? I left the Dreams Showband after playing with them for nearly two years. This was because I had gone to a club in Dublin and saw a group called Skid Row. My friend Gary Moore, who I hadn't seen for a few years, was playing guitar with them. Skid Row was amazing, playing amazing arrangements at amazing speed. I left the Dreams about four months later.

minutes and I’d be sitting in the corner reading Melody Maker. What funny story can you tell Thin Lizzy fans that happened to you and the band in ‘70s? We were driving home after a gig in Wales and our driver Charlie got tired and wanted to take a rest and pulled on to the side of the road. A half hour passed, and it started to get very cold. I thought I might as well drive, as we were on the motorway for a straight line for about 40 miles. I ended up in the driving seat and after lots of judders got the van moving. Everyone was cool about it except Philip. “Hey Eric, can you drive?” I'd only driven in a garage where I had worked for a while, but never on a main road. We carried on for about 10 minutes, not a car in sight. Then up ahead was a police car and they pulled us up and Charlie gave me his driver’s license. One with no photo in it. The police told me I was too tired to drive (I was very stoned) and gave me a ticket. Why they didn't search the van, and us as well, I’ll never know as we all looked pretty weird. I always thought Noel Redding was a great bass player, how was your experience in his band? Did you have any creative freedom? At the start of the Noel Redding Band, I must have left about four times. I didn't like Noel at that point or the music we were playing. Noel would get really stoned and drunk and become a pain in the bollocks. The reason I stayed was I heard from our manager we were going to do an 11-week tour of America. I’d never been there and wanted to see what it was like. I must mention...when we were in America, Noel became much more relaxed and was a really nice guy and we became close friends. Being creative in the band, I found very hard as it wasn’t a three-piece. It had keyboards played by Dave Clarke who wrote most of the songs. I couldn't find a natural way to play, as everything was very worked out, so I couldn't take off.

On my nights off from playing, I would go around Dublin looking for musicians to form a three-piece band. Nobody was interested. Then one night I went to Countdown Club and a group called Orphanage was playing. Philip Lynott was singing, and Brian Downey was on drums. I spoke with them during their break and we decided to get together to have a jam. It all worked out. The first three albums––Thin Lizzy, Shades of a Blue Orphanage and Vagabonds of the Western World––had some great, memorable songs like “Ray Gunn,” “The Rise,” “Dear Demise of the Funky Nomadic Tribes,” and “The Rocker.” Did you write all of these songs with Phil? Both myself and Brian Downey worked really hard on the songs with Philip. Sometimes at rehearsals Philip and myself would work on a very basic idea that Phil had, and I would be trying and experimenting everything I knew on guitar, until we hit on an idea that worked. The same with Brian. He and Philip would work on a part of a song sometimes around 45

What is your gear set-up:? My set-up on stage is very basic now. My Strat, which I bought in 1971, through a Fender De Ville amp and a Boss Blues Driver. That’s it. What are your current solo projects? For about five years I’ve played a blues gig in England. The guy who ran it was Andy Quinn and asked me if I would be interested recording an album. I recorded one, which is called Exile, and a year later recorded another one, Standing at a Bus Stop. I was supposed to record a third album last September, but the freaking virus has put a hold on that, so I'll just have to wait and see what happens. BRIAN TARQUIN is the winner of multiple Emmy Awards, having established himself as a top-rate TV composer/guitarist. In 2006, SESAC honored him with the Network Television Performance Award. In addition, Tarquin has produced and composed the Guitar Masters series, trading licks with such guitar greats as Leslie West, Steve Morse, Billy Sheehan, Frank Gambale, Andy Timmons, Chris Poland (Megadeth) and Hal Lindes (Dire Straits). For further information, visit briantarquin.com.

– JEFFERY LAKES

Indie Music Artists Need Vision More Than They Need Record Labels

s the music industry’s leading companies continue consolidating through mergers and acquisitions that bring record production, artist management, music publishing, and marketing all under one umbrella, independent artists must not only keep eyes on the technologies that change the game to their favor, but also how the adverse effects correspond to the majors “muscling up.” Less than 20 years ago, there were six major record companies: BMG, EMI, MCA, PolyGram, Sony, and Warner; however, industry consolidation has reshaped the majors into the three currently standing: Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Is it safe to conclude that as music sales have eroded from almost $30 billion globally in 1999 to about $15 billion in 2016, that major record companies (i.e., labels) as we’ve known them are rapidly becoming extinct or irrelevant? Jon Wexler, head of global entertainment and influencer marketing for Adidas seems to think so, going as far as telling Uli Reese in an October 2016 LinkedIn interview. In fact, Wexler envisions a music industry within five to 10 years whereby brands (such as Adidas, Nike, Coca Cola, and other big spenders on music) actually become the new record labels, and therefrom introduce new platforms for artists to get their music out. Fast forward 20 months later (June 2018) to Spotify entering into direct deals with artists to license music to its streaming platform. On its face, this is a huge bonanza for independent artists, particularly because Spotify’s deals with major record companies prohibit it from doing business as a “record-label”...in other words, entering into direct competition with its most noteworthy content suppliers. As most artists, and even producers, clamor for Spotify advances, questions arise as to the criteria Spotify uses to determine who gets backing and how much. According to Billboard, Spotify isn’t buying the copyrights that form the core of the labels’ businesses, and the advances Spotify is offering are significantly smaller than the $1 million-plus sums that labels and independent distributors (???) have been dangling lately to sign promising new acts. But Spotify’s terms are still attractive, some say because they only apply to Spotify: the deals permit artists and managers to license the same works to other platforms under separate agreements, while retaining full revenue from any such outside deals.” Expect major record companies to keep the most relevant streaming services from competing as “record labels” as long as possible. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise to see efforts to stymie direct deals for indie artists. Meanwhile, how can independent artists take advantage of this bonanza? Independent music artists can take advantage of game-changing industry developments simply by being more visionary and strategic. Thinking more like a brand goes a long way in being more strategic, particularly where being signed to a major label versus operating your own label is concerned. With a more strategic mindset, there are four areas indie artists must pay close

attention to if they intend to maximize Spotify’s direct deals for licensing their music, as follows:

maximize strategic dollars (incoming) without yielding equity in or control of their music.

• Growing and monetizing social media • Raising capital/accelerating cash-flow • New distribution channels • Sponsorships/strategic partnerships

New Distribution Channels In the same LinkedIn article, Adidas’ Wexler speaks of wearable technology as new platforms for artists to distribute their music. As futuristic as it sounds, it is not outside indie artists’ reach to connect with Adidas or another major brand with a huge presence in the music space. In any event, indie artists choosing to pursue the exact same channels major label artists use are wasting precious resources, particularly when the majors are spending more money supporting more artists than indies do. Instead, indie artists should be building (or partnering into) proprietary distribution channels, particularly those that enable them to establish “first dollar” positioning to incoming revenues... because cash-flow truly is king!

Growing and Monetizing Social Media Brand-focused artists will never have too many social media followers or too much fan engagement; however, gaining more followers strategically is more about “aggregating” them than “earning” them. As high-powered content

Sponsorships/Strategic Partnerships With major brands typically looking for proven hit-makers to allocate sponsorship support to, how do indie music artists get on their radar?

“With major brands typically looking for proven hitmakers, how do indie music artists get on their radar?” creators, music makers’ value proposition to brands of all types and sizes is significant and monetizable in ways too many artists have yet to grasp. For example, if given the chance, most indie artists would jump at the opportunity to collaborate with a global brand such as Adidas; but do they truly know the strengths and opportunities of such an alliance? Gaining access to Adidas’ vast social following and email subscribers is huge, but only when duplicated and multiplied across other brand platforms...hundreds to thousands of times over! Raising Capital/Accelerating Cash-Flow For brand-focused artists, the ABC’s of raising capital is to “always be closing.” More specifically, they must generate revenues that bring in the capital essential to establishing and sustaining independence long-term. Because music’s value proposition to record labels (income/market share) is vastly different than to brands such as Adidas (ancillary/strategic) and even to Spotify, indie music artists functioning as high-profile content creators are optimally positioned to

Beyond making hits, demonstrating ability to engage requisite demographics, and producing amazing content, indie music artists seeking big brand backing should first partner with smaller, local companies, including retailers, brands, and even startups when possible. Therein lies a wealth of opportunities to infuse high-profile content creation into their marketing mix in exchange for aggregating significant reach through social media networking, which also includes email newsletter integration. In doing so, brand-focused artists also produce a wealth of data that companies such as Adidas expect and respect, and more importantly, it expands the artist’s ability to convey “win-win” to key stakeholders, thereby separating those who do from those who do not. In summary, when leading brand executives passionately muse about the day when artists no longer need record labels, and leading streaming platforms provide cash in direct licensing deals with indie artists, it is time for artists to become more strategic in their approach to building their brand, their team, and ultimately, their partnerships. The fourpoint approach highlighted in this article not only positions indie artists to prove their viability to a host of prospective partners, but also to neutralize the adverse effects technology persistently imposes upon the industry. From major brands’ perspective, this fourpoint approach infuses depth and vitality into opportunities to partner with artists; whereas, from the Spotify perspective of doing direct deals with indie artists, this approach goes a long way to ensuring that the artists they back remain independent, and thus, accessible. JEFFERY LAKES is the founder and CEO of CardsCashRewards.com. Based in Los Angeles, CA, CardsCashRewards.com develops products and solutions powered by gift card technology for indie artists to market and monetize their music. For more info, please visit: cardscashrewards.com March 2021

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Tash Sultana

Terra Firma

Rhye Home

Mom + Pop Music Producer: Tash Sultana

Concord Distribution Producers: Various

Terra Firma is a masterful mix of R&B, soul, indie-rock, alternative and shoegaze. The tracks are so diverse that it would be unjustifiable to classify it by a single genre. The Australian-born multi-instrumentalist stays true to her blues-rock roots with “Crop Circles,” but she also makes several deviations from that sound on this LP, most notably when she performs a track called “Maybe You’ve Changed Me,” combining elements of folk with piano rock. Her pitch on this track sounds drastically different from her vocal tone on the neo-soul song “Blame It On Society.” That type of contrast is what makes this album such a pleasure. – Miguel Costa

If you’ve listened to Rhye, you’re familiar with Michael Milosh’s sultry vocals, often heard ascending over an ethereal, R&B groove. Home is no different, but this time, Rhye has expanded their universe to include the Danish National Girls’ Choir, bookending the album with chamber-like harmonies. “Come in Closer” sets the tone for the whole album, displaying an unusual, yet natural marriage between orchestra and modern synth. Although, many of the tracks lack melodic distinction, they succeed in conveying a unified mood that is simultaneously haunting and familiar, engaging yet meditative. – Heather Cunningham

J Stone

Jarrod Lawson

The Definition of Pain

Be the Change

All $ In Producers: Various

Dome Records Producer: Jarrod Lawson

After the passing of Nipsey Hussle, All $ In Records needed one of its soldiers to rise up, fill the shoes, and continue the Marathon that Nipsey set forth prior to his untimely demise. J Stone decided to answer that call and release another solo project, titled The Definition of Pain, which seems to be appropriate in that J Stone is now assuming the role as the lead artist at All $ In Records. Tracks like “Chosen,” “All or Nothin’,” “County Jail,” “You Talk It, I Live It” help carry this 18-song release to the finish line. With features from Nip to T.I. to E-40 to T-Pain, The Definition of Pain is a solid effort; and I can’t wait to see who’s next to carry the Marathon torch. – Adam Seyum

Singer-songwriter-pianist Jarrod Lawson picks up the baton from heroes like Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway and dashes beyond the finish line. His silky smooth vocals, rich soul-jazz songs and relaxed vibe are a winning trifecta. As a result, the Portland, OR crooner has caught the attention of new converts at jazz fests and the press worldwide. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, the title track sets the stage for Lawson’s powerful and positive messaging. From the ultra funky “Battlefield” to the spirituality of “Universal Chord” and “Soul Symphony,” he infuses the album with a healthy balance of grace, humor, candor and improvisational mastery. – Eric Harabadian

Yung

Nikhil Korula Band

Ongoing Dispute PNKSLM Producer: Neil R. Young

Revolutions

Groove Infinity Records/Distrokid Producer: Nikhil Korula

Tour-fried following their debut full-length A Youthful Dream, and after years of EPs catching up to them, Yung took their time with this sophomore album. Fronted by Mikkel Holm Silkjær, the disparate tastes of the four members of the Scandi band span the gamut of punk, pop, rock and metal. Any consensus among them is hard won, but each manages to voice his own full-throated argument across these nine tracks. With all of the heady jostle and clamber you want, there’s a deft finesse of the interminable tension too, as they claim and relinquish the spotlight in turns to deliver what’s more of an ongoing negotiation than dispute. – Lindsay Gingerich

Singer-songwriter-instrumentalist Nikhil Korula has weathered many highs and lows during a 20-plus year career. Many of the tracks on this full length release spotlight an unbridled verve and spirit that’s refreshingly transparent. Korula writes from the heart and draws from an eclectic pool of musical delights. “Survive—Just Let Love” is a multi-dimensional piece that targets overcoming hardship. The timely title track addresses socio-political issues that are emerging as we speak. “All Night” shifts gears, with a sexy and soulful Ray Charles meets Dr. John inspired ballad. Fans of Dave Matthews, Little Feat and world beat will find joy as well. – Eric Harabadian

Bob Davoli

George Lynch & Jeff Pilson

Wistfully Yours

Gutbrain Records Producer: Bob Davoli

Heavy Hitters

Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records Producers: George Lynch and Jeff Pilson

Davoli has spent the last seven decades preparing for this album debut. At 72, the successful venture capitalist felt he was ready to unveil his other passion with a collection of original folk, blues and jazzlaced ballads that displays an empathic and fully evolved artist. His melodically malleable voice blends beautifully with fellow singers Gabriela Martina, Maureen McMullan, Kathleen Parks and Jake Tango. And songs like “Transistor Radio and Me” and “What I Remember Most” run the emotional spectrum, from personal trauma to enduring love. Prepare to open your heart and feel. – Eric Harabadian

Guitarist George Lynch and bassist-multiinstrumentalist-vocalist Jeff Pilson are best known for being one half of ‘80s heavy metal hit makers Dokken. And, while that legacy is rock solid, it does not necessarily define all they do. The duo partner with vocalists Wil Martin, Marq Torien and drummer Brian Tichy to create a covers album that defies convention. With roots in ’70s pop, ’80s/’90s funk and post-’00 rock they add tasty metallic flavoring to gems by Carole King, Prince, Madonna, Oasis, R.E.M. and Chaka Khan. Diehards may scoff, but, unfortunately, they’d miss the point! – Eric Harabadian

To be considered for review in the Album Reviews section, you must have a record deal with a major label or an independent label with an established distributor. If you do not, please see our New Music Critiques section.

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THE INDIE ARTIST Music Connection

“ magazine, whether online or in print, is the best publication for anyone with either an interest in music or the music industry to read—hands down. MC is always on the pulse of what is happening within the business at the present moment, providing up-todate, invaluable resources to all creatives and industry-types. Not to mention, the MC team is incredibly supportive of independent artists, such as myself.” – Kara Connolly

THE EDUCATOR

“Music Connection magazine is my barometer for staying on top of industry trends. My students receive invaluable feedback through the New Music Critiques and Reviews. Also, the national Directories are a great resource. The latest issue of Music Connection magazine has a permanent home in my teaching studio!” – Chris Sampson, Vice Dean for Contemporary Music, USC Thornton School of Music

THE GRAMMY WINNER

“Music Connection is consistently the best source for how to make records and sustain a |career in music.” – Greg Wells, producer-songwriter-musician (Katy Perry, Panic!, Adele)

THE STUDIO OWNER

“I find valuable information in every issue. I constantly refer engineers seeking employment to the annual Recording Studio issue, which has the most complete and comprehensive list of U.S. studios that you will find anywhere. And when I am asked for advice by a kid just starting out, I always tell them 'Well the first thing you should do is check out Music Connection.'” – Kathleen Wirt, Owner, 4th Street Recording

THE INDIE ARTIST

“Music Connection has been a reliable home to get absolute honest and reliable feed back on my reviews! I felt like they really gave my songs a chance and gave helpful feedback to assist in elevating my game as a recording artist and entertainer.” – Chevy Quis

THE GRAMMY WINNER

“I never, ever miss an issue of Music Connection!” – Ricky Reed, (Lizzo, Twenty One Pilots)

March 2021

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Prism B!tch

Gene Hoskins

Contact: barilieberman@pressherepublicity.com Web: prismbitch.com Seeking: Label, Distribution, Film/TV Style: Alt-Rock

Web: genehoskins.com Seeking: Booking, Label, Film, Distribution Style: Inspirational

Prism B!tch delivers a tight, edgy, femalepowered brand of punk-fueled pop-rock with songs that clock out at 3 minutes or less. Think Breeders, Hole, maybe Paramore, with a dusting of Go-Go’s. These are hooky tunes where a sometimes cute/ innocent voice (from Lauren Poole or Lilah Rose) can pinch your cheek while it slices you in the belly. That would describe “In N Out” which maximizes its soft verse/ loud chorus format. “Heathers” shows the band’s penchant for retro elements (Farfisalike organ). And while “Too High” features a thoroughly metal scream, we feel the band’s attack could stand to be brought up to modern ears by integrating some newer elements, maybe some electronic effects.

Contact: warrenhoskinsii@gmail.com

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Gospel artist Gene Hoskins presents praise music that’s as commercial as it is inspirational. A jaunty piano sets the mood for the funky, soul-packed number “Make It With Jesus,” which brings the whole house (guitars, drums, keys, horns, choir, etc.), building and building in energy. Then he shifts to a cool, downtempo, modern R&B vibe with “Unconditional Love,” where Hoskins’ ultra-smooth voice (“You got it, you got it”) is supported by electro effects and a crack female choir, which really shows its stuff on “Deal,” which offers the sinner “freedom from your past,” a promise of a new future. Hoskins’ voice shines best on this recording, joining with his female backups for a rousing finale.

Dwoodz 2G

Paul Bezooyen

Contact: dwoodzghap@gmail.com Web: soundcloud.com/dwoodz2g Seeking: Label Style: Rap

Contact: info@thehermitsmusic.com Web: paulbezooyen.bandcamp.com Seeking: Film/TV Style: Acoustic, Instrumental, International

Denver emcee Dwoodz 2G is living the rock star dream. He certainly has the ability to moan and sadboi about girls and the trials of living, all over hard trap beats and big bass sounds, mixed with sampled acoustic guitar. “Do they love me yet?,” Dwoodz asks in thick autotune and angelic vocal layers. It is ambiguous as to whose love or sex or attention he needs––Fans? Lovers? “Don’t Want Your Company” and “How U Livin” utilize the same approach, marrying Blink-182 with Trippie Redd and Lil Peep. Dwoodz’s songs are all roughly 2-minutes and accomplish what they need to do, not much more. He is competent in this emomumble rap wheelhouse, but can benefit with even more risks on future tracks.

Canadian composer-guitarist Paul Bezooyen has an extremely commercial sensibility that could be enticing to music libraries that service the film/tv industries. Whether it’s his “Open Road” with its warm, genial, instantly appealing hook, or “Another World” whose Spanish flamenco flair is simultaneously familiar and fresh, or “Fading Light” with its relaxing, peaceful, transportive soul, Beyoozen’s recordings (each one cleanly recorded and featuring the composer’s nimble, precise fretwork) glow with a quiet efficiency that makes them seem to be made-to-order for placements in video games, podcasts, and background-music situations.

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Sylver

Rachel McGoye

Contact: infosylver@gmail.com Web: spotify.com Seeking: Label, Booking Style: R&B

Contact: mcgoye@gmail.com Web: rachelmcgoye.com Seeking: Film/TV, Publishing Style: Indie/Pop/Folk

Sylver specializes in a hot-blooded brand of R&B, where every emotion and interlude matters. Benefiting from good sound production, the lead singer delivers a solid, nasally vocal brushed with a bit of a European accent. “Witness” is a soulful and heartfelt pledge of love (“I give you the key to my heart”). “LOML” expresses the wrenching regret of a career-driven man who now wants desperately to correct his prior mistake. (“If only I’d stayed with you!”) On the dark, edgy “Nightmare,” a melodramatic synth underscores the singer’s suicidal depression. (“Voices in my head. I’m done”) Sylver’s singer, though just as depressed as The Weeknd, must find a way to be equally as sexy.

We’re impressed by the heart & soul of Rachel McGoye, whose husky range on “Carry The Weight” sells her song’s message of coming to the aid of an overwhelmed friend. We appreciate how this laidback, folkcountry tune infuses subtle electronic tones and textures into a twangy mix that includes bells, xylophone, slide guitar and whispers. McGoye’s subtle sexiness fused with sincerity really shines on “Dear Future,” which has excellent production and arrangement throughout. Easily her best outing, the song’s warm and hopeful message rides a perfectly bluesy/jazzy piano riff. “Come On,” while not as catchy, the R&B spirited love song is very well produced. Film/TV folks should take note of this artist.

Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship

9 8 8 8 8

Music Connection’s executive committee rates recorded music on a scale of 1 to 10. Number 1 represents the lowest possible score, 10 represents the highest possible score. A final score of 6 denotes a solid, competent artist. For more information, see Submission Guidelines on the next page. 52 March 2021

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Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship

9 7 9 8 8

9 8 8 8 8

7 6 7 7 6

Arhkota

Ketsyha

Contact: arhkota@gmail.com Web: arhkota.com Seeking: Booking, Film/TV Style: Atmospheric Dreamy Alternative

Contact: ketsiajcardona@gmail.com Web: ketsyha.com/videos Seeking: Label, Film/TV, Booking Style: R&B/Soul

Here’s a unique and alluring project, Dreamy Hamilton, from producer-percussionist Argel Cota, compositions that convince us that people would pay to see it performed and staged. “In My Head” has echoes of Steve Reich/Hans Zimmer in its clockwork beating of metal pans that is juxtaposed against layers of harmonics from vocalist Lubna Maher and a chorale. “Northeast” adds to the allure with its bravura drum beats and Maher’s appealing layers. Most challenging is “Dreamy Hamilton” whose pipe organ, reverbed vocals and electronic seasonings combine for a gothic shroud that is as challenging as it is intriguing. No question, Cota’s Dreamy Hamilton project has something special to offer.

Inspired by ‘90s R&B and values Ketsyha’s music has heartfelt sincerity. “Thank You 4 Ever” is a deeply felt expression of gratitude where the artist’s lead vocals blend with an angelic choir. The downtempo “Move On” is far different emotionally, an ultimately inspirational song about the fortitude to withstand a setback. Her best outing is “Take It Slow,” where the quieter sections display the potential in her voice. Our main criticism of her recordings: there is a subtle disconnect between the singer and the band, as if she’d sung her parts to a polished, pre-recorded track. Such an artificial-sounding setup undermines this artist’s objective: to touch the listener with genuine emotion and sentiment.

Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship

8 7 7 8 8

Little Hurt

Awaking Tyler

Contact: ed@npmprandmarketing.com Web: twitter.com/LittleHurt Seeking: Film/TV Style: Alternative, Alt-Pop

Contact: awakingtyler@gmail.com Web: youtube.com Seeking: Label, Booking Style: Rock

Led by Colin Dieden (the Mowgli’s), Little Hurt’s super-charged, darkly infectious songs brim with a crackling electrical energy, especially when Dieden’s close-miked rants team up with the band’s gang-chant backup vocals for a singalong attack that thoroughly drives home each tune’s chorus. The biographical “Messed Up” is instantly memorable, while the optimistic, party-spirited “Alaska” details the doomed protagonist’s next bad life decision. “My Head Hurts,” with its powerhouse chorus, could be a festival favorite. It’s exciting to hear a band’s material so aptly presented, with a clean, yet daring production touch that makes room for electro-distortion along with the guitars.

Featuring Tyler Wilford, the Australian duo Awaking Tyler have convincingly reinflated the arena-rock sound associated with the genre’s best, such as Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe. “Live Again” has all the hallmarks of the form, including an urgent, impassioned, melodramatic delivery by Wilford. The faster-paced “Scream” leans a bit more toward ‘80s metal and features re-tread lyrics like “Nothing’s gonna stop us now!” and “We can make it work somehow!” The song showcases the band’s musicianship, particularly the drummer and guitarist, who really dazzle. Bottom line for this duo: their retro-sounding recordings could be of use to music supervisors looking for an affordable soundalike.

Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship

8 6 7 7 8

MK Virgo

Citrus Horse

Contact: mkvirgomusic@gmail.com Web: mkvirgo.cloud Seeking: Label, Booking, Publishing Style: Hip-Hop

Contact: alexlaugalis@gmail.com Web: spotify.com Seeking: Label, Booking, Distribution Style: Alt, Indie, Jam

Oakland, CA rapper MK Virgo has a seemingly endless catalog of anime-inspired music videos on YouTube. “Cold Heart,” a monotone focus-track with trippy trap instrumentals, was filmed in a real-life hotel with women in next-to-nothing and stacks of cash. It is no different in quality or sound from the other freestyles MK Virgo has recorded. In “Make Me Proud,” he opens with, “I wrote this shit on paper. I don’t ever do it.” That does not seem to be something to brag about, though the content, a love song, is well-thought-out. We hear the same themes, same flows in each song, making them predictable and dull. Excitement does come through in moments of acapella, with clear and genuine vocals.

Alex Laugalis spearheads Citrus Horse, delivering a fittingly gruff voice to this lo-fi, garage-rock project. We only wish the lyrics were more clear, as “Kite” seems to relate how the singer moved to Mexico after his knife-wielding girlfriend attacked him. Though the song grew on us, we would like his nimble guitar solo to have really ripped more than it does. Things switch to a dreamy, languid, Pink Floydian mode on “Lawn Chair,” deploying effects such as tape delay, which is also used, along with handclaps, on “Tiny TV” (“watch me watch you watch yourself”). Somewhere within its 8 minutes, the song sounds as if it has the makings of a good single––a very alternative one.

Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship

7 8 7 7 8

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: There is absolutely no charge for a New Music Critique. We critique recordings that have yet to connect with a label or distributor. To be considered please go to musicconnection.com/get-reviewed. All submissions are randomly selected and reviewed by committee. March 2021

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Livestream • Widecast Studios

Contact: stingerstevens@gmail.com Web: stevenschris.com

Peoria, IL

Material: Stevens takes the listener on a musical journey through the decades. His choice of covers and originals is based in the blues. But he also throws in a healthy dose of classic rock and pop as well. A typical set consists of an impressive array of covers such as Buddy Guy and Junior Wells’ “Messin’ With the Kid,” Ray Charles’ “Georgia On My Mind” and Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” Original songs like the jazzy, Latin grooving “Living for the Moment,” the funky upbeat “Why I Wonder” and the traditional and rootsy “Sunrise Blues” are equally strong. Musicianship: Stevens uses a streamlined setup of acoustic guitar and a small combo amp. He is a student of Eric Clapton, Freddie King and Carlos Santana and these artists figure prominently in his lead work. He is also quite adept at utilizing a looping system for rhythms and counter melodies to effectively give certain songs additional depth and fullness. He has a very nuanced and ornamental way in which he performs elaborate intros to a number of songs. He seems to arrange and rearrange on the spot, giving the set list a fresh and spontaneous feel. Performance: The livestream originated from the Peoria Live TV show set. And any proceeds contributed to Stevens’ performance benefitted the “Make-A-Wish” foundation. The hour-long set was fairly brisk and Stevens shared little asides and stories that linked songs together. A number of tunes were notable; namely his rough and tumble take on T-Bone Walker’s

CHRIS STEVENS

“Stormy Monday,” a rocking version of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee’s “Outside Woman Blues” and his slow and sensual cover of the standard “Summer time.” There were a couple moments where Stevens would take pause to switch looping programs for specific songs, but he’d always maintain a dialogue with the viewing audience and keep it rolling. Toward the latter portion of the show he added some tender moments, with a unique take on the Beatles’ “Yesterday”

and a heartfelt dedication to the “Make-A-Wish” beneficiaries, with Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Summary: Chris Stevens is a blues man at heart, and he injects that passion and soulful spirit into whatever material he is doing. His comprehensive set list is impressive and many of his original songs figure prominently in that mix. – Eric Harabadian

was the primary melodic instrument. Firth played a Fender Rhodes, providing a full sounding rhythm to complement Blanton’s guitar, while dancing all over the keys when appropriate. Both Joe and Patrick took solos, including a very impressive upright bass-with-a-bow solo. Blanton’s voice led the way. Her guitar takes a back seat to the other two instruments providing a necessary rhythmic and tonal foundation. She also did a couple of solo acoustic guitar songs. But she is primarily a versatile and dynamic singer expressing a wide range, both melodically and emotionally.

CARSIE BLANTON Livestream • Studio/Club

Contact: Andrea Evenson, aevenson@ shorefire.com Web: carsieblanton.com Players: Joe Plowman, bass, Patrick Firth, keyboard, Carsie Blanton, guitars, vocals

(rhymes with “when you whack it”), to the cool, jazzy, finger-snapping “Twister,” to the angry protest, “Down in the Streets,” to the heartwrenching “American Kid”: “Don’t look now it won’t be long, till they wonder what we did / We’ll have to admit we done them wrong / God bless the American kid.”

Material: Carsie Blanton acknowledges John Prine and Nick Lowe among her influences. I also detect some Cyndi Lauper, maybe some Elvis Costello, Dolly Parton, perhaps even a hint of Joni Mitchell. She covers a lot of musical ground. From the cute & nasty, “Jacket,”

Musicianship: This trio was TIGHT. The kind of tight that can only come from playing together for years. Joe Plowman is a consummate bass player, making both electric and upright seem effortless with delightful lines that were every bit as melodic as they were rhythmic. The keyboard

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Performance: This was kind of a cross between a concert and a telethon. They played for 3 hours, a total of 37 songs. The show was called a “rent party” because the objective was to raise $3,250 for Joe and Patrick’s rent. They succeeded. But as good as the music was, 3 hours is a long time. There’s something to be said for, “Leave them wanting more.” Visually, Carsie is as diverse as her music is: Red hair, tight dress, and heavily tattooed arms.Part Bette Midler, part Little Orphan Annie and Betty Boop. With an occasional “F-bomb” thrown in for good measure. Summary: It was a good and entertaining show, although long. While her image is slightly cartoonish, Blanton makes it clear that she is still to be taken seriously. She clearly loves what she does and loves her audience. The new album, due out in April, is Love and Rage. All three are obvious pros, and deserve your attention. – John Mollenhauer

critical work. The rhythm section was superb. You could tell John Severino was trying to keep the loudness down a bit, but was on beat every time as he and Williams exchanged looks to check-see where they were. The rhythm guitar playing was very good as a few of the songs weren’t played just like the originals, but that just might have added to LA River’s own signature. The lead guitar was surprisingly good on most of the songs as Chris Severino improvised on his solos. There were a few songs where Chris was lost on the guitar, but he came through on Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page,” where his vocals just shined through and everyone forgot where they were and what they were doing and cheered the kid on.

LA RIVER

Livestream • BSR Studios

Sylmar, CA

Contact: NJCKrall@yahoo.com Web: facebook.com/LARiverMusic Players: Nick Krall, guitar, vocals; Chris Severino, lead guitar, vocals; John Severino, drums, vocals; Fred Williams, bass, vocals; Rosie T, Tamborine Material: LA River is a rock & roll outfit playing hit songs from the ‘60s through to the present. You are treated to megahits like the Box

Livestream • Novel Studio

Tops’ “The Letter,” and The Temptations’ “Get Ready.” Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” and Oingo Boingo’s “Dead Man’s Party” also made the set list, as well as “Tequila Sunrise” and “Take it Easy” by The Eagles; A good, healthy dose of your favorite rock & roll. Musicianship: Not the strongest vocal showing. The voices were seriously all over the place–– both lead and background––and tougher to hear as the gig went on. The vocals were good on some songs but for the most part they needed

Performance: The band showed strong rapport with the audience, and a few jokes here and there kept things light. Williams was very animated at his bass post, swinging his arm as if he were Pete Townshend of The Who and directing traffic while jokingly teasing Krall. Krall is excellent at engaging the audience with interesting tidbits of goings on and dishing out friendly banter with all the other members of the group; and let’s not forget the glasses; lol. Summary: Seven out of 10 stars for LA River as there’s plenty of room for improvement. A great selection of songs pave the way for a great night of music, and by straightening out the vocal situation it would catapult this group to the next level. Songs like “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith and “Love the One You’re With” by Stephen Stills all focus on superb vocals; with care, LA River will soon be able to preserve that characteristic. – Pierce Brochetti

Los Angeles, CA

Web: jessepalter.com Contact: jessepalter@gmail.com Players: Jesse Palter, vocals, Sam Barsh, piano Material: Jesse Palter is everything, from pop to jazz to Broadway and whatever’s between. She goes with the flow in her music and it usually turns out pretty good. She started out her set with “Wrong Girl,” a song that was very progressive jazz sounding. The kind of jazz where you are sitting in a smoke filled bar, the waitresses are scantily clad and the drinks are stiff martinis that screamed FIRE as they go down your throat. Flip the coin and Palter is singing a beautiful ballad in the style of Broadway, “I Brag About You,” where the melody and the piano just melt together in perfect harmony. Musicianship: Palter has a very good voice that resonates when she sings, easily hitting the highs, lows, falsettos and even some added, unexpected notes. She really goes with the flow and delivers where others would falter. Mesh, mash and gel as one, she did it with Barsh who, in this outing, manned the music on the piano. The two became one as they played off each other in a light and teasing manner, most notably on “Heavy Is The Crown.” Performance: Palter is a natural when it comes to talking to an audience. That skill kept the performance interesting in between songs as she even toasted the audience. She enjoys

JESSIE PALTER (PALTER EGO) being in front of the camera and it shows. Her stories are fun and interesting to listen to as she bares her heart to the world. Barsh sat behind his piano, grooving to all the songs and getting into them as if they were his own. Together this pair entertained viewers for a whole hour and twenty minutes. Summary: Jesse Palter has been on her own for a few years now and it seems things

are turning in a positive direction with the new Palter Ego collaboration of her and Sam Barsh (who, by the way, has co-written a song called “Collide” that has garnered a Grammy nod). Make no mistake, Palter is no slouch. Her albums have been produced extremely well and she is an extremely talented singersongwriter. Palter Ego will no doubt be a fruitful journey and we all anticipate the arrival of new music. – Pierce Brochetti March 2021

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Livestream • Club Passim

Cambridge, MA

Contact: @lakesaintdaniel Web: lakesaintdaniel.bandcamp.com; hayleysabellamusic.com Players: Lake Saint Daniel, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals; Hayley Sabella, electric guitar, piano, vocals Material: Lake Saint Daniel (real name Daniel Radin) and Hayley Sabella are likeminded creators, folk artists whose music encompasses introspective lyrics and soothing rhythms. They also both hail from Massachusetts––Daniel from Watertown; Sabella from Plymouth. It’s logical that they work together as often as they do. Daniel produced Sabella’s most recent collection and Sabella wrote for and sang on her counterpart’s one and only recording, released last October. While this set consisted almost entirely of originals, it concluded with a cover, the pair’s languid take on a Lifehouse ballad. Musicianship: Neither performer astounds with technical prowess. Rather, their deliberate notes emote slow, wistful feels while their voices and next-level wordplay carry each song. Sabella displays multi-instrumental competency by switching between keyboards and guitar, whereas Daniel demonstrates equal levels of competency with electric and acoustic axes. One false start marred their overall smoothness. Performance: Coming from the stage of Cambridge’s legendary Club Passim, the evening

LAKE SAINT DANIEL & HAYLEY SABELLA began with Daniel delivering three songs solo. Sabella followed with three unaccompanied tunes of her own. The evening’s final third featured the pair in unison. Uniformly at ease speaking into the camera, they took pains to introduce every song, often delivering amusing and insightful anecdotes concerning their origins. Penned by Daniel, “22” is about abandoning the notion of love while lamenting the chore of moving a mattress. “Sorrow Joy,” one of Sabella’s creations, concerns remaining in her car after driving home and realizing how staying put reflects a level of introversion she had not yet comprehended.

“Cape Cod,” on the other hand, is a love song to the famous vacation spot where she was raised. Summary: LSD and Sabella are distinct, yet extremely similar, artists. Their complementary nature means they are able to play astride one another without jarring effect. The flipside is that their artistic parallels breed boredom. While the two have angelic voices, heartwarming tones and yarns tighter than a tick’s ass, the coldness of their respectability breeds disconnect. Listeners are likely to revere the duo’s oeuvre, yet lose interest fast. – Andy Kaufmann

KYLE DILLINGHAM & HORSESHOE ROAD Livestream • Goddard Center

Ardmore, OK

Contact: info@horseshoeroad.com Web: horseshoeroad.net Players: Kyle Dillingham, fiddle, guitar; Peter Markes, guitar, fiddle; Brent Saulsbury, double bass; Steve Short, drums Material: From Bob Wills to traditional jazz and Elvis Presley covers, Kyle Dillingham & Horseshoe Road delivered an interesting mix of music in addition to their own originals, “You’re My Reason,” “Homa,” “What is Success,” “Orange Blossom Special,” and “Leaning on 56 March 2021

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NATHANAEL DURBIN

sound, studded with double bass (Saulsbury) and light guitar strumming (Markes). Hymnal, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” and Patti Page cover, “Tennessee Waltz,” showcased the beautiful and original harmonies and vocal glissandos of Dillingham, Markes and Saulsbury, with their well-balanced, gentle vibrato, while “Jailhouse Rock” featured Saulsbury’s solid tenor vocals and “Amazing Grace / Blackbird” featured Markes with equally solid vocals, in addition to his fine guitar playing.

the Everlasting Arms.” With a combination of western swing and up-tempo bluegrass, the group delivers an upbeat country sound––and Dillingham’s flying fingers are incredible. Musicianship: Beautiful falsetto vocal lines dotted the performance, and the three-part harmonies between Dillingham, Peter Markes and Brent Saulsbury were very good. “Autumn Leaves” opened with a beautiful fiddle and soprano saxophone (Saulsbury) duet, with Dillingham singing the French lyrics before adding a speedy country twist on the fiddle, then returning to the more traditional jazz

Performance: Of particular note was the group’s rendition of a Russian folk song, “Dark Eyes,” with incredible soprano notes on the fiddle and overall intense and dramatic artistic interpretation, and the lightning fast solo section of Charlie Daniels’ classic, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” with a fantastic unexpected mashup of infamous rock & roll solo snippets, including Derek & the Dominoes’ “Layla.” While the vocals were somewhat pitchy at times, and the sound quality and lighting were intermittent (in large part due to the technical difficulties of the venue), the overall stage delivery was laid back and unassuming, and the talent was undeniable. Summary: While communication with the crowd came across as a little awkward at first, Kyle Dillingham and his crew seemed to be enjoying themselves and shared a heartfelt, solid performance––especially on the instrumental pieces. While navigating a somewhat eclectic setlist covering various genres and styles, the group delivered energetic country stylings, offering musical versatility over the backdrop of a classic Americana Folk sound: A lively, fun night out. – Andrea Beenham

infectious background vocals. “Don’t Fade Away,” an acoustic based ballad in 6/8, laments a past relationship whose memory is slipping away. Closing out the set was the optimistic “Better Days.” "I know it’s coming / It’s caving in / I might need saving / But I don’t know where to begin / Better days / Better days / Better days are gonna call.”

ZACHARY KIBBEE Livestream • Valentine Studios Los Angeles, CA

Contact: amanda@trendpr.com Web: zacharykibbee.com Players: Zachary Kibbee, vocals, guitar; Derrick Wong, bass; Jessica Goodwin, drums; Felipe Rodrigo, guitar; Whitney Myer, keyboard, backing vocals Material: Influenced by blues and classic rock, Zachary Kibbee has incorporated these elements

MARK SHILOWICH

Musicians: Kibbee has that unquantifiable X Factor, and an appeal that is palpable. His spirited tenor voice has shades of Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. His band isn’t simply a backing band in service of Kibbee’s songs, but a part of the fabric that makes it all work, live. They all bring something to the party.

into his songwriting, while navigating his own path. Taken at face value, Kibbee’s music is easily relatable. His songs are imbued with catchy musical motifs and singable choruses, relying on repetition and succinct messages. Kicking off the set with the smokin’ “Come Back,” a plea for a lost love to reconsider, an instantly memorable guitar melody runs throughout, buttressed by backing vocals that neatly tie the song together. “Life In Low Fidelity” accomplishes something musically similar, with short, clipped phrases, and

Performance: Broadcast from a recording studio, the set benefited from good sound and alternating camera angles. Never displacing Kibbee from his mantle as frontman, it only enhanced the viewing experience. Adhering strictly to a thirtyminute set, (just the right amount of time for a streaming show), you might have to wait for a longer one to hear more from Kibbee about what’s behind his music. Summary: Though the band bears Zachary Kibbee’s name, they are a tight and cohesive unit, working in tandem. His songs create a sense of intrigue, piquing one’s curiosity about the artist and what drives him. So, make a note to check him out in person, when venues are back in business. – Ellen Woloshin

Livestream • Loud House Studios Seattle, WA

Contact: stacyjonesband@gmail.com Web: stacyjonesband.com Players: Stacy Jones, keyboards, harmonica, acoustic and electric rhythm guitar and lead vocals; Jeff Menteer, lead guitar and vocals; Tom Jones, bass; Rick Bowen, drums and backup vocals Material: This powerhouse quartet plays a well-balanced dose of Americana, blues and Southern-flavored rock. From rousing originals like “Whiskey and Water” and the jazzy “Keep on Keepin’ On” to perennials “Hound Dog” and Aretha Franklin’s “Think,” they do it all. Musicianship: Each member is a consummate artist and technician in their own right. Stacy Jones covers the musical landscape on all fronts. She plays some mean slide guitar, but really shines on vocals and harmonica. Her ability to modulate from a whisper to a wail is impressive. And her facility on harp seems to draw from the Charlie Musselwhite and James Cotton schools of improvisation. Jeff Menteer simply smokes as well, with tasteful leads and an endless supply of sustain and tone. Tom Jones is the glue that bridges the gap between walking lines and riding squarely in the pocket. Rick Bowen performs double duty, not only as a versatile drummer and percussionist, but also supports Stacy, with simple and effective harmonies. He adds that subtle dash of sweetness that gives the songs an extra edge. Performance: The band was hunkered down in what appeared to be a multi-room studio. It was a relaxed and laidback show where they

STACY JONES BAND each periodically would send “shout-outs” to their Facebook Live streaming fans. Stacy would casually call out a song and the band would follow suit. The audio fidelity was perfect and the balance of everyone, particularly when it came to solos, was really clean. Among the highlights was a stellar take on The Rolling Stones’ disco-fied hit “Miss You.” Stacy delivered a nice and loose vocal as well as managed some smooth melodic runs on the harp. The song morphed into Tom stepping out into the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There”

and ended with a full band free for all. Utilizing the song “Think” as a finale was a good choice. Not only did it bring their set to a rousing and satisfying end, but it was a shining tour de force. Summary: The Stacy Jones Band is a solid unit that clearly defines what a professional career band is all about. Their mix of originals and covers is first rate. And their awardwinning chops and buoyant demeanor should place them on major stages across the country. – Eric Harabadian March 2021

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Directory of Everything Indie Promo, Labels, Marketing and Media Relations Music-makers tap intotap this directory promoand experts indie publicists. Plusloads loadsofofcontact contact Music-makers into this list to to connect connect with with indie indie labels, labels,marketing marketing & experts indieand publicists. Plus there’s information to aid you in promoting your music career, DIY style: T-shirt and CD development, blog sites and social media tools. info to aid in promoting your career: swag & t-shirt manufacturers, CD/vinyl duplicators, blog sites, social media tools and more. INDIE LABELS 1-2-3-4 GO! RECORDS 420 40th Street #5 Oakland, CA 94609 510-985-0325 Email: store@1234gorecords.com Web: 1234gorecords.com *not actively accepting demos 1888 MEDIA Los Angeles, CA 310-228-8715 Email: rob@1888media.com Web: 1888media.com Styles/Specialties: Americana, Rock, Roots, Jamband, Jazz, Folk, Alternative, Pop Roster: The Haunt, Ariella, Kevin Daniel, Town Meeting, Beth Snapp, Em Rossi, Tatiana DeMaria, Johnny Chops 300 ENTERTAINMENT 112 Madison Ave New York, NY 10016 Email: info@threehundred.biz Web: 300ent.com Notable Artists: Young Thug, Shy Glizzy, Famous Dex, Anna of the North 4AD RECORDS 17-19 Alma Rd. London, SW 18, 1AA, U.K. +44 20 8870 9724 Email: demos@4ad.com Web: 4ad.com Roster: Camera Obscura, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Atlas Sound, Zomby Additional locations: 134 Grand Street New York, NY 10013 212-995-5882 88RISING New York, NY & Los Angeles, CA Contact: Sean Miyashiro Email: shop@88rising.com Web: 88rising.com Notable Artists: Joji, Rich Brian, Masiwei “Prince Charming”, Keith Ape 825 RECORDS, INC. 825 48th St. Brooklyn, NY 347-240-5417 Email: mattyamendola@825records.com Web: 825Records.com Styles/Specialties: Artist development, solo artists, singer/songwriters, pop, rock, R&B 10TH PLANET RECORDS P.O. Box 10114 Fairbanks, AK 99710 Email: 10planet@mosquitonet.com Web: 10thplanet.com A12 ENTERTAINMENT Email: contact@a12entertainment.com Web: a12entertainment.com, facebook.com/A12Entertainment Contact: Ashley Di Buduo Styles/Specialties: All genres, with a focus in Rock, Alternative, Metal, IndieRock, Classic Rock, Indie-Pop

ACCIDENTAL ENTERTAINMENT, INC. E-mail: Hello@accidentalentertainment. com Styles: alternative, indie, rock, acoustic, Latin, electronic/pop, classical, international Services: Music licensing and sync, artist and composer development/representation, publishing and admin. *Please request via email to submit material Adam Moseley, Allison Wright Clark, Emily Sonneborn, A&R A-F RECORDS P.O. Box 71266 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Email: demos@a-frecords.com Web: a-frecords.com *Currently accepting demos ACTIVATE ENTERTAINMENT 826 N. Michigan Ave. Pasadena, CA 91104 818-505-0669 Email: submissions@activate1.com Web: actentgroup.com Contact: Jay Arthur Genres: Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Country Additional address: 8400 W. Sunset Rd. #300 Las Vegas, NV 89113 ALIAS RECORDS 838 E. High St. #290 Lexington, KY 40502 Email: accounts@aliasrecords.com Web: aliasrecords.com Styles/Specialties: indie-rock, singersongwriters, electronica Distribution: ADA *No unsolicited material ALLIGATOR RECORDS New Material P.O. Box 60234 Chicago, IL 60660 773-973-7736 Email: info@allig.com Web: alligator.com ATTABOI MUSIC MAGAZINE Email: info@wildoatsrecords.net Web: www.attaboi.online Styles/specialities: popular music/underground Distribution: online ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES P.O. Box 419092 San Francisco, CA 94141 510-596-8981 Email: mail@alternativetentacles.com Web: alternativetentacles.com Styles/Specialties: punk rock, spokenword, underground *Unsolicited material accepted

A389 RECORDINGS P.O. Box 12058 Baltimore, MD 21281 Email: dom@a389records.com Web: a389records.com

AMATHUS MUSIC Attn: A&R P.O. Box 95 Hewlett, NY 11557 Email: demo@amathusmusic.com Web: amathusmusic.com Contact: Chris Panaghi Styles/Specialties: dance music, electronic, pop *Accepts Demos

AARON RECORDS P.O. Box 428 Portland, TN 37148 615-325-3340 Email: aaronrecords@aol.com Web: aaronrecords.com

AMERICAN EAGLE RECORDINGS 12 Lake Forest Court West St. Charles, MO 63301 888-521-8146 Fax 314-965-5648 Email: info@americaneaglerecordings.com Web: americaneaglerecordings.com

C O M P I L E D 58 March 2021

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AMERICAN LAUNDROMAT RECORDS P.O. Box 85 Mystic, CT 06355 860-460-8903 Email: americanlaundromat@hotmail.com Web: alr-music.com *Not accepting demos *Business inquires only AMHERST RECORDS 5221 Main St. Ste 2 Williamsville, NY 14221 716-883-9520 Email: info@amherstrecords.com Web: amherstrecords.com ANTI2798 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-413-7353 Email: publicity@epitaph.com Web: anti.com, facebook.com/antirecords API RECORDS P.O. Box 7041 Watchung, NJ 07069 Email: apirecords@verizon.net Web: apirecords.com APPLESEED RECORDINGS Music Submissions Department 1416 Larch Lane West Chester, PA 19380 Email: jim@appleseedmusic.com Web: appleseedmusic.com ARCTIC SIREN PRODUCTIONS 4105 Turnagain Blvd., Ste. L Anchorage, AK 99517 907-245-7311 Email: artcsirn@alaska.net Web: arcticsiren.com Contact: Peggy Monaghan ARKADIA LABEL GROUP/ VIEW INC. 11 Reservoir Rd. Saugerties, NY 12477 845-246-9955 Email: Viewvid@aol.com Web: viewb2bonline.com ASTHMATIC KITTY RECORDS P.O. Box 1282 Lander, WY 82520 Email: info@asthmatickitty.com Web: asthmatickitty.com Notable Artists: Mozart’s Sister, OMBRE, Roberts & Lord ASTRALWERKS RECORDS 1750 Vine Street Hollywood, CA Email: astralwerks.astralwerks@gmail. com Web: astralwerks.com Styles/Specialties: electronic/rock *No unsolicited material accepted BAR-NONE RECORDS P.O. Box 1704 Hoboken, NJ 07030 201-770-9090 Email: glenn@bar-none.com Web: bar-none.com Contact: Glen Morrow, Owner Distribution: ADA *Unsolicited material accepted BARSUK RECORDS P.O. Box 22546 Seattle, WA 98122 Web: barsuk.com Roster: Death Cab For Cutie, the Long Winters, Mates of State, Menomena, Nada Surf, Ra Ra Riot, Phantogram, Ramona Falls, the Wooden Birds, David Bazan, Maps & Atlases, Say Hi, Big Scary, Laura Gibson, Pacific Air, Chris Walla

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Distribution: Redeye *Please DO NOT send us MP3s or other audio files, but please DO send us links to your music or press kit. See website for submission. BASEMENT BOYS INC. 2328 Champlain St, NW #309 Washington DC 20009 410-383-9103 Email: basementboys@att.net Web: basementboys.com BEC RECORDINGS P.O. Box 12698 Seattle, WA 98111 206-691-9782 Email: lori@mergepr.com Web: becrecordings.com BEGGARS GROUP (Also XL Recordings, Rough Trade Records, Matador Records, 4AD) 134 Grand St. New York, NY 10013 212-995-5882 Email: banquet@beggars.com Web: beggarsgroupusa.com Contact: Matt Harmon, President Styles/Specialties: indie-rock, pop, electronic and many more Roster: Vampire Weekend, Sonic Youth, Queens of the Stone Age, the National, Warpaint, the xx, Yo La Tengo and the New Pornographers Distribution: ADA BIELER BROS. RECORDS 4100 N. Powerline Rd., Ste. U-5 Pompano Beach, FL 954-979-4781 Email: info@bielerbros.com Web: bielerbros.com If you are interested in submitting your music please send your EPK with audio or video links only Do not send MP3’s. We no longer accept any physical submissions BIG DEAL RECORDS 15503 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 300 Encino, CA 91436 818-922-0807 Email: Info@bigdealmusicgroup.com Web: bigdealmusic.com Styles/Specialties: pop, rock, R&B *No unsolicited material Additional locations: 115 29th Ave. S. Nashville,TN 37212 615-942-8328 BIG NOISE 11 S. Angell St., Ste. 336 Providence, RI 02906 401-274-4770 Email: al@bignoisenow.com Web: bignoisenow.com Roster: Artists have included Christina Aguilera, Katharine McPhee, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul Doucette (Matchbox Twenty), Little Anthony & the Imperials, Jim Brickman, J. Geils, Bela Fleck. *We are currently accepting demo submissions. Please call or email first. BIT RIOT P.O. Box 647 LaGrange, IL 60525 Email: info@bitriotrecords.com Web: bitriotrecords.com, facebook.com/ bitriotrecords BLACKBERRY RECORDS 370 Towne Center Blvd. Ridgeland, MS 39157

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts 601-206-4600 Email: blackberry@blackberryrecords.com Web: facebook.com/blackberryrecords

BLACK DAHLIA MUSIC P.O. Box 631928 Highlands Ranch, CO 80163 505-672-0333 Email: blackd@blackdahlia.com Web: blackdahlia.com BLACKHEART RECORDS 636 Broadway New York, NY 10012 212-353-9600 Email: blackheart@blackheart.com Web: blackheart.com Styles/Specialties: all styles *Unsolicited material accepted, ATTN: A&R Dept. BLOODSHOT RECORDS 3039 W. Irving Park Rd. Chicago, IL 60618 773-604-5300 Email: bshq@bloodshotrecords.com Web: bloodshotrecords.com BLUE CANOE RECORDS Atlanta, GA & Tokyo Japan Web: bluecanoerecords.com BOMP/ALIVE NATURALSOUND RECORDS 919 Isabel, Unit G Burbank, CA 91506 Email: mailorder@bomprecords.com, label@alive-records.com Web: bomp.com, alivenergy.com Contact: Patrick Boissel Roster: the Black Keys, Two Gallants, Buffalo Killers, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Soledad Brothers, The Warlocks, the Black Lips, SSM, Brimstone Howl, Trainwreck Riders, Black Diamond Heavies, Bloody Hollies Distribution: Lumberjack Mordam Music Group *Unsolicited material accepted. We are a small team, but we listen to it all. Do not contact us, we will contact you if we dig what we hear. BOOSWEET RECORDS P.O. Box 45256 Los Angeles, CA 90045 310-613-3535 Web: https://boosweet.com/ Styles/Specialties: jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, R&B, pop, reggae, hip-hop, rap, rock, metal, guitar instrumental, alternative Roster: Miguel Mega, Kiko Loureiro, Vernon Neilly, Marcelo Roacio, Edu Ardanuy BRAINFEEDER RECORDS Los Angeles, CA Email: bfcustomerservice@diystro.com Web: brainfeedersite.com Roster: Thundercat, Kamasi Washington, Flying Lotus BRIDGE NINE RECORDS 119R Foster St., Bldg. 4 Ste. 3 Peabody, MA 01960 978-532-0666 Email: info@bridge9.com BLACK ROSE PRODUCTIONS Tri-Main Center 2495 Main St. Buffalo,NY 14214 Email: blackroseproductions@gmail.com Web: blackroseproductionhouse.com BURNSIDE RECORDS 6635 N. Baltimore Ave, Ste 226 Portland, OR 97203 503-231-0876 Email: marly@bdcdistribution.com Web: burnsidedistribution.com CANADIAN RECORDING SERVICES LTD. Vancouver, Canada 604-985-0679, 866-888-6464 Email: mimi@canadianrecordingservices.com Web: canadianrecordingservices.com Styles/Specialties: all genres, offers free

studio referral and project coordination services CANYON RECORDS P.O. Box 61564 Phoenix, AZ 85052 800-268-1141 Email: canyon@canyonrecords.com Web: canyonrecords.com CASTLE RECORDS 106 Shirley Drive Hendersonville, TN 37075 615-430-0244 Email: rufuswendy@live.com Web: castlerecords.com CELESTIAL HARMONIES Division of Mayflower Music Corp. 1951 N. Wilmot Rd. Tucson, AZ 85712 520-326-4400 Fax 520-326-3333 Email: celestial@harmonies.com Web: harmonies.com CENTURY MEDIA The Century Family c/o Sony Music International 25 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10010 Email: mail@centurymedia.com Web: centurymedia.com *Unsolicited material accepted, see web for details CEXTON RECORDS P.O. Box 80187 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Offices in CA and NYC 949-766-1384 Email: johncexton@aol.com Web: cexton.com Contact: John Anello, Jr. Roster: Johnny Mandolin, Larry Luger, Chiz Harris w/ Conte Candoli, Doc Anello Trio, Tom Kubis Big Band, Jack Wood, Beach Front Property, Doc Anello & the Swing Machine Big Band, James L Dean Big Band, Reissues of Sinatra, Martin, Andante Duo Italian Music, Marie Anello Opera CD, Otaku in Crime Japanese Anime music Styles/Specialties: jazz, big band, swing and Italian-American artists Distribution: Indie, point of purchase, Internet, specialty stores CLEOPATRA RECORDS 11041 Santa Monica Blvd., PMB 703 Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-477-4000 Fax 310-312-5653 Web: cleopatrarecords.com Contact: Brian Perera, Tim Yasui Styles/Specialties: gothic, rock, metal, rap, R&B, dance, classics, soundtracks *Music Submissions accepted CLICKPOP RECORDS P.O. Box 5765 Bellingham, WA 98227 Email: dave@clickpoprecords.com Web: clickpoprecords.com CLOSED SESSIONS Chicago, IL Email: alex@closedsessions.com Web: closedsessions.com Notable Artists: Jamila Woods, Kweku Colins, Webster X CMH RECORDS 2898 Rowena Ave., #201 Los Angeles, CA 90039 800-373-8073 Email: info@cmhrecords.com Web: cmhrecords.com Styles/Specialties: country, bluegrass, electric, children’s, Christmas COMMUNION RECORDS London & Brooklyn Email: info@communionmusic.com Web: communionmusic.com Notable Artists: Michael Kiwanuka, Gotye, Tennis COMPASS RECORDS 916 19th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37212 800-757-2277, 615-320-7672

Fax: 615-320-7378 Email: info@compassrecords.com Web: compassrecords.com

703-351-7507 Email: dischord@dischord.com Web: dischord.com

CONCORD RECORDS 5750 Wilshire Blvd. #450 Los Angeles, CA 90036 310-385-4455 Email: submissions@concordmusic group.com Web: concordmusicgroup.com Roster: Action Bronson, Andrew Bird, Arianna Neikrug, August Burns Red, Barenaked Ladies

D’MAR ENTERTAINMENT, INC. San Jose, CA Email: dmarmusic@yahoo.com Web: dmarmusic.com Styles/Specialties: smooth jazz, R&B, gospel *Accepts unsolicited material

CRACKNATION Lombard, IL 60657 Email: info@cracknation.com Web: cracknation.com CROSSROADS ENTERTAINMENT 50 Fish Drive Arden, NC 28704 828-684-3066 Email: care@crossroadsmusic.com Web: crossroadsmusic.com CURB RECORDS 48 Music Sq. E. Nashville, TN 37203 615-321-5080 Email: licensing@curb.com Web: curb.com, curb.com/licensing *No unsolicited material accepted DAEMON RECORDS P.O. Box 1207 Decatur, GA 30031 Email: hello@daemonrecords.com Web: daemonrecords.com DANGERBIRD RECORDS 3801 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 323-665-1144 Email: info@dangerbird.com Web: dangerbirdrecords.com Roster: Juiceboxxx, *Repeat Repeat, A. Sinclair, Holly Miranda DAY 6 ENTERTAINMENT 716 Oak Circle Drive East Mobile, AL 36609 251-662-3257 Contact: Cynthia Corral Email: newtalent@day6entertainment.com Web: facebook.com/Day6Ent DCD2 MUSIC Email: info@dcd2records.com Web: dcd2records.com DEAD TRUTH RECORDINGS 9238 N.W. 13th Pl. Coral Springs, FL 33071 Email: deadtruthrecordings@gmail.com Web: facebook.com/DeadTruthRecordings DEEP SOUTH RECORDS P.O. Box 17737 Raleigh, NC 27619 919-844-1515 Email: info@deepsouthentertainment. com Web: deepsouthentertainment.com DEATHBOMB RECORDS Los Angeles, CA Email: deathbombarc@deathbomarc.com Web: deathbombarc.com Notable Artists: JPEGMAFIA, clipping DELMARK RECORDS 4121 N. Rockwell Chicago, IL 60618 773-539-5001 Email: delmark@delmark.com Web: delmark.com

DOMO RECORDS 11022 Santa Monica Blvd., #300 Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-966-4414 Email: info@domocart.com Web: domomusicgroup.com Contact: Dino Malito Styles/Specialties: new age, world music, rock, soundtrack, ambient, electronic *If you are interested In submitting your music to us, please see our website DOMINO RECORDS P.O. Box 47029 London, UK SW18 1EG Web: dominorecordco.com Notable Artists: Blood Orange, Arctic Monkeys, Animal Collective DOWNTOWN RECORDS New York, NY Email: hello@downtownrecords.com Web: https://downtownrecords.com/ Notable Artists: Smino, Mura Masa, Tei Shi DRAG CITY RECORDS P.O. Box 476867 Chicago, IL 60647 312-455-1015 Fax: 312-455-1057 Email: press@dragcity.com Web: dragcity.com DSPB 237 Cagua N.E. Albuquerque, NM 87108 505-266-8274 Email: dsbp@dsbp.cx Web: dsbp.cx DUALTONE RECORDS 3 McFerrin Ave. Nashville, TN 37206 615-320-0620 Email: info@dualtone.com Web: dualtone.com ENTERTAINMENT ONE MUSIC US 200 Varick St. New York, NY 10014 Web: entertainmentone.com EARWIG MUSIC COMPANY, INC. 2054 W. Farwell Ave., Ste G Chicago, IL 60645-4963 773-262-0278 Email: info@earwigmusic.com Web: earwigmusic.com EAST 2 WEST COLLECTIVE 11022 Santa Monica Blvd, #350 Los Angeles, CA 90025 323-965-0852 Email: jlobel@e2wcollective.com Web: muchandhousepr.com Contact: Laura Ackermann, Senior Publicist EMPEROR JONES RECORDS P.O. Box 4730 Austin, TX 78765 Email: brutus@emperorjones.com Web: emperorjones.com

DELOS PRODUCTIONS P.O. Box 343 Sonoma, CA 95476 800-364-0645, 707-996-3844 Email: orders@delosmus.com Web: delosmusic.com Styles/Specialties: classical

EPITAPH RECORDS 2798 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-413-7353 Email: christine@epitaph.com Web: epitaph.com Styles/Specialties: alt-rock, punk Distribution: Indies *No unsolicited material

DISCHORD RECORDS 3819 Beecher St. N.W. Washington, DC 20007

ERASED TAPES RECORDS, LTD 174 Victoria Park Road London E9 7HD Great Britain

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musicconnection.com

Directory of Everything Indie Email: records@erasedtapes.com Web: erasedtapes.com Notable Artists: Nils Frahm, Masayoshi Fujita, Penguin Café Orchestra ESTRUS LLC P.O. Box 2125 Bellingham, WA 98227 Email: website@estrus.com Web: estrus.com *No unsolicited material EQUAL VISION RECORDS P.O. Box 38202 Albany, NY 12203-8202 518-458-8250 Fax 518-458-1312 Email: info@equalvision.com Web: equalvision.com Styles/Specialties: punk, hardcore, indie, emo, rock, pop, metal *No physical demos. Email links to stream your music (no downloads), with a biography EYRST Portland, OR Web: eyrst.com Notable Artists: Neil Von Tally, The Last Artful, Dodgr. Myke Bogan FAT POSSUM RECORDS P.O. Box 1923 Oxford, MS 38655 662-234-2828 Fax 662-234-2899 Email: matthew@fatpossum.com Web: fatpossum.com FAVORED NATIONS ENTERTAINMENT 17328 Ventura Blvd., #165 Encino, CA 91316 818-385-1989 Email: info@favorednations.com Web: favorednations.com Styles/Specialties: all styles are welcome (Label is co-owned by Steve Vai) FEARLESS RECORDS 5870 W. Jefferson Blvd., Ste. E Los Angeles, CA 90016 Email: demos@fearlessrecords.com Web: fearlessrecords.com Styles: See website for details FERVOR RECORDS 1810 W. Northern Ave. A-5, Box 186 Phoenix, AZ 85021 Email: info@fervor-records.com Web: fervor-records.com *We do not accept unsolicited material FEVER RECORDS ATTN: Sal Abbatiello P.O. Box 219 Yonkers, NY 10710 914-725-0011 Email: info@feverrecords.com Web: feverrecords.com FIRST ACCESS ENTERTAINMENT 6725 Sunset Blvd. Ste. #420 Los Angeles, CA 90028 Email: la@firstaccessent.com Web: firstaccessent.com Published: see web How to Submit: no unsolicited material FONOVISA RECORDS Universal Music Group Miami, FL 33166 Web: universalmusica.com/fonovisa FOODCHAIN RECORDS 6464 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 920 Hollywood, CA 90028 323-957-7900 Note: Please submit demos by mail FORMUSIC Rua Bernardino de Campos, 277 Indaiatuba - São Paulo – Brazil Contact: Nando Machado Web: http://www.formusic.com.br Email: info@formusic.com.br Styles/Specialities: Indie/Rock/Hard Rock/Pop/Folk/Electronic Notable artists: Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age, Radiohead, Tame Impala, Gavin James, Passenger

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FREDDIE RECORDS 5979 S. Staples St. Corpus Christi, TX 78413 361-992-8411 Fax 361-992-8428 Email: sales@freddierecords.com Web: freddiestore.com FRESH SELECTS Portland, OR Web: freshselects.bandcamp.com Notable Artists: The Last Artful, Dodgr, SiR, Mndsgn FRONTIER RECORDS P.O. Box 22 Sun Valley, CA 91353 818-759-8279 Email: betty@frontierrecords.com Web: facebook.com/thefrontierrecords Styles/Specialties: hardcore punk, OC punk, punk-pop, alternative rock Roster: Adolescents, Middle Class, Eddie & the Subtitles *Does not accept demos G2 RECORDS 14110 N. Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 365 Dallas, TX 75254 972-726-9203 Fax 972-726-7749 Email: info@g2records.com Web: g2records.com GEORGE TOBIN MUSIC 102 N.E. 2nd St. Boca Raton, FL 33432 Email: Georgetobinmusic@aol.com Web: headlinerrecords.com GET HIP, INC. 1800 Columbus Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15233 412-231-4766 Fax 412-231-4777 Email: gregg@gethip.com Web: gethip.com GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL P.O. Box 220395 Brooklyn, NY 11222 Email: booking@ghostly.com Web: ghostly.com Notable Artists: Mary Lattimore, Tadd Mullinex, Matthew Dear, Kllo, Tycho GLASSNOTE RECORDS 770 Lexington Ave., 16th Fl. New York, NY 10065 646-214-6000 Fax 646-237-2711 Web: glassnotemusic.com Roster: Phoenix, the Temper Trap, Mumford and Sons, Two Door Cinema Club, Givers, Oberhofer, Childish Gambino, Daughter, Little Green Cars, Robert DeLong, Flight Facilities, Half Moon Run, CHVRCHES, Foy Vance, Jeremy Messersmith, Panama Wedding Additional locations: Los Angeles 8201 Beverly Blvd, Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Email: marc@glassnotemusic.com Contact: Marc Nicolas 323-822-4112 ext. 2279 London 10-11 Lower John St, Soho London W1F 9EB 020-7183-6887 Toronto 2450 Victoria Park, Ste. 1 Toronto, Ontario M2J 4A1 416-718-4424 GO-KUSTOM REKORDS & FILM P.O. Box 77750 Seattle, WA 98177 Email: gokustom@gmail.com Web: go-kustom.com GOOD YEARS Email: info@goodyearsinc.com Web: goodyearsinc.com Notable Artists: BANKS, Francis and the Lights, Jim-E Stack, LOYAL, Mick Jenkins and TTY HACIENDA RECORDS 1236 S. Staple St.

Corpus Christi, TX 78404 361-882-7066 Email: hacienda@haciendarecords.com Web: facebook.com/haciendarecords HEADS UP INTERNATIONAL Concord Music Group 5750 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 450 Los Angeles, CA 90036 Email: submissions@concordmusicgroup.com Web: concordmusicgroup.com/labels/ Heads-Up HOMESKILLET RECORDS Sitka, AK Email: galanin@gmail.com Web: homeskilletrecords.com HOPELESS RECORDS PO Box 495 Van Nuys, CA 818-997-0444 Email: ar@hopelessrecords.com Web: hopelessrecords.com *See web FAQ for submission guidelines HOT TOMATO RECORDS DEEP SOUTH ENTERTAINMENT P.O. Box 17737 Raleigh, NC 27619 919-844-1515 Email: info@deepsouthentertainment.com Web: deepsouthentertainment.com Additional Location: Nashville PO Box 121975 Nashville, TN 37212 615-953-4800 IAMSOUND RECORDS 524 N. Kilkea Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90048 Email: info@iamsound.com Web: iamsoundrecords.com Roster: Bleeding Knees Club, Banks, the Black Ghosts, Charli XCX, Florence and the Machine, Fools Gold, IO Echo, Kate Boy, Little Boots, Lord Huron, Men, MS MR, Newvillager, Nikki Lane, Salem ICEHOUSE MUSIC 952 Echo Ln., Ste. 380 Houston, TX 77024 713-463-6931 Fax 713-463-6929 Email: david@icehousemusic.com Web: icehousemusic.com Distribution: Brick and Morter, iTunes IDOL RECORDS P.O. Box 140344 Dallas, TX 75214 Email: info@idolrecords.com Web: idolrecords.com INDIANOLA RECORDS 4905 Edgewater Lane Oldsmar, FL 34677 Email: john@ indianolarecords.com Web: indianolarecords.com Styles: hardcore, metal, rock Distribution: E1 Entertainment INNOVATIVE LEISURE 2658 Griffith Park Blvd, #324 Los Angeles, CA 90039 Contact: Nat Nelson, Jamie Strong & Hanni El Khatib Email: info@innovativeleisure.net Web: innovativeleisure.net Notable Artists: BADBADNOTGOOD, Nosaj Thing, Rhye INTEGRITY LABEL GROUP 4050 Lee Vance View Colorado Springs, CO 80918 1-888-888-4726 Email: press@integrityMusic.com Web: integritymusic.com Contact: David C. Cook *No unsolicited material Additional location: 1646 Westgate Circle, Suite 106 Brentwood, TN 37027 888-888-4726

IPECAC RECORDINGS Email: info@ipecac.com Web: ipecac.com Contact: Greg Werckman Distribution: Fontana Roster: Fantomas, Melvins, Northern State, Dalek, Skeleton Key, Peeping Tom, Dub Trio JAGGO RECORDS 323-850-1819 Fax 323-850-1873 Email: jaggo@jaggo.com Web: jaggo.com/studios Styles/Specialties: pop, rock, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, soul, World music *Unsolicited material accepted JAGJAGUWAR 213 S. Rogers St. Bloomington, IN 47404 Contact: Darius Van Arman, Chris Swanson Email: radio@jagjaguwar.com Web: jagjaguwar.com, facebook.com/ Jagjaguwar Notable Artists: Bon Iver, Angel Olsen, Unknown Mortal Orchestra JAZZ LINK ENTERPRISES 3721 Columbia Dr. Longmont, CO 80503 303-776-1764 Email: hiblerjude@gmail.com Web: jazzlinkenterprises.com JONKEY ENTERPRISES Sonic Safari Music 663 W. California Ave. Glendale, CA 91203 818-242-4034 Email: chuck@sonicsafarimusic.com Web: jonkey.com Contact: Chuck Jonkey Styles/Specialties: environmental, world, traditional, ethnic Distribution: Indies Roster: Chuck Jonkey, Carl Malone *No unsolicited material KALIMBA MUSIC, INC. 15260 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 1750 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818-528-7443 Email: admin@kalimbaentertainment.com Web: kalimba-music.com, facebook.com/ KalimbaMusicInc Styles/Specialties: adult contemporary jazz, smooth jazz, R&B Distribution: Online KEMADO RECORDS 87 Guernsey St. Brooklyn, NY 11222 Email: info@kemado.com Web: kemado.com Roster: the Sword KILL ROCK STARS 819 SE 14th Loop Suite 106 Battle Ground, WA 98604 Email: feedback@killrockstars.com Web: killrockstars.com *Accepting demos from active, touring bands KOCH RECORDS See E1 Music Group K RECORDS P.O. Box 7154 Olympia, WA 98507 360-786-1594 Email: mailorder@krecs.com Web: krecs.com Roster: Karl Blau, Aries, Jason Anderson Currently not accepting demos KRANKY Chicago, IL Email: krankyinfo@gmail.com Web: kranky.net Notable Artists: Stars of the Lid, Grouper, Tim Hecker Currently accepting demos LAMON RECORDS CORPORATION P.O. Box 1907 Mt Juliet, TN 37121 615-379-2121 Fax 615-379-2122

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts Email: dave@lamonrecords.com Web: lamonrecords.com Additional locations: Hollywood, CA 818-850-0625 Charlotte, NC 704-282-9910 LAZY BONES RECORDINGS 10002 Aurora Ave. N., Ste. 36 PMB 317 Seattle, WA 98133 310- 281-6232 Email: scott@lazybones.com Web: lazybones.com *At this time we are not accepting demos Additional Location: Melbourne, Australia (03) 9028 2200 LAZY S.O.B. RECORDINGS P.O. Box 4084 Austin, TX 78765 512-480-0765 Fax 512-499-0207 Email: LazySOB1@aol.com Web: lazysob.com LEG (Loggins Entertainment Group) 310-325-9997 Email: staff@backstageentertainment.net Web: backstageentertainment.net LEVIATHAN RECORDS P.O. Box 745 Tyrone, GA 30290 770-257-8697 Email: general@leviathanrecords.com Web: leviathanrecords.com LITTLE FISH RECORDS P.O. Box 19164 Cleveland, OH 44119 216-481-1634 Email: littlefishrecords@gmail.com Web: littlefishrecords.com Contact: Greg David LIZARD SUN ENTERTAINMENT 1621 W. 25th St., Ste. 115 San Pedro, CA 90732 310-505-3958 Email: floyd@lizardsunentertainment.com Web: lizardsunentertainment.com Contact: Floyd Bocox, CEO & President Styles: country, pop, rock LOCAL ACTION London Email: info@localactionrecords.co.uk Web: localactionrecords.co.uk Notable Artists: Deadboy, Jammz, DAWN LOVECAT MUSIC P.O. Box 548, Ansonia Sta. New York, NY 10023 646-304-7391 Email: lovecatmusic@gmail.com Web: lovecatmusic.com LUAKA BOP 195 Chrystie, 602B New York, NY 10002 212-624-1469 Email: iwasthinking@luakabop.com Web: luakabop.com Styles/Specialties: pop, world *No unsolicited materials MACKAVENUE 18530 Mack Ave., Unit 299 Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 888-640-6225 Email: info@mackavenue.com Web: mackavenue.com MAGGIE’S MUSIC P.O. Box 490 Shady Side, MD 20764 410-867-0642 Email: mail@maggiesmusic.com Web: maggiesmusic.com MAGNA CARTA RECORDS A-1 Country Club Rd. East Rochester, NY 14445

Additional location:

585-381-5224 Email: info@magnacarta.net Web: magnacarta.net Styles/Specialties: progressive metal *submit physical promo materials to above address - Demo Submissions *See website for details

Metal Blade Records GMGH Marstallstrasse 14 73033 Goppingen, Germany METROPOLIS RECORDS P.O. Box 974 Media, PA 19063 610-595-9940 Email: demo@metropolis-records.com Web: metropolis-records.com *accept CD or CD-R formats or SoundCloud links

MALACO MUSIC GROUP, THE P.O. Box 9287 Jackson, MS 39286 800-272-7936, 601-982-4522 Email: malaco@malaco.com, demo@malaco.com Web: malaco.com

MEXICAN SUMMER 87 Guernsey St. Brooklyn, NY11222 Email: info@mexicansummer.com Web: mexicansummer.com Notable Artists: Ariel Pink, Weyes Blood, Dungen

MAMA RECORDS P.O. Box 26850 Tempe, AZ 85285 1-480-491-6430 Email: sales@summitrecords.com Web: summitrecords.com Styles/Specialties: jazz--big band, contemporary Distribution: hard goods: Allegro Media Group (North America); digital: IODA MANIFESTO RECORDS 1180 S. Beverly Dr., Ste. 510 Los Angeles, CA 90035 310-556-9800 Fax 310-556-9801 Email: esc@manifesto.com Web: manifesto.com Contact: Evan Cohen, Business Affairs Styles: rock, indie, Brit-pop, punk Roster: Alice Cooper, Dead Kennedys, Tom Waits Distribution: MVD *No unsolicited material MARSALIS MUSIC 323 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 617-354-2736 Web: marsalismusic.com *Not accepting any artist submissions

MILAN ENTERTAINMENT Sherman Oaks,CA Email: milandrecords@sonymusic.com Web: milanrecords.com Styles: soundtracks, electronic, world MIND OF A GENIUS (MOAG) Web: mindofagenius.co.uk Notable Artists: THEY, Gallant, ZHU

MASCOT LABEL GROUP PO Box 231 Suite 701 NYC, NY 10016 212-620-5909 Web: Mascotlabelgroup.com Contact: Ron Burman – President MLG North America/A&R Email: Burman@mascotlabelgroup.com Contact: Ed van Zijl – owner/A&R Email: Ed@mascotlabelgroup.com Styles: Rock, metal, guitar, prog, blues rock, jam MATADOR RECORDS 134 Grand St. New York, NY 10013 703-915-1211 Email: info@matadorrecords.com Web: matadorrecords.com Styles/Specialties: all styles *Unsolicited material accepted MEGA TRUTH RECORDS P.O. Box 4988 Culver City, CA 90231 Email: jonbare@aol.com Web: jonbare.net Contact: Jon Bare Styles/Specialties: blues and rock MELLO MUSIC GROUP Tucson, AZ Email: info@mellonmusicgroup.com Web: mellomusicgroup.com Notable Artists: Oddisee, Open Miek Eagle, Apollo Brown MERGE RECORDS Chapel Hill, NC Email: merge@mergerecords.com Web: mergerecords.com Roster: Arcade Fire, Barren Girls, Caribou, Divine Fits, Ex Hex, She & Him, Teenage Fanclub, M. Ward and more. METAL BLADE RECORDS 5160 Van Nuys Blvd., #301 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 Email: metalblade@metalblade.com Web: metalblade.com Styles/Specialties: heavy metal, progressive, rock *No unsolicited material

MINT RECORDS P.O. Box 3613, M.P.O. Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 3Y6 604-669-MINT Email: info@mintrecs.com Web: mintrecs.com Roster: Hot Panda, Immaculate Machine, Fanshaw, Kellarissa, John Guliak *Accepts demos in CD in the mail with a handwritten note and contact info MILK RECORDS P.O. Box 35 Moreland LPO Coburg 3058 Victoria, Australia Email: milkrecordsmelbourne@gmail.com Web: milk.milkrecords.com.au Notable Artists: Courtney Barnett MIXPAK RECORDS Brooklyn, NY Email: info@mixpakrecords.com Web: mixpakrecords.com Notable Artists: Popcaan, Palmistry, Murio MORPHIUS RECORDS 100 E. 23rd St. Baltimore, MD 21218 410-662-0112 Email: info@morphius.com Web: morphius.com MOTION CITY RECORDS 1424 4th St., #604 Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-434-1272 Web: motioncity.com Styles/Specialties: alternative rock Roster: Velvet, Voodoo, Brent Fraser, 10 Pound Troy, UFO Bro, Drag, Wendy Bucklew MOUNTAIN APPLE COMPANY, THE 1330 Ala Moana Blvd., Ste. 001 Honolulu, HI 96814 808-597-1888 Fax 808-597-1151 Web: mountainapplecompany.com Styles/Specialties: traditional and contemporary Hawaiian MOUNTAIN HOME RECORDS 50 Fisk Drive Arden, NC 28704 828-684-3066 Email: info@mountainhomemusiccompany.com Web: mountainhomemusiccompany.com Styles/Specialties: bluegrass *No unsolicited material MRG RECORDINGS Email: submissions@mrgrecordings.com Web: mrgrecordings.com, facebook.com/ mrgrecordings Contact: A&R

Styles/Specialties: rock, electronic, ambient, folk MUSIC iN CANNABIS 5062 Lankershim Bl. #174 N. Hollywood CA 91601 702-268-6078 text Email: submissions@MusicInCannabis. com Contact: Dr. J. Marley Music Inspired by & Dedicated to Cannabis (Distributed by SONY & ALLIANCE) N. E. H. RECORDS 7915 Oxford Rd. Niwot, CO 80503 303-652-0199 Email: mmcpherson@nehrecords.com Web: nehrecords.com NEW PANTS PUBLISHING INC. & OLD PANTS PUBLISHING INC. 102 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Ste. 200 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719-632-0227 Fax 719-634-2274 Email: rac@crlr.net Web: newpants.com, oldpants.com Contact: Robert A. Case Styles/Specialties: pop, rock, rap, R&B, country Roster: Stephanie Aramburo, Chad Steele, C. Lee Clarke, Tech T, James Becker, Kathy Watson, Lisa Bigwood, George Montalbano, Silence, Sherwin Greenwood, Joel Diehl, John Ellis and Phyllis Shaw. *Unsolicited material through management or lawyer only. Please contact before submitting NEW VISION MUSIC GROUP & NVM RECORDS 7306 Ann Cabell Lane Mechanicsville, VA 23111 804-350-4746 Email: newvisionmusicgroupnvm records@gmail.com Web: newvisionmusicgroup.com Styles/Specialties: New Country, Traditional Country, Bluegrass, Christian, Christian Country, Gospel & Americana NEW WEST RECORDS 2923 Berry Hill Dr. Nashville, TN 37204 615-385-4777 Web: newwestrecords.com Roster: see web *No unsolicited materials accepted NINJA TUNE P.O. Box 4296 London, SE11 4WW Email: demos@ninjatune.net Web: ninjatune.net/home Notable Artists: Bonobo, Actress, FaltyDL, The Bug *We are now only accepting demos in digital form NITRO RECORDS 7071 Warner Ave., Ste. F736 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Email: info@nitrorecords.com Web: facebook.com/nitrorecords Styles/Specialties: punk/pop Roster: see web NOISEY BY VICE Brooklyn, New York 11249 Email: press@vice.com Web: vice.com/en_us/section/music NONESUCH RECORDS 1633 Broadway New York, NT 10019 212-707-2000 Email: info@nonesuch.com Web: nonesuch.com Roster: Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Gipsy Kings, kd lang, Randy Newman, Wilco, Brian Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Kronos Quartet, Youssou N’Dour, Buena Vista Social Club, Laurie Anderson OGLIO RECORDS 3540 W. Sahara Ave., #308 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702-800-5500

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Directory of Everything Indie Web: oglio.com Contact: Carl Caprioglio, Mark Copeland Roster: George Lopez, the Sparks, Jackie the Jokeman Martling, reissues, novelty, soundtracks, Beatallica

Savoy Brown, Edgar Winter, The Immediate Family, Narada Michael Walden, Richard T. Bear, Bonham-Bullick Band, Denny Seiwell, Sean Chambers, Dominic Quarto

OH BOY RECORDS P.O. Box 150222 Nashville, TN 37215 615-742-1250 Email: info@ohboy.com Web: ohboy.com *no unsolicited material accepted

R&S RECORDS Email: andy@rsrecords.com Web: randsrecords.com Roster: James Blake, Nicolas Jaar, Paul White

PAPER GARDEN RECORDS 170 Tillary St., Apt. 608 Brooklyn, NY 11201 Email: caleb@papergardenrecords.com Contact: Bryan Vaughn Web: papergardenrecords.com Roster: Alcoholic Faith Mission, Darla Framer, Mighty Tiger, Pree Accepting Demos PARMA RECORDINGS 223 Lafayette Rd. North Hampton, NH 03862 603-758-1718 Email: info@parmarecordings.com Web: parmarecordings.com PAUL WINTER P.O. Box 72 Litchfield, CT 06759 860-567 8796, 800-437-2281 Email: elizabeth@waldmaniapr.com Web: paulwinter.com, facebook.com/paulwintermusic/info PINCH HIT ENTERTAINMENT 2400 W. Carson St., Ste. 223 Torrance, CA 90501 Web: pinchhit.com Contact: Mike Naylor Styles/Specialties: alternative and pop POSI-TONE P.O. Box 2848 Los Angeles, CA 90294 310-871-2652 Email: info@posi-tone.com Web: posi-tone.com Styles/Specialties: jazz Roster: Orrin Evans, Jim Rotondi, Ralph Bowen, Brian Charette, Jared Gold, David Gibson, Ehud Asherie, Doug Webb PPL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP,INC PO Box 261488 Encino, CA 91426 310-962-3873 Email: pplzmi@aol.com Web: www.pplzmi.com *No unsolicited material accepted Contact: Maxx Diamond *No unsolicited material accepted. Must first write with SASE for permission. PRA RECORDS 212-860-3233 Email: pra@prarecords.com Web: prarecords.com Contact: Patrick Rains Styles/Specialties: jazz Roster: Jonatha Brooke, Randy Crawford, David Sanborn, Curtis Stigers Distribution: Ryko PRAVDA RECORDS 4245 N Knox Ste 7 Chicago, IL 60641 773-763-7509 Email: kenn@pravdamusic.com Web: pravdamusic.com PRIMARILY A CAPPELLA P.O. Box D San Anselmo, CA 94979 415-419-5509 Email: harmony@singers.com Web: singers.com Styles/Specialties: a cappella *Unsolicited material accepted QUARTO RECORDS Woodland Hills, CA Email: info@quartovalleyrecords.com Web: quartovalleyrecords.com Roster/Notable Projects: Paul Rodgers,

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RAMP RECORDS Santa Barbara, CA Email: Info@ramprecords.com Web: ramprecords.com Styles/Specialties: Eclectic Roster: Michael McDonald, Jeff Bridges *No unsolicited material RAZOR & TIE ENTERTAINMENT 229 West 28th Street, Floor 11 New York, NY 10001 212-699-6588 Email: press@razorandtie.com Web: concord.com/labels/razor-tierecords Roster: see website RED EYE MUSIC GROUP 505 Eno St. Hillsborough, NC 27278 877-733-3931 Email: info@redeyeworldwide.com Web: redeyeusa.com Note: no unsolicited material RED HOUSE RECORDS 916 19th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37212 800-757-2277, 615-320-7672 Email: info@compassrecords.com Web: redhouserecords.com *Unsolicited material accepted RELAPSE RECORDS P.O. Box 2060 Upper Darby, PA 19082 610-734-1000 Email: mailorder@relapse.com, Web: relapse.com, facebook.com/ RelapseRecords Roster: High on Fire, Jucifer, Origin, Brutal Truth REMBA RECORDS P.O. Box 611 Montrose, CA 91021 818-244-5661 Email: michael@rembarecords.com Web: rembarecords.com Contact: Jennifer Russell, Michael Gayle Styles/Specialties: all styles REVELATION RECORDS P.O. Box 5232 Huntington Beach, CA 92615 714-842-7584 Email: webmaster@revhq.com Web: revelationrecords.com Styles/Specialties: hardcore, punk, emo and metal Roster: See website *Unsolicited material accepted RHYMESAYERS ENTERTAINMENT 2409 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55405 612-977-9870 Email: info@rhymesayers.com Web: rhymesayers.com ROADRUNNER RECORDS Warner Music Group 1633 Broadway New York,NY 10019 212-275-2000 Web: roadrunnerrecords.com Styles/Specialties: rock *Unsolicited materials accepted, see web for details. ROCKZION RECORDS 673 Valley Dr. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-379-6477 Email: rockzionrecords@rockzion.com Web: rockzion.com Styles/Specialties: Christian and crossover rock and film music

ROIR (SAY ROAR!) (Reachout International Records) P.O. Box 150-460 Van Brunt Station Brooklyn, NY 11215 718-852-7647 Email: info@roir-usa.com Web: roir-usa.com Styles/Specialties: punk, reggae, rock *Demo Policy: Please submit all demos via MusicXray: musicxray.com ROUGH TRADE RECORDS Rough Trade East Dray Walk, 91 Brick Lane London, E1 6QL +44 (0) 20 7392 7788 Email: enquiries@roughtrade.com Web: roughtrade.com Notable Artists: Princess Nokia, jennylee, Parquet Courts SACRED BONES Brooklyn, New York Email: info@sacredbonesrecords.com Web: sacredbonesrecords.com Notable Artists: Amen Dunes, Zola Jesus, Jenny Hval SECRETLY CANADIAN 213 S. Rogers Bloomfield, IN 47404 812-335-1572 Email: info@secretlydistribution.com Web: secretlycanadian.com Notable Artists: Whitney, ANOHNI, serpentwithfeet, War On Drugs SHANGRI-LA PROJECTS P.O. Box 40106 Memphis, TN 38174 901-359-3102 Email: sherman@shangrilaprojects.com Web: shangrilaprojects.com SIX DEGREES RECORDS P.O. Box 411347 San Francisco, CA 94141 Email: licensing@sixdegreesrecords.com Web: sixdegreesrecords.com Distribution: Fontana * we do not accept unsolicited demos. SMILE RECORDS Los Angeles, CA Email: smilerecords@gmail.com Web: smilerecords.homestead.com/ homepage.html Contact: Tony Valenziano, President SONIC IMAGES ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 12400 Ventura Blvd., #268 Studio City, CA 91604 323-650-4000 Email: sonicimages@sonicimages.com Web: sonicimages.com SOULECTION Los Angeles Contact: Joe Kay, Head of A&R Web: soulection.com Notable Artists: Goldlink, Sango, Ta-ku SOUND KITCHEN STUDIOS, LLC 112 Seaboard Ln. Franklin, TN 37067 615-370-5773 Email: iblonder@soundkitchen.com Contact: Ira Blonder Web: soundkitchen.com Specialities: All Genres *Unsolicited material accepted SOUNDSCAPES MEDIA GROUP 1534 N. Moorpark Road, #183 Los Angeles, CA 91360 Tel: 805-405-8078 Email: info@soundscapesmedia.com Web: soundscapesmedia.com Styles/Specialties: Jazz, Acoustic, Vocal, Latin, Pop, Blues, Classic Rock, Classical - HD Recordings and Distribution, Immersive formats * Unsolicited Material Accepted SPARROW RECORDS (Capitol CMG Label Group) 101 Winners Cir. Brentwood, TN 37027

615-371-4300 Email: info@capitolcmg.com Web: sparrowrecords.com Styles/Specialties: Christian *No unsolicited materials SST Records PO Box 1 Taylor, TX 76574 512-387-5331 Email: orders@sstsuperstore.com Web: sstsuperstore.com Styles/Specialties: rock, jazz, punk, progressive rock *Unsolicited material accepted STONES THROW RECORDS, LLC 2658 Griffith Park Blvd, #504 Los Angeles, CA 90039 Email: losangeles@stonesthrow.com Web: stonesthrow.com Notable Artists: J Dilla, Dam-Funk, Madvillian SUB POP 2013 4th Ave., 3rd Fl. Seattle, WA 98121 206-441-8441 Fax 206-441-8245 Email: info@subpop.com Web: subpop.com Styles/Specialties: rock, alt. rock *No unsolicited material SUPREME ENTERPRISES INTERNATIONAL CORP. P.O. Box 1373 Agoura Hills, CA 91376 818-707-3481 Email: supreme2@earthlink.net Web: raggaforce.com Contact: J. Sarmiento Styles/Specialties: trance, Latin, reggae *No phone calls, please SURFDOG RECORDS 1126 S. Coast Hwy. 101 Encinitas, CA 92024 760-944-8000 Fax 760-944-7808 Email: demo@surfdog.com Web: surfdog.com Contact: Anita Strine Roster: Brian Setzer, Stray Cats, Richard Cheese, Gary Hoey, Rusty Anderson, Slightly Stoopid, Dan Hicks, Butthole Surfers, Gibby Haynes, Dylan Donkin, the Wylde Bunch *Unsolicited material accepted, see website SYMBIOTIC RECORDS P.O. Box 88456 Los Angeles, CA 90009 424-245-0416 Web: symbioticnation.com Syles/Specialties: All Roster: Ignacio Val, Eric Knight Services: Record Label *Accepts unsolicited material email links only—no phone calls SYMPATHY FOR THE RECORD INDUSTRY 120 State Ave., N.E. 134 Olympia, WA 98501 Email: sympathy13@aol.com Web: sympathyrecords.com/home.shtml TANGENT RECORDS P.O. Box 383 Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 614-751-1962 Fax 614-751-6414 Email: info@tangentrecords.com Web: tangentrecords.com Contact: Andrew J. Batchelor, President Styles/Specialties: contemporary instrumental, rock instrumental, electronic, jazz-rock, world beat Distribution: self-distributed *Unsolicited material accepted TERRIBLE RECORDS Brooklyn, NY Contact: Ethan Silverman Email: orders@secondcityprints.com Web: terriblerecords.com Notable Artists: Solange, Empress Of, Blood Orange THIN MAN ENTERTAINMENT P.O. Box 322

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts Torrance, CA 90507 310-320-8822 Email: submissions@thinmanentertainment.com Web: thinmanentertainment.com Contact: Jeremy Meza Styles/Specialties: alternative rock, darkwave, deathrock, gothic, industrial, jazz, junk, punk and psychobilly THUMP RECORDS P.O. Box 9605 Brea, CA 92822 Email: djultralight@thumprecords.com Web: thumprecords.com Contact: Bill Walker, CEO Styles/Specialties: Latin rap, old skool, rap, R&B, Latin, oldies, disco *New Artist submission guidelines: see website. TREASURE ISLE RECORDERS, INC. 2808 Azalea Pl. Nashville, TN 37204 615-297-0700 Email: fredvail@treasureislenashville.com TRUE PANTHER SOUNDS New York, New York Email: sounds@truepanther.com Web: truepanther.com Notable Artists: Tobias Jesso Jr. London O’Connor URBAND & LAZAR Los Angeles, CA London 323-230-6592 Email: help@urbandlazar.com Web: urbandlazar.com Styles/Specialities: indie, alt-rock, s-s *We do no accept unsolicited material VAGRANT RECORDS 5566 W. Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016 323-302-0100 Email: info@vagrant.com Web: vagrant.com *We do not accept unsolicited demos VAN RICHTER RECORDS 2145 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way 4-219 Palm Springs, CA 92262 626-260-8916 Email: manager@vanrichter.net Web: vanrichter.net Styles/Specialties: industrial, gothic, metal *Accepts unsolicited material VAPOR RECORDS 1460 4th St., #300 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Email: webstar@vaporrecords.com Web: vaporrecords.com VICTORY RECORDS 346 N. Justine St., 5th Fl. Chicago, IL 60607 312-666-8661 Fax 312-666-8665 Email: contact@victoryrecords.com Web: victoryrecords.com *Accepts unsolicited demos WARP RECORDS Sheffield London Web: warp.net Email: usa@warprecords.com Notable Artists: Hudson Mohawke, Danny Brown, Aphex Twin, Kelela *not seeking unsolicited demos WICKED COOL RECORDS 434 6th Ave., Ste. 6R New York, NY 347-229-2960 Email: scott@wickedcoolrecords.com Web: wickedcoolrecords.com XL RECORDINGS (Beggars Group) 1 Codrington Mews London, England W11 2EH +44 (0) 20 8870 7511 Email: xl@xl-recordings.com YEAR0001 Krukmakargatan 22, 118 51 Stockholm Sweden

Email: info@year001.com Web: year0001.com Notable Artists: Yung Lean, Bladee, Thaiboy Digital YEP ROC RECORDS 449-A Trollingwood Rd. Haw River, NC 27258 877-733-3931 Email: fred@yeprocmusicgroup.com Web: yeproc.com YOUNG TURKS London, UK Email: demos@theyoungturks.co.uk Web: theyoungturks.co.uk Notable Artists: FKA Twigs, The xx, SBTRKT, Sampha

MARKETERS/PROMOTERS 1 SEO EXPERTS Los Angeles, CA 888-736-2413 Web: 1seoexperts.com Contact: Michael Guy Services: Providing cutting edge media and marketing CARDSCASHREWARDS.COM Los Angeles, CA 1-888-452.5959 Toll-Free in USA Email: info@cardscashrewards.com Web: cardscashrewards.com Styles/Specialties: We develop gift cards into marketing solutions that enable music artists to establish and sustain their careers independently. Our awardwinning approach to gift cards integrates online PR; social networking; cuttingedge ecommerce and more into any commercially-viable artists’ marketing mix to accelerate sales and cash-flow; grow and monetize social networks; establish new distribution channels; and new strategic partnerships and sponsorships. Our approach to gift cards also conveys S.M.A.R.T.er ways for indie music artists to crowdfund; digitally distribute music globally; sell directly to consumers. TWO SHEPS THAT PASS 1740 Broadway 15th Floor New York, NY 10019 646-907-8787 Email: info@twoshepsthatpass.com Web: twoshepsthatpass.com 360 MEDIA 1040 Boulevard SE, Suite C Atlanta, GA 30312 404-577-8686 Email: hello@360media.net Web: 360media.net 919 MARKETING COMPANY 102 Avent Ferry Rd. Holly Springs, NC 27540 919-557-7890 Email: letsworktogether@919marketing. com Web: 919marketing.com INDIEPOWER 5062 Lankershim Blvd., #174 N. Hollywood, CA 91601 818-505-1836 Email: info@indiepower.com Web: indiepower.com Contact: Jay Warsinske CEO (40+ year veteran) Styles/Specialties: All styles, worldwide, maximum PR, promotion, marketing and major distribution services by top pros ABC PROMOTIONAL MARKETING 20531 Rhode St. Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-999-2226 Email: andrew@shopabcpromo.com Web: shopabcpromo.com AIM MARKETING SOLUTIONS 830 3rd Street South, Suite 203 Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 904-881-0932 Email: info@aimmktgagency.com Web: aimmktgagency.com Styles/Specialties: sports and entertainment marketing

A.D.D. MARKETING & ADVERTISING 6600 Lexington Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-790-0500 Email: info@addmarketing.com Web: addmarketing.com Styles/Specialties: rock, hip-hop, electronic *No unsolicited material **No phone calls please AFFORDABLE IMAGE 2515 N. 7th St. Phoenix, AZ 85006 800-639-1622 Email: sales@affordableimage.com Web: affordableimage.com AIRPLAY ACCESS 5018 Franklin Pike Nashville,TN 37220 310-325-9997 Email: staff@airplayaccess.com Web: airplayaccess.com Contact: Paul Loggins Styles/Specialties: all styles ANDERSON MARKETING 7420 Blanco Rd., Ste. 200 San Antonio, TX 78216 210-223-6233 Email: info@andersonmarketing.com Web: andadv.com ARIES OF NOHO PROMOTIONS P.O. Box 16741 North Hollywood, CA 91615 747-256-8911, 818-220-3423 Email: Shelby@ariesofnoho.com Web: ariesofnoho.com Contact: MJ Shelby Styles: Funk, Jazz, Old School, R&B, Soul, Urban, World Beat Services: Consulting, Radio Airplay, Marketng, On-Line Promotion, Band Management, Social Networking, Video Promotion and Internet Publicity ARISTOMEDIA P.O. Box 22765 Nashville, TN 37202 615-269-7071 Email: info@aristomedia.com Web: aristomedia.com ARTISTS HOUSE MUSIC Web: artistshousemusic.org BEHIND THE CURTAINS MEDIA 234 6th St. Ste #5 Brooklyn, NY 11215 347-699-4429 Contact: Michael Abiuso Email: mike@behindthecurtainsmedia. com Web: behindthecurtainsmedia.com

Web: carparkrecords.com Notable Artists: Toro y Moi, Skylar Spence, Cloud Nothings CORNERSTONE 71 W. 23rd St., 13th Fl. New York, NY 10010 212-741-7100 Email: info@cornerstonepromotion.com, pr@cornerstonepromotion.com Web: cornerstonepromotion.com Contact: Rob Stone and Jon Cohen CREATIVE BRAND CONSULTING 2219 S. 48th St., Ste. 1 Tempe, AZ 85282 888-567-0522 Email: ron@creativebrandconsulting.com Web: creativebrandconsulting.com CYBER PR 389 12th St. Brooklyn, NY 11215 212-239-8384 Email: contact@arielpublicity.com Web: cyberprmusic.com DEATH TO SLOW MUSIC 131 Avenue A, #2 New York, NY 10009 (646) 470-8009 Email: teamdeath@deathtoslowmusic. com Web: deathtoslowmusic.com Contact: Henry Bainbridge Styles: Indie, Punk, Rock, Folk, DIY, Underground Services: Music PR for punks, geeks, weirdos and the rest of us. Campaigns with soul. Killer bios. Punchy press releases. Straight dope advice. DEBORAH BROSSEAU COMMUNICATIONS Los Angeles, CA 323-314-4203 Email: db@deborahbrosseau.com Web: deborahbrosseau.com Contact: Deborah Brosseau DISTINCTIVE PROMO 646-727-9645 Email: promo@distinctivepromo.com Web: distinctivepromo.com EVOLUTION PROMOTION 7 Arlene Ave. Wilmington, MA 01887 978-658-3357 Email: info@evolutionpromotion.com Web: evolutionpromotion.com Additional location: 3039 Hillcrest Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90016

BIG 10 INDUSTRIES, INC. ROCK CITY 411 Culver Blvd. Playa del Rey, Ca 90293 Web: Big10inc.com 888-930-7811

FANSCAPE 12777 W. Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066 214-259-8472 Email: james@fanscape.com Web: fanscape.com

BLACK DOG PROMOTIONS 9920 South Rural Road, Ste. 108 Phoenix, AZ 85284 480-206-3435 Email: scott@blackdogpromotions.com Web: blackdogpromotions.com

Additional location:

BRYAN FARRISH PROMOTION 1828 Broadway, 2nd Fl. Santa Monica, CA 90404 310-998-8305 Email: airplay@radio-media.com Web: radio-media.com Styles/Specialties: In-house and field staff to handle regular rotation on every commercial station in the U.S. and Canada, generating up to 3,000,000 listens per week on a single station in a single city. Also, college radio, specialty/mixshow radio, and gigchart.net for gigs in CA. CARPARK RECORDS P.O. Box 42374 Washington, D.C. 20015 Email: info@carparkrecords.com

1999 Bryan St., Ste. 1800 Dallas, TX 75201 200 E. Randolph St. Chicago, IL 150 5th Ave. New York, NY 10011 FILTER 1425 Fourth Ave. Seattle, WA 98101 800-336-0809 Email: info@filterdigital.com Web: filterdigital.com FLANAGAN’S RADIO PROMOTIONS 323-876-7027 Email: submt@FlanaganPromotions.com Web: flanaganpromotions.com Contact: Jon Flanagan, Taylor W., Tom S. Styles/Specialties: AAA, rock, AC, consult before pressing CD, building a band’s buzz!

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musicconnection.com

Directory of Everything Indie FUTURE STAR MUSIC GROUP Los Angeles, CA Miami, FL 909-717-6732 Email: info@futurestarmusic.com Web: futurestarmusic.com Services: We are a full service music company: Management, record label, music publishing, marketing and promotions, DJ coalition, consulting and marketing. GAIL ROBERTS P.R. & INTERNET MARKETING 10061 Riverside Dr., Ste. 1400 Burbank, CA 91602 310-734-8193 Email: gailrobertspr@gmail.com Web: linkedin.com/in/gailrobertspr Contact: Gail Roberts Styles/Specialties: longstanding music PR firm with marketing and online promotion, internet publicity, social networking. Firm also handles marketing and media for painters, authors, corporations and ecological projects. GARY GROUP, THE 1546 7th St., Ste. 301 Santa Monica, CA 90404 310-449-7626 Email: rick@garygroup.com Web: garygroup.com, facebook.com/thegarygroup Styles/Specialties: all styles *No unsolicited material Additional location: Nashville 615-210-7908 GIANT STEP 281 N. 7th St., #2 Brooklyn, NY 11211 212-219-3567 Email: inquiries@giantstep.net Web: giantstep.net Additional location: 644 N. Fuller Ave. #127 Los Angeles, CA 90036 Email: esther@giantstep.net GIRLIE ACTION MEDIA & MARKETING, INC. 243 W. 30th St., 12th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212-989-2222 Email: carter@girlieaction.com Web: girlieaction.com, facebook.com/ girlieaction GONZALEZ MARKETING 2804 W. Northern Lights Anchorage, AK 99517 907-562-8640 Email: gm@gonzalezmarketing.com Web: gonzalezmarketing.com Contact: Steve Gonzalez GREG STEFFEN National Music Marketing Services 78 Derby St. Salem, MA 01970 978-594-0328 Email: grsteffen@aol.com Web: nationalmusicmarketing.com/ company.html HANDS ON PR & MARKETING Email: handsonpr@aol.com Web: expertiseinmedia.com Contact: Craig Melone Styles/Specialties: all styles/indie labels are our forte HOWARD ROSEN PROMOTION 1129 Maricopa Hwy. Ste. #238 Ojai, CA 93023 805-201-6300 Email: pinnaclemanagement212@gmail. com Formats/Specialties: CHR/Top 40, AC, Hot AC, AAA, Alternative Specialty, Mainstream Rock, Modern AC, Country, and video. HUMAN ELEMENT TV 453 S. Spring St., Ste. 937

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Los Angeles, CA 90013-2089 213-232-1193 Email: info@humanelement.tv Web: melodymakerproductions.com Services: Logo creation, press kit design, album cover art, promo materials (stickers, flyers, etc.) audio post production, composition for TV/films/games, songwriting arrangement, record production, engineering, mixing, mastering, prepping, albums for duplication/replication, vocal coaching, vocal production, career consultation. IFANZ.COM (McCartney Multimedia, Inc.) 322 Culver Blvd., Ste. 124 Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 Email: info@ifanz.com Web: ifanz.com IMAGINE PR 262 West 38th Street Suite 703 New York City 212-922-1961 Email: info@imagine-team.com Web: imagine-team.com J&H PROMOTIONS P.O. Box 295 Indian Rocks, FL 33785 727-648-4274 Email: jhpro@att.net Web: jandhpromotions.com Contact: Mary Christopher, President Styles/Specialties: Award-winning promotions, brand management, ad agency, radio promotions, press/PR, representing all genres, from indie to major label. Clients: ABC Radio Networks, Dreamworks Records, Harrah’s Casino, MCA Records, Jones and Thomas Advertising Agency, Naxos Music, Stringtown Records, Town of Los Altos Hills, Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, Polk County Utilities, 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines, Main Street Bank and Trust and Virgin Records. JJ ENTERTAINMENT 530-412-3354 Email: Joddith@aol.com Web: jjentertainment.com Contact: Jodi Jackson Styles: All KAREN MORSTAD & ASSOCIATES 79 E. Putnam Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 646-209-8055 Email: kmorstad@karenmorstad.com Web: karenmorstad.com KBH ENTERTAINMENT GROUP Van Nuys, CA 91405 818-786-5994 Email: support@kbhentertainment.com Web: kbhentertainment.com Contact: Brent Harvey Styles/Specialties: consulting, artist management, event production, music licensing and placement, publicity, talent buying & booking LABEL LOGIC Artist and Label Services Contact: Jay Gilbert and Jeff Moskow 566 Mindenvale Court Simi Valley, CA 93065 (310) 405-4155 (text), 818-431-0728 Email: jay@label-logic.net, jeff@labellogic.net Web: label-logic.net Styles/Specialties: All genres LAKES COMMUNICATION SERVICES Los Angeles, CA 323-251-2358 Email: lakescommunications@gmail.com Contact: Jeffery Lakes Styles/Specialties: We provide fullservice artist management services, including A&R, marketing, promotions, PR, merchandising, digital distribution and market development. We also provide advisory and operational logistics to artist-owned and operated music enterprises; specializing in business and product development, sales,

strategic partnerships, and ecommerce marketing. LAKES ENTERTAINMENT Las Vegas, NV 702-881-3593 Email: entertainmentlakes@gmail.com Contact: DJ A Smoove Summary: We are transforming music deejay services into game-changing artist promotional and showcasing opportunities for indie music artists. Our approach to deejaying integrates featured artist presentations and showcases into any event’s experiential mix as well as live streaming showcases across social media and digital streaming platforms. Styles: We specialize in urban-themed music, including R&B, classic soul, rap, hip-hop, and gospel. Other styles considered on case-by-case basis Additional: We also produce and distribute mixtapes as well as promotional flyers and postcards. LANE TERRALEVER 645 E Missour Ave., Ste 400 Phoenix, AZ 85012 602-258-5263 Email: info@laneterralever.com Web: laneterralever.com LARRY WEIR National Record Promotion 137 N. Larchmont Blvd., S-#500 Los Angeles, CA 90004 323-658-7449 Email: lweir@larryweir.com Web: larryweir.com Specialties: Need radio airplay? Multiformat radio promotion LOGGINS PROMOTION 2530 Atlantic Ave., Ste. C Long Beach, CA 90806 310-325-2800 Email: staff@logginspromotion.com Web: logginspromotion.com Contact: Paul Loggins Styles/Specialties: all styles LOTOS NILE MARKETING P.O. Box 90245 Nashville, TN 37209 615-298-1144 Email: info@lotosnile.com Web: lotosnile.com LUCKIE & COMPANY 600 Luckie Dr., Ste. 150 Birmingham, AL 35223 833-4-LUCKIE Email: press@luckie.com Web: luckie.com Additional location:

Services: Independent agent and scout for a diversified portfolio of radio promotion and artist development professionals. Specializing in: Pop, Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Urban, Hot AC, Country, Triple A, Alternative, Active & Modern Rock, and Smooth Jazz radio formats. MILES HIGH PRODUCTIONS P.O. Box 93157 Hollywood, CA 90093 323-806-0400 Email: ginny@mileshighproductions.com Web: mileshighproductions.com Styles/Specialties: Social Marketing and digital press company catering to both indie and established artists. We specialize in rock, pop, dance, jazz, blues, country/roots, soul/urban and new age. Established in 2002. MIXED MEDIA Cranston, RI Email: ginny@mixedmediapromo.com Web: mixedmediapromo.com MOTION CITY RECORDS 1424 4th St., #604 Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-434-1272 Web: motioncity.com Styles/Specialties: alternative rock Roster: Velvet, Voodoo, Brent Fraser, 10 Pound Troy, UFO Bro, Drag, Wendy Bucklew MRY 299 W. Houston St., 14th Fl, New York, NY 10014 212-274-0470 Email: beth.nigro@moxieusa.com Web: mry.com NVE RECORDS Universal Music Group Distribution Murrieta, CA 951-444-8683 Email: info@nverecords.com Web: nverecords.com Contact: Gary Devon Dostson, CEO NEW MUSIC WEEKLY 137 N. Larchmont Ave., Ste. 500 Los Angeles, CA 90004 310-325-9997 Email: staff@newmusicweekly.com Web: newmusicweekly.com Contact: Paul Loggins, Larry Weir, Chuck Dauphin, John Loggins, Jon Hudson, Masika Swain, Debi Fee Styles/Specialties: all styles *National music magazine specializing in radio airplay charts, artist spotlights/interviews and entertainment based editorials

3160 Main St. Ste 200 Duluth, GA 30096

NO PROBLEM! MARKETING 818-436-6486 Email: Ed@noproblemmarketing.com Web: npmprandmarketing.com

LUCK MEDIA & MARKETING, INC. 8581 Santa Monica Blvd., #426 West Hollywood, CA 90069 818-232-4175 Email: info@luckmedia.com Web: luckmedia.com Contact: Steve Levesque

THE ORIEL COMPANY 37 W 20th Street Suite 1004 New York, NY 10011 Email: carleen@thorie.co, chole@theoriel.co, jen@theoriel.co Web: www.theoriel.co

MIA MIND MUSIC 254 6th St., Ste. #2 Hoboken, NJ 07030 800-843-8575 Email: info@miamindmusic.com Web: miamindmusic.com

PACIFIC MARKETING LLC 740 NE 3rd Ste. 3-109 Bend OR 97701 503-880-5516 Email: luc@pacmarlic.com Web: pacmarllc.com

MAKE GOOD MARKETING & MANAGEMENT, INC. Paul Orescan 13636 Ventura Blvd.,#185 Sherman Oaks CA 91423 (818) 749 – 7014 Email: paulorescan@me.com Web: makegoodmarketing.com

PIERCE CREATIVE SERVICES 433 G Street Suite 302 San Diego, CA 92101 619-356-0164 Email: hello@piercesd.com Web: piercesd.com

MIKE MATISA Independent Agent Radio Promotions, Artist Development Email: mikematisa@gmail.com Website: mikematisa.com Contact: Mike Matisa

PINNACLE MANAGEMENT, MARKETING & PROMOTION, LLC 1129 Maricopa Hwy. Ste. #238 Ojai, CA 93023 805-201-6300 Email: pinnaclemanagement212@gmail. com

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts Formats/Specialties: CHR/Top 40, AC, Hot AC, AAA, Alternative Specialty, Mainstream Rock, Modern AC, Country, and video. PEOPLE’S REVOLUTION, INC. 62 Grand St., 3rd Fl. New York, NY 10013 212-274-0400 Email: nycinfo@peoplesrevolution.com Web: peoplesrevolution.com Styles/Specialties: Fashion and lifestyle PR, marketing and events. This includes fashion show planning and production PFA MEDIA Entertainment Media & Marketing 214 W. 29th St., Ste. 702 New York, NY 10001 212-334-6116 Web: pfamedia.net Email: info@pfamedia.net Additional location: Nashville 615-840-8127 Email: info@pfamedia.net PINCH HIT ENTERTAINMENT 2400 W. Carson St., Ste. 223 Torrance, CA 90501 Web: pinchhit.com Contact: David Lebenthal Styles/Specialties: guitar-oriented rock, pop. Specializing in national radio promotion, distribution and press campaigns PLA MEDIA, INC. 1303 16th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37212 615-327-0100 Email: info@plamedia.com Web: plamedia.com PPL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC PO BOX 261488 Encino, CA 91426 310-962-3873 Email: pplzmi@aol.com *No unsolicited material accepted PYRAMID COMMUNICATIONS 1932 1st Ave., Ste. 507 Seattle, WA 98101 206-374-7788 Web: pyramidcommunications.com RANDOLPHE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 67 S. Bedford St., Ste. 400W Burlington, MA 01803 877-202-1940 Email: contact@randolphe.com, christian@randolphe.com Web: randolphe.com *unsolicited material accepted RELAX MUSIC GROUP New York, Florida, Illinois 309-279-5000 Email: Patrick@relaxmusicgrou.com Web: relaxmusicgroup.com, rmgdigital. net/artists.html Contact: Patrick Rule, Chris Lewis Specialties: Radio Promotion and Marketing RIOT ACT MEDIA Brooklyn, NY Portland, OR 206-890-9906 Email: nathan@riotactmedia.com Web: riotactmedia.com ROCKSTAR PROMOTIONS 1926 Hollywood Blvd., #202 Hollywood, FL 33020 954-767-8385 Email: service@rockstarpromos.com Web: rockstarpromos.com Contact: Aaron Schimmel Styles/Specialties: CD/DVD replication, merchandise production (T-shirts, stickers, posters, postcards, merch items) and graphic design. ROCK STEADY 4201 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 400 Los Angeles, CA 90010

424-302-4140 Email: info@wearerocksteady.com Web: wearerocksteady.com RUDER FINN CREATIVE 425 E 53rd St. New York, NY 10022 212-593-6400 Email: taylor@ruderfinn.com Web: ruderfinn.com Contact: Taylor Johnson Additional locations: San Francisco 628-235-2101 Email: kimr@ruderfinn.com Contact: Robin Kim Washington, D.C. 202-921-1789 Email: monica.marshall@ruderfinn.com Contact: Monica Marshall SHARKEY’S TREEHOUSE c/o The Rink Studios 1031 Del Paso Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95815 916-769-2513 Email: shawn@boydmedia.com Web: sharkeystreehouse.com Show-off in Our Video Podcast: We are accepting inquiries from, and scheduling, bands/musicians in all genres who would like to be featured in Sharkey’s Treehouse by performing original music and being interviewed by the show’s host and creator Shawn “Sharkey” Boyd. SHINE ON PROMO Email: info@shineonpromo.com Web: shineonpromo.com Specialties: Radio Promotion for College / Specialty / NONCOMM formats. #1 Albums in 2020: OSEES, Bully, Washed Out, Wolf Parade & of Montreal. SKH MUSIC Email: skaras@skhmusic.com Web: skhmusic.com Contact: Steve Karas, Keith Hagan SO MUCH MOORE MEDIA 1819 Tula Pace Rd. Pleasant View, TN 37146 615-202-1313 Email: martha@somuchmoore.com Web: somuchmoore.com Contact: Martha Moore Clients: Southern Halo (country/rock), Sideline (Bluegrass), Daryl Mosley (Bluegrass), Johnny & The Mongrels (Americana/funk filled heart & a deep bayou soul) SONICBIDS CORPORATION 45 Main St., Ste. 416 Brooklyn, NY 11201 617-502-1300 Email: support@sonicbids.com Web: sonicbids.com Styles/Specialties: electronic press kits (EPK’s) for all styles of music SPEAKEASY PR Los Angeles, CA 818-363-1315 Web: speakeasypr.com Email: Monica@Speakeasypr.com Contact: Monica Seide SPAWNAK Spawn Ideas, Inc. 510 L St., Ste. 100 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-274-9553 Email: info@spawnideas.com Web: spawnak.com SPINLAB COMMUNICATIONS 12198 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 210 Studio City, CA 91604 818-763-9800 Email: info@spinlab.net Web: spinlab.net Styles/Specialties: branding campaigns, corporate communications, crisis communications, event planning and execution, public relations, publicity

SPINS TRACKING SYSTEM A Backstage Entertainment Co. 5018 Franklin Pike Nashville, TN 38220 310-325-9997 Email: staff@spinstrackingsystem.com Web: spinstrackingsystem.com Styles/Specialties: Country, AC, hot AC, top 40, hip-hop, rap, AAA, Christian, college, loud rock, jazz, smooth jazz, RPM, record pools, world, Americana SUNSHINE SACHS & ASSOCIATES 136 Madison Ave., 17th Fl. New York, NY 10016 212-691-2800 Email: info@sunshinesachs.com Web: sunshinesachs.com Contact: Jeff Okeefe Additional locations: 720 Cole Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-822-9300 201 W. 5th Street 11thFloor Austin, TX 78701 512-646-0149 1875 Connecticut Ave. N.W., 10th Fl. Washington, D.D. 20009 202-280-2398 101 Marietta Street, NW Suite 3000 Atlanta, GA 30303 404-334-3545 THIRSTY EAR 225 Crossroads Blvd., Ste. 336 Carmel, CA 93923 203-838-0099 Email: info@thirstyear.com Web: thirstyear.com THOMAS PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC. 1 Hewitt Sq. Ste 186 East Northport, NY 11731 Melville, NY 11747 631-549-7575 Email: info@thomaspr.com Web: thomas-pr.com Contact: Karen Thomas TIM SWEENEY & ASSOCIATES 31805 Temecula Pkwy, #551 Temecula, CA 92592 951-303-9506 Email: sweeney@timsweeney.com Web: timsweeney.com Styles/Specialties: all styles TIWARY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, LTD 1 Irving Pl., Ste. P8C New York, NY 10003 Fax: 212-477-5259 Email: info@tiwaryent.com Web: tiwaryent.com TOTAL ASSAULT 17547 Ventura Blvd. Ste 204 Encino, CA 91316 310-280-3777 Email: danny@corpta.com Web: totalassault.com Additional location: 6107 Centennial Blvd. Nashville, TN 37209 615-810-8630 TSC MARKETING 1030 18th Ave. S. P.O. Box 120683 Nashville, TN 37212 615-327-3277 Email: lee@tscmarketing.com Web: tscmarketing.com TSUNAMI GROUP INC. Email: inquiry@tsunamigroupinc.com Web: tsunamigroupinc.com Styles: Entertainment, music, producers, fashion, sports and products Clients: Lil Wayne, Justin Timberlake, Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton, etc.

UNLEASHED MUSIC MEDIA MUSIC MARKETING New York, Los Angeles, Detroit Email: contact@unleashedmusic.com Web: unleashedmusic.com, unleashedradiopromotion.com Contact: Geordie Gillespie, Managing Director VITRIOL INDEPENDENT PROMOTION 3421 5th Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55408 612-871-4916 Email: jesse@vitriolpromotion.com Web: vitriolradio.com WE LOVE MUSIC PROMOTIONS Email: clare@welovemusicpromtions.com Web: welovemusicpromotions.com Styles/Specialities: A unique online PR approach for unsigned bands to promote their single/EP/Album. All online promotion areas covered; Blogs, radio, student, All styles and genres covered. WICKED PR 45 11th St. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 404-316-7482 Web: wicked.is

PUBLICISTS A1 INDIEPOWER 5062 Lankershim Blvd., #174 N. Hollywood, CA 91601 818-505-1836 Email: info@indiepower.com Web: indiepower.com Contact: Jay Warsinske Styles/Specialties: All styles, worldwide, PR, promotion and distribution ABC PUBLIC RELATIONS Los Angeles, CA 818-990-6876 Email: amanda@abc-pr.com Web: abc-pr.com, facebook.com/abcpublicrelations, abc-pr.com/contact.html Contact: Amanda Cagan ALBRIGHT ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 3070 Windward Plaza, Ste. F-770 Alpharetta, GA 30005 Email: rockstarpr@aol.com Web: rockstarpr.com Contact: Jeff Albright ALEX TEITZ MEDIA 1550 Larimer St., Ste. 511 Denver, CO 80202 720-341-8567 Email: alexteitzmedia@yahoo.com Web: alexteitzmedia.com ANNE LEIGHTON MEDIA MANAGEMENT MOTIVATION P.O. Box 670922 Bronx, NY 10467 718-881-8183 Email: anne@anneleighton.com Web: anneleighton.com ARISTOMEDIA 1620 16th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37212 615-269-7071 Email: info@aristomedia.com Web: aristomedia.com ARTISANS PR 2242 Guthrie Cir. Los Angeles,CA 90034 310-837-6008 Email: contact@artisanspr.com Web: artisanspr.com

ARTISTS HOUSE MUSIC Web: artistshousemusic.org BB GUN PRESS West Hollywood, CA 90069 323-904-9094 Web: bbgunpress.com, facebook.com/ BBGUNPRESS Contact: Bobbie Gale BEAUTIFUL DAY MEDIA & MANAGEMENT 128 Coffey St., 1R

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Directory of Everything Indie Brooklyn, NY 11231 718-522-5858 Email: elizabeth@beautifuldaymedia.com Web: BeautifulDayMedia.com Contact: Elizabeth Freund

Franklin, TN 37067 615-210-3602 Email: info@campbellentertainmentgroup.com Web: campbellentertainmentgroup.com

Radio City Station New York, NY 10101-0055 212-721-3341 Email: info@carolynmcclairpr.com Web: carolynmcclairpr.com

BIG HASSLE MEDIA 40 Exchange Pl., Ste. 1900 New York, NY 10005 212-619-1360 Email: weinstein@bighassle.com Web: bighassle.com

CAPITAL ENTERTAINMENT Washington, DC 20002 202-506-5051 Email: billcarpenter@capitalentertainment.com Web: capitalentertainment.com

CYPER PR 389 12 St. Brooklyn, NY 11215 212-239-8384 Web: cyberprmusic.com

Additional location:

THE CATALYST PUBLICITY GROUP 510 /SE 5th Ave.#1014 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 315-447-0789 Email: info@thecatalystpublicitygroup.com Web: facebook.com/TheCatalystPublicity Group Contact: Chrissy Borsellino, Publicity Director

3685 Motor Ave., Ste. 240 Los Angeles, CA 90034 424-603-4655 BIG PICTURE MEDIA 85 Delancey St., Ste 47 New York, NY 10002 212-675-3103 Email: paul@bigpicturemediaonline.com Contact: Dayna Ghiraldi-Travers Web: bigpicturemediaonline.com BIZ 3 PUBLICITY Chicago, IL 60622 Email: info@biz3.net Web: biz3.net BLACK & WHITE PR The Lot 1041 N. Formosa Ave., Ste. 214 West Hollywood, CA 90046 Email: sara@phases2pr.com Web: blackandwhitepr.net BOBBI MARCUS PUBLIC RELATIONS & EVENTS, INC. 2712 Angel Drive Los Angeles, CA 90077 310-889-9200 Email: admin@bobbimarcuspr.com Web: facebook.com/bobbi.sacksmarcusdesouza, linkedin.com/in/bobbimarcuspr Contact: Bobbi Marcus BRADLEY PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING 318 W Katella Ave. B Orange, CA 949-274-9651 Email: bob@bradleypublicity.com Web: bradleypublicity.com BROKAW COMPANY, THE 4135 Bakman Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91602 310-273-2060 Email: db@brokawcompany.com Web: brokawcompany.com

CDROLLOUT 916 W 10th St. Asuza, CA 91702 310-374-9208 Email: mike@cdrollout.com Web: cdrollout.com CHARM SCHOOL PR 323-363-9338 Web: charmschoolcie.com Contact: Angelique Groh Clients: Cory Helford Gallery, Alife, Lettuce CHIPSTER PR 2820 Audubon Village Dr. Norristown, PA 19403 484-932-8951 Email: info@chipsterpr.com Web: chipsterpr.com CHROME PR 9107 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 450 Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-272-7100 Contact: Lee Runchey, VP Email: info@chromer.com Web: chromepr.com CHROMATIC PUBLICITY P.O. Box 250-863 Brooklyn, NY 11225 Web: chromaticpublicity.com Email: hector@chromaticpr.com Contact: Amanda Pitts, Hector Silva

DANGER VILLAGE Los Angeles, CA 830-476-5664 Email: therearenostupidquestions@ dangervillage.com Web: dangervillage.com DAVIDSON & CHOY PUBLICITY 4311 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 402 Los Angeles, CA 90010 323-954-7510 Email: t.choy@dcpublicity.com, j.davidson@dcpublicity.com Web: dcpublicity.com Contact: Judi Davidson, Tim Choy D. BARON MEDIA RELATIONS INC. 1411 Cloverfield Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404 310- 315-5444 Email: info@dbaronmedia.com Web: dbaronmedia.com DEGY PR Toms River, NJ 732-818-9600 Email: info@degy.com Web: degy.com Contact: Ari Nisman DE WAAL & ASSOCIATES 14724 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 507 Sherman Oaks,CA 91403 818-817-4444 Fax 818-817-4587 Email: info@DeWaalPR.com Web: dewaalpr.com Contact: Lori De Waal DL MEDIA MUSIC 124 N. Highland Ave. Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 267-541-2784 Email: info@dlmediamusic.com Web: dlmediamusic.com Contact: Don Lucoff, President

CLARION CALL Los Angeles, New York, Nashville 718-249-3738 Contact: Caroline Borolla Web: clarioncallmedia.com/about Email: croline@clarioncallmedia.com

DMMC (Greater Des Moines Music Coalition) 900 Keosauqua Way, Ste 117 Des Moines, IA 50309 515-676-0005 Email: info@desmoinesmc.com Web: desmoinesmc.com

CO5 MEDIA 323-871-0180 Email: jean@co5media.com Contact: Jean Sievers Web: facebook.com/CO5Music

DOLPHIN ENTERTAINMENT 600 3rd Ave., 23rd Fl. New York, NY 10016 212-277-7555 Web: dolphinentertainment.com

BSG PR 20501 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 145 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 818-340-4422 Email: brian@bsgpr.com Web: bsgpr.com

CONQUEROO 11271 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 522 Studio City, CA 91604 323-656-1600 Email: info@conqueroo.com Web: conqueroo.com

Additional location:

BT PR New York, NY 646-405-7010 Email: info@btpr.biz Web: bennytarantini.com

COSTA COMMUNICATIONS 8265 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 201 Los Angeles, CA 90046 323-650-3588 Email: info@costacomm.com Web: costacomm.com

BROOKS COMPANY, THE 225 West 35th Street 15th Floor New York, NY 10001 212-768-0860 Email: Rebecca@brookspr.com Web: brookspr.com

BURSON COHN & WOLFE 200 Fifth Ave New York, NY 10010 212-601-3000 Email: jillian.janaczek@bcw-global.com Web: bcw-global.com Additional locations: California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas Europe, Latin American, Africa

CAMPBELL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP P.O Box 682614

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COYNE PR 5 Wood Hollow Rd. Parsippany, NJ 07054 973-588-2000 Email: newbusiness@coynepr.com, Web: coynepr.com Additional locations: 1400 Broadway, 8th Fl. New York, NY 10016 212-938-0166 CPR (CAROLYN PUBLIC RELATIONS) P.O. Box 55

1840 Century Park E., Ste. 700 Los Angeles, CA 90067 310-477-4442 150 Alhambra Circle Suite 1200 Coral Gables, FL 33134 305-774-0407 DOUG DEUTSCH PUBLICITY SERVICES Los Angeles, CA 213-924-4901 Email: dougdeutschpr1956@gmail.com Web: facebook.com/dougdeutschpublicity; twitter.com/publiciteeguy; instagram.com/publiciteeguy Contact: Doug Deutsch Styles/Specialties: Full-Service Artist Publicity and Promotion;Tour Publicity; Festivals/Special Events Publicity; New Record Release Campaigns Roster: Thunderbird Management, Tab Benoit; Samantha Fish Cigar Box Guitar Festival; Blues From The Top Festival; Huntington Beach New Blues

Festival; Long Beach New Blues Festival; Woodystock Blues & Rock Festival; Vanessa Collier; Victor Wainwright & The Train; Mike Zito; Head Honchos; Goldflece; Karen Lawrence & Blue By Nature; Jeff Fetterman; James Pace; Fred Hostetler; Elektrohorse; A Brothers Revival; Jangling Sparrows; Brad Heller & The Fustics; Diana Rein; Will Jacobs & Marcos Coll; Neverwonder; New Blues Revolution; RD Olson; Dirty Deuce DOMINION3 PUBLIC RELATIONS 1420 Camden Ave., Ste. #5 Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-478-3393 Email: kim@dominion3.com Web: dominion3.com Contact: Kim Dixon DRPR 302-266-1273 Email: info@drprstrategies.com Web: drprstrategies.com DUNN DEAL PR Los Angeles, CA 310-666-5336 Email: james@dunndealpr.com Web: dunndealpr.com EARSHOT MEDIA 2629 Manhattan Ave., PMB 301 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254-2447 Email: mike@earshotmedia.com Web: earshotmedia.com Contact: Mike Cubillos EARSPLIT PR P.O. Box 142 Congers, NY 10920 Email: liz@earsplitcompound.com Web: earsplitcompound.com Contact: Liz Ciavarella-Brenner EASTWEST MEDIA Palm Beach, FL 310-650-8668, 561-465-2240 Email: sheryl@eastwestmedia.net Web: eastwestmedia.net EBONY JEANETTE PR 310-256-6749 Email: info@ebonyjeanette.com Web: ebonyjeanette.com Contact: Ebony Jeanette EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY INC. 325 Broadway, Ste. 303 New York, NY 10007 212-777-6727 Email: info@ei-pr.com Web: effectiveimmediatelypr.com Contact: Samantha Alamo Service: album, single campaigns, tour press, radio promotion, artist development, coaching, social media marketing Note: accepts artist submission Additional location: 8209 Melrose Ave, 2nd Fl Los Angeles, CA 90046 310-437-8199 ENGINE GROUP 261 Madison Ave., Floor 4 New York, NY 10016 212-633-4567 Email: info-usa@enginegroup.com Web: enginegroup.com/us Additional locations: Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong, Dusseldorf, London EVOLUTIONARY MEDIA GROUP 3920 Fountain Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029 323-658-8700 Email: info@emgpr.com Web: emgpr.com FANATIC PROMOTION & CO. 332 Bleecker St., #G7 New York, NY 10014 917-744-1772

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts Email: josh@fanaticpromotion.com Web: fanaticpromotion.com FLY PR 2658 Griffith Park Blvd., Ste. 816 Los Angeles, CA 90039 323-667-1344 Email: flypr@flypr.net Web: flypr.net Contact: Ilka Erren Pardinas FREEMAN PROMOTIONS 235 Edwards Ave. Long Branch, NJ 07740 336-509-8377 Email: freeman@freemanpromotions.com Web: freemanpromotions.com Contact: Jon Freeman FRESH AND CLEAN MEDIA 12701 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066 310-954-9893 Email: sandee@freshcleanmedia.com Web: freshcleanmedia.com FUTURE STAR MUSIC GROUP Los Angeles, CA Miami, FL Email: info@futurestarmusic.com Web: futurestarmusic.com Services: We are a full-service music company: management, record label, music publishing, marketing and promotions, DJ coalition, consulting and marketing GAIL ROBERTS P.R. & INTERNET MARKETING 10061 Riverside Dr., Ste. 1400 Burbank, CA 91602 310-734-8193 Email: gailrobertspr@gmail.com Web: facebook.com/GailRobertsPR Contact: Gail Roberts Styles/Specialties: Longstanding music PR firm with marketing and online promotion, internet publicity, social networking. Firm also handles marketing and media for painters, authors, corporations and ecological projects. GIRLIE ACTION MEDIA & MARKETING, INC. 243 W. 30th St., 12th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212-989-2222 Email: carter@girlieaction.com Web: girlieaction.com GLOBAL SOUND GROUP, LTD. London.UK +44 (0) 207 118 3444 Email: info@globalsoundgroup.com Web: globalsoundgroup.com GORGEOUS MEDIA GROUP 7551 Melrose Ave., Ste. 5 Los Angeles, CA 90046 323-782-9000 Email: info@gorgeousmediagroup.com Web: gorgeousmediagroup.com *Accepts demos submissions GRANDSTAND MEDIA & MANAGEMENT 39 W. 32nd St., #603 New York, NY 10001 646-410-0765 Web: grandstandhq.com Additional location: 3191 W. Casitas Ave., Ste. 155 Los Angeles, CA 90039 213-278-0320 GREAT SCOTT P.R.PODUCTIONS 4750 Lincoln Blvd., #229 Marina del Rey, CA 90292 310-306-0375 Email: greatscottproductions@earthlink. net Web: greatscottpr.com GREEN GALACTIC 213-840-1201 Email: lynn@greengalactic.com Web: greengalactic.com HANDS ON PR & MARKETING 310-341-3201

Email: handsonpr@aol.com Web: expertiseinmedia.com/index.html Contact: Craig Melone Styles/Specialties: all styles/indie labels are our forte

888-253-4464 Web: indiemusicconsultant.com, indiemusicpublicity.com Note: “Voting Member the Recording Academy”

KELLEEMACK PR Los Angeles, CA 818-430-8926 Email: Kelly@kelleemackpr.com Web: kelleemackpr.com

HARD PRESSED PUBLICITY P.O. Box 49001 Austin, TX 78765 512-554-2799 Email: jorae@hardpressedpublicity.com Web: hardpressedpublicity.com

ILENE PROCTOR INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS 9427 Charleville Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90212 310-858-6643, 310-721-2336 Email: ilene@ileneproctor.com, ilene@ileneproctor.net, ilenepr@sbeglobal.net Web: douglasdrenkow.com/IP/index.html *accepts online submission

KEN PHILLIPS PUBLICITY GROUP 6767 Forest Lawn Dr., Ste. 211 Los Angeles, CA 90068 323-308-5912 Email: KPPublicityGroup@gmail.com Web: kenphillipsgroup.com

HARRISON & SHRIFTMAN 8523 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069 310-855-1600 Email: newbiz@hs-pr.com Web: hs-pr.com Additional locations: New York, NY 1285 Ave of the Americas 3rd Floor 917-351-8600 Miami, FL 429 Lennox Avenue Suite 415 Miami Beach, FL 33139 305-534-0008 HEIDI ELLEN ROBINSON FITZGERALD HERFITZ PR 818-705-1267 Email: herfitz@mac.com Web: herfitzpr.net Contact: Heidi Ellen Robinson Fitzgerald Clients: Anthrax, Ghost, Greta Van Fleet, Pixies, Rick Rubin, Slayer, Dallon Weekes/IDKHOW HELIO PUBLIC RELATIONS 310-645-4246 Email: info@heliopr.com Web: heliopr.com HELLO WENDY Los Angeles, CA 818-762-7063 Email: wendy@hellowendy.com Web: hellowendy.com Contact: Wendy Brynford-Jones HIGHRISE PR 2592 Hyler Ave Los Angeles, CA 90041 Email: info@highrisepr.com Web: highrisepr.com HODGES & ASSOCIATES The Dr. Pepper Bldg., Ste. 300 2829 Second Ave. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 205-328-4357 Fax 205-328-4366 Email: hodges@thehighroad.com Web: thehighroad.com HOT SCHATZ PR 701 Harpeth Trace Dr. Nashville, TN 37221 615-782-0078 Email: info@hotschatzpr.com Web: hotschatzpr.com Contact: Schatzi Hageman, Owner and Press Agent HOWARD ROSEN PROMOTION 1129 Maricopa Hwy., Ste. #238 Ojai, CA 93023 805-382-2200 Email: howie@howiewood.com Web: howiewood.com Contact: Howard Rosen Formats/Specialties: CHR/Top 40, AC, Hot AC, AAA, Alternative Specialty, Mainstream Rock, Modern AC, Country & College for artists of all label sizes including Independent. Social Media, Video Production HOWLIN’ WUELF MEDIA 215-428-9119, 917-523-8881 Email: howlingwuelf@aol.com Web: howlinwuelf.com Contact: Howard Wuefling, Jocelyn Loebl INDIE MUSIC CONSULTING GROUP Indie Artists & Label Publicity, Marketing & Consulting

INDEPENDENT MUSIC MEDIA 213-864-2690 Email: hidanagirl@aol.com Web: independentmusicmedia.com Services: Covering national and regional print, on-line, blogs and tour press IT’S ALIVE! MEDIA 11333 Moorpark St. #451 Studio City, CA 91602 323-464-6314 Email: josh@itsalivemedia.com Web: itsalivemedia.com JACKIE O. & CO. INC. Atlanta, GA New York, NY 404-829-4430 Email: jackieoandco@gmail.com Web: jackieo.co JAG ENTERTAINMENT 4605 Lankershim Blvd, Suite 808 North Hollywood, CA 91602 818-905-5511 Email: jgeffen@jagpr.com Web: jagpr.com Contact: Jo-Ann Geffen, President JAZZMYNE PUBLIC RELATIONS 323-380-8819 Email: jazzmynepr@gmail.com Web: jazzmynepr.com Contact: Makeda Smith JENSEN COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Pasadena, CA 91105 626-585-9575 Email: info@jensencom.com Web: jensencom.com JAZZ PROMO SERVICES 272 State Route 94, S. #1 Warwick, NY 10990 845-986-1677, 845-986-1699, 917-755-8960 Email: jim@jazzpromoservices.com Web: jazzpromoservices.com Services: Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events JJ ENTERTAINMENT 323-356-0797 323-653-5438 Email: joddith@aol.com Web: www.JodiJacksonsHollywood.tv @jodijacksonshollywood Contact: Jodi Jackson JONES & O’MALLEY PUBLIC RELATIONS 10123 Camarillo St. Toluca Lake, CA 91602 818-762-8353 Web: Jonesomalley.com KALEIDOSCOPE MEDIA 5611 Ohio Ave. Suite B Nashville, TN 37209 615-321-3211 Email: info@kaleidoscope-media.com Web: kaleidoscope-media.com Clients: Tim McGraw, Barbara Mandrell, The Loveless Café KAYOS PRODUCTIONS, INC. 25 E. 21st St., 9th Fl. New York, NY 10010 212-366-9970 Email: carol@kayosproductions.com Web: kayosproductions.com

KIRVIN DOAK COMMUNICATIONS 5230 W. Patrick Ln. Las Vegas, NV 89118 702-737-3100 Fax 702-737-1222 Email: rsotelo@kirvindoak.com Web: kirvindoak.com THE KRAKOWER GROUP 11500 Olympic Blvd., Ste. 400 Los Angeles, CA 90064 310-294-3600 Email: office@krakowergroup.com Web: facebook.com/KrakowerGroup Contact: Beth Krakower KSA PUBLICITY 234 W. 44 St., Ste. 1004 New York, NY 10036 212-764-7900 Fax 212-764-0344 Email: info@ksa-pr.com Web: ksa-pr.com THE LAVIDGE COMPANY 2777 E. Camelback Rd., #300 Phoenix, AZ 85016 480-998-2600 Fax 480-998-5525 Email: info@lavidge.com Web: lavidge.com THE LEDE COMPANY 9701 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 930 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 424-253-3251 Email: info@ledecompany.com Web: ledecompany.com Additional location: 646-351-0442 401 Broadway St. 206 New York, NY 10013 LEWIS COMMUNICATIONS 530 B Street – 19th Floor San Diego,CA92101 Email: hellosandiego@teamlewis.com Web: teamlewis.com/the-agency 619-677-2700 Additional Locations: New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington DC LIPPIN GROUP, THE 11601 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1900 Los Angeles, CA 90025 323-965-1990 Email: losangeles@lippingroup.com Web: lippingroup.com Additional locations: 300 Park Ave., 12th Fl. New York, NY 10022 212-986-7080 Email: newyork@lippingroup.com 31 Southampton Row London, WC1B 5HJ +44 (1) 485-543-575 Email: london@lippingroup.com LOBELINE COMMUNICATIONS 1370 N. Street Andrews Place Los Angeles, CA 90028 310-271-1551 Fax 310-271-4822 Web: lobeline.net Contact: Christopher Kingry Additional locations: 535 Mission St. 14th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 55 Pineapple St. Suite 7F Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201

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Directory of Everything Indie LUCK MEDIA & MARKETING, INC. 8581 Santa Monica Blvd., #426 West Hollywood, CA 90069 818-232-4175 Email: info@luckmedia.com Web: luckmedia.com Contact: Steve Levesque MAELSTROM MUSIC PR P.O. Box 2057 Crestline, CA 92325 909-265-6984 Email: maelstrompr@gmail.com Web: facebook.com/maelstrompr Client list: Asa Cruz, No Doubt, Limp Bizkit MAGIC TREE PRODUCTIONS Los Angeles, CA 917-865-1731 Email: seraroad@magictreeproductions.net Web: magictreeproductions.net *Do not accept client submissions MAGNUM PR New York, NY Email: info@magnumpr.net Web: magnumpr.net MARK PUCCI MEDIA Atlanta, GA 30350 770-804-9555 Email: mpmedia@bellsouth.net Web: markpuccimedia.com, facebook. com/Mark.Pucci.Media THE MAVEN AGENCY 123 S. Broad St., Ste. 830 Philadelphia, PA 19109 215-434-7190 Email: info@themavenagency.com Web: mavenagency.com Contact: Meg McLean Specialties: Publicity, Marketing and Promotions MAZUR PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC. P.O. Box 360 East Windsor, NJ 08520 609-462-9905 Email: michael@mazurpr.com Web: facebook.com/MazurPR McGUCKIN ENTERTAINMENT PR 500 Riverside Dr., Ste. 160 Austin, TX 78704 512-478-0578 Email: info@mcguckinpr.com Web: mcguckinpr.com MELISSA DRAGICH-CORDERO MAD Link PR 225 N. Malgren Ave. San Pedro, CA 90732 310-547-1212 Email: melissadragich@gmail.com Web: madinkpr.com/about-us METAL COFFEE PR P.O. Box 5401 Edmond, OK 73083 424-666-7356 Email: themetaltimes@gmail.com Web: themetalmoose.com MICHAEL J. MEDIA GROUP 5 Timber Run Ct. Madison, WI 53719 608-848-9707 Email: mike@michaeljmedia.com Web: michaeljmedia.com, facebook.com/ mjmgroup MICHELLE ROCHE MEDIA RELATIONS Athens, GA 706-353-3244 Email: michelle@michelleroche.com Web: michelleroche.com MIKE GOWEN MILESTONE PUBLICITY 707 Main Street. #414 Nashville, TN. 37206 818-579-5862 Email: mgowen@MilestonePublicity.com Web: milestonepublicity.com MIKE MATISA Independent Agent

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Radio Promotions and Artist Development (609)937-6661 Email: mikematisa@gmail.com Web: mikematisa.com Contact: Mike Matisa Services: Independent agent and scout for a diversified portfolio of radio promotion and artist development professionals. Specializing in: Pop, Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Urban, Hot AC, Country, Triple A, Alternative, Active & Modern Rock, and Smooth Jazz radio formats. MISSING PIECE GROUP 45 Academy St., Ste. 307 Newark, NJ 07102 862-234-0801 Email: info@missingpiecegroup.com Web: missingpiecegroup.com MIXED MEDIA Email: ginny@mixedmediapromo.com Web: mixedmediapromo.com MOTORMOUTH MEDIA 2525 Hyperion Ave., Ste. 1 Los Angeles, CA 90027 323-487-1998 Email: mick@motormouthmedia.com Web: motormouthmedia.com, twitter.com /motormouthmedia Contact: Mick Jacobs MRY 299 W. Houston St., 12th Fl. New York, NY 10014 212-274-0470, 412-721-6443 Email: beth.nigro@moxieusa.com Web: mry.com MSI COMMUNICATIONS 808 E Street, Ste 200 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-569-7070 Email: info@msialaska.com Web: msialaska.com MUSE MEDIA Alisse Kingsley 562-453-9159 Email: hello@muse-media.co Roster: Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Nanci Griffith, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terence Blanchard, Playboy Jazz Festival/ LA Philharmonic, Thelonious Monk Institute Of Jazz. NASTY LITTLE MAN 285 W. Broadway, #310 New York, NY 10013 212-343-0740 Email: info@nastylittleman.com, steve@ nastylittleman.com Web: nastylittleman.com NINA GORDON PR 310-467-2131 Email: ngpr2@sbcglobal.net Web: facebook.com/NinaGordonPublic Relations NOISY GHOST PR 5 West 40th St. Savannah, GA 31401 Email: general@noisyghostpr.com Web: noisyghostpr.com Contact: Michelle King NORTHSTAR ENTERTAINMENT PR Entertainment PR* Consulting 501-I S. Reino Rd., Ste. 380 Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 805-498-5880 Email: sheryl@northstar-ent.com Web: northstar-ccm.com Contact: Sheryl Northrop O2 IDEAS PUBLIC RELATIONS 505 20th St. N., Ste. 1500 Birmingham, AL 35203 205-949-9494 Email: info@o2ideas.com Web: o2ideas.com THE ORIEL COMPANY 37 W 20th Street Suite 1004 New York, NY 10011 Email: carleen@thorie.co,

chole@theoriel.co, jen@theoriel.co Web: theoriel.co PACIFIC RECORDS WORLDWIDE 447 Broadway 2nd FL #160 New York, NY 10013 Email: info@pacificrecordsworldwide.com Web: pacificrecordsworldwide.com Contact: Peter Donaghy - Publicist Specialty: PR and Promotion primarily for the independant artist. Distribution to global radio, reviewers, magazines and bloggers. Social media marketing and web design.

Philadelphia, PA 19106 215-592-0120 Email: punch@punchmedia.biz Web: punchmedia.biz RANDOLPHE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 67 S. Bedford St., Ste. 400W Burlington, MA 01803 877-202-1940 Email: contact@randolphe.com, Christian@randolphe.com Web: randolphe.com

PAI MEDIA INK Williamsburg, Brooklyn 212-206-1598 Email: info@paimedia.com Web: paimedia.com

RANDEX COMMUNICATIONS 906 Jonathan Ln. Marlton, NJ 08053 856-596-1410 Email: randex@randexpr.com Web: randexpr.com Contact: Randy Alexander

PAVEMENT PR P.O. Box 2 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 262-903-7775 Email: tony@pavementpr.com Web: pavementpr.com Contact: Tony Bonyata

RECKONING PR 8439 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 306 West Hollywood, CA 90069 818-692-9065 Email: todd@reckoningpr.com Web: reckoningpr.com Contact: Todd Brodginski

PITCH PERFECT PR 4908 N. Ravenswood Ave. Unit 427 Chicago, IL 60640 773-654-1477 Email: jessica@pitchperfectpr.com Web: pitchperfectpr.com, twitter.com/pitchperfectpr Contact: Jessica Linker

RED ROOSTER PR 954-378-8328 Email: info@redroosterpr.com Web: redroosterpr.com

PLANETARY GROUP 6161 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 202 Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-952-5050 Email: info@planetarygroup.com Web: planetarygroup.com PLATFORM MEDIA GROUP 6767 Forest Lawn Dr. #211 Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-337-9042 Email: info@platformgrp.com Web: platformgrp.com Contact: Henry Eshelman, Managing Dir. Additional Location: 155 E. 55th St. #4 New York, NY 10022 POWDERFINGER PROMOTIONS P.O.Box 4935 Framingham, MA 01704 800-356-1155 Email: info@powderfingerpromo.com Web: powderfingerpromo.com *accepting submissions from bands or artists who are interested in promotion. PRESS HERE PUBLICITY 138 W. 25th St., 9th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212-246-2640 Fax 212-582-6513 Email: info@pressherepublicity.com Web: pressherepublicity.com

RED ROOSTER GROUP 22 East 49th St. 7th Flr. New York, NY 1001 212-673-9353 Email: info@redroostergroup.com Web: redroostergroup.com RIOT ACT MEDIA NYC, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Athens Email: nathan@riotactmedia.com Web: riotactmedia.com ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, INC. 511 W. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47404 812-339-1195 Email: music@rockpaperscissors.biz Web: rockpaperscissors.biz ROSLAN & CAMPION LLC 200 Broadway New York, NY 10038 212-966-4600 Email: info@rc-pr.com Web: rc-pr.com ROGERS & COWAN 1840 Century Park E., 18th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90067 310-854-8100 Email: newbusiness@rogerandcowan pmk.com Web: rogersandcowan.com Additional locations: 909 3rd Ave., 9th Fl. New York, NY 10022 212-878-5501

PRESS HOUSE, THE 302 Bedford Ave., Ste. 13 Brooklyn, NY 11211 646-322-4903 Email: info@thepresshouse.com Web: thepresshouse.com/home

London 2 Waterhouse Square, #140 London, EC1N 2AE +44 (0) 20 3048 0490 Email ukinquiries@rogerandcowanpmk. com

Additional location:

RUDER FINN ARTS & COMMUNICATIONS COUNSELORS, INC. 425 E. 53rd St. New York, NY 10022 212-593-6400 Email: taylor.johnson@ruderfinn.com Web: ruderfinn.com *Offices in San Francisco, worldwide *Hubs in Washington D.C., Boston, Basel

24 Music Sq. W., Nashville,TN 37293 615-306-0737 PRESS OFFICE, THE P.O. Box #100 Saylorsburg, PA 18353 615-419-9989 Email: jim@thepressoffice.com Web: thepressoffice.com Contact: Jim Della Croce Services: MAXIMUM PR! for the Entertainment Industry PUNCH MEDIA 10 N. 3rd St.

Additional location: London 1 Bedford St. London, U.K. 44 (0) 20 7438 3050 Email: nleonard@ruderfinn.co.uk

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts SACKS & CO. 119 W. 57th St., Penthouse North New York, NY 10019 212-741-1000 Fax 212-741-9777 Email: louis.dadamio@sacksco.com Web: sacksco.com/contact.html Additional location: 801 5th Avenue S, Suite 201 Nashville, TN 37203 615-320-7753 Email: asha.goodman@sacksco.com RHONDA SAENZ-SAENZ OF THE TIMES PR 7254 Hollywood Blvd., Ste. 27 Los Angeles, CA 90046 323-823-7870 Email: saenz.pr@sbcglobal.net SARAH MCMULLEN McMULLEN & COMPANY PUBLIC RELATIONS 5715 Grape St. Houston, TX 77096 310-283-7907 Email: smcmullen@earthlink.net Web: linkedin.com/in/smcmullen SCHNEIDER RONDAN ORGANIZATION (SRO) Encino, CA 91316 818-380-0400 Email: msoorg@aol.com Web: sropr.com Clients: Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Celebrating David Bowie, Deadmau5, Electric Zoo, Joe Perry, Kraftwerk,Ozz Fest, Slash, Public Image Ltd., the Crystal Method, Van Morrison. See site for complete list. SCOOP MARKETING 12754 Ventura Blvd., 2nd Fl. Studio City, CA 91604 818-761-6100 Email: PR@solters.com Web: scoopmarketing.com SECRET SERVICE PUBLICITY Email: austin@secretservicepr.com Web: secretservicepr.com, facebook.com/SecretServicePublicity Contact: Austin Griswold Clients: Bowling For Soup, Circle Takes the Square, Evans Blue, Polaris at Noon, Rival Sons, Social Distortion, the Wealthy West

Web: sharkeystreehouse.com Show-off in Our Video Podcast: We are accepting inquiries from, and scheduling, bands/musicians in all genres who would like to be featured in Sharkey’s Treehouse by performing original music and being interviewed by the show’s host and creator Shawn “Sharkey” Boyd. SHORE FIRE MEDIA 32 Court St., Ste. 1600 Brooklyn, NY 11201 718-522-7171 Email: info@shorefire.com Web: shorefire.com Additional location: Nashville Office 1017 17th Ave, South Ste 4 Nashville, TN 37212 615-280-5330 925 N La Brea Ave. Floor 4 Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-395-2444 SIDEWAYS MEDIA 8149 Santa Monica Blvd. #343 West Hollywood, CA 90046 Los Angeles, CA Email: info@sideways-media.com Web: sideways-media.com SKH MUSIC Brooklyn, NY Email: skaras@skhmusic.com, khagan@skhmusic.com Web: skhmusic.com Contact: Steve Karas, Keith Hagan SLAB MEDIA 535 Albany St., Ste. 2A Boston, MA 02118 855-SLAB-WEB, 617-566-3433 Email: office@slabmedia.com Web: slabmedia.com SO MUCH MOORE MEDIA 1819 Tula Pace Rd. Pleasant View, TN 37146 615-202-1313 Email: martha@somuchmoore.com Web: somuchmoore.com Contact: Martha E. Moore Current Clients: FLYNNVILLE TRAIN, Todd Fritsch, Mark Wayne Glasmire, the Grascals, the Roys, Tommy Steele

SEPTEMBER GURL MUSIC Brooklyn, NY 718-768-3859 Email: patrice@septembergurl.com Web: septembergurl.com

SPEAKEASY PR Los Angeles, CA 818-363-1315 Email: Monica@Speakeasypr.com Web: speakeasypr.com Contact: Monica Seide

SERGE ENTERTAINMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS P.O. Box 5147 Canton, GA 301114 678-880-8207 Email: sergeent@aol.com Web: sergeentertainmentgroup.com

SPINLAB 12198 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 210 Studio City, CA 91604 818-763-9800 Email: info@spinlab.net Web: spinlab.net Contact: John Vlautin

SFPR/EASTWEST MEDIA Palm Beach, FL 310-650-8668, 561-465-2240 Email: sheryl@eastwestmedia.net Web: eastwestmedia.net

STEVE MOYER PUBLIC RELATIONS P.O. Box 5227 West Hills, CA 91308 818-784-7027 Email: moyerpr@earthlink.net Web: facebook.com/stevemoyerpr, Twitter, Linkedin Contact: Steve Moyer Services: Publicity for Musicians and Concert Artists

SHADOW PR 414 West 14th St., Fl 3 New York, NY 10014 212-972-0277 Email: info@shadowpr.com Web: weareshadow.com Contact: Nick Carcaterra Additional location: 7257 Beverly Blvd., Ste. 224 Los Angeles, CA 90036 310-777-7572 SHARKEY’S TREEHOUSE c/o The Rink Studios 1031 Del Paso Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95815 916-769-2513 Email: shawn@boydmedia.com

STUNT COMPANY 67 35th St., Ste B505 Brooklyn, NY 11232 718-222-1746 Web: stuntcompany.com Contact: Sue Marcus SUNSHINE SACHS & ASSOCIATES 136 Madison Ave., 17th Fl. New York, NY 10016 212-691-2800 Email: info@sunshinesachs.com Web: sunshinesachs.com Contact: Tiffany Shipp Additional locations:

720 Cole Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-822-9300 1875 Connecticut Ave., N.W., 10th Fl. Washington, DC 20009 202-280-2398 201 W. 5th Street, 11th Fl Austin, TX 78701 512-646-0149 101 Marietta Street NW Suite 3000 Atlanta, GA 30303 404-334-3545 SUSAN BLOND, INC. 50 W. 57th St., 14th Fl. New York, NY 10019 212-333-7728 Email: joshua@susanblondgroupinc.com Web: susanblondgroupinc.com, facebook.com/SusanBlondInc TREND PR 4657 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90027 323-668-9383 Email: hunter@trendpr.com Web: trendpr.com Contact: Hunter Scott, Head of Marketing & Publicity Specialty: Entertainment PR firm specializing in music. Building and expanding a fan base, creating demand for a product through album reviews, special features and interviews on TV, radio, magazines, blogs and newspapers, both print and online. Free consultations are also available. THE SYNDICATE 1801 Willow Avenue #211 Weehawken, NJ 07086 201-864-0900 Web: thesyn.com THOMPSON & CO. PUBLIC RELATIONS 600 Barrow St., Ste. 400 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-561-4488 Email: info@thompsonpr.com Web: thompsonpr.com Additional location: 1415 North Loop West Ste 300-10 Houston, TX 77008 832-804-9918 THOMAS PR 1 Hewitt Square, Ste 186 East Northport, NY 11731 631-549-7575 Email: info@thomas-pr.com Web: thomas-pr.com Contact: Karen Thomas Client: Great Cat THREE BRAND MEDIA Fort Houston 2020 Lindell Aven, Ste A Nashville, TN 37203 615-712-9136 Email: info@threebrandmedia.com Web: threebrandmedia.com TOOLSHED INCORPORATED 45 Belcher Rd. Warwick, NY 10990 845-988-1799 Email: dhuey@toolshed.biz Web: toolshed.biz TRUE PUBLIC RELATIONS 3575 Cahuenga Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90068 323-957-0730 Email: cyasst@truepublicrelations.com Web: facebook.com/truepublicrelations TRUE TALENT MANAGEMENT/PR 9663 Santa Monica Blvd., #320 Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-560-1290 Email: ineedpr@truetalentpr.com Web: truetalentmgmt.com Contact: Jennifer Yeko

Services: Artist Management, Music Licensing, Music PR TSUNAMI GROUP, INC. Email: inquiry@tsunamigroupinc.com Web: tsunamigroupinc.com Styles: Specializing in Entertainment, Music, Producers, Fashion, Sports and Products Clients: Lil Wayne, Skyz Muzik, Jessica Simpson, ONYX, Justin Timberlake TWO SHEPS THAT PASS 1740 Broadway, 15th Floor New York, NY 10019 646-907-8787 Email: info@twoshepsthatpass.com, vera@twoshepsthatpass.com Web: twoshepsthatpass.com VITRIOL INDEPENDENT PROMOTION 3421 5th Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55408 612-871-4916 Email: jesse@vitriolradio.com Web: vitriolradio.com W3 PUBLIC RELATIONS 5657 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 260 Los Angeles, CA 90036 323-934-2700 Fax 323-934-2709 Email: w3pr@yahoo.com Web: w3publicrelations.com WEBB N RETAIL Sherman Oaks, CA 818-453-8777 Email: webnretail@cs.com Web: musicmarketingbywebnretail.com Contact: Gale Rosenberg Services: Music Marketing, promotion and PR. Both online and traditional WHIPLASH PR 398 Columbus Ave., PMB #183 Boston, MA 02116 781-545-1301 Email: rockergirl363@oal.com Web: whiplashprandmanagement.com WORKING BRILLIANTLY P.O. Box 3457 Idyllwild, CA 92549 951-468-4372 Email: jennifer@workingbrilliantly.com Web: workingbrilliantly.com WOLFSON ENTERTAINMENT, INC. 2659 Townsgate Rd., Ste. 119 Westlake Village, CA 91361 805-494-9600 Email: jonathan@wolfsonent.com Web: wolfsonent.com Contact: Jonathan Wolfson XO PUBLICITY LLC Portland, OR 97211 (Detroit, Seattle, Los Angeles) 313-290-2744 Email: info@xopublicity.com Web: xopublicity.com Contact: Kaytea McIntosh

MERCH & SWAG ADOBE GRAPHICS DESIGN, INC. 33 Great Neck Road, Ste 1 Great Neck, NY 11021 800-726-9683, 516-482-7425 Email: oroders@coyotepromotions.com Web: coyotepromotions.com Services: Promotional and premium items for record labels, radio stations and TV stations. AFFORDABLE IMAGE 2515 N. 7th St. Phoenix, AZ 85006 800-639-1622 Email: sales@affordableimage.com Web: affordableimage.com ANENBERG PRINT 9521 Business Center Dr., #104 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 909-987-0440 Email: info@anenberg.com Web: anenberg.com, store.anenberg.com Services: clothing wholesaler, custom garment screenprinting

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Directory of Everything Indie Styles/Specialties: oversized garment screenprinting, high quality plastisol, water-based and discharge inks, low minimums, fast turn-around, easy and friendly service ARTS PROMO P.O. Box 6 Northampton, MA 413-259-1227 Email: artspromo@artspromo.org, Web: artspromo.org Contact: Jaime Morton BAND MERCH 3120 W. Empire Ave. Burbank, CA 91504 818-736-4800 Email: info@brandmerch.com Web: bandmerch.com BAND SHIRTS C/- Australian Tour Merchandising Pty Ltd. 43 Brady St. South Melbourne Victoria, Australia 3205 +61-(0) 3 9695 0104 Email: customerservice@bandtshirts. com.au Web: bandtshirts.com.au BANDWEAR 2025 Midway Rd., Ste C Carrollton, TX 75006 877-BANDWEAR, Fax 214-276-7350 Email: sales@bandwear.com Web: bandwear.com Services: Manufacturing of promotional and retail products. Vinyl stickers and custom die cutting custom paper printing. Posters and album flats. Any printed promotional products and “swag.” Enabling your website with e-commerce to sell your merchandise. BIG CARTEL Email: support@bigcartel.com Web: bigcartel.com Services: Shopping cart platform for Artists, Bands and Record labels BIOWORLD MERCHANDISING 1159 Cottonwood Lane Irving, TX 75038 888-831-2138 Email: info@bioworldmerch.com Web: bioworldcorp.com Services: Band and label merchandise management Additional locations: 1411 Broadway, #3109 New York, NY 10018 212-302-1922 191 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601 706-227-6850 McGladrey Plaza 801 Nicollet Mall, Ste. 615 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612-397-9601 266 Applewood Crescent Concord, Ontario, Canada L4K 4B4 905-669-8155 BLUE COLLAR PRESS 3235 Ousdahl, Ste B Lawrence, KS 66046 785-842-1414 Email: info@bluecollarpress.com Web: bluecollarpress.com BLUE RAVEN ARTIST MANAGEMENT 435 Byram Kingwood Road Frenchtown, NJ 08825 973-928-3565 Email: sean@blueravenartists.com Web: blueravenartists.com BRAVADO 1755 Broadway, 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10019 212-445-3400 Fax 212-445-3499 Email: jaison.john@bravado.com Web: bravadousa.com Additional locations:

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9255 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 200 Los Angeles, CA 90069 310-865-5025 Fax 310-865-5036

510-558-4000 Fax 510-558-4002 Email: info@dynamicartists.com Web: dynamicartists.com

INTERNATIONAL CONTACT Bravado International Group Ste 1B-F, Chiswick Place 272 Gunnersbury Ave. London, W4 5QB +44 (0) 330 587 1234 Web: bravado.com Email: david.boyne@bravado.com

EARTH2EARTH 111 N. Perry St. Pontiac, MI 48342-2336 248-335-7015 Email: art@freshhotshirts.com Web: facebook.com/freshhotshirts

BULLETPROOF ARTISTS 241 Main St. Easthampton, MA 01027 413-527-9393 Email: patty@bulletproofartists.com Web: bulletproofartists.com Contact: Patty Romanoff BUSY BEAVER BUTTONS 3407 W. Armitage Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-645-3359, 855-439-2879 Email: orders@busybeaver.net Web: busybeaver.net CD ROLLOUT 916 W 19th St. Asuza, CA 91702 310-374-9208 Email: mike@cdrollout.com Web: cdrollout.com Contact: Mike Naylor Styles/Specialties: CD/DVD replication, merchandise production (T-shirts, stickers, posters, postcards, merch items) and graphic design. CHASER 6424 Forest City Rd. Orlando, FL 32810 877-739-1173 Web: districtlines.com/Chaser Services: All merch - apparel, posters, etc. Online fulfillment CHRIS COOK MANAGEMENT EUROPEAN MUSIC MERCHANDISING G03, The Light Box 111 Power Rd. London, U.K. W4 5PY +44 (0)20 8567 1700 Email: chris@cookmanagement.com Web: cookemanagement.com CLUBFLYERS.COM 2300 N.W. 7th Ave. Miami, FL 33127 800-433-9298 Web: clubflyers.com COMGRAPHX 1765 N. Juniper Greenway Business Park Broken Arrow, OK 74012 918-258-6502 Email: hello@comgraphx.com Web: comgraphx.com DESIGN 8 STUDIOS 5801 N. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68134 402-571-1837 Email: info@design8studios.com Web: design8studios.com DISC MAKERS Southwest U.S. area 800-468-9353 Email: info@discmakers.com Web: discmakers.com Services: CD/DVD manufacturing, graphic design, printing, packaging, authoring, mastering, manual and automated CD & DVD printers, blank media. Providing the industry standard of excellence for over 50 years Additional location: Eastern U.S. 7905 N. Route 130 Pennsauken, NJ 08110 800-468-9353 DYNAMIC ARTIST MANAGEMENT 5221 Central Ave., Ste. 202 Richmond, CA 94804

FRONTGATE MEDIA 22342 Avenida Empressa, #260 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 949-528-3359 Web: frontgatemedia.com Services: Full-service, strategic merchandising company designing and producing apparel and accessories for brands and bands, ministries and movements, and companies and conferences. GEARHEAD RECORDS P.O. Box 2375 Elk Grove, CA 95759 916-897-2451 Email: info@gearheadrecords.com Web: gearheadrecords.com GIGART San Francisco, CA Email: mail@gigart.com Web: gigart.com GO MERCH 60-62 E. 11th St., 6th Floor New York, NY 10003 Email: wholesale@gomerch.com Web: gomerch.com Services: apparel/product, email blasts, social media, VIP Pre-sales, Pre-order Campaigns GROOVY ACCENTS, LLC. 1632 N. Van Buren Ave. Tucson, AZ. 85712 214-995-0347 Email: GroovyAccents@Gmail.com Web: GroovyAccents.com Services: Manufacturing custom, wholesale, guitar pick earrings for musicians’ merch tables and websites and associated trades and businesses. Our popular promo products are manufactured in Tucson, AZ.

Contact: Jay Warsinske CEO (40+ year veteran) Services: T-Shirts, Clothing, Caps, Accessories & Swag JAK PRINTS Jakprints, Inc 3133 Chester Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114 877-246-3132, 216-622-6360 Web: jakprints.com/contact Services: offset printing, screen printing, sticker printing, embroidery, more. KILL THE 8 Canada 416-531-6647 Email: orders@kt8merch.com Web: killthe8.com, myspace.com/killthe8 KLUCH CLOTHING CO. 215 S.E. 8th Ave. Boynton Beach, FL 33435 561-734-9665 Email: sales@kluch.com Web: kluch.com KUNG FU NATION MUSIC MERCHANDISE 1720 Capital Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27604 877-826-0518, 919-834-0230 Email: info@kungfunation.com Web: kungfunation.com MERCHNOW 888-387-3343, +1-518-458-9563 Email: customerserivce@merchmonkey. com Web: merchnow.com PICKGUY P.O. Box 1833 Southgate, MI 48195 734-626-9756 Email: info@pickguy.com Web: pickguy.com PLATINUM MONARCH DESIGN P.O. Box 922182 Sylmar, CA 91392-2182 1-888-889-2630 Web: platinummonarchdesign.com Services: websites, logos, flyers, cd covers, postcards, t-shirts and more

HOME RUN MEDIA GROUP 18331 Enterprise Lane Huntington Beach, CA 92648 714-536-3939 Email: info@hbdigital.com Web: hbdigital.com Services: Promotional Products Styles/Specialties: USB Flash Drives, Custom Logo Apparel

PORT MERCH 1635 Old Louisburg Rd Raleigh, NC 27607 919-713-0078 Email: chip@portmerch.com Web: portmerch.com Services: Port Merch is a full service merchandise company providing solutions for bands, artists and record labels.

IFANZ McCartney Multimedia, Inc. 322 Culver Blvd., Ste. 124 Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 Email: dischelp@ifanz.com, info@ifanz.com Web: ifanz.com

ROCKIT DESIGN NYC Area Email: art@rockitdesign.com Web: rockitdesign.com Contact: Richard Nelson Services: Tour & Retail Merchandise Design, CD, DVD and Vinyl Package Design, Posters. Providing Service to the Music, Sports & Entertainment Industry for Over 30 Years.

INDIE EXTREME 14090 FM 2920, Ste. G117 Tomball, TX 77377 Email: kathyd@indieextreme.com Web: indieextreme.com Services: Merchandise fulfillment and distribution INDIEMERCHANDISING LLC 34440 Vine St Willowick, OH 44095 855-210-1412 Email: info@indiemerch.com Web: indiemerch.com, indiemerchandising.com, indiemerchstore.com Services: Tech-based e-commerce provider, merchandise manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer for all areas of music merchandising INDIEPOWER 5062 Lankershim Blvd., #174 N. Hollywood, CA 91601 818-505-1836 Email: info@indiepower.com Web: indiepower.com

SCHOOL KIDS RECORDS 2237 Avent Ferry Rd. Ste 101 Raleigh, NC Email: chillskids@gmail.com Web: schoolkidsrecords.com/label Additional location: 405-C Franklin St. Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Email: skidschapelhill@gmail.com 919-960-9272 SMI PROMO 7247 Hayvenhurst Ave., Ste. A-3 Van Nuys, CA 91406 800-401-4488 Email: orders@smipromo.com Web: smipromo.com STICKER JUNKIE 9932 Prospect Ave., #134 Santee, CA 92071

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts 619-328-6275 Email: customerservice@stickerjunkie.com Web: stickerjunkie.com SUNSHINE DAYDREAM 830 W. Il Route 22 #120 Lake Zurich, IL 60047 847-550-9999 Email: store@sunshinedaydream.biz Web: sunshinedaydream.biz VICTORY SCREEN PRINTING 346 N. Justine St., Ste 504 Chicago, IL 60607 (312) 666-8661 Contact: Mike Gilman Email: info@shirts-now.com Web: shirts-now.com Your one stop shop for custom screen printed apparel. Speedy turnaround, competitive pricing, worldwide shipping, and always friendly customer service. WIKIMETAL Rua Bernardino de Campos, 277 Indaiatuba - São Paulo – Brazil Email: info@wikimetal.com.br Web : wikimetal.com.br Services: Editorial, Social media, banners, background, slider, newsletter, playlists, promotion, podcats, YouTube channel

CD/VINYL DUPLICATION ALABAMA CAM VIDEO PRODUCTIONS 412 Main St. Trussville, AL 35173 205-655-0829 Email: info@camvideoproductions.com Web: camvideoproductions.com Services: CD and DVD duplication, taping and authoring to DVD and CD. DISCOUNT DUPLICATION 212 41st St. South Birmingham, AL 35222 205-942-9460 Email: buzz@myimagehive.com Web: discountaudiovideotransfer.com Services: video duplication, dvd duplication, video conversion, film transfer at discount prices, highest quality and fast service HOLT AV 401 28th St. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 800-322-4658, 205-328-5231 Email: info@holtav.com Web: holtav.com Services: duplication and transfer services NHOUSE DIGITAL MEDIA 1530 Heritage Place Dr. Irondale, AL 35210 205-706-7163 Email: nhtapebiz@charter.net Web: facebook.com/NHouseDigitalMedia

ALASKA ACTION VIDEO PRODUCTIONS 430 W. 7th Ave., Ste. 100 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-360-4276. 907-360-4276 Email: actividstaff@gmail.com Web: actvid1.com Services: copy/duplicate just about any audio/video format

ARIZONA DISC2DAY 13634 E. Williams Field Rd. Gilbert, AZ 85295 602-438-4848 Email: robert@disc2day.com Web: disc2day.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication PROACTION MEDIA 9014 N. 23rd Ave., Ste. 1 Phoenix, AZ 877-593-4261 Web: facebook.com/ProActionMedia Services: Professionally managed or

on-demand DIY CD, DVD and USB low volume duplication and high volume replication services, including professional custom print for single or multiple disc complete packaging. Order online anytime as low as 1 Complete CD in Jewel Case Package on our OnDemand site or call for Higher volumes. Quick turns or complex projects. US DIGITAL MEDIA 1929 W. Lone Cactus Dr. Phoenix, AZ 85027 623-587-4900, 877-992-3766 Web: usdigitalmedia.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication

ARKANSAS CANTRELL VIDEO The Prospect Bldg., 2nd Floor, Ste 200 1501 N. University Ave Little Rock, AR 72227 501-664-2215 Email: info@cantrellvideo.com Web: cantrellvideo.com Services: CD/DVD authoring, transfer, duplication CLARK’S VIDEO GROUP, INC. 14794 Woods Lodge Rd. Rogers, AR 72756 479-636-7111 Email: clarksvideogroup@sbcglobal.net Web: clarksvideogroup.com Services: DVD authoring, media conversions, CD/DVD duplication

CALIFORNIA A1 INDIEPOWER 818-505-1836 Email: info@indiepower.com Web: indiepower.com, facebook.com/IndiePowerOnline Services: digital, physical, mobile worldwide ABACAB MULTIMEDIA, INC. 245 Fischer, Ste. A-9 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 714-432-1745 Email: sales@abacab.net Web: abacab.net Services: CD and DVD duplication, packaging and printing. Audio and video recording and post. ABET DISC, INC. 411 E. Huntington Dr., #107-372 Arcadia, CA 91006 626-303-4114 Email: sales@abetdisc.com Web: abetdisc.com Services: CD, DVD, replication, duplication, mastering, authoring, design, printing and packaging ACDC-AUDIO CD & CASSETTE Stella at Universal Mall (Drop off) 12400 Ventura Blvd., #150 Studio City, CA 91604 818-762-ACDC (2232), 805-245-5503 Email: steve@acdc-cdr.com Web: acdc-cdr.com Services: CD, DVD, cassette duplication Additional location: Physical and Mailing Address: 606 Alamo Pintado Rd., Unit 3, Ste. 281 Solvang, CA 93463 ADERRA, INC. 800-430-8189 Email: info@aderra.net Web: aderra.net Services: Record up to 1,000 USB flash drives within 15 minutes after a live event has ended our patent pending system is the size of a suitcase and can be hand carried. We can pre-load content onto the USB drives including video files, PDF documents, links to websites, slideshows, the possibilities are limitless. We can also custom design a user experience interface. This “DVD Style” navigation is opened when the user inserts the flash drive. It contains links to all of the content

on the drive, links to external websites, etc. Please contact us for a demonstration.

Irvine, CA 92618 855-273-4263 Email: customer@diskfaktory.com Web: diskfaktory.com Services: Online 24/7 and On Demand CD & DVD duplication and replication services *No-commission on iTunes and Napster submissions. A&R services, digital download cards. CD and digital store for musicians to sell to their fans. Low cost CD and DVD fulfillment

BURNSMART.COM 1855 S. Santa Cruz, Ste. B Anaheim, CA 92805 866-448-0958, 714-447-9181 Email: info@burnsmart.com Web: burnsmart.com Contact: Jackie Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication, printing and packaging. We also offer wholesale pricing for blank media, accessories and duplication equipment.

E-MEDIATELY/RJR DIGITAL MEDIA, INC. 866-816-6845 Fax 619-501-1425 Email: sdweb@cox.net Web: rjrdigital.com Services: Replication and duplication, retail ready CD audio, ROM, DVD-5 and 9, and business card replication and duplication; graphic design.

AIX MEDIA GROUP 2050 Granville Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-479-0501 Email: info@aixrecords.com Web: aixrecords.com Services: complete CD/DVD-audio/video production services

CD NETROM 12650 Westminster Ave. Santa Ana, CA 92706 888-265-7775, 310-906-6762 Email: info@cdnetcard.com Web: cdnetrom.com Services: CD and DVD replication, duplication, print packaging, design, mastering, fulfillment CHARLES LAURENCE PRODUCTION CO. Northridge, CA 818-368-4962 Web: clpstudios.com Services: DVD editing, replication, video editing and enhancement, CD duplication, mastering, DAT transfers and real-time cassette duplication. Tape film and vinyl record transfers, 8mm, super-8, 16mm transfer. CHEAP CD DUPLICATIONS 3749 Buchanan St. Unit 487 San Francisco, CA 94147 888-323-9270 Email: wecare@cheapcdduplications.com Web: cheapcdduplications.com Services: duplicator/replicators of CD/ DVD as well as full video duplication & digital editing services. 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm film transfer to VHS or DVD Additional location: 1223 NE Alberta St., 2nd Floor Portland, OR 97211 CREATIVE SOUND CORP. 5515 Medea Valley Dr. Agoura Hills, CA 91301 818-707-8986 Email: info@csoundcorp.com Web: csoundcorp.com Services: CD/record/tape/video duplication, DVD replication, graphic design, digalog process, major manufacturing. Lower prices on automatic desktop duplicators - Epson, Primera, Systor. DENOISE.COM 1050 Murray St. Berkeley, CA 94710 510-653-3838 Email: info@denoise.com Web: denoise.smugmug.com Services: sound and video production, CD and DVD copies DISC MAKERS 4425 W. Riverside Dri, Suite 204 Burbank, CA 91505 800-468-9353 Email: info@discmakers.com Web: discmakers.com Services: CD/DVD manufacturing, graphic design, printing, packaging, authoring, mastering, manual and automated CD & DVD printers, blank media. Providing the industry standard of excellence for over 50 years DISKFAKTORY 14 Chrysler

ERIKA RECORDS 6300 Caballero Blvd. Buena Park, CA 90620 714-228-5420 Email: office@erikarecords.com Web: erikarecords.com Services: CD, vinyl and cassette duplication (real-time and high-speed), picture discs, business card CDs, DVD replication services. GROOVE HOUSE RECORDS 5029 Serrania Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91364 888-476-6838 Email: cdrep@groovehouse.com Web: groovehouse.com GROTTO MUSIC, INC. 580 N. Beachwood Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90004 909-305-2340 Services: CD/DVD replication/packaging/AV post/graphics/web HB DIGITAL 18331 Enterprise Ln. Huntington Beach, CA 92648 714-536-3939 Email: plot@home-run.com Web: hbdigital.com Services: CD and DVD duplication/ replication, digital printing, signs, banners and displays HELLMAN PRODUCTION 3202 Pennsylvania Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90404 323-456-0446 Email: info@hellmanproduction.com Web: hellmanproduction.com HOOK STUDIO SERVICES, THE Los Angeles, CA 818-759-4665 Email: mfrenchik@fastmail.net Web: thehookstudios.com Services: CD & DVD pro quality duplication, same day, overnight, Saturdays, superior color print on disc, panel inserts, cd printed sleeves, custom packaging IFANZ McCartney Multimedia, Inc. 322 Culver Blvd., Ste. 124 Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 Email: dischelp@ifanz.com, info@ifanz.com Web: ifanz.com IMPERIAL MEDIA SERVICES 3202 Pennsylvania Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90404 310-396-2008 Email: sales@imperialmedia.com Web: imperialmedia.com Services: CD/DVD/video duplication/ replication/packaging, CD/DVD mastering and authoring, any quantity--same day service available, we deliver on spec, on time, on budget. Additional location: 5482 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 240 Los Angeles, CA 90036

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Directory of Everything Indie M2 COMMUNICATIONS 235 Bellefontaine St. Pasadena, CA 91105 626-441-2024 Email: m2com@aol.com Web: m2com.com/cassetteworks.html Services: audio duplication, CD replication, packaging, DVD duplication MASTER GROOVE STUDIOS Los Angeles (Northridge) Nashville (Hendersonville) 818-830-3822, 615-799-9366 Email: leafcake@att.net Web: mastergroovestudios.com Services: full mastering/small runs of CD duplication of 50 or less, cassette duplication MASTERTRACK CD & DVD MFG 1223 NE Alberta St., 2nd Floor Portland, OR 97211 844-805-7710 Email: customerservice@mastertrack.com Web: mastertrack.com Services: quality CD and DVD Duplication since 1998 MEDIA TECHNICS 4 Bluehill Ct. Scotts Valley, CA 95066 800-474-8996 Email: information@mediatechnics.com Web: mediatechnics.com MEDIA TEK OPTICAL INC. 13450 Brooks Dr., Ste. A Baldwin, CA 91706 626-962-1919 800-826-3873 Email: sales@a1mediatech.com Web: mediatekoptical.com Services: CD, DVD, cassette and video replication/duplication, Sonic Solutions mastering, design, printing and packaging major label quality. MIXONIC 3749 Buchanan St. Unit 487 San Francisco, CA 94109 866-838-5067 Email: customercare@mixonic.com Web: mixonic.com Services: CD, CD-ROM, DVD, USB, Flashdrives CD/DVD duplication and replication, printing, packaging, fulfillment, design services Additional locations: New York, Oregon, Wisconsin NEW CYBERIAN SYSTEMS, INC. 1919 O’Toole Way San Jose, CA 95131 877-423-4383, 408-922-0682 Fax 408-884-2257 Email: sales@newcyberian.com Web: newcyberian.com NOTEPAD, THE Pasadena, CA 626-794-4322 Email: thenotepad@earthlink.net Services: CD and DVD replication, CD-R and DVD-R duplication, graphic design, mastering and printing, small to big orders PPL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC P.O. Box 261488 Encino, CA 91426 310 317-0322 Email: pplzmi@aol.com *No unsolicited material accepted QBT 1938 S. Myrtle Ave. Monrovia, CA 91016 626-357-1330 Email: mike@qbtmedia.com Services: CD, CD-ROM, DVD duplicating & replication, printing, packaging QUALITY CLONES CD, DVD, Mastering, Website and Video Services 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Ste. 405 Studio City, CA 91604 323-464-5853 Email: qualityclones@sbcglobal.net

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Web: qualityclones.com Services: CD and DVD replication and mastering, graphic design, website design and layout, full color printing booklets, tray cards, posters, postcards, CD sleeves, DVD wraps digipacks, packaging and shrink wrapping. RECORD TECHNOLOGY, INC. (RTI) 486 Dawson Dr. Camarillo, CA 93012 805-484-2747 Email: hello@recordtech.com Web: recordtech.com Services: vinyl, CD manufacturing REEL PICTURE 5330 Eastgate Mall San Diego, CA 92121 866-502-3472 Email: keith@reelpicture.com Web: reelpicture.com Services: cassette, CD, CD-R and record manufacturing, DVD replication, printing, packaging RHYTHM NET DESIGN GROUP 9860 Irvine Center Dr. Irvine, CA 92618 949-783-5000 Email: info@rinteractive.net Web: rinteractive.net Services: CD replication, CD duplication, printing, film, graphic design RUNTECHMEDIA INC 2107-D W. Commonwealth Ave., Ste. 324 Alhambra, CA 91803 626-656-8900 866-656-8999 Email: sales@runtechmedia.net Web: runtechmedia.com Services: all DVD and CD media services, printing and packaging SIENNA DIGITAL P.O. Box 502 Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 888-504-1620, 650-344-0456 Email: naomi@siennadigital.com Web: siennadigital.com Contact: Naomi Delott Services: CD’s and DVD’s, Digipaks, Eco Wallets, Sleeves, Mailers and Jewel case products Graphic Design and Mastering SOUND ADVICE RECORDING 12750 E. Rancho Estates Pl. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 909-987-6930 Email: sales6@sarecording.com Web: sarecording.com Services: cassette, CD, CD-R, DVD, and video duplication, authoring, complete in-house mastering, packaging services SPEEDLIGHT DUPLICATION, INC. 21822 Lassen St., Unit G Chatsworth, CA 91311 818-727-0200, 818-727-0264 Email: speedlight.duplication@gmail.com Web: speedlightduplication.com THRESHOLD SOUND + VISION 2114 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 310-566-6677 Email: micheleb@thresholdsound.com Web: thresholdsound.com Services: mastering, 5.1 surround, transfers, short run promo CD-R’s, lacquer masters, CD, DVD, Vinyl and VHS manufacturing. TSI CD MANUFACTURING 24831 Ave. Tibbitts Valencia, CA 91355 800-310-0800 Email: fulfillment@cdmanufacturing.com Web: tsidm.com Services: CD, DVD, USB Drives, Fulfillment and drop shipping, packaging/ graphic services UNITED AUDIO/VIDEO GROUP 6855 Vineland Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91605 800-247-8606, 818-980-6700 Fax 818-508-TAPE

Web: unitedavg.com Services: Audio/Video duplication

COLORADO CROSSPOINT 940 Wadsworth Blvd., Ste. 100 Lakewood, CO 80214 303-233-2700 Email: info@crosspoint.com Web: crosspoint.com Services: one stop shop for any type film or video production DENVER DISC 3141 Meade St. Denver, CO 80211 303-991-3837 Email: info@denverdisc.com Web: denverdisc.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and printing

CONNECTICUT BUZZ MEDIA COMPANY 32 Bruggeman Pl. Mystic, CT 06355 860-536-1830 Email: info@buzzmediacompany.com Web: buzzmediacompany.com Services: video transfer

DELAWARE DELAWARE DIGITAL VIDEO FACTORY 1709 Concord Pike, Rt. 202 Wilmington, DE 19803 302-TV-TAPES (888-2737) Web: ddvf.com Services: CD/DVD duplication KEN-DEL PRODUCTIONS, INC. First State Production Center 1500 First State Blvd. Wilmington, DE 19804-3596 302-999-1111 Email: info@ken-del.com Web: ken-del.com Services: Graphics, CD/DVD Replication, Duplication, Transfers from any format, printing

WASHINGTON, D.C. ACE PRESS 910 17th St., N.W., Ste. 100 Washington, DC 20006 202-338-4006 Email: acepress@aol.com Web: acepress.com Services: Printing, Copying and Mailing

FLORIDA BISON DISC 803 S. Orlando Ave., Ste. J Winter Park, FL 32789 888-540-9786 Email: sales@bisondisc.com Web: bisondisc.com Additional location: 5405 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 347 Los Angeles, CA 90036 888-473-5289 CRYSTAL CLEAR CD 7370 Dogwood Park Fort Worth,TX 76118 800-880-0073 Email: jim@crystalclearcds.com Web: crystalclearcds.com Services: CD, CD-ROM, Cassette, DVD replication, printing, packaging, mastering, graphic design, fulfillment, promo items DIGITAL DOMAIN 478 E. Altamonte Dr., #108-122 Altamonte Springs, FL 32750 407-831-0233 Email: bobkatz@digido.com Web: digido.com INTERMEDIA DISC 3827 NW 125 St. Opa Locka, FL 33054

305-392-9572 /9573 Email: info@intermediadisc.com Web: intermediadisc.com/en Services: CD/DVD replication PROGRESSIVE MEDIA & MUSIC Holmes Beach, FL 34217 813-251-8093 Email: info@progressivecds.com Web: progressivecds.com Contact: Ken Veenstra Services: CD, CD-ROM, Vinyl, DVD, CD/ DVD-R, thumb drives replication, graphic design, packaging, DVD authoring, inventory management, printing, mastering, video editing S & J CD DUPLICATION, INC. 105 College Dr., Ste. 3 Orange Park, FL 32065 904-272-0580 Email: sales@snjcd.com Web: snjcd.com

GEORGIA INFINITY DISCS 5105 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Ste. 103 Atlanta, GA 30341 770-451-7400 Email: sales@infinitydiscs.com Web: infinitydiscs.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication, printing and packaging ROVIX The Proscenium Tower 1100 Peachtree St., Ste. 900 Atlanta, GA 30309 877-ROVIX-77, 404-869-0706 Email: solutions@rovix.com Web: rovix.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication

HAWAII RAINBOW PHOTO VIDEO 661 Keeaumoku St., #101A Honolulu, HI 96814 808-943-0276 Email: rainbow@rainbowphotovideo Web: rainbowphotovideo.com Services: CD/DVD/DVD-R duplication

IDAHO IE PRODUCTIONS 2975 McNeil Dr. Idaho Falls, ID 83402 208-528-9593 Email: chad@idproductions.com Web: ieproductions.com/services/videoproduction Services: full service video shop

ILLINOIS CHICAGO PRODUCERS 7507 Madison St. Forest Park, IL 60612 800-467-1497, 312-226-6900 Web: chicagoproducers.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication SONY DADC 430 Gibraltar Dr. Bolingbrook, IL 60440 630-739-8060 Web: sonydadc.com Services: all DVD and CD media services, printing and packaging VIDEO ONE PRODUCTIONS 1820 W. Webster Ave., Ste. 201 Chicago, IL 60614 773-466-8762 Web: video1pro.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication

INDIANA

DIGITAL VIDEO CONCEPTS 5342 Emerson Dr., Ste. D Indianapolis, IN 46203 317-544-2150 Web: digitalvideoindy.com Services: Full-service Duplicating of Cassettes DVD’s, CD’s and Floppy Discs

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts IOWA CD DUPLICATOR, THE 865 6th St., Ste. #2 Nevada, IA 50201 515-382-4623 Email: craig@promotionalmediasupplier. com Web: thecdduplicator.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication DUPLICATION MEDIA 8126 Douglas Ave. Urbandale, IA 50322 316-558-5313 Email: info@duplicationmedia.com Web: duplicationmedia.com Services: CD/DVD duplications, videotape duplications, video to DVD transfers, audio to CD transfers and more

KANSAS PAT + JUDY HANDLEY 1510 W. Douglas Wichita, KS 67203 316-558-5313 Email: info@patandjudy.com Web: patandjudy.com Services: duplication services from many professional and consumer formats to DVD/CD/VHS

LOUISIANA FAST FORWARD MULTIMEDIA, INC 1428 S. Hugh Wallis Rd. Lafayette, LA 70508 337-262-0401 Email: ffmm@fastforwardmm.com Web: fastforwardmm.com Services: CD/DVD duplication

MARYLAND BLUE HOUSE PRODUCTIONS 2201 Westview Dr. Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-589-1001 Email: info@bluehouseproductions.com Web: bluehouseproductions.com Services: CD/DVD duplication CD DEPOT 9039 Baltimore Avenue College Park MD 20740 301-982-3472 Web: cdepot.com Additional location: 8639 Loch Raven Road Towson, MD 21286 410-663-5720 MORPHIUSDISC MANUFACTURING 100 E. 23rd St. Baltimore, MD 21218 410-662-0112 Fax 410-662-0116 Email: info@morphius.com Web: morphius.com Services: CD, CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-ray, vinyl, shaped CD/CD-Rom/vinyl, cassette, picture vinyl replication, insert printing, sticker printing, packaging, graphic design, digital download and physical distribution, fulfillment, inventory management

MASSACHUSETTS

CD SONIC 273 Commonwealth Ave. Boston, MA 02116 888-CD-SONIC, 888-237-6642 Ext. 201 Email: cdsonic@cdsonic.com Web: cdsonic.com Contact: Jules Seabra, VP/Sales Services: CD-Audio and CD ROM replication, DVD replication, VHS duplication, printing and packaging CD WORKS 30 Doaks Ln. Marblehead, MA 01945 800-239-6757 Email: moo@cdworks.com Web: cdworks.com Services: state of the art CD and DVD duplication and replication services

ECLIPSE VIDEO SERVICES 2400 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02140 800-345-6024, 617-491-1714 Fax 617-661-1543 Email: info@eclipsevid.com Web: eclipsevid.com Services: CD/DVD duplication KLARITY MULTIMEDIA 222 Rosewood Drive Danvers, MA 01923 857-453-7911 Email: hello@klarity.com Web: klarity.com Services: all related service

MICHIGAN NOBUCKS DOT NET 790 Glaspie Rd. Oxford, MI 48371 877-NOBUCKS, 877-662-8257 Web: CDupe.com Services: CD/DVD duplication, VHS to DVD Kits, short runs are no problem VOLK VIDEO SERVICES Auburn, MI 248-515-0184 Email: info@volkvideo.com Web: volkvideo.com/contact Services: CD/DVD duplication and transfer

MINNESOTA ALLIED VAUGHN 7600 Parklawn, Ste. 300 Minneapolis, MN 55435 800-323-0281, 952-832-3100 Fax 952-832-3179 Email: jim.laib@alliedvaughn.com Web: alliedvaughn.com Services: DVD and CD replication/duplication, authoring, Media on Demand, VHS duplication, packaging solutions, graphic design, printing, inventory mgmt. *Offices throughout the U.S., see Website. Additional locations: Chicago 901 Bilter Rd., Ste. 141 Aurora, IL 60502 630-626-0215, 800-759-4087 Email: raventi@alliedvaughn.com Detroit 11923 Brookfield Livonia, MI 48150 734-462-5543, 800-462-5543 Email: chris.barkoozis@alliledvaughn.com COPYCATS MEDIA 2155 Niagara Lane N., Ste. 110 Minneapolis, MN 55447 612-371-8008, 888-698-8008 Web: copycatsmedia.com DUPESHOP.COM/DVB MEDIA 7720 W 78th St. Minneapolis, MN 55439 866-874-8725, 763-315-4939 Email: sales@dupeshop.com Web: dupeshop.com Services: DVD duplication MEDIAXPRESS 1515 Nicollet Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-436-3474, 800-879-8273 Email: info@mediaxpress.net Web: mediaxpress.net SOUND 80 222 S. 9th St., Ste. 3600 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612-339-9313 Email: info@sound80.com Web: sound80.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and transfers

MISSISSIPPI JASPER EWING & SONS INC P.O. Box 12853 Jackson, MS 39211

601-942-3325 Email: mpewingir@comcast.net Web: jasperewing.com Services: CD and DVD Duplication

MISSOURI SMITHLEE PRODUCTIONS INC. 7420 Manchester Rd. St. Louis, MO 63143 314-647-3900 Email: sales@smithlee.com Web: smithlee.com Services: CD/DVD replication and fulfillment

MONTANA MR. VIDEO PRODUCTIONS, LLC 1480 Spiritwood Victor, MT 59875 888-961-4970 Email: mrvideo.com@gmail.com Web: mrvideo.com Services: duplication and transfer PEAK RECORDING & SOUND INC. P.O. Box 1404 Bozeman, MT 59771 406-586-1650 Email: info@peakrecording.net Web: peakrecording.net Services: CD/DVD duplication and design

NEBRASKA CREATIVE VISUAL PRODUCTIONS, INC. 4131 S. 89th St. Omaha, NE 68127 402-592-4410 Email: rob@creativevisual.biz Website: creativevisual.biz Services: CD, DVD, Blu-ray, authoring, replication, duplication, packaging OMAHA TRANS-VIDEO LLC 14925 Industrial Rd. Omaha, NE 68144 402-894-0105 Email: theresa@omahatransvideo.com Web: omahatransvideo.com Services: CD/DVD or VHS duplication TMS Theatrical Media Services, Inc. 7510 Burlington St. Omaha, NE 68127 402-592-5522 Web: tmsomaha.com Services: Touring, Festivals, Corporate, Theatrical, House of Worship

NEVADA JETKOR P.O. Box 33238 Reno, NV 89533 775-846-1185 Email: info@jetkor.com Web: jetkor.com Contact: Sherri Del Soldato Services: full-color printing, promo packet development, cover art design, posters, web design. VEGAS DISC 5320 Stylers St. North Las Vegas, NV 89031 702-481-1663, 800-246-5667 Contact: Tom Parham Email: info@vegasdisc.com Web: vegasdisc.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE NECD Salem, NH 800-617-3877 Email: discman@superdups.com Web: newenglandcd.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication

NEW JERSEY DISC MAKERS 7905 N. Crescent Blvd. Pennsauken, NJ 08110-1402

800-468-9353 Fax 856-661-3450 Web: discmakers.com Services: CD/DVD manufacturing, graphic design, printing, download cards, distribution, packaging, authoring, mastering, manual and automated CD and DVD printers, blank media, distribution, marketing services, also 12-in vinyl. Providing the industry standard of excellence for over 50 years. OASIS CD MANUFACTURING 7905 N. Route 130 Delair, NJ 08110 888-296-2747 Email: info@oasiscd.com Web: oasiscd.com Services: CD/DVD manufacturing, graphic design, printing, eco-packaging, direct glass cutting (Audiophile)

NEW MEXICO CINE VIDEO PRODUCTIONS & DUPLICATION 35 Domingo Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87508 505-466-6101 Email: startzman@me.com Web: cinevisionproductions.com Contact: Richard Startzman Services: all video production needs KOKOPELE PRODUCTIONS Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-501-0589 Email: Christopher@kkpele.com Web: kkpele.com Services: DVD duplication

NEW YORK A TO Z MEDIA 243 W. 30th St., 6th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212-260-0237, 888-670-0260 Email: info@atozmedia.com Web: atozmedia.com Services: DVD, CD, cassette and CD-ROM duplication/replication, design, printing. DISC MAKERS 150 W. 25th St., Ste. 402 New York, NY 10011 800-468-9353 Web: discmakers.com Services: Replication, graphic design, on-disc printing, packaging, authoring, recordable media, mastering, master transfers multimedia authoring, manual and automated CD and DVD printers, blank media. Providing the industry standard of excellence for over 50 years DUPLICATION DEPOT INC. 7 Plane Tree LA Saint James, NY 11780 631-752-0608 Email: copymydisc@gmail.com Web: duplicationdepot.com Services: CD/DVD transfers, duplication and replication LANDSHARK! CD DUPLICATION & DESIGN, INC. 325 W. 38th St., Ste. 710 New York, NY 10018 212-247-8995 Fax 212-247-8997 Email: landsharkcd@gmail.com Web: landsharkcd.com Services: CD duplication and design MF DIGITAL 19 W. Jefryn Blvd., Ste. 2 Deer Park, NY 11729 631-249-9393 Fax 631-249-9273 Email: support@mfdigital.com Web: mfdigital.com Services: CD/DVD duplication, DVD/CD replication, USB duplication MIXONIC 243 W 30th St., 6th Flo New York, NY 10001 866-838-5067 Email: customercare@mixonic.com Web: mixonic.com Services: CD, CD-ROM, DVD, USB, Flashdrives CD/DVD duplication and

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Directory of Everything Indie replication, printing, packaging, fulfillment, design services PLAY-IT PRODUCTIONS 735 Port Washington Blvd. Port Washington, NY 11050 800-815-3444, 212-695-6530 Web: play-itproductions.net Contact: Tony Tyler Services: complete CD/DVD manufacturing, printing and packaging, along with graphic design, mastering and DVD authoring SHELBY MARKETING, LLC 1001 Lexington Ave. Suite 800 Rochester, NY 14606 585-377-0750 Web: direct2marketsolutions.com Services: CD/DVD printing and duplication, printing, packaging and fulfillment

NORTH CAROLINA STUDIO SOUTH 4912 Old Pineville Rd. Charlotte, NC 28217 704-525-0296 Email: Service@studiosouthmedia.com Web: studiosouthmedia.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and transfer TRIANGLE DUPLICATION SERVICES 714 Red Horse Way Wake Forest, NC 27587 919-622-0746 Email: joe@triangleduplication.com Web: triangleduplication.com Services: CD/DVD duplication, printing. Mini DV 8mm and VHS to DVD conversions

NORTH DAKOTA SUPER STUDIO 101 10th Street North Suite 110 Fargo, ND 581042 701-499-2147 Email: contact@superstudio46.com Web: superstudio46.com Services: CD/DVD duplication

OHIO AM TECH VIDEO, INC. 6585 B Smith Rd. Brook Park, OH 44142 216-676-0441 Email: support@atvproductions.com Web: facebook.com/ATVproducer Services: CD/DVD duplication A TO Z AUDIO 9449 Brookpart Rd., Unit C Parma, OH 44129 440-333-0040 Email: atozaudio@atozaudio.com Web: atozaudio.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication, printing INDIE MERC STORE 34440 Vine Street Willowick, OH 44095 855-210-1412 Web: indiemerchstore.com/contact

OKLAHOMA CREATIVE PHOTO VIDEO, LLC 1907 W 33rd Street, Ste 100 Edmond, OK 73013 405-728-4336 Web: cpvokc.com Services: CD/DVD duplication

OREGON

A TO Z MEDIA 1223 NE Alberta St. 2nd Floor Portland, OR 97211 503-736-3261. 888-670-0260 Email: info@atozmedia.com Web: atozmedia.com Services: DVD, CD, cassette and CD-ROM duplication/replication, design, printing.

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CRAVEDOG CD & DVD MANUFACTURING 611 N. Tillamook St., Ste. B22 Portland, OR 97227 503-233-7284 Email: tc@cravedog.com Web: cravedog.com Contact: Michael Fitzgerald Services: CD, CD-ROM, DVD, CD Biz Card replication, printing, packaging, graphic design, promo items and apparel CRAZY DAISY PRODUCTIONS 8540 S.W. Monticello St. Beaverton, OR 97008 541-517-1458 Email: info@crazymastering.com Web: crazymastering.com Services: Mixing, Mastering, Duplication MEGALODON MANUFACTURING 888-234-2283 Email: hello@megalodon.com Web: megalodon.com, megalodon.com/about-megalodon.html MIXONIC 1223 NE Alberta St., 2nd Fl. Portland, OR 97211 866-838-5067 Email: customercare@mixonic.com Web: mixonic.com Services: CD, CD-ROM, DVD, USB, Flashdrives CD/DVD duplication and replication, printing, packaging, fulfillment, design services

PENNSYLVANIA RELICOPY 1735 Market St Philadelphia, PA 19103 972-702-8388 Web: replicopy.com Services: CD/DVD duplication, Video, Promotional printing, packaging

SOUTH CAROLINA PRINTS2DAY.COM Greenville, SC 864-255-9559 Email: Prinsts2day@gmail.com Web: facebook.com/prints2day Services: CD/DVD duplication, Upload Music CD, Posters

TENNESSEE MUZI MUSIC Nashville TN Email: mike@muzimusic.com Web: muzimusic.com Contact: Mike Farona THE TRANSFER LAB 127 Franklin Rd., Ste. 260 Brentwood, TN 37027 615-251-3380, 888-777-7172 Email: customerservice@thetransferlab. com Web: earmarkdigital.com VSG NASHVILLE 2525 Perimeter Place Dr. Suite 113 Nashville, TN 37214 615-248-1010, 800-251-1009 Web:vsgnashville.com Services: CD, DVD Replication and Duplication (Nashville’s only in-house replicators), short run services, print, packaging, fulfillment, mastering WE MAKE TAPES, CD’S & VIDEOS 711 Spence Lane Nashville, TN 37217 615-244-4236 Email: csr@wemaketapes.com Web: wemaketapes.com WTS DUPLICATION 2841 Hickory Valley Rd. Chattanooga,TN 37421 888-987-6334, 423-894-9427 Email: sales@wtsmedia.com Web: wtsduplication.com Services: CD and DVD replication and duplication

TEXAS ARCUBE 1845 Summit Ave Suite 407 Plano, TX 75074 877-677-9582 Email: sales@arcube.com Web: arcube.com/contact-us Additional locations: Houston, TX 832-573-9444 Austin, TX 877-677-9582 BLUEBONNET MEDIA GROUP, INC. 1850 Audubon Pond Way Allen, TX 75013 469-795-6886, 214-803-9920 Email: atalis@bluebonnetmediagroup.com Web: bluebonnetmediagroup.com Services: CD/DVD, Video production CROWN CD DUPLICATION 3636 S. Alameda St., Ste. B-209 Corpus Christi, TX 78411 888-460-0045, 361-882-8881 Web: crowncd.com Contact: Joseph Metz Services: manufacturing audio CD’s, also can handle any type of data recording needs, from recording artists to businesses that have to duplicate information on a CD or DVD format. We even convert videocassettes to DVD’s NATIONWIDE DISC 7370 Dogwood Park Richland Hills, TX 76118 1-866-704-3579, 817-885-8855 Email: information@nationwidedisc.com Web: nationwidedisc.com REPLICOPY 200 E. Market St. Ste. 108 San Antonio, TX 78205 972-702-8388 Web: replicopy.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication

UTAH HIT TRACKS STUDIOS / VEGAS DISC Tom Parham 128 W. 400 N. Cedar City, UT 84721 702-481-1663, 702-735-4283, 800-246-5667 Email: info@vegasdisc.com Web: hittrackstudios.com, vegasdisc.com Contact: Tom Parham Services: Custom CD/DVD duplication and replication, Blu-ray replication and USB duplication, Full color offset printing and packaging. Multi-track recording, CD Mastering and DVD authoring services. Duplication and Pro audio equipment sales. Replication equipment by Singulus, Guann Yinn, Heino and Gima with and 10 million per month capacity. Studio and Mastering equipment include, SSL, NEVE, API, MANLEY, HDCD, Sonic Solutions, Pro-Tools and Final Cut Pro LARSEN DIGITAL SERVICES 1144 W. 2700 N. Pleasant View, UT 84404 800-776-8357, 801-782-5155 Email: info@larsendigital.com Web: larsendigital.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication MEDIAFAST 767 S. Auto Mall Dr., Ste. 8 American Folk, UT 84003 888-598-6526 Web: mediafast.com Services: CD, DVD, Blu-ray duplication, replication, authoring, testing and complete packaging solutions

VERMONT VERMONT DUPLICATION 802-734-8836

Hinesburg, VT Email: info@vermontduplication.com Web: vermontduplication.com Services: CD/DVD duplication VIDEOSYNCRACIES INC Green House Building 180 Flynn Ave. Burlington, VT 05401 802-861-6161 Email: paul@vidsync.com Web: vidsync.com Services: DVD and CD duplication, from 1 to 1000 FAST with awesome on-disc label printing. DVD and CD Replication, as few as 500 factory pressed. DVD authoring full service video production and editing video transfer to DVD.

VIRGINIA FURNACE MFG MEDIA DUPLICATION SOLUTIONS 6315 Bren Mar Drive, Suite 195 Alexandria, VA 22312 703-205-0007 Email: sales@furnacemfg.com Web: furnacemfg.com Services: CD and DVD duplication and replication, print, packaging, design and fulfillment. Audiophile vinyl manufacturing, print and packaging. Premium Optical Disc manufacturing CD, DVD, CD-R, DVD-R, pre-press, packaging, DVD and Enhanced, CD authoring. USB drive branding and loading. iPod loading.

WASHINGTON COMPACT DISC SERVICE 1000 SE Tech Center Drive Suite 160 Vancouver, WA 98683 800-260-9800, 360-816-1800 Email: info@cdsg.com Web: cdsg.com Services: CD and DVD replication, CD-R & DVD-R duplication, DVD authoring, graphic design REALTIME A Duplication Corporation 334 N.E. 89TH ST. Seattle, WA 98115 206-523-8050 Web: realtimepip.com Services: CD/DVD duplication and replication, design

WEST VIRGINIA HOME VIDEO STUDIO OF WEST VIRGINIA 1041 Bridge Rd. Charleston, WV 25314 304-343-5180 Web: dvdwv.com Services: video duplication, 8mm to DVD, video editing, VHS to DVD and DVD transfer TELVIDEO & AUDIO PRODUCTIONS 231 Heritage Dr. Huntington, WV 25704 304-529-4480 Email: telvideo@frontier.com Web: telvideo-audio.com Services: audio/video transfers

WISCONSIN

A TO Z MEDIA 2018 S. 1st St. Suite 219 Milwaukee, WI 53207 414-289-0982 Email: info@atozmedia.com Web: atozmedia.com Services: DVD, CD, cassette and CD-ROM duplication/replication, design, printing MIXONIC 2018 S. 1st St., Ste 217 Milwaukee, WI 53217 866-838-5067 Email: customercare@mixonic.com Web: mixonic.com Services: CD, CD-ROM, DVD, USB, Flashdrives CD/DVD duplication and replication, printing, packaging, fulfillment, design services

Download at musicconnection.com/industry-contacts WYOMING INTEGRATED IMAGING 133 South McKinley Street Casper, WY 82601 800-780-3805, 307-266-3805 Email: info@iilabs.com Web: iilabs.com Services: video and audio duplication

CANADA MICROFORUM 1 Woodborough Ave. Toronto, ON, Canada M6M5A1 416-654-8008, 1-800-465-2323 Web: microforum.ca Services: CD and DVD replication and digital download cards, prints and USB DUPLIUM 35 Minthorn Blvd. Thornhill, ON L3T 7N5 Canada 905-709-9930, 800-819-0701 Email: info@duplium Web: duplium.com Services: CD and DVD Duplication,Vinyl Records, Templates and Resources, Disc Packaging

PROMO SITES BANDCAMP Web: bandcamp.com Notes: promote music, all genres BANDS IN TOWN Web: bandsintown.com Notes: shows BAND VISTA Web: bandvista.com Notes: band website creation BANDZOOGLE Web: bandzoogle.com Notes: band website creation BOMBPLATES Web: bombplates.com Notes: band website creation DATPIFF Web: datpiff.com Notes: music promo, hip-hop mixtapes DJ BOOTH Web: djbooth.net Notes: hip-hop promo, music reviews EVENTFUL Web: eventful.com Notes: shows FOUR FOUR Web: fourfour.com Notes: band website creation HIP HOP CONCERTS Web: hiphopconcerts.com Notes: Hip-hop concert information. Submit your concert/tour dates nationwide. HOMEGROWN HITS Web: homegrownhits.com Notes: Billboard-like chart for indie artists, all genres, competition INDIE ARTIST RADIO Web: indieartistradio.net Notes: music promo INDIE ON THE MOVE Web: indieonthemove.com Notes: Venue reviews MERCH DIRECT Web: next.merchdirect.com Notes: merch NIMBIT Web: nimbit.com Notes: show, music, merch promo PUREVOLUME Web: purevolume.com Notes: music promo REVERBNATION Web: reverbnation.com Notes: music promo SECTION 101 Web: section101.com Notes: website creation

SONGKICK Web: songkick.com Notes: shows STAGEIT Web: stageit.com Notes: stream shows STORE ENVY Web: storenvy.com Notes: merc

DISTRIBUTION/ONLINE RETAIL

CD BABY Web: cdbaby.com Notes: distribution/online retail

CARDSCASHREWARDS.COM Website: cardscashrewards.com Notes: Global digital music distribution and online music marketplace CHIRPIFY Web: chirpify.com Notes: Twitter app for distribution/online retail GUMROAD Web: gumroad.com Notes: Twitter app for distribution/online retail HELLO MERCH Web: hellomerch.com MERCHNOW Web: merchnow.com ORCHARD Web: theorchard.com TUNECORE Web: tunecore.com TUNEPORT Web: tuneport.com

FAN MAIL/CAREER MANAGEMENT

ARTIST GROWTH Web: artistgrowth.com Notes: career management FANBRIDGE Web: fanbridge.com Notes: fan management IFANZ Web: Ifanz.com Notes: fan management

ONLYWIRE Web: onlywire.com Notes: Post to 47 social networks TOUT Web: tout.com Notes: 15 second video messaging to fans

NETWORKING/SOCIAL/GIGS ARTIST DATA Web: sonicbids.com/artistdata Notes: Helps organize social media CARDSCASHREWARDS.COM Website: cardscashrewards.com Notes: Live streams of artist showcases sponsored by company and it’s strategic Partners. Company actively accepts submissions all commercial genres CONCERTS IN YOUR HOME Web: concertsinyourhome.com GIGSALAD Web: gigsalad.com FESTIVAL NET Web: festivalnet.com Notes: find and book festival gigs MUSIC2DEAL Web: music2deal.com Notes: networking MUSICIANS CONTACT Web: musicianscontact.com Notes: Find musicians, gigs MUSICPAGE Web: musicpage.com Notes: social network for music industry

SONICBIDS Web: sonicbids.com Notes: Social music marketing platform, connects bands, promoters, brands and fans WEGETNETWORKING Web: wegetnetworking.com

LICENSING BROADJAM Web: broadjam.com Notes: licensing FILMMUSIC.NET Web: filmmusic.net Notes: licensing

BLOGS 2DOPEBOYZ Web: 2dopeboyz.com Notes: hip-hop blog ALLHIPHOP Web: allhiphop.com Notes: hip-hop blog ARI’S TAKE Web: aristake.com Notes: Artist blog on the industry AQUARIUM DRUNKARD Web: aquariumdrunkard.com Notes: blog

MUSIC2DEAL Web: music2deal.com

BROOKLYN VEGAN Web: brooklynvegan.com Notes: blog

MUSIC SUPERVISOR Web: musicsupervisor.com

DATAMUSICATA Web: datamusicata.com

TAXI Web: taxi.com Notes: licensing

DAT PIFF Web: datpiff.com Notes: blog, hip-hop mixtapes

INFORMATION/OPPORTUNITIES CARDSCASHREWARDS.COM Website: cardscashrewards.com Notes: Company actively accepts music submissions for sponsored marketing services

DJ BOOTH Web: djbooth.net Notes: blog, hip-hop, R&B, soul HIPHOPDX Web: hiphopdx.com Notes: blog, hip-hop, R&B, soul

DATAMUSICATA Web: datamusicata.com Notes: info/articles for artists, blog style

INVISIBLE ORANGES Web: invisibleoranges.com Notes: blog, heavy metal

DIGITAL MUSIC NEWS Web: digitalmusicnews.com Notes: Up-to-date industry news

KINGS OF A&R Web: kingsofar.com Notes: blog

HIP HOP MAKERS Web: hiphopmakers.com Notes: articles for hip-hop producers

LHYME Web: lhyme.com Notes: up-and-coming indie music and food fusion website out of Nashville. they feature a different indie artist each week or month and create recipes inspired by the artists background, music style, lifestyle and favorite foods.

HYPEBOT Web: hypebot.com Notes: music business news and articles INDABA MUSIC Web: indabamusic.com Notes: opps, contests INDIE BIBLE Web: indiebible.com Notes: contacts, info INDIE MUSIC Web: indie-music.com Notes: info on everything indie KINGS OF A&R Web: kingsofar.com Notes: opps MUSIC CLOUT Web: musicclout.com Notes: opps, info articles MUSIC CONNECTION Web: musicconnection.com MUSIC NOMAD Web: musicnomad.com Notes: music industry resources listing MUSIC REGISTRY Web: musicregistry.com Notes: music industry directories MUSIC XRAY Web: musicxray.com Notes: submissions for opps, licensing SONICBIDS Web: sonicbids.com Notes: opps STAR POLISH Web: tiwaryent.com/advice-library Notes: opps, info, articles TAXI Web: taxi.com Notes: opps/info TRUE TALENT MANAGEMENT Web: truetalentpr.com Notes: articles/info

LOSANJEALOUS Web: losanjealous.com Notes: blog, show listings MICHAEL DOLAN’S BLOG Web: jmichaeldolan.com Notes: Founder and previous Publisher of Music Connection PITCHFORK Web: pitchfork.com Notes: blog RADIOLAB Web: Radiolab.org Notes: blog SINGERSROOM Web: singersroom.com Notes: blog, R&B/Soul STEREO GUM Web: stereogum.com Notes: blog THE HYPE MACHINE Web: hypem.com Notes: blog

OTHER ARTIST SHARE Web: artistshare.com Notes: fan funding like Kickstarter KICKSTARTER Web: kickstarter.com Notes: fund raising website for DIY artists SONGDEX Web: songdex.com Notes: Industry song database SOUND EXCHANGE Web: soundexchange.com Notes: collecting online royalties TUNESAT Web: tunesat.com Notes: collecting royalties

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– VIN 90

Rising Alt-Pop Duo Offers 5 Tips Collaborating Via the Internet

“Options stifle creativity, and chances are that your first instinct was correct.”

ashville’s rising alternative pop duo Vin 90 recently released their sophomore EP, Summer In Our Dreams, via Hardspeak Records. Because of separate touring schedules and a subsequent pandemic, Chase Weber and Dan Alber collaborated on the effortlessly flowing five-song EP entirely over the internet. These are some of their best practices, go-to tools and tech tips for collaborating with someone remotely across the internet. Bounce Points We work in different DAW (digital audio workstation) systems, so we’ve found it useful to universally export files for sharing on a quarter note grid, with two bars of silence before the intro, and the BPM in the file name. Regardless of DAW choice, unexpected software updates, or even an unorganized session, you’ll always know where your start point is. Trust me, this can be surprisingly difficult to navigate without! Dropbox We have a shared Dropbox Folder where everything Vin 90 lives. Old ideas, new ideas, mix revisions, masters, session data, promo photos, everything Vin 90 related is in there. Don’t forget to compress folders before uploading! This ensures safe delivery with no tracks accidentally lost to the unknown. Trust Your Taste Commit. Commit. Commit. Don’t be afraid to be reckless with parts and sounds. Print them to audio, distort them, reverse them. Get out of midi and the piano roll as quickly as possible. Options stifle creativity, and chances are that your first instinct was correct. If your collaborator wants a raw version, they’ll ask for it; but it’s likely that your risk will just serve to spur on further ideas.

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Zoom Zoom has obviously been the app of the year so far. Beyond virtual game nights and family gatherings, Zoom can be a really useful collaboration tool. Lesser known fact––when you’re in the middle of a call with your DAW open, select the share screen icon, from there you can select to share your DAW window along with your computers sound. In your DAW preferences, enable ZoomAudioDevice as your output and voila! Remote low-latency streaming of your session with stereo audio straight to your collaborators laptop. Who’s in Charge? We have found that it’s useful to figure out which team member is in the lead of each part of the process. Lean into strengths for this. Maybe one member of the team is great at demoing or rough loops––let them take the lead at the beginning of the process. When everything feels good, pivot to the guy who’s best at editing and let him do his thing. This makes it easy to keep making progress and finishing tracks.

The duo known as Vin 90 is CHASE WEBER and DAN ALBER, both successful in their own right. Both have separately completed multiple solo releases. Weber—co-owner of Nashville’s Gnome Recording Studios—has written, produced and engineered multiple personal albums under the moniker Stolen Goods while Alber has delivered several releases under his musical project Gallos. On the road, Alber was most recently performing with Columbia Records recording artist Lennon Stella on the “World War Joy Tour” with the Chainsmokers and 5 Seconds of Summer. For more info, contact Mike Gowen, mgowen@milestonepublicity.com.

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CELEBRATING OVER 25 YEARS OF SOUND