Name: Adam Bernard Home: Fairfield, Connecticut, United States About Me: Entertainment journalist w/ over a decade of experience. Lover of good music, fringe movies, day baseball & chicken shawarma. Nerdy, but awesome. See my complete profile
Duece Bug has taken Connecticut by storm over the past year. He and his Full Blast Movement crew have packed venues, moved albums, and created something that has people inspired about independent hip-hop in a state that’s notorious for being hard to please. “Stress Love” is the first single off of his latest album, Love, Duece Bug, and not only does it feature they rhymes of Duece Bug, but it also has a SLAMMIN tattooed model in it (yo Duece, I’d like to Full Blast with her, if ya know what I mean. Hook me up!). Enjoy!
Warped Tour is one of my favorite places to discover new music. Sure, I go see a few bands I know, and know I’m going to like - this year included Gym Class Heroes, who were very fun - but I’m more interested in hearing artists I’ve never heard before and I always leave adding at least one act to my list of artists I consider myself a fan of. This year I caught parts of ten sets. Here are some of the highlights, and lowlights, starting with the conditions the show had to take place in.
Weather or Not: Forget the “or not,” there was definitely weather, and a lot of it, in the form of extreme heat. I had to laugh during the drive up as the radio DJs were warning people to stay inside if they could. The previous day’s heat index hit 120. It was probably in the 100s on Saturday, but it didn’t feel as bad because we had all survived the day before. There was also a water truck where people could refill their water bottles, and splash some cool water on themselves, for free. Shockingly, the lines were never that long for it.
When Bad is Good: I was interested in seeing Bad Rabbits after hearing some of their music online and knowing that they were the backing band for Slick Rick for two years. I had no idea they were going to become one of my new favorite acts. They totally blew me away (and not just because one of their members was wearing a Charles Oakley jersey). Funky, soulful, and with a rock influence, I could have listened to Bad Rabbits for hours. I ended up buying two copies of their CD. They were selling it for $1 and I know I’m going to want to pass along a copy to someone.
When Bad is Bad: I wandered over to the stage where Bad Rabbits were performing a little before they were due to go on and ended up seeing the end of Blood on the Dancefloor’s set. The only redeeming thing about my time spend watching and hearing them was the reaction on the faces of two parents who were waiting to see their kid perform at an adjacent stage. Their “this really has an audience?!?!” look was priceless. Blood on the Dancefloor’s music, however, was worthless. Oh, and did I mention one of the members has been accused of pedophilia three times?
Girls Rock: I have always enjoyed female fronted bands, and all-female bands when I can find them. Sick of Sarah is the latter and they’re great. Their set was the first I caught and they led the day off perfectly. From the first note and lyric I commented to their tour manager, Colie, that I could easily imagine them playing a cover of The Outfield’s “Use Your Love,” which was previously covered by Katy Perry as the b side of her first single, “Ur So Gay.” They have a definite 80s influence and I really appreciate that. They also have quite a few beauties in the group, so they’re nice on the ears and the eyes (FYI - two members are pictured above).
Threepeat: This year’s Warped Tour was the third time I’ve seen Kelsey live. The first two times she was the lead singer of Kelsey and the Chaos, but now she’s gone solo and has an early 90s dance/party vibe. Backed by a DJ and two emcees, she showcased her new music, which she then gave away in the form of a free three song EP. Her crowd grew throughout her set to about four times the size it was when she first hit the stage, which shows she’s definitely doing something right.
Good Folk: A lot of people come to Warped Tour for punk, or metal. One of the highlights of the tour this year, however, is a folk act named River City Extension. Full disclosure - I’m friends with the label that’s putting out their vinyl. That being said, I’m friends with a lot of label owners and rarely like a lot of the stuff they put out. River City Extension, however, creates a feel good vibe and they had the crowd clapping along and dancing almost instantaneously.
Shady Interviews: In the late afternoon my totally awesome videographer, Natty S., and I found a shady spot by the press tent and my careful planning throughout the day to line up interviews back to back to back for when we knew we’d have an hour free totally paid off. It was 6pm and Kelsey, Sick of Sarah and River City Extension were all ready to do interviews with me. It was the first time in a very long time I’d done anything on video. I’m hoping I sound alright. I will say I was thrilled when not just one, but ALL of the artists said how much they liked the fact that I did so much research for the interviews. This is something I do all the time, but at Warped Tour there are a lot of last minute interviews set up. I refused all of them. I only wanted to deal with artists that I had time to get the back story on. This ended up working to my advantage. The interviews will be posted here in the coming weeks. Hey, that’s a pretty good reason to subscribe to my RSS feed, isn’t it? ;)
Nassau Coliseum Sodomizes Fans: When I interviewed Kevin Lyman about the prices for food and drinks at Warped Tour he told me about how he went to every venue to try to get prices reduced. In Hartford they were. At Nassau Coliseum they were at new levels of price gouging. From the $20 parking that had people turning around and going into the $7 lot (it was free in Hartford), to $7 hot dogs, $8 large fries, and water prices that were disturbingly high for a day that was so hot, Nassau Coliseum wanted every penny out of every person. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t have pay toilets. Aw crap, I just gave them an idea for next year, didn’t I? Thankfully this was the ONLY disappointing feature of Warped Tour on this day as the rest of it lived up to my usual high expectations.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with a special column on legendary bands. In music we tend to have a reverence for the past while turning a blind eye to the history we’re creating. Everyone lauds The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Who, etc., and rightly so, but a lot of great music has been made since then and people seem to be unable, or unwilling, to give bands that came out after 1970 the kind of respect that resembles that which we give the legends. New legends exist, though. What makes for a legendary act? Sometimes it’s an iconic song that lives on from generation to generation. Sometimes it’s longevity. There’s something special about a band that can continue to pump out great music decade after decade, especially in today’s pop world where the average lifespan of an act is about as long as that of a fruit fly. With those things in mind, this week I’m taking a look at three bands you might not think of as legendary, but definitely deserve to be considered as such.
No Doubt
Some people still look at No Doubt as just a fun group, but in 2011 that fun group reached the quarter century mark as a band and that’s an accomplishment few have attained. Gwen Stefani still looks nearly as young as she did when she first sang “Just A Girl,” and although that was the song that broke No Doubt into the mainstream, “Don’t Speak” is the single that will live on forever as it’s easily one of the top five, if not the number one, break up song of all time. It captures every emotion a person feels when they know a relationship is over. The fact that she was singing it about bassist Tony Kanal made it all the more spectacular.
If you’re looking for a band for No Doubt to pass the torch to, stop, you’re not going to find one. People have tried to make a case for Paramore, but Paramore is a totally different kind of band. No Doubt had a unique sound. They could do ska, reggae, pop and rock, and there isn’t a band around that can duplicate what they’ve done and continue to do.
Sugar Ray
What do you do when you’re a punk rock / alt metal band that scores a huge hit with a summery pop song? If you’re Sugar Ray you run with it and have a career that’s currently in its 23rd year. “Fly” put Sugar Ray on the map, and for as much as Mark McGrath and crew may have loved performing songs like “Mean Machine,” which was reportedly about a Hartford Whalers player, they knew a good thing when they saw it with the reaction to “Fly.” Their newfound pop rock vibe led to a string of hits that are still played on the radio today; “Every Morning,” “Someday,” and “When It’s Over” being three of the most memorable.
Having seen them live, and knowing how fantastic their show is, I feel safe in saying that Sugar Ray will continue on as long as they want to, and they’ll always be performing to a packed house. That’s the mark of a legendary band. McGrath will also kick anyone’s ass in Rock Jeopardy.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
I know some older heads may raise an eyebrow to what I’m about to say, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the Stones and The Who. Their career has spanned nearly 30 years (28 to be exact) and they’re still making great music. They have an iconic song that will live forever in their heroin balled “Under the Bridge,” and they have not one, but TWO greatest hits albums, one released in 1992 titled What Hits!?, and one released in 2003 titled Greatest Hits. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a third greatest hits album in the not too distant future.
The Chili Peppers, just like Sugar Ray and No Doubt, created a vibe that is uniquely them and is almost impossible to imitate. We haven’t heard another band like the Chili Peppers because there’s only one Anthony Kiedis and there’s only one Flea. Sure, there’s been a revolving door of members when it comes to some of the other positions in the band, but with those two there you’ll always get that Chili Peppers sound, and that’s a beautiful thing.
And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.
I have something to admit. For some podcasts I’m scrambling for songs at the last minute. This is because sometimes there just isn’t a lot of new music out there. I always manage to scrounge up some great stuff, but for some months it’s definitely more of a challenge than others. This month may have been the easiest on record (pun intended). I had nine of the ten songs picked out weeks ahead of time, and I knew the tenth was on its way. I’m stoked to FINALLY have Kirby Dominant’s “Prostitute” for you, and to feature Dollar Coffee’s show rockin joint “C.R.E.A.M.” This really is one heck of a show. Enjoy!
DJ JS-1 feat. PackFM, Substantial & Mr. Mecca - Puttin’ Words Together
Super King Armor - The Return
P.SO & 8th W1 w/ Likwuid & Fresh Daily - 1,000 Deaths of Wackness
Kirby Dominant - Prostitute
Dollar Coffee - C.R.E.A.M.
Chronikill - Satisfaction
Duece Bug - Stress Love
Billy Drease Williams - Trouble
Sketch Tha Cataclysm - Flat Tire - Piece 1
100dbs & Ryan-O’Neil - Power For The People
Bios and press releases. They’re a necessity for artists, record labels, actors, and businesses alike. As a veteran journalist I can tell you a well written bio or press release is oftentimes the difference between getting coverage or getting thrown in the recycling bin. This is why you need the right person writing what you’re going to send out to the press. It’s also why I offer these services at a very reasonable price.
I’ve written bios for everyone from the most underground of underground artists to straight up legends, and I’ve written press releases for both artists and businesses. The reason I can craft bios and press releases so well is that I know what grabs my attention as a writer and that’s exactly what you’re looking for in a bio and a press release.
In terms of bios I’m totally open to writing what YOU want - be it something that promotes both the artist and a specific release, or a more general bio that can go with anything. Press releases are always release, or event, specific, promoting a single, album, show, or tour.
My Rates
Bios: $300 Press Releases: $50
Here are some examples of my work from over the years.
Don’t you hate when blogs hype up an artist all the while hiding the fact that they’re friends? Well, you don’t get that here because I’m proud to say I first met Big Stat at Hot97’s Summer Jam in 2004 (damn, homey, has it really been seven years!?!) and I’ve had him on my various radio shows and featured him in the various publications, and on the numerous sites, I write for. He hasn’t received these features because we’re friends, he’s received them because he’s a great artist and one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met in my entire life. Big Stat is on his hustle so hard that he probably tweeted about this before I even posted it. That’s right, he hustles past time and space. It's why legendary artists like Method Man and Redman have been working with him. Enjoy “Dream Killer” and see why I’ve supported this man for so many years.
On Sunday, July 17th, I spent the better part of the day volunteering in the Substream tent at Warped Tour. As a writer for the magazine I wanted to help the cause. I’m also a big fan of interesting life experiences and I had no idea if this opportunity would coincide with me having the time ever again. In other words, I did it because I wanted the story to tell afterwards. Now that I can tell that story, I gotta say, it was a great experience.
The day started a little late because the tour was coming from Montreal and all the busses and vans were stopped at customs when crossing the border, but once everything was in full swing I was there with Dana, Substream’s tent general, holding up a sign that said “Free Stuff,” handing out stickers (mad props to the girl with the ample bosom who put the sticker right on her chest and shouted “free advertising!” You, miss, are a hero), and talking people into coming in to sign up for the email list and subscribe to the magazine. Thankfully we have a really good deal at Warped Tour: $10 for a one year subscription, a compilation CD, and a t-shirt. This made it a lot easier to talk to people about it because actual value is being offered. I wasn’t just standing there trying to get people to purchase an overpriced t-shirt that had a band name on it.
The “Free Stuff” sign created an interest and as I handed out stickers I had my routine of what I’d say to people down to a science - a very quick science because as a volunteer you only have a few seconds to hook someone. I’d usually talk about the deal, how someone’s shirt was a mess, or was going to be a mess later in the show, and how not only did we have the least expensive shirt in town, it came with a CD and a magazine subscription. I’d throw in that the only other thing someone could get at the show for $10 was half a slice a pizza, or a sip of water. In the early afternoon I lucked out when one girl, who happened to be an actress, decided to hang out for a while and let me put the “Free Stuff” sign right above her head (thanks, Jessica!). We received quite a few interesting looks, including one from a dude who seemed to really believe we were giving away the girl.
Our tent was situated very close to one stage, so even without leaving the area we heard a ton of bands, including Black Veil Brides, Abandon All Ships, and Woe, Is Me. Dana also hooks up the volunteers who have a band or two they want to see that are performing at other stages. For me this meant that I could visit my friends who were performing and/or working in other tents (big ups to Matt Flood of Asbestos Records, and Kelsey).
Overall, volunteering was a fun experience. I highly recommend that if Warped Tour is coming to your area this summer, and your entire plan for that day involves nothing but sitting around, reach out to Substream and ask to help out in the tent (if you're on Twitter you can hit them at @substream, or hit Dana directly at @danasubstream). You’ll meet a bunch of people, see some bands, and have an experience you’ll talk about for years to come. Really, the only things you need are the ability to be personable, the ability to handle people saying no, and sunscreen (forget the latter at your own risk!)
You’ll have another chance to see me at Warped Tour (I know, super exciting!) this Saturday, the 23rd, in Uniondale, NY. I won’t be in the tent this time, I’ll be covering the show, but I WILL be stopping by the tent, most likely in my Substream t-shirt. Hope to see you there.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from R.Kelly’s bank telling him it’s over between him and his house, to J.Lo and Marc Anthony calling it quits, to Cheap Trick’s stage falling apart under inclement weather, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
* R. Kelly is about to be homeless. The singer/alleged pedophile has apparently been neglecting to pay the mortgage on his house for the past year and the bank is ready to foreclose. Maybe he’d have gotten some help with his $24,345.12 monthly payments if any of his roommates were old enough to be legally employed.
* Did Beyonce’s dad steal from her during his long tenure as her manager? That’s was some are alleging, although he, of course, is denying it. The singer’s father didn’t just deny it, though, he threw in a few jabs at the people his daughter’s working with, and married to, filing papers in a Texas court alleging that members of Beyonce’s camp, including Columbia Records, Live Nation Entertainment, and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, have made “negative comments” about him. According to reports, Beyonce and her father haven’t spoken since she fired him two months ago. I don’t know how this is gonna turn out, but one thing’s for sure, Thanksgiving is gonna be really really awkward at the Knowles house.
* Ryan Seacrest, who many may have forgotten was a dater on the reality show Blind Date, has announced he’s starting his own music festival. The inaugural iHeartRadio Music Festival, which is being produced by Clear Channel, aka the company that destroyed radio, will be held in Las Vegas over two days in September and feature a who’s who of who’s been on the radio that past few years. Seacrest is calling it a “once in a generation gathering of artists and fans.” The good news is if it’s really a once in a generation gathering it means we’ll only have to endure it every decade or so.
* In what comes as shocking news to the seven people who cared about it, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony decided to split up. Their marriage was rarely in the news as neither of them were really doing much of anything until J.Lo landed her gig with American Idol. J.Lo seems like the most high maintenance woman on the planet, so I’m actually surprised the marriage lasted as long as it did (seven years). Now she’ll have to find someone new to bark orders to. If you’re searching CraigsList for jobs in entertainment and see something about an assistant to a Latin star, run away as fast as you can!
* One member of the rock band Coheed and Cambria really is suffering. Bass player Michael Todd was arrested and charged with armed robbery and drug possession after sticking up a Massachusetts Walgreens for prescription pain pills using a note typed out on his cell phone. The note said he had a bomb and demanded the painkillers. The band released a statement saying they were “truly surprised,” but if that’s the case then they truly haven’t been paying attention, because it’s really obvious when someone’s a drug addict.
* Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ, on Sunday night because the bar was having a tribute to Clarence Clemons, the E Street Band saxophonist who recently passed away. The Boss jumped on stage with J.T. Bowen and the Soul Cruisers, who were the night’s headliners, and performed a 45 minute set. Bowen was the lead singer of Clemons’ band, The Red Bank Rockers, in the 80s. In a related story, J.T. Bowen and the Soul Cruisers are now booked at every bar in New Jersey until the end of time.
* Cheap Trick were caught in the middle of an epic disaster on Sunday as gale force winds caused their stage to sway backwards and collapse twenty minutes into their set at Ottawa’s Bluesfest. Amazingly, the band escaped uninjured, and only one person was hurt in the entire mess. For a much better Cheap Trick concert experience, check out this live clip from 1979:
And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.
When M.O.P. rapped “How About Some Hardcore” they meant hardcore hip-hop. Connecticut emcee Duece Bug, however, has found a way to mesh the genres of hardcore, the punk rock subgenre that thrives on aggression, and hip-hop. His rock past gives him a unique view of his hip-hop present and he recently released his second full length album, titled Love, Duece Bug. Love, Duece Bug is the follow up to his debut effort, Fuck Duece Bug. Duece Bug, who spells his name with a Due because of the dues he knows he has to pay to make it, and his team, the Full Blast Movement, have made huge strides in the past year, and this week RapReviews caught up with Duece Bug to find out more about his music, his crew, and his putting together of shows with the likes of Mr. Lif, Apathy, Jus Allah and KRS-One.
I go to a monthly event in NYC where once a year they have an all-female lineup and open mic. Something very interesting happens on that particular night - the crowd changes. Some of the regulars are still there, but for the most part the males are absent as the female artists end up having to bring their own crowd with them. They usually do a good job of packing the place, but the problem is glaring - men, and male artists, stay at home, or go elsewhere, when women are performing.
Ironically, many of the male artists who choose to skip out on the all-female shows are the same ones who continually wonder why they aren’t drawing any female fans. Sometimes an artist doesn’t draw female fans because of the venue (not in a safe part of town), their content (say “bitch” a lot and most women will tune you out... unless you’re on the radio), or the cliche underground hip-hop vibe that’s all about being the best and hating the mainstream (it’s not just women that can’t stand that, by the way). Even if an artist is on the right side of all of these things he still may not be drawing many women to his shows and the fact of the matter is the women he wants showing up aren’t going to materialize from nowhere, he has to seek them out, and one of the easiest ways to develop a female audience is to support female artists in the same genre. Your presence alone at a show sets you apart from other male emcees. It makes you part of the female emcees’ struggle to be respected and heard. It makes you a kindred spirit. It also instantly puts you in contact with female hip-hop fans.
Taking things a step further, when attending an all-female show an artist can see who they like and make them a part of a future lineup for one of their own shows. At that point both artists would be sharing their audiences and everyone’s potential for growth is bigger.
Believe it or not, not every female emcee is trying to be Lil’ Kim or Nicki Minaj (thank God), and not every female emcee spends her entire time on the mic male-bashing and talking about her period (leave the latter to the terrible stand up comics, please). Many female emcees are simply dope emcees who want to catch your ear. Yes, I know, sometimes female emcees have that annoying moment when they try to hush the crowd, and as aggravating as that is to an aggressive male hip-hop audience, just imagine being a female hip-hop audience member being referred to by offensive slang epithets non-stop. In other words, I think we’re even.
Show support for the ladies and the ladies will show support for you. It’s really that simple. I’ve never understood why a male artist wouldn’t want to be in a room full of women who appreciate the craft he does, but apparently it’s a frightening idea to many. Man up and hang out with some female artists and their fans. Either that, or be happy performing for audiences that are predominantly made up of dudes.
Mohammad Dangerfield is the latest project for longtime B-Listers Hasan Salaam and Rugged N Raw. “Truly Yours” is a song that cuts deep for both emcees, as well as guest emcee I.mpaq, as they discuss everything from political to personal issues, and they do so over a killer beat. By taking these issues and being open and honest about them the trio turn what could be really depressing into something inspirational as it makes listeners want to get up and do something.
For more on the duo of Mohammad Dangerfield check out the Artist Of The Week features of Hasan Salaam (10/2008) and Rugged N Raw (11/2007).
With Abandon All Ships, MSWHITE, A Loss For Words, The Air I Breathe and Woe, Is Me on their roster, and another band just signed (although not officially announced yet), Velocity Records is gaining steam as a label in only its third year of existence. Founded by Dave Shapiro, the initial success of the label isn’t a coincidence, it’s the result of careful planning. Shapiro has been in the industry as a booker for nearly a decade and he’s used that knowledge to sidestep a lot of the hurdles many start up labels stumble on. I caught up with Shaprio to find out more about the birth of Velocity Records, including why he’d launch a label when so many are going under, and how the INS ruined his plans for one of his favorite bands.
Adam Bernard: When most people look at the music industry they consider today to be the worst time to own a record label. With that in mind, what on earth possessed you to get into the business?
Dave Shaprio: {laughs} That’s a great question. I’m also a booking agent. That's what I’ve been doing for the last seven or eight years. I represent The Devil Wears Prada, Attack! Attack!, A Day To Remember, Pierce The Veil, Silverstein, Enter Shikari, etc. I’ve been booking for a long time and that’s kind of how I got into the whole thing. From that I wanted to start a label because I wanted to get more on the creative side of things and I wanted to be more involved than just touring and every time I start some sort of new business venture in music I like it because I'm able to learn more outside of the touring world. The model we follow, you can still make money as a label, you just have to run it the right way. You have to spend appropriately, spend smart, and not overspend, and sign the right bands, bands that are gonna work hard. I think that we’ve managed to do that so far.
AB: When was Velocity Records officially born?
DS: We really started it in August of 2009, but our first record came out August 31st, 2010.
AB: Which album was that?
DS: Woe, is Me’s Numbers.
AB: Do you consider that to be the label’s first major accomplishment, or was there something else that happened in that first year that you would give that honor to?
DS: Honestly, we had a lot of really exciting accomplishments the first year. The Woe, is Me record coming out was definitely one of those. Putting out that first record was a really big deal and a really exciting time for us. Abandon All Ships was another record we put out after that. Their video debuted on Headbangers Ball, so within our first three months of having records out we already had a video on MTV. Most of our bands have been doing nothing but great touring. Woe, is Me just finished doing the sold out We Came as Romans tour and Abandon All Ships did the sold out Miss May I tour this fall.
AB: Will both bands be on Warped Tour?
DS: Woe, is Me is on the first half of Warped Tour, Abandon All Ships will be on the second half.
AB: Are they going to use the same van? Just pick it up in Indiana?
DS: {laughs} They will not, unfortunately.
AB: Doing a 180 from accomplishments, is there anything you’d consider to be your biggest mistake, or has your vast history in booking made it so you haven’t made any missteps?
DS: Well, obviously, like anything, you live and you learn. I think we definitely had a good base to start from, which allowed us to avoid some of those mistakes. I’ve been in the music industry for a long time and being that we are an imprint of Rise Records we’ve been able to take away from that, and those resources, and that's been really helpful. MSWHITE was the other record that we’ve released and we had a lot of issues because they’re an international band. They’re from Italy and a long story short, the band ended up getting deported. They were over here on the Enter Shikari tour in the fall and we had the record set up pretty well and it was felling pretty good and then they went into Canada and were not able to get back into the States. That became a giant headache and now they haven't been able to come back. On that note we really learned that we need to pay more attention to what the bands are doing, and their Visas, and help them more with that sort of thing, just kind of like oversee everything that they’re doing if we’re going to be working with a foreign artist. That was definitely a big learning experience for us because that was a big hit for us financially and emotionally. It was the second record we put out and the band wasn’t even allowed in the country after doing two weeks of dates. It was pretty rough, and that record is really incredible, I love that record. It really bums me out to this day that that record didn’t get the attention it deserved because the band wasn’t here to support it.
AB: Deportation stories aside, do you have any stories about bands that got away in terms of not being able to be signed?
DS: No. We haven’t really tried to sign a lot of bands yet, but everyone we have tried to sign we’ve successfully signed.
AB: CD sales continue to slide and digital sales seem to have hit a peak. Are people not consuming music they way they used to, or are we in a murky area were no format really reigns supreme?
DS: On the contrary, I think that people are consuming music more than ever. I think people are paying for it less than they ever have, though. I think that there is more music consumption than there ever has been, but it’s just so accessible, and it’s free, so people are not paying for it as much as they were. However, people are still paying for it. Records are selling, they’re just not selling the way that they used to. There is a business model that can work, and labels can exist, they just need to be able to spend less in order to do the numbers they’ve been doing. That way they can still earn a profit as they’re putting out these records.
AB: What are some of the other pressing issues facing Velocity Records, and labels in general, right now?
DS: I think, going back to what I was saying, labels need to really spend smart. I think they also need to start looking for alternative revenue streams. That’s another big part of it, trying to figure out, if we’re not going to sell as many records where CAN we make more money? Whether that be ringtones, whether that be licensing, it’s about finding those revenue streams. While the revenue from record sales is down there are more places that revenue can be generated. It’s about taking advantage of those and figuring out how to increase those.
AB: With that in mind, what do you think is the next step for Velocity Records in its growth as a label?
DS: I think for us it’s just about signing the right bands. I think if we can do that then we can succeed, and I think we’ve done that so far. I feel really good about the bands we have on the label. Our business model has a lot to do with the other aspect of my role, which is booking. I’m the agent for every single band we have on the label. As long as I can make sure that all the bands on the label are always on tour and on good tours, playing for people and making new fans on the road, then I think the label will grow because as the bands grow, record sales will grow, their exposure will grow, and thus the label will go. I think a large part of it is just, as the agent, really making sure I'm doing my job on that end. I think if I can do my job on that end the rest of it will fall into place.
AB: Are you hangin back in an office now, or are you going out on a lot of these tours?
DS: I’m on the road a lot, but it’s not all bands on the label, it’s also a lot of the bands that I book that aren’t on the label. I was just out on the road with A Day To Remember for a few days on that tour. I was just out on the Asking Alexandria tour for a little while because I book Chiodos and Miss May I, who are both on that tour. So I do end up on the road a lot, spending time with the bands and seeing how the shows are going and that, but I am in the office a lot, too. I kind of split my time between the road and the office.
AB: So you sleep while you drive?
DS: {laughs} I don’t sleep very often. Not very often at all. I live in LA and when I’m home I’m in the office all the time. When I’m on the road I’m working, but I love it. It’s cool. It’s a lot of fun.
AB: I’m gonna find you at Warped Tour asleep in the Velocity Records tent.
DS: I’ll be at Warped a lot. I represent fifteen of the bands on the tour this year, so I’ll be out at a lot of the dates. It’s great. It’s a lot of fun and I love it. It’s what I love to do. Booking bands is definitely how I enjoy spending my time.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Rihanna having fire and brimstone added to her live show, to Victoria Beckham, Kate Hudson and Jewel pushing out new additions to their families, to a cameo in Owl City’s new video by an Adam’s World fave (hint: she’s pictured above!), and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
* A Rihanna concert was cut short when her pyrotechnics had a bit of a glitch and the top of the stage at the American Airlines Arena caught fire. The entire crowd ended up having to be evacuated. See what happens when Auto-Tune is asked to do too much? It revolts! The robots are taking over! SkyNet is real! Run for your lives!
* If you were hoping to see Katy Perry or Taylor Swift in concert last week you’re probably a little unhappy as both caught ailments that forced them to cancel shows. Perry came down with a case of food poisoning, which caused her to have to reschedule her shows in Chicago and St. Paul, while Swift was laid up with bronchitis and followed her doctors orders to not perform for a week. In a related story, Dream weren’t at their normal subway stop singing for nickels the other day, but nobody really cared.
* Salt-n-Pepa’s “Push It” was the theme song for Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, Kate Hudson, and Jewel this past weekend as they all welcomed new babies to their families. For Beckham it was her fourth, for Hudson it was her second, but her first with fiance Matt Bellamy, for Jewel is was her first after two years of trying with husband Ty Murray. Octomom was somewhere rolling her eyes mumbling something to herself about how having one at a time is “sooo inefficient.”
* Our long national nightmare is over, Vinny has returned to the Jersey Shore house to continue taping season five of the hit MTV show. Photos have surfaced of him coming back to the house with a giant bag of laundry, and rumor has it the MVP team of Mike, aka The Situation, Vinny and Pauly D went out clubbing that night. Here’s the really good news - at least one plotline for Jersey Shore won’t involve Ronnie and Sammi bitching at/about each other.
* Ryan Tedder has been busy working with the like of Beyonce, B.o.B., Cobra Starship, Colbie Caillat, Gavin DeGraw, and your mom (OK, probably not the last one), but he just announced what’s on tap for his group One Republic, which hasn’t released a new album since 2009. The good news - we’re going to get a new One Republic single at the start of 2012. The bad news - it comes attached to a new One Republic album. One Republic’s albums are usually fairly mediocre, but the lead single is always one of the best songs of the year. Hopefully he held on to a few more good ones for himself this time around.
* Synth-pop artist Owl City does something in his latest video that every kid who grew up in the 80s has wanted to do since childhood - he drive the famous time traveling DeLorean from Back to the Future. OK, he drives a replica of the car, but that’s still pretty freakin sweet, and way closer than most of us will ever come to realizing that dream. The video is for his song “Deer in the Headlights,” which is off of his latest album, All Things Bright and Beautiful. As an added bonus the video includes a cameo by Lights!
And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.
A whole lot of east coast and a little bit of west coast. That’s the recipe for Moke and Tone, the Massachusetts based duo whose backgrounds include a life in MA for Tone and life that began in California and continued in The Bronx for Mokeout. Their 2011 release, Shot Heard Round The World, has garnered them a lot of attention and praise and this week I caught up with Tone to find out more about the backstory of Moke and Tone and their music. Tone also discussed the pain of perfectionism, the many false idols he sees being worshiped, and why, despite having controversial content, he’s not worried about anyone coming after him.
When people start talking, or writing, about the greatest hip-hop producers of all-time the usual suspects are always brought up; DJ Premier (pictured above), RZA, Dr. Dre, etc. The lists get boring and I honestly feel that a lot of people name certain producers not because they actually like their music, but because they feel like they’d be ripped if they didn’t list them. Because of this there are a lot of holes in people’s top ten lists and quite a few deserving producers get left on the outside looking in. Today I’m taking a look at five producers that deserve to be in the conversation when we discuss the greatest hip-hop producers of all-time.
Organized Noize
The trio of Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown have been a major part of some of the biggest albums in hip-hop history. From their work with Outkast and Goodie Mob, the latter having brought Cee-Lo Green to the masses (he’s not just a new pop star, he’s a hip-hop veteran), to producing TLC’s classic “Waterfalls” and En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go (Love),” they’ve proven they can not only make hits, but make music that stands the test of time. Organized Noize can also be credited with helping put Atlanta on the map, and could you imagine a hip-hop scene today without the ATL?
Prince Paul
What the heck hasn’t Prince Paul done? From Stetsasonic, to Gravediggaz, to Handsome Boy Modeling School, to his extensive solo work, much of which has involved thematic albums, Prince Paul has proven he can do just about anything in terms of hip-hop production, and do it well. The man did production work on De La Soul’s 1989 album 3 Feet High and Rising and is still working today! The reason Prince Paul is so slept on, in my opinion, is the fact that he doesn’t put his face everywhere and stay in the press, but perhaps that’s a good thing since it keeps him in the studio making great music.
Mannie Fresh
You’d be hard pressed to find a producer who had a bigger impact on hip-hop in the late 90s and early 2000s than Mannie Fresh. He defined the Cash Money Records sound and by working with artists like Juvenile, Lil’ Wayne and B.G. took it out of New Orleans and all over the world. Mannie Fresh put the bounce back into hip-hop music and there was a time when if you saw his name listed as the producer of a song you automatically knew it was going to be a hit, and you were going to want to spin it on repeat. I bet if he felt like it he could make a hit today.
DJ Muggs
Cypress Hill anyone? Talk about defining a sound, DJ Muggs played a large part in making Cypress Hill the legends that they are. You can instantaneously tell a Cypress Hill song as soon as it comes on, even before the first hint of B-Real’s unique nasally vocals, and that instant impact, and that cohesiveness that strings through their work, is all because of DJ Muggs. Muggs also has a few other legendary credits to his name as he produced House of Pain’s “Jump Around” and Ice Cube’s “Check Yo Self.” His two Soul Assassins albums showcased his ability to produce for just about anyone.
DJ Clark Kent
What does DJ Clark Kent have to do to get some friggin props around here? He’s been in the game since the mid 80s, he’s produced for the likes of Rakim, Slick Rick and Notorious B.I.G. He’s scored huge hits with Junior M.A.F.I.A. (“Player’s Anthem”) and Mariah Carey (“Loverboy”). Oh and he help put on this guy you may have heard of, he’s made a little noise in the scene – Jay-Z. He also found Shyne. Clark Kent has worked with the legends, put people on, and produced a plethora of great songs. What else do you want from him?
Señor Kaos is the most interesting MC in the world, or at least that’s the claim at the beginning of his latest video (on the other end of the spectrum, Blake Shelton is the most interesting man in country music). Señor Kaos has a great sense of humor to go with his amazing skills on the mic, so it only makes sense he’d be the first hip-hop artist to utilize the brilliant Dos Equis ad campaign. Getting past the humor element, though, you’ll find Señor Kaos is also a really dope emcee. Enjoy!
I am not here today to debate the merits of the music of the White Girl Mob, which is made up of Kreayshawn, whom you already know I dig, DJ Lil Debbie and V-Nasty (pictured L to R). I’m here to tell you they’re kicking your ass when it comes to internet promotion. Actually I’m not just here to tell that to you, I’m here to show you how they’re doing it.
Kreayshawn is the star of the crew, but the promotional firepower starts with DJ Lil Debbie. Her Twitter bio at @L1LD3BB13 links to both @kreayshawn's and @vnasty35’s accounts (the latter was JUST changed to @THArealVNASTY a few days ago. I'm sure Lil Debbie will alter her profile accordingly). That’s nearly 15k followers who can now easily find the rest of her crew. Kreayshawn already has nearly 70k followers, but V-Nasty is just over the 13k mark. The link she put up with her Twitter bio goes directly to a hulkshare file of one of her songs. The song has been up since the fall of 2010. With her 13k+ followers she has over 11k downloads. Even assuming half of those downloads aren’t from her Twitter followers, that’s still one heck of a large percentage. There’s a lot to be learned from all of this.
What Lil Debbie has done reminds me a lot of the old website and blog networks, which were a way for sites and blogs with similar content to share their readers with each other. On a smaller level, this is what Lil Debbie did with her Twitter bio, and in the case of V-Nasty it worked, because I don’t know if I would have clicked on her page if it wasn’t right there in front of me. Artists who make it easy on potential listeners usually get more listeners. That’s pretty simple artist math.
Far too many artists try to shove a ton of things down everyone’s throat at once. “Download my 79 minute mixtape.” “Buy my album.” “Download this song by signing up for my email list even though you’ve never heard my music before.” The simplicity of just saying here’s one song, one four minute song you can listen to, and if you want it you can download it for free, isn’t just beautiful, in a world of short attention spans and a million artists vying for everyone’s listening time, it’s smart. As hard as it may be to hear, 99.9% of the world isn’t going to download your 79 minute mixtape just to find out who you are as an artist. As V-Nasty has shown, however, a fairly decent amount people who may only have a passing interest in you because they’ve heard your name once or twice will listen to and download one song. What an artist does after that will decide where their ship of fans will be steered, but the key is the fans will be there.
Email lists are easier to get people sign up for once there’s some familiarity with an artist's work. I signed up for Kreayshawn’s email list. It was required if you wanted the free download of her latest song, “Rich Whores.” Since I liked her first song so much it was a no brainer for me, which is why if you’re an underground artist it makes sense to give away a song without making people sign up for your email list. Hook people first, then make em do something to get the music. People are more willing to jump through a hoop once you’ve given them a reason to. Another way to think of it is like dating. If the goal is a relationship you have to take steps to get there. You don’t start on the tenth date.
The first email I received as a member of Kreayshawn’s list started out with a phrase more email blasts should start with – Thank You. She thanked everyone for downloading the single. It’s such a small act, but one that shows there’s a genuine appreciation and I, like most, am more apt to continue reading an email blast if it doesn’t start with a spewing of self-promotion and requests to spend money.
Love em or hate em, the ladies of the White Girl Mob are utilizing some time tested methods of internet promotion that are right there for everyone. They’ve shown artists the blueprint, now make it work for you.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings, and thank you for migrating over from 101d to my blog. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from the newest additions to the pop world, to a division between Justin Timberlake’s latest venture and what most people consider cool, to a potential subtraction from the cast of Jersey Shore, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
* I want to start out Pop Shots by sending out a huge double congrats to Javier Colon and Dia Frampton for finishing 1-2 on The Voice. Javier took home the title, but Dia had a great showing, as well. As a longtime fan of both artists - I interviewed Javier and saw him live back in ’03, then interviewed him again when The Voice started, and I saw Dia live during the ’07 and ’09 Warped Tours when she was a part of Meg & Dia - I couldn’t be happier that they’re getting another, much deserved, shot at the limelight. It looks like they may even be collaborating in the near future as Javier has already reached out to Dia via Twitter and Dia has reached back. Javier may also be collaborating with his The Voice coach, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. This is the exact shot in the arm pop music needs right now.
* Justin Bieber isn’t the only thing Selena Gomez is (allegedly) under. This past weekend she was under Shia LeBeouf, Cameron Diaz, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and some animated automobiles. No, this wasn’t a super kinky Hollywood orgy, it was just the final box office numbers for the weekend, which saw Gomez’s Monte Carlo debut in fifth, behind the new Transformers movie, Cars 2, Bad Teacher (in its second week), and Larry Crowne. When it comes to being under things in Hollywood, however, she has a long way to go before matching her Disney predecessor Lindsay Lohan.
* In a story that sounds like it should be from the distant past, but was actually from this past week, Justin Timberlake has taken a stake in MySpace. Investing a website that lost its relevancy years ago is quite the risk, especially since most people have been ignoring their MySpace accounts for years. Personally, I don’t think even the uber-cool Timberlake can bring the site back. The name MySpace has been tarnished beyond reclamation. Maybe he knows something I don’t know, though, or maybe he just wanted a quick way to hack into Britney Spears’ page.
* Seemingly everyone got into a politically motivated skirmish this past week. Lady Gaga found herself in hot water when the Michigan legal network 1800LAWFIRM filed a lawsuit alleging that not all of the proceeds from her “We Pray For Japan” wristband sales were going to help victims, as Lady Gaga had pledged on her website. Gaga has already come out denying these claims. 1800LAWFIRM should probably consider chasing smaller ambulances. Sting canceled a scheduled concert in the Kazakh capital Astana after Amnesty International informed him about what it described as a “crackdown” on oil workers there. Sting not performing is considered a human rights win by many in and of itself. Radiohead, despite being critical of Chinese government policies, is far less critical of their censored version of cyberspace, or at least that’s what one might gather from the band’s recently launched page on the Weibo site of leading Chinese Internet portal Sina.com. Weibo is the Chinese-equivalent of Twitter. No word on how the Karma Police will be dealing with this incident. Finally, Ashton Kutcher got into a war of words, and tweets, with the Village Voice after the Voice published an article that questioned the child-prostitution statistics the actor offered in his “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls” anti-sex-trafficking campaign. Kutcher posted a number of angry tweets, including ones where he asked “How many of your girls selling themselves in your classifieds are you doing age verification on?” and “Find another way to justify that YOUR property facilitates the sale of HUMAN BEINGS.” 1) I don’t think Kutcher should look forward to a positive review of the upcoming season of Two and a Half Men from the Village Voice. 2) I know he says real men don’t buy girls, but didn’t the ring he bought Demi Moore end up netting him some stepdaughters? Just sayin.
* If the rumors are true, Jersey Shore may have lost one of its sanest housemates. The eight is enough team of JWOWW, Pauly D, Ronnie, Sammi, Snooki, Vinny, The Situation and Deena went straight from filming in Italy for season four to filming at the Jersey Shore for season five and Vinny, apparently, became more than a little burned out. According to reports his fuse became short, he got into an altercation with a housemate (two to one odds if the story is true that the housemate in questions was The Situation), and bounced. If Vinny’s really gone we’re not just going to miss him, but his entire wild family that came through at least once a season to cook a feast that could feed a small army.
* In honor of the possible departure of Vinny from Jersey Shore, let’s remember when there were better times there, and all they were concerned about was learning how to dougie.
And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.
For most people the word Playdough conjures up images of the clay-like toy we all played with as little kids. Hip-hop fans should get used to a second idea popping into their heads when they hear the word, and that’s Dallas, Texas, emcee Playdough, whose latest album Hotdoggin, just recently hit stores. This Playdough’s fun factory would be where he puts his music together, and this week I caught up with him to find out more about his music, his interesting connections to the church, and all the wild hotdog imagery on his album, including a hint at who the cover model erotically downing a dog might be. We also discussed doing Elisabeth Shue. It makes sense in context. Really, it does.
Deu is a down on her luck girl who’s been kicked out of her band and has lost everyone she’s ever cared about. Just when she thinks she’s reached her lowest point kidnappers attempt to take her. She’s saved by Sanim, who, in the first fight scene, takes on a host of bad guys who are on pogo-stilt contraptions that are also blades. Deu is then introduced to Pig Shit and Dog Shit (and later, Bull Shit), and after she sees them drunkenly take out a dozen interlopers she requests to learn Meyraiyuth from them.
What is Meyraiyuth? Meyraiyuth is a fictional style of martial arts created for the film that mixes Muay Thai, Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do with B-Boying and copious amounts of alcohol, making for some of the wildest, and most enjoyable fight scenes I’ve seen in quite some time. The alcohol is totally absent from the second half of the film, but the deeper meaning behind the drunkenness is explained, which makes it a little less necessary as the film goes on.
Fight scenes make up the bulk of this movie as even parts of the plot are told through the fighting. The plot gets a little far fetched when it comes to why this gang is kidnapping beautiful girls, but that’s OK, this isn’t supposed to be a documentary, it’s supposed to be entertainment, and it certainly succeeds at being the latter. The second fight scene, the one that inspires Deu to ask to learn the style, takes place in a warehouse and is incredibly wild, with crazy B-Boy inspired moves and at least one individual fight that ends in a posedown. I haven’t seen B-Boy moves this deadly since that baby on YouTube ate it.
Deu is a fast learner of the moves, and being that actress Jija Yanin (also credited as JeeJa Yanin and Yanin Vismitananda) has a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and did all her own stunts for her previous film, Chocolate, we’re getting a real martial artist kicking some major ass.
While the final fight scenes last quite a while and involve some of the strongest rope bridges I’ve ever seen in my life, there’s more to Raging Phoenix than just the insanely well choreographed fight scenes and a sort of silly kidnapping plotline. Raging Phoenix also has a love story running through it, both between Deu and Sanim, and Sanim and his wife, who was kidnapped and he’s been searching for ever since.
Even though I wasn’t necessarily thrilled with the way the film ended, Raging Phoenix is one heck of a movie with a ton of replay value. After my first viewing I immediately went to the extras to watch the Making Of featurette because I wanted to know more. Jija Yanin is a superstar and Raging Phoenix now ranks one of my favorite martial arts movies (and this is coming from someone who holds a third degree black belt in Kempo!).
I gotta admit, Michelle Shaprow’s video for “Back Down To Earth” upsets me a little bit. Oh, it has nothing to do with the music, which is great, or the actual video, which is rife with imagination. It has to do with the fact that I’ve ridden buses all over the place but have never been transported to a magical land while doing so. Admittedly, the buses do always get me where I need to go, but would it kill em to take me on a mushroom-like fantastic voyage once in a while? Maybe if I could sing soulful funky songs like Shaprow they’d make those stops for me.
B-Listers are a select group of artists that were featured in my Artist Of The Week series that ran every Monday from April of '06 to April of '11. All of these artists have two things in common; extreme talent, and a flight path far too under the radar for my liking. They took on the title of B-Listers as they embraced being featured by me, Adam B. Check out the AOTW Archives for all the interviews.
