I am so excited to announce that I have launched my own website and have moved my blog onto it. It's much cleaner and easier to use! http://radiopotato.com.
Why radiopotato? My amazing friend, Patrick Ramsey (http://plramsey.com) threw it out as a suggestion - and every time I thought about it, I giggled. So there you have it. By the way, Patrick helped me put the new website together and now I feel like an actual web geek. It's been so much fun!
I appreciate everyone who has discovered this blogsite blog, subscribed, and left comments. Having a voice in the music industry truly fuels me and I'm excited to continue hearing your voice. I'd love your support on my new site. Please subscribe and continue leaving feedback. I have some great ideas and am working on some big exciting projects.
Keep it fresh! Keep it interesting! Keep you supporting indie artists!
Lots of love,
Allison
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Why are these bands so popular?
My friend, Jason once told me that if a homeless man was beating on a garbage can, I would think he was the most amazing musician. I did see Bjork's movie Dancer in the Dark and while this concept may not be unheard of, there are plenty of bands/artists that I can't stand.
I started compiling a list of bands that are incredibly popular, but when I hear it, I get urges to punch people in the face. Here are a few of my main offenders:
- Nickelback - Chad Kroeger's voice makes me feel like I'm eternally trapped in a 1'x 1' room with no windows or doors
- Shinedown - I have friends in the record industry that represent this band...all I can say is that the record label really did their job. Holy overkill!
- Wilco - So many people worship this band, but I just plain don't get it
- Radiohead - I know I'm going to get blasted for this one. Their musicianship is brilliant - without question. I can't stand Thom Yorke's falsetto!
- Fleetwood Mac AND Stevie Nicks - 30+ years of grating on my nerves. I should have learned how to drown them out by now
-Daughtry - you are getting dangerously close. STFU!
Okay, enough on the trip to negative-town. I understand that not everyone will have the same tastes as me and trust me, as much as I hear these crap bands, I'd love to figure out a reason to love them.
In the meantime, if you are on the fence about the following bands or styles, I understand. I was too - and have happily converted to trumpet my love!
- Grateful Dead - I don't think this legendary jam band sounded good to ANYONE the first time they heard it unless they were high as a kite. After a fun night of partying in college, I finally, finally saw the light (or maybe Jerry Garcia in a room lit with black light). Now the Grateful Dead channel is my #1 preset on my XM Radio. "She's a summer lovin' in Spring, Fall, and Winter..she can make happy any man alive." - Sugar Magnolia
Ryan Adams - He has been a cool artist to learn to love. Over the years, his music has been classified as Alt-Country. True, but his music has truly been all over the map when it comes to styles and his experimentation. I've noticed he's become more accessible in later years. With Ryan's brilliance and passion, all you need is to listen to ONE hook or ONE line that grabs you, and he's eternally and happily planted right under your skin. You just want more. Plus, he puts on a great live show!
-Rap / Hip-Hop Music - This has been one of my favorite acquired love interests. I hear so many people complain that hip-hop is just noise and sampled tracks shouting about bitches and da' hood. Granted, I can't relate to lyrics about bullets whizzing by my head or growing up with gangs around. I grew up in an affluent town called Watchung, New Jersey. But here's what I did find. When you start to actually listen - you'll realize there is so much talent in freestyling and rapping THAT FAST. How do they think of those rhymes and put 'em together so quickly? To me, it's an art form that deserves proper respect. Add a funky hook and a fat beat and voila! I'm in love.
Discovering redeeming qualities in music that make my ears bleed can be deeply satisfying. It allows me to keep expanding my musical horizons and continue to bring delicious new music to satisfy your ears, too.
I started compiling a list of bands that are incredibly popular, but when I hear it, I get urges to punch people in the face. Here are a few of my main offenders:
- Nickelback - Chad Kroeger's voice makes me feel like I'm eternally trapped in a 1'x 1' room with no windows or doors
- Shinedown - I have friends in the record industry that represent this band...all I can say is that the record label really did their job. Holy overkill!
- Wilco - So many people worship this band, but I just plain don't get it
- Radiohead - I know I'm going to get blasted for this one. Their musicianship is brilliant - without question. I can't stand Thom Yorke's falsetto!
- Fleetwood Mac AND Stevie Nicks - 30+ years of grating on my nerves. I should have learned how to drown them out by now
-Daughtry - you are getting dangerously close. STFU!
Okay, enough on the trip to negative-town. I understand that not everyone will have the same tastes as me and trust me, as much as I hear these crap bands, I'd love to figure out a reason to love them.
In the meantime, if you are on the fence about the following bands or styles, I understand. I was too - and have happily converted to trumpet my love!
- Grateful Dead - I don't think this legendary jam band sounded good to ANYONE the first time they heard it unless they were high as a kite. After a fun night of partying in college, I finally, finally saw the light (or maybe Jerry Garcia in a room lit with black light). Now the Grateful Dead channel is my #1 preset on my XM Radio. "She's a summer lovin' in Spring, Fall, and Winter..she can make happy any man alive." - Sugar Magnolia
Ryan Adams - He has been a cool artist to learn to love. Over the years, his music has been classified as Alt-Country. True, but his music has truly been all over the map when it comes to styles and his experimentation. I've noticed he's become more accessible in later years. With Ryan's brilliance and passion, all you need is to listen to ONE hook or ONE line that grabs you, and he's eternally and happily planted right under your skin. You just want more. Plus, he puts on a great live show!
-Rap / Hip-Hop Music - This has been one of my favorite acquired love interests. I hear so many people complain that hip-hop is just noise and sampled tracks shouting about bitches and da' hood. Granted, I can't relate to lyrics about bullets whizzing by my head or growing up with gangs around. I grew up in an affluent town called Watchung, New Jersey. But here's what I did find. When you start to actually listen - you'll realize there is so much talent in freestyling and rapping THAT FAST. How do they think of those rhymes and put 'em together so quickly? To me, it's an art form that deserves proper respect. Add a funky hook and a fat beat and voila! I'm in love.
Discovering redeeming qualities in music that make my ears bleed can be deeply satisfying. It allows me to keep expanding my musical horizons and continue to bring delicious new music to satisfy your ears, too.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Survival Guide for Concerts That Suck!
If you go to any number of concerts per year, it is inevitable that you will stumble upon some bad shows OR be forced to go to see artists you don't like.
Last night, I went to see Brand New at the Tabernacle with Thrice opening. Knowing that the Beowulf beast scream-singing type of music turns my blood cold and makes me want to teleport my ass out of there, I knew I would have to muster up some good acting skills and pretend it was awesome. Since I've been known to drag many friends to lots of obscure artists' concerts, I put together a survival guide for the haters to get through it and still have fun.
1. Drink, heavily.
2. Start interviewing the security
-I found out that Titus (one of the event staff) LOVES Young Jeezy, got completely beat up with bruises working a Bullet for My Valentine show, and thought Elton John was the nicest artist he had met
-Titus also has slept overnight at the Tabernacle to watch over artists' equipment and hasn't experienced any of the alleged hauntings of the 100 year old building
3. People watch
-East Atlanta must have emptied out and migrated to the Tabernacle for Brand New. YOUNG, TATTED UP, and DRUNK! Barely any women and the ones that were there, were busy trying to run to the bathroom to yack - Fail. DAMN! Right in the garbage can next to me? WTF!
-When I saw heavy metal band, Mastodon play live a few months back, there was nothing more entertaining than watching aging headbangers go crazy
4. Check out the view from somewhere else
- It's always fun to see if they still suck from up high, down low, or off to the side. You never know, they might be better than you thought
5. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
- I definitely feed off of the energy of a crowd. Regardless of whether I like the subject or not, I can respect collective excitement.
6. Above all, don't bitch, pout, or text the whole time!
- If you really hate it, politely decline next time, but bitching just makes it worse for you and lessens the experience for the actual fans. Definitely not a cool move.
There are always myriads of drunken fools at most concerts and they are always entertaining. You can either become one of them or continue laughing at them. More than that, if you can TRY and see what the appeal is, you never know, you could walk out with a great experience and a T-shirt to remember it.
Last night, I went to see Brand New at the Tabernacle with Thrice opening. Knowing that the Beowulf beast scream-singing type of music turns my blood cold and makes me want to teleport my ass out of there, I knew I would have to muster up some good acting skills and pretend it was awesome. Since I've been known to drag many friends to lots of obscure artists' concerts, I put together a survival guide for the haters to get through it and still have fun.
1. Drink, heavily.
2. Start interviewing the security
-I found out that Titus (one of the event staff) LOVES Young Jeezy, got completely beat up with bruises working a Bullet for My Valentine show, and thought Elton John was the nicest artist he had met
-Titus also has slept overnight at the Tabernacle to watch over artists' equipment and hasn't experienced any of the alleged hauntings of the 100 year old building
3. People watch
-East Atlanta must have emptied out and migrated to the Tabernacle for Brand New. YOUNG, TATTED UP, and DRUNK! Barely any women and the ones that were there, were busy trying to run to the bathroom to yack - Fail. DAMN! Right in the garbage can next to me? WTF!
-When I saw heavy metal band, Mastodon play live a few months back, there was nothing more entertaining than watching aging headbangers go crazy
4. Check out the view from somewhere else
- It's always fun to see if they still suck from up high, down low, or off to the side. You never know, they might be better than you thought
5. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
- I definitely feed off of the energy of a crowd. Regardless of whether I like the subject or not, I can respect collective excitement.
6. Above all, don't bitch, pout, or text the whole time!
- If you really hate it, politely decline next time, but bitching just makes it worse for you and lessens the experience for the actual fans. Definitely not a cool move.
There are always myriads of drunken fools at most concerts and they are always entertaining. You can either become one of them or continue laughing at them. More than that, if you can TRY and see what the appeal is, you never know, you could walk out with a great experience and a T-shirt to remember it.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Ray LaMontagne says Be Here Now
In a world Troubled with people running for Shelter, all Ray says is to Be Here Now.
Cheesy? Uh, yeah! Still True? Yes. I thrive on a packed calendar and a constant need for stimulus. In fact, anyone that knows me would probably say this is an understatement. I find that it's tough to quiet all the noise and just be focused on one thing. My night with Ray LaMontagne was going to be a very special treat...
As Ray LaMontagne was about to take the stage at Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theater, a hush fell over the sold out audience. Finally, a bearded man quietly made his way to center stage and grabbed his acoustic guitar. Of course, your trusty blogger started crying immediately (Why am I crying????) as he started to play my personal bedtime lullaby called "Be Here Now." And finally, his song quieted the cacophony of my everyday life, and for an hour and a half, I was able to be here...now.
Ray has been classified as a singer/songwriter and a folk artist but it almost seems too limiting. The sound is incredibly refreshing and it sounds like a current rendition of something we've never heard. My boyfriend struggled to understand what the big deal was about this guy anyway and said it poignantly. It's that voice! That raspy voice that can be quiet and breathy, but the power hits you like a freight train.
I looked around and noticed the audience was on the edge of their seats, too. You could hear random misplaced hoots and hollars of people shouting things like "Take it Off!," "Jesus," (What? Ray was a carpenter at one point - ha!), and dudes shouting "I Love You Ray." There seems to be a reverant respect inherent at a Ray show which made these spirited calls even more uncomfortably funny. As he continued to work through his library of music and a few covers, I could feel chills run up and down my spine and hear audible gasps in the audience as he would belt out note after note. His music turns my skin inside out - and his voice is like a heartbeat that echoes through my bones.
Before the show, I read someone's comment on a Facebook page...and it said "Oh Ray. Your voice is like honey mixed with tears." I recorded this song in honor of my 5 year old niece. Her name is Sarah and when I played it for her this past summer, we both held each other's hands and danced around the living room with nothing but magic in that special moment.
www.raylamontagne.com
Cheesy? Uh, yeah! Still True? Yes. I thrive on a packed calendar and a constant need for stimulus. In fact, anyone that knows me would probably say this is an understatement. I find that it's tough to quiet all the noise and just be focused on one thing. My night with Ray LaMontagne was going to be a very special treat...
As Ray LaMontagne was about to take the stage at Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theater, a hush fell over the sold out audience. Finally, a bearded man quietly made his way to center stage and grabbed his acoustic guitar. Of course, your trusty blogger started crying immediately (Why am I crying????) as he started to play my personal bedtime lullaby called "Be Here Now." And finally, his song quieted the cacophony of my everyday life, and for an hour and a half, I was able to be here...now.
Ray has been classified as a singer/songwriter and a folk artist but it almost seems too limiting. The sound is incredibly refreshing and it sounds like a current rendition of something we've never heard. My boyfriend struggled to understand what the big deal was about this guy anyway and said it poignantly. It's that voice! That raspy voice that can be quiet and breathy, but the power hits you like a freight train.
I looked around and noticed the audience was on the edge of their seats, too. You could hear random misplaced hoots and hollars of people shouting things like "Take it Off!," "Jesus," (What? Ray was a carpenter at one point - ha!), and dudes shouting "I Love You Ray." There seems to be a reverant respect inherent at a Ray show which made these spirited calls even more uncomfortably funny. As he continued to work through his library of music and a few covers, I could feel chills run up and down my spine and hear audible gasps in the audience as he would belt out note after note. His music turns my skin inside out - and his voice is like a heartbeat that echoes through my bones.
Before the show, I read someone's comment on a Facebook page...and it said "Oh Ray. Your voice is like honey mixed with tears." I recorded this song in honor of my 5 year old niece. Her name is Sarah and when I played it for her this past summer, we both held each other's hands and danced around the living room with nothing but magic in that special moment.
www.raylamontagne.com
Election Day is November 3rd. Rock the vote?
Election day is November 3. If you want to get young people to vote, make it like a club. pump music in. Get out a red rope & carpet. Get a big dude at the door with a clipboard, stock the bar full of Red Bull and vodka, and you'll get the biggest turn out of young people ever. Rock the vote!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
$ell Out Without Selling Out
As a person enters their thirties, one can no longer ignore the unstoppable tidal wave of adulthood crashing upon the shore of youth.
You can always remain a kid at heart. But grow up! The struggling artist stereotype is cute, even sexy, but only for so long. You know what's not cool? A forty year old dude--staying true to his cause--still crashing on his friends' couches. You know what is cool? Having your own place and paying your bills.
So how does today's musician sell out without selling out?
I found a few non-traditional ways musicians can quickly expand their fan base, get more exposure, and ultimately, fill that bank account. Music-lovers also take note. These sites are like our musical crystal balls.
SELL IT, BABY!
Fame Games (www.meermusic.com, @FameGames) - This online radio show promotes independent artists. Musicians can submit their music online and fans can vote each day for their favorites. As it grows in popularity, you can increase your exposure worldwide. Really cool group of DJ's, too. They know their stuff! Eclectic music choices and always top notch music!
The Sixty One (www.thesixtyone.com, @thesixtyone)
Branded as "helping artists find their audiences." Indie artists submit their work, but rather than allowing a stuffy suit to decide what's cool, the listeners do. Listeners have to listen to a song for over a minute before they can "heart" it. It's very cool exposure! For music lovers, please make sure you find your favorite artists and heart them - and if they aren't on there, make sure you get them on it!
Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com, @kickstarter)
I want to kick myself for not thinking of this first. If you're a musician that doesn't have the jack to promote yourself, this site can help you fund projects. Much like a telethon concept, you can set up graduating levels of "rewards" and goodie packages depending on how much each fan contributes to your project. Kickstarter put one of my favorite emerging artists, Gareth Asher, on tour all throughout the United States and massively expand his fan base.
Pandora (www.pandora.com, @pandora_radio)
This site gets the Brilliant Award of the Century. This music engine automatically creates a streaming radio station that is based on the artists/songs/genres that you like - and plays similar artists based on the style and tonality of what you chose. You can now upload your music onto the site and become part of their Music Genome Project's musical library. Click here to submit your music: http://submitmusic.pandora.com/
Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, iTunes, etc.
The name of the game today is being accessible. Back in the day, if you wanted to find music, you'd have to go to the store, buy the whole album, and if it sucked, you're the fool with the stack of CD's collecting dust in the back of your car. Nowadays, people automatically go to YouTube to find a video of their favorite song and can share it immediately. If you're not Internet savvy, check out www.mashable.com as a comprehensive resource on using social media. Oh, and if you're one of those brooding and introverted musicians who hates people, do your best to still respond to your fans reaching out to you and Follow them back on Twitter. Acknowledging your fans individually endears themselves to you and in turn, they will support you through your sales.
A good friend of mine said a long time ago..."Find what you love to do - and figure out a way to make money at it." You can have both! Check back to this site as I'll be updating it with new resources as I discover them. Please subscribe to my blog and comment often. I'd love to hear from you. Good luck! Allison Rizk
You can always remain a kid at heart. But grow up! The struggling artist stereotype is cute, even sexy, but only for so long. You know what's not cool? A forty year old dude--staying true to his cause--still crashing on his friends' couches. You know what is cool? Having your own place and paying your bills.
So how does today's musician sell out without selling out?
I found a few non-traditional ways musicians can quickly expand their fan base, get more exposure, and ultimately, fill that bank account. Music-lovers also take note. These sites are like our musical crystal balls.
SELL IT, BABY!
Fame Games (www.meermusic.com, @FameGames) - This online radio show promotes independent artists. Musicians can submit their music online and fans can vote each day for their favorites. As it grows in popularity, you can increase your exposure worldwide. Really cool group of DJ's, too. They know their stuff! Eclectic music choices and always top notch music!
The Sixty One (www.thesixtyone.com, @thesixtyone)
Branded as "helping artists find their audiences." Indie artists submit their work, but rather than allowing a stuffy suit to decide what's cool, the listeners do. Listeners have to listen to a song for over a minute before they can "heart" it. It's very cool exposure! For music lovers, please make sure you find your favorite artists and heart them - and if they aren't on there, make sure you get them on it!
Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com, @kickstarter)
I want to kick myself for not thinking of this first. If you're a musician that doesn't have the jack to promote yourself, this site can help you fund projects. Much like a telethon concept, you can set up graduating levels of "rewards" and goodie packages depending on how much each fan contributes to your project. Kickstarter put one of my favorite emerging artists, Gareth Asher, on tour all throughout the United States and massively expand his fan base.
Pandora (www.pandora.com, @pandora_radio)
This site gets the Brilliant Award of the Century. This music engine automatically creates a streaming radio station that is based on the artists/songs/genres that you like - and plays similar artists based on the style and tonality of what you chose. You can now upload your music onto the site and become part of their Music Genome Project's musical library. Click here to submit your music: http://submitmusic.pandora.com/
Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, iTunes, etc.
The name of the game today is being accessible. Back in the day, if you wanted to find music, you'd have to go to the store, buy the whole album, and if it sucked, you're the fool with the stack of CD's collecting dust in the back of your car. Nowadays, people automatically go to YouTube to find a video of their favorite song and can share it immediately. If you're not Internet savvy, check out www.mashable.com as a comprehensive resource on using social media. Oh, and if you're one of those brooding and introverted musicians who hates people, do your best to still respond to your fans reaching out to you and Follow them back on Twitter. Acknowledging your fans individually endears themselves to you and in turn, they will support you through your sales.
A good friend of mine said a long time ago..."Find what you love to do - and figure out a way to make money at it." You can have both! Check back to this site as I'll be updating it with new resources as I discover them. Please subscribe to my blog and comment often. I'd love to hear from you. Good luck! Allison Rizk
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
ALL ACCESS - Matthew Mayfield Interview - Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of the Matthew Mayfield interview:
All Access
Before the days of the Internet and all the digital media outlets we have available to us today, we had very limited ways of having access to our favorite musicians. When I was a little girl, I used to get up early every single morning, run downstairs to my giant wood paneled TV, turn on MTV, and wait and wait for Rick Springfield's video to air. So I started writing letters to him so he knew that I was available for marriage. This is the picture that I submitted:
Yup, amazing why Rick never responded. Matthew made a great point that reminded me of my Rick Springfield obsession. "Being accessible is the key to helping you build a career these days." No more waiting for MTV to play the videos (MTV plays videos?), no need to mail out letters to hope that it wasn't just the President of the Fan Club reading your heartfelt words. You get the picture. Fifteen years ago, accessibility was the complete opposite.(see my picture and Rick Springfield story above?). I remember standing outside of Scotty's Music Shop in Morristown, NJ from 4am until the store opened to HOPEFULLY get a wristband to see a Rush concert. "Many years ago, when artists came into town and you were lucky enough to get a concert ticket to go see them, it was magic! The lights would go down and the whole crowd would go bananas. I think a little bit of that magic is lost nowadays."
Turning Grey into GREEN
The formula is simple. Virtually unknown singer/songwriter + Grey's Anatomy = GOLD MINE!
In terms of exposure, song placement, dramatic effect, and becoming a favorite on iTunes, getting your music played on Grey's Anatomy is the Holy Grail of prime time TV shows. Blending the music with the drama unfolding on the screen, the end result has catapulted the likes of The Fray, Ingrid Michaelson, Katie Herzig, Erin McCarley, Greg Laswell, etc. and now Matthew Mayfield.
So how does someone get their music on this coveted show? Matthew Mayfield had his song "First in Line" on the 100th episode. "It was a total fluke. A guy in New York randomly found me. He asked if he could throw his The Fire EP around in the industry." This was in November of 2008 and in a few months of thinking the chances were extremely slim, he was given a call. "In April, I got a call and they said my song "First in Line" was picked for the 100th episode of Grey's Anatomy." That kind of exposure was ENORMOUS for him. He usually never played that song at his shows and now "First In Line" is requested for every single live show. It was unprecedented to have an artist that is completely independent get a song on Grey's Anatomy. Matthew had about 16,000 downloads in 2-3 weeks.
Music for the cooler people
Musicians typically uncover some hidden gems who are coming up the ranks, too. Matthew gave us some great suggestions:
- Justin Furstenfeld (Blue October) solo album. (www.myspace.com/justinfurstenfeld)
- Jon Foreman (lead singer of Switchfoot) has a solo project that's much quieter than his Switchfoot music. According to Matthew, he's "totally unassuming" and just damn good (www.myspace.com/jonforeman)
- Blue Cut Robbery is a trio that plays Bluesy rock and roll (www.myspace.com/thebluecutrobbery)
- Great Book of John is a Birmingham band and according to Matthew, they have "phenomenal songwriting" (www.myspace.com/thegreatbookofjohn)
- Needtobreathe is incredible. "Some of the coolest guys I know and I love touring with them" (www.myspace.com/needtobreathe)
A Few Little Known Facts About You?
- Love, love, HUGE L-O-V-E getting my ears looked into with the telescope thing they use at the ENT doctor. I once got the device as a present (whoa!)
- I never face the shower head...I'm always looking to the side
- I hate the silence between previews. I always hear the smacking and cracking and it drives me nuts
- I can watch movies that I like hundreds and hundreds of times over and over again. I love Rounders and Assasination of Jesse James, to name a few
So, after this interview, I posted a few tweets about Matthew Mayfield on Twitter (www.twitter.com/allisonrebecca1) and Facebook and got some die-hard Matthew Mayfield fans reaching out to me. There are people that travel across the country to see him live as much as they can. Hey, I can totally respect that. At this particular show at the Loft in Atlanta, I brought some of my friends who are huge fans of his AND were totally jealous that I got to spend some time interviewing him (I can't blame them - I'm a lucky gal). After wedding offers and baby mama promises from my friends, I could tell he was blushing a bit.
Matthew, you are a personal musical hero of mine and I am excited to see your legions of fans grow. THANK YOU!
Download his music on iTunes
www.twitter.com/matthewmayfield
www.facebook.com/pages/Matthew-Mayfield/6522493906
www.myspace.com/matthewmayfieldmusic
All Access
Before the days of the Internet and all the digital media outlets we have available to us today, we had very limited ways of having access to our favorite musicians. When I was a little girl, I used to get up early every single morning, run downstairs to my giant wood paneled TV, turn on MTV, and wait and wait for Rick Springfield's video to air. So I started writing letters to him so he knew that I was available for marriage. This is the picture that I submitted:
Yup, amazing why Rick never responded. Matthew made a great point that reminded me of my Rick Springfield obsession. "Being accessible is the key to helping you build a career these days." No more waiting for MTV to play the videos (MTV plays videos?), no need to mail out letters to hope that it wasn't just the President of the Fan Club reading your heartfelt words. You get the picture. Fifteen years ago, accessibility was the complete opposite.(see my picture and Rick Springfield story above?). I remember standing outside of Scotty's Music Shop in Morristown, NJ from 4am until the store opened to HOPEFULLY get a wristband to see a Rush concert. "Many years ago, when artists came into town and you were lucky enough to get a concert ticket to go see them, it was magic! The lights would go down and the whole crowd would go bananas. I think a little bit of that magic is lost nowadays."
Turning Grey into GREEN
The formula is simple. Virtually unknown singer/songwriter + Grey's Anatomy = GOLD MINE!
In terms of exposure, song placement, dramatic effect, and becoming a favorite on iTunes, getting your music played on Grey's Anatomy is the Holy Grail of prime time TV shows. Blending the music with the drama unfolding on the screen, the end result has catapulted the likes of The Fray, Ingrid Michaelson, Katie Herzig, Erin McCarley, Greg Laswell, etc. and now Matthew Mayfield.
So how does someone get their music on this coveted show? Matthew Mayfield had his song "First in Line" on the 100th episode. "It was a total fluke. A guy in New York randomly found me. He asked if he could throw his The Fire EP around in the industry." This was in November of 2008 and in a few months of thinking the chances were extremely slim, he was given a call. "In April, I got a call and they said my song "First in Line" was picked for the 100th episode of Grey's Anatomy." That kind of exposure was ENORMOUS for him. He usually never played that song at his shows and now "First In Line" is requested for every single live show. It was unprecedented to have an artist that is completely independent get a song on Grey's Anatomy. Matthew had about 16,000 downloads in 2-3 weeks.
Music for the cooler people
Musicians typically uncover some hidden gems who are coming up the ranks, too. Matthew gave us some great suggestions:
- Justin Furstenfeld (Blue October) solo album. (www.myspace.com/justinfurstenfeld)
- Jon Foreman (lead singer of Switchfoot) has a solo project that's much quieter than his Switchfoot music. According to Matthew, he's "totally unassuming" and just damn good (www.myspace.com/jonforeman)
- Blue Cut Robbery is a trio that plays Bluesy rock and roll (www.myspace.com/thebluecutrobbery)
- Great Book of John is a Birmingham band and according to Matthew, they have "phenomenal songwriting" (www.myspace.com/thegreatbookofjohn)
- Needtobreathe is incredible. "Some of the coolest guys I know and I love touring with them" (www.myspace.com/needtobreathe)
A Few Little Known Facts About You?
- Love, love, HUGE L-O-V-E getting my ears looked into with the telescope thing they use at the ENT doctor. I once got the device as a present (whoa!)
- I never face the shower head...I'm always looking to the side
- I hate the silence between previews. I always hear the smacking and cracking and it drives me nuts
- I can watch movies that I like hundreds and hundreds of times over and over again. I love Rounders and Assasination of Jesse James, to name a few
So, after this interview, I posted a few tweets about Matthew Mayfield on Twitter (www.twitter.com/allisonrebecca1) and Facebook and got some die-hard Matthew Mayfield fans reaching out to me. There are people that travel across the country to see him live as much as they can. Hey, I can totally respect that. At this particular show at the Loft in Atlanta, I brought some of my friends who are huge fans of his AND were totally jealous that I got to spend some time interviewing him (I can't blame them - I'm a lucky gal). After wedding offers and baby mama promises from my friends, I could tell he was blushing a bit.
Matthew, you are a personal musical hero of mine and I am excited to see your legions of fans grow. THANK YOU!
Download his music on iTunes
www.twitter.com/matthewmayfield
www.facebook.com/pages/Matthew-Mayfield/6522493906
www.myspace.com/matthewmayfieldmusic
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