Show #20

Greetings readers! I'd like to apologize for the blog being a bit slow lately, but you know how it is at the end of the semester. I've got a lot that I'd like to discuss on my thoughts on the music industry, and detailed love letters reviews of some great bands that I've recently fell in love with, specifically Jukebox the Ghost who I WON TICKETS TO SEE LIVE, FOR FREE, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, TOMORROW AT ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL! So much love to spread, but for now I leave you with the playlist from Show #20:

The importance of marketing

I know that you are all looking forward to reading about the last playlist on DTU, but tonight I would like to take a moment to discuss something that is extremely important to the music business: promotion and marketing.  In fact, they directly relate to the show in the sense that the radio is a great form of promotion and marketing for musicians. One would think that it is an obvious fact that these are important aspects of being a musician. In fact, it is just as important as creating quality music.

You can be the most talented musician in the world, but you will not go anywhere without your fans. If somebody does not plan on making music their career and is creating it for their own entertainment and pleasure, I can guarantee that at one point or another they will want to play their music for other people to hear. Even it is just their family and friends listening, they are still an audience, and through them it is very likely that they will gain even more fans. While social media has become vital for musicians to grow, word of mouth will never be dead.

Recently I have come across a band that has great talent and potential to make it in this business, but have a massive void of marketing and promotion. This is frustrating to me, because as a fan I want to know when and where they are playing in advanced, and not 15 minutes before the show starts. It is understandable that musicians, especially in college are busy, but part of being a musician is being able to market yourself or at least find somebody trustworthy to do it for you. I recently read an interview with Sarah Weiss, Head of Marketing at Bowery Presents that sparked my thoughts on this topic. In the interview she was asked the question of what bands should do when they are at the point in their careers that they have little to no radio and promotional support. This is what Weiss has to say--

"I think the easiest and simplest thing is to have a website and at least one social networking page. People are still going to Myspace for music, and it’s good to have information up there – or wherever you choose to house our information – including some tracks and some concert dates. And also, make sure whatever you have is as current as possible.

The other thing that’s really key is that if you have photos and bios you’ve put together for yourself, make sure you send them over to whoever put the show together for you, so the information for the show is current with what’s going on with your band. It’s only a few pieces, but the more correct and up-to-date the information is, the better it serves you, and the more you will attract the attention of someone who is really familiar with the venue and used to seeing good bands there. So they will go to the venue to see a band, even if they don’t know the band, because they know the venue typically has good shows. They’ll also look at the Myspace page and say, “I like the headlining band, but maybe I’ll get to that show early.”"

 Let this be a reminder to all of you musicians out there, you cannot just solely work on your music, say "Hey we are done! Here is our album." and expect thousands of people to listen to it. You must have marketing skills and promote yourselves, or at least create the right contacts to do these things for you.

And that is what people like me are here for.

Show #19

Greetings! Tonight's show was quite entertaining. Back by popular demand was guest star, Richard Price. He was on the show a few weeks ago and we had a great time introducing and discussing songs together. As much as I love to be in control of things, I definitely have more fun with another person in the studio with me. Here's a breakdown of tonight's playlist!

Somebody by Jukebox the Ghost is the first song to be released off of their upcoming album, Safe Travels, out on June 12th. I am seeing them at Bowery Ballroom June 22nd for the first time and cannot wait. This song is currently on repeat.

Fuck Was I by Jenny Owen Youngs, a graduate of Purchase who played here just a few weeks ago. She's another one of those artists I had heard the name of but didn't listen to until recently. It's really amazing how many musicians have come out of Purchase, become quite well known and still come back to play at Purchase. Never forget your roots.

My Love by The Bird and the Bee is a song that I could have sworn that I played a few months ago, but I don't see it on any of my older playlists. I forgot where I found it.

Nancy From Now On by Father John Misty is Joshua Tillman, ex drummer of Fleet Foxes' solo project. I don't think the full album has come out yet, as I had much trouble finding just one song (and remember, I actually do buy much of my music).

Someday's Gone by The All American Rejects is off of their new album, Kids in the Street that came out last month. I've loved this band since I was 12 and have somehow only seen them once, headlining at Warped Tour but I think I'll be going up to Western Massachusetts to see them in two weeks.

End of the World by The Bright Silence, to be quite honest I totally forgot how I found this band. I think it was just looking at my friend's music online.

Melissa by The Daydreamers I found through another band that I like, The Paper Planets. Eli, one of the members of The Paper Planets was previously in The Daydreamers. Pretty sure this song is actually about one of my best friends, Melissa. They just don't know it yet.

Eyes Wide Open by Goyte is a song that my best friend (mentioned above) sent me. Apparently he is on the radio all the time. I was in Las Vegas all week, forced to listen to the radio with all the hits in the casinos all week and I didn't even realize that I heard Goyte until I was sent this song and researched the rest of his music. Richard and I had a long debate about how to pronounce his name and received much feedback on it. Thanks everybody!

Camera Talk by Local Natives I just found the other day but already forgot where I found it. But I was attracted to this song because well... I love cameras. And this song made me happy.

Love of my Night by Radial starts the series of Purchase artists on this playlist. Radial is a project by Joe Endozo, also a member of the Rotten Jazz Quartet (you know, that band that played in my apartment). This song has a more electronic sound, quite different from Rotten Jazz. That is something that I love about the musicians at this school- that so many of them are in multiple bands.

Youre Just Like Miranda Cosgrove, But Not Even As Pretty! So Fuck You! I Dont Need Your Love Anyway! by Scott Interrante and The Tiny Elephants, I'm lucky that I was able to say the title on air. It's quite a mouthful. This song, as you can imagine by the title is quite funny, but at the same time the music is well done as the rest of Scott's songs are. It is possible to create quality music and still make it funny.

As Tall As The Sun by Elijah Wolf already has 20 plays on my itunes. Eli is another musician in multiple bands (The Paper Planets and Wolfman and the Pack) as well as writing music as a solo artist. This song is quite reminiscent of Mumford and Sons, in fact when it came on shuffle I actually thought that is who it was.

Music is everything

Late night instant message conversations with people that you are just getting to know are amazing things. It's those conversations where you are so wrapped up into it you don't even want to open another window and miss out on an im. Bonding over music is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Even if it's not a mutual love for a specific artist, it's that feeling that you get when you listen to or create music that you love. Music that changes people's lives. Sharing feelings over that is a beautiful thing and I cannot imagine my life without it. I've met so many amazing people over music and I will continue to do so for every waking moment of the rest of my life.

Best Apartment Show Ever (featuring Coyote Campus + Rotten Jazz Quartet)

March 28th was my 21st birthday. I take my birthdays very seriously (or shall I say excitedly and not-seriously because I like to have fun)! This year I knew that I had to do something great. In the end, I went to a bar at midnight and didn't do much the day of my actual date of birth besides take a midterm and go to class. But I am completely satisfied because I had the best birthday party celebration I could ever ask for 4 days before on Saturday night. For the longest time I have wanted to have a show in my living room and at the beginning of the semester I made the decision that I was going to make it happen. Fortunately enough for me there are some amazing bands at this school, in fact one of them is in my top 5 favorite bands. And I was lucky enough to get them to play in my living room for my early birthday party.

So a few years down the road when you're asking me "hey have you heard of those amazing new bands that just got big, Rotten Jazz Quartet and Coyote Campus", my answer will be "yes, they played in my living room for my 21st birthday".

To everybody that came out and danced, sang, moshed, drank and made my floor almost cave in, I LOVE YOU ALL. Let's do it again soon!

Look whose back

Long time no see, blogger. Sorry about that, things have been a bit slow at DTU. No show this past week for Spring Break (I was in Vegas!) and before that was my birthday week as well as midterms and things were a bit hectic. But never the less, I've been working on some wonderful things that make the future look so much brighter. Since I am a few playlists behind, I'd like to just post screenshots instead of explain them all (I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I told myself I wouldn't do it!). Honestly, most of the songs are ones that I found on random sites and don't have huge significance or a story to them, even though they are great songs. So here are the latest two playlists

Playlist #17

March 15th

Playlist #18

March 22nd