OUR FAVORITE SIGNING STORIES
s s s Wagner. They got this good this fast by working hard, practicing as much as possible, and playing out-of-the-way bar gigs that allowed them to jam. “We’d play in bars for four hours and we loved it so much,” bassist Sam Kiszka says. But then it got more serious. Eventually, they got noticed by highly respected Detroit-area producer Al Sutton of Rustbelt Studios, known for his work with Kid Rock, Sponge, Pop Evil and many, many more. Sam says, “He’s a fantastic producer and a great mentor. He taught us how to be studio musicians and make really good recordings. We were in the studio for probably two years, until we finally got the whole concept.” Under Sutton’s wing, Greta Van Fleet attracted the attention of Aaron Frank of ABI management, which soon attracted a five-album deal from Jason Flom at Lava/Republic.
BOY EPIC
Date Signed: October 2015 Label: Hollywood Records Type of Music: Cinematic Alternative Management: Tracy Brown - CO5Music Legal: Ian Friedman Publicity: Hollywood Records and Girlie Action, Sharrin.Summers@disney.com Web: youtube.com/boyepicmusic A&R: Mio Vukovic Are you so single-mindedly driven to succeed in your music career that you would drop friends from your life? Dallas-based singersongwriter Boy Epic has that kind of drive. “Once I realized that this is something that I really wanted to do, it was all or nothing,” he says. “I dropped a lot of friends because I realized that if I wanted to be successful, I had to give all of myself to this dream.” Boy Epic’s dreams began to become a reality when he took on Tracy Brown of CO5Music as his manager, and that relationship led to a record deal with Hollywood Records. “I’ve got this fantastic fanbase, I’ve got views on YouTube–– she asked why I haven’t gone after a label and I straight-up told her that I didn’t know how,” he says. “We started working together, and within six months I was signed to Hollywood.” 54 December 2017
musicconnection.com
JULIEN BAKER
Date Signed: December 2016 Label: Matador Records Type of Music: Alternative Rock/Indie Folk Management: Sean Rhorer - Brixton Agency Booking: Kevin French - Paradigm Publicity: Shira Knishkowy, shira@matador records.com Legal: John Strohm Web: facebook.com/julienrbaker A&R: Robby Morris - Matador Records Julien Baker, a Memphis-based singer-songwriter, sings in a lush and darkly toned style and accompanies herself on acoustic and electric guitar. Her raw and deceptively sparse delivery has captivated audiences. What we really like about her signing story is that she is an artist–– decidedly alternative––who knows exactly the
kind of label that’s right for her music. Baker began her career in 2010, and after several years in a band called the Star Killers (later named Forrister) she met Sean Rhorer of 6131 Records. Rhorer and 6131 label chief Joey Cahill had connections with Matador Records and were more than happy to facilitate Baker climbing the next career rung. “Matador seemed like the best fit because of the diversity of their artists,” says Baker. “They like to do things a little bit different and they are innovative. There is also a level of trust that they put in their artists where they want you to achieve the best concept of your art. They have a niche sound and a lot of their artists have been with them a long time. They follow the natural progression of your career. Now I’ve just got more time to develop a song—when to tweak it and when to let it be.” Baker’s Funeral Pyre and Sprained Ankle are available now.
MILES MOSLEY
Date Signed: Feb. 1, 2017 Label: UMG/Verve Label Group Type of Music: Soul/Jazz/Funk Management: Barbara Sealy - SB Music Mgmt. Booking: Jesse Rosoff, James Wright, Mary Petro - United Talent Agency (UTA) Legal: KHPS, Peter Paterno, Brent Canter Publicity: Carleen Donovan - Donovan Public Relations Web: MilesMosley.com A&R: Mike Viola, Jamie Krents Getting out there and being seen and heard face-to-face by the right people at the right time––that’s one of the prime lessons of how Miles Mosley snared his contract with a respected record label. In December 2012, when
the bassist-vocalist headed into the studio with his musical compadres in the powerhouse Los Angeles jazz fusion collective the West Coast Get Down, he and his bandmates—including drummer Tony Austin and saxophonist Kamasi Washington—had no idea he was taking part in what would become a global phenomenon. Those sessions, which came in the wake of their longstanding residency at The Piano Bar in Hollywood drawing SRO crowds, resulted in The Epic. Billed as the debut studio album by Washington, it earned huge critical accolades and led to extensive touring in North America, Australia, Japan and Europe. During what were billed as Kamasi’s shows, each member of WCGD played a solo number. Mosley’s performances of the spiritual soul funk/rock audience participating romp “Abraham” in Central Park and at the Monterey Jazz Festival caught the attention of three prominent execs with the Verve Label Group: Danny Bennett (President and CEO), Mike Viola (VP of A&R) and Jamie Krents (SVP, International Marketing and Label Development for Verve and Universal Music Group). Each was already familiar with Mosely, but seeing him perform live sealed the deal. Mosley’s eclectic full-length label debut is Uprising.
BRETT YOUNG
Date Signed: May 2015 Label: BMLG Records Type of Music: Country Management: Van Haze - Red Light Management Booking: Barrett Sellers - WME Legal: Josh Brackin - Greenberg Traurig LLP Publicity: Charlotte Burke - Big Machine Label Group, Charlotte.Burke@bmlg.net Web: BrettYoungMusic.com A&R: Laurel Kittleson - Big Machine Label Group