July25_Full_Issue by Music Connection

Dark Devotion

By Adam Seyum

Putnam

Records

Justin Warfield

By Lina Lecaro 22. Exec Profile: Aric Steinberg

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a foundational part of recordings by everyone from Willie Nelson, Chris Stapleton and the Raconteurs to The Black Keys, Green Day, Foo Fighters and the soundtrack to A Star is Born. Redefining digital recordings and building on the technology of the two-channel B2 Bombers, the B80 MOTHERSHIP was forged from the company’s deep dedication to analog class-A circuitry. The B80 MOTHERSHIP stands out from every other interface on the market because it does not sterilize the source. The AD/DA converter has up to 80 analog channel capability. Using a card-based system, the heavy duty 4U chassis, the B80 Mothership employs 10 card slots with 2, 4 and 8 channel AD/DA cards, all with the B2 quality signal path.

radio airplay or charts. Their most recent placements include songs in The Penguin starring Colin Ferrell, Abbott Elementary and What We Do in the Shadows. Reactivating the label in the new century, Fervor signed new artists but also took advantage of emerging international digital distribution channels and began acquiring vintage back catalogs of lesser-known artists in all genres, dating back to the 1920s. They released music from artists in genres like '80s new wave, '90s R&B and '70s classic rock, becoming successful at monetizing dormant copyrights. Fervor’s eclectic roster of indie artists led Fervor Records to success on MTVU (launching five indie artists), a placement on the official Mad Men LP soundtrack and recently landing a dozen songs in Green Book, the 2019 Oscar Winner for Best Picture.

Artists to Check Out: Fervor Records COO

Fatboy Slim) went on to superstardom, opening doors that led Bisla on a path to become VP of A&R Network for Clear Channel Radio (now iHeartMedia) and Clear Channel Entertainment (now Live Nation). He helped broker label and publishing interest and signings for Keane, Missy Higgins, Cherie Bonnie McKee, Orson, Muse, and many others. When his agreement with Clear Channel ended, he and a business partner (the former COO Clear Channel Entertainment) launched A&R Worldwide in 2003. Since parting ways with his partner, he has owned it exclusively since 2006. Bisla also provided early support to Coldplay, Adele, The Temper Trap, Katy Perry, Jessie J, Forest Blakk, Sheppard, Tove Lo, LMFAO, Picture This, Sia, Gavin James, and countless others.

Recording Arts and Media Technologies: This area of study is designed for the modern engineer and musician, and combines audio video and computer technologies. Students will gain knowledge and experience in such disciplines as studio and location recording techniques, audio post-production for video, acoustics and studio design and webcasting, robotic camera operation using Internet2 technology, live sound and event logistics and lighting and rigging for the performing arts. Elective courses include recording techniques, applied mixing, audio editing, air training for audio engineers and sound design. NIU recently became one of three Avid Learning Partners in the state of Illinois. Music Admissions Coordinator Austyn Menk says, “Students participating in the recording arts get to run live sound for our many ensembles, giving them highly valuable and applicable experience.”

time of only five business days – and with their removable faceplate design, their repair time is only a single business day on average.

Babineau took a client to a home and saw a raw wood guitar body. He met the seller, Czajka, who did the burn on the instrument as part of his side business of taking reclaimed wood and creating unique burn designs. Two months later, Nefarious was born.

E. Eric Bettelli

Brett Callwood

GENERAL MANAGER / ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ericb@musicconnection.com

Robin Rose

Brett Callwood SENIOR EDITOR brettc@musicconnection.com

SENIOR EDITOR brettc@musicconnection.com

John Curry

ART DIRECTOR artdirector@musicconnection.com

John Curry ART DIRECTOR artdirector@musicconnection.com

ensemble, rendering the ultimate monitoring experience. On the studio’s website, Taylor writes, “Your tracks will explode with richness, warmth, and presence in any genre!” He adds, “When they set it up, they sat me down in my sweet spot and started running their playlist. Ten seconds into the first song, I felt a monumental shift, knowing I could offer a sonic experience like few others can!”

A&R Worldwide Mission: Bisla says, “Music has the ability to not just impact a person but change the world. Real art and artistry are wonderful things, and we go to the ends of the earth to help our artists reach their goals.” Still considering it something of a boutique company despite its vast international reach and influence, A&R Worldwide is a client centric firm.

OPERATIONS MANAGER / DIRECTORIES EDITOR robinr@musicconnection.com

Ruby Risch

ASSOCIATE EDITOR / SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER rubyr@musicconnection.com

Steve Sattler

are also six cameras that feed two oversized video screens, which provide an up-close and personal VIP rock concert experience. The venue features the finest in industry standard equipment, beer and wine license, plenty of parking and can remain open nightly till 2 AM. To build the venue today, with all improvements, permits and top of the line audio, video and recording equipment would exceed $10 million. At a $4.7 million asking price, the building, venue and studio is a steal, and the seller would like to encourage the purchaser of the building to continue operation of the music venue and continue its storied legacy.

Guitar Center Foundation Auction: Nefarious has contributed their exclusive Nefarious Patch Guitar featuring a denim design and “patches” of famous band logos for a charity auction which benefits The Guitar Center Foundation.

Individually Handcrafted Guitar Straps: Each strap continues to be individually handcrafted in Pasadena, CA, offering some of the finest examples of Western leatherwork, using the finest top-grain leathers and employing the materials and techniques of fine saddle-making. Their line also includes unique leather pickguards for Tele’s and Strats, and hand-engraved metal parts for Telecasters. Their straps have been purchased by many famed musicians, such as Carlos Santana, Bob Dylan, ZZ Top, James Hetfield, Dwight Yoakam, Rick Derringer, Tom Petty, and Rick Nielsen.

in the modern recording environment. Another beautiful tribute mic they produce is the P-12 tube mic, styled after AKG’s legendary C 12, considered one of history’s finest mics. The P-12 faithfully reproduces the clarity, openness, and top-end air that made the C 12 a classic vocal microphone.

capacity, an HVAC controlled rehearsal room, supplemental AC by request and secure bus parking and power. The website includes an info sheet that has an illustrated layout and accommodations map and a scaled image with rigging loads specs and dimensions.

El Dorado Mission Doctrine: El Dorado Guitar Accessories has never aspired to be the biggest guitar strap company, but to be one that produces premium-quality straps and accessories for discerning musicians. Looking back, Silverman recalls considering the potential market for his concept: “Toyota sells way more cars than Mercedes, but Mercedes still sells a heck of a lot of cars. I’d be happy to be the Mercedes of guitar straps.”

RSU Recording Studios: The Rock Star University recording facility was designed and constructed by Art Kelm, VP, General Manager and Chief Engineer of Capitol Records who is also CEO of the audio consulting firm Ground One AV, Inc. All of its equipment was selected and operated by Nevison, who produced five albums for V Squared, including Rock Show Girl, which features iconic rock covers by the then 15-year-old musicians

Flock Audio: As part of an ongoing effort to upgrade the school’s recording facilities to serve collaborations between audio engineering students and musical students, NIU has made the Flock Audio PATCH XT digitally controlled, all analog patchbay the centerpiece of its hybrid recording setup. Chandler says, “Compared to the outdated equipment installed previously, this makes signal flow in the studio more streamlined. Besides being visually appealing and fully customizable, it’s very compact, fitting on a tabletop and because it’s digitally controlled, there are always opportunities for app updates.”

Jeff Freundlich mentions a few current artists he wants listeners to hear. Two-piece rock band Noonday Devils will release their latest single “Bring Their Bodies to Me” on December 13. R&B/hip-hop duo blakk. nostalgia’s latest single “Sum Lite” drops January 10. Another artist the team is excited about is R&B artist Keagan, who released his most recent single “Home” in November. Freundlich says, “Our criterion for signing artists is simple. They need to know who they are and what they’re looking for in a label, and believe that what we offer is in line with their goals. The reason that there’s great synergy between Fervor and our artists is that we are in alignment in terms of having the highest quality production and push our artists to be the best they can be every time they record.”

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER steve@creativesalesresource.com

Hillorie McLarty

ADVERTISING / MARKETING hillorier@musicconnection.com

Michael Stern NEW TOYS newtoys@musicconnection.com

Live System: With the introduction of the B4 Mic Pre, the B80 MOTHERSHIP can be used on stage as a “stagebox” unlike any other sonic solution in the world. Due to its simple circuit design, the B4 boasts the same no-compromise discrete, class-A design philosophy as all Burl Audio products and can bring the studio sound to live music venues, concert halls, stadiums, and festivals. Users can add BDA8 cards for eight channels of outputs as well as feeding monitors and mains with the BDA4 and BDA4M. “What the B80 MOTHERSHIP can do in your digital console is give you a better, more pleasing sound at the front end via the B4 mic pre,” Williams says. “It’s the daughter card for the mother ship that employs the same no compromise class A signal path and includes a gain stage for mic pre levels. We’ve found that not only does the MOTHERSHIP live solution improve front of house sound and make it easier for the engineer to mix, it also improves the onstage sound for the musician, leading to a much better sonic experience overall.”

MUSEXPO: Bisla is also the founder/architect of MUSEXPO, a “United Nations of Music” and preeminent music business conference and artist showcase event that gathers leaders and influencers from all facets of the global music and entertainment industry. Originating as a series of intimate A&R Worldwide networking dinners, the gatherings have taken place all over the world, creating opportunities for fresh business relationships for all participants while uniting decision makers from music media and technology. Bisla says, “Our ethos is to continually evolve, teach, and inspire forward-thinking minds.” The 2025 event takes place March 16-19 in Burbank, CA.

Quote from Randy Hutson: “The rehearsal space is essentially a black box in our building. Clients walk through an elephant/studio sealer door and into a full operating warehouse of gear constantly going in and out. In addition to already hosting artists like Janet Jackson, Daniel Caesar and David Gilmour, we have a large program of Next Gen artists in development. Our facility helps them get a jump on preparing for their initial shows, including rehearsals, lighting and video. Having our helpful sales staff and project managers right outside the area where they rehearse adds greatly to the convenience all clients experience here.”

Nefarious’ mission statement says it all: “The commitment is to dream, envision and execute everything the team can do. The reward is to see the hallucination come to fruition in our work.” The Patch Guitar was produced by Flynn (foodogluthiery.com).

Two years in development, the Peluso P-24 is built as a tribute to the legendary AKG C 24 stereo tube condenser microphone. It hosts two complete large diaphragm condenser (LDC) vacuum tube microphone systems within a single microphone body. The two capsules are located directly above each other with the upper capsule capable of rotating 180 degrees. This configuration provides for quick coincident capture in X-Y, Mid-Side, and Blumlein techniques. Another new product is the Peluso Stage One (PS-1), which brings Peluso large diaphragm condenser microphone technology to the stage. It delivers detailed clarity with a warm tone that you would expect from a studio condenser. The PS-1 provides very high gain while delivering the feedback rejection required in a live environment.

X2 through X4: All X-Series monitors have In-Air Canals, ATOM venting (a pressure relief system that vents air pressures that build up in a sealed ear canal) and the super durable RCX cable connector. The X2 is the most affordable model with two drivers (miniature speakers) and features a warm sound. On the X3, there is an added dynamic low driver which makes it more capable in the low frequencies; ideal for drummers and bass players, whose instruments have a lower register. The X4 builds upon the X3 but with an added ultra-high driver that expands and extends the high frequency range, delivering a very smooth, natural sound. Its tuning is finely crafted to deliver a reference warm sound signature that reveals every subtle detail of the music.

On-Site Services and Remote Mixing and Mastering: For clients who generally come from the four-state surrounding region, Cool Brick, in addition to Taylor’s engineering and mastering experience, offers two studios with a vocal booth and separate drums, which can be used individually or combined. The studio has a dynamic array of vintage mics (Neumann, Telefunken, etc.), a Burl Mothership 80 which offers warm analog sound with pre-amps from Grace, Neve, Burl, and Audient, and a drum room featuring a ‘70s birch Pearl drum kit. Cool Brick also offers affordable stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound design and Adaptive Scoring™ for independent filmmakers. Based on his rep for creating a pure, accurate listening environment, Taylor is currently experiencing a booming global clientele seeking his mixing and mastering skills via digital transfer.

Contact Fervor Records, 602-595-3582

ADVERTISING / MARKETING hillorier@musicconnection.com Jon K

Jon K

ADVERTISING / MARKETING jonk@musicconnection.com

Ray Holt

DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR rayh@musicconnection.com

Andrea Beenham SONG BIZ drea@dreajo.com

Glenn Litwak THE LEGAL BEAT gtllaw59@gmail.com

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

FEATURE WRITERS

Andy Kaufmann andy.kaufmann@verizon.net Rob Putnam toe2toe6@hotmail.com

Andy Kaufmann andy.kaufmann@verizon.net • Rob Putnam toe2toe6@hotmail.com Jonathan Widran few522@aol.com

Jonathan Widran few522@aol.com

Contact El Dorado Guitar Accessories, info@eldoradostraps.com, 213-924-3800

Contact Todd Sheppard, Sales Associate, Sotheby’s International Realty, 707-235-6870

Contact NIU School of Music, 815-753-1551

Contact starwoodrehearsalsla@prg.com

Contact A&R Worldwide, info@anrworldwide.com

Contact Peluso Microphone Lab, 540-789-4100

Contact Bellos Audio, 615-270-2034

Contact: Cool Brick Studios 970-948-7766

Contact frank@nefarious1.com; marko@nefarious1.com

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Anna Jordan, Cade Pinkerson intern@musicconnection.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

David Arnson, Bobby Borg, Miguel Costa, Shana Nys Dambrot, Gary Graff, Eric Harabadian, Ari Herstand, Dan Kimpel, Lina Lecaro, Joseph Maltese, Emily Mills, Jacqueline Naranjo, Kurt Orzeck, Lyndsey Parker, Megan Perry Moore, Steve Sattler, Adam Seyum, Daniel Siwek, Eric Sommer, Brian Stewart, Ellen Woloshin

David Arnson, Bobby Borg, Miguel Costa, Shana Nys Dambrot, Gary Graff, Eric Harabadian, Ari Herstand, Dan Kimpel, Joseph Maltese, Emily Mills, Jacqueline Naranjo, Kurt Orzeck, Lyndsey Parker, Megan Perry Moore, Steve Sattler, Adam Seyum, Daniel Siwek, Eric Sommer, Brian Stewart, Ellen Woloshin

PHOTOGRAPHERS

David Arnson, JB Brookman, Alexx Calise, Miguel Costa, Kevin Estrada, Apple Kaufmann, David Klein, Alex Kluft, Heather Koepp, Charlie Meister, Jacqueline Naranjo, Scott Perham, Garrett Poulos, Alexander G. Seyum, Daniel Seyum, Mark Shiwolich, Daniel Siwek, Brian Stewart, Ellen Woloshin

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Music Connection (ISSN# 1091-9791) is published monthly by Music Connection , Inc., 3441 Ocean View Blvd., Glendale, CA 91208. Single copy price is $3.95, Canada $4.95. Subscription rates: $35/one year, $59/two years. Outside the U.S., add $25 (U.S. currency) per year. We are not responsible for unsolicited material, which must be accompanied by return postage. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited. The opinions of contributing writers to this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Music Connection , Inc. Copyright © 2025 by E. Eric Bettelli. All rights reserved.

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MySeat Media

myseat.com

It Started with Sports: Evolving from a sports social network app that was the first of its kind to connect and engage with like-minded fans during live games, MySeat is a revolutionary, fast-growing platform that invites artists to create and cultivate engaging fan experiences and generate multiple revenue streams via personalized mobile apps. The original concept came to co-creator Steve Shelton, a Goldman Sachs executive, when he was at a Boston Bruins game with his son, who mused, “Wouldn’t it be fun to know where my friends are sitting and be able to interact with them during the game?” Joining forces with his friend, mobile and wireless tech entrepreneur Normand Pigeon, they developed a fan driven, white labeled platform to help sports teams deploy their own fan engagement app. When Shelton learned that only five percent of the revenues generated by Whitney Houston went directly to the late singer, the cofounders quickly expanded the concept to empower artists to build, own, and monetize superfans through personalized apps. The real shift began when Shelton and Pigeon realized there was an enormous untapped market of 50 million content creators seeking their own platform—one that gave them full ownership of their audience and data, freeing them from reliance on third-party social media platforms and marketplaces. It quickly expanded into a fullfledged fan engagement and e-commerce framework to help artists and creators generate more money selling direct-to-fan with their own white-label official app, unlocking multiple revenue streams and data ownership, with powerful analytics and global reach with push notifications and messaging.

Owning Your Audience: What the partners call their “full-blast pivot” towards music and other content creators beyond the sports world happened in 2018, when they found that the music industry execs were much more encouraging of their vision than those they had worked with in the sports realm. They signed their first artist, rapper G Herbo, just before the pandemic hit and were encouraged when he started to blow up during lockdown, engaging his 6 million Instagram followers with a livestream performance and pre-releasing a deluxe version of his PTSD album exclusively on his dedicated MySeatpowered app. G Herbo continues to use it to cultivate one-ofa-kind unforgettable moments, exclusive offers, and experiences for loyal fans.

Features: Creators with over one million followers on social media get access to MySeat’s full-suite/full-service multimedia fan-engagement platform (multi-level revenue opportunities with rev share model). Shelton and Pigeon hope to significantly grow this segment of creators over the next two years. For artists and content creators with smaller followings, they offer a SaaS (Software as a Service) model, where the talent pays a monthly fee and keeps all revenues they make on their app/platform. Artists can sell subscriptions which offer exclusive content (music, concerts, livestreams), advanced access to merch, direct messaging, members-only chat, VIP experiences, and special discounts. In addition to exclusive music, artists can allow their fans to listen to their entire music catalogue and give subscribers access to new tracks before anyone else. Besides posting concert dates, artists can sell tickets to new types of events available exclusively through their own platform (meet and greets, virtual shows, listening parties, livestreams). They also get a comprehensive breakdown of downloads, signups, and active users.

Contact 514-999-6288

ASSIGNMENTS

Lauren "LT" Thomas

SVP, Radio Promotion Big Loud Records

Big Loud Records announced the hiring of industry veteran Lauren "LT" Thomas as SVP, Radio Promotion, effective immediately. Thomas joins Big Loud Records' radio promotion leadership team in tandem with fellow SVP, Radio Promotion, Tyler Waugh, both of whom report to EVP of Radio Promotion, Stacy Blythe. “LT's stellar reputation speaks for itself. The moment she began exploring her next opportunity, leadership at Big Loud unanimously agreed—she was a natural fit for our team,” shares EVP of Radio Promotion, Stacy Blythe. For more, contact corey@bigloud.com.

Jennifer Thayer

President of Music & Arts Guitar Center

Guitar Center has announced the appointment of Jennifer Thayer as President of Music & Arts. Music & Arts is the nation’s largest provider of band and orchestra instruments, rentals, repairs, and music lessons that serve students, families, and educators nationwide. In this role, Thayer will lead the strategic direction, operations, and continued growth of Music & Arts’ more than 250 stores. “Jennifer brings incredible passion for Music & Arts’ mission of developing young musicians and helping them thrive,” said Gabe Dalporto, CEO of Guitar Center. For more, contact pr@clynemedia.com.

Donna Freislinger Huffman

Senior Vice President of Gloval Procurement Oak View Group

Oak View Group (OVG) has announced the appointment of Donna Freislinger Huffman as Senior Vice President of Global Procurement. In this role, Huffman will lead the transformation of OVG’s procurement practices, driving alignment and establishing best-in-class processes across all categories to ensure cost savings and enhanced commercial viability. Huffman will report to Ade Patton, Chief Financial Officer and Josh Pell, President of Premium Experiences and Global Strategy at OVG. For more, contact lyoung@oakviewgroup.com.

Derek DeVeaux

Global Chief Operating Officer

Tickets For Good

Domingo Hindoyan

Richard Seaver Music Director LA Opera

LA Opera announced the appointment of conductor Domingo Hindoyan as the company's Richard Seaver Music Director. The Venezuelan-Armenian conductor will succeed LA Opera's current Music Director, James Conlon, who announced last year that he will step down from that position at the end of the 2025/26 season. "I am deeply honored to join LA Opera as its next Music Director," said Hindoyan. “It is a privilege to follow Maestro James Conlon, whose legacy has shaped LA Opera into what it is today." For more, contact mmeraz@laopera.org.

Tickets For Good has announced the appointment of Derek DeVeaux as Global Chief Operating Officer (COO). Reporting to Tickets For Good CEO Steve Rimmer, U.S.-based DeVeaux is tasked with leading key partnerships, overseeing day-to-day operations, and the platform product delivery. With more than 20 years of experience in technology and operations, he previously served as Head of Technology at Sports Business Journal and worked at AmerisourceBergen, Passport, and Citibank. He is the Founder of Chasm Analytics, a consultancy enabling scalable technology and business solutions. For more, contact tina@tinahartmedia.com.

Justin Hunter

Vice President

Avex Music Group

Avex Music Group has appointed Justin Hunter to the position of Vice President. In his new role, Hunter will support company operations, working closely with Avex Music Group CEO Brandon Silverstein and the company’s senior leadership group to guide the growing teams at Avex and S10. “Justin’s entrepreneurial drive, deep industry relationships, and experience in a number of different roles over his career make him the perfect candidate to help execute AMG’s strategy in the U.S. and beyond,” said Silverstein. “I’m thrilled to be able to offer him this important role at Avex Music Group.” For more, contact jv@spinlab.net.

Tim Bailey

Head of Label - International Frontiers Label Group

Frontiers Label Group has announced the appointment of Tim Bailey as new Head of Label - International. A respected industry executive with nearly two decades of experience across live music and recorded music, Bailey brings a proven track record of commercial success, creative leadership, and a strong commitment to artist development to the label. “I’m delighted to join the team at Frontiers,” said Bailey. “There’s a rare passion and love for the music at the heart of everything they do. It’s infectious, and I’m excited to be part of it.” For more, contact freeman@freemanpromotions.com.

Fiona Comendador

Client Manager, APAC Symphonic Distribution

Symphonic Distribution has announced that Fiona Comendador will be joining the team as Client Manager, APAC Comendador joins Symphonic after serving as Label Manager for Virgin Music Group in the Philippines since 2022. As Client Manager for the entire APAC region, she will act as the main point of contact for artists and record labels. The company has also hired a team of A&R Client Development Leads to expand their presence in Asia, including Christine Su in Greater China and Taiwan, Eleanor Phan in Vietnam, Twinky Lagdameo in Southeast Asia, and Jay Choe in South Korea and Japan. For more, contact laurie@jaybirdcom.com.

KALA SOLIDBODY 4-STRING U-BASS

Mostly known for their high-quality ukuleles, the Kala story began in 2005 in Petaluma, CA as the most recent “uke craze” gained attention. Committed to producing high-quality instruments that offer exceptional value, beautiful aesthetics, superior sound, and sturdy construction, the acoustic Kala U-Bass was introduced in 2009. Billed as a Ukulele Bass, it’s small and portable, and has proved to be a popular, great-sounding, and reliable instrument for well over a decade.

Newly released, the Kala Solidbody 4-String U-Bass is the electric complement that fills out the model line. Much smaller than a standard electric bass, the U-Bass measures a total 33.25”, which is considerably smaller than an electric bass or even an electric guitar. Tuned the same as a standard bass, the U-Bass that MC received weighed 7.3 pounds, right in between what a Les Paul and a Strat weigh and shorter than each.

The U-Bass features a simple design with passive P-style pickups and durable construction, with high-quality tonewoods throughout. The body is Okoume, a wood often compared to mahogany, but considered to possess an even warmer and fatter tone. The neck is maple and the fingerboard is laurel, which is hard and dense and similar to rosewood. The bass plays nicely, and tuners and intonation are good. It comes strung with Kala Round Wound strings, which are designed for the 23.5” scale length. Despite its smaller size, the bass feels and sounds robust and substantial. Its compact size, lightweight build, and straightforward controls make it accessible for beginners, while its playability and sound could also make it useful to experienced players looking for a portable bass option. If you close your eyes and listen to this bass, you would never know that it is not a full-sized instrument. For young players, the physicality of the size and weight of an instrument can often be daunting for beginners. The U-Bass would be a great choice for a young player to avert some of these encumbrances. Additionally, its compact size would make the U-Bass a great choice for buskers, street performers, and traveling musicians who require a reliable instrument that can withstand regular transport and handling without sacrificing tone and presence.

The U-Bass is an excellent choice for beginners, street performers, small ensembles, and anyone needing a dependable, compact, and portable electric bass instrument. Its great sound, playability, affordability, and durability make it a practical choice across different contexts and skill levels. Available in Surf Blue and Surf Green. $369 kalabrand.com

APOGEE CLEARMOUNTAIN’S NEVE 8068 CHANNEL STRIP PLUGIN

Continuing in the series of Apogee plugins designed with iconic record mixer Bob Clearmountain, his 8068 plugin is the newest addition to the Clearmountain plugin series. This plugin captures the sound of the Neve 8068 console that defined numerous hits recorded by Bob during his years at The Power Station in New York City, one of the most renowned recording studios in history. Clearmountain’s 8068 plugin emulates the harmonics, warmth, and sonic character of Bob’s personal Neve 8068 console.

As a young engineer working in New York’s music scene in the '80s, Bob used this console to craft hits including “Cuts Like a Knife” by Bryan Adams, “The River” by Bruce Springsteen, “C’est Chic” by Niles Rodgers and Chic, “Scary Monsters” by David Bowie, and “Avalon” by Roxy Music. With Clearmountain’s 8068 plugin, Apogee has meticulously modeled every detail of Bob’s personal console, preserving its character and sonics.

Unlike other Neve-inspired plugins, 8068 models the entire channel strip, not just the preamp. From the mic and line input stage to the EQ and fader module, this plugin recreates the complete signal path of Bob’s console. The channel strip promises the harmonics, frequency response, and musicality of the Neve 8068, including its fader module. With more EQ steps than the classic 1073, the 8068 EQ is inherently wide and musical and is fantastic for shaping drums, vocals, and strings. A high-Q mode offers additional precision when needed. Mic & Line Modes select between clean, detailed line-level operation, or mic mode for harmonically rich saturation. Like the original Neve 8068 console, the plugin is very easy to operate and features Bob’s own presets in all the major categories. Acoustic Guitar, Bass DI, Bass Drum, Distorted Guitar, Female Lead Vocal, Male Lead Vocal, Piano, and Snare all give you a great starting point and some insight into the master’s approach.

Musicians have, for many years, wanted to achieve the analog sound within the digital domain. Apogee and Bob Clearmountain bring you two of the most respected names in the business to achieve just that. AAX Native, AU (Mac only), VST, or VST 3 Compatible Host Application. $99 apogeedigital.com/product/clearmountains-8068

SONY WH-1000XM6 NOISE CANCELING HEADPHONES

Sony has just released the WH-1000XM6 noise canceling Bluetooth headphones. Measured as the best noise cancelation in the world, they deliver studio quality sound and feature Sony's most advanced noise canceling yet. Developed in collaboration with GRAMMY-winning mastering audio engineers at three highly respected recording studios—Sterling Sound, Battery Studios, and Coast Mastering—Sony wanted to ensure professional accuracy and a superior music experience.

The WH-1000XM6 headphones are powered by a new HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3 that is seven times faster than the previous model, WH-1000XM5, and uses 12 microphones to fine-tune sounds in real time. The precise detection of the 12 microphones allows for more accurate and adaptive noise cancellation to fit the user's environment.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones offer three immersive listening modes: Standard Mode is the default setting, “providing a clear, balanced, and dynamic sound optimized for general listening.” Background Music Mode “creates a wider soundstage, making the music sound more ambient and less intrusive, perfect for focus or work environments.” Cinema Mode “expands the soundstage, emphasizing low-end impact and high-frequency details to create a theater-like audio experience, ideal for movies and orchestral music.”

The WH-1000XM6 also features Adaptive Noise Cancelation (ANC), which automatically adjusts the noise cancelation level based on your environment. Ambient Sound Mode allows you to control how much external sound you hear, with adjustable levels and features like Quick Attention Mode and Speak-to-Chat. Adaptive Sound Control automatically switches between ANC, Ambient Mode, and ANC Off based on your activity and location.

The controls allow users to switch between the modes with tactile buttons and a touch panel. Memorizing a few commands will maximize your listening experience with the WH-1000XM6. These commands can also be accomplished with the Sony | Sound Connect free app. When listening to music, listeners can customize their sound with a 10-band EQ or create a spacious feel with Background Music Effect. Gamers can also enjoy the Game EQ. For movies on the go, the WH-1000XM6 also features a spatial sound experience called 360 Reality Audio Upmix.

Available in black, midnight blue, and platinum silver. $449 electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/headband/p/wh1000xm6-b

MOISES A.I. MUSIC APP

In the ever-advancing field of music technology, Moises has emerged as a standout tool for musicians, producers, and educators. With its A.I. Music App, Moises offers a comprehensive suite of advanced features that revolve around one central idea: giving users unprecedented control to separate existing mixed elements of any track. Whether you’re a singer looking to practice without vocals or a drummer trying to isolate grooves, Moises delivers technology that was impossible not long ago.

Moises allows users to upload any audio file—MP3, WAV, or YouTube link—and uses A.I. to separate it into individual stems: vocals, drums, bass, guitar, and more. The stem separation is fast and yields very good results. Users can then mute, solo, or remix the volume of each instrument and download the isolated tracks for further editing.

Moises includes tempo and pitch control, smart metronome syncing, chord detection, and a built-in A.I. mastering feature. Vocalists can shift keys to suit their range, while instrumentalists can slow down complex solos without affecting pitch. The app also supports looped playback and provides a “count-in” feature for practicing musicians.

Voice Studio is an incredible feature. Moises offers high quality recordings of 45 actual singers of varying style and gender and allows you to audition these different singers to replace vocals and even generate harmonies. It’s an astonishing use of A.I. technology. Moises pays the singers royalties for their use and promotes this as an ethical use of A.I.

Moises sports a clean, intuitive interface. Whether you’re on a desktop or using the mobile app, the layout is sleek and minimal, with all the key tools accessible within a few taps. For a tool with so much power under the hood, it’s clearly designed to be user-friendly.

Moises comes in different versions. The free plan restricts users to five uploads per month and limits stem separation to two parts, typically vocals and instruments. To unlock full functionality, such as advanced stem control and higher upload limits, a subscription is required. The subscription is aimed at users with higher demands.

Overall, Moises is a genuinely useful tool for practicing, remixing, and experimentation.

Free – Limited core features; Premium – Full access for the serious musician $3.33 per month; Pro – Advanced A.I. tools for creators $16.66 per month. moises.ai

MICHAEL STERN, C.A.S., is a Music Engineer based in Los Angeles. He has recorded and mixed 260 film scores including Iron Man 2, Sex And The City 1 and 2, The Notebook, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. He has also worked with the artists Strawberry Alarm Clock, Richard Marx, Kenny Loggins, Jackson Browne, Micky Dolenz, The Cowsills, Bon Jovi, Tom Jones, Chick Corea, Lisa Loeb, and Rob Morrow. He can be reached at newtoys@musicconnection.com.

BOOK STORE

501 Essential Albums of the 1980s

Edited By Gary Graff (hardcover) $40

Chick Singer

By Lorraine Devon Wilke (paperback) $19

MC contributor Graff has played an absolute blinder here, working with a long list of esteemed scribes (Cary Baker, Rob St. Mary, many more) to compile the 501 essential albums of the '80s. Naturally, with any sort of book like this, everyone will point to albums that should be in there but aren’t. That said, this is damned extensive. All the appropriate new wave, new romantic, pop, and hair metal albums from that decade are present and correct. But Graff makes sure that gospel, country, jazz, punk, hip-hop, soul, and just about everything else gets a fair shake too. Essential reading for anyone with even a passing interest in that decade.

Tearing Down the Orange Curtain

$30

ANDY CAHAN

By Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn (hardcover)

Respected journalists Jackson and Kohn dig deep into the Orange County punk rock and ska-punk scene, barely leaving a stone unturned. The likes of No Doubt, The Vandals, The Offspring, TSOL, and Social Distortion star, with SD’s Mike Ness providing a foreword. Chaos reigns and the 400-page exhaustive tome offers anecdotes a-plenty. The book “explores the trajectory of punk and ska from their humble beginnings to their peak popularity years, where their cultural impact could be felt in music around the world.” The OC might be known for being politically conservative, but the punk didn’t let anyone down.

Bobbito’s Book of B-Ball Bong Bong!

By Bobbito Garcia (hardcover) $32.95

This is interesting! Bobbito Garcia’s memoir takes a long, hard look at his life in basketball and music. A noted hip-hop radio host, Garcia spent the '90s as one half of the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR and, in 2023, the duo was inducted into the NAB Radio Hall of Fame. This book covers that journey, and so much more. It’s not just a memoir, not just a book about b-ball or hip-hop. This is an examination of culture and lifestyle, and it’s beautifully put together. Packed with amazing photos, it’s a truly special book.

Devon Wilke landed in L.A. years ago with intentions of becoming a singer-songwriter/ rock star at a level that it would provide for her future. In some ways, it didn’t work out that way. That said, her experiences during that period provided ample fuel for her latest novel, Chick Singer. It’s a novel, so it’s fiction. But Devon Wilke readily admits that it is “informed by my many years in the rock ‘n’ roll world.” There are moments of decadence, sure. But this is ultimately a much sweeter and more hopeful book than you might expect.

Richard Manuel

By Stephen T. Lewis (hardcover) $35

The tagline to this weighty volume is, “His life and music, from The Hawks and Bob Dylan to The Band.” That’s a fair synopsis. Additionally, the sleeve notes describe Manuel as a “fearless original—sweetly soulful as a vocalist and endearingly creative as a songwriter and multiinstrumentalist.” That too is utterly reasonable. Lewis’ biography explores the man’s life in great detail, taking us on a musical journey that would dance with Dylan and boogie with The Band. The author’s affection for his subject shines throughout, as does his painstaking and meticulous research. Lovely stuff, all told.

Cypress Hill: Black Sunday

By Noah Callahan-Bever and Gabriel Alvarez (paperback) $24.99

With July marking the 30th anniversary of seminal hip-hop group Cypress Hill’s multiplatinum album Black Sunday, writers CallahanBever and Alvarez take on the trio’s history in a graphic novel tribute. Cypress Hill: Black Sunday brings the album’s inception and impact to life in psychedelic hallucinations, dreamy memories, and vividly sketched-out panels in the unique styles of five different artists. For fans of Cypress Hill and strangers to the group alike, the book provides a comprehensive and digestible overview on the trio’s highs and lows that sheds light on the group’s rise to fame.

PRODUCER

Micah’s Vocal Coaching

K&K Insurance Group, Inc. kandkinsurance.com

micahsvocalcoaching.com

PRODNEY JERKINS

Punk and Gospel Choir Singer Turned Vocal Coach: Over 10 years have passed since CBS News Los Angeles proclaimed Micah’s Pro Vocals as the “Best Voice Lessons in L.A.,” and Micah Plissner is still at the top of his game, taking indie and major label singers in every genre to the next level and preparing them for major performances, tours, recording sessions, and TV and film appearances while also offering general vocal development and keeping voices in shape between touring and recording. Having started out playing punk and power-pop in L.A. bands and signing to a prominent indie label (while also singing in gospel choirs), Micah understands the journey and exactly what vocalists need to succeed in a competitive industry. Benefitting from great vocal coaches himself, and ultimately not wanting to pursue a career as an artist in the mainstream climate, he began focusing on vocal coaching after casually helping a female singer who hired him for her band. She began to sing so powerfully and develop so quickly that she was signed. Word got around and Micah opened for business in his apartment in West Hollywood—until his own quick success necessitated a move to a studio setting on Sunset.

roducer, songwriter, and musician Rodney Jerkins (A.K.A. Darkchild) launched his career when he began to learn classical piano at the age of five. In his late teens he declined several signing offers, his focus fixed on still shinier prizes. Things began to take off when he was invited to pitch ideas to Mary J. Blige when he was only 18. The two-time GRAMMY-winner has since worked with artists such as Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, and Beyoncé. He creates largely in his Orlando commercial studio and his L.A. home space.

Origin in Motorsports: Decades before K&K Insurance became a leading provider of sports, leisure, and entertainment insurance, its cofounder, Fort Wayne, IN businessman Nord Krauskopf, was a popular stock car racer. In the late '40s, the only insurance for this high-risk sport consisted of individual racers contributing to a fund that would help cover the costs in the event of an accident. Aware of a gap in the market, Krauskopf and his wife Teddi pitched a plan to Lloyd’s of London to create specialized insurance for race car drivers. Eighteen years after launching K&K Insurance for this purpose in 1952, their dedication to motorsports resulted in winning the Grand National Championship. In the '60s and '70s, they expanded into festival and fair insurance, and in the '80s took a broader approach that included sports, leisure, and event organization across the U.S. and Canada. Over the past 70+ years, K&K has also become one of the largest providers of insurance and claims resolution services for recreation, motorsports, and event organizations. Driven by their trademarked branding motto “Insuring the World’s Fun,” the company offers over 80 specialty insurance programs in numerous categories—ranging from Camps and Campgrounds, Events and Attractions, and Venues and Facilities to Instructors, Schools and Product Liability Insurance.

Artists are attracted to production for many reasons; Jerkins’ primary draw is the sense of fulfillment that artistry fosters. “I love the whole creative process,” he says. “Working on the idea of something that God puts in the air, you pull it and the next thing you know it turns into something dynamic.”

. . . lessons he’s learned as a producer and musician are:

• Imperfection is perfection. It’s ok to make mistakes. Sometimes they become the coolest thing on the record.

• Leave your ego at the door and do what you’re hired to do.

When a producer begins a collaboration with an artist, the temptation to emulate their existing work can be strong. Jerkins’ approach, however, merely begins with earlier output and then transcends it. “I want to see who they are as an artist and then I dig into who they are currently,” he says. “I try to get into their psyche, into where they might be in their life. A lot of this is gaining insight into whether an artist is coming out of a relationship or maybe going into one. Understanding that leads the direction of the song. When Whitney Houston dominated with all of her ballads, I was the one to come up with ‘It's Not Right but It's Okay,’ which was up-tempo and out of her wheelhouse.”

• The artist is ultimately the star. The music is the assistant, and the production should never overpower the song.

An Intense, Direct Approach: While he’s an amiable guy who creates a welcoming environment, when it comes to working with vocalists, he’s nononsense and super-direct in tailoring his approach to what each individual singer is doing or aspiring to achieve. As he says, “From the start, I was intense. If you’re a guy, you’d hit high C or above and girls would hit what I call a ‘Christina’ E-flat and above.” Having worked with the great icons of the music industry for the past 25 years (see client list: micahsvocalcoaching. com/clients), Micah is now bringing his experience to a younger generation of singers signed to independent and major labels. With all clients, he emphasizes the importance of vocal power and excitement, often superimposing what he once did to get attention as an artist to convey a sense of urgency. Micah helps locates the client’s strengths and weaknesses and imparts specific exercises to facilitate immediate breakthroughs. The goal is always to create habits that become cognitive and muscle memory.

Essential Operations: Staffed with experienced examiners, litigation specialists, and management personnel, K&K’s claims team offers decades of experience in the investigation and resolution of claims, providing quality claims management. The company employs more than 250 agents who perform a variety of traditional insurance company functions on behalf of the insurance companies they represent, allowing them to provide stellar service in sales, marketing, underwriting, loss control, and claims resolution. Through active involvement in industry associations, events, and conventions, its staff stays connected with current industry trends and challenges.

Jerkins’ biggest challenge came early in his career. It demonstrated wisdom and maturity when, rather than recoiling from criticism, he embraced it. “Clive Davis was Whitney Houston’s song guy,” he says. “It was my first meeting with him and I was only 17. I thought I had something special, and he just shot it down; it wasn’t even close to her level. That was humbling, especially at my age. Some people might have given up after that, but I took it as ‘I’ll come back and see you when I’m ready’ and he allowed that. Then we hit the home run.”

Come back, he did. Dramatically. “I was 18 when I was invited to play some beats for Mary J. Blige,” he says. “I arrived and there were 10 producers in the lounge waiting to play her their stuff. I’d received the call two days before and I had nothing prepared. So, I locked myself into my dad’s basement and recorded all of these ideas in one day. When I went to play her my music, she loved it so much that she sent all the other producers home. We started work on Share My World [shortly thereafter]. I have five songs on that album, all of which I’d written in that one day. That was the turning point of my career.”

Jerkins remains prolific. Last year he established his Christian division Alienz Alive—some refer to it as a label but he’s adamant that it’s far more than that—and has signed several artists to production and distribution deals. Projects on his 2025 slate include work with DJ Khaled, British singer-songwriter Raye, and a handful of others that are still in the formative stage.

The Ever-Evolving Industry: Since launching his vocal coaching business in the mid-'90s, the music industry and how artists interact with it have undergone constant changes—from social media platforms, YouTube and TikTok, to A.I., Micah says, “The metric of followers on socials now is what having a huge draw to your live show used to be. Yet the fundamentals of developing and maintaining a voice for a sustainable career in music are the same. Most singers come from nowhere and need attention to generate excitement from managers, labels, and fans. There are simply more avenues to do that now. Because young singers can go viral with posts of themselves singing original songs online, there’s less traditional production and development happening. But despite the presence of A.I. vocalists and A.I. vocal enhancements, the foundational element remains the power of human creativity. Your style, attitude, stories and persona, and how you express yourself personally on stage and in the studio are the most important things. I’m very much into helping you discover your power and personality to get results.”

Liability Insurance for Musicians: According to K&K Marketing Manager Lorena Hatfield, the company’s claims staff is well versed on the types of risks musicians face when they’re performing at an event, festival, or concert venue. If something should happen that prompts an audience member or facility owner to sue, the performers are often drawn into the lawsuit—and without insurance, they need to hire an attorney to determine liability. Whether it’s injury or property damage, with insurance coverage, K&K manages the process, reducing a musician’s stress considerably. Many facilities require this coverage in advance. There are three criteria for insuring musicians: 1) A group must have at least one member or representative who is at least 18 years old; 2) Annual gross income from the performing group’s activities cannot exceed $500,000 ($300,000 for an individual musician); and 3) No more than 30 members in a performing group. Coverage options are offered for both individual Performer’s Insurance and Entertainer and Musicians (Group) Program.

Visit instagram.com/rodneyjerkins darkchild.com, alienzalive.com

Contact scheduling@micahprovocals.com

BOB JUNIOR RELEASES NEW ALBUM FRIENDS, VOL. 2 OUT NOW VIA 777 MUSIC

After spending seven years as boy pablo’s mentor, co-writer, and drummer, Norwegian/Chilean producer Esteban Muñoz relocated to Los Angeles in 2023 to launch bob junior—a project driven by fun, collaboration, and creative freedom. Now, bob junior has released his new album, friends, vol. 2, via Norwegian tastemaker label 777 Music, bringing a fresh set of tracks and more of the infectious, genreblurring energy that defines bob junior’s approach.

THE WHITE STRIPES MARK 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF GET BEHIND ME SATAN WITH LIMITED-EDITION COMMEMORATIVE VINYL RELEASE

The White Stripes are marking the 20th anniversary of their GRAMMY® Award-winning 2005 fifth studio album, Get Behind Me Satan, with a limited-edition commemorative vinyl release. The 2LP edition features one red smoke and one clear with red and black smoke vinyl. The White Stripes were named among the inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2025 and will be officially inducted on November 8th at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

N.Y.C.’S THE THING DELIVER A DOUBLE DOSE OF TENSION AND RELEASE ON NEW SINGLES “ALIVE (THE SWORD)” AND “HOLY WATER”

One of N.Y.C.’s most vital new rock voices, The Thing, released the next two singles, “Alive (The Sword)” and “Holy Water,” off of their upcoming album. Arriving in full on August 6, the band has been releasing their self-titled third album in thematic packages of A/B-sides over the last few months. As reverent of the city's gritty past as they are hungry to reinvent it, The Thing was recorded entirely analog, self-produced, and tracked live to tape without the use of a computer.

ADDISON RAE TALKS NEW SINGLE, UPCOMING ALBUM, TIKTOK STARDOM, AND MORE ON APPLE MUSIC 1

Viral popstar Addison Rae joined Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 to celebrate her new album Addison . During the interview, Rae unpacked the meaning behind her latest single "Fame is a Gun,” dived deeper into her forthcoming album, and working with iconic artists like Charli xcx. She also reflected on her journey from TikTok stardom and navigating fame.

PRODUCER PLAYBACK

“Relationships are key. Half of success is talent, half is relationships. People often choose the person they’re most cool with rather than the most talented.” – AMADEUS

TELEGRAPHER AND DEADMAU5 LAUNCH LIMITED-EDITION SPEAKERS

SPLICE LAUNCHES PARTNERSHIP WITH ALISSIA

NEIL YOUNG COASTAL: THE SOUNDTRACK OUT NOW VIA REPRISE RECORDS WITH DEBUT OF COASTAL SOLO TOUR DOCUMENTARY FILM DIRECTED BY DARYL HANNAH

MIXING THE LINDA LINDAS LIVE WITH APOLLO X16D

ROBERT RANDOLPH, G. LOVE JOIN TWILIGHT MUSE FOR EXPLOSIVE “LIVING FOR THE CITY” LIVE COLLAB

Telegrapher has announced an exclusive partnership with iconic electronic artist deadmau5. This collaboration has resulted in a limited-edition line of deadmau5-branded speakers. The deadmau5 Edition speakers reflect the innovative spirit of both deadmau5 and Telegrapher, blending cutting-edge analog sound technology with striking visual design.

Splice has announced an exclusive partnership with GRAMMY®-nominated producer Alissia. The partnership will include a series of six curated sample collections presented as “Alissia Selects." An exclusive contest for new creators on the Splice Discord, along with a demo of Splice in

For Neil Young, music and film have always had a very long and close relationship. Coastal: The Soundtrack is a live solo recording and companion piece to the film which was shot and directed by acclaimed filmmaker, and Young’s wife, Daryl Hannah and will be distributed worldwide by Trafalgar Releasing. This personal, behind-the-scenes documentary sees Neil Young as he cruises the coast on his 2023 solo U.S. tour, giving an up-close and intimate view into the life of one of history's most iconic artists.

Genre-blending rock and funk group Twilight Muse has released their new live album, Collabs: Live at Garcia’s at The Cap, capturing a series of thrilling, high-profile guest sit-ins that redefined the band’s sound. To celebrate the announcement, the band has released the single “Living for the City,” a fiery reimagination of the Stevie Wonder classic featuring the mind-blowing synergy of Robert Randolph’s pedal steel mastery and G. Love’s raw blues harp energy.

Before hitting the road with breakout pop/punk band The Linda Lindas, FOH engineer Adam Labov took the plunge into Dante® networked audio, powered by Apollo x16D and UAD plug-ins. With a 32-input setup that includes the band, talkbacks, audience mics, and more, flexibility was key. “What I love about this rig is that I don’t have to commit to complicated dLive scenes or snapshots,” Labov explains.

SPARK OF LIFE ANNOUNCE SOPHOMORE ALBUM PLAGUED BY THE HUMAN CONDITION; THE BAND JOINED FORCES WITH FRED ARMISEN FOR A COVER OF THAT DOG’S “NEVER SAY NEVER”

KRK MONITORS PROVIDE THE PERFECT COMPOSITION FOR GRAMMY-WINNING NICOLAS RAMIREZ

THE STEVE BARDWIL BAND RELEASE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM PRODUCED BY 11-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNER

ALT BLK ERA ROCKS OUT WITH KRK CLASSIC 5 MONITORS

CLOE WILDER RELEASES IN-STUDIO PERFORMANCE VIDEO FOR “TALLAHASSEE” OFF NEW EP LIFE’S A BITCH

PEAVEY CELEBRATES 60TH ANNIVERSARY

JOE CHICCARELLI

GREENE DREAM MACHINE

Sibling alt-duo Nyrobi and Chaya Beckett-Messam, also known as ALT BLK ERA, recently wrapped their debut album Rave Immortal, which they recorded using their new KRK Classic 5 Powered Studio Monitors. The album features a captivating collection of songs with a fusion of genres, combining the raw energy of rock, the rhythmic pulse of electronica, and the haunting allure of dark pop.

Rising folk/Americana/pop artist Cloe Wilder has released a new in-studio performance video for her single “Tallahassee,” the opening track of her newest EP, Life’s A Bitch. The beautiful, stripped-down version was filmed at Sound Emporium in Nashville during Cloe’s recent cross-country tour supporting Spencer Sutherland.

Southern California post-hardcore outliers Spark of Life are set to release their long-awaited sophomore album, Plagued by The Human Condition, on May 30 via New Age Records. As part of the album’s rollout, Spark of Life have unveiled their latest single, a cover of "Never Say Never" by ‘90s cult favorites That Dog. The track features a special collaboration with longtime friend and comedian/musician Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia), who played drums on the cover.

The Steve Bardwil Band, an L.A.-based power pop group led by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Steve Bardwil, offers an escape without comparison on their 2025 full-length debut LP, Nothing But Time. With their unique talents combined, the band builds undeniable and unshakable anthems to create a soundtrack to enjoying the moment.

For GRAMMY- and Latin GRAMMY-winning producer, composer, and mixer Nicolas “Nico” Ramirez, music and sound effects have always crisscrossed as a single entity in his creative workflow. To aid in his mastery, Ramirez relies on his KRKV4 and V6 V-Series 4 Powered Studio Monitors, which he says, “are very dynamic and rich in sound, so I can always get the right vibe of the track.”

WAVES EMOTION LV1 CLASSIC CONSOLE AND EMO IEM IMMERSIVE IN-EAR SOLUTION CHOSEN FOR AUSTRALIAN ACT LIME CORDIALE’S 2025 WORLD TOUR

HIDEOUT INSTALLS AUGSPURGER MONITORS

MIX ENGINEER RICHARD FURCH AND MIXROOM DESIGNER CARL TATZ LAUNCH DOLBY ATMOS MIXMANOR

Australian indie pop-rock band Lime Cordiale has gained international recognition with albums like Permanent Vacation and 14 Steps to a Better You , and has earned multiple accolades.

Excitement is building around an upcoming and soon to be released project at The Greene Room (greeneroom.com) with producer Rex Rideout, GRAMMY-winning vocalist Ledisi Young, engineer Marc Greene, and guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. Stay tuned for more news on that soon.

Pictured L-R, studio owner and multiple award-winning mix engineer Richard Furch and NAMM TEC Award MixRoom designer Carl Tatz at Furch’s recently completed 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos MixRoom named mixManor in Los Angeles.

Peavey Electronics is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Hartley Peavey’s distinctive vision was the key that started it all in Meridian, Mississippi, and he’s the catalyst that keeps Peavey cruising ahead in the fast lane towards the future. Peavey’s unique approach helped dealers and distributors around the world build businesses and thrive with fair pricing and innovative product solutions.

The Hideout Studios in Las Vegas recently installed new custom Augspurger main monitors in their Studios A and B. Pictured are Hideout owner Kevin Churko and George Augspurger.

Studio One Pro 7.

state of the art studio in Inglewood before securing its current location in Santa Monica. Drawing on his concurrent entrepreneurial background that includes the multi-faceted ArtistAI platform, Spero has developed Tiny Room Studios into a uniquely holistic experience combining a

Directory of Recording Studios

SANTA FE STUDIOS

1 Santa Fe Studios Rd

Santa Fe, NM 87508

505-954-2400

Email: contact@santafestudios.com

Web: santafestudios.com

STEPBRIDGE STUDIOS 528 Jose St. Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-988-7051

Email: stepbridge@gmail.com

Web: stepbridge.com

Contact: Edgard Rivera

Format: Pro Tools HD, Music production, audio services for film and authors.

Basic Rate: Call for info

347-699-4429

Contact: Michael Abiuso

Email: mike@behindthecurtainsmedia.com

Web: mikeabiuso.com, behindthecurtainsmedia. com

Basic Rate: Call or email for rate

BENTLEY HOUSE STUDIOS Spanish Harlem, 10029

Email: info@bentleyhousestudios.com

Web: bentleyhousestudios.com

Basic Rate: Email for info

NEW YORK

EVAN BLAIR

825 RECORDS, INC. (STUDIO & PRODUCTION COMPANY) 8225 5th Avenue

BREWERY RECORDING STUDIO 910 Grand St. Brooklyn, NY 844-717-2739

Email: booking@breweryrecording.com Web: breweryrecording.com

Contact: Nick D’Alessandro Basic Rate: $95/hr

OSuite 335 Brooklyn, NY 11209

347-240-5417

Email: mattyamendola@825records.com

Web: 825records.com

Contact: Matty Amendola

Format: Semi-private project studio Services: Mixing & full service production

access to all the wellness features as well as co-working areas, private

Studio Specs: Tiny Room Studios’ four rooms are designed for maximum efficiency in media capture. The smallest, a podcast room, has five 6K

BRIDGE STUDIO Brooklyn, NY 332-333-4069

Email: hello@bridgerecordingstudio.com Web: bridgerecordingstudio.com

Blackmagic pro cameras and recording equipment set up to record a fully mixed podcast in one take. The main stage room is divided into a primary 25x45 space attached to a mixing room that’s approximately 2/3 size of the main room. The main stage has an Allen & Heath SQ7 digital console with 48 channels. The mixing room has a Trident 88 Series custom analog mixing board with PMC Mastering Speakers and Antelope Near Fields, new Mac computers with m4 chips, and an iso booth. The studio also has a Tama drum kit, Yamaha C7X grand piano, and a total of 12 cameras.

riginally from Toronto, songwriter, producer, and musician/ guitarist Evan Blair began his career as many do: as a teenaged tunesmith with various indie and rock outfits. He soon discovered his talent for shaping songs and bought his first piece of audio gear. His output attracted attention online and for the following five years he toured as a DJ. He’s since gone on to work with artists such as Benson Boone, Nessa Barrett, and CIL. Notably, he co-wrote and produced Boone’s 2024 “Beautiful Things,” which has earned more than two billion Spotify streams.

APPLEHEAD RECORDING STUDIOS Woodstock, NY 845-418-2370

Web: appleheadrecording.com

Email: info@appleheadrecording.com

BATTERY STUDIOS

321 W 44th Street Suite 1001 New York, NY 10036 212-833-7373

Email: donna.kloepfer@batterystudios.com Web: batterystudios.com

BRIDGE STUDIOS NY (716) 222-3002 604 Hertel Ave Buffalo, NY 14207 Web: bridgestudiosny.com

Rates: Starting at $50/hour

THE BUNKER STUDIO Brooklyn, NY 929-234-8534

Email: booking@thebunkerstudio.com Web: thebunkerstudio.com

CORNER STORE STUDIO 32 E. 23rd Street New York, NY 201-693-3413

BEHIND THE CURTAINS MEDIA 234 6th St. Ste. #5 Brooklyn, NY 11215

People are drawn to music for their own individual reasons. For Blair, the ongoing mystery is what calls to him. “You never figure it out,” he asserts. “It’s an unbelievably complex, ever-changing puzzle and a lifelong learning. Every time you feel you’re close to figuring it out or think you have the answer, you see that it’s wildly deeper than that. And because of its intersection with culture, the target moves all the time. When the stars align, it’s the most rewarding thing in the world, but as we all know, those moments are somewhat fleeting.”

Quote from Greg Spero: “Through all my years of touring, I learned that a balanced lifestyle is essential to surviving the life of a musician or industry creative. It’s not healthy to just engage in the roller coaster of recording and touring without giving any attention to overall emotional and physical wellness. Today, artists are realizing that it is possible to have a healthy, happy, well-balanced lifestyle even in the context of this chosen perpetual struggle, by integrating the three pillars of Productivity, Wellness, and Community consistently on a daily basis.”

Contact 213-537-3107.

Contact: Abe Silver Email: hello@cornerstorenyc.com Website: cornerstorenyc.com

. . . lessons he’s learned as a producer, songwriter and engineer are:

UP CLOSE

– JONATHAN WIDRAN

• Personal relationships first. All of the success I’ve had is with artists that I know well and we have a meaningful relationship.

Wolff Audio wolffaudio.com

Dani Pampuri beetronicsfx.com

In the past, Blair has observed that he made nearly every wrong decision when writing/recording Boone’s juggernaut “Beautiful Things.” Despite the many unconventional choices, few songs have ever been so well received. “There’s no right or wrong but maybe there are best practices,” he says. “Just under three minutes long, getting to the chorus as fast as possible and teasing the chorus at the beginning are examples. I have no creative allergy to any of those. I’ve learned— and attempt to practice—that songs have this life when you make them and they tell you what they want to be. It’s almost never what you want them to be or what you think they should be.”

Sound Pressure Labs soundpressurelabs.com

NRG Recording Studios nrgrecording.com

• Trust your own taste above everything else. Trends change but if you follow your own thing, they’ll come back around to you.

• You can’t get there unless you spend the hours. There’s the whole Malcolm Gladwell idea that it takes 10,000 hours to master something. I had that many by the time I was 16 [so] I think it’s more like 50.

40+ Years of Console Design: “Better Call Paul!” There’s a reason Paul Wolff riffs on the famed Emmy-nominated TV show at the top of his Wolff Audio website. For over four decades, the legendary audio innovator has been a powerful force in the industry via his revolutionary console designs “distilled to perfection” and leadership behind many influential brands, including API, Tonelux and Fix Audio Designs. While his dynamic designs have earned him a unique reputation as the mad genius in residence for the world’s top audio professionals, it’s interesting to note that Wolff began his career doing Front of House sound at The Bayou in D.C. for everyone from The Ramones, Pat Benatar and The Runaways to Stephen Grapelli and Gallagher.

Like Hearing Music for the First Time: In 2013, after years of creating commercial installations for superstars like Coldplay, Ariana Grande, and 50 Cent, Michael Way had the time and funding to pursue his ultimate goals in audio technology. Fully understanding the drawbacks to system designs and technical compatibility issues, he founded Sound Pressure Labs (SPL) as a solution. In the 12 years since the veteran musician, sound engineer, and live audio systems designer launched his revolutionarily immersive TrueSPL™ technology, he has distilled its sonic impact to four simple branding phrases—“Like hearing music for the first time,” “Most incredible sound control ever heard,” “Makes live production sound like studio-produced music,” and “We make cinema-quality music for every environment.” From 2014-16, he leased the Garberville Theatre in Humboldt County, CA to test and apply the theories that would create the programming foundation for TrueSPL™.

L.A. Mainstay For Over Three Decades: Since launching his career in the late ‘80s, veteran mixer, engineer, and producer Jay Baumgardner has worked with rock greats Papa Roach, Hoobastank, Bush, Ugly Kid Joe, and countless others—but one of his most indelible memories was making coffee for Ray Charles in his kitchen when the legendary artist was recording at Baumgardner’s popular home studio in the days before NRG Studios moved to its current location in North Hollywood. Revered as one of L.A.’s premiere recording studios since 1991, the facility has grown over the past three decades from one state-of-the-art studio to three, with Baumgardner eventually buying the building. Yet the warm, homey aesthetic that evolved from the original environment has been a core part of Baumgardner’s vision from the beginning.

It’s rarely, if ever, easy to create in the afterglow of a massive hit. Certainly, Boone’s latest song “Mystical Magical” came bundled with its own set of challenges. “We were supposed to be finishing the song,” Blair recollects, “but me, [co-writer] Jack [LaFrantz Larsen], and Benson are notorious for procrastination. We always seem to find something interesting and it’s so hard not to chase it. On the last day, we started this thing that became its genesis. As a producer, your job is often to say that it’s time to put something down when it doesn’t seem to be working. Much to Benson and Jack’s credit, they wanted to try one more thing."

The Road to Beyoncé and Cowboy Carter: While the Beyhive was all aflutter over Beyoncé at last winning the coveted Grammy for Album of The Year for her genre-busting Cowboy Carter—bringing her overall total to an all-time record 35—an entire village of songwriters, producers, and engineers celebrated as well. One of these was Dani Pampuri, a multi-talented Brazilian born engineer credited with recording ten tracks and providing engineering assistance on another. Since connecting with Beyoncé he has served as sound engineer on her album The Lion King: The Gift (the soundtrack accompanying the live-action Disney remake) and played an essential role in the live album recorded during the singer’s historic Coachella Performance. In 2009, after building a large clientele of bands and working for years in various studios in Sao Paulo (including his own C4 Studios), he (along with his brother Filipe) moved to L.A. to continue working with an artist who had caught the attention of producer Jay Baumgardner, owner of NRG Studios in North Hollywood, one of the most prestigious in L.A. After working and touring with different bands, Pampuri—also a talented drummer—set up camp and began engineering for both NRG’s clients and many others he brought in via word of mouth.

Contact Instagram @evanblairsounds

April 2025 musicconnection.com

His current and upcoming projects include work with Rosé from Korean girl group Blackpink, along with Michael Marcagi and CIL, both signed to Warner. He counts the Fender Telecaster and his recently acquired Jack White Triplecaster among his favorite instruments. Gearwise, he’s an analog devotee and the Prophet-6 synthesizer is one of his go-to pieces. He works largely from his well-ordered Encino home studio designed by Chris Owens.

A Diverse Roster of Artists: As chief engineer of NRG Recording Studios, Pampuri has worked on many independent projects in addition to high profile sessions spanning jazz to

In October 2023, he teamed with Jared Vogt of visionary startup DCAIO (digitally controlled analog) to create his latest legend in pro audio. In line with the aesthetic and commitment that has been the driving force of his earlier endeavors, the Santa Barbara, CA-based Wolff Audio’s mission is to deliver audio tools with uncompromising performance and unprecedented control to inspire audio pros at every level. Wolff says, “Jared and I have the same dream and it’s awesome to have a partner who shares my spirit of love and compassion. Everyone at this company is an audio industry veteran who is insanely into making great sound for everyone. At

Legendary Clientele: Shortly after launching, NRG cemented its place in pop/rock history by hosting the sessions for Hootie & The Blowfish’s 20-million selling Cracked Rear View. Though playfully downplaying its success due to good parking, NRG has long been a hub for indie greats and superstar artists alike—including Linkin Park, Evanescence, Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Beyonce, including sessions for her multiple GRAMMY-winning Cowboy Carter. At one point in the early 2000s, Baumgardner heard 10 songs in a row on KROQ that were recorded at his studio. Two decades on,

Hub of Entertainment and Sonic Innovation: Over the course of 200 shows and festivals purposed for R&D, proof of concept, and scalable systems applications, “Real Time Spherical Sound” was born from a hybrid digital-analogue modification, integrated with an existing Dolby Surround Sound System that was installed in the ‘80s. Way and his team of partners and engineers currently have three patents, with nine more to follow. One of these was Transmigration, a modern sound bath filled with hypnotic and healing sounds—vocal flute, trumpet, mantras, chants, spherical guitar, and saxophone

– JONATHAN WIDRAN

AES SHOW LONG BEACH 2025

Aric Steinberg

Executive Director

Sweet

Relief Musicians Fund

Years with Company: 15

Address: 2650 E. Imperial Hwy, Ste. 208, Brea, CA 92821-6135

Phone: 714-626-0447

Fax: 714-626-0473

Web: sweetrelief.org

Email: info@sweetrelief.org

Clients: Musicians, producers, engineers, and anyone else who earns at least 50 percent of their income from the music industry.

BACKGROUND

When hard times fall on those in the music industry, Sweet Relief is there to help, whether that means paying for medical bills or basic living expenses. After being involved with the nonprofit for years, Aric Steinberg was named Executive Director in 2024.

The Giving Spirit

Applications Made Easy

We ask that people show evidence of financial need. We’re not trying to put up roadblocks and make people jump through hoops, so we’ve scaled it back as far as we can. We’ll even accept applications from other orgs. Keeping in mind that sometimes people are pretty sick when they apply and not at their best, it’s not easy for them to struggle with a big, complicated application. So we try to keep it simple.

We also have a universal application that we started with Music Health Alliance, another terrific organization we partner with quite a bit. There are four or five of us in this nonprofit space that share this universal application. Plus, there’s a phone number [applicants] can call. We’ll mail out applications. We’re happy to help.

Successful Artists Can Be Broke

In 2010, two guys took over at the request of our founder, Victoria Williams—Bill Bennett and Rob Max. Rob Max was a friend of mine. I started hanging around the office and fell in love with the mission, so I started volunteering. I wrote some grant proposals and copy for the website, helping out any way I could. I learned about the plight of musicians in our country. I was moved, created a job for myself here, and I’ve never looked back.

Same Job, Different Title

Rob was the former Executive Director. He passed away in 2017. We never replaced Rob, and I sort of grew into the role. I was pretty much doing all the duties of an executive director. We formalized the title change, but I’m doing the same thing I’ve been doing for years.

Distribution Specifics

"You deserve help. Don’t let pride, stubbornness, or feeling that other people need it more stop you from reaching out.”

how their donations are spent. If somebody wants to help people with mental health care, they would donate to our mental health fund. If somebody lives in New York City and wants to help local artists, they can donate to our fund that covers New York City. We even have it separated by genre.

Another thing we do is have designated artist funds. That’s when somebody has a need greater than a one-time grant will provide for. It’s a crowdfunding type of campaign where we tap into their community and administer the funds that are raised. Some have gone on for years and that feels really good, to provide a more complete solution for an artist.

Joining Forces With Backline

We pay third parties directly. Once someone is approved for a grant, we ask, “Where do you owe money?” It covers a lot of ground, but the key criteria is being in the music industry and having a medical issue. The exception is during times of natural disaster. For example, in Asheville, [North Carolina,] we were helping a lot of folks who had floods. And we had the fires here in L.A. In those cases, we don’t require the medical [prerequisite] and will help immediately.

But in the normal course of operations, we pay third parties directly, which the donors like. They know the money they donate will not be squandered. It works out for those who are receiving the funds, too, because oftentimes they’re sick, sometimes disabled, and unable to handle their finances while they get better, so we do that for them.

Funds For Every Purpose

We have Music’s Mental Health Fund. We have The Musicians Cancer Fund. We have the elder musicians fund [Rob Max Memorial Fund for Elder Musicians]. And we have regional funds. These are for donors to have a say in

When they first started, we were looking for a way to help in the mental health space. We wanted to address it while also staying in our lane. We’re not social workers and didn’t want to add staff just to handle this one area, so we started looking for partnerships. Backline was a newer organization but we loved their mission, which is to provide case management and find therapists for people in the music business. So we partnered with them and started Music’s Mental Health Fund.

Hearing Health

Sweetwater is the largest online retailer of musical instruments. We’d been looking to do something together for a long time. The Hearing Health Fund is a cooperative effort between our orgs. We have made a big donation to cover the cost of screenings by professional audiologists. And [patients] get a pair of ear buds with their screening. They also get coaching as to what they can do to mitigate existing or prevent further damage. And then they’re eligible, depending on the screening results, for further assistance through Sweet Relief.

I had to be educated on that. That is the biggest pushback we get. “These artists should have saved their money.” Or, “They probably blew it all on drugs and sex.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. Specifically using David [Johansen] as an example, once you get sick with something like [cancer], that’s it. You can say goodbye to your savings. You need home health care. You have all kinds of expenses that aren’t covered by insurance. So he quickly racked up a lot of debt. And this is just one high-profile case. This is happening in every city across the country. You’re only covered up to this much, or you’re not covered at all for something. And to weave your way through the labyrinth of insurance claims is complicated. So it is something we have to educate about. But judging by the outpouring of support for David, I think people get it.

Putting the Fun in Fundraising

The majority of our fundraising comes from the music industry. We have a team that reaches out to artists. We have an annual benefit show at The Masonic in San Francisco. We did one in January where we honored Joan Baez. We had an incredible lineup, including Bonnie Raitt, Roseanne Cash, and Emmylou Harris. Tom Morello came out. It was an incredible show.

Sweet Relief Benefit Albums

The one we did last year was a tribute to Lowell George. This year’s is called Sweet Relief We Can Help. Sixpence None The Richer and Lucinda [Williams] are on there, Michael Penn and Aimee Mann… It’s an amazing album, and Flatiron Recordings has been a great partner for us. They’re produced by one of our board members, Sheldon Gomberg. He’s a terrifically generous person, and we’re lucky to have him.

Music (and Its Creators) Are Worth Something

Imagine your life without music. People take it for granted. You can flip on the radio or turn on Spotify and get all this music at your fingertips. But someone’s out there making that music, and we need to take care of these people.

MARK MOTHERSBAUGH’S ARTFUL EVOLUTION

Before, during, and after Devo rewired the cultural landscape, the iconic band’s prolific, polyglot leader Mark Mothersbaugh made, cataloged, and reconfigured a literal warehouse of thousands of his original paintings, drawings, collages, vernacular postcards, sonic sculptures, calligraphic notations, and a gamut of sundry visual experiments. Neatly stored away for decades, Mothersbaugh has increasingly been making his amassed treasures public—in books, prints, and gallery exhibitions. He’s got mountains of these quirky, unflinching, puntastic, intimately surreal, occasionally dark, and profoundly engaged pieces—and the material never stops evolving.

Mothersbaugh recalls that he “fell in love with printmaking in my first year at Kent State University, back in 1968.” He was active as a printmaker for about a decade before touring with Devo made the workshop-dependent practice “nearly impossible,” but in the mid-'80s he met the late great master artist printer Richard Duardo of Modern Multiples, and his obsession lived to evolve in entirely new directions.

"Why We Are Here No. 1" at MutMuz Gallery marked the first installment in a planned exhibition series exploring Mothersbaugh’s ongoing inquiry into human nature, perception, and the absurd logic of existence. Much of the work in the show originated from what he calls his Postcard Diaries—small-scale drawings and texts that he began making during Devo tours as private reflections and correspondence. “These cards were never intended for public viewing,” he explains, though many have since been exhibited. He has purportedly made over 60,000 of them—and he’s still working on it. And since Devo is about to go out on tour again, expect more.

Mothersbaugh’s recent book, Apotropaic Beatnik Graffiti (Blank Industries) is a collection of “neo-dada beatnik poetry” and postcard graffiti pieces, and the Chinatown exhibition included screenprints as well as paintings. But nothing matches the pure enchantment of Orchestrions, sound-producing sculptural instruments that do things like play the sounds of birdsong instead of musical notes. He constructed these wonders in the same space as the gallery occupies, subsequent to which he’s let other people show and curate over the years. Their July show will be a collection of photography from the mid-'90s featuring Ross Harris’ work with Beck and Elliott Smith. MutMuz Gallery, 971 Chung King Road, Chinatown, Los Angeles.

markmothersbaugh.com mutmuzgallery.com instagram.com/mutmuzgallery

Heidi Vincent

Country-pop-rock artist Heidi Vincent received a favorable New Music Critique review in these very pages a couple of months ago, and for good reason. Authentic, quirky, and eminently listenable, hers is a sound that could well have mass appeal.

It all started a long time ago, when a young Vincent was singing around her childhood home or at the houses of her grandparents. “I used to write little poems too,” Vincent says. “I’ve come a long way since those poems. I wrote my first song in 1993—I would call my mom and play a new verse or melody or lyric, and she would be so supportive. One morning in 1994, I called to show her the final revisions and my brother, who was 11 at the time, answered the phone and told me I need to talk to the ‘ambulance people.’ I found out shortly after my mom had passed away in her sleep at 42, that night. An FM Kamloops radio station gave the song some rotation that week. The song was, ironically, about losing someone. It was called ‘Missing You.’”

Music was therapy for Vincent after that. She released her first album in 2005, Happy Now, and followed it up with extraordinarily pop album Something Borrowed, Something Blue. Her most recent effort is "Criminal," “an upbeat, cinematic, and cheeky take on vengeance and healing. It’s a vibrant country pop-rock song and it’s darkly playful.”

On the subject of DIY, Vincent finds it positive to be in control of your own ‘business,’ of art. “Creative control is important—you end up being more authentic,” she says. “You maintain ownership of masters, royalties (long term earnings), and have a stronger negotiating power later—you understand what’s going on and how it works. It’s cheaper! You don’t have to pay a label/other company first before you get your income from the art you created. You don’t have to run your ideas or even your music by label/publishing co. And you learn so much which gives you lasting staying power.”

Vincent is working on new music and “Mean Jolene” (a response to Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”) is due soon.

Visit heidivincent.com for more.

THE LEGAL BEAT

BY GLENN LITWAK

MUSIC PRODUCER Darius

“Deezle” Harrison and his Drum Major Music Entertainment have sued Universal Music Group (UMG) in New York federal court for $3 million in unpaid royalties on Lil Wayne’s 2008 album Tha Carter III. UMG is the only defendant in this particular lawsuit. Harrison produced six tracks on the album including the hit “Lolli Pop.”

Harrison contends he stopped receiving the royalites from UMG in 2012 right after he settled an earlier claim with Cash Money Records. Harrison states he had a contract with Cash Money

Lil Wayne Producer Sues UMG For Unpaid Royalties

Records and is owed a four percent producer royalty rate for the songs he produced for Lil Wayne’s highly successful album.

Harrison further claims that he is entitled to a three percent producer royalty rate pursuant to another agreement he had with Cash Money Records producing for Birdman’s 2005 album Fast Money. According to Deezle’s lawyer, Christopher L. Brown: “Plaintiffs have not been paid any producer royalties associated with the YME Producer Agreement or CMR Producer Agreement for over a decade.”

Harrison was a key person involved in Tha Carter III album.

In its first week of release, the record sold over a million copies and the RIAA has certified it platinum eight times.

This is not the first time Harrison has sued Wayne’s Cash Money and Young Money (both part of UMG); he also sued them in 2011.

By way of background, Deezle had a 2004 producer deal with Cash Money Records and he produced “Weezy Baby” on Lil Wayne’s album Tha Carter II.

Deezle then signed another producer agreement with Young Money Entertainment in 2007.

According to the plaintiff, Young Money agreed to give “no less than semi-annual accounting statements reflecting all royalties accrued.” In addition, plaintiff is claiming Cash Money (Young Money’s distributor) was required to account to plaintiffs directly and at the same time, it “accounted to Young Money.” It has been reported that in 2020 Lil Wayne sold his Young Money catalog to UMG.

Consequently, plaintiffs assert Young Money, Cash Money, and UMG are all required to pay Deezle and his company the four percent producer royalty rate on Tha Carter III. Plaintiff’s complaint states:

“In a shocking, willful and intentional breach of the YME Producer Agreement… YME has failed to [account to] Harrison pursuant to the YME Producer Agreement and UMG breached the agreement by failing to report and pay royalties…”

“UMG administers the payments to producers, artists

and songwriters relating to the masters at issue and has failed to pay Plaintiffs,” the plaintiffs stated. Other artists, including Iggy Azalea, Salt-N-Pepa, and Limp Bizkit, have also alleged UMG has failed to pay them royalties.

UMG is entangled in another lawsuit filed by Drake who is signed to UMG. Drake claims UMG is liable for defamation because it released and promoted Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us.” UMG has denied Drake’s claims.

GLENN LITWAK is a veteran entertainment attorney based in Santa Monica, CA. He has represented platinum selling recording artists, Grammy winning music producers, hit songwriters, management and production companies, music publishers and independent record labels. Glenn is also a frequent speaker at music industry conferences around the country, such as South by Southwest and the Billboard Music in Film and TV Conference. Email Litwak at gtllaw59@gmail. com or visit glennlitwak.com.

NOUMENIA

Date Signed: March 2025

Label: Eclipse Records

Type of Music: Post-Groove Metal

Management: Chris Poland, Eclipse Records

Booking: Chris Poland

Publicity: Chris Poland, press@eclipserecords.com

A&R: Chris Poland

Web: facebook.com/noumeniaband

Go ahead, denigrate the current state of the music industry until you get a sore throat, but it still has the power to strike young artists with an out-of-nowhere jolt of limitless delight, hope, and optimism at a moment’s notice. Just a few months ago in Northern Italy, a band that had just formed—after encountering each other on social media— got struck by such a bolt of lightning. When we caught up with the four members of metal band Noumenia, mere weeks after they inked a deal with St. Paul, MN's Eclipse Records, they were all still shocked.

“We initially wrote songs in a totally different rock genre, when we started playing years ago,” guitarist Matteo Radaelli recalls in the band’s first-ever interview with a music journalist. “But then we met Lacuna Coil’s drummer, Richard Meiz, who [published] posts on social media saying he was looking for bands to produce.”

“It still feels like a dream—and we’re only at the beginning.”

Radaelli, lead vocalist Vivian Nigro, bassist Matteo Campagnoli, and drummer Samuele Zichi seized on the opportunity and, before they knew it, found themselves performing in front of one of their heavy-metal heroes: Richard Meiz. Maybe because they gave it their all, or because the four musicians connected with Meiz personality-wise, the first song they made with him (“Fall Apart”) “was the best song we’d ever written,” Radaelli recalls. “From there, we continued working with Richard, and he wound up producing our album.”

When Noumenia joined forces with Meiz, “We’d show him our ideas, and he’d say, ‘They’re really good—and I can work on them and make the record sound even better,’” according to Campagnoli.

Meiz clearly wasn’t BS-ing the Italian band, because once they had laid down enough material, he got in touch with his friend, Chris Poland, who happens to be the founder and president of Eclipse Records.

“Despite the band being really new on the scene, I just had to get involved because the band is already pumping out music of such extraordinary quality,” Poland says.

For his own part, drummer Zichi—the biggest metal fan in the group— was surprised at the coherence of Nomenia’s sound even though the songs are rather dense in form.

“I’m really happy with our chemistry,” Zichi notes.

As for Nigro, she chimes in with the most aptly declarative statements of the entire conversation: “It’s unreal.” – Kurt Orzeck

MADISON WATKINS

Date Signed: May 2024

Label: Provident Entertainment/Sony Music

Type of Music: Pop-Soul

Booking: madwatproductions@gmail.com

Publicity: christina.kotsamanidis@themusespr.com

A&R: Josh Schiffman

Legal: Mark H. Maxwell

Web: instagram.com/madison_watkins

For Madison Watkins, music has always been about connection— whether it's on a stage, across a church pew, or through a screen. That unwavering sense of purpose has taken her from talent shows in her native Arkansas to the national stage as an American Idol finalist, though viral TikTok campaigns (we’re talking billions of views), and now, to an exciting new chapter with Provident Entertainment/Sony Music. Watkins recently signed with the label after relocating from Los Angeles to Nashville—a move that, while unexpected for some, was a long time coming for her. “After living in L.A. for eight years, I knew there was something pulling on me,” she says. “I wanted to sing songs about my faith and really impact the world with my music.”

She was introduced to A&R rep Josh Schifmann through a friend. “We hit it off immediately,” Watkins recalls. “I told him my vision, and he said his team was looking for someone exactly like me. The rest was history.” Watkins’ debut singles for the label, “Goodbye,” “Spin,” and “You Won’t,” mark her first official entries into the faith-based music space. Written

“There’s only one you. Don’t give up. Keep growing.”

and recorded between L.A. and Nashville, the tracks carry her signature soulful vocals, now paired with a deeper lyrical focus. “These songs represent a part of me I haven’t shared before,” she explains. “They’re honest, personal, and grounded in who I am now.”

She describes her sound as evolved—still soulful, but richer in emotion and meaning. “There’s a depth to the music that I love,” she says. That depth has been shaped by her own life experiences, the people around her, and a desire to make music that does more than entertain—it uplifts.

For Watkins, the most meaningful moments come from the people who listen. “When kids or parents come up to me and tell me how my music has impacted them, it means everything,” she says, “that’s the part of this I hold onto most.”

With a new EP arriving May 16th and a full-length album slated for fall, 2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for the artist. And for those hoping to follow a similar path, she offers this: “There’s only one you. Don’t give up. Keep growing.” – Ruby Risch

N8NOFACE

Date Signed: March 2025

Label: Stones Throw Records

Type of Music: Synth-Punk

Management: Daniel Hall (Worldwide)

Booking: Nick Storch

Legal: Bryan Christner

A&R: Peanut Butter Wolf

Web: n8noface.la

Anyone who has seen N8NOFACE (pronounced Nate No Face) live won’t forget the experience in a hurry. The synth-punk provocateur (think L.A. pioneers the Screamers, but more unhinged) has mastered the ability to grab a melody and then twist it round his hairless cranium and impressive moustache, the result emerging from his tear-filled ocular cavities like a dancing Basket Case mutant. It’s a mad, unpredictable situation, and yet it all started with MySpace.

“When MySpace first started, I made really weird songs and posted them on there, being too shy to tell people it was me, constantly changing the ‘band name’ of the page,” he tells MC. “People in my city started to dig the page, making some noise among artists and bands of my city. I finally settled on the name N8NOFACE (Nathan being my real name) when I came out and revealed myself. The idea being no face or any particular sound—do what I want, which is everything.”

N8NOFACE was a fan of Stones Throw Records, long before signing on with them himself. “Being a hip-hop head who also loves different styles of music, Stones Throw was that label,” he says. “Then in L.A.,

“My limitations and lack of knowledge really created my synth-punk sound.”

finally meeting and becoming friends with Peanut Butter Wolf, getting to send him stuff from time to time and then him remixing a song of mine. The relationship was building, then I sent him the latest project produced by Chico Mann, he was like ‘Let’s do some stuff.’ I was with it.”

His latest release is “Waiting to Wait for You.” “Chico Mann produced, performed, and wrote all the music on this,” he says. “I just came up with the words and singing. I wrote the song about someone waiting for their partner to get dressed before they both step out. ‘I watched you try five outfits on, I'd wait and watch five thousand more,’ is the first line."

N8NOFACE will celebrate the Stones Throw deal with an EP this summer, and he’s hitting the road with Eyedress in July before going back into the studio to record a debut album for release in 2026. The man just won’t stay still. – Brett Callwood

BRITTANY DAVIS

Signing Date: 2021

Label: Loosegroove Records

Type of Music: Neo-Soul/Funk/Jazz

Management: Chris Mosher

Booking: Lucia Wade, International Touring Booking

Publicity: Kevin Calabro, kevin@calabromusicmedia.com

A&R: Stone Gossard

Web: brittanydavismusic.net

When you listen to singer-songwriter/keyboardist Brittany Davis’ music you can’t help but get swept up in her spiritual fervor and undeniable joy. Many of her songs are autobiographical and reflect wisdom, pain, compassion, and enlightenment. Over the span of the last few years Davis has created a stylistic arc that encompasses soul, funk, and improvisational elements that usher in a fresh and exciting direction in pop music.

Blind since birth, Davis was born in Kansas City to a broken family and relocated to Seattle to live with her grandmother after her mother was incarcerated. It’s there in the Seattle area where a fortuitous meeting with Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard led to a life-altering experience. “We didn’t really know each other, but I remember recording at his studio

“This album sort of grew under my feet. It was like putting a seed in the ground and having a tree pop up.”

doing some demos when I was 25 or 26,” recalls Davis. “It was a few years ago. But I guess he thought I had something special and he wanted to meet me. He said we should link up.”

Signing with Gossard’s Loosegroove Records, the intrepid Davis released an EP in 2022 called I Choose to Live. It was a powerful statement, born out of the morass of the COVID pandemic, where she wanted to spread songs of positivity and inspiration. That was followed by 2024’s critically acclaimed full-length album Image Issues, which further proffered her uplifting and neo-soul flavored message. The new album Black Thunder is an interesting departure in style and substance, as it took on more of an organic and jazzy approach.

“We wanted to make another album, but we didn’t know what it was gonna be,” explains Davis. “This album sort of grew under my feet. It was like putting a seed in the ground and having a tree pop up."

Black Thunder was totally created from the ground up in the studio, with the rhythm section of bassist Evan Flory-Barnes and drummer D’Vonne Lewis.

“When I get on that stage, I hope the music does to whoever whatever the music is supposed to do,” says Davis. “I am really grateful because I believe in the music and that it can heal. – Eric Harabadian

FRANCIS GOES VIRAL

87-year-old Connie Francis celebrates 1962’s “Pretty Little Baby” going viral 63 years later, now having been used in nearly 15 million TikTok lip-sync videos this year (including by Kylie Jenner) and streamed on Spotify over 20 million times. “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” made Francis the first woman to top the Billboard Hot 100.

SMP RENEWS WILSON

Building on their eight years together, GRAMMY-winner Lainey Wilson has extended global publishing with Sony Music Publishing Nashville. With multiple CMA, ACM, and People's Choice awards, the Grand Ole Opry inductee is known for "Watermelon Moonshine," "Heart Like a Truck," and multiple collabs with Cole Swindell, Jelly Roll, and HARDY.

SESAC FILM AND TV

2025’s SESAC Film and Television Awards celebrated streaming, network, and cable contributions, with honors going to Laura Karpman and Leigh Roberts (The Marvels, Mafia Spies), David Dachinger (NFL on CBS), Gabriel Mann (Modern Family), and Jason Halbert (The Kelly Clarkson Show). More at sesac.com.

Round Hill’s Scoops

Round Hill Music has acquired catalogs of Terry Shaddick (“Mystical Magic”), Linus Eklow (“Runaway (U & I),” “No Money”), Carmine Appice, the Dirty Heads, and some of Al Stewart’s masters. The latest purchases include songs “I Love It” (Icona Pop, feat. Charli XCX), “Physical” (Olivia Newton John), “Kiss Me More” (Doja Cat feat. SZA), “Do You Think I’m Sexy” (Rod Stewart), “Vacation” (Dirty Heads), and more, with a combined value estimated at over $25 million. Round Hill’s total catalog includes 200,000 copyrights, including works by George Harrison, Elvis Presley, Bruno Mars, Chaka Khan, Morgan Wallen, Bryan Adams, and more, and is valued at over $1 billion USD.

NO FAKES Appeal

Country music star and philanthropist Martina McBride appeared before the Senate to advocate for the NO FAKES Act. Testifying before the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law hearing, McBride encouraged enactment of the new legislation to protect her career and family, and to ensure honest representation of her work. YouTube Head of Music Policy Suzana Carlos, National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) Senior

HULA MASTER’S PŌPOLOHENO

Hawai’i's first Hula Master of African descent, Māhealani Uchiyama, presents Pōpoloheno: Songs Of Resilience And Joy, a project uniting her students and Hawai’i’s most prominent musicians to share and celebrate under-told stories and contributions of the Black community in Hawai‘i on the national stage.

Legal Counsel Christen Price, and Consumer Reports Director of Technology Policy Justin Brookman were also in attendance to lend their voices.

With a mandate to establish federal property rights for each person’s voice and likeness, while creating guardrails for innovation and protecting the First Amendment, the new legislation would provide recourse for victims of invasive A.I. deepfakes and voice clones. The NO FAKES Act’s growing list of supporters include 21 Savage, Billy Idol, deadmau5, Peter Frampton, Steven Tyler, Mary J. Blige, Jack Nicholson, Scarlett Johansson, RIAA’s Mitch Glazier, the Walt Disney Company, OpenAI, and many others.

ASCAP and MusiCares

In partnership with ASCAP, MusiCares provides complimentary emotional and addiction recovery support groups in a safe and supportive environment. Whether you are navigating stress and/ or anxiety around the state of the music industry, or need community and support, weekly virtual support groups are led by licensed, experienced professionals, and leaders can provide referrals to further resources, counseling, therapy, and treatment. For more information, please send a message to: musicaresrelief@ musicares.org. Details on available groups at musicares.org/get-help.

Bandcamp Supports Indies

In an initiative launched during the global pandemic to support independent artists, online music marketplace community Bandcamp has generated over $3.2 million for independent artists in just 24 hours through its latest ‘Bandcamp Friday’ (held this past May, the second in 2025). Celebrating its fifth year in 2025, the Bandcamp Friday event has already generated $140 million since its inception in 2020, with the platform waiving its share of revenue so that all proceeds from music and merchandise goes directly to artists and their labels. Even on regular days, 82 percent of Bandcamp purchases are routed directly to the artist or independent label (usually within 24-48 hours), which translates to over $1.5 billion in revenue since launching in 2008. Bandcamp Friday returns on August 1. More at bandcamp.com

Sony Renews Tencent

Sony Music Entertainment has renewed their licensing agreement

with China’s Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), whose platforms include QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music, and WeSing, with China being the fifth-largest global recorded music market. The latest multiyear agreement adds ‘360 Reality Audio’ for premium tier members (approximately 50 percent of their membership), which also includes album discounts and specialty items. The latest deal follows their initial partnership from 2021.

The SMG renewal follows Universal Music Group’s own multi-year renewal with TME in early 2024, which included Dolby Atmos and high-definition streaming. TME is looking to acquire Chinese podcasting company Ximalaya Inc. in a multibillion-dollar deal (Ximalaya’s current shareholders include Tencent Holdings, Baidu, and SME). They have also extended agreements with local labels Emperor Entertainment Group and Rock Records, adding more immersive sound to their library, as well as Dream Music Group, adding more Chinese rap. TME’s collaborations have also added Starship Entertainment and YG Entertainment (South Korean) and a Japanese ACG entertainment company to the fold.

WCS Song Contest

Running until August 1, 2025, the annual West Coast Songwriters (WCS) West Coast Song Contest is on now and is open to songwriters everywhere. Submit your original, unpublished song in Pop, Rock, Folk, Hip-Hop, Country, R&B, Latin, EDM, Americana, or ‘Other’ (with approval prior to submitting) for your chance at prizes including an acoustic guitar, a ukulele, a professionally-produced recording session, a feature performance, one-on-one mentorship, WCS memberships and features, and vocal lessons. Entries are $25 per song for WCS members and $35 for the public. Evaluation by a panel of industry professionals will be based on lyrics, melody, arrangement, and overall impact. Finalists announced August 31, 2025. See westcoastsongwriters. org/songcontest

Strata-East

Meets Mack

Vinyl aficionados and jazz lovers rejoice! Mack Avenue Music Group and Strata-East have partnered to reissue four classics on vinyl and CD, including Pharoah Sanders’ Izipho Zam (My Gifts), Charlie Rouse’s Two Is One, Charles

Toliver’s Music Inc.’s Live at Slugs,’ Vol. I & II, and Stanley Cowell’s Musa: Ancestral Streams. Vinyl has been pressed on 180-gram at RTI and mastered by Kevin Gray. Strata-East: The Legacy Begins, a digital-only anthology, has also been released and showcases catalog classics from artists including Billy Harper, Clifford Jordan, The Heath Brothers, John Hicks, etc. More at bit.ly/3FKpMX1

NYC Living Wage

New York City’s Council has approved Resolution 368, establishing city support for the federal Living Wage for Musicians Act. Sponsored by a council member coalition, the resolution calls for Congress to pass and the President to sign the Living Wage for Musicians Act. The United Musicians and Allied Workers has organized events and petitions. With streaming accounting for 84 percent of total music revenue in the United States, and paid subscriptions earning over $10 billion in 2022, artists still receive less than $0.005 per stream.

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

BMI CELEBRATES SWIMS

Receiving 2025’s BMI Pop Award

Song of the Year Award at his sold-out Radio City Music Hall show, Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” (written with Julian Bunetta, Marco “Infamous” Rodriguez, Mikky Ekko) has 92+ weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100. “Lose Control” and “The Door” were two of 50 mostperformed songs in the U.S. in 2024.

JFYM INKS BAMFORD

Independent publisher Just For You Music (JFYM) (founded by Chris GIansante) signs award-winning Canadian country artist-songwriter Gord Bamford to global publishing. Bamford has over 100 million streams, 28 Top 10s, platinum/gold certified albums, and has raised nearly $6 million for children’s causes.

AVEX SIGNS ELKAN

Avex Music Group (AMG) signs producer Elkan (Drake’s “Nokia” and Rihanna’s “Friend Of Mine”) to global publishing, launching JV publishing company Toibox. Elkan’s full catalog/futures to be published through AMG, who will sign/develop talent under Elkan, having signed Kavin Smith and Luke “Cobali” Gobrial.

AMC/AMG J-POP

Atlantic Music Group and Avex Music Group partner to release music with eightmember all-boy J-pop group ONE OR EIGHT. Hit “DSTM” made them the first J-pop group to break Mediabase Top 40 Airplay, charting in 14 countries, showcasing growing demand for Japanese music. Currently on tour, their single “365” is out now. (L-R: Neo, Mizuki, Takeru, Reia, Souma, Ryota, Tsubasa, Yuga)

DROPS

The soundtrack to the Netflix crime drama Dept. Q, composed by three-time Emmy winner Carlos Rafael Rivera, is now available on all major digital platforms. Reuniting with Academy Award-nominated director and filmmaker Scott Frank (Logan, Out of Sight), Rivera delivers a score that captures the series’ emotional depth and brooding atmosphere with inspiration drawn from Celtic punk bands like Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys. The series centers on DCI Carl Morck, a brilliant but unlikeable detective banished to a basement cold case unit where he investigates a chilling disappearance with the help of a ragtag team. Rivera’s work also includes scores for Netflix’s Godless, for which he received a Primetime Emmy, and The Queen’s Gambit, for which he won his second Primetime Emmy and first GRAMMY Award. Contact Sarah Roche at sarah@whitebearpr.com for more information.

Alternative rock artist Tracy Bonham first made her name with the breakout hit “Mother, Mother” from her 1996 debut album The Burdens of Being Upright. Since then, she’s received two GRAMMY nominations and is back with a new album, Sky Too Wide, which is out now and includes a new reimagining of “Jumping Bean,” a guitar-driven track from her 2000 album Down Here. Accompanied by a striking ballet-inspired music video, “Jumping Bean” is bold, bluesy, and embraces themes of breaking free from societal expectations of women. The video was choreographed by instructor, dancer, and choreographer Suzanne Haag. For further details, contact Willa Rudolph at willa@reybee.com.

The original soundtrack for Disney’s new live action film Lilo & Stitch is now available. It features three newly recorded songs, including “He Lei Pāpahi No Lilo a Me Stitch,” performed by Hawaiian vocalist and Kumu Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu, and “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,” performed by American Idol winner Iam Tongi, both of whom are joined by the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus. The classic “Burning Love” by Elvis Presley, who featured prominently in the original film, is performed by Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm, two young musicians born and raised on the North Shore of Oʻahu who are nephews of the GRAMMY Award-winning Bruno Mars

FLASHES OF LIGHT

(Mars produced the track). The soundtrack is complete with music by Dan Romer, who composed a score that embraced both Hawaiian instrumentation and the film’s sci-fi components. For further details, contact Sarah Roche at sarah@whitebearpr.com.

On August 16, the Sierra Madre Playhouse will be offering an unusual cinematic event that is sure to captivate audiences: a showing of the 1923 horror classic Nosferatu, which will be shown alongside the music of Radiohead’s iconic albums Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001). The haunting silent film accompanied by the alternative rock band’s beautiful, eerie soundscapes will offer viewers a brand-new experience of both the albums and the film. Designed for independent cinemas and drive-ins, Silents Synced “reimagines silent films with contemporary music, making this fusion of past and present a must-see for film and music lovers alike.” Learn more at sierramadreplayhouse.org/ event/nosferatu2025.

to Call My Lover” in a recent episode of Footnotes. The episode premiered amid the song’s viral resurgence and ahead of Jackson receiving the Icon Award at the 2025 American Music Awards in late May. The episode explored the song’s creation, highlighting its blend of two beloved samples: the guitar riff of America’s 1972 classic “Ventura Highway” and Erik Satie’s “Gymnopédie No.1.” Over two decades after the song’s initial release on Jackson’s seventh studio album All For You, the song experienced a 600 percent spike in daily streams and returned to her tour setlist in 2024. For more information, contact Greg Miller at greg@ bighassle.com.

Vevo and actress, dancer, and pop icon Janet Jackson revisited her 2001 hit “Someone

Folk duo Johnnyswim, composed of Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano-Ramirez, have provided the original music and lyrics for a new musical, One Day, which is set to premiere at The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh in 2026 as part of the theater’s 60th anniversary season. The production is based on David Nicholls’ critically acclaimed, globally bestselling novel with an adaptation written by The Lyceum’s former artistic director David Greig (The Strange Undoing of Prudencia

AVA MAYBEE RELEASES DEBUT EP ORANGE DRIVE, SHARES “COLORS RECOLORED” VIDEO

Los Angeles artist Ava Maybee has released her debut EP, Orange Drive. On it she traces the electric threads that connect people to each other. Immersed in music throughout her childhood—her father is Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers—Maybee started writing songs at 16. Whether she's spiraling into the torture of a brand-new crush or savoring the catharsis of a good clean split from an ex, Maybee thrives in chaotic vulnerability.

THE

TECHNICOLORS ANNOUNCE CAUSTIC NEW ALBUM HEAVY PULP SET FOR RELEASE ON AUGUST 29 VIA SOUNDON

American rock staple The Technicolors announced their sonically massive, brooding new album Heavy Pulp which will be released on August 29 via SoundOn. Their first album since 2021, their time away was less of a hiatus and more of a chance to create very deliberately. For as commanding and driving as the album is, the band has chosen to announce the new LP with a gentler moment, with the aptly named “Softcore.” Heavy Pulp was produced by GRAMMY-nominated Robert Adam Stevenson (Queens of the Stone Age, The Kills) and features Broncho’s Nathan Price on drums.

KYLEKELLY

RELEASES DEBUT EP A MELANCHOLIC ROMCOM

Rising pop rock heartthrob, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist kylekelly has released his debut EP a melancholic romcom, a seven-track emotional rollercoaster where vulnerability meets groove, heartbreak meets humor, and Gen Z existentialism is wrapped in irresistible hooks. Kylekelly also joined Daniel Seavey on the Second Wind World Tour through June 17.

LATEST

BANDCAMP FRIDAY GENERATES OVER $3.2 MILLION FOR INDEPENDENT ARTISTS IN JUST

24 HOURS

Bandcamp, the world’s largest online music marketplace and community, announced that its latest Bandcamp Friday, which took place on May 2nd, generated over $3.2 million for independent artists in just 24 hours. On these selected Fridays, Bandcamp waives its share of revenue, so all artist and label proceeds from music and merch sales go directly to them. While Bandcamp Friday may only last 24 hours, fans support artists on Bandcamp 24/7, 365 days a year. An average of 82 percent of every purchase is routed directly to the musician or label—typically within 24-48 hours. That kind of championing from fans has generated over $1.5 billion.

RISING STAR AIYANA-LEE DROPS “CITY OF LIES” AND TURNS HEADS IN SPIKE LEE’S HIGHEST 2 LOWEST

With a show-stopping performance in Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest and a stirring new single, “City of Lies,” on the horizon, 24-year-old Aiyana-Lee is cementing her place as one of the most magnetic new talents in music and film. Written and produced by Aiyana-Lee herself, “City of Lies” is a blistering anthem about the silencing of women in the industry, blending powerhouse vocals with razor-sharp lyrics and a Gen Z edge all her own.

JUAN WAUTERS SHARES NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO “MANEJANDO POR PANDO,” ANNOUNCES FALL U.S. TOUR DATES

Over the past few months, the Uruguayan singersongwriter and Queens legend Juan Wauters has teased his forthcoming seventh album with the charming “If It’s Not Luv” and “Dime Amiga,” both taken from MVD LUV—a love letter to his hometown of Montevideo, Uruguay, out now via Captured Tracks. The latest single from the album, “Manejando por Pando,” and its accompanying music video, pays homage to the classic songwriting style of candombe, an Afro-Uruguayan musical and dance tradition with origins in Montevideo during the eighteenth century.

RISING NEW YORK VISIONARY REMY BOND SHARES DAZZLING NEW SINGLE “MOVIESTAR”

Singer, songwriter, and creative visionary Remy Bond returns with the glitzy new single “Moviestar.” Leaning into the 20-year-old’s uncanny blend of nostalgic sound and wistful lyrics, the song arrives alongside its dazzling video, both of which include her sister, Olivia Bond. Remy seamlessly weaves together a lifelong love for nostalgia with modern sonic flourishes and lyrics, filtering it all through the unique perspective and experiences of a woman navigating young adulthood in present day.

Our 2002 cover featured singer-songwriter India.Arie (born India Arie Simpson). “I’ve sung all my life,” she said, “the guitar was the first instrument I’d played that I could sing with, and I took it to heart and got really serious with it quickly.” Singing “wasn’t about being in the spotlight,” for the artist, it was about a remarkably pure channel of self-expression and “conveying my ideas—precisely my ideals—in a song.” “The only thing I’m thinking about when I’m writing a song is getting the feeling out…Anyone can benefit from the messages in my songs, just the musical imagery of it,” she said.

In 2020, The Black Keys, smack dab in the middle of the COVID pandemic, spoke with Gary Graff about their return with Let’s Rock after a five-year break. “It’s not a prison sentence,” said Patrick Carney of the band’s hiatus, “I think that break… saved our relationship.” Of their return, Dan Auerbach shared, “We just had this wild flurry of writing songs… it was like we didn’t miss a beat.” During quarantine, Auerbach noted, “I got to catch up with some projects, which feels really good.” Their comeback included producing their own album—“It just felt like the right thing to do,” Auerbach said.

Limited back issues available to order at musicconnection.com

2020 – The Black Keys – #4

THE NEW QUEEN OF MOTOR CITY HIP-HOP

BY ADAM SEYUM

The phone rang twice before she picked up, and even through the digital static, Kash Doll's voice carried weight. There's something about Detroit voices; they cut through interference, through noise, through the BS, and hers was no exception. We had scheduled this conversation for 12 p.m. PT on a Tuesday, squeezed between studio sessions and meetings that would determine the trajectory of her expanding empire. But when she answered, there was no rush in her tone, no sense of being pulled in multiple directions. Just presence—pure and undiluted.

"How you doing?" she greeted MC, the warmth immediate but measured. It's the kind of greeting that makes you feel welcome while simultaneously letting you know that respect is earned, not given. This balance between accessibility and boundaries, between vulnerability and strength would define our entire conversation. It's also the balance that has defined her career, allowing her to navigate through an industry that chews up and spits out artists who haven't mastered the art of being open and protected.

Kash Doll doesn't just enter a room, she arrives. Over the phone, I could sense how she was direct and about her business. Though she greeted us warmly, there seemed to be quiet calculation to her presence. Friendly, but slightly guarded, her laughter came easy but brief, always followed by a thoughtful pause like she was making sure not to give too much away too quickly. If her persona on stage is bold, unfiltered confidence, her offstage demeanor is that of a woman who's been through enough to know the value of holding something back. That mix of toughness and vulnerability, poise and punchlines, gave off Detroit vibes which set the tone for our conversation.

your craft in rooms where mistakes aren't forgiven, and mediocrity isn't tolerated.

At one point during the show, she handed the spotlight to a fan she pulled from the crowd. He spit a few lines, nervous energy crackling through his voice as hundreds of eyes focused on him. Instead of clowning him or reclaiming the mic too fast, she stood back, applauded, and let him have his moment. It was one of the purest snapshots of who Kash Doll is; confident enough to share the shine, because she knows exactly how bright hers is. It was also distinctly Detroit, a city where community and competition coexist, where lifting others up doesn't diminish your own light, but amplifies it.

In conversation, that same confidence glows in dazzling waves. "I tell everybody, Detroit is who I am," she said with a mix of pride and declaration that felt less like a soundbite and more like a mission statement. Her accent slightly carried the grit of her hometown, and her words were vivid, peppered with laughter and side comments, but always with a thread of seriousness running underneath. "It's raw, it's uncut, it's fashionable, it's loud... it's just real."

"EVERYTHING WE DO, WE DO IT BIG, BUT WE ALSO DO IT REAL."

The Motor City has always been a place where dreams are forged in fire and tested against the hardest of realities. It's a city that doesn't coddle its children, but instead teaches them to build strength from struggle, to find beauty in the broken, and to understand that survival is the first step toward success. For Kash Doll, born Arkeisha Antoinette Knight, Detroit isn't just her hometown, it's her blueprint, her university, and her constant source of inspiration. Every inflection in her voice, every strategic pause in our conversation, every calculated risk in her career, can be traced back to lessons learned in the streets and neighborhoods that raised her.

Kash is no stranger to adapting. She's had to. The hip-hop world, especially for women, isn't a place that often rolls out red carpets. It's one where you learn to walk over the cracks or fall through them. It's an industry built on respect earned through bars spit and stages conquered, where authenticity isn't just appreciated, it's demanded. Yet here she is, walking tall, having carved out her own lane in a crowded field of pretenders and imitators. And after witnessing her magnetic performance on the Los Angeles leg of her The Last Doll tour, it's hard to deny: Kash Doll is gearing up for her biggest leap yet.

She dominated the Fonda Theatre stage that night, not with gimmicks nor special effects, but with presence. A mix of glamour, grit, and genuine gratitude that transformed the venue into something resembling a Detroit block party crossed with a high-fashion runway show. The crowd wasn't just watching a performance, they were witnessing a master class in charisma. She let her bars fly with raw precision, each line delivered with the kind of confidence that only comes from years of perfecting

That realness isn't something Kash tries to manufacture, it's been earned and embedded over years of grinding it out in Detroit, long before any label deal or television role entered the picture. Every bar she spits, every outfit she wears, every interview she gives carries a piece of the Motor City with it. From the flamboyant car culture that turns four wheels into rolling art installations to the DIY beauty shops that serve as community hubs where gossip flows as freely as hair products, Kash Doll isn't just repping her city, she's archiving it through her art, preserving its essence for a generation that might otherwise miss its magic.

"The hustle in Detroit is different," she explains, her voice leaning forward with intensity that made the phone feel more like a face-toface conversation. "It's that extra flamboyant side. People see the glitz, but it's backed by grind. Everything we do, we do it big, but we also do it real. There's no fake it ‘til you make it; you either got it or you don't."

That duality, style backed by struggle, glamour grounded in grit, is the foundation of her career and the secret to her authenticity. Growing up as the oldest of six kids in a household where making ends meet required creativity, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit that couldn't afford to fail, she worked early jobs to support her family: babysitting neighborhood kids, slinging pizza at Little Caesar's, and yes, even dancing in clubs where the money was fast and the nights were long. She's never shied away from that chapter of her story. If anything, she owns it, reframing it as part of her entrepreneurial evolution rather than something to be ashamed of or explained away.

"I've always been about my business," she says, her tone matter-of-fact in a way that suggests this truth was so fundamental it barely needed stating. "Even back then, I wasn't just working for fun. I had a goal. I had dreams. I knew where I was trying to go, and every dollar I made, every connection I formed, every lesson I learned was a step in that direction."

Those early dreams crystallized into action in 2014, when her remix of Tinashe's "2 On" began circulating on local radio stations and gaining traction in the digital underground that was rapidly becoming the new proving ground for emerging artists. It was her first taste of attention outside the club scene,

and it hit different. The response wasn't just positive, it was electric, sparking conversations in barbershops and beauty salons, getting spins at house parties and car shows. She knew she had something: voice, presence, a look, and most of all, a story that resonated with people who recognized their own struggles and aspirations in her lyrics.

But the climb wasn't smooth, and success didn't arrive on a silver platter accompanied by industry executives eager to make her dreams come true. "One of the moments I almost gave up was when I got stuck in a contract," she shared, her energy sobering for a moment as she recalled what was clearly a painful period. "I had a friend who told me it was a good move, but I ended up locked down for two years. Couldn't release anything. Couldn't perform certain places. It was rough, man. Really rough."

The frustration was palpable as she recalled that period, a time where her momentum stalled and her voice was silenced by legal red tape that felt more like quicksand than a temporary obstacle. For an artist whose entire identity was built on movement, on progress, on the relentless forward motion that characterized Detroit's hustle culture, being forced into stagnation was torture. But instead of crumbling under the weight of lost time and missed opportunities, she used the forced break to regroup, to study the industry that had temporarily trapped her, and to emerge smarter, stronger, and more determined than ever.

"Most of the time, I don't feel like quitting because I really enjoy what I do," she said, her voice regaining its earlier warmth and energy. "It's always fun for me, making music, performing, seeing my fans light up when they hear something that speaks to them. That love is what keeps me going, even when the business side tries to wear you down."

now," she acknowledged, crediting the women who came before her and the ones rising alongside her. "It's not surprising anymore to see women doing their thing, controlling their narratives, building their empires. And I love that. I love seeing all the girls winning because when one of us wins, we all win."

Despite the increased competition and the crowded field of talented women in hip-hop, Kash's voice cuts through the crowd with clarity. Her delivery is distinct: polished but raw, smooth but biting, commercial but uncompromisingly real. "My sound is authentic," she said plainly, as if stating the most obvious fact in the world. "It's me, no filter, no gimmicks, no trying to be someone else's version of what a female rapper should be."

During our conversation, it felt like Kash moved seamlessly between calculated precision and creative impulse, between the businesswoman who reads contracts and the artist who lets inspiration guide her pen. "Sometimes I hear a beat and I just know what I wanna rap about," she said. "The story comes immediately, like it was waiting for that particular sound to bring it out. Other times I'm just vibing out, letting the melody take me where it wants to go, seeing what comes up. Both approaches work for me because they're both honest to who I am in that moment."

"EVERY OUTFIT, EVERY PHOTO, EVERY APPEARANCE, IT'S HOW I FEEL AT THAT MOMENT."

And the payoff? It came in a moment worthy of any comeup story, the kind of scene that movies are made of. In 2016, when Drake brought her onstage during his Summer Sixteen tour stop in Detroit. The Joe Louis Arena crowd erupted as she stepped into the spotlight, thousands of voices rising in recognition and celebration. "That was crazy," she remembered, and I could hear her smiling through the phone. "Two years after I started taking music seriously, and I'm on stage with Drake in my own city? That was a real moment for me. That was when I knew this wasn't just a dream anymore, it was actually happening."

Moments like that don't happen by accident. They happen to people who've put in the invisible hours, who've perfected their craft in empty rooms and crowded clubs, who've built relationships and maintained authenticity when it would have been easier to compromise. And in an industry that often pits women against each other, creating artificial competition where collaboration should exist, Kash has managed to carve out her lane without mimicking anyone else's formula or stepping on other women to elevate herself.

"Male rappers can say or do whatever, and when women do it, we get called ratchet or nasty," she said, addressing the double standards that continue to plague hip-hop despite decades of evolution. "We have to look flawless all the time. Hair done, makeup done, outfit coordinated. Men can throw on a t-shirt and go perform, and nobody questions their professionalism or their artistry."

But she's not bitter, just observant; a crucial distinction that speaks to her maturity and strategic thinking. "It's more open

When I asked about her studio setup and recording process, she grinned and waved it off with a laugh that suggested technical details weren't nearly as important as the magic that happens when inspiration strikes: "I'ma text that to you." Even when she withholds information, she does it with charm and humor that makes you feel like you're in on the joke rather than being shut out of the conversation.

She's not one to chase features for clout either, a rarity in an industry where collaboration often feels more strategic than organic. "If I don't like a song, I won't hop on it just because it might be good for my career," she said. "I gotta love the vibe, connect with the energy, feel like I have something meaningful to add. Otherwise, what's the point?"

Her dream collaborations speak to a broader artistic palette and an ear for talent that extends beyond obvious commercial choices: Rihanna, H.E.R., Mariah the Scientist, and Cardi B. "I just started listening to Mariah, and I really like her," she said, her voice carrying the excitement of discovering new music. "Her vibe is different. It's moody but beautiful, vulnerable but strong. That's the kind of energy I want to work with."

But Kash's artistry isn't limited to the booth or the stage. Her sense of style is its own form of storytelling, a visual language that communicates aspects of her personality and artistry that even her lyrics can't fully capture. "It's not how I tell my story, it is my story," she said, her voice taking on an intensity that suggested we were getting closer to something fundamental about her identity. "Every outfit, every photo, every appearance, it's how I feel at that moment, what I want to project, who I am on that particular day."

Whether draped in streetwear that pays homage to Detroit's hip-hop heritage or dressed in couture that would fit seamlessly on a red carpet, Kash wears everything like it was made specifically for her. But fashion, like music, has always been more than aesthetics for her. It's branding, it's identity, it's legacy, a way of controlling her narrative in an industry that often tries to box artists into predetermined categories.

"It came naturally to me," she said. "I didn't sit down and say, 'I'm gonna be a brand.' I just was myself, stayed true to my tastes and my vision, and that became my brand. People

connect with authenticity, especially in a world where so much feels manufactured."

Beneath all the flyness and stage presence, there's depth and hard-earned wisdom etched between her bars and woven through her interviews. Her lyrics often pull from real-life lessons: relationships that taught her about loyalty and betrayal, experiences that showed her the difference between selfconfidence and self-worth, moments of vulnerability that proved strength comes from acknowledging your struggles rather than pretending they don't exist.

"I want people to say, 'Kash Doll was fly, real, and Detroit,'" she said when I asked about her legacy. "But also that I had something to say in my music, that I wasn't just rapping to hear myself talk. I want my words to mean something, to help someone, to make people think or feel or move differently."

In a digital world defined by noise, constant connectivity, and the pressure to always be "on," Kash prioritizes mental clarity and emotional boundaries with the discipline of someone who's learned these lessons the hard way. "Protecting my peace means not allowing negativity in my circle," she said. "I focus on what makes me happy, what feeds my soul, what moves me closer to my goals. You can't avoid the negative completely, it's everywhere, but how you respond to it, how much power you give it, that's where your control is."

Over time, she's learned to run her career like a CEO rather than just an artist, understanding that talent alone isn't enough to sustain long-term success in an industry that can feel like it's as much about business acumen as creative ability. "Spending habits, taking things personally, poor time management, I had to grow past all of that," she admitted with the candor of someone secure enough to acknowledge her evolution. "Now, I think things through more carefully. I ask more questions. I read the fine print. Lawyers are involved in every major decision. I've learned to handle my business the right way."

That business-minded approach is guiding her next era, one that expands beyond music into territories that will allow her to build generational wealth and influence. In 2025, she's set to unveil a new television project, though she remains characteristically tight-lipped about details that could spoil the surprise. "It's hush-hush right now," she said, and I could hear her smiling through the mystery. "But it's coming, and it's gonna

Quick Facts

• Kash Doll was born and raised in Detroit, MI.

• Her full name is Arkeisha Antoinette Knight.

• At a young age, she held various jobs; including working at Little Caesar's and as an exotic dancer, to support her family.

• She gained recognition in 2014 with her remix of Tinashe's "2 On."

• Kash Doll is known for her entrepreneurial ventures, including beauty bars and fashion lines.

• Signed to MNRK Music Group, she's the artist behind hits like "For Everybody" and "Ice Me Out."

be special. I'm dropping new products, too. Some real exciting stuff that I think people are gonna love."

Motherhood, too, has redefined her commitment and sharpened her focus in ways that surprise even her. "It changes your perspective completely," she said. "You move differently, with more purpose, because you're not just thinking about yourself anymore. But it hasn't slowed me down, if anything, I'm more focused, more driven, because I'm building something for my child to be proud of."

So what does the next level look like for Kash Doll? More music that pushes boundaries while staying true to her Detroit roots, more business ventures that leverage her brand and expand her influence, more strategic moves made on her own terms with her own team calling the shots.

"I'm not just chasing success," she said as our conversation wound down, her voice carrying the quiet confidence of someone who's already won battles most people never even realize they're fighting. "I own it. I define it. I control it."

Kash Doll isn't interested in fitting into anyone's mold or following someone else's blueprint for what a successful female rapper should look like, sound like, or aspire to become. She's carving out a kingdom from Detroit concrete and goldtrimmed dreams, building an empire that honors her past while securing her future. In an era of copycats and curated facades, manufactured personas and algorithmic artistry, she's the rare original; not waiting for a seat at the table because she's too busy building the whole damn house.

As our call ended and the line went quiet, we were left with the distinct impression that we'd just spent time with someone who understands something fundamental about success that eludes many of her peers: it's not enough to be talented, or even to be authentic. You have to be strategic. You have to be patient. You have to be willing to evolve without losing yourself, to adapt without compromising your core values, to play the game without letting the game play you.

Kash Doll has mastered that balance, and as she prepares for her next chapter, one thing is certain: Detroit raised her right, and she's about to show the world exactly what that means.

Follow her on social media: @kashdoll – TikTok, Instagram, X, Snapchat: IAM_KASHDOLL

When the groovy go-go ghouldance to “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps in Tim Burton’s Wednesday went viral, it wasn’t just another mindless TikTok trend.

The meme-worthy 2022 Netflix moment was vindication for dark music’s power to move and amuse the masses, even decades after it first made an impact.

Psychobilly, dark new wave, industrial, death rock, and gloomy post-punk are all sonically different, but they share similarly moody aesthetics that never seem to die—in spite of the deathly references. And while music placement in film and streaming has become a new mode of discovery for what many these days generalize as “goth,” a new generation is connecting with it in organic ways too.

Based in Los Angeles, Cleopatra Records has been a major player and promoter of the subculture since 1992, releasing merch, books, and music from the darkside for a consistently enthused, evolving consumer base.

Founder Brian Perera has come a long way, too. From selling licensed band tees and club wear to releasing and licensing albums from legends like Motörhead, Rozz Williams (Christian Death), and Andi Sex Gang (Sex Gang Children), as well as later era doomers like Nosferatu, Rosetta Stone, Leæther Strip, and The Electric Hellfire Club.

His latest signee, Warfield—the new project from She Wants Revenge singer Justin Warfield—feels like a natural fit and it’s set to bridge the gothic gap, referencing unexpected genres in the process.

Rooted in the dramatic output of L.A.’s early death rock scene, Warfield the band brings the past into the present. If SWR were inspired by '80s U.K. dark wave, heavy on synthetic beats and dance floor seductions, the new project has more fleshed out alternative rock proclivities. Still, the singer, who’s released two videos and a couple of EPs under the name Deathrock Devotionals, Vol. 1 with Cleopatra this year, says it’s coming from the same enigmatic place.

“I think what's interesting about dark music is the differentiating that happens,” Warfield says. “I went down a kind of K-hole last night on TikTok, looking at some creators who were talking about the gatekeeping of goth versus dark wave… But when you're of a certain age there is no delineation between being into Clan of Xymox or X-Mal Deutschland, or you know, B-Movie. For me, I was

a club kid and if I heard Marc Almond singing ‘Sex Dwarf,’ I was just as turned on by that as I was transgressive, super progressive, funky, and weird songs like ‘Two Tribes’ and ‘Relax’ by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, or even ‘How Soon is Now?’ by The Smiths or ‘A Forest’ by The Cure."

“Bands like Duran Duran were the gateway drugs that led me to something harder and darker,” Warfield continues.

“I heard ‘Girls on Film,’ and I heard ‘The Chauffeur,’ and I became obsessed with the lyricism, the romanticism, the wish fulfillment, the synthesizers. They were life-changing and essential for me. And there's 100 bands in between, whether it be Berlin or Missing Persons. I connected the dots to the sounds I was hearing coming out of the U.K. Later I would learn about Daniel Miller and The Normal and Kraftwerk. We don't always start with the deepest, darkest, coolest, most indie shit.”

Today, goth fans can start anywhere in their listening journeys. It’s almost hard to remember, but pre-internet, music discovery only occurred via friends or family, in the clubs, on radio, on MTV (many of us will never forget 120 Minutes), and via journalists in magazines like this one. It was an exciting, word of mouth musical existence where the true tastemakers made a difference not only in record stores, but in how we dressed and what posters we put on our walls. Perera and Cleopatra were in the thick of it.

“In the beginning I was really into Motörhead and The Damned,” Perera, who got his start selling stickers outside of concerts, shares. “There’s always been a thrill and an attraction to dark stuff. The chilling and kind of scary imagery complemented the sounds. In the beginning, upside down crosses, pentagrams, witchcraft, horror… even if you never delved into that stuff, it was intriguing.”

Many point to U.K. punkers The Damned as early inspirations. Incorporating spooky cinematic atmospherics into their '80s output, they served to open up the floodgates that David Bowie and Bauhaus cracked with charismatic personas like Ziggy Stardust and haunting tunes like the 1979 classic, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” respectively. Lead singer Dave Vanian once told me that his love of Old Hollywood movies like Dracula was a big influence on him, but the grandeur soon evolved into gloom and angst, expressed in a mesmerizing new way by seminal acts like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy and Death Cult.

The Damned’s 1996 comeback album, Not of This Earth, was a Cleopatra release.

Cleopatra built an avid following with fans of the above, releasing back catalogs, compilations, tributes, and new music by all of them from the beginning.

“Dark music never really saturated the mainstream,” Perera says. “It's always been a side piece of culture and music. It's always there, but it's not like it's everywhere. And I think that's what keeps it special. We love working with old and new projects, like Justin’s… I think he definitely nails it and it sounds really authentic. It takes you back to that early sound, when you first heard those chilling Siouxsie songs or Christian Death, but with a modern, uplifting production that hits you in the face.”

The Cruel World Festival, which takes place at Pasadena, California’s Rose Bowl in May, has been attracting fans of dark music for the past four years, proving its enduring multi-generational popularity.

Bauhaus and Morrisey headlined the first fest in 2022, followed by Siouxsie and Iggy Pop in 2023, Duran Duran and Ministry in 2024, and New Order and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds earlier this year.

The anti-Coachella, as some dub it, is sort of like Cleopatra’s catalog come to life, serving to solidify the styles and sounds that captivated so many in the '80s and '90s and prove that it’s more than a novelty. There have been many memorable moments at the fest over the last four years, from Bauhaus performing under a “Blood Moon” to lightning strikes before Siouxsie’s set, forcing her to

reschedule the headlining performance the next evening, which was magnificent.

When Ministry revisited music from their Wax Trax! era—which leader Al Jourgensen had previously vowed to never perform— at the festival in 2024, it was pivotal. As Perera tells it, there’s more to come for fans. Cleopatra Records has owned the rights to the Wax Trax! recordings from 1980-1997 since 2014, and in October of last year, he signed a new deal with Jourgensen for what is being touted as the band’s final album ever. So far, it seems like the industrial icon is open to exploring all of his musical incarnations.

Similarly, Warfield isn’t closing the door on She Wants Revenge as he tries something new. SWR played this year’s Cruel World for an adoring crowd and even played some new material. But the native Angeleno seems excited to move forward, too. After touring Europe and the U.K. this past Summer, he’s writing new songs for the November release.

If the singles “All the Fun (Kiss Kiss Kiss)” and “Jet Plane” are any indication of his new direction, expect infectious instrumentation and high energy delivery that organically pushes his sound, which is nothing new for the musician.

Starting out as a hip-hop artist, Warfield released a well-received solo debut, My Field Trip to Planet 9, via Reprise/ Warner Bros. records in 1993, evolving into the Justin Warfield Supernaut, also via Reprise, two years later. He was always a fan of hip-hop just as much as new wave and rock, but he looks back at that period of experimentation, “like you look at pimply middle school photos in your old yearbook.”

His next project, One Inch Punch, incorporated new elements, but it wasn’t until he joined Tape (featuring members of his favorite L.A. rock band at the time called Plexi) that he started to flesh out his diverse inspirations into something evocative and somewhat dark. That path continued with collaborator Adam Bravin.

“When Adam and I sat down to make music together, we didn't say, let's start a band,” Warfield says. “At first it was just songs for other people, like hip-hop producers, and then he did a track for our friend, Kenna, and I was like, ‘this is great. I want to do something like this.’ I said, ‘I want it.’”

Kenna, who later worked with Chad Hugo of the Neptunes and toured with Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, recognized the alchemy the pair were creating and offered his support for what would become She Wants Revenge.

Two decades later, Warfield is reflective as he moves toward more riff-driven L.A. death rock styles, nodding to innovators

like Christian Death and Wall of Voodoo, a perfect fit for Cleopatra. In addition to back catalog acquisitions, compilations, and publishing books—including a new Bauhaus book featuring rare photos from photographer Brian Shanley and words by bassist David J Haskins— Perera is always on the hunt for the next generation of music-makers in all genres, though he does seem to gravitate towards more menacing aesthetics.

He points to new Cleopatra artists Kap Bambino (French electro duo Orion Bouvier and Caroline Martial) as examples of younger creators who make compelling sounds while conjuring creepy vibes, with “very synthy yet punk music and dark lyrics.”

Perera has also gone back to his old formula of inviting new artists to be on tribute records. Bambino opens up his recent release, Spellbound - A Tribute to Siouxsie and the Banshees, with a unique cover of the classic “Hong Kong Garden.” The album comes in purple vinyl and it’s a treasure for collectors.

While the music industry continues to evolve, and frankly struggles to keep

its footing in a world dominated by streaming services and social media, Perera’s long-held attention to detail and whimsical packaging continue to be appreciated, especially by the goth community. His beautiful box sets grace bookshelves and coffee tables still to this day, and though CDs are nearly obsolete, filling the niche with special features and art continues to help his company thrive.

Warfield’s upcoming full-length, expected in November, is primed to be a huge part of the catalog. Just as The Cramps saw a sudden surge in listens and downloads after Burton’s Addams Family offshoot, so did She Wants Revenge when Ryan Murphy not only named an episode after the band, but featured their hit, “Tear You Apart,” in Lady Gaga’s opening scene as a voracious vampire in his hit anthology American Horror Story.

The only question now is, who will be the first to use Warfield’s “All the Fun” in a movie or show that makes kids want to Shazam it and dive in? Technology isn’t the death knell for underground dark music, it’s what will keep it alive. The discovery and the devices might be different, but Perera and Warfield know that its innate appeal is not.

“It’s the same reason that John Hughes movies still resonate so much—everybody remembers your first love, your first crush, your first heartbreak… Dark music, new wave, and goth is much easier to connect to for this reason. When I think about bands like Bauhaus, Joy Division, The Smiths, Placebo, Depeche Mode and later Boy Harsher, Drab Majesty, Twin Tribes, Light Asylum—groups on the undercard at Cruel World, we're all just following a trajectory, communicating honest emotions, whether it's sadness, anger, rage, longing, or lust. There's always people who have these feelings inside and need to express them on the outside, whether it be with clothes and makeup, dance, or music. That's why goth is forever.”

Visit cleorecs.com for more info.

EarthQuaker Devices Ghost Echo V3

In a market flooded with do-it-all reverbs and algorithm-heavy ambient units, EarthQuaker Devices (EQD) continues to refine its niche— offering original design effect pedals that prioritize texture, nuance, and analog feel. The Ghost Echo V3, the latest iteration of one of EQD’s cult-favorite reverbs, doubles down on this ethos. Rather than chase realism or spatial accuracy, it offers an organically voiced reverb engine steeped in vintage flavor and expressive responsiveness.

Sonically, the EQD Ghost Echo V3 is not attempting to model a specific environment or reproduce studio rack fidelity. It’s designed to evoke the splash and sag of vintage spring tanks, early tape delay reflections, and lesser known outboard gear from the predigital era. While the core algorithm remains digital from the previous versions, EarthQuaker’s all analog signal path keeps analog warmth and dynamics intact/lost in digital reverb pedals. It’s a pedal that plays more like an instrument than a utility.

The control set remains unchanged from previous versions—Attack, Dwell, and Depth. The EQD Ghost Echo V3 introduces improved op-amps and preamp tuning that result in a warmer tone, increased reverb headroom, and notably quieter performance. The pedal sits better in a mix and enhances rather than conflicts with drive pedals or modulation in your chain. The V3 also benefits from updated relay-based true bypass switching which helps with seamless transitions in live performance.

Unlike a lot of digital reverb pedals that require a lot of time to dial in the desired effect, the EQD Ghost Echo retains its minimal control layout from the previous versions with just three controls: Attack, Dwell, and Depth. Its “what you see set is what you get” control layout makes it a great choice for live performances where menu diving and more sophisticated digital architecture is not so easy to get to in a live performance context.

The Attack control governs predelay time, ranging from 30ms to approximately 150ms. This control allows players to define the onset of the reverb relative to the dry signal, from tight, slapback-like transients to delayed ambient swells that bloom behind the note. It’s a deceptively powerful parameter that shapes the Ghost Echo’s core identity. At shorter settings, it mimics the fast reflection response of vintage spring units; at longer settings, it opens up spacious, almost dub-like echo zones.

yield increasingly dense and modulated trails. Though not pitched as a shimmer or modulation pedal, the high dwell settings can introduce subtle swirling movement—especially with certain modulation or fuzz units preceding it. Unlike many ambient pedals, however, the Ghost Echo retains its transient definition even at long decay times, making it surprisingly mixable in both live and studio environments.

Echo V3 has improved dynamic response and lower self-noise than its predecessors. The updated buffer architecture on the Ghost Echo V3 ensures more consistent performance in both front-of-amp and FX loop applications, while the silent relay switching makes it a great choice for studio use. The pedal’s all-analog signal path maintains full-range response and interacts well with both passive and active pickups. It performs particularly well with single-coil instruments, where its reverb trails seem to breathe in sync with your playing dynamics.

In a live context, the Ghost Echo V3 is designed to be pedalboard friendly. When placed early in the signal chain, before overdrive or fuzz, it produces swampy, harmonically rich reflections that are especially effective for roots, Americana, or surf-adjacent styles. The pedal remains articulate and responsive, avoiding the smeared, synthetic quality that plagues many digital reverb units when pushed in front of distortion. When placed in an effects loop, the reverb sits further back in the stereo field, with greater separation between the dry attack and the ambient tail, ideal for players looking for reverb that enhances without overtaking.

In the studio, the Ghost Echo is great to use as a tone-shaping tool across multiple input sources. It works great on guitar but can also add grainy, lo-fi dimension to synths, drums, and vocals. The Ghost Echo’s reverb character is inherently colored and slightly dark, giving it an analog tape aesthetic that’s well-suited to vintage-themed productions. Selfoscillation at high dwell settings creates evolving, unpredictable textures that respond to dynamics and can be manipulated in real time and is particularly effective when paired with a looper or granular delay.

What distinguishes the Ghost Echo V3 from other ambient reverbs is its immediacy and feel. There’s no menu diving, no multi-algorithm switching— just tactile controls that directly affect how the reverb interacts with your playing.

At $199 street, the Ghost Echo V3 is competitively priced and a no brainer addition to your favorite pedal board.

The Dwell control determines the decay time, dictating how long the reverb persists. Lower settings offer the short tail of a small spring tank or room, while higher values

The Depth control determines the wet/dry balance, and its sweep is musical throughout the entire range. With the control at noon, the effect is subtle, adding just enough spatial bloom to enhance clean phrases without dominating them. Pushing it past 2 o’clock introduces a pronounced ghost-trail that begins to saturate and soften the attack envelope—ideal for ambient textures or atmospheric overdubs.

From a circuit design standpoint, the Ghost

In short, EarthQuaker Devices Ghost Echo V3 delivers rich, vibe-laden reverb that invites exploration rather than perfection. A sound choice for studio musicians and producers looking for alternative coloration and a compelling choice to add experimental and ambient textures.

The EarthQuaker Devices Ghost Echo V3 is available now for $199. Find out more at earthquakerdevices.com/ghost-echo

Sub Pop Affiliate Share It Music Revels In Community Building, Not Profits

The new permutation of DIY that’s surging among those who believe in the punk rock philosophy is creating a primordial soup from which young music fans are fishing out some wicked cool new business models. No better example can be found than Share It Music, a nonprofit record label that partners with Sub Pop Records to give artists a whole new way to explore their creative and financial pursuits.

“I’d always had a goal of doing my own record label, and having it be a nonprofit,” said President/Founder Cayle Sharratt, who concurrently heads up Business and Legal Affairs for Sub Pop. “Sub Pop was supersupportive with both distribution and making the first donation to get it up and running. They support so many community organizations— it wasn’t a big leap for them, but it was very generous, they took a chance, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without their help.”

The Washington State native cut the ribbon on his project in February 2018 after interning at Sub Pop to cultivate his skills in the music biz. Now, Share It Music is barging into 2025 with two prized full-lengths: Disconnected by red-hot melodic punks the Unfit and April’s We’ve Got It All by Cumulus, a delightful poppunk band featuring Alexandra Lockhart and William Cremin.

As humble a music industry executive if there ever was one, the eminently genteel and likable Sharratt doesn’t just credit Sub Pop with helping him realize his dream, he also name-checks Hopeless Records as inspiring his business model. Specifically, he was taken by their side label, Sub City Records, which started in 1999 to raise money and awareness about various nonprofits.

“They had voter registration [booths at concerts] and brought music together with social causes and community organizations that are important,” Sharratt reflected. “That was meaningful and inspiring to me, and I wanted to replicate it.”

When asked to elaborate on the value of record labels collaborating with community

organizations, he added: “Support[ing] the causes in your community that are important to you and that are providing services to people in need are super-important [causes] to me. The mission of the label is to show people the deeper purpose of music, which is to bring people together.”

To that end, Share It Music’s financial arrangement with its artists is as follows: The band gets 50 percent of the proceeds from sales, the label gets 25 percent, and the other quarter goes to a nonprofit organization of the band’s choice.

Share It Music’s main man further expanded that Sub Pop funnels proceeds to Share It after taking a distribution fee. The arrangement also includes licensing services, which has helped the label get some placements in movies and TV shows.

“Sub Pop allows us to piggyback on their non-commercial and college-radio services in the U.S.,” Sharratt noted.

The label also fulfills Share It’s Bandcamp orders by packaging, receiving, and sending them to customers through their warehouse.

Still, at the end of the day, Share It Music is effectively a one-man operation.

“I do the contracts with bands,” Sharratt said. “I ingest the assets, photos, and metadata. And the bookkeeping … you know, the nitty-gritty.”

The expression “don’t sweat the small stuff” notwithstanding, Sharratt apparently doesn’t mind taking on micro duties. Still, he knows his limits, and those of Share It Music.

“When I first started [the label], I put out one or two releases a year,” he reflected. “I tried to build a roster while still learning as I was going along. Last year was a really busy year for us, and this year looks like it’s going to be busy too. So, over the past two years, I’ve been really mindful about not overworking myself or overcommitting myself.”

Last year saw the release of Mega Cat’s self-titled LP and Ultramegacat EP, the Unfits Disconnected EP, Kukita’s The First EP, Instant Crush’s I’m Sorry I Didn’t Bite My Tongue LP, as

well as singles by five artists.

“It’s not like we’re dealing with a lot of money,” Sharratt stipulated. “We certainly are putting money into the releases when we’re making a vinyl product or if we’re hiring for publicity.”

He also identifies a metaphorical partition of sorts that stands between Sub Pop and Share It Music, at least as far as his job duties are concerned.

“When I do the nonprofit label stuff, it’s a night after the kids go to bed, on the weekends or when I can reasonably fit it in,” Sharratt shared.

He points out that Share It Music’s nonprofit status has its advantages, even if he’s not allowed to make money off the label.

“It’s just a lot more simple, to be honest, to have the operation be at the scale and size it’s at,” he said. “I’d love to grow it into a fulltime job, but that comes with a lot more risk, and requirements and obligations as far as [financial] reporting [to the government] goes. I don’t want it to grow bigger than I’d have time to put into it.”

With that said, nonprofit organizations of every stripe are facing a new, unexpected threat in President Donald Trump’s broad-scale attack on nonprofits at large that threatens to rescind their nonprofit status. Sharratt discloses that Share It Music receives private donations from other entities beyond Sub Pop.

“I keep an eye on that sort of stuff but don’t necessarily feel threatened [by the Trump Administration] because my project is so small that it’s not going to be on the radar of getting cuts,” Sharratt opined. “I don’t get any sort of government funding, so my income isn’t affected by permanent cut-offs from nonprofit funding. But it’s a scary time, and there is worry.”

Still, Sharratt isn’t one to look at the glass as half empty. He sees opportunity even during these dire times.

“Especially now, you want to support people that are starting out and trying new things creatively,” he suggested.

For more, visit shareitmusic.org.

Blue Monkey Discusses Creative Freedom

Ithink artistry, like life, has unique, cyclical timing. We are constantly coming home to ourselves. So, to speak on rebranding as a manifestation of intention rather than instinct feels backwards to me. Dangerous, even. If something of intention can be done, it’s surrender. Surrender to what is. But when we’re told from a young age to do something “meaningful” with our lives, and in a very specific timeframe, going with the flow gets lost in the ideation of sunk cost. Alan Watts calls this a “great panic to […] achieve something,” and in that great panic, there is little space for unparalleled expression.

Life is about gathering information. When we stick with a career or a relationship not because they’re fulfilling but because the idea of starting over sets us back from this imaginary finish line, we miss out on

machine, and I was relentless in my push towards progress.

You’re Never Late to a Place You Were Meant to Go

The music was fully recorded, mixed, and mastered in 2021, and I spent two years with it in my SoundCloud library in complete denial of the fact that I wasn’t ready to share it. There was a lot of ego in the urgency I felt to disseminate the work. I feared I would lose steam, that I would never put music out again. It wasn’t owed to a primordial need to create, rather, it felt important in my pursuit of prominence. How would I become someone if I resolved to never releasing another song? To me, that seemed like an obvious place to

Community Over Individualism

There’s an extremely polarizing discussion in The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin around creation, and whether a creator would be willing to give up authorship if it was the only way their work, which the world greatly needed, could be published. It’s a troubling thought, but I find more and more that being known is of little significance when the world is drowning.

Blue Monkey believes in community and Charlee Remitz (the musician) believed in individualism. To become Blue Monkey, I had to become extremely angry at the state of things. I had to reject any presence of the self in the work. If it was only to my benefit, there would be no reason for it. This is all to say, Blue Monkey wouldn’t be if I hadn’t given in

“The music was fully recorded, mixed, and mastered in 2021, and I spent two years with it in my SoundCloud library in complete denial of the fact that I wasn’t ready to share it.”

the opportunity to inform our lives with the information our lives give us. It is certainly true that, if you let it, life almost always finds a way. And so, I let life, and Blue Monkey, find a way.

Allow for a Slower Pace

The period of convalescence between releasing my final pop album as Charlee Remitz and my first single as Blue Monkey was the most uncomfortable part of the process for me. I feel I totally misunderstood its purpose, and because of that, I was resistant to it. Knowing what I know now, that that limbo would come to an end, I fear I missed out on the chance to be intentional with rest. To allow for things. For the pace to be slow. For the days to stack up where nothing of consequence was created or destroyed. But I was too panicked. Too pressured to do something swift and seismic. I’d been raised to contribute to society’s

start. First, I set out to understand why I made the art in the first place, then I severed myself from the art’s function. It was only then that I could accept the timing of it all. We talk about late bloomers as though they somehow lost their way, but where I eventually landed is: nobody ever arrives too late to a place they’re meant to go.

So, in 2023, I surrendered. I chose to find purpose in the downtime. Instead of posing a question about where and when, I wondered if perhaps the answer would only find me in the stillness. In the silence. In my peace. There was no Titanic or nuclear event when it finally did, I woke up one day in March of 2024 aware that I had arrived. Looking back on the three years of objective nothingness between 2021 and 2024, I see it for what it was: a gathering of confidence. There was simply no way I could have embodied the moniker Blue Monkey in 2021. I was not ready for the level of selfsacrifice Blue Monkey would demand of me.

to the extreme discomfort of idling. If I hadn’t rejected this idea of scarcity, that there isn’t enough for everyone to go around, that time is running out and resources are running thin. I started to believe in a utopia where everyone starves and eats together. It changed my entire mindset around releasing music. I didn’t need this music to do anything for me, rather, I needed to release the music hoping it could do something for all of us. Whatever that means.

So, if there is any advice to reap somewhere in this long, drawn-out explanation of how I got from point A to point B, it is to embrace the times when nothing is obvious, and to allow for things to be confusing. Being in flow means that not everything makes sense all the time. Because we grew up with tangible goals like finals and graduation, we’re always looking for some kind of indicator that we’re on the right path. But there is no right path, there is only movement and stillness.

Visit instagram.com/bluemonkeypresents

Emer Concurrence

Camerata Records

Producers: Emer Kinsella, Brandon Seliga

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Emer Kinsella, stylized as “EMER,” knows her way around the classical front and brings unspoken narratives to life with instrumental ensembles in her latest release. Concurrence is a soundtrack for a film happening on the screen behind the listener’s eyes. The instrumentally focused record is rife with emotion: With cinematic soundscape after soundscape, the short yet impactful album guides listeners through several dynamic emotional narratives. – Anna Jordan

Laura Jane Grace & In The Trauma Tropes

Adventure Club

Polyvinyl Records

Producers: Laura Jane Grace, Jacopho Fokas & the Onassis Foundation

Against Me! musical maven Laura Jane Grace came out as transgender 13 years ago and hasn’t flinched at the malignant, transphobic insults tossed her way since. In the decades to come—when the federal government finally ends its sickening assault on LGBTQ+ individuals—Laura Jane Grace will be considered even more of a hero and fighter for justice and equality than she already is. – Kurt Orzeck

The Ting Tings

Home

Wonderful Records

Producer: Jules De Martino

7

Manchester, U.K. duo the Ting Tings is back with its fifth album. There’s certainly been some growth; what started out as a quirky, sugary-sweet indie-pop outfit has grown into one soaked in yacht-rock swagger and classic-rock groove. Fleetwood Mac is the obvious reference when listening to opening tracks “Good People Do Bad Things” and “Dreaming,” not least because of the male/female harmonies. But there are bits of Eagles and Carpenters in there too, and this latest Ting Tings chapter sounds like it’ll be fun. – Brett Callwood

Wet Leg

Moisturizer

Domino Recording Co. Ltd.

Producer: Dan Carey

9

Moisturizer is only the second LP by the British indie-rockers, and boy, does it not show. “Catch These Fists” is a song Interpol could’ve made in their heyday— which, according to the mathematical transitive property, would imply that Wet Leg are peaking now in their own right. From start to finish, Moisturizer hits all the right notes, creating the classic conundrum of whether to fade out a song or turn off the music altogether if you’ve got somewhere to be. – Kurt Orzeck

Hannah Marcus

Ten Bones From a Virgin Graveyard

Bar None Records

Producers: Thierry Amar, Efrim Menuck

Slowcore icon Hannah Marcus conveys a series of complex feelings and experiences via gothic ambient melodies and folk-like orchestral textures in this long-awaited album recorded between 2004 and 2010. Tracks like “A Virgin Graveyard” and “A Sweeter Way to Say Goodbye” utilize layered harmonies and whimsical instruments to invoke a feeling of lost souls during a bleak winter. Marcus doesn’t need to hide behind catchy earworms to make her point and that’s part of what makes the album so great. – Cade Pinkerson 8

Meltem Ege

Solitude

Self-released

Producer: Meltem Ege

On Solitude, Turkish-American jazz artist Meltem Ege bridges Turkey and Los Angeles. Ege’s agile voice dances nimbly between English and Turkish, her breathy, ethereal vocals leaving plenty of space for the music to sprawl—sometimes elegantly, sometimes indulgently. “Aklında Kalmasın,” sung in Turkish, is a lush homage to the genre. It’s not easy listening, but it is rewarding: part smoky lounge, part avant-garde recital. There’s nowhere to hide in a record like this, and Ege doesn’t need to. - Ruby Risch

Lil Wayne

Tha Carter VI

Young Money/Republic

Producers: Various

Tha Carter VI marks Lil Wayne’s first entry in the iconic series in seven years, and it’s a bold, eclectic return. Spanning 19 tracks, it showcases his enduring creativity, bouncing between rock, opera, and New Orleans homage. While not every song may land with every listener, highlights like “King Carter,” “Loki’s Theme,” and “If I Played Guitar” reaffirm his lyrical flair. Surprising features like Bono and a Weezer sample, add to the unpredictable ride. Though it doesn’t quite match the heights of Tha Carter III, it likely edges out V. – Adam Seyum

Leafblower

Burn Cruise

Max Trax Records

Producer: Leafblower

In May 2023, Atlanta sludge servants Leafblower introduced themselves with an EP that didn’t so much entice as repel curious listeners of the doom persuasion. Well, what a difference two years can make, because Leafblower’s first proper outing is properly righteous. The quintet delivers its riffs with frequency and ferocity, but this time around, they have an objective in mind: to ensure that each song presented (excluding the brief banjo outro reminiscent of Panopticon) rocks hard. – Kurt Orzeck

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

NEW MUSIC CRITIQUES

Marla Mase

Contact: beatrice@empktmedia.com

Web: Spotify

Seeking: Film/TV

Style: Indie Rock / Singer-Songwriter

Marla Mase keeps her vocal range tight, focusing more on groove and phrasing than big melodic moves, making for an intriguing, if somewhat safe and repetitive, listen despite her clear inclination to experiment and have fun with her tracks. Drawing clear inspiration from Talking Heads, especially on “All Fall Short,” she embraces a spoken, rhythmic vocal style that echoes the iconic “Once in a Lifetime.” It’s less about vocal fireworks and more about atmosphere, and in that space, the results don’t quite break new ground, leaving her sound distinct but not fully compelling.

Marina Rocks

Contact: marinarocksu2@yahoo.com

Web: marinarocks.com

Seeking: Booking, Film/TV, Label

Style: Rock, Blues, Americana

Sophia Eliana

Contact: hi@sophiaeliana.com

Web: sophiaeliana.com

Seeking: Review

Style: Indie-Folk, Dream-Pop, Singer-Songwriter

“When I rode into Nashville, I was high on my horse,” Marina Rocks purrs on “S.O.S.,” setting the tone for everything that follows. One can imagine this singer and guitarist riding a horse into a new town, instrument slung over her back, whistling a Spaghetti Western ditty while all the locals stop and stare. We’re half-kidding, but her Americana-infused blues-rock fits that vibe. She exudes an air of effortless cool and dusty authenticity, while she’s also a gifted songwriter and emotive vocalist. “It’s All Messed Up” is a lively way to open S.O.S. Texas , her third LP. Overall, there’s much to love.

Eric Sleeper

Contact: amanda@trendpr.com

Web: music.trendpr.com/ericsleeper

Seeking: Label, Booking, Film/TV

Style: Rock, Grunge

Eric Sleeper’s music catches your ear but doesn’t always hold it, mainly because the choruses can come off as a bit corny. Tracks like “Burn” and “Ghost” fit perfectly as soundtrack moments—think slowmotion hero walking away from an explosion—setting the mood without stealing the scene. They create atmosphere but don’t fully command attention. There’s definite potential, and with stronger, more memorable choruses, Eric could elevate his sound from background ambiance to something truly captivating while keeping that cinematic vibe intact.

Sophia Eliana describes herself online as a “Denverbased queer folk musician, florist, and dancer originally from Monterey, CA.” With that sort of a rich history, one might imagine that she has some stories to tell, and one would be right. Songs such as “Praying Mantis” and “Curious Critter” are overflowing with heartfelt introspection. That, blended with her talent for recognizing effective melody plus her frankly gorgeous voice make for a wonderful listening experience. “I treat each waking moment as ‘studio time,’ drawing inspiration for my artwork from the intricacies held within subjectively mundane moments,” she says. It shows!

MOTO

Contact: mpdrpic@gmail.com

Web: instagram.com/motomusicland

Seeking: Radio, Film/TV

Style: Americana Rock

MOTO brings gritty, raspy vocals that nod to classic rock ‘n’ roll; however, on the breakneck “Immortal,” it’s more growling than singing—energetic, sure, but lacking nuance. “The Jist” slows things down for a more narrative feel, but the production and vocals don’t quite carry the weight, leaving the track feeling a bit flat. They clearly aim for that raw, old-school feel, but without the chops, it’s difficult to really make it pop. With sharper focus and stronger delivery, they could own that vintage energy—but for now, they’re still carving out their place, with glimmers of promise that haven’t yet cut through the retro noise.

Sophia Kaloustian

Contact: amanda@trendpr.com

Web: linktr.ee/sophiakaloustian

Seeking: Label, Booking, Film/TV

Style: Pop

A simultaneous blend of strength and vulnerability is the key to Sophia Kaloustian’s sound, based on “Used to Breathe” and “The Line”—two of the songs that were offered to us as recommended listens. With a sweeterthan-sweet voice, the Los Angeles-based singersongwriter conveys every emotion while apparently transforming every page of her journal into a relatable pop gem. “Beyond her performance career, Sophia is dedicated to teaching and mentoring aspiring vocalists through her private vocal coaching studio and music directing, sharing her expertise and passion for music with the next generation,” reads her online bio. Wow!

Stephanie Bettman

Contact: stephaniebettman@gmail.com

Web: stephaniebettman.com

Seeking: Review

Style: Eclectic Pop, Folk Pop, Latin, Funk Fusion

“My music is a celebration of joy, life, and the shared human experience,” Bettman says online. “As a singer-songwriter and performer, I aim to be a beacon of feminine power and a voice for individual and environmental health and well-being.” Based on “Never Give Up” and “You Need to Know,” she’s achieving those aims. The former, in particular, begins with a retro disco vibe, then the guitar riffs and licks kick in and Bettman proclaims, “you missed your shot, I am the prize.” There are also showtune elements to Bettman, who likes to do everything big! Tons of fun.

Dylan Garrison

Contact: dylangarrisondrums@gmail.com

Web: dylangarrisondrums.com

Seeking: Booking, Film/TV

Style: Jazz

The amazing thing about an instrumental jazz track like “Storytime” is that, as the name would suggest, we feel like we’re being told a story despite the absence of lyrics. Garrison and what we would assume is his band take us on a real journey that very really appears to feature curves in the road, abrupt stops, and changes of direction. It’s a bit of a thrill ride, expertly piloted by some sizzling musicians. If jazz isn’t your thing, give Garrison a shot anyway. He knows how to pull melody out of the unlikeliest places and make it work for him.

Dalya

Contact: dollshopmusic444@gmail.com

Web: linktr.ee/dollshop4

Seeking: Review

Style: R&B/Alternative/Jazz

Dalya, a self-proclaimed “R&B/alt singer, songwriter, producer,” leans into jazzy R&B with smooth confidence—she even scats! Her evolution is clear: earlier work like “I Don’t Really Think About It,” recorded five years ago, comes across as a tentative step, while newer tracks like “can you feel it” and “deeply” reflect a polished, soulful direction. She hits great rhythmic pockets, though the lyrics can sometimes lean a bit repetitive or simple. Still, there’s an undeniable vibe running through it all. Dalya’s carving out her lane, and even in its most minimal moments, her music makes for a rich, easy listen.

Paul Givant

Contact: paulgivant@yahoo.com

Web: paulgivant.com

Seeking: Review

Style: Folk-Rock, Singer-Songwriter

You would swear, while listening to a song like “Awake,” that Paul Givant has been around for a few decades at least. There’s such a knowing authenticity about his music, which deftly merges folk, rock, Americana and even a hint of bluegrass, that you instinctively trust his every word. That, plus a production job that is clean without polishing away the necessary edge, and you’re all the way in. Givant has an expressive voice, too; a line like “sailing on the starlight and tripping on the moon” could sound hokey in lesser hands, but here, we’re ready to sail with him.

How We Feel

Contact: ed@npmprandmarketing.com

Web: howwefeelmusic.com

Seeking: Booking, Film/TV

Style: Hard Rock, Metal

Cleveland duo How We Feel brings raw, theatrical energy that flirts with the vibe of early System of a Down. “Dragging Me Under” kicks off strong, with a death growl that adds a spooky flair—but it teeters on overused, pulling focus from the gritty guitars and dynamic vocals that deserve more of the spotlight. They’ve got the goods; they just need to trust them. “Make It Out Alive” opens with a great chord progression and playful shifts in cadence, but it lacks a bit of cohesion. Still, there’s something real here—tighten it up, and they’re well on their way to something exciting.

New Middle Class

Contact: info@newmiddleclass.com

Web: newmiddleclass.com/arguing

Seeking: Review, Film/TV

Style: Acoustic Pop-Rock

New Middle Class is a duo with a distinct sound, but one voice clearly outshines the other—making for a tricky balance. The standout track, “Oh, Lord! (A Vision),” leans into funky, off-kilter production that’s minimal but bold. Barbara Borok’s vocals don’t quite rise to meet the moment like her counterpart, Mike Borok, resulting in a contrast that makes it hard to rate the pair as a cohesive unit. Still, there’s charm here, especially on the playful “Tenth Commandment.” With tighter vocal balance and more synergy between voice and production, they could carve a sharper silhouette in the indie-pop landscape.

LIVE REVIEWS

Stephen Talkhouse Amagansett, NY

Contact: lina@linamaxine.com

Web: linamaxine.com

Players: Lina Maxine, vocals, acoustic guitar; Dean Aladay, vocals, lead guitar, keys; Parker Lyons, pedal steel and guitar; Nick Sferlazza, bass, backing vocals; Jake Schott, drums

RETURNING TO ONE OF Long Island’s premier clubs, Lina Maxine showcased her brand of alternative indie rock, debuting new material along with her mainstays. Blessed with a profound curiosity and a rich imagination, Maxine delivers songs that are probing and thoughtful. Themes center on relationships, not only between humans but with the physical world as well. In “Fiction,” she grapples with the harsh realities of life: “I’ve gotten into fiction/it helps me get to sleep/I’ve got a little system to keep it nice and neat/I believe what I see when I see what I need/and when I don’t/in fiction I dream.” In “Nightingale’s Melody,” she recounts a memory communing with nature: “It’s about the birds,” she says, “A simple thing. Just birds.” “It’s been a world since I’ve heard a bird outside my window/…oh how I miss the Nightingale’s melody.” “Mango,” (Man-Go), a play on words, urges us to get that no-good man out of your life. “Save your juice for someone new/he’s drinking the life out of you/…deep down you know/you gotta let the man go.”

Maxine started her musical journey back in London while studying for her master’s

LINA MAXINE

degree in neuroscience. It was there that she connected with songwriter and producer Dean Aladay. They toured the U.K., refining their act before moving back to the States and focusing on the Long Island club scene. Aladay also plays a dual role as duo partner and sideman. Proficient on guitar as well as keyboards, together they have created the core sound of the band. Though most songs are guitardriven, there is the occasional piano number, a welcome interlude adding diversity to the set. As a whole, the other band members are a tight unit providing strong support.

From the moment she takes the stage,

DAUGHTER OF SWORDS

Cat’s Cradle Backroom Carrboro, NC

Contact: martin@theglowmgmt.com

Web: daughterofswordsmusic.com

Players: Alex Sauser-Moning, guitars, vocals; Molly Sarle, guitars, keys, vocals; Amelia Meath, vocals, percussion; Nick Sanborn, guitar, keys; Caleb Wright, drums, vocals

TRY DESCRIBING A SPIRAL STAIRCASE without using your hands. That’s nothing like squeezing a Daughter of Swords show into the written word format and bitch-slapped onto a page. This breathtaking ensemble displayed charm, audio sophistication, and

super-cohesive stage chops while driving the stagecoach careening thru the sonic pass, staying just ahead of the posse.

The back-room crowd was ready, too. Alex Sauser-Moning, who plays under “Daughter of Swords,” was an engaging although somewhat reserved front-woman for this band of musical tatterdemalions. Small in stature, big dark glasses framed around a blonde mane, SauserMoning let go her remarkable pipes and swung right into “Alone Together,” then seamlessly into “Talk To You” and “Hard On,” then “Morning In Madison,” before taking a pause.

The ensemble kept the groove going right behind her—everyone on stage was making

Maxine exudes a “cool chick” demeanor; confident, seemingly relaxed, and stylish. Moving about the stage effortlessly, she echoes the songs with her movement and nuanced gestures. Her voice is deeply tied to the material, their style, and structure, and it would be hard to separate them from each other. Lina Maxine reminds us that everything we do in life informs us of what we do next as she aptly demonstrates by marrying her science background with her music. At times, the songs are as investigative as they are entertaining. Her new EP is scheduled for release this coming September. – Ellen Woloshin

something happen, it all clicked, and nothing was out of place. The two guitars in the back switched up between piano and guitar while the percussion was so on the beat you couldn’t fit a 16th note in between anything anywhere. Yup, that tight. That’s the meat and potatoes, kids, now here comes the gravy: the multivoice harmonies were thrilling and spinetingling—it was the Cranberries meets The Manhattan Transfer on a bus driven by The Bangles and Queen’s Roger Taylor trading high notes with the Go-Go’s, Ronnie Spector, and a bit of Bananarama all at once, with Bugsy LowLow taking tickets. Sound and swagger and lyrical magic... everything cascaded into “Willow,” “West of West,” and closing with “Prairie Winter Wasteland” and “Gem.”

Led by Alex Sauser-Moning, the Swords put on a dizzying arrangement and at the heart of their set, thoughtful, sometimes mellow, and beautiful dynamics took hold, with the back and forth between the attentive audience. With the band behind her, she cast a spell on the crowd and the highly-charged atmosphere was distracting enough that no one noticed the line changes as they got into position to crashboom-bang the fearless “Dance,” and “Song” before tearing into “Grasses.”

While digging farther into the catalog, it was clear that after only a few records, lots of grit, and determined songcraft, this highly polished ensemble has a story to tell and a bright future ahead. The soaring vocals, the harmonies, and the song choices left no doubt that Daughter of Swords had arrived, and arrived with style. – Eric Sommer

MARK SHIWOLCH

JULIEN BAKER AND TORRES

Haw River Ballroom Hillsborough, NC

Contact: lisag@grandstandhq.com

Web: julienbakerandtorres.com

Players: Julien Baker, guitar, piano, vocals; Torres, guitar, vocals; Hannah Reid, vocals; Noah Forbes, keys; Larz Brogan, percussion, bass; Matt Sweeney, lead guitars, electric piano; Calvin, percussion

IT’S HARD TO GET YOUR HEAD above the country music waterline these days, but amid the clamor and confusion, a surprising duo

Freedom Plaza New York, NY

Contact: info@pathoflibertynyc.com

Web: virtualperfectioncowboy.com

Players: Virtual Perfection Cowboy (Dash Lunde); Path of Liberty

NESTLED NEXT TO THE EAST RIVER and the United Nations Building, a small patch of green hides behind a fence—if you’re not looking, you might miss it. Those who enter the gate come upon the labyrinthine route and breathtaking photography of the "Path of Liberty: That Which Unites Us." Massive screens project portraits of people from all walks of life, supplemented by audio interviews about what it means to be an American. As visitors amble among the displays, they’re treated to a rich, enveloping soundscape created entirely by N.Y.C.’s Virtual Perfection Cowboy.

Developed by Dash Lunde, Virtual Perfection Cowboy builds lush audio environments by layering sounds. Lunde focuses on storytelling, perfectly complementing "Path of Liberty’s" goals. As visitors approach the center, with 360° displays, they move from held harmonies to a seven-minute track, synced with a flowing presentation of breathtaking landscapes. The track features four distinct parts, tied together with the heartbeat of a bass drum. Layers of ambient sound swell from the earth, both ethereal and grounded, like a forest fantasy. Buzzing strings join, splashing like water over rocks in a babbling brook, supported by the ebb and flow of held chords. Visuals of

has emerged from the crossroads: Julien Baker and Torres, a duo of beautiful voices, distinctly different backgrounds with a shared soul.

The sell-out crowd at The Haw River Ballroom was all in for this country love fest, led with spark and spangle by Julien and Torres (Mackenzie Ruth Scott) in a well-rehearsed stage set that was fun, tongue-in-cheek, and belied the earnest delivery of their brand of four-chord-country. With them upfront, the laid-back tour band did the work, laying tight grooves that left plenty of room for the quirky and delightful stage banter between them and their adoring audience.

It's a tribute to their writing for this new record Send a Prayer My Way that it produced so many memorable and radio-rockin’ songs! The show exploded off the mark with “The Only Marble I’ve Got Left,” followed closely by “Off the Wagon,” then right into “Sylvia,” “Dirt,” “Showdown,” and especially “Bottom of a Bottle.” The loose arrangement of the stage band delivered a powerful, audience-friendly, and definitively queer country show, and the packed-up-front, stage-sardines edge of the room literally went bingo-bango with giddy delight!

A beautifully articulated George Strait cover of “Carrying Your Love with Me” preceded “Tuesday,” “Downhill Both Ways,” and an outstanding version of Merle Haggard's “Mama Tried” that left most of the under-25 crowd trying to place it.

Digging farther into the catalog, the moody, atmospheric quality of Baker’s lyrical, confessional writing contrasted with the material in an off-groove symmetry, making the songs even more off-putting and, paradoxically, even more emotionally accessible. Scott adds a much needed musically padded room, designed to keep everything bubbling under in a state of controlled musical cyclonic turmoil.

“Goodbye, Baby” and “Sugar in The Tank” rounded out a well-paced, still a bit frantic, but deliciously musical evening, punctuated by endless applause and wacky and endearing stage banter, plus a diminutive, just under the surface vulnerability that makes the best live shows that much better. – Eric Sommer

VIRTUAL PERFECTION COWBOY

expansive plains, jagged rocks, and frothing oceans drift by on the screens, fully immersing you in the experience. Glistening keys rise to meet the beating bass drum. Suddenly, an electric guitar cuts in, jostling you out of the reverie. The screens flip one-by-one in time with the guitar riff, showing cities, monuments, and harbors with each note. It all fades behind the drums to welcome part three, where swelling strings and bright horns bring wistful hope. It’s a new day, a re-birth, and a chance to see the nation as one. The melody in the horns shifts slowly, creating and releasing tension

like rays peeking through clouds.

As the fourth section begins, the track circles back to the original themes. A wooden flute melody and held bass tones conjure a picture of an ancient world, rich in feeling. It lilts by, ringing clear with emotion and hope, before fading out to the beating drum one last time.

If you expect to be in New York City this summer, make sure to set aside some time to visit "Path of Liberty: That Which Unites Us." Not only will you be treated to the beauty of Virtual Perfection Cowboy, but also Americans sharing their stories. – Emily Mills

LIVE REVIEWS

Cat’s Cradle Backroom Carrboro, NC

Contact: chad@pitchperfectpr.com

Website: meisemones.com

Players: Mei Semones, guitars, vocals; Noah Leong, viola; Claudius Arippa, violin; Noam Tanzer, bass; Ransom McCafferty, drums

THE AUDIENCE WAS IN for an orchestral treat with this show: anytime there’s a viola, a violin, and a drum set on stage, trouble can’t be far behind—which is exactly what happened! Mei Semones was in her element this evening. Acting as string-wrangler, string-tamer, head twangster, and groove magician, she conducted an audio-centric study in how to be all over the place and still make it work.

This smart, high-octane set started off with “Tegami,” and it was clear from the onset that Japanese influence was going to color the evening. The emotional investment required didn’t let up as the ensemble plowed ahead with “Wakare no Kotoba,” which was a jazz hands meets cherry-blossom landslide of violin and guitar, with a sophisticated back beat that wouldn’t stop. Mei moved it all right into “Inka,” “Kabutomushi,” and “Kemono” before taking a short breather with “Dumb Feeling” and then the exquisite “Dangomushi” and “Tora Moyo.”

Moving on from blossom beats and bubbly tearoom rhythms to a bit more straight-ahead jazz (almost), this lo-fi geisha breaks into song with a strong vocal that was a bit unintelligible: it was the sound in the room fighting too much

MEI SEMONES

stage volume. But once that got worked out, it was ukyo-pop with a wiggly beat on a horse that wouldn’t quit. The songs were at once refreshingly unique, and had fun, wacky titles.

And Miss Semones was no slouch on the guitar. Her bebop Parker chops flowed nicely and were reminiscent of David Landau’s work with a splash of Larry Carleton and a top slice of early Mike Stern: the combo of violin and viola plus percussive twerks and perks make the set sizzle.

The jam continued with a large run of bento bangin’ morsels of tasty twang: cloudcore, sonic cupcakes, and chord extensions that seemed to flow around the music wrapped up in a kimono cloud. “I Can Do What I Want” was a strong and refreshing straight bit of sonic pop.

CRUEL WORLD

Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA

Contact: info@cruelworldfest.com

Web: cruelworldfest.com

Players: Multiple bands on multiple stages

GOLDENVOICE’S PREMIERE go-to for goth and new wave nostalgia, Cruel World festival, returned to Brookside at the Rose Bowl for its fourth year in May, this time bringing with it a gloomy rainy atmosphere that finally fit the music. In true summer festival fashion, a yearly

staple for Cruel World attendees has been the inner struggle between an appropriately gothic outfit that inflicts suffering in the heat and a more minimal choice of look in exchange for comfort. As clouds and rain washed over Pasadena, there was an evident shift in ambiance compared to the previous years. This year, headlining acts like New Order, Devo, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, OMD, and The Go-Gos were selected to delight elder goths who miss their youth and younger goths with a “born in the wrong generation

“Norwegian Shag” seemed to be a shuffle in 7/8 time, followed by “Rat with Wings” which led directly into a septet of songs that seemed to originate directly from Nippon: “Zarigani,” “Sasayaku Sakebu,” “Itsumo,” and “Kurayami” filled out the final set, and the interaction between Semones' guitar and the intricate violin and viola soundscapes put the butter on the asparagus for this show!

While the music was performed with grace, aplomb, technical skill, and thoughtful voicings, something was missing. It was chewing gum for the ears—it tasted great starting out, but became flat and tasteless after a while. – Eric Sommer

complex.” As the night went on and the rain stopped, Shirley Manson of Garbage emerged like a punk rock peacock to blow the roof off the place. The band was tight and their energy even tighter, with grunge beats taking on an almost industrial nature when performed live. Devo went on at the same time as Garbage, highlighting one of the major pitfalls of festivals: you're always going to miss someone you want to see. Shirley herself even humorously echoed this statement, saying, “We are sorry, Devo, we love you!”

Later on, in a moment of sonically contrasting irony, The Go-Gos' set overlapped with that of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Both acts are trailblazers of their respective times and genres, both with killer performances, and if you're like us, you ran frantically between the stages to catch a bit of both. The day was also not over without addressing the rain jokes as The Buzzcocks smirked before singing “Manchester Rain,” fans chanted along to Garbage’s “I’m Only Happy When It Rains,” and The Go-Go's made sure to have us sing along to “Automatic Rainy Day.” At the end of the night, always comes the pilgrimage to the main stage along with the entire crowd, all clawing away at each other to get as close as possible. New Order, in their reign as the king of overplayed club songs, was sure to entice the crowd to be as impatient as possible. At the end of the day, the band isn’t what it used to be, but that's okay.

As the music industry becomes increasingly unstable, festivals will always be important to foster community. – Cade Pinkerson

New York, NY 10022-4730

212-841 9579

Email: jcesbron@camimusic.com

Web: camimusic.com

Contact: Jean-Jacques Cesbron

Styles: instrumental, classical, jazz, world, celtic, vocalists

Services: one of the world’s largest classical music management firms

COUNTDOWN ENTERTAINMENT

252 7th Ave.

New York, NY 10001

212-645-3068

Email: james@countdownentertainment.com

Web: countdownentertainment.com, facebook. com/countdownentertainment

Styles: urban, hip-hop, pop, rock, country, alt., dance, club, DJ

*Accepts unsolicited material, see site for submission details

CRANBERRY MANAGEMENT

Contact: CEO Jeffery David

Email: Jd@cranberrymanagement.com

Web: instagram.com/jefferydavid1

Artist Roster: Echosmith, Jackie Miclau of Mt. Joy, Papaya Noon, The Hiz, Gabriella Rose, Lexie Alley, Mike Gunz of the Gunz Show

CRUSH MANAGEMENT

60 11th St., 7th Fl. New York, NY 10003

212-334-4446

Email: info@crushmusic.com

Web: crushmusic.com

Styles: rock, pop, indie, hip-hop, s/s, punk

Clients: See website for roster

*No unsolicited material

DAWN ELDER MANAGEMENT

303 Loma Alta Dr., Ste. 31 Santa Barbara, CA 93109 (global) 805-963-2415, 805-637-1178

Email: deworldmusic@aol.com

Web: dawnelderworldentertainment.com

Contact: Dawn Elder

Styles: world, rock, pop, jazz, roots, traditional, classical, international, Central-South Asian underground, Middle Eastern, North African, Mediterranean

Clients: Souad Massi, Mayssa Karraa, Simon Shaheen and Arab Orchestra, Simon Shaheen and Near Eastern Ensemble, Simon Shaheen and Qantara, Bassam Saba, Kadim Al Sahir, Cheb, Sabbah and 1002 Nights and many more.

Services: specializing in Middle Eastern, Central and South Asian, North African, West African and Mediterranean

*No unsolicited material

DCA PRODUCTIONS

302A West 12th Street, # 330 New York, NY 10014

800-659-2063, 212-245-2063

Email: info@dcaproductions.com

Web: dcaproductions.com

Contact: Daniel C. Abrahamsen

Styles: pop, folk, rock

Clients: Andjam Band, Backbeat A Tribute, Alison Fraser, Fiesta, Rockspolsion, Lisa Bouchelle, Vladimir & Nadia Zaitsev, Acrobats of Cirquetacular

Services: variety performers, comedians, musical performers, theater productions and producing live events

*Accepts unsolicited material

DEEP SOUTH ENTERTAINMENT

P.O. Box 17737 Raleigh, NC 27619 919-844-1515 615-953-4800

Email: hello@deepsouthentertainment.com

Web: deepsouthentertainment.com

Styles: pop, rock, alt., country, AC, Christian Clients: Marcy Playground, Vienna Teng, Tres Chicas, Parmalee, I Was Totally Destroying It, Michael Sweet, LanCo, Katie Garfield

*Accepts unsolicited material.

**Please NO CALLS

DIRECT MANAGEMENT GROUP

8332 Melrose Ave., Top Fl. Los Angeles, CA 90069

310-854-3535

Email: info@directmanagement.com

Web: directmanagement.com

Clients: K.D. Lang, Katy Perry, Au/Ra, Steve Perry Styles: All

Services: Personal management

*No unsolicited material

ELTON AUDIO RECORDS

Artist Management

Email: submissions@eltonaudio.com, mgmt@ eltonaudio.com

Website: eltonaudio.com/management

Contact: Louis Elton

Styles: Alt, Rock, Pop, Indie

*Accepts unsolicited material

EMCEE ARTIST MANAGEMENT

Phone: 212-925-6458

Web: emceeartist.com

Styles: Singer/songwriter, Americana, Jazz Clients: Natalie Merchant,ÊMedeski Martin & Wood, The Wood Brothers, Nels Cline, John Medeski, Oliver Wood, Jenny Scheinman

*No solicited material

ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES INT’L 1819 South Harland Circle Lakewood, CO 80232

417-882-2222

Email: randy@esientertainment.com

Web: esientertainment.com

Contact: Randy Erwin

Styles: Rock, Classic Rock

Clients: The Guess Who, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Ray Cardwell & Tennessee Moon, Powder Mill, Rare Earth, The Creek Rocks feat. Mark Bilyeu & Cindy Woolf, Carl Dixon (solo or w/Coney Hatch), Larry Raspberry & The Highsteppers, The Gentrys, Brewer & Shipley, Thundherstruck

ERIC NORWITZ ARTIST MANAGEMENT

3333 W. 2nd St., Ste. 52-214 Los Angeles, CA 90004-6118

213-389-3477

Email: enorwitz@pacbell.net

Contact: Eric Norwitz

Styles: alt., dance, pop, R&B, rock Services: management & legal

*Accepts unsolicited material

FIRE TOWER ENTERTAINMENT

Located in Culver City, CA Web: firetowerent.com

Email: artists@firetowerent.com

Contact: Evan Griffith/Ruth Nichols

Styles: Pop, Indie, Singer Songwriter

Clients: Kiran + Nivi, Wesley Stromberg, Michael Blum, Sophie Ann.

Full roster on website

Services: Artist Management, A&R consulting, Music Production

*Accepts unsolicited material

FIRST ACCESS ENTERTAINMENT

6725 Sunset Blvd. Ste. 420 Los Angeles, CA 90028

323–454–1162

Email: contact@faegrp.com

Web: faegrp.com

Published: see web

How to Submit: no unsolicited material

FIRST ARTISTS MANAGEMENT

4764 Park Granada, Ste. 110 Calabasas, CA 91302

818-377-7750

Email: info@firstartistsmgmt.com

Web: firstartistsmanagement.com

Styles: film, singer-songwriter

Clients: film composers, music supervisors, music editors

*No unsolicited material

FRESH FLAVA ENTERTAINMENT

2705 12th St. N.E. Washington, DC 20018

202-832-7979

Email: freshflava1@aol.com, freshflava17@gmail.com

Web: freshflava.com

Contact: Emanuel Maurice ‘Moe’ Yeoman

Styles: hip-hop, R&B, jazz, gospel, rock

Clients: Elliot Lavine, Tabbo, DJ Sir Jamm, Stedman Graham, Nathaniel “Nate” Peavy, Stephanie Jordan, Ski Johnson, NexXzit, TABBO, WHOP-N-EM’s and KayWOLF

*Accepts unsolicited material

GALE ENTERTAINMENT

244 Fifth Avenue Suite 2265 New York, NY 10001

646-387-5867

Email: info@gale-entertainment.com

Styles: all Services: Personal Management, Entertainment Consulting

*Accepts unsolicited material. Email first.

GARVAN MEDIA MANAGEMENT & MARKETING

P.O. Box 737 Sandpoint, ID 83864

208-265-1718

Email: steve@garvanmanagement.com

Web: facebook.com/stephen.b.garvan

Contact: Stephen Bond Garvan (formerly of NYC, Colorado, New England, MMF-US Board, Founding

Council AMA, IMMF Global Director of Folk/Roots/ Americana, FAR-West Board/ BOTW Head, former Swallow Hill Board Chair)

Styles: rock, s/s, roots, country, Americana

Clients: Chris Daniels and the Kings, Ryan Shupe & the Rubberband, Mark Oblinger, Walt Wilkins, Chuck McDermott, Jodi Siegel, Tiffany Gassett, Tom Roznowski, Michael Kelsh

HARDKNOCKLIFE ENTERTAINMENT

Email: info@hardknocklifeent.com

Web: hardknocklifeent.com

Contact: Ayana Cobb

Styles: pop, rap, hip-hop, acoustic, r&b, Services: Management *No phone calls

HEADLINE TALENT AGENCY

27-01 Queens Plaza N FL 13 Long Island City, NY 11101

212-257-6110

Email: erica@headlinetalent.net

Styles: Actors for theatre, film and TV

Contact: Erica Bines, Owner

HOFFMAN ENTERTAINMENT

21301 S. Tamimi Trl Estero, FL. 33928

323-464-2000

Info: info@ilovehoffman.com

Web: ilovehoffman.com

IMC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.

19360 Rinaldi St., Ste. 217 Porter Ranch, CA 91326

818-700-9655

Email: sr@imcentertainment.com

Web: imcentertainment.com

Contact: Sylvester Rivers

Clients: Paul Riser

Styles: pop, R&B

Services: full service *No unsolicited material

IN DE GOOT ENTERTAINMENT

119 W. 23rd St., Ste. 609 New York, NY 10011 212-924-7775 Fax 212-924-3242

Web: indegoot.com

Contact: Michael Iurato

Styles: rock, pop

Clients: Audiodamni, Bel Heir, Black Stone Cherry, Chevelle, Highly Suspect, Halestrom, In This Moment, Kyng, Neon Trees, Robert Fenn, Story of the Year, Theory Of A Deadman

*Accepts unsolicited material—Attn: Michael Lurato

Additional locations:

900 South St., Ste. 101 Nashville, TN 37203

10 Greenland St., 4th Fl. Camden, London, NW1 0ND England +44 77 84110102

IN TOUCH ENTERTAINMENT

309 W 55th St New York 10019 212-235-7015

Email: info@intouchent.com Web: intouchent.com/about, facebook.com/ intouchentertainment/about

Contact: Charles Carlini

Styles: All Styles

Clients: Irene Cara, Michael Carvin, David Chesky, Suzanne Ciani, Elisha Abas, Equie Castrillo, Larry Coryell, Mamma Freedom, George Garzone, Eumir Deodato, Keith Emerson, Kenia, Craig Handy, Paulette McWilliams, Captain Beyond

*Accepts unsolicited material. See website for instructions.

INVASION GROUP

333 E. 75th Street #4A New York, NY 10021

212-414-0505 Fax 212-414-0525

Contact: Steven Saporta

Email: info@invasiongroup.com, steven@invasiongroup.com

Web: invasiongroup.com

Styles: rock, world, folk, singer-songwriter

Clients: Ani DeFranco, David Bieber Archives, Donny McCaslin, Elizabeth Moen, Everett Bradley, Future Generations, Gail Ann Dorsey, Grace and The Victory Riders, Gracie and Rachel, Jai Uttal, Ken Butler, Raye Zaragoza, Ronnie Spector, Seth Glier, Sylvie Simmons

*Accepts unsolicited material

Additional locations:

P.O. Box 27687

Los Angeles, CA 90027

Email: Info@InvasionGroup.com

83 Morse St., Floor 2 Norwood, MA 02062

Email: Info@InvasionGroup.com

JAMPOL ARTIST MANAGEMENT

8033 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 3250 West Hollywood, CA 90046

310-654-1900

Email: assistant@jamincla.com

Web: wemanagelegends.com

Contact: Jeff Jampol

Clients: The Estates of the following: the Doors, Janis Joplin, Peter Tosh, Jim Morrison, Ramones, Michael Jackson, Rick James, Johnny Ramone, Henry Mancini

*Does not accept unsolicited material

JAY ANTHONY’S NEXT LEVEL BOOKING & ENTERTAINMENT AGENCY, LLC USA

702-861-5075

Email: jayanthony@ nextlevelbookingandentertainment.com

Web: facebook.com/JayAnthonysnextlevel

Contact: Jay Anthony

Style: ALL

KAHN POWER PICTURES

433 N. Camden Dr., Ste. 600 Beverly Hills, CA 90210

310-550-0770

Email: artists4film@gmail.com

Web: artists4film.com

Styles: Film/TV scores, composer/performer/ director representation

Clients: Eva Babic, Nancy Bishop, Stewart Copeland, Robert Domheim, J.P. Dutilleux, Claudio Faeh, Jiri Madi, Eric Neveux, J. Peter Robinson, Peter Golub

*No unsolicited material

KARI ESTRIN MGMT/CONSULTING & RADIO PROMO P.O. Box 60232 Nashville, TN 37206 615-262-0883

Email: kari@kariestrin.com

Web: kariestrin.com

Contact: Kari Estrin

Styles: folk, Americana, AAA, roots

Clients: John McCutcheon, Reggie Harris, Tim Grimm, Deidre McCalla

Le Vent du Nord, The Accidentals, Peggy Seeger, Happy Traum, Pete & Maura Kennedy

Janis Ian, Steeleye Span... *Accepts unsolicited material

KBH ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Los Angeles, CA 818-786-5994

Web: facebook.com/KBHEntertainment/ Contact: Brent Harvey

Styles/Specialties: All styles, entertainment consulting, publicity, music placement/licensing and live event production *No unsolicited material

KBM

310-228-8172

Contact: Brent Harris

Clients: Tony! Toni! Tone’!, Sounds of Blackness *No unsolicited material

KELLEEMACK MANAGEMENT 2110 Artesia Blvd, #546 Redondo Beach, CA 90278

818-430-8926

Email: kelly@kelleemackmanagement.com

Web: kelleemackmanagement.com

Contact: Kelly MacGaunn

KRAFT ENGEL MANAGEMENT 3349 Cahuenga Blvd. West Los Angeles, CA 90068 818-380-1918

Email: info@kraft-engel.com

Web: kraft-engel.com

Contact: Richard Kraft

Styles: Film Composers *No unsolicited material

KUPER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT /RECOVERY RECORDINGS 515 Bomar St. Houston, TX 77006 713-520-5791

Email: info@recoveryrecordings.com

Web: recoveryrecordings.com

Contact: Koop Kuper

Styles: folk, roots rock, Americana Clients: the Very Girls, David Rodriguez *Accepts unsolicited material

Directory of Managers/Booking Agents

LAKE TRANSFER ARTIST & TOUR MANAGEMENT

Studio City, CA

818-508-7158

Web: laketransfer.com

Contact: Steven B. Cohen, Mgr.

Clients: Candyboy, Friends of Distinction, Evelyn Champagne King, Rose Royce, DJ Asi Vidal

LAKES COMMUNICATION SERVICES

Los Angeles, CA 90045

323-251-2358

Email: lakescommunications@gmail.com

Contact: Jeffery Lakes

Clients: Mark Drummond, Lakes The Voice

Styles: R&B, HipHop, Smooth Jazz, Urban Contemporary Services: artist management, marketing, business development

LEN WEISMAN PERSONAL MANAGEMENT

357 S. Fairfax Ave., Ste. 430 Los Angeles, CA 90036

323-653-0693, 323-653-7670

Email: persmanmnt@aol.com

Web: persmanmnt.com/services.html

Contact: Len Weisman

Styles: R&B, soul, blues, gospel, rap, soul, pop

Clients: Jewel With Love, Chosen Gospel Recovery Singers, Winds Of Fate, Rapture 7, Chosen Gospel Singers, L’Nee, Sister Maxine West, TooMiraqulas (rapper), Winds of Fate

*Accepts unsolicited material

LEONARD BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

532 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica, CA

310-458-8860

Email: info@lbmgt.com

Web: facebook.com/profile. php?id=100066541158026

Contact: Jerry Leonard

Clients: Call for roster

Styles: All Services: Business management only *No unsolicited material

LIPPMAN ENTERTAINMENT

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

310-775-5228, 805-686-1163

Email: music@lippmanent.com

Web: lippmanent.com

Contact: Michael Lippman, Nick Lippman

Clients: producers, artists, songwriters

Styles: All Services: Full-service

*No unsolicited material

LOGGINS PROMOTION

310-325-2800

Email: staff@logginspromotion.com

Web: logginspromotion.com, facebook.com/logginspromotion

Contact: Paul Loggins

Services: Represents both major and independent artists. All genres.

MAINE ROAD MANAGEMENT

P.O. Box 1412

Woodstock, NY 12498

212-979-9004

Email: mailbox@maineroadmanagement.com

Web: maineroadmanagement.com

Contact: David Whitehead

Styles: rock, singer-songwriter, pop

Clients: Lloyd Cole, Mimi Goese, HELMET, Joe Henry, Joe Jackson, Hugh Laurie, Keeley Forsyth.

*No unsolicited material

MAJOR BOB MUSIC

Nashville, TN 37212

615-329-4150

Web: majorbob.com, facebook.com/majorbobmusic

Contact: Bob Doyle

Styles: Country, Pop

Clients: Garth Brooks, JP Williams, John & Jacob, Alysa Vanderheym, Josh London

*No unsolicited material

MANAGEMENT ARK

116 Village Blvd., Ste. 200 Princeton, NJ 08540

609-734-7403, Vernon H. Hammond III

301-859-4050, Edward C. Arrendell, II

Email: ed@managementark.com

Web: managementark.com

Contact: Vernon Hammond III, Edward C. Arrendell, II

Styles: jazz

Clients: Wynton Marsalis, Herlin Riley, Cecile McLorin Salvant

*No unsolicited material

MASCIOLI ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

319 Dillon Cir.

Orlando, FL 32822

407-701-9342

Email: mascioli319@gmail.com

Web: masciolientertainment.com

Contact: Paul A. Mascoli

Styles: country, jazz, R&B, orchestras, swing, tropical, rock

Clients: See website for roster

*Accepts unsolicited material

MCGHEE ENTERTAINMENT

21 Music Sq. W. Nashville, TN 37203

615-327-3255

Email: info@mcgheela.com

Web: mcgheela.com

Clients: Kiss, Paul Stanley, Ted Nugent, Down, Caleb Johnson

THE MGMT COMPANY

6906 Hollywood Blvd., 2nd Fl. Hollywood, CA 90028

323-946-7700

Email: inquiries@themgmtcompany.com

Web: linkedin.com/company/the-mgmtcompany/people

Contact: Marc Pollack

MICHAEL HAUSMAN ARTIST MANAGEMENT

17A Stuyvesant Oval New York, NY 10009

212-505-1943

Email: info@michaelhausman.com

Web: michaelhausman.com

Contact: Michael Hausman

Styles: rock, pop, singer-songwriter

Clients: Aimee Mann, Suzanne Vega, the Both *No unsolicited material

MIKE GORMLEY

L.A. Personal Development (LAPD)

Email: glebe99@yahoo.com, mgskunkhollow@ gmail.com

Web: lapersdev.com/history

MIKE’S ARTIST MANAGEMENT

Funzalo Records PO Box 2518

Agoura Hills, CA 91376

Email: dan@mikesartistmanagement. com, mike@mikesmanagement.com info@ mikesmanagement.com

Web: facebook.com/mikesartistmanagement, instagram.com/funzalorecords

Contact: Mike Lembo

Styles: rock, pop, Americana

Clients: Tony Furtado, Mostly Bears, Luca, Brian Lopez

*No unsolicited material

MILLION DOLLAR ARTISTS

12 Lake Forest Court West St. Charles, MO 63301 636-925-1703, 888-521-8146 Web: facebook.com/ milliondollarartists/?locale=en_GB

Contact: Dr. Charles “Max” E. Million

Styles: All Styles

*Accepts unsolicited material. See website for instructions.

MOKSHA MUSIC MANAGEMENT

Hollywood 1247 North Crescent Heights Blvd. Suite D West Hollywood, CA. USA. 90046 323-842-4434

Email: info@mokshaentertainment.com

Web: mokshaentertainment.com, bobbyleigh.com

Contact: Bobby Leigh

Clients: Stony Sugarskull, DieAna, Karuna, WaWa Baby, Lindsey Loon, Diana Meyer, Dr. Monike Demmler

Styles: Rock, Pop, Punk Rock, Psychedelic Punk Services: Personal Management, Artist Development, Tour Management, Social Media Management

Bobby Leigh is an active member of the PGA (Producers Guild of America),) FIND (Film Independent), CAA (Creative Actors Alliance), NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers), IP (Independent Producers), IFF (International Film Finance,) IDA (International Documentary Association and Filmmaker’s Alliance.

*Accepts unsolicited material in U.S. office

MORRIS HIGHAM MANAGEMENT, LLC

2001 Blair Blvd. Nashville, TN 37212

615-321-5025

Web: morrishigham.com

Styles: Country

Clients: Kenny Chesney, Brandon Lay, MamaDear, Old Dominion, Ryan Griffin

*No unsolicited material

MSH MANAGEMENT

Studio City, CA

503-332-3229

Email: mshmgmt@yahoo.com

Web: bandmix.com/mshmgmt1550969

Contact: Marney Hansen

Clients: Silver Lining, Nocturnal Drifters, Nancy Luca

Services: personal management

*No unsolicited material

MTS MANAGEMENT GROUP

227 Gill Road Apollo, PA. 15613

412-445-5282

Email: michael@mtsmanagementgroup.com

Web: mtsmanagementgroup.com

MUSIC & ART MANAGEMENT Asheville, NC 28801 828-225-5658

Web: facebook.com/p/music-and-artmanagement-100070007323989

Contact: Steve Cohen

Styles: Jazz, Electronic, Experimental, Multimedia

Clients: Theo Bleckmann, Carl Hancock Rux, David Wilcox, Vijay Iyer

*Does not accept unsolicited material

MYRIAD ARTISTS

P.O. Box 550 Carrboro, NC 27510

919-967-8655

Email: trish@tg2artists.com Web: myriadartists.com

Contact: Trish Galfano

Styles: folk, bluegrass, jazz, Americana Clients: A.J.Croce, Mike Marshall, Leahy, Sugar and the Mint, Seamus Egan, *No unsolicited material

NETTWERK PRODUCER MANAGEMENT 3900 W. Alameda Ave., Ste. 850 Burbank, CA 91505 747-241-8619

Email: info@nettwerk.com

Web: nettwerk.com *No unsolicited material

Additional locations:

Head Office: 1675 West 2nd Ave 2nd Floor Vancouver, BC V6J 1H3 604-654-2929

263 S. 4th St. P.O.Box 110649 Brooklyn, NY 11211 212-760-1540

15 Adeline Place, Ground Fl London, WC1B 3AJ 011-44-207-456-9500

Neuer Kamp 32 20357 Hamburg, Germany 49-40-431-846-50

NEW HEIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT Calabasas, CA 91372 323-802-1650

Email: Info@newheightsent.com Web: newheightsent.com

Contact: Alan Melina

Styles: All Styles

Clients: See Website *No unsolicited material

ONCE 11 ENTERTAINMENT 310-906-9800

Email: javier@once11ent.com Web: once11ent.com

Contact: Javier Willis

Styles: all types of Latin and world music

Clients: Espinoza Paz, Vazquez Sounds, Annette Moreno, Sergio Arau, Agina Alvarez, Jerry Demara

Consulting and Personal Management *Call before sending material.

PERFORMINGBIZ.COM

10 Chestnut Ct. Palmyra, VA 22963

Email: jg@performingbiz.com

Web: facebook.com/ performingbizsuccessstrategies

Contact: Jeri Goldstein

Styles: All Styles/Coaching and Consulting *Accepts Unsolicited material

PERSISTENT MANAGEMENT

P.O. Box 88456 Los Angeles, CA 90009

Email: pm@persistentmanagement.com Web: persistentmanagement.com (under

construction)

Contact: Eric Knight

Styles: All

Clients: Disciples of Babylon—Eric Knight, Blake Nix, Keith Shaw

Services: Personal Management

*We Do Not Accept Unsolicited material, email links only, see website for info

PETER KIMMEL’S MUSIC CATALOG

P.O. Box 55252

Sherman Oaks, CA 91413-0252

818-980-1039 Cell/Text 818-903-6518

Email: peter.kimmel@sbcglobal.net

Web: linkedin.com/in/peterkimmel

Contact: Peter Kimmel

Styles: All Services: Music Sync Licensing Publishing. *Call for approval before sending material

PINNACLE MANAGEMENT

MARKETING & PROMOTION

785 Quintana Road #174

Morro Bay, CA 93442

Email: pinnaclemanagement212@gmail.com

Contact: Debbie Rosen

Styles: Top 40/Hot AC, AC & Rock Services: Promotion & Management

PLATINUM STAR MANAGEMENT

9663 Santa Monica Blvd. #320

Dept MC

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Email: jen@platinumstarmgmt.com

Web: linkedin.com/in/jenniferyeko

Contact: Jennifer Yeko

Clients: Specializing in film/TV placement, radio promotion, music publicity and managing pop/ rock/singer-songwriters

*Accepts unsolicited material

PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC

116 E. 16th St. #9

New York, NY 10003

212-661-6990

Contact: Steven Greener

Email: sgreener@primarywave.com

Web: primarywave.com

Clients: Cee Lo Green, Fantasia, Melissa Etheridge, Brandy, Cypress Hill, Eric Benet, Toots & The Maytals.

Additional location:

2690 N Beachwood Drive, Floor 2 Los Angeles, CA 90068 USA 424-239-1200

Q PRIME MANAGEMENT

New York, London, Nashville 212-302-9790

Email: newyork@qprime.com (NY), nashville@ qprime.com (Nashville), london@qprime.com (London) Web: qprime.com

Styles: rock, Pop

Clients: Bear Hands, Silversun Pickups, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eric Church, Brothers Osborne *No unsolicited material

RAINMAKER ARTISTS PO Box 342229 Austin, TX 78734 512-229-7799, 214-744-0290

Email: paul@rainmakerartists.com Web: rainmakerartists.com

Contact: Paul Nugent

Styles: rock, pop

Clients: Blue October, Bowling For Soup, IAMDYNAMITE, Danny Malone

*Accepts unsolicited material

RAM TALENT GROUP Fort Lee, NJ 07024 201-363-1461 Ext. 201

Email: ruben@rubenrodriguezentertainment.net

Web: https://www.facebook.com/ rubenrodriguezentertainment/

Contact: Ruben Rodriguez

Styles: urban, gospel, urban AC, Latin music

RED LIGHT MANAGEMENT

5800 Bristol Pwky, Suite 400 Culver City, CA 90230 310-273-2266

Email: info@redlightmanagement.com Web: redlightmanagement.com

Styles: All styles

Clients: Phish, Luke Bryan, Alabama Shakes, Lady Antebellum and many more.

*Accepts unsolicited material

Additional locations:

Virginia New York

Nashville London

Atlanta Seattle Charlottesville

REGIME MANAGEMENT

Agoura Hills, CA

Email: info@regimeinc.com

Web: regime72.com

Clients: The REGIME client base ranges from Athletes, Artists, Musicians & Producers - From Hip Hop to Latin Jazz to Funk & Reggae. From legendary Graffiti Artist Risk, Hip Hop pioneers Everlast, House Of Pain, DJ Muggs & Dilated Peoples to Poncho Sanchez, Lettuce, Lucky Chops, Common Kings, Amigo The Devil - & many, many more.

RIGHTTRACK MANAGEMENT

(Chaser Music Group- Ascap, Bmi, Universal music)

(Artist Direction, Record Production, and Music Publishing)

Contact: Founder; A.Rosenthal aka Chase Williams. (805)200-9772

Email: ar.cw.917@gmail.com

Styles: All Genres, specifically Rock, Contemporary and Alternative.

Clients: (past & present) Jean luc Ponty, Jack Mack and the Heart Attack, Dave Mason, Spencer Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Malcolm Bruce. and others.

Look for Righttracks new and revised sites on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and more.

RON RAINEY MANAGEMENT, INC.

8500 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 525 Beverly Hills, CA 90211

310-277-4050

Email: ryan@ronrainey.com

Web: ronrainey.com

Contact: Ryan Jones

Clients: John Kay and Steppenwolf, ANGEL

Services: management

Styles: rock, classic rock, hard rock, stoner rock, metal

*We can accept unsolicited material

RPM MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

420 W. 14th St., Ste. 6NW New York, NY 10014

212-246-8126

Email: info@rpmproductions.com

Contact: Danny Bennett

Styles: rock, pop, jazz

Clients: Tony Bennett

*No unsolicited material

RPS RECORDING AND ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

4212 E. Los Angeles Ave. Simi Valley, CA 93063

805-551-2342

Email: rps.entertainment.group@gmail.com

Contact: Gary Bright

Styles: Various genres along with Gospel and Christian

*No unsolicited material please

RUSSELL CARTER ARTIST MANAGEMENT

567 Ralph McGill Blvd. Atlanta, GA 30312

404-377-9900

Email: info@rcam.com

Contact: Russell Carter

Styles: singer-songwriter, alt., Americana, pop, rock

Clients: Indigo Girls, Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoff, Shawn Mullins, Chely Wright, the Shadowboxers, Sarah Lee Guthrie, Abe Partridge

SAM Silva Artist Management

722 Seward St. Los Angeles, CA 90038

323-856-8222

Email: info@sammusicbiz.com Web: sammusicbiz.com

Contact: John Silva

Clients: Foo Fighters, Band of Horses, Ryan Adams, Jimmy Eat World, Beastie Boys, Beck, Sonic Youth, Queens Of The Stone Age Styles: alt., rock

*No unsolicited material

SEMAPHORE MGMT AND CONSULTING

748 E. 9th St. New York, NY 10009

773-733-1838

Email: info@semaphoremgmt.com

Web: semaphoremgmt.com

Contact: Taylor Brode, Lauren Davis

Styles: alternative - electronic, experimental, punk, rap, club

Services: General Management, Project Based

Short Term Consultancy

Clients: Debby Friday, Kamixlo, Provoker, Katie Gately, Meth Math, Evanora:Unlimited

SHERROD ARTIST MANAGEMENT

Music Entertainment Manager/A&R (252) 269-2869

Contact: Sean Sherrod

Email: infosherrodartistmanagement@mail.com

Web: instagram.com/sherrod_sean

SKH MUSIC

540 President St. Brooklyn, NY 11215

Email: skaras@skhmusic.com, khagan@skhmusic.com

Web: skhmusic.com

Contact: Steve Karas, Keith Hagan

Clients: The Afghan Whigs, Arthur Buck, Joseph Arthur, Davina and the Vagabonds, Greg Dulli, Robert Finley, The Gutter Twins, Jonny Lang, Lily & Madeleine, The Magpie Salute, Squirrel Nut

Zippers, TOTO, The Twilight Singers

SO WHAT MEDIA & MANAGEMENT

890 W. End Ave., Ste. 1-A New York, NY 10025

212-877-9631

Email: sowhatasst@me.com

Contact: Lisa Barbaris

Styles: rock, pop

Clients: Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter, Amanda Shires, Liv Warfield

*No unsolicited material accepted

SOUNDTRACK MUSIC ASSOCIATES

1601 N. Sepulveda Blvd. #579 Manhattan Beach, CA. 90266

310-260-1023

Email: info@soundtrk.com

Web: soundtrk.com

Contact: John Tempereau, Isabel Pappani, Koyo

Sonae

Styles: All Styles, Underscores

Clients: Composers: Cliff Martinez, Rod Abernethey, Evan Lurie, (see roster on site)

*No unsolicited material

Additional Location: 4133 Redwood Ave., Ste. 3030 Los Angeles, CA 90066

SPARKS ENTERTAINMENT, LLC

PO Box 531973

Livonia, MI. 48153 734-394-9945

Web: facebook.com/bsparksentertainment

Email: sparksentertainment78@gmail.com

Styles: ALL, Hip-Hop, R&B, Country, Rock, Acting & Modeling

Services: Talent Management, Career Development, Promoting

SPINNING PLATES MGMT

49 Music Square West #503 Nashville, TN 37203

615-482-6995

Email: kirt@spinningplatesmgmt.com

Web: spinningplatesmgmt.com

Contact: Kirt Webster

Styles: country, rock, tributes, corporate branding

Services: specializes in legendary musicians, corporate branding, and lifestyle marketing

*No unsolicited material

STARKRAVIN’ MANAGEMENT

McLane & Wong 11135 Weddington St., Ste. 424 North Hollywood, CA 91601 818-587-6801 Fax 818-587-6802

Email: bcmclane@aol.com

Web: benmclane.com

Contact: Ben McLane, Esq.

Styles: pop, rock, alt.

Services: Personal management, legal

*Accepts unsolicited material

STEVE STEWART MANAGEMENT

12400 Ventura Blvd., #900 Studio City, CA 91604

Email: stevestewart@stevestewart.com

Web: stevestewart.com

Contact: Steve Stewart

Styles: alt., rock, pop producers, film & TV composers

*No unsolicited material

STEVEN SCHARF ENTERTAINMENT

126 E. 38th St. New York, NY 10016

212-779-7977

Web: stevenscharf.com

Contact: Steven Scharf

Styles: rock, alt., singer-songwriter, hip-hop, world, producers, film & TV composers

Clients: Mackenzie, The Kickback, Leah Siegel, Liquid, Mike-E

*No unsolicited material

STIEFEL ENTERTAINMENT

21731 Ventura Blvd, #300 Woodland Hills, CA 91364

310-275-3377

Contact: Arnold Stiefel

Clients: Rod Stewart

Styles: rock, pop

Services: personal management

*No unsolicited material

SUNCOAST MUSIC MANAGEMENT

212 Otter Ridge Dr Brandenburg, Ky 40108

888-727-1698, 727-237-7971, (Ohio) 330-730-1615

Email: suncoastbooking@aol.com

Web: suncoastentertainment.biz

Contact: Al Spohn

Styles: rock, classic rock, metal, variety

Clients: Nightrain International (Guns n Roses Tribute), Hells/Bells (AC/DC Tribute), Battery (Metallica), Madman’s Diary (Ozzy), Kiss Army (Kiss), LedSmith (Led Zeppelin & Aerosmith) *Accepts unsolicited material

SURFDOG/DAVE KAPLAN MANAGEMENT

1126 S. Coast Hwy. 101 Encinitas, CA 92024

760-944-8800

Email: lauren@surfdog.com

Web: surfdog.com

Contact: Lauren Fricke

Style: Rock / Reggae / Soul / Americana

Clients: Brian Setzer, Stray Cats, Dave Stewart, Sublime

TAC MUSIC MANAGEMENT 9971 E. Ida Pl. Greenwood Village, CO 80111

720-431-2604

Email: tracey@tacmusicmanagement.com Web: tacmusicmgmtt.com

Contact: Tracey Chirhart

Styles: blues, southern rock, hard rock, country, bluegrass

Clients: see website

Services: personal & business management, promotion, marketing *Accepts unsolicited material

TAKEOUT MANAGEMENT, INC 785 Quintana Road #174 Morro Bay, CA 93442

805-382-2200 Email: howie@howiewood.com Web: howiewood.com

Contact: Howard Rosen

Styles: CHR/Top 40, AC, Hot AC, AAA, Alternative Specialty, Mainstream Rock, Modern AC, Country, College for artists of all label sizes including independent. Services: Personal management, shop for distribution and record deals. Production and remix with major producers.

TED KURLAND ASSOCIATES 173 Brighton Ave. Boston, MA 02134 617-254-0007 Fax 617-782-3577

Email: agents@tedkurland.com Web: thekurlandagency.com

Contact: Ted Kurland

Styles: jazz, blues, vocals

Clients: Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, Bill Charlap, John Pizzarelli, Lisa Fischer, Bobby McFerrin, Bobby Rush, Chris Botti, Sonny Rollins, Taylor Rae and more *No unsolicited material

TENTH STREET ENTERTAINMENT 1115 Broadway, 12th Floor New York, NY 10010

212-334-3160

Email: info@10thst.com

Web: 10thst.com

Clients: Motley Crue, Nikki Sixx, Sixx:AM, Papa Roach, Blondie, Oh No After Midtown, Bad Wolves, Bailey Zimmerman, Bleeker, Dorothy, Fire From the Gods, Five Finger Death Punch, Hollywood Undead, Ice Nine Kills, In Flames, Saul, Solence

Styles: All Services: personal management *No unsolicited material

Additional location:

113 North San Vicente Blvd. 2nd Floor, Suite 241 Beverly Hills, CA 90211 310-385-4700

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

INTERNATIONAL, INC. (T.E.I.)

3820 E. La Palma Ave. Anaheim, CA 92807

714-693-9300

Email: jmcentee@teientertainment.com

Web: teientertainment.com

Contact: John McEntee

Styles: All Services: Entertainment broker for corporate/ concert events, personal management *No unsolicited material

THREEE

Erik Eger Entertainment, Inc. 918 N. Western Ave., Ste. A Los Angeles, CA 90029 213-381-5100 Fax 213-381-5115

Email: info@threee.com Web: threee.com

Contact: Erik Eger

Styles: All styles

Clients: Dan Carey, Stuart Matthewman, John Hill, Johnny McDaid, Jordan Palmer, Mark Rankin, Stint, Jordan Palmer, Daniel Ledinsky, Blanda

*We do not accept unsolicited material

TKO ARTIST MANAGEMENT Nashville, TN 615-383-5017

Web: facebook.com/tkoartistmgmt

Contact: T.K. Kimbrell

Styles: Country

Clients: The Bacon Brothers, Toby Keith, Ashley Campbell, Colt Ford, Krystal Keith, *No unsolicited material

TOM CALLAHAN & ASSOCIATES 310-418-1384

Email: tc@tomcallahan.com Web: linkedin.com/in/tom-callahan-23749542

Contact: Tom Callahan

Services: full-service consulting company, including record promotion, legal services, Internet marketing, web design, retail promotion and publicity. *No unsolicited material

VARRASSO MANAGEMENT 103 Main St. Copperopolis, CA 95228 510-792-8910

Email: richard@varrasso.com

Web: instagram.com/creativecopperopolis

Contact: Richard Varrasso

Styles: rock, covers, country *Accepts unsolicited material

VECTOR MANAGEMENT P.O. Box 120479 Nashville, TN 37212 615-269-6600

Email: info@vectormgmt.com

Web: vectormgmt.com

Contact: Ken Levitan

Styles: country, pop, singer-songwriter *No unsolicited material

Additional locations:

430 W. 15th Street New York, NY 10011

VELVET HAMMER MANAGEMENT 9014 Melrose Ave., W. Hollywood, CA 90069

310-657-6161

Email: info@velvethammer.net

Web: velvethammer.net

Clients: System of a Down, Alice in Chains, the Deftones, Code of Orange, Night Riots Specialties: All

*Accepts unsolicited material

WANTED MANAGEMENT

Email: wantedgregg@gmail.com

Web: facebook.com/wantedmgmt

Styles: rock, blues, pop, punk, soul

Services: personal management

Clients: Jane Lee Hooker, Echo Del Tusker *No unsolicited material

WHIPLASH PR & MANAGEMENT

398 Columbus Ave

PMB #183 Boston, MA 02116

781-545-1301

Email: rockergirl363@aol.com

Web: whiplashprandmanagement.com

Clients: Venus Theory, The Ormewoods, The Lumineers, see website for roster

WOLFSON ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

805-494-9600

Email: info@wolfsonent.com

Contact: Jonathan Wolfson, Dillon Barbosa,

Directory of Managers/Booking Agents

Sammy Wolfson, Tom Burger

Web: wolfsonent.com

Styles: All

Clients: Daryl Hall and John Oates, Loverboy, Huey Lewis & The News, Live From Daryl’s House, The Tubes, Down North

Services: Personal management. Also offers fullservice social media and media relations for clients. BOOKING AGENTS

25 LIVE

25 Music Sq. W. Nashville, TN 37203

615-777-2227

Email: david@25ent.com

Web: 25ccm.com

Contact: David Breen

Styles: Christian *No unsolicited material

ACA MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

705 Larry Ct. Waukesha, WI 53186

800-279-7909, 262-790-0060

Fax: 262-790-9149

Web: acaentertainment.com

Contact: Louie Higgins

Styles: variety, bluegrass, bands, lounge acts, nostalgia, DJ’s, club, festival bands, ceremony, dinner hour, cocktail

Services: Represents nightclub and acts for private functions, not currently seeking new clients

*Accepts unsolicited material

AGENCY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS (APA)

10585 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90025

310-888-4200

Web: apa-agency.com

Styles: All *Call before submitting material

Additional locations:

3 Columbus Circle 23rd Floor

New York, NY 10019

212-205-4320

424 Church Street STE 900 Nashville, TN 37219

615-297-0100

3060 Peachtree Rd. NW, Ste. 1480 Atlanta, GA 30305 404-254-5876

129 John Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V2E2 416-646-7373

53 Palace Gardens Terrace, Suite 2 London, W8 4SB UK +44-20-3871-0520

AM CONSULTING GROUP 157 Church Street New Haven, CT 06510 888-241-3293

Email: amathur@amconsultgroup.com Web: am-consulting-group.com

Contact: Ashwin Mathur, CEO Kevin Liles, President/Partner Styles: Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B All Music Accepted Call for Rates

AMW GROUP

8605 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069 310-295-4150

Web: amworldgroup.com

Styles: All Styles

Clients: info upon request *No unsolicited material

Additional locations: New York City 228 Park Ave., S. New York, NY 10003 212-461-4796

382 NE 191st Street Miami, FL. 33179

ARROWHEAD BOOKINGS

New York, NY

Email: contact@arrowheadbookings.com

Web: arrowheadbookings.com

Contact: Ryan Mastrelli

ARTIST REPRESENTATION & MANAGEMENT 1257 Arcade St.

St. Paul, MN 55106

651-483-8754

Email: molly@armentertainment.com, booking@ armentertainment.com

Web: armentertainment.com

Contact: John Domagall

Styles: specializes in ‘80s-early ‘90s rock, country, blues, metal

Clients: info upon request *No unsolicited material

BBA MANAGEMENT & BOOKING

Austin, TX

512-477-7777

Email: info@bbabooking.com

Web: bbabooking.com

Styles: jazz, Latin, rock, classical singersongwriter *No unsolicited material

BIG BEAT

1515 University Dr., Ste. 102 Coral Springs, FL 33071

954-755-7759

Email: talent@bigbeatproductions.com

Web: bigbeatproductions.com

Contact: Richard Lloyd Styles: all styles

Clients: info upon request *Accepts unsolicited material

BOOKING ENTERTAINMENT

Two Park Avenue, 20th Floor New York, NY 10016

1-800-4ENTERTAINMENT, 800-436-8378 212-645-0555

Email: agents@bookingentertainment.com

steve@bookingentertainment.com Web: bookingentertainment.com

Contact: Steve Einzig

Styles: rock, pop, jazz, adult contemporary, pop, R&B

Clients: info on website.

*No unsolicited material

CAA CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY

2000 Ave. of the Stars Los Angeles, CA 90067

424-288-2000 Fax 424-288-2900 Web: caa.com/entertainmenttalent/touring

Styles: All

*No unsolicited material - No phone calls

Additional locations:

10250 Constellation Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90067

405 Lexington Ave., 19th Fl. New York, NY 10174 212-277-9000

65 E. 55th Street New York, NY 10022

401 Commerce St., Penthouse Nashville, TN 37219 615-383-8787

6075 Poplar Ave, Suite 410 Memphis, TN. 38119

1500 K Street NW Washington DC, 20005 771-444-5301

3560 Lenox Road, Suite 1525 Atlanta, GA 30326 404-816-2722

1688 Meridian Ave., Suite 340 Miami Beach, FL. 33139

444 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 3540 Chicago, IL. 60611 312-242-2700

CAA ICON 5075 S. Syracuse Street Suite 700 Denver, CO. 80237 303-557-3700 Web: caaicon.com

Additional Locations:

3652 South Third St., Suite 200 Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 904-339-0435

London 12 Hammersmith Grove Hammersmith, London W6 7AP U.K.

Additional International offices in Geneva, Munich, Stockholm, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing

CANTALOUPE MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

157 W. 79th St., Ste. 4A

New York, NY 10024

212-724-2400

Email: ellenazorin@gmail.com

Web: cantaloupeproductions.com

Contact: Ellen Azorin, President Clients: see website

Styles: Booking agent specializing in Brazilian, Argentine, Cuban and other Latin music, as well as other world music and top level jazz ensembles.

*Does not accept unsolicited material

CELEBRITY TALENT AGENCY INC. 2218 Broadway Suite 249, New York, NY 10024

212-539-6039, 201-837-9000

Email: markg@celebritytalentagency.com Web: celebritytalentagency.com

Contact: Mark Green

Styles: jazz, R&B, hip-hop, comedians, gospel Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

CLOSED SESSIONS LIVE 516-449-1931

Email: matt.classens@gmail.com

Web: closedsessions.live

We do all genre concerts.

Past Acts include: Juice wrld, Kaytranada, Sublime, Dark Star Orchestra, Cam’Ron, Lil Peep, Snakehips, Jai Wolf, MGMT, and more.

BRUCE COLFIN LAW, PC 99 Lexington Ave., Suite 5032 New York, NY 10006 212-691-5630, 516-830-1951

Email: thefirm@thefirm.com

Contact: Bruce E. Colfin

Styles: rock, blues, world, reggae

Clients: Dark Star Orchestra, Mick Taylor, Sly and Robbie, Marty Balin, Freddie McGregor, Niney the Observer, Bernard Purdie

*Accepts unsolicited material

Submit material with a S.A.S.E. and proper postage for return

COLLIN ARTISTS Pasadena, CA 91104 323-556-1046

Email: collinartists@gmail.com Web: collinartists.com

Contact: Barbara Collin, Robert Sax, Goh Kurosawa

Styles: jazz, blues, world, Latin, R&B, doo wop/ classics and beyond

Clients: Mary Stallings, Jeri Brown, Kevin Mahogany, Andy Bey, Alan Paul, Latin Jazz Masters, Bobbi Humphrey, Kathy Kosins

Services: management, promotion, consulting, booking, workshops

*No unsolicited material

CONCERTED EFFORTS, INC. P.O. Box 440326 Somerville, MA 02144 617-969-0810 Fax 617-209-1300

Email: concerted@concertedefforts.com Web: concertedefforts.com

Contact: Paul Kahn

Styles: blues, soul, jazz, gospel, zydeco, Cajun, folk, singer-songwriter, rock, world

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

CUMBERLAND MUSIC COLLECTIVE 529 Snyder Ave Nashville, TN 37209

615-627-2243

Email: lee@cmcartist.com

Web: cmcartists.com/artists

Styles: bluegrass, roots, folk, singer-songwriter

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

EAST COAST ENTERTAINMENT

855-323-4386

Email: info@bookece.com

Web: bookece.com

Styles: rock, acoustic, classical, latin, jazz, pop, R&B, funk

*No unsolicited material

**See website for additional locations

ELECTRIC EVENTS CORPORATION

P.O. Box 280848

Lakewood, CO 80228

303-989-0001

Email: info2@electricevents.com Web: electricevents.com

Contact: Michael A. Tolerico

Styles: pop cover bands only

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES INTERNATIONAL

1819 S. Harlan Cir. Lakewood, CO 80232

303-727-1111, 417-882-2222

Email: randy@esientertainment.com

Web: esientertainment.com

Contact: Randy Erwin

Styles: mostly classic rock

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

ENTOURAGE TALENT ASSOCIATES 150 W. 28th St., Ste. 1503 New York, NY 10001 212-633-2600

Email: info@entouragetalent.com Web: entouragetalent.com

Contact: Wayne Forte

Styles: rock, pop, singer-songwriter, jazz

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

FAT CITY ARTISTS

1906 Chet Atkins Pl., Ste. 502 Nashville, TN 37212 615-320-7678 Fax 615-321-5382

Web: fatcityartists.com

Styles: nostalgia, country, big band, bluegrass, blues, R&B, Cajun, world, folk, funk, gospel, jazz *No rap or opera Clients: info upon request *No unsolicited material

FLEMING ARTISTS, INC. PO Box 1568 Ann Arbor, MI 48104 734-995-9066

Email: jim@flemingartists.com

Web: flemingartists.com

Contact: Jim Fleming

Styles: rock, pop, singer-songwriter, contemporary roots rock, folk, bluegrass, improv comedy

Clients: Jeff Daniels, Judy Collins, the Kruger Brothers, Shane Koyczan, Ariel Horowitz, Holly Near

GIGSALAD

2733 E. Battlefield Rd. Box 105 Springfield, MO 65804

866-788-GIGS

Web: gigsalad.com

Contact: Mark Steiner, Steve Tetrault Services: A marketplace for booking bands, musicians, entertainers, speakers and services for parties, productions and events.

Additional locations: 401 Chestnut Street Wilmington, NC

3050 East Battlefield Road Springfield, MO

GORFAINE-SCHWARTZ AGENCY 4111 W. Alameda Ave., Ste. 509 Burbank, CA 91505

818-260-8500

Web: gsamusic.com

Clients: see our website for client list *No unsolicited material

GREAT AMERICAN TALENT P.O. Box 2476 Hendersonville, TN 37077 615-368-7433, 615-957-3444

Email: info@eddyraven.com

Styles: country, Cajun Clients: info upon request *No unsolicited material

HARMONY ARTISTS INC.

20501 Ventura Blvd, Suite 289 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 323-655-5007

Email: acrane-ross@harmonyartists.com

Web: harmonyartists.com

Contact: Adrienne Crane-Ross

Styles: tribute, nostalgia, R&B, Latin, blues, bluegrass, jazz, swing *No unsolicited material

HELLO! BOOKING

P.O. Box 18717 Minneapolis, MN 55418 651-647-4464

Email: info@hellobooking.com

Web: hellobooking.com

Contact: Eric Roberts

Styles: bluegrass, country, rock, folk, pop, jazz, indie, hip-hop, acoustic, rockabilly Clients: info upon request

*Accepts unsolicited material

IN TOUCH ENTERTAINMENT

309 West 55th Street

New York, NY 10019

212-235-7015

Email: info@intouchent.com

Web: intouchent.com, decibelpresents.com/

roster

Contact: Charles Carlini

Styles: All Styles

Clients: Irene Cara, Michael Carvin, David Chesky, Eumir Deodato, Michael Sembello, Ron Sunshine, Tito Rodriguez, jr., George Mraz, Airto Moreira, Kenia, Tony Middleton, Elisha Abas, Sarah Hayes, Guinga, Brian Auger, Mamma Freedom, Eddie Jobson

*Accepts unsolicited material - via SonicBids only

INA DITTKE & ASSOCIATES

770 NE 69th Street, Ste.7C Miami, FL 33138

305-762-4309

Email: ina@inadittke.com

Web: inadittke.com

Contact: Ina Dittke

Styles: jazz, Latin, world

Clients: info upon request

JAZZ HANDS FOR AUTISM

Web: jazzhandsforautism.org

A&R/Manager: George Earth

Booking Agent: Esbeth Heredia, Job Placement

Coordinator

Email: esbeth@jazzhandsforautism.org info@ jazzhandsforautism.org

Notes: JHFA works with neurodivergent artists who are developed and coached to prepare them going into the music industry.

JEFF ROBERTS & ASSOCIATES

174 Saundersville Rd., Ste. 702 Hendersonville, TN 37075

615-859-7040 Web: jeffroberts.com

Contact: Jeff Roberts

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

LIVE NATION Beverly Hills, CA

800-653-8000

Web: livenation.com

Styles: All Styles

Services: producing, marketing and selling live concerts for artists

MARSJAZZ BOOKING AGENCY

1006 Ashby Pl. Charlottesville, VA 22901

434-979-6374

Email: reggie@marsjazz.com

Web: marsjazz.com

Contact: Reggie Marshall

Styles: jazz

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

MAURICE MONTOYA MUSIC AGENCY Culver City, CA. 90232

305-763-8961, 212-229-9160

Email: maurice@mmmusicagency.com info@ mmmusicagency.com

Web: mmmusicagency.com

Contact: Maurice Orlando Montoya

Styles: jazz, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, contemporary/ pop Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

M.O.B. AGENCY

6404 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 505 Los Angeles, CA 90048

323-653-0427

Email: mitch@mobagency.com

Web: mobagency.com

Contact: Mitch Okmin

Styles: rock, alt.

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

MONQUI EVENTS

P.O. Box 5908

Portland, OR 97228

503-223-5960

Email: web@monqui.com

Web: monqui.com

Styles: alt., rock, indie rock, pop, country

*No unsolicited material

MUSIC CITY ARTISTS

7104 Peach Ct. Brentwood, TN 37027

615-915-2641

Email: cray@musiccityartists.com

Contact: Charles Ray, President/Agent

Styles: AC, country, oldies, musicals, tribute, comedy, music

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

MUSIC GROUP ENTERTAINMENT, LLC

Las Vegas, NV

Celebrity Booking Agency

300 Available Acts

404-822-4138, 877-472-4399

Email: mya@musicgroupworldwide.com

musicgroupceo@gmail.com

Web: facebook.com/musicgroupworldwide

Contact: Mya Richardson

Styles: neo soul, R&B, pop, rock, country, jazz, alt, dance, reggae, calypso, dance hall, comedy actors

*No unsolicited material, not accepting hip-hop

demos

MUSICIANS CONTACT

29684 Masters Dr. Murrieta, CA 92563

818-888-7879

Email: info@musicianscontact.com

Web: musicianscontact.com

Contact: Sterling Howard

Styles: All, originals or covers

Services: Established 40 years of referral services for musicians and employers

NIGHTSIDE ENTERTAINMENT

10 Crabapple Ln. Greenville, RI 02828

401-949-2004

Email: nightsideentertainment@gmail.com

Web: facebook.com/nightsideentertainment

Contact: Al Salzillo

Styles: All Styles

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

PACIFIC TALENT

P.O. Box 19145

Portland, OR 97280

503-228-3620

Email: andy@pacifictalent.com

Web: pacifictalent.com

Contact: Andy Gilbert

Styles: jazz, blues, R&B, rock, funk, disco, everything

Clients: info upon request

*Accepts unsolicited material

PARADIGM TALENT AGENCY

700 N. San Vicente Blvd Suite G820 West Hollywood, CA 90069

310-288-8000

Web: paradigmagency.com

Contact: Paul Morris

Styles: rock, hip-hop, electronica, industrial

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

Additional location: 810 Seventh Ave Suite 205 New York, NY 10019

212-897-6400

PARADISE ARTISTS

108 E. Matilija St. Ojai, CA 93023

805-646-8433

Email: info@paradiseartists.com

Web: paradiseartists.com

Contact: Howie Silverman

Styles: rock, pop, alt., legends

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

Additional location:

P.O. Box 20088 New York, NY 10011

Phone: (917) 703-0851

PROGRESSIVE GLOBAL AGENCY

P.O. Box 50294

Nashville, TN 37205

615-354-9100

Email: info@pgamusic.com

Web: pgamusic.com

Contact: Jennifer Fowler

Styles: rock, pop, world

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

PYRAMID ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

377 Rector Pl., Ste. 21-A

New York, NY 10280

212-242-7274

Email: smichaels@pyramid-ent.com

Web: pyramid-ent.com

Contact: Sal Michaels

Styles: urban, jazz, gospel, classic and contemporary R&B, funk, hip-hop

Clients: info upon request

*No unsolicited material

RED ENTERTAINMENT AGENCY

505 8th Avenue, Suite 1004

New York, NY 10018

212-563-7575

Email: info@redentertainment.com

Web: facebook.com/ redentertainmentagencygroup

Contact: Carlos Keyes

Styles: rock, funk, jazz, gospel, R&B, pop, Latin, hip-hop

Clients: Dionne Warwick, Village People, Elliott Yamin, Cameo, Jodeci, Steven Seagal, Gloria Gaynor, Ready For The World, Surface, Erasure’s Andy Bell, Tito Jackson, Bell Biv DeVoe, Case, Baha Men, Hi-Five, DMX, the Brides of Funkenstein, Dwele, Keith Sweat, Mario Winans, Tyrese, Meek Mill, Johnny Gill, Chic Feat. Nile Rodgers, Kathy Sledge, Slum Village, Twista, Jon B, Kenny Lattimore, CeCe Winans, Carl Thomas

*No unsolicited material

ROMEO TOURING, LLC

A Talent Agency 565 Marriott Dr. Nashville, TV 402-359-1010

Email: lisaromeo@comcast.net, info@romeoent. com

Contact: Lisa Romeo

Styles: country, rock, and industrial only Clients: info upon request *No unsolicited material

SELAK ENTERTAINMENT

466 Foothill Blvd., #184 La Canada, CA 91011 626-584-8110, 213-709-4909

Email: steve@selakentertainment.com

Web: selakentertainment.com

Contact: Steve Selak

Styles: tribute bands, blues, country, dance, disco, ethnic, hip-hop, party band, jazz, soul, solo, swing, pop, R&B, blues *no unsolicited material

SELF GROUP, LLC, THE P.O. Box 14721 Portland, OR 97293

Email: info@selfgroup.org Web: selfgroup.org

Contact: Krist Krueger

Styles: indie, rock, folk, acoustic, experimental, pop Clients: info upon request *No unsolicited material

SPECTRUM TALENT AGENCY

212-268-0404

Email: marc@spectrumtalentagency.com

Web: spectrumtalentagency.com

Contact: Marc Katz

Styles: pop, R&B, dance, hip-hop, theatrical Clients: info upon request *No unsolicited material

THIRD COAST TALENT

P.O. Box 170 Chapmansboro, TN 37035 615-685-3331

Email: carrie@thirdcoasttalent.com

Web: thirdcoasttalent.com

Styles: Country

Clients: see website for complete roster *No unsolicited material

UNCLE BOOKING

5438 Winding Way Dr. Houston, TX 77091 510-917-1610

Email: erik@unclebooking.com Web: unclebooking.com

Clients: Kevin Barnes, Bottomless Pit, CEX, Citay, the Coke Dares, Danielson, Deerhoof, Southeast Engine, Trans Am, *No unsolicited material

UNITED TALENT AGENCY 9336 Civic Center Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-273-6700

Web: unitedtalent.com

Clients: See site for a list *No unsolicited material

Additional locations: New York, NY 888 7th Ave., Seventh FL. New York, NY 10106 212-659-2600 225 Polk Ave

Suite 130 Nashville, TN. 37203 615-564-2580

Miami, FL 1101 Brickell Ave. South Tower, Fl. 8 Miami, FL 33131 786-574-5210

U.K. 1 Newman St. London W1T 1PB United Kingdom +44-207-278-3331

UNIVERSAL ATTRACTIONS AGENCY 15 W. 36th St., 8th Fl. New York, NY 10018 Web: universalattractions.com Email: info@universalattractions.com 212-582-7575 Fax: 212-333-4508

Additional location:

21650 W. Oxnard St. Suite 1460 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 212-582-7575 Email: info@universalattractions.com

Web: universalattractions.com

Styles: All

Clients: info upon request

WALKER ENTERTAINMENT GROUP P.O. Box 7926 Houston, TX 77270 281-431-9393

Email: info@walkerentertainment.com

Web: walkerentertainmentgroup.com

Contact: Ernest Walker, President/CEO *No unsolicited material

WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 9560 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-285-9000 Email: inquiries@wmeagency.com Web: wmeagency.com Styles: All

*No unsolicited material **No phone calls

Additional locations:

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Choosing To Run Your Own Record Label

Before I share my cautionary tale about an encounter with an independent record label that ultimately led me to take back control of my music and start my own, I feel it’s wise to impart one enduring truth I have learned from my three decades as a contemporary jazz guitarist and recording artist: Any and all money that is made by a label comes from the artist. No matter what kind of services they provide—recording, manufacturing, distribution, promotion—ultimately, the artist is the one paying for everything. They may take over the administration of that money but it’s all generated from the music the artist creates. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise or try to manipulate you. You’re the creator and they have nothing to market or sell without your creative product.

In the mid-’90s, I was signed to a small label out of San Diego called Offshore Music, which was owned by a fellow musician Jayson Tipp. Jayson did a great job getting my name and music out there. I’ve always felt that signing with an indie label is a good option if you find someone great to work with.

For two years, I charted several airplay hits on The Gavin Report (“Smooth,” which hit No. 28, and “Love Potion” (No. 42) and released two albums under my artist-name Dr. Dave, which was a big deal in those days. The most popular of these albums was Smooth, which featured saxophonist Ernie Watts, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and keyboardist Carl Evans, Jr. of the band Fattburger. Unfortunately, as it happened many times in those days, Offshore Music went out of business, but thanks in part to them, I now had national attention and hundreds of thousands of fans listening to my music.

I was flattered when another prominent indie label reached out wanting to sign me, and the last thing I would have thought was to check the contract for a clause saying they couldn’t change my artist-name. Without my consent, after I recorded my first project for them, the head of the label decided he was going to put the name “David Paul” on the CD and market me with that name.

products, we have more freedom and give the consumers many more choices on how they consume and enjoy what we create.

Considering that I’ve run my own label, Hatherill Records (after my given surname), for a number of years now, it may surprise some to know that at first I wanted to be an artist only and had no interest in running my own business. I knew a guy who was a DJ on popular jazz stations who was starting a small

and make my music visible to fans. I also registered with an entertainment attorney—an experienced one this time—to help me set up and organize what became Hatherill Records. Also make sure you work with a great tech guy to help you resolve the many issues that will inevitably come up on that front.

Tip No. 2 is that if you get to a point where launching your own label is the best path forward, you have to come to terms with the fact that you’ll have to do something you as an artist would probably prefer not to— run a business. In my experience, most musicians don’t have a natural ability to do that, so we have to work harder.

I was engaged in litigation with that label for many years and couldn’t record with anyone else or even release anything on my own. Finally, the label and I agreed to an out-ofcourt settlement, which meant I once again had ownership of my music and a green light to start releasing new material.

By then, with iTunes, Spotify and the like, the digital age had taken over the music industry and I had to do a lot of organizing and researching to figure out the best way to share my music. I quickly learned that while artists make less money with digital agreements than we did releasing physical

label, and I suggested a partnership where he could manage and serve as administrator for the music I produced. But when he suddenly stopped communicating, I realized it was not going to work.

There’s an old adage that goes, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” I knew that if I wanted to make things happen as an artist again, it would be up to me.

That’s my Tip No. 1 – Assemble a team of competent, motivated veteran industry professionals with expertise in different aspects of the music business. I hired a PR person, advertising person, radio rep and because my music is considered smooth jazz, developed a relationship with smoothjazz.com to help promote

If you’re ready to go but feel overwhelmed by all the details, Tip No. 3 is to start the process by reaching out to musicians you know and trust, friends and collaborators and contacts who can connect you to industry pros who are good at what they do, and steer you away from those that aren’t.

As the president of my label, my job is to be an administrator of my music and give it the best chance to get out there. It’s very rewarding to know that I don’t have to worry ever again about what an outside label is doing or not doing with my career. While it’s a big relief, it’s also a test to see how dedicated you are to your music. If you ask yourself if it’s worth the hassle and expense to share your music with the world, then by all means, creating your own label is the way to go.

About Dr. Dave

Longtime fans of contemporary jazz may remember Dr. Dave from his initial success as a recording artist in the mid-’90s, when his albums I Like It Like That, Smooth, and Cruisin’ made big splashes in the early days of the Smooth Jazz format. Its embrace of these recordings inspired Dr. Dave to return to the scene full-force with Midnight Daydream (attributed to Dave Dave and the Housecall Band), which spawned four hit singles, starting with “Sexy Cindy”—one of his biggest hits ever, ranking No. 1 for Smooth Jazz Guitar songs in the U.S. on Radio Guitar One’s Top 20. The album also included “Cecil’s Groove,” his all-time most streamed song which is currently at over 3.7 million streams on Spotify. The album’s fourth single was a blues, jazz, funk and rock track developed around the opening “Hey Hey Hey Hey” riff heard nightly since 2014 by the house band (who wrote it) on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Dr. Dave and the Housecall Band followed up in 2021 with Carefree Revisited, a full band revamp of an earlier unreleased solo album. Dr. Dave’s most recent single is “Reserved For Abbie.”

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