How long have you been together?
We have known each other since we were in high school and Tom and I have been writing together for about two years. But the band actually formed and started playing out in January of this year.

What kind of local support are you getting (radio, press, distro)?
Unfortunately, most of the radio stations in our region are owned by Clear Channel and that has made it incredibly difficult to get radio support. The college stations in the area are playing us a lot, but the commercial stations have proven difficult to break into. We get a lot of local press support in all the newspapers. Clay County Line did a review for us, as did Port Of Times Union (The largest paper in Jacksonville). Our first record was only available at shows and online, where it did surprisingly well, but our new record will be in all the area FYE stores, as well.

What are your shows like? How well do you draw?

We average about 250 people at the shows. Our biggest show was our CD release party for the first record in August. We sold out the place with 500 people. Our next CD release party is on the 26th, and we booked a bigger venue this time. We’re expecting to sell out again with around 700 people. I know it may not seem like a lot, but Jacksonville is a very metal town. And we are very not metal. We bring in something different, and to get so much support from fans really means a lot to us. Read (more…)

KOAR: Tell us about how you got started in the music industry- your first job, position etc…

The Rev: Funny story actually, I got into some trouble with the cops in college and as a result couldn’t move home for the summer. I ended up getting a job moving furniture where I met a guy who DJ’d at Michigan State University’s radio station. One night they asked him to fill in on the Heavy Metal show and he didn’t know squat about the music and knowing I was a huge fan, he asked if I wanted to come up and pick out the music. I of course I said yes and he let me do a segue over the air. The program director heard me, called in and asked me if I wanted to host the show permanently!! Long story short, a half-year later, I was the program director of a 3500 Watt FM college station. Through WDBM I made tons of contacts in the music business and during my last semester I lead the station to #2 in the ratings 18-34 females and got an offer to move to New Jersey to be an independent radio promoter at the now defunct AIM Marketing. Pretty crazy turn of events!

KOAR: The Syndicate you formed- tell us about the background on the company, departments, services, clients, roster of bands.

The Rev: The story continues, 3 months into my job as director of the Loud Rock Radio department at Aim, my immediate supervisor, Anya Feldman, left for a job at TVT. I didn’t feel like I was qualified to run the department at the time, so I suggested they bring in Marc Meltzer. Marc interviewed and got the job. Within a year we had the department doing more business that it had in years. At the height of our success, the owner of the company decided to disband the company, which left 15 employees out of a job. Marc and I decided to team up with Tracey Zucatti and Jon Landman who were running the College Radio department and Bernie Mueller who ran the Retail Promotions department and do exactly what we were doing at AIM but as the owners of our own company. On December 17, 1997 the AIM offices closed and on January 5, 1998 The Music Syndicate was born. Click to read more (more…)

(Kings of A&R) – Who are you currently with?

Brian Sirgutz (Elementree Records) – I currently run Elementree Records for the rock band KoRn.

(KOAR) – Waht do you think of the current state of the music industry?

(ER) – I think that in any industry, there are cycles of growth and consolidation. In today’s music industry climate it will get much worse before it gets better. This is because labels are stilll looking at artists quarter by quarter instead of making careers. The hits that Clear Channel requires for ratings are processed and delivered by the labels and the record sales in turn are driven by the hit songs clear channel play. Today, the industry is reapoing with it sows. If you sell an artist by the hit song and not the artist, instead of the consumer paying as high as $19.95, they will just turn to the nete and download if for free, it’s easier to download than to purchase it online. Labels have to compete with ease of use and free. In this case, the labels will lose. It needs to get a lot worse before it gets better, but people need music like humans need air. It’s a matter of how music becomes commodified. Click to read more (more…)

Congratulations on Breaking Benjamin. Certified gold and still going strong.

Jason: Thank you. It’s always exciting to watch a band have success after they have worked incredibly hard for years. We’re close to platinum now which, in this day and age, is incredible for any act, especially a rock band.

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