Grizzly Bear
May 8th, 2009
Later with Jools Holland – BBC 2
Two Weeks
While You Wait For The Others

Download:
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest (iTunes)

Bigtétény’s Finest – Lovasok A Szakadék Fele
Futurecop! – N.A.S.A.

Scottie Diablo

Last week we ran our first installment of ‘Manager Spotlight’, where we speak with rising stars in the music management business. This week we caught up with Scottie Diablo of Acid Bird Management in Los Angeles. Scottie currently manages Austin-based rockers White Denim.

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R&G: How did you get your start in the music business?

Scottie: My obsession for music almost got me kicked out of school at a young age. My path to the guiding light of Rock ‘n’ Roll was born in the early 80’s. I learned about the history of Rock ‘n’ Roll by reading lots of fanzines, magazines, attending live shows, studying liner notes, studying album cover art and absorbing anything music related. I never played an instrument, so starting a band was out of the question. The only way I could contribute to the “art” was becoming a manager. I had enough street smarts and knowledge of music that assisted me in managing my first band around 1995. Initially it was bullshitting club bookers on how many people the band drew, collecting money, and meeting people within the L.A. music club scene. Nowadays a band can book a tour with a few bulletins on their Myspace account. Back then, it was phone calls and driving to clubs to drop off music. My favorite clubs back then were AL’s Bar (Downtown L.A.), Bar Deluxe, The Garage, and Moguls in Hollywood. The first band I managed dissolved in the late 90’s and I didn’t manage another band until the mid-2000’s. I worked with a band that got signed to Secretly Canadian/Dead Oceans, a post-punk band from New Zealand, and a rapper from the Midwest. Those three artists independently found greener pastures. The stars aligned in 2007 when I met with White Denim. In my mind – the most important band in Rock ‘n’ Roll today.

R&G: What advice would you give to aspiring managers?

Scottie: Never be an asshole to anyone. That’ll get you nowhere fast. I never understood these young manager types that were complete dicks. People assume that just because you’re a “manager” you’re entitled to be an asshole. I’ve never bought into that bullshit. If you’re a manager of Starbucks, would you treat your customers like assholes? (#2) It’s all about your “ear” and the excitement you feel for the artist(s) you’re working with. If you’re in this for the big bucks, then it’s time to move onto a career in plastic surgery or owning a “trendy” mobile taco truck. I get hit up all the time by loads of bands asking me to be their manager. I feel really uncomfortable getting solicited by a band that I’ve never heard of. I’ve managed bands because I have a personal connection with their music. I’m not a “band collector”. Some managers or gigantic management companies take on artists because they see the flavor of the month cash cow. I actually overheard a guy at The Echo a few years back yell, “Dude, check out my artist roster on the website, it’s growing like crazy dude”. He was drenched head to toe in Ed Hardy clothing. Fuck Rosters. Fuck expense accounts. Fuck tax write-offs at the bar. I don’t buy into that. Never have – never will. I do this for the sheer pleasure of watching passionate people write/record incredible songs and blowing minds with their live show. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to an album, the band rolls through L.A., I go to see them play and they think they’re the second coming of The Who at Leeds. You have to earn that shit. Period. The “All Look, No Hook” doesn’t fly in my book. My point after all this rambling is simple: Discover and uncover bands that YOU like. Don’t work with bands that are the flavor of the month. Music flavors change as quickly as a click of a mouse. In my opinion, that’s a waste of time. Screw trends. Trends are for fashion. Also, never dwell on “potential” failure. We all fail. Managing is tough. That’s a fact. Big Daddy Kane declared “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy”, so I’ll apply that same logic to band management.

Friendly Fires
Time: 12:30pm – 1:15pm
Stage: Budweiser
MP3: Friendly Fires – I’m Good I’m Gone (Lykke Li Cover)

Portugal. The Man
Time: 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Stage: Playstation
MP3: Portugal. The Man – Everyone Is Golden

Kaiser Chiefs
Time: 2:45pm – 3:30pm
Stage: Budweiser

Pioneering sound search technology and applications innovator MELODIS Corporation, announced that they have raised $4M additional funding in a round led by Walden Venture Capital VII, with participation from a major global device manufacturer.

“Melodis Sound2Sound Search Science is a breakthrough technology with a mass market future in empowering applications,” said Larry Marcus. “The unique methodology of Sound2Sound provides breakthroughs in speed and accuracy that can be leveraged across a plethora of applications that would benefit from sound or voice as the starting point for search. The Company’s flagship application, Midomi Ultra is already the top paid music app on iTunes. It targets people who love music, allowing quick identification of a song one hears playing, or enabling rapid search for music people know.”

(click to enlarge)

Band of Skulls
Time:11:15am – 11:45am
Stage: BMI
MP3: Band of Skulls – Stun Me All Wonderful

The Low Anthem
Time: 12:00n – 12:45pm
Stage: Vitaminwater
MP3: The Low Anthem – Home I’ll Never Be

Delta Spirit
Time: 1:00pm – 1:20pm
Stage: Budweiser

The Black Lips, Darker My Love, Lucero, Wavves, The Thermals, and Lightning Bolt are among the acts confirmed for the 6th Annual FYF Festival. The event will take place at the Los Angeles Historic State Park on September 5th. Also on the bill are Glass Candy, No Age, Fucked Up, Crystal Antlers and AA Bondy. The full lineup can be found over at the FYF Fest website.

MP3: Black Lips – Lean (I Saw a Ghost)
MP3: Darker My Love – Two Ways Out
MP3: AA Bondy – Vice Rag

Tickets for FYF Fest, formerly known as the Fuck Yeah Fest and F Yeah Fest are currently on sale via Ticketweb. One dollar from each ticket will be donated to Homeboy Industries and Harvest of Hope.

Roberto Carlos Lange / Helado Negro

Rollo & Grady Recommended New Releases – Tuesday, August 4th

Desolation Wilderness – New Universe (Buy)

Label: K Records
MP3: Desolation Wilderness – Boardwalk Theme

The Fruit Bats – The Ruminant Band (Buy)

Label: Sub Pop
MP3: Fruit Bats – My Unusual Friend