Heavy Business

Virtue signaling, hypocrisy, double standards, holier-than-thou morality, whatever you call it, Pedro argues it has an impact on your personal integrity. Join us for a rather philosophical discussion on how it does.

 Join us in our discussion on how to maximize 3 aspects of your next album campaign - interviews, video content, and social media content. Including a deep dive into well-known independent bands' campaigns. 

Justin has written for virtually every metal publication, including Rolling Stone, STEREOGUM, and currently, DECIBEL. Beyond hearing his story of how he got into metal journalism, we also discuss a range of topics relating to journalism, tips for getting started, how to keep your pieces engaging, and how AI is affecting the field. 

Fae Scott-Dench (aka Death Metal Mum) chats with us about PR, tips for bands doing self-promo, social media, networking and more! Also get into the debate about pineapple on pizza and chip butties!

Follow Fae @deathmetalmum on all platforms

Listen to her podcase with Brian Slagel:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0V1pBymWLXyOSzRbOVrL16?si=8c04c221685b4f4b

Nerding out about MERCH! Justin has 10-15 years of experience in graphic design (for OBITUARY, EXODUS and more) and merch creation (Screenprinting, embroidery, DTG) - Tune in to hear us go through a LAUNDRY LIST of merch concerns and pro tips.

Keep your eye out for these notorious music industry scams! Ian helps identify how to sift through the red flags and identify the legitimate opportunities

Read Ian's Column:

Is AI something we should try to keep out of art and music, or is it just one more of many tools being used in art and music today? From working in technology for many years, Jasper brings nuanced thoughts and rationale to the conversation.

Check out Jasper's YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/c/belgianjasper

Specific examples, explanations of ROI and why ads cost so much, and even MORE if you don't have some key pieces in place. And also, sourdough tips.

Expounding on this blog article:

UK-Based musician Duncan Evans chatted with us about his upcoming release strategies. Tune in to see what tips you can pick up for your next release.

Check out Duncan Evans

Bio:

Emma has over twenty years of playing experience, and has received national recognition from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada.  Although flute has been her main focus for many years, in university she developed a love of video game music and sound. She began to expand upon those skills and now splits her time working as a sound designer and editor, a session musician and as a flute folk metal solo artist under the name Ember Belladonna.

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C-Squared cofounder Cori Westbrook and Aliyah dive into a recent blog post from the C-Squared blog about exclusive premieres, why they are a dying practice, and what you can do instead!

In today's episode, Randy talks about the seminar "Legal Fundamentals for Musicians" - and why legal issues matter to all bands: professional, solo, or passion projects - and what you can do to protect your music and your legacy.

LEARN MORE:

https://csquared.info/seminar-legal-fundamentals-for-musicians/

Ian Chainey, famous for the off-topic interview, discusses why fans are interested in artists outside of the bounds of their music, and how you can tune into this to build community around these things. What should bands post about other than their music, and to what extent should they do this? Hear what Ian, Curtis, and Aliyah have to say about the topic on this week's episode of HEAVY BUSINESS.

Pedro Almeida is back to talk about networking. Pedro has grown his channel to be a major metal media force! From local to international, from in person to from your computer or smart phone, take heed of the lessons he shares here and up your networking game. 

Please join me, Aliyah, in welcoming BACK the illustrious Cori Westbrook as a co-host on the podcast! Tune in to hear about what's been happening in her life since she took her hiatus from the podcast, and the experience she now brings to the table.

Cori Westbrook is the co-founder of and production manager for C-Squared, managing editor for KNOTFEST, and head of marketing for Reigning Phoenix Music, the US counterpart to Atomic Fire Records.

As a music supervisor, Naaman organizes music placements in major marketing pieces and more. We got to chat about how the process works, from the first contact to the final approvals, and how you can get your music into the ears of the right people.

Check out Naaman's work

Join us and Keefy in chatting about how to set yourself up for success in the new year. From the act of making a plan, to delegating the needed tasks, we hope you find some inspiration for goals you can have in the new year!

Spotify numbers, "cash grabs", and more, join Aliyah, Curtis, and Justin as we talk about the state of the scene and existential questions like: Do artists have an obligation to make the music their fans want? What is "success"?

Check out WAR CURSE:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1jMEZfytMQyR27eylQlC5R?si=BV2KgqhXS1eawtViZ-gE1A

We were so thrilled to get to speak with Grammy-nominated mix engineer Dan Malsch! Diving into the topics of home recording, self-producing, and even down to the brass tacks of how to record vocals at home, we got to discuss some very valuable insights with an incredibly experienced pro. Make sure to take notes, this one is a game-changer!

Check out Dan Malsch and his recording academy

With 40 years of experience in the metal industry, Doro offers unique insight. Tune in to hear about her songwriting process, how music videos have changed, and what to look out for in a label deal.

Check out her new album "Conqueress: Forever Strong and Proud"

https://open.spotify.com/album/4wipTcBmFnzGXk6yC98810?si=fUP_2LXTRcybt8LzLnAhnA

It was awesome to get to sit down with Kragen once again, this time to discuss a bit of his time with Activision, and how the knowledge he gained there crossed over into the record business. We got into video game music licensing, as well as bedroom record labels, and the corporatization of the music industry.

There is so much to understand about music law, but today we dig into one of the major ones: Royalties. Doesn't your distributor collect them for you? That's only one side of the story. Tune if you'd like a better understanding of music law.

Need a band agreement or contract looked over?

Surprise drops, 5-month campaigns, and everything in between - we discussed the different strategies we've been seeing, from big-time bands to artists just starting out. Which one suits your band's next release?

From starting on a major label, to making their own music videos, hear what Dave Neabore has to say about Dog Eat Dog's career, and what advice he has for rising artists.

Get your copy of DOG EAT DOG's new album "Free Radicals" now!

Miss Krystle came on the podcast and generously shared a ton of knowledge about music law, including copyright registration, label contract red flags and more.

Check out her site

Ian Chainey, Curtis, and Aliyah chat about bandcamp changes, AI journalism, crowd-sourcing decision making, the IT factor, and sick riffs in this latest episode of Heavy Business.

From artist management, running a bedroom label, project managing for one of the biggest metal labels and more, we got some valuable insight into the world of Kragen! Get an insider look at how record labels set up releases, and pick up what you can expect to be able to DIY vs what can come from working with a label. What does the physical product market look like nowadays (CD, vinyl, cassette?), what makes artists desirable to work with, what should artists look for in management, and more!

See HEATHEN at their upcoming shows:

October 13 @ The Cornerstone - Berkeley, CA
October 15 @ LA Gates of Metal Festival - The Garden Amphitheater - Garden Grove CA

A woman of many hats, Anne Catherine Swallow is a product manager at Atomic Fire, as well as being part of the management team for EPICA, INSOMNIUM, and SEPULTURA at Feat First Management. We were so grateful to have her insights on how some of the best bands in the scene operate, and how the same principles can apply to every band, even yours! 

Tommy gave a lot of insights into the music industry, how it has changed over the years, and how it may still be the same. Networking and touring feature in the conversation, as well as the importance of video and radio. We also discuss what labels do for bands, and why indie labels may better for metal to this day. We covered a lot of ground in not too much time, so definitely tune in to see what you can learn from Tommy!

Kyle has traveled around the world on tour with Heathen, and some also with his own band Invicta. From playing big or small stages, how professionals behave on tour, and more, we got some insight into the world of a touring musician.

CHECK OUT INVICTA ON TOUR:

The boys from Atavistia came on to talk about their recent regional tour, and their upcoming tour with Skálmöld & Metsatöll! We also went over Bloodblast distribution, writing better songs, and favorite film scores.

He's back, and we're talking more about ProgPower USA XXII! From the topic of booking lesser-known and USA-based bands, to culture and the legacy of the festival, join us for another in depth chat with Co-Promoter Milton Mendonça. Hear about how bands like Circus Maximus and Seven Spires got booked, learn about the combination of factors that go into selecting the lineup, and more.

Day 2 Tickets

As mentioned in the first few seconds of the episode, this is a lightning round with the frontman of the might DRAGONFORCE, talking about how he put together his new solo album. We chatted about collaborations, getting projects started, and putting in the effort to get things perfect before releasing them.

ORDER "STARBOUND STORIES"

Kieran from Deathcollector speaks to what you can and can't expect from a label and high-end PR, as well as networking, social media, and more! We covered a lot of DIY topics in this episode that will benefit many bands.

Josh Poer came back on the pod to discuss Phobophilic's upcoming tour, what it's like working with a booking agency, and how they are preparing for both their International and North American tours in the coming months.

Don't leave your social media to fade into oblivion! Holly joins us for this week's C-Squad episode as we chat about what to do between releases. We go through some ideas of things to share, and some principles to keep in mind during this time.