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10 Questions with ... Joey Carvello
May 2, 2006
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NAME:Joey CarvelloTITLE:VP PromotionCOMPANY:TVT RecordsFORMATS:Pop/RhythmBORN:(where)
Please outline your radio career so far:
1975: Boston started as a club DJ
1978: Billboard Magazine Disco Deejay Of The Year (Boston)
1979: WB/RFC East Coast Disco Promotion
1979 -1983: MD WXKS/Boston
1984 -1989: I became the 1st Crossover Retainer Indie
1989 -1994: Atlantic Records Senior Director Dance Music Promotion/A&R
(In addition to signing Robin S, The Bingo Boys and others, I brought Craig Kallman's Big Beat Records to the label)
1994-1995: Indie with S.I.N., VP America, Champion Records
1995-1997: VP Promotion H.O.L.A. Recordings
1997-2001: VP Crossover/Top 40 Priority Records1 How'd you get interested in doing record promotion?
I was definitely inspired by some of the all time great Boston locals from the 1970's: Don DeLacey at RCA; Don Masters with Mercury; Sal Ingeme at Columbia and Lenny Collins from Epic. Those guys used to bring 45's to the club I was workin' at. I was a "5 Point" Billboard Disco Deejay Reporter and the clubs were not only starting to sell records in 1976, we were starting to influence Radio. I was totally impressed by their coolness, and the fact that they got paid nice dollars to promote and get new music played. In 1979, Ray Caviano got a huge deal with Warner Brothers to put the label in the dance music business and he offered me the East Coast to do Clubs and some Radio promotion. I jumped at the chance.
2 What's your favorite part of the job?
Turning a flat out "no" into a "yes"!
3 What was the first record you worked?
In the clubs it was Gino Soccio "Dancer" at radio it was Change "Lovers Holiday" (featuring a then-unknown vocalist by the name of Luther Vandross).
4 Over the course of your career which acts stand out as some of your favorites?
Lil' Jon & the Eastside Boyz come to mind first and foremost, because on my first week setting up Jon's first single from "Kings Of Crunk," 75% of the programmers on the Crossover panel told me "I will never play a Lil' Jon record," but 66 weeks later, I closed the panel on "Get Low."
En Vogue is right up there, too. Back then, Atlantic Records was not the Crossover powerhouse it is today. I remember (late fall 1990) when Sylvia Rhone played "Hold On" for the company, and the song got a lukewarm response in regards to its "Pop potential." I, on the other hand, was super excited about it and asked permission to slip under the radar and get some Rhythm leaning Top 40 stations to play it and see if it would stick. Needless to say, IT DID!
Marc Anthony is another one of my favorites. I signed him along with Little Louie Vega to Atlantic back in 1991. We made a historic Dance/Latin album "When The Night Is Over," which featured the legendary single "Ride On The Rhythm," featuring Doug Lazy. It was the first straight ahead Dance track to feature a rapper. I won't point fingers as to who dropped Marc from the label in 1993, but it pissed me off enough that I decided to leave Atlantic!
Pitbull is very close to my heart and soul. I love the Ying Yang Twins and we have a vision for Marcos Hernandez, Teedra Moses, Yo Gotti and Da Muzicianz!!
5 What is your music of choice while not working?
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Public Enemy, ABC, Association, Steely Dan/Donald Fagen, John Mayer, Chi-Lites, Donna Summer, Tony Bennett, Yes, Beach Boys.
6 How useful are websites like MySpace, TagWorld, etc., in breaking an artist?
'Useful' is a fair description of their affect in getting records played or rotations increased. I am always careful not to overuse websites and download information to promote to programmers. The newness of this type of promotion can wear off quickly and could backfire on you if you over use it. There is nothing that can or will replace credible, passionate, and responsible regionals or retainers!
7 What advice would you give to someone just starting out in promotion?
Make sure you have something to fall back on!
8 What is one thing that would surprise people to know about you?
I really, really, really hate The Sopranos!
9 What are your thoughts on the future of Radio?
They definitely need to get the local personality back at Radio. Morning shows have become more nationally targeted than local, due to heavy syndication. In order to localize and keep your listeners needing to listen, every show from 10a-7p should be like a mini-morning show and be all about Hometown, USA. Do we really have to talk and hear about AMERICAN IDOL all fuckin' day and night? Christ in life ...WE GET IT!
10 Is there anything in the Radio industry you'd like to see changed?
Yeah ... one thing - roll back the ownership rules! LOL
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