10 Questions with ... John Di Maio

E-MAIL: JohnD@elevensevenmusic.com
WEBSITE: http://www.elvensevenmusic.com/

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

RCA, COLUMBIA, V2, REPUBLIC. I've been here and there in 20+ years.

1. What led you to Eleven Seven Music Group?

Steve Kline and AJ Kasen - I'd worked with Steve in the 90s at the beginning of both our careers. I was at the boutique label Radioactive, and Steve at the parent label MCA. Together we broke LIVE "Lightning Crashes". It was beyond flattering how Steve courted me for the gig, as my respect and admiration for him is infinite. AJ Kasen is VP of A&R - we'd worked together at Republic for 4 years. Early in my time there, I was blasting Neutral Milk Hotel in my office. AJ stopped in my doorway and pointed. We became fast friends at that moment.

2. What is it like working for Allen Kovac and Steve Kline?

Really could not have dreamed of a better situation. Allen is a record man in the storied tradition of Clives and Erteguns. A true character - with the vast wisdom of his experience, but also a progressive panorama on the new metrics of reading records. Steve - having done ALT promo for so long, knows the competitive landscape, and his relationships are a huge asset to me, even as he's immersed in his vast new duties as COO. He's a leader, a boss, and a friend.

3. Tell us about how you discovered your new Brit-rock signing Lower Than Atlantis and why you were passionate about bringing this band to Five Seven Music?

Thanks - they are a headliner in the U.K. and western Europe, who write big power pop hooks. I'm an avid music blog reader - so I've known about them for some time. Their new album was projected to debut top 5 in Britain - and it did. That they were available for the U.S. blows my mind still. A decade ago - any U.K. buzz band would have domestic A&R circling the wagons. Our good fortune.

4. Give us your Lower Than Atlantis pitch and what else you have on deck for Alternative Radio in 2017?

"Had Enough" - the lead single from LTA is off to a solid start with folks like KRBZ, WBTZ, KMYZ and WROX leading the way. It's a guitar record, but the right one. With an undeniably massive hook. A listen to deep kutz from the album make no mistake this is an alt band. Coming up for us is the Toronto synthpop band ROMES - who are very much in the Killers vein. Also the follow up from BLEEKER, who really made their mark @ alt with "Highway." We have a PAPA ROACH midtempo duet with Skylar Grey "Periscope" - which you would never ever guess is Papa Roach. They've reconnected with the melodic sensibilities of the "Scars" era. The hook on this is so absurdly huge, I'm confident even the most jaded will concede it's pretty great. And as the weather warms - we'll have a brand new DIRTY HEADS single from a new album coming!

5. How would you describe yourself as a promotion exec?

Unrelenting. Long winded. Often annoying - but offset just enough with being amusing that folks tolerate me.

6. What may surprise people the most to learn about the company?

Except for the veterans Steve and I - it's all millennials, which is fantastic. Enthusiasm. Optimism. A broad swath of musical tastes. Nobody is really into hard rock and metal - despite much of the repertoire! Mostly indie rock fans, which is a real asset as we brand the image of the FIVE SEVEN imprint.

7. How different is the culture working at an independent label compared to your previous gigs at major labels?

It's not so different. My last major job had a lot of young enthusiastic people on board, and the office structure was shifting from the old corporate everyone-cloistered-in-offices to more of a large communal space. So much better for camaraderie. But because there are few veterans, there's no ego or politics or sense of entitlement here. I've had the latitude and budgets to do everything I was able to at a major.

8. What is your biggest challenge each day?

I think the same as anyone doing ALT promo - space is at a premium. So a combination of persistence but patience.

9. What is your favorite part of your job?

I still love the medium of radio as the primary conduit of new music to the masses...even if it sometimes breaks my heart.

10. What is a typical workday like for you?

Oh I'm a creature of ritual. Rest assured I'll be tormenting the entire format with email, voicemail, morse code, carrier pigeon, or whatever it takes to get my propaganda across. But there are a good 10 or so genuine dear PD friends I typically call first to start the day with humor and nonsense. Really scouring streaming metrics has become part of the ritual.

What are weekends like for you?

Depends where my wife wants to go!

What music do you enjoy listening to away from work?

Constantly listening to new stuff. Wish we had music blogs and streaming when I was a kid.

What's larger your film collection or Mets memorabilia?

Films. I was the fool who was all in on Laserdisc when single in the 90s. I know have a graveyard of these aluminum tombstones in my basement. And too many worthless DVDs sitting never summoned in the attic. My son has a display case of about 20 individual autographed balls by members of the 2000 NL Championship Mets in his room. Piazza, etc.

How many games will the Mets win in 2017?

Gonna take the over and say 90. If all their starters can stay healthy most of the season, there is no letup in that staff, and none more imposing. And Cespedes will be a monster this year. And keeping Bruce will pay real dividends.

Since you're obsessed with The Amazins like I am, let's have some fun before the season starts by predicting the number of wins for each of the Fab Five in the Mets rotation in 2017.

Syndergaard 17
DeGrom 15
Harvey 15
Matz 13
Wheeler 10

Anything else you would like to add?

Very thankful to be still be in the career that I truly love.