10 Questions with ... Todd Sievers

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KUCI 88.9FM 88-92, Intern Island Records, Def American, 3AM Management, 1500 Records, Nickel Bag/Mammoth/Disney, Reprise, Artemis, and CO5 Music.

1. What stands out the most about starting your career at Def American Recordings working with Marc Geiger, Mark DiDia, and Troy Hansbrough?

It was blast, I met my wife there! I was a wide-eyed kid who thought I knew everything and quickly realized I knew nothing. I am thankful to this day that I was knowledgeable about the band Barkmarket (Producer Dave Sardy's band) because I believe that got me the job doing college radio promotion at Def American. Troy Hansbrough worked at KUCI before me and suggested to Geiger that he talk to me. I owe my career to Troy Hansbrough, Marc Geiger and Mark DiDia. I got to see Marc Geiger develop Lollapalooza first hand in our offices, at any random moment Perry Farrell would just pop in for meetings. Mark DiDia was a master promotion person and general manager, he was a mentor. He taught me how to do promotion just by allowing me to be in the room. Being a fly on the wall in the meetings with Rick Rubin, Brendon O'Brien, George Drakulius and many others was an education. I met Phil Costello there who later hired me at Reprise. We did creative and innovative promotions, took chances whenever possible; I learned that music marketing needed to be risky and fun. A great example is when Rick killed off the word "Def" and we had a funeral with the Ghetto Boys as ball bearers and the Reverend Al Sharpton giving the sermon. I mean who does that? Heidi Robinson was a master of publicity and planning. She would actualize the crazy ideas everyone had, next thing you know we're having a Slayer gold record party at the Magic Castle with hundreds of industry people from coast to coast trying to get in. I even learned how to meditate there, it was a killer introduction to the business and life, and I wish it would have lasted forever. It also introduced me to Warner Brothers Records and let me see first-hand how the major label system worked since we were an imprint in their system and our offices were next to their lot. It was a well-rounded introduction to the record business in the early '90s.

2. You started up CO5 Music 15 years and recently relaunched the company as CO5 Music + Management with new partners. Explain.

It was time for a change. The model that worked 15 years ago when the industry was selling large quantities of music doesn't fit today's economic reality. Promotion budgets for rock and alternative artists today have to be much more pragmatic. Radio is still the biggest driver in terms of breaking a new artist, but you have to be able to identify hit songs at a reasonable price before making long term financial commitments. The era of a large, permanent promotion staff with a big upfront promotion budget is ending. Independent labels, managers and artists who are paying for it simply can't afford it. Having a large staff only makes sense for major labels who are working multiple hits at the CHR, Country and Urban formats. Some major labels are starting to prioritize streaming over radio and CO5 is diving into supporting them as well. My passion has always been breaking new artists; that's what wakes me up in the morning excited. I wanted to create a smaller but higher level more flexible team that focuses on development with people that really can deliver. What we know now is that it's not about the size of the staff it's about results. Our current model of three veteran nationals allows us to take more time to identify hit songs without breaking the bank. We can nurture individual adds on individual stations until there are regional stories to spread nationally. This can take months and the old model would burn the budget before we would even know what we had. Then you end up taking projects you don't want to take to keep the lights on which is what other companies do. Once we know we have a reactive record in the new model then we staff up. We bring on partners to expand our staff as needed allowing us to reach every station and cover all major market events in person. We take the same approach with Rhythmic and CHR. For example, we just broke Flora Cash on a little Swedish label called Icons Creating Evil Art. Part of their development was visiting dozens of stations across the country and performing at the iHeart meetings in NYC. They just landed a well-deserved major label deal with RCA. Their manager David Bason orchestrated the whole rollout.

The +Management has always been there, we have just incorporated it into our branding now. My wife Jean is my partner and she leads in that part of the business. She has managed Brian Wilson and many aspects of Jeff Bridges career (music, philanthropy, photography, art) for over 20 years. We have a couple of new artists we are developing including Ruby Friedman and Beat Root Revival who we partner with Dave Kaplan Management and with UTA. We are looking to expand this part of our business and bring in our partners.

3. Tell us about why you chose Ken Pittman and Michael Parrish as partners and give us the 411 on your services.

CO5 Music is a partnership between Ken and I. Parrish runs an incredible brand called Maximum Alternative and we work with him to help assist with our East Coast coverage. I have respected both of these guys for many years. Ken came from radio where we crossed paths originally. When he shifted to promotion we worked parallel to each other at major labels and his closest friends are some of my closest friends. We just never crossed paths professionally. Buddy Deal mentioned we could be a good fit together. Ken was doing promotion on his own very successfully quarterbacking records taking several songs into the Top 5 and #1 at the rock formats. With Buddy's help we realized we were both in the same place and the time was right for us to join forces. Everyone at radio loves Ken; he has great relationships coast to coast. Ken approaches promotion like a chess match with a long term end game in mind. He's not focused on the short term quick gains, just long term wins. He is a great leader and manager which makes for a perfect partner. We have seamlessly interwoven our national approach to promotion; our combined efforts are greater than our individual efforts. And the results are there already.

Parrish I've known for a couple of decades, starting when he was at the FMQB. I always respected his honest, straightforward approach and his incredible follow through; he's really organized and gets things done. We worked together for the past several years when he formed MX2 Media with Mike Bacon. He has a real entrepreneur drive creating a radio special business, an online magazine Maximum Alternative, and an e-blast business with Mike Bacon. Parrish, Bacon and I helped build The Gathering along with Michael Steele, who came up with the concept of "On the Whiskey Trail" in Louisville. Michael Steele organized and ran the first year; including being its MC, making it a reality and Parrish put together a lot of the organizing aspects. With Parrish based between Philadelphia and New York City and with his decades of rock and alternative relationships leaning towards the East Coast, he is a natural East Coast yin to our West Coast yang. The balance and team work has been amazing so far this year, plus we are having a great time!

We deliver chart topping records at the rock, alternative, rhythmic and pop formats. Terry Anzaldo, who I've known and respected forever, is our CHR and Rhythmic guru. We offer a full service promotion reach like a label, we walk artists into radio stations, set up shows and sessions, brainstorm marketing and promotional ideas, we consult managers, engage the broadcasting chains, work the DSP's and manage artist's careers.

4. Each of you has 25 years' experience in the biz. What else may surprise people to learn about company?

Ken, Parrish and I are all roughly the same age, give or take a year, we all have one kid the same age give or take a year and we share the same long term visions. As I said, we love breaking new artists as well as delivering hits from legends. The real bond is our entrepreneurial drive. We are never resting on our laurels or sitting still. I'm excited by what we have coming next.

5. What is your biggest challenge working with a smaller team?

The only challenge is when we have multiple events happening at the same time then we are all out of the office at once. An asset is that we can turn around promotions and approve artist appearances, shows, widgets and interviews usually in less than an hour! There are no speed bumps or politics to sift through.

6. How would you describe your promotion style?

That is a great question. I'm not sure I can answer that. Maybe ask a PD? I hope they don't say "annoying" - ha! I'd like to think I'm a passionate fan who shares my artist's music with enthusiasm. I am truthful and try hard to follow through quickly on all promises; my mantra is under promise and over deliver. I like facts too, but a great song is a great song even if it doesn't have millions of streams, shazams or research, if I think it deserves a shot I will make case! I love new music. I love great music.

7. What is your favorite part of the job?

Breaking bands. Exceeding expectations. Creating real bonds with artists and their teams throughout an album cycle. Traveling and seeing my friends in radio. Being blown away by a new artist. Being blown away by a veteran artist. I love the first time you hear a song you're working on the radio. It's pretty great being allowed to have your kid get on stage and dance at a sold out Hollywood Bowl concert in front of 18,000 fans. Closing an add that you worked hard for and earned. Charting an artist for the first time. Delivering the highest charting single for Judas Priest since 1982! Learning how every company works, they are all different. Learning new things every day. Building businesses.

8. How much travelling are you doing? Where is your favorite market you like to visit most and why?

I'm traveling a lot right now. You need to be in your office in order to be organized, but you need to be on the road to make bonds. The magic happens in person, in the club, at the station with the band performing, sharing a meal, sharing a moment; you have to participate at the fundamental level. One personal visit is probably worth 10 phone calls. A great artist will close themselves, in those situations my job is getting people out to see them.

The easy answer to my favorite city is San Diego since I can drive there, make calls or listen to the radio the whole way while staring at the Pacific Ocean. It is miraculous when the sun sets. I also have great friends at the stations in the market. I left my heart in San Francisco; I grew up in the Bay Area, which is a magical city. I have family in Denver and it is always a fun city to visit. Honestly, I can find something I like about most cities. I'm an adventurous eater, so cities with great food and hungry programmers are a plus!

9. What would surprise people the most about you?

I listen to jazz a lot. My family has had tickets to the jazz series at the Hollywood Bowl for 20 years. It's my date night with my wife and sometimes we share it with friends.

10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _______?

Sleep the night before.

What are your hobbies?

Not including music...keeping my lawn alive within L.A.'s water rules. Walking my Doberman. Running lines with my daughter. Going to the beach. Playing golf. Cooking. Riding bikes. Listening to The Daily podcast. Fixing my almost 100 year old house. Reading poolside. Traveling overseas.

What are weekends like for you?

I'm usually shuttling my 10 year old daughter to events like acting classes, surfing, piano or guitar. I often work. We have a condo in Laguna Beach and all of the grandparents are in Orange County, so we spend a lot of time down there. Family beachside bike rides are about as a good as a weekend gets. I like to read, but that always seems to get bumped for something more urgent. We go out to dinner with friends or BBQ in the backyard on an old school weber with charcoal if we are in town without obligations.

You once told me you carry a transistor radio in your house at all times. It's so incredible to hear that this device is still being used. I'm sure you have a lot of explaining to do to the millennials. Explain why you have kept the transistor radio alive.

It is in my kitchen with paint splatter on it and it's a bit sticky from old cooking oil mist from being near the stove top. I turn it on every morning during the 6 O'Clock hour to KCRW to get the NPR news update while I pack lunch and make breakfast (and my first calls to the East Coast). I cook a lot and when I do it is on. If I'm working around the house it follows me. It is hands down the best way to consume a baseball game. It is an extension of who I am. The millennials will all be lined up at my house when the big one hits, the power grid goes down and they can't get any updates about what is going on! It also has a crank to manually charge your cell phone.

What do you listen to on your transistor radio?

NPR, Jazz, Baseball, The Moth, my artist on a local station, any channel playing a song we're working, local news and traffic.

Anything else you would like to add?

My goal is to take the promotion business to the next level the same way All Access took the trade business online! And we are going to put on some killer live events, announcements coming soon. Showcasing Bright Antenna's artist In The Valley Below in four cities over two weeks flying in programmers is our first step out into the live space. We have consumer destination based ideas for live events that are on their way to becoming a reality. And some big partnerships all in the works, 2019 is going to be an amazing year!