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10 Questions with ... Dave Lombardi
April 7, 2020
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
After college, I turned my mobile frat and dorm DJ business into club jobs at Specialty Restaurants and the Loop Lounge in North Jersey and the China Club in NYC. I also started a record pool. My first label job was doing dance music promotion for Island/4th & B'Way; from there, I started an Alt radio promotion arm for Pellegrino Promotion. I went from there to Warner Bros. in Burbank for over 12 years, doing Alt/College and then Rock promotion. After that I went to Arista for several years, doing Alt and Rock. I then spent over a decade at EMI/Capitol Music Group working with Astralwerks, Caroline, EMI Special Ops and then Caroline again. I've been with In2une since 2016.
1. After working at Warner Bros. Records in the format’s glory days of the ‘90s, what led you down the indie path of Astralwerks, EMI Special Ops., Caroline, and now In2une Music?
When I left Warner Bros., our son was barely half a year old, and my wife had officially left her job to raise him. So, while I had a generous separation agreement, I needed a gig. The best opportunity came from Steve Bartels at Arista, plus, it didn't hurt that it meant a move back east near my family. Good timing with the baby and all. But the label, which was an absolute pop powerhouse in those days, just did not have a commensurate roster of Alternative and Rock acts. For example, our biggest Alt chart hit during my time there was Outkast's "Hey Ya!" After the BMG-Sony merger happened, I really did the whole career soul-searching thing: Did I want to stay in music? Could I stay in music? It was really all I knew. But I wasn't coming off a ton of success in my previous job, either, so I was really unsure of my options.
I was sitting in my home office at my desk and looking at the stacks of CDs I had on it, stuff I had purchased over the last several months, and I saw a recurring theme: the Astralwerks logo! I had a ton of experience, and I was certainly still passionate about music, and those purchased CDs were proof. How awesome would it be if I could combine the two? It's common now for reps with major label experience to make the move to the indie label side; back in the early-mid 2000s, it usually went the other way. But I saw an opportunity for me to not only positively affect the roster there, but to put my career in a much better place, too. So I started the months-long process of talking to Errol Kolosine and his lieutenant at the time, Glenn Mendlinger, and when the budget was finally approved, I joined their team. It was a high risk for me, too, because it paid less than my previous job. But I was sure it was the right move long-term for me, and my wife agreed. Turned out, I was right.
I had a lot of relationships at radio, and now I had a bunch of music that programmers wanted to talk to me about, even if it wasn't all ready for primetime. But I learned that even if a particular song or artist is a tough fit for commercial radio, if it's good, and of artistic merit, at the very least you're on the right side of the conversation more often than not. And if you're not a jerk about it, you'd be surprised how quickly radio will rally behind you when you have something that has widespread appeal, like, say, The Kooks. During my time there, though, the whole company went through a number of changes, the first being a "reboot" of Caroline. I was heartbroken when I was moved off the Astralwerks team to head of promo at Caroline (which still included Astralwerks but was also my first taste of the services side) the first time.
When Greg Thompson came to the company, he created the Special Ops team, which was me, Dave Barbis and Scott Burton. That was a real turning point, and Greg was an amazing leader during a very difficult time at EMI. When we were bought by UMG, Caroline was rebooted yet again, and Dave and I shifted over to work for Dom Pandiscia and Mike Harris. That was full-on label services, and I just absolutely loved it. It was promotion with real responsibility: you had budgets, but they weren't just numbers on paper. They could affect a label, a management company, even an artist, practically in real-time. You had to think about what you were doing, what it would mean, and balance that against the cost. I loved not being part of the old major label system that spends artists into piles of debt. And I learned that transparency can be a great asset, and I enjoyed the collaboration with the many labels and management teams we worked with. We were all pulling the same end of the rope.
When I left there and started speaking with Dale, it was clear the In2une setup was the opportunity that was closest to that aesthetic, especially since they already had a strong relationship with AWAL. When AWAL bought In2une, it was just the best possible scenario.
2. Give us the 411 on In2une Music’s artist and label services.
We are a full-service promotion team, with regionals and nationals covering Top 40, Hot AC, Country, Rhythm, Alternative, Rock and Triple A/Non-Comm. We work best when viewed as our partners' promotion department, and we're not just available when we're "on cycle" with a song at radio. We're available for all the conversations and meetings a label would include their promo team in, and that goes for the planning stages. We also have an awesome Campus Division that specializes in marketing on the college campus level, with reps at about 50 colleges across the country.
3. Tell us about your role as SVP/Promotion, Rock Formats for In2une Music, which expanded to Kobalt’s label AWAL last year.
We still work a number of "outside" projects with some extremely valued partners, and that is a big part of what In2une continues to be. But we are working more and more internal projects at all formats, and that side of our business is growing. If we're taking an AWAL project to radio, most often there are millions, and I mean millions, of streams behind it.
It's extraordinary, working with young artists who've managed that kind of reach, often even before much marketing support has kicked in. And I love how this generation of artists is filtering myriad sounds into modern music, combining Rock, EDM, Hip-Hop, traditional Pop, even Yacht Rock. I know some people bemoan the passing of the old days when bands would tour and tour and tour to break. These artists aren't doing it that way, but when they tour, they are doing amazing business. So, a big part of my job is taking my decades-plus instincts and experience as a promotion person and melding them with the vision of an artist who might prefer a more nuanced way of expanding their audience.
These are kids who didn't grow up listening to the radio, and neither did their friends, and they've managed to collect hundreds of thousands of followers. I like the process of explaining radio to them, what programmers look for and having them see the tangible results when their music connects with a radio audience. And while I think most labels have artists like this, none of them has a stable of artists like AWAL, which includes Finneas, girl in red, Dayglow, Gus Dapperton, Gerry Cinnamon, mxmtoon, Bruno Major, and more. it's staggering. The responsibility is also sobering.
4. What’s it like working with Dale Connone?
Funny thing about promotion: almost all of us have had a job where we're just thrown into the deep end and expected to figure it out. But I've had some great teachers and three really stand out. Vince Pellegrino was the first, and then there was Greg Thompson. And working with Dale is arguably the best experience I've had yet, because of the size of our team and our level of communication. He's a terrific leader with great insights, but he's also open and willing to listen. He's accountable and expects the same from his team. He also doesn't micromanage, which is motivating for me because I don't want to let him down for that trust. Another key for me is he always has the perspective I need when I'm unsure of something. As I tell people quite often, as stressful as this job is, it's amazing how great it can be when you get to do it in a human environment.
5. How would you describe your promotion style?
Passionate and pragmatic, patient but determined, strategically aggressive, always willing to consider the long view, open to change and trying different ways to do things, and collaborative. I'm not a fan of a "scorched earth" approach; I never want to sour a single programmer on a particular artist. When I sell a programmer on a song and an artist, I want it to work. Promotion shouldn't be a zero-sum game.
6. Music consumption has become a big piece of the promotion puzzle. How has this changed how you work singles to radio?
At first, it was hard, getting radio to pay attention to those numbers. The counter often was "That's not my audience." Streams were often dismissed with the same prejudice reserved for touring numbers for certain bands. I remember back in the ‘90s when radio stations would call record stores on Fridays for sales reports; I view the streaming data as the same type of tool; a chance to identify records in a particular market that have connectivity but aren't yet on radio's radar.
I like that programmers have gotten more sophisticated about the data: they want engagement details; they understand that hit radio songs might not be the best-streaming songs; they also realize that playing a huge streaming hit doesn't guarantee similar success on the radio, but many are no longer gun shy because of that. They're interested in social reach and engagement, and context matters. There are a bunch of data points they can consider, and we need to be on top of all of them. We have to frame our cases carefully, and different programmers prioritize different metrics. I think it makes us better promotion people.
7. What is your favorite part of the job
I LOVE working with new bands and artists and helping them build those bridges at radio.
8. What are your thoughts on the state of Alternative Radio?
Before the Coronavirus handed radio a huge roadblock, I felt we were on the verge of a potential revitalization. The streaming revolution has created a generation of artists with tremendous reach that they've developed without radio. A lot of that music fits the broad definition of "Alternative." And you've got teens driving those streaming numbers. Could some of these artists mean potential new cume for radio as some of those kids get out of college, get jobs and start commuting? I'm an optimist, so I'd like to think so, but we'll see.
One thing about its particular time, though: no summer radio shows. I'm kind of looking forward to a summer of Alt songs that are on the radio primarily because of merit! And another thing: when things get somewhat back to normal, I hope this practice of virtual promo visits sticks. When bands are touring, there's nothing like setting up an intimate event with a radio station for its listeners. But some really fun, creative things can be done in markets where they are less likely to tour, or when they aren't touring at all. It's a whole new tool in the shed!
9. Take us through a typical workday. You choose to ride the bus to work from your home in New Jersey. Explain.
I used to ride the bus because 1. the schedule offers more options; 2. in the evening, it's usually a lot faster on the way back out than the train, especially when you leave after 7; 3. it's more comfortable than the train; D. It's a lot cheaper, and my line doesn't offer monthly passes, only weekly. So I don't waste tickets or rides when I'm on the road. But since March 10, I've been working from home, and I’m really happy to have that 3+ hours a day back. We eat dinner as a family by 7, instead of eating alone after 8. As for the workday, it's not that different from anyone else's doing the job.
10. What are weekends like for you?
Almost always family time, except for the few hours when I get out into the woods on my mountain bike. We love hanging around at home, we go out to eat, we run errands (Bed, Bath and Beyond, if we have enough time), just whatever.
Bonus Questions
What are your favorite restaurants in New Jersey?
Our favorite restaurants in Jersey are the Pasta Shop in our town (Denville), Hapgood's in Mountain Lakes, and the venerable Jose Tejas in Fairfield.
Favorite food?
My wife's chili!
Favorite drink?
Rombauer Zin, Jersey Girl Mo' Pils, water, and good old Coca-Cola.
How did you become a die-hard Mets fan?
My uncle was a National League fan and rooted for the Giants; he took me to my first game as a kid, and it was Mets game. It stuck!
I know you’re a big Steelers fan too. Rank your sports teams in order of passion.
Mets, Steelers, Devils, Clippers.
Am I allowed to ask you your favorite new band over the past year?
I love new music and I have been falling in love with new stuff regularly for years, both internal and external. Too many to mention!
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