-
10 Questions with ... Robbie Lloyd
January 11, 2022
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. If Alternative Radio can fully embrace their communities with their jocks, events, webpages, just comprehensive conversations with their listeners, everything will be ok. That is HARD and A LOT of work, but it is what makes radio unique from being just another centrally controlled, algorithmic medium. I think if we’ve learned anything over the past couple years it’s that people really need and want to be heard and acknowledged. Give yourself any and every ability to listen to your listeners and the rewards will be huge.
-
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Virgin Record intern and promo assistant 2 years/Cargo Records college & alternative promo, mail order 2 years/Alias Records alternative and triple a promo 1 year/Epitaph Records alternative, active rock and triple a promo 2 years/Interscope Records alternative promo 10 years/Silva Artist Mgmt. all radio promo, retail/digital/sports/gaming/tour marketing 2 years/ Wolfe Cleaners – alternative promo and tour marketing 4 years/Interscope alternative and active rock promo 7 years
1. It is crazy to think we have been crossing paths in the music business for over 25 years. Take us back to how you first got started in the music business
I was about to graduate UC San Diego, putting myself thru school waiting tables at a pizza by the slice, hole in the wall beach restaurant. When a cute, gothy-punk girl sat in my section, I proceeded to ignore all my tables and talk music with her for the next hour. It turned out she had just finished a radio promo internship with Virgin Records and been hired to do publicity for them. She recommended I take her place interning for Virgin in San Diego. I loved it so much, after about 9 months I took a chance, moved to L.A. and interned in the Virgin home office for another 4 months until I got hired as the assistant for both the Alternative Radio and Dance Music Nationals. BTW, RIP Dance Music Legend, Rick Squillante. I don’t know if anyone had as much fun doing promotion as Rick. Rick could turn the mundane into Mardi Gras with 2 finger snaps and his gap-toothed smile. Small worlds aside, when I first moved to L.A., I went to thank the girl that recommended me. She was over the moon about her boyfriend’s band that had recently signed to Epic Records. She couldn’t wait to show me their first video. The video? “Alive.” Her boyfriend? Eddie Vedder.
2. Congrats on a big 2021. Interscope was the #1 Alternative Label at radio for 2021. You had 3 of the top 5 most played songs with MGK, Imagine Dragons and Billie Eilish. How does that feel?
Happy that year in year out we get to work with compelling artists that give us engaging songs to work with. Thankful to all the stations that supported us over the past year. Appreciative to work with a staff that lives for results over excuses.
3. Give us the Interscope quick hits on your current Alternative priorities as we head into 2022. What does everybody need to know?
We continue with Imagine Dragons “Enemy,” which might be one of their biggest hits yet. Streaming 30 million a WEEK, which is hands down the top performer for the format. Their sold out arena tour starts this February. Also carrying into 2022, Yungblud is on the verge of his FIRST top 10 song in “Fleabag.” We’ve been working for HIS moment at radio for 4 years. It’s fitting if that moment can happen right before his tour starts in January. We’ll keep running with Inhaler “Cheer Up Baby” that’s now solidly charting. Inhaler has done a great job over the past year building a rock solid foundation and following. They’ll start a nationwide tour in March.
4. Tell us about your plans for Sam Fender at Alternative Radio in the new year.
We are still working on our plan with Sam’s new song “Seventeen Going Under.” Sam writes songs that go straight to the heart. “Seventeen…” is about dealing with domestic abuse. The song has really touched a chord with anyone who has experienced abuse. This verse has become a rallying cry and is everything: “I was far too scared to hit him/But I would hit him in a heartbeat now/That’s the thing about anger/It begs to stick around.” There is a reason “Seventeen Going Under” already has 55 million streams
5. How would you describe your promotion style?
Ask a lot of questions, think differently, focus on things you can do not what you can’t do, appreciate the grey, stay away from the black and white, fully represent the artist’s narrative, fully understand the station’s narrative. Keep it fun and entertaining. Promotion is either a closed stable or an open field. I prefer the open field
6. What is your favorite part of your job?
When everyone succeeds. I still love the adrenaline rush of when an artist and their song connect with radio listeners. Everyone involved, the artist, the programmer, the listener, feels like a special thing just happened. It’s for that little starburst moment that I love doing this gig.
7. What are you most proud of from all your years at Interscope?
My first tour of duty, learning from masters at their craft like Jimmy Iovine, Tom Whalley, Brenda Romano and Bobbi Silver, I didn’t fully appreciate the Mr. Miyagi “wax on, wax off” being pounded into my head until years later. When you see yourself suddenly going full promo Karate Kid crane kick out of nowhere, it’s like “HOLY SHIT, I GET IT!” On my second tour of duty, I’m beyond proud to be part of Brenda’s promo family. She expects a lot but gives so much more. She likes the challenge of what we do and loves to be challenged. It is so hard in this business work with people you can trust AND want to win. Brenda has created an environment of both. I LOVE and am thankful to be part of it.
8. What is a typical day like for you?
Every day, I have stuff I NEED to get done and stuff I WANT to get done. I learned early on, don’t put off the stuff you NEED to get done. You are just clamoring for a hammering if you do. It took me a minute to find time every day for the stuff I WANTED to get done; what we can do better, where can we go, what’s next? When you do that, you stop having “typical days” and can go next level. I also want to give props until I drops to Jen Zeller. We talk every day and those talks set the tone for everything we do. JZ brings so much to the table, brains, passion, energy. Our success this year and past years does not happen without her, period.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _______ ?
My wife’s laugh, anything with my kids, coffee, a good meal, a great song, reading, and 20 minutes of silence away from everything.
10. What’s your take on the current state of Alternative Radio?
Concerning. If Alternative Radio can fully embrace their communities with their jocks, events, webpages, just comprehensive conversations with their listeners, everything will be ok. That is HARD and A LOT of work, but it is what makes radio unique from being just another centrally controlled, algorithmic medium. I think if we’ve learned anything over the past couple years it’s that people really need and want to be heard and acknowledged. Give yourself any and every ability to listen to your listeners and the rewards will be huge.
Now let’s have some fun...
Bonus Questions
What do you love most about living in San Clemente?
Being a local. San Clemente is a small tight knit beach city. The more you take care of, put into and keep it local, the better for the entire community.
What are your weekends like?
Reading, good meal at a local restaurant, kayaking, walking, taking pictures.
What are your favorite restaurants?
MRK, Sancho’s, Wrench And Rodent, Riders Club, Café Rae
You are a big L.A. sports fan. Rank your favorite teams in order of passion.
Dodgers, Bruins (basketball), Lakers. Nothing will beat listening to Vin Scully call Dodger games on the radio. Sometimes it didn’t matter what happened with the actual game, you just wanted to listen to Vin and his word tapestry.
Favorite new band over the past year that you’re not working?
Home Is Where, Mdou Moctar, Plosives, Turnstile, Wet Leg.
Anything else you would like to add?
Like a P.S. …no
-
-