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10 Questions with ... Erik Powell
September 11, 2006
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NAME:Erik PowellTITLE:RegionalCOMPANY:Katapult RecordsMARKET:NortheastBORN:November 13thRAISED:So. California
Please outline your radio career so far:
Radio Jock, Radio MD, Bar & Night club Owner, Record Promotions.
1. Go back in time. With the state of the industry today and knowing what you know now, would you still have chosen your same career path in the Music Industry? And, would you recommend a younger sibling to make a career in the Music Industry?
YES! I love what I do. Of course I am new to this career (ask me again in 5 years!) But it has been 8 years getting here and I wouldn't change it for the world.
2. You are the remaining survivor on a remote tropical island with no chance for rescue. You have a CD/DVD player with endless power. What five CD's are a "must" to have with you? What five movies?
CD'S: KISS Alive, Alan Jackson's Greatest hits, Queensryche Empire, Led Zeppelins Houses of the Holy, Garth Brooks Double Live
MOVIES : A Few Good Men, Singles, Almost Famous, A River Runs Through It, Home movies of my family (does that count?)
3. What would you say is the toughest region in the country to work Country music today?
Southwest by far!
4. Do you think that showcases, artist visits and conference room concerts are all viable in getting new acts introduced to radio?
Yes! Very much so.
5. What is the strangest request you've ever had to get an add?
Well if I told you and that programmer read this I might not ever get an add there again! I'm sure he thought it wasn't strange at all.
6. How do you handle it when a programmer tells you that your single is too country or too pop?
I have not been told either one yet. Too pop? Is there such a thing anymore?
7. If you had the opportunity to work any act/artist from the past, present or future who would it be?
Garth Brooks
8. How do you go about building relationships in your region? How important are they in obtaining airplay?
YOU CALL AND CALL AND EMAIL AND CALL!! With building a relationship it's like anything else. It takes time. It's hard these days. Programmers are not just programming, their doing fifteen other things also. So answering phone calls or having time to spend with regionals takes a back seat sometimes. As a new regional from a new record company it's even harder to get in the door. But you just keep trying! As for the relationships I do have, YES they have gotten me airplay sometimes.
9. In this the day of many labels releasing just one or two singles on an artist in order to see how it does before actually investing in a complete project ... what do you feel this practice does to your creditability with programmers?
Well, I would hope that programmers understand how much it costs to make a full length CD. When it comes to a new artist that may very well never get played on more than a handful of radio stations, it's just not cost effective to record 10 tracks and hope you will catch a break!
10. What do you do in preparation for making your weekly radio calls?
Gather as much information as I can and pray!
Bonus Questions
1. Do your remember the first record that you ever bought?
Kiss Alive
2. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Baseball player
3. Name a record person, not on your label, that you really admire?
Katherine Hodges
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