10 Questions with ... Neal Spielberg

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Spielberg is the owner and president of Spielberg Consulting, which he established in 2003 after 21 years with Warner Music Group in sales and distribution. He was VP of sales for both the Warner Bros. Records Nashville division and then WEA Distribution VP of Country Music Sales. Neal was involved in the sales planning and execution of artists Randy Travis, Hank Williams Jr., Dwight Yoakam, Faith Hill and Jeff Foxworthy. Current clients include, Stroudavarious Records, Country Crossing Records, BamaJam Records, Emblem Music Group and Big Hit Records, working with artists (alphabetically): John Anderson, Blackberry Smoke, Gloriana, Houston County, Matt Kennon, Sammy Kershaw, Lorrie Morgan, Aaron Tippin and Darryl Worley.

Spielberg Consulting serves two key functions for its clients- 1) Outsourced by labels to perform the label's sales functions, such as forecasting, budgeting, working with physical and digital accounts as well as distributors. 2) Help clients create a virtual label. Identify needs of the label/artist client and build a team to take their project to market.

Before getting into the music business Neal spent his first 3 1/2 years out of college (University Of Arizona) as Regional Marketing Director for Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus where he honed his skills and prepared for the music business.

Neal is a member of the CMA, ACM, and Leadership Music Alum. Neal has two children, Chana (casting agent) and David (aspiring audio enginner/producer) and has been married almost 25 years to the same wonderful woman, Tina.

1) Please explain what your job description is as President of Spielberg Consulting. What does a typical work day consist of for you?

My job description is two fold. I work with several independent labels on a non-exclusive basis as the sales person for those labels. For other clients, I help build a "virtual" label by helping them identify the best in the indie field in the areas of promotion, publicity/PR, artist development, online marketing, video promotion, etc. Then I help the client decide which of these people/companies are best suited for the project at hand. There's no such thing as a typical day. I'm not avoiding the question, but that's the truth. It can include client marketing/planning/staff meetings, calling or visiting physical and digital retailers and distributors, talking to members of the teams I mentioned above and occasionally meeting with prospective new clients.

2) Before getting into music you spent several years doing marketing for Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus. How did you get involved with the circus and is there anything about it that you miss?

I got involved with the Greatest Show On Earth while I was in college (not clown college). I met the regional marketing VP while he was in town on business while I was working at KTKT radio in Tucson and finishing up at the University of Arizona in 1977. He asked me if I wanted to work with Ringling and I originally turned him down, as I had wanted to pursue a career in the music business since childhood. After trying to get into the music business in L.A. in 1978, and not being able to find a gig, I called the guy from Ringling and asked if he still was looking for any new promoters. Lucky for me, Ringling had just purchased Ice Follies and Holiday On Ice, and I started the day after I called him. If I miss anything, it's the animals.

3) What have been the biggest changes in the sales world since you started Spielberg Consulting in 2003?

The biggest change has to be the transition from the physical to digital configuration and the challenge is how to handle that transition. Digital is here to stay and growing in percentage of our business, but we cannot yet afford to abandon the physical CD by any means. The Country consumer is still buying the bulk of their music on CD and we need not jump out of the CD before it's time. Retailers, distributors, and labels all have to work together to manage that transition.

4) Who do you feel are the biggest retailers for Country music today? What are the biggest factors they look for when deciding to carry an artist's product?

In no particular order: Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, iTunes and Amazon are the biggest. You also have non traditional outlets like Cracker Barrel doing some cool projects and other music specialty retailers like FYE and Hastings that are dedicated to our genre, while their percentage of the pie is not as large as the others I have mentioned above. For Country music the buyers look for radio airplay, video play, online community activity, digital track sales, touring and press, to name the most important factors.

5) How much do you think consumers shifting to buying single tracks digitally, instead of full albums at physical locations, has affected the Country music industry to this point? What do you think is the most effective way of getting fans to purchase a complete album?

It has had a tremendous effect on several areas of the business including artists, record companies, distributors, publishers, songwriters, studios, etc. It virtually affects everyone involved in the process. I will address part 2 of this question in the answer to question # 6.

6) It seems that more and more artists are putting out EPs before a full album release now. Do you think this is a positive shift and how do you feel like it affects sales for the full album release?

As I have always believed and practiced, each project calls for its own plan or roadmap. What works for one artist doesn't mean it is the right plan for another artist. An EP can be an effective tool for the new artist that has had a single in the market for a while and where the full album is still months away from release. It gives the early adopters of that artist a chance to hear some more new music from the artist before the full album arrives. Also keep in mind that the definition of a full album is changing. Is it the traditional 10 to 12 songs or is it a 6 or 8 song album, which some artists/labels are experimenting with now? It is too early to have a definitive answer to how it is affecting sales.

7) Out of all the artists that you have worked with throughout the years, which project have you been the most proud of? Are you working with any upcoming artists now that you feel have the potential to make it big?

I am always most proud of the success we have on the 1st album an artist does because of what it takes to break through for a new artist. But there are also special projects that have meant a lot because of what it meant to the artist's career. 1st albums I was especially proud of being a part of are The Forrester Sisters self titled debut, Randy Travis' "Storms of Life," Dwight Yoakam's "Guitars Cadillacs," Travis Tritt's "Country Club," Faith Hill's "Take Me As I Am," Jeff Foxworthy's "You Might Be A Redneck If ..." (the biggest Selling comedy album of all time), David Ball's "Thinkin' Problem" and Take 6's self titled debut. There are 2 albums that come to mind that were special in the work it took to sell the big numbers we did. Michael Martin Murphey's "Cowboy Songs" (a true Western Music album) and Steve Holy's "Blue Moon" (which didn't take off until the 4th single was released). "Good Morning Beautiful" was a big hit but we had to pull teeth to get retail to pay attention since the first 3 singles didn't pull through. At WEA, I worked closely with Curb Records to change the course of the sales of this record and it took a gargantuan effort. I'm sure I'm leaving others off this list that deserve to be on here, but I'm already way over the number you asked me to mention. As far as current up and coming artists, I'd have to say ACM new group of the year Gloriana and brand new artist Matt Kennon. I am working with other new artists, but none of them have come to market yet.

8) Your son David is now on the road with the Lo Cash Cowboys handling their merch. Were you excited for him to pursue working in music and what advice have you given him.

I am excited because he's excited about what he's doing. He got the bug early (age 5) and shows great promise as being part of the future of our business. I'm extremely proud of him. My advice to him came from something Tim Dubois said at a Leadership Music program day. I'll bend over backwards for almost anyone, but I won't bend over forwards. I'm sure you can figure out what he meant by that. I know my son did and follows that rule closely.

9) And we can't leave out your daughter! Your daughter Chana is a casting agent in New York. Is Chana casting for any new shows that you can clue us in on?

Great news/update on Chana. After graduating from NYU last May and working in casting since her junior year, she has now gone to work for the Dr. Oz show as the art department coordinator. Again, I couldn't be more proud of both my kids, not to mention my wife Tina, who did most of the hard work while I traveled the country for Warner Bros. during their formative years.

10) A lot of people know you are an avid movie buff, give us your top five "must see" movies.

There are too many to mention but here are 5 that will make you laugh (most important), cry, fight back when you're down and almost out and live like you are dying. In no particular order, Blazing Saddles, Field Of Dreams, Night at the Opera (Marx Bros), The Bucket List, and Rocky (must be that Philly thing).

1) As a golfer and a travel buff, what are your favorite courses to play on?

I started playing at 40 and I missed the opportunity to play some great courses while working for WB when I was younger. I want to play Pebble Beach and Doral some day. In Nashville, I like The Hermitage, The Legacy in Springfield, and my "home" course Harpeth Hills. Also, a well kept secret is Highland Rim's Through The Green.

2) What was the first CD you ever bought?

Frank Sinatra "At The Sands" (a live hits album with a comedy stand up monologue that I can recite almost word for word)

3) What was your favorite movie of 2010?

So far it would have to be Avatar based on the cutting edge technology and Crazy Heart for the amazing performance of Jeff Bridges.