10 Questions with ... Adan Armandariz

1. What made you want to get into the music business? Were there any early mentors?

The simple answer is that the music got my attention, the business drove my career choice. Like everyone else, in the beginning for me, it was songs, songs, songs. The personalities ultimately drove my passion meter to another level and helped me identify which rock star was best to pretend to be while singing into a hair brush (Paul Stanley/DLR/Prince), but in the beginning it was all about a good song. Growing up, our house was always filled with the sounds of the Laurel Canyon rock bands ... Eagles, Jackson Browne, Linda, you name it, and those great songs caught my ear from a very early age, then KISS and Van Halen hijacked my attention. I remember reading the Doors book, "No One Here Gets Out Alive," when I was 11 and my take away wasn't so much the "excess," as it was the "process." Jac Holzman, Paul Rothchild, Danny Sugarman, Bill Siddons, the men who built the Doors, the men who took "Light My Fire" and built an inferno, that was what lit the fuse for me. I put the hairbrush down and charted a path that would give me the best opportunity to become part of the "process".

Mentors? I have been unbelievably fortunate to have worked for and learned from so many great people in our industry. Harvey Leeds, Jacqueline Saturn, Ron Cerrito, Stu Bergen, John Boulos, Dale Connone, Polly Anthony, Steve Barnett, Joel Klaiman, Lee Leipsner, Cheryl Valentine, Mike Depippa, Erik Olesen and Rick Sackheim are all great music people who have counseled and guided me through the years. But Fred Croshal was the first; in 1990 he found teenage me working music retail in the suburbs and offered the opportunity to dream about the future while slinging stamps in the Sony Music mailroom. I learned so much in year one, Fred and Jack Chase really insisted that I make myself familiar with every part of their team. Nothing was off-limits, I was never treated like "the mailroom guy;" they went out of their way to make me part of everything that was going on around me and took time to make sure I was learning and growing. They did so much and never asked for anything more than hard work and commitment in return. They also introduced me to my incredible wife, so I can honestly say that not a day goes by without a quick thought back to what an important impact those two men had on my life. And now, here at Q Prime, I'm surrounded by an HOF level of music minds that absolutely inspire creativity and lead by example. Cliff Burnstein, Peter Mensch and Warren Christensen have a daily influence on how I approach the job and handle my responsibilities. The day I stop learning and growing, will be the same day they read my eulogy. With that in mind, my list of mentors will evolve from chapter to chapter. But there's a very good chance that the QP chapter will be the one I look back on as the stand out in what has been a career rich in beautiful minds.

2. Can you give us a rundown of the record labels and positions you've held over the years?

As I mentioned, this ride started in the mailroom at Sony Music and from there I moved to Austin to work for Sony as a retail merchandising and marketing staffer. Not long after that it was back to Dallas to do regional promo for Epic. After a couple of years in Dallas, Epic sent me to San Francisco to do regional work there. The next stop was L.A., where I worked national Rock formats for Epic, thank you Jacqueline Saturn and Ron Cerrito. Then it was back and forth between Los Angeles and Texas to serve dual roles under Mike Depippa in the Rock department and regional promo for Joel Klaiman and Jacqueline. Then in 2010, I got the call and the 20-year ride at Sony had come to an end. Island's Erik Olesen called to say "I heard what happened yesterday, I'm on vacation for the rest of the week, come to NYC next Monday." The following Wednesday morning I was working for Island and spent the next two years doing regional promo for Erik and Rick Sackheim in Dallas. But old habits are hard to break and Jacqueline Saturn said, "Come home." Back to Epic for another run in the Rock department to work for Jacqueline and the recent Epic hire, Erik Olesen. As much I loved being back with the two of them, it turns out Thomas Wolfe was right. So a year later when Trina Luth and Warren Christensen came calling, it was on to Q Prime, and somehow, all these years later, I feel like I'm home. So take that Thomas Wolfe.

3. Before we talk about some of the hot new music at Q Prime, can you give us some of your proudest past achievements in breaking "new acts" over the years?

As with the mentors question, the thought "unbelievably fortunate" comes to mind. Not that plaques are how we keep score, but maybe it's a good way to keep track ... career bookmarks we hang on the wall. That being said, the first one I hung on the walls of my sparsely furnished apartment in Texas in 1992 was for Pearl Jam "10," the second was Rage Against The Machine, for a rock fan in the '90s Epic was an incredible place to work. I used to tell to people that as a kid in high school I would dream about working for Geffen Records. They had an awesome rock bullpen in the '80s. By the end of the '90s, when I would mention that dream, friends would say "Wake up, you work for the Geffen Records of the '90s." Oasis, Korn, Incubus, Lamb Of God, Chevelle, Audioslave are all on the list of careers I am proud to have been a part of. And I should stress "part of;" it takes so many hands and hearts to break an artist. It was a privilege to be a member of the teams that helped write those stories.

4. Congrats on your new role as Q Prime's Director/Rock. With a roster that includes such Rock monsters as Metallica, Disturbed, Volbeat and Three Days Grace, you've got to be pretty stoked about this new position. Are you still pinching yourself?

I promise you, as soon as I wake from this awesome dream, I'll pinch myself.

5. Let's talk about the new Three Days Grace which had a huge debut at Rock radio. What's the plan for this project moving forward?

We are incredibly excited about how Rock radio opened their arms and their playlists for this track. I can't say enough about how much we appreciate the love programmers have shown this band over the years and once again here in 2018. They have stood by this band since the 2003 release of "Home" through today, and it is inspiring. Fifteen years, 13 #1 singles ... you can't take any of that for granted. When impact day was over, there were nearly 100 stations that added "The Mountain" and while hard work played a role, it was the programmers at those 94 stations who really made it possible. Additionally, working alongside our RCA family was key, the work that DB, Artie and company did once again showed why you want to have them on your team and by your side. So the single is up and running and the band will spend the next four weeks promoting the March 9th release of Outsider and then, of course, it will be time to hit the road for the rest of the year. We're excited about the Spring shows the band will be playing in Florida and South Carolina, WXTB's and WYBB's Rockfest shows as well as JRR's Birthday show in April. In May, they've got a great slot on Saturday's bill at Rock On The Range and they'll spend June in Europe where they'll be featured on all the key summer festival season shows. Then it's back to North America for the rest of the year.

6. As we just begin to rock in 2018, what else does the company have coming down the pipeline in the months ahead?

Along with the aforementioned Three Days Grace action, there’s new music coming from Muse. Disturbed will be getting creative in the studio throughout the Spring and are playing Rockfest in Wisconsin in July. Metallica's World Wired tour just hit the road again last week, this time in Spain. They'll continue to play European dates through May. And Volbeat gets back in the ring next month when they play a few of the South American Lollapalooza shows. There will be fresh Snow Patrol music in March, their first in seven years. Dan Auerbach hits the road to tour "Waiting On A Song" with his Easy Eye Sound Revue and we have an incredibly exciting story building around Declan McKenna. He just hit the road in late January and will be playing sold-out U.S. clubs through April. That's a live show you don't want to miss; he's poised to be one of the artist development stories of 2018 and 2019.

That's what's on our plate for the first quarter of 2018, and we're just getting started.

7. As a promotion person, what are the most important tools/resources you use to stay on top of the Rock formats' growth and constant daily changes?

The information resources we have at our disposal are not infinite, but they almost seem to be. There are of course the basics, the obvious two you can't start the day without: Mediabase and/or BDS tracking information. In 2018 those are just the tip of the daily information intake iceberg. Streaming numbers, box office numbers, Mscores, socials stats, Q Scores, good old-fashioned callout scores ... it's all there for anyone of us to weaponize in this data-driven environment. They are all there in the toolbox we have to call upon to make our client's case when we speak to radio's decision makers. To me, the most important tool is still a basic one -- instinct. The ability to read the room, understand the game situation and call the right play. If I send Elliott Wood an e-mail full of stats and numbers that aren't relevant to him, I've just wasted an opportunity and I've wasted his time. I need to build a relationship with him, get to know him, find out what drives his decision making process, then assess and ultimately apply the right information for the given situation. Every person he will hear from this week has an angle; every one of them thinks they have the cutest baby in the nursery. The data I give him has to be correct but just importantly, it has to be relevant and concise. He's got a full plate of responsibilities week to week and it's not up to him to wade through the sea of e-mails and phone calls to find the argument that cracks the code.

So while I value each and every metric at my disposal, instincts, common sense, respect and relationships are the four most important tools/resources that I count on from day to day.

8. Let's talk about the Rock format as a whole. What's your take on the state of Rock radio today?

Around the globe, rock music still fills clubs, arenas and stadiums. People love to rock; it's primal, it's tribal, it's honest. Rock radio has the ability to connect with its P1s in a very unique and special way. The right soundtrack on any rural American Friday night can make your car go faster, your beer seem colder (don't drink and drive) and in general, your night infinitely better. The power of the right songs at the right time is almost supernatural. Rock radio wields that power almost better than any other format. Once again, it comes back to where we started ... songs, songs, songs. Rock PDs have those precious golds that make it all work; finding the right new songs that can use those monolithic anthems as anchors is harder than it seems to those of us on this side of the programming desk. I have faith in the veteran decision-makers at the format. I'm willing to bet on Rock programmers from Philadelphia to Sioux Falls, Seattle to San Diego and back to Corpus Christi, I trust they'll get it right more often than not. I also have a very resolute belief in the Rock P1. More so than any other radio audience, the Rock P1 is great at being "present." Living in the moment more often than living with his/her nose buried in their phone. Very little is guaranteed in life, but I guarantee you this: Gene Simmons' proclamation that "rock is dead" was wrong.

9. Last week, Q Prime's co-founder Cliff Burnstein was profiled in a recent Power Player 10 Questions for All Access and he mentioned that he and his partner Peter Mensch work every day to do the best job possible for every artist and make his employees feel valued. That's a simple but powerful company mission statement. Your thoughts?

Gratitude and responsibility were the two words that immediately came to mind while I read the interview. I grew up on the music and artists whose careers Q Prime has guided over the last four decades. To be a part of this team is an honor and a privilege that I don't take for granted. I can't put into words how rewarding and inspiring it is, but knowing that your company values and respects its team and its players is a luxury that I can only hope my teenage son will someday know when he enters the work force. It might be a simple mission statement, but it's one that is easy to process and apply. It drives everyone on this team to work hard and deliver for the Q Prime client on a daily basis. There is a standard of service and commitment that is synonymous with the name on the door; each one of us would walk through a wall to maintain that commitment to excellence.

10. Finally, being as busy as you are, what do you like to do for fun and relaxation when you're not in your "work" mode?

I'm guilty of not relaxing properly, more so than I am willing to admit. Warren would definitely tell you that in 2018 he is going to get me to take a proper vacation, come hell or high water. "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" ... it's been overused, it's cliche, but it's true. I love our business, the music, the artists, the people, the day-to-day grind in this game doesn't feel like work, it feels like being alive. So many good people doing their part to bring good music to the masse; that doesn't sound like work, that sounds like fun. I don't know if I'm ever actually in "work" mode as much as I'm always in "go" mode. That being said, somewhere between "go" mode and sleep, I'm always ready to find a few hours to get lost in a movie theater with my wife and son or simply share a quiet meal with the two of them so that we can each recap the highlights and lowlights of the day. The personal happiness in my life comes from their health and their happiness; it's the only way I find myself at peace and relaxed.

But also Madden and Star Wars Battlefront on the PS4.