10 Questions with ... Nick Attaway

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

I started bartending at a club in Philadelphia where I was exposed to bands that I never heard of and saw many of them blow up shortly after. I realized then that I wanted to be part of that process. That led to an internship at WMMR. I would put CDs in alphabetical order in the MD's office where I got to hear all the pitches from all the record reps. There was one rep who really inspired me and that was Bobbi Silver. There was no better rep than Bobbi and chances are there will never be another as great as her.

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

Skip Bishop gave me my first shot in 1996 when he hired me to head up College Promo at MCA; Susan Greenwood was my mentor and teacher. She busted my balls but has become a lifelong friend. Twenty years later, she now live nears me as a kick-ass teacher in Charlottesville -- and she even had my youngest son as a student! A year later, I was promoted to national Triple A and Nancy Levin came in as the head of the Department. Nancy defined inspiration, and we had an epic year. We all worked hard and crushed it every day, not out of fear or threats but because of love for Nancy. She will be forever missed. After MCA, I went to Arista heading up Triple A and regional Carolina promotion. I think I am the only rep in history to have been based in Charleston SC.

In 2004, I went to work at Redlight Management and ATO Records. At that time they only had 20 employees. I learned so much working for a management company and the culture there is really great. In 2006 I went to work for Sean O'Connell at Music Allies as his right hand. We had been friends for years while working for indie labels such as Brushfire and Righteous Babe I was also able to do promotions for festivals like Bonnaroo. In 2011, I became the head of promotion for Vagrant Records. I was immediately drawn to their bands and team. In 2014 we were acquired by BMG and that's how I became the head of promotion for BMG. It's a dream gig. We are an indie label in the best sense of the word, but we have a massive global reach and can compete with any major label, which we prove every day. BMG is built on a foundation of fairness and transparency, which is something I'm proud to be part of. The recent hiring of Tom "Grover" Biery is a reflection of who we are.

3. Before we talk about some of the hot new music on BMG, can you give us some of your proudest past achievements in breaking "new acts" with your previous labels?

Launching Blink 182 in 1996 at College radio was amazing. I knew they would be huge and then after that, helping to break Semisonic, New Radicals and delivering BB King his first Gold record were all MCA highlights. At Arista, Dido was a groundbreaking artist who got a lot of resistance from radio, but when the song "Thank You" was used in Eminem's "Stan," the song became a hit on its own right, but it still took a lot of hard work. P!nk's album M!ssundaztood, Usher's 8701 and OutKast's Stankonia were massive releases in 2000 and 2001 that I am proud to have played a part in. Back then we had to deliver big records to our major stations by hand at the same time. That sense of urgency and national coordination was always exciting.

4. You've had some big releases this year from major Rock bands such as A Perfect Circle and Godsmack. Let's talk about APC first. How is the project going for you and the label?

Maynard James Keenan is absolutely worshipped by his fans. His genius as an artist and his uncompromising approach to everything has earned him a level of respect rarely seen today in our industry. His music challenges listeners. He doesn't make first-listen hits. He creates music that engages you. It makes you think and then you get it. As a result, his music stands the test of time. So far, TalkTalk is heading towards top 10 after The Doomed went top 10 in audience at Rock -- without even being a single. Now, with Coachella, ROTR, and all the other major festivals, it is evident that APC is as relevant now than ever before.

5. Now let's talk about the new Godsmack, which had a monster debut at Rock radio. This is a huge band for the Rock format and was on Universal/Republic for years. How did BMG become involved and what can you tell us about this project and the new album and tour?

The respect, freedom, transparency and global reach that the new BMG offers our artists is what attracts them to us ... and Godsmack is a perfect example. Sully Erna must have been flooded with a tidal wave of creativity because the upcoming album has zero filler, and I can promise everyone that we will have three massive hits for Active Rock from "When Legends Rise," which will be available on 4/27. Between headlining all the rock festivals and their national amphitheatre tour, Godsmack will be everywhere!

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

It first starts with the music. It has to be great and competitive. Then, its people. I am blessed to call Cheryl Valentine, Ray Gmeiner and Rob Tarantino as my dedicated core team. These three individuals are among the best rock promotion people ever, and I have admired them for years and now I get to work alongside them and learn from them daily.

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

Personally, I think Rock radio is too library-driven. Songs go to recurrent too soon and at many stations, there are too little currents with anemic rotations. I know Sirius and terrestrial radio have different business models, but terrestrial radio can learn a lot from Octane. They play a lot of new music and when they add a song, they bang it out of the gate to get a read on it. How can anyone get a read on a song if it starts with seven spins a week? Octane has some of the most engaged and passionate listeners at Sirius and it's because they have 100% faith in breaking new music and they have created a culture for their listeners. Now, I say all this as a record guy, and I have never been a programmer, so I do understand that I'm looking at this with one lens.

8. As a National Rock promotion person, you travel a lot and see many live shows. What is the best live show you have seen this past year on yours or another label and why?

I would have to say The Glorious Sons. They are from Canada and are huge up there. Their album, "Young Beauties and Fools," is brilliant and it translates live. They perform with an intense energy and honesty that I haven't seen in a long time. They are a personal favorite of mine.

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?

Spending time with my wife, kids and my dog. Hiking around the Blue Ridge, driving my Jeep with the top down, jumping into local rivers and going to shows and eating good food. Also, I love putting on sweatpants and chilling to Netflix.