10 Questions with ... Phil Kaso

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

My love of music is what made me want to get into the business. I’m a fan of music first and I worked in a mom & pop indie record shop in Queens when I was in high school, and interned for Epic Records while in College – and knew right then & there, that I wanted to work for a label. Early mentors – have to give props to Dave Loncao and Ron Poore for giving me my first gig, and to Elias Chios for connecting me with them and of course John Boulos who I worked with Roadrunner Promotion for 10 years, from 2008-2018. I also have great mentors that I work with now – and have worked with since the end of 2007 when Roadrunner Records joined forces with Lava/Fueled By Ramen – and became Roadrunner Promotion – Mike Easterlin and Greg Dorfman. I continue to learn from them every day.

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

I’ve worked at two labels, basically. I Interned at Epic Records Retail Marketing department in 1994. Started at RCA Records in 1997 as Rock/Alternative Promotion Coordinator, and have been at Roadrunner Records since April of 1999. Positions at Roadrunner – I’ve gone from Promotion Coordinator at Roadrunner Records, to Promotion Coordinator/Video & College Promotion 1999-2001 at Roadrunner Records, to Northeast Regional Promotion Director 2002-2014 (based in Boston ‘02-‘03, and then NY ‘03-‘14) at Roadrunner Records/Roadrunner Promotion to National Rock/Alternative Promotion Director – 2015 – 2019 at Roadrunner Promotion/Elektra Music Group, to Vice President National Rock Promotion 2020-present – Elektra Music Group.

3. Before we talk about some of the hot new music on Roadrunner, can you give us some of your proudest past achievements in breaking new acts with this label?

I’d have to say some of my proudest moments would be working bands like Slipknot, Nickelback, Theory of a Deadman, Twenty One Pilots and seeing their careers grow to be career artists. Seeing some of those bands grow from being in small clubs to arenas – is amazing. Also working with other great artists like Motionless in White, Trivium, Paramore, Panic! At The Disco, Young the Giant – just to name a few.

4. Let’s talk about the success of the new Theory of a Deadman project. Looks like you are close to another #1 single at Rock. What makes these guys so solid at the Rock format?

Trying to drive “History Of Violence” to #1 as we speak, living in real time, and asking for a few more increases to power, and some extra spins where stations can help out. Theory has been around now for almost 18 years, and this is album #7. I think the band has done a lot of great things with our radio partners over the years, and people genuinely want to see them succeed. I think with their last album “Wake Up Call” and this album “Say Nothing” – they specifically went in with the mindset of making new & refreshing music and challenging their fans & rock listeners as to what “Rock” music is. They’ve delivered some great music and their fans are still rock fans.

5. You also have several other songs on Rock Radio now with Slipknot and Motionless In White among others. Can you give us an update on these projects?

Slipknot’s “Nero Forte” is #18* and streaming well over 490,000 times a week – out streaming all but 4 of the 40 songs on the Active Rock chart. The band just announced a major headlining tour in the U.S. – taking the KNOTFEST Roadshow on the road in May/June this year. There’s no denying that SLIPKNOT is one of the biggest rock bands of the past 20 years.

Motionless in White’s “Another Life” is just getting started – but already approaching Top 30. It is streaming over 280,000 times a week. They just wrapped up a co-headline tour with Beartooth that sold out almost every market they played. The band will be on some of the Wimmer Festivals this spring, and doing a quick run of headline shows in between those. Then they will be back in the fall on another headline run. This track is one of their most radio-friendly songs they’ve put out to-date and hoping this could be the one that gets them to the next level.

6. You are also Impacting new Rock from A Day To Remember, Korn and Dinosaur Pile-Up. What’s the latest on these projects at Rock Radio?

A Day To Remember just impacted this week – and is already close to debuting. “Resentment” is streaming over 400,000 times a week – outperforming the bulk of the chart. They just got announced on the Slipknot Knotfest Roadshow this spring. Korn “Can You Hear Me” officially impacts Tuesday 2/11…and will debut on the chart on Monday. 15 stations couldn’t wait. This song sounds like it could be a big one, it’s an all day-part record from Korn. We will be following up Dinosaur Pile-Up’s Top 5 smash “Back Foot” with “Round The Bend” – shipping this Wednesday 2/12 and impacting 2/25. They will be on tour in the U.S. this spring headlining, and playing some Festivals.

7. What else does the label have coming down the pipeline in the future?

We will have a new project from JOYOUS WOLF – if you’re going to the #HAPPENS convention be sure to check them out Thursday 2/27. They are a straight-ahead rock band – and are killer live. They’ve been on the road for the better part of the last 2 years, have toured with the likes of Slash, Fozzy, Buckcherry, Deep Purple, and have also played a bunch of the Wimmer Festivals. Their frontman, Nick Reese is a star. I think radio will embrace this band. We also have new music from Trivium, follow-up singles from Theory of a Deadman, Slipknot and more.

8. 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?

I try to use every tool that I have access to – whether that is sales, streaming #’s, social media stats, shazams, concert attendance, merch, etc. It’s all important when trying to see the big picture of why a band is important. There are so many different things to look at – to fully gauge what is going on with a record/band.

9. Now let’s talk about the Active Rock format as a whole. What’s your take on the State of Rock Radio today?

I think Active Rock has been on the upswing as a whole, as there have been a bunch of new stations signing on in major markets. I love that. I also like that fact that the format seems to be embracing a wider scope, generally speaking. Stations are grabbing a wider variety of they consider to be “rock” music – and this is good for the format as whole. I think if you look back at the late ‘90s/early 2000s when the format was doing really well, and scoured playlists, there would be a lot of hit songs that the artists wouldn’t be consider rock anymore. They had big songs at the time, that the format embraced. I think when stations get too narrow & focused, they lose some of the cume audience that Rock stations can grab. I know the P1 is men, but there are women that like to rock too.

10. Finally, I know you are a huge New York Giants football fan and New York Yankees fan as well. What can you say about Eli Manning retiring and Derek Jeter going into the baseball Hall Of Fame?

I can say this about both Eli Manning & Derek Jeter – they were both professionals and did things the right way. They both played in NY their entire career, and won multiple championships and were all class, all the way. I think Eli ends up in the Hall Of Fame – he’s one of only 5 QB’s to ever win 2 Super Bowl MVP’s, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, & Bart Starr. Derek Jeter is going to the Hall Of Fame as he should be – he’s one of, if not the best shortstop to ever play the position. I was fortunate enough to see both of them play in many games in person. Jeter, I got to see at least 1 home game of each of his 5 World Series titles in person. And countless Eli Manning regular season games, and the only home playoff game in his 2 Super Bowl runs.

Phil Kaso is a GIANT NY Giants fan!!!