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10 Questions with ... Drew Murray
April 27, 2021
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Another label that we’ve been the ‘field staff’ for over the years has been Red Bull. Credit has to go to Joe Guzik when he was there for his passion and drive in getting Beartooth onto radio’s radar. To coincide with the radio success, the band built a strong fanbase through touring, and with this new album we feel that they are about to break big. Joe, when discussing Beartooth with us over their previous releases, always said ‘Rock radio NEEDS new superstar acts.’ With their upcoming album, we believe Joe’s dream is about to be realized.
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1. What made you want to get into the music business and who were some of your early mentors?
I had two older brothers; one was a professional musician, and the other still works in radio as an engineer. I just kind of followed along. I was lucky to have good “teachers” early on. On the radio side, I was lucky to be part of WKLS/96 Rock in Atlanta when Lee Abrams came on board, and I was able to learn from the master. Among the local people who worked me as MD then PD there included Charlie Minor, Jon Scott (if you haven’t yet, read his book about Tom Petty), Mike Bone, Steve Leeds, and others. Once I moved from radio to records, those were the people I wanted to emulate.
2. What was your first job and give us a rundown of the labels and positions you’ve held over the years?
First label job was in 1978 at the infamous Casablanca, as a Southern Regional rep. Started in Atlanta, then was moved to Houston. Casablanca was bought and “merged” into PolyGram. I was promoted from Houston to national Rock in LA, then moved to New York. PolyGram “split” into Mercury and Polydor separately in ’89, and I stayed on the Mercury side. Remained there until 1998. Worked briefly at Restless Records (w/Dave Darus/Rick Sackheim and others), then went to Sanctuary as VP of radio for both the label and management (THAT was fun!). Remained there until it was sold to Universal; worked briefly at a boutique label called bluhammock (mostly AAA acts), then joined CO5 in 2009.
3. You worked at Mercury Records for many years and helped break many bands. What are some of the best highlights of your time with Mercury?
Wow. Almost too many to list here. But being the head of Rock Radio promotion for a label that had Def Leppard, Rush, The Scorpions, Bon Jovi, KISS, John Mellencamp, Tears For Fears, and others was an incredible honor. Especially when you got to be a part of the team that had “the song” that broke many of those bands in your bag.
4. How long ago did you start working with Amplify and what are your main responsibilities with the company?
I started with CO5 in 2009, as the head of “adult formats” (primarily AAA/Hot AC). Then the company split into two separate entities in 2018, and I wound up with Amplify Entertainment Group, as VP of Promotion.
5. Who are some of the bands you and Amplify have helped break over the last few years?
We’ve had the pleasure of being the “field staff” for indie labels and management teams. Credit has to go to the labels for the game-plan, and it was up to us to execute it. One recently was The HU, for Jackie Kajzer at Better Noise. A Mongolian Metal band, that didn’t sing in English, wound up with two Top Five Rock Radio tracks. Another was the latest from The Architects, for Edie at Epitaph. Edie was part of the Amplify team before joining Epitaph, and this was really her first “Rock” project. To be part of the success this single has had under her stewardship has been great.
6. Now let’s talk about the new Beartooth single “The Past Is Dead” which is starting to take off at Rock Radio. What’s the latest with this project?
Again, another label that we’ve been the “field staff” for over the years has been Red Bull. Credit has to go to Joe Guzik when he was there for his passion and drive in getting Beartooth onto radio’s radar. To coincide with the radio success, the band built a strong fanbase through touring, and with this new album we feel that they are about to break big. Joe, when discussing Beartooth with us over their previous releases, always said “Rock radio NEEDS new superstar acts.” With their upcoming album, we believe Joe’s dream is about to be realized.
7. What other future projects can you tell us about that we need to pay attention to?
Right now, for Jackie at Better Noise, we’re stoked about “For The Glory” by All Good Things. This song is for real. Already over 40 million streams, and the radio story is just starting. A couple of other bands that we’re working the latest singles on include Bad Omens for Mike Jakubow at Sumerian. Bad Omens is a band that has built the fanbase, then went to radio. The first single went Top 20, and we hope to at least match that and build on it with “Never Know”. Also, “You Never Listen” from Tetrarch. The first single went Top 30, without the luxury of having the band on the road due to the pandemic. We’re hoping that this new single will continue their growth, and it looks like they will be able to start playing live gigs this summer and fall. Last but not least, we are proud to have worked the latest album from Love And Death; the band consisting of Brian “Head” Welch from Korn and Jasen Rauch from Breaking Benjamin. “Down” was a great introduction, and there will be another single coming this summer.
8. You’ve been in the record promotion business for a long time. What are the most important tools/resources you use to stay on top of the Rock formats' growth and constant daily changes?
Aside from All Access? I am a bit of an ‘info nerd’. Not just the overall spins and streaming numbers, but I like to break down stations' playlists. Dayparts vs no dayparts, how many songs in each category, a deep dive into what they’re playing/when they’re playing it and why. This station has 7 Powers, that station only has 3 Powers, that station only plays x number of songs in all dayparts, that particular station is heavily Recurrent, and more. Our staff should know what they’re asking for BEFORE they ask for it. Back-in-the-day it was 'Light/Medium/Heavy'. It’s a little more intricate now.
9. Let’s talk about the Active Rock format as a whole. What’s your take on the State of Rock Radio today?
For what many of the major labels consider a “niche” format, there is a thriving and “Active” community that is proving that new Rock acts CAN break and become financially successful, thanks to Rock Radio’s support. I was lucky in the early part of my career to see bands “graduate” to mass appeal/Top 40 success. Would a band like The Scorpions have a Top Five Pop single in 2021? I don’t think so. That doesn’t happen anymore, but to see a band like Beartooth start by playing small clubs or opening a 3-act bill, to become headliners in the larger venues and “top of the bill” at festivals, proves that Rock Radio is still a major “building block” in that success.
10. Finally, what do you like to do for fun and relaxation when you’re not in “work” mode??
My wife and I “downsized” a few years ago; out of the “big house for the kids” (who grew up/got married/started their own life), into a condo at the Jersey Shore. So now we enjoy everything there is to enjoy here. The beach, the “beach bars,” the hiking trails with views of the ocean, etc. And I still, after all of these years, enjoy discovering new music! It’s what’s in the earbuds while hiking, walking along the shore, or just enjoying the view.
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