10 Questions with ... Adam “Adrock” Lebensfeld

1. What made you want to get into the music business and what was your first job?

In college I was interning at a company (I can’t remember the name) in Buffalo who sold recording equipment and had a sound studio. They sold Select Sound Studios the first automated board (the Studer Dyaxis) and the owner and I were chatting while installing the board at the studio. He asked me what I wanted to do with my life after college. I told him I wanted to be a recording engineer and he said to me “son, that’s a career where you live in the studio. You seem like a bright kid, go work on the business side & you’ll have a much happier life.” AND..he was right. So...jump a few years later…I called every promotions person working almost weekly asking if they needed an assistant. Most of them never took my call but Frank Murray, at that time at Capitol, always did. He told me to keep checking back and a few months later he moved to Hollywood Records and hired me as his assistant.

2. Can you give us a history of the labels you worked for before joining In De Goot?

My first gig was at Hollywood Records as a promotions assistant. While I was working at Hollywood during the week I worked at Hot 97 as a street teamer on the weekends. That morphed into promotions assistant, video promotions person & low budget marketing of bands the label didn’t really know what to do with. Then Hollywood cleaned house and Frank Murray brought me over to S.I.N. Magazine with him. It was a brutal gig where we wrote the magazine & creating the ads. I left a few months later. I then was a temp for Ron Poore at RCA.

3. When and how did you hook up with Bill McGathy and In De Goot?

I was hired as a temporary promo assistant when Phil Kaso, Elias Chios and Dave Loncao all moved from RCA to Roadrunner. I took Phil’s assistants gig as a temp for Ron Poore. I worked there for a bit under two months-Tony Couch, who was Bill’s assistant at the time was leaving to go to HITS and looking for his replacement as Bill’s assistant. I knew most of the guys and girls there and Rose knew me well as I used to come to the McGathy office to help pack bags and make badges for the McGathy party. I interviewed with Bill and he offered me the gig on the spot.

4. In De Goot has grown into a major Artist Management company. Who are some of the Rock artists that In De Goot manages and works with today?

Ayron Jones, Biffy Clyro, Black Stone Cherry, Dinosaur Pile-Up, GWAR, Halestorm, Highly Suspect, Hounds, Lilith Czar, New Years Day, , The Picturebooks, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum (fronted by Michael C Hall), Saint Asonia, Shinedown, Slothrust, Smith + Myers, Theory of a Deadman, Zero 9:36

5. Let’s talk about the new Shinedown single “Daylight.” You’ve been working with this band for years. What’s the latest with this project?

This record was recorded during the pandemic and with all of the negative that was going on during those two years they wanted a song that put a spotlight on the positive. That whatever bad that there is happening in the world Daylight represents the positivity of a new day. Daylight was picked by the band as the 2nd single. Brent has always said that their music transcends genres. The audience isn’t just dudes, its families with younger kids & teens. With regards to their songs transcending genres, the band took support on this Fall tour that reflects the widening boundaries of rock with Jelly Roll and John Harvie. It’s one of the most sonically diverse tours out there & that’s by design.

Adam visits KKBZ/Fresno PD E Curtis Johnson

6. You’re also working with GWAR and their new single “Ratcatcher.” What can you tell us about this project?

GWAR is a passion project for us. If you like rock you know the name GWAR (their merch was in an episode of Young Rock, members appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc during the pandemic). The band is filled with top tier musicians & they really wanted to highlight their songwriting ability & musicianship on this record. Ratcatcher was picked as a single because it’s not what anyone expects to hear from GWAR. They’ve been drawing bigger audiences on this current run and will be at Riot Fest and some DWP shows.

7. Who are some of the other artists and projects that you’re going to be working with in the next several months?

Highly Suspect has a single, “Natural Born Killer” coming on 6/22. Ayron Jones will have a new song in the late fall and all I can says is OH MY GOD is it great. Zero 9:36 will have a new single & EP coming out in the fall. New Years Day will have a banger in August & Theory should a single sometime in Sept.

8. You’ve done Rock Promotion and worked with many great Rock artists for years. What’s your take on the current state of Active Rock music and Rock Radio overall?

Like other formats, rock radio is evolving. The audience was raised listening to different genres, and you can see the merging of genres in the new music being created.

There’s great rock music out there and radio is blending the music they’re playing to reflect that. From Jelly Roll to Bring Me The Horizon, Architects to Zero 9:36…radio is widening what “rock” is.

9. Years ago, you made the move to Nashville to open an office for In De Goot there. How has the move to Music City worked out for you and the company?

Moving to Nashville was the best thing for me and for In De Goot. For me it was a slower lifestyle while still being in a music city. The rock community started to migrate to Nashville shortly after I got here. There was always an underground rock scene here but over the last five years lots of major labels and managers have set up shop here and expanded the rock community. It’s exciting to see it grow and see everyone’s success.

10. Finally, when you’re NOT in Rock Promotion/Management work mode, what do you like to do to relax and get away from the business?

It's been so busy that it seems like there’s never not work mode and working from home during the pandemic changed the dynamics of when work ends. I’m still relatively new to Nashville so I tend to go to a farmers market or explore the city and surrounding areas. I’ve found a Buddhist temple in the middle of nowhere that I go to when I truly want to unwind. I am not a Buddhist, but I find serenity in the space and the monks there are always friendly..and they have great food they sell as well.